American Airlines will announce increased flexibility for AAdvantage members today.  Beginning very soon, members will have the ability to book one-way reward travel.  You can book a one-way award for one-half the usual miles, or combine awards, i.e. book your outbound trip in first class, and your return in coach.  Details will be up shortly on AA.com.  In the meantime, here’s an AP story on the topic.

Details now available on AA.com.

American Airlines has introduced the Boeing 757 to select international routes.  Beginning yesterday with service from JFK to Brussels, the first of 18 specially configured 757s equipped with 16 lie-flat business class and 166 economy class seats began plying the skies to thinner international markets for American.

You can view American’s press release here.

I just completed a successful week on the road.  Spent this week in Atlanta, taking my first flight on Delta Air Lines in 2 years without Medallion status (I survived) and completing a 3-night stay at the relatively new Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta Downtown (nice hotel).  I hope to post a full review of the hotel over the weekend.

Tomorrow morning Mrs. MJonTravel and I are heading to Dayton for Mother’s Day.  Traveling Southwest Airlines via Columbus and hoteling at the Hampton Inn Dayton-Fairborn.  I’ll be sure to post a hotel review and report anything unusual on our Southwest flights.

Airlines reported April traffic this week, and on the whole, results were better than they’ve been in months.  I know my Delta flights this week were quite full, but I still managed to have an empty seat beside me on both.  Anecdotal evidence that flights are lighter, but capacity cuts are keeping load factors from falling through the floor.

I’ll post my Atlanta hotel review this weekend, and few other musings as well.

I made it to Atlanta in ok shape.  My Delta flight was a bit delayed due to flow control into Atlanta.  Bad weather in DC and Atlanta slowed things down a bit but only by an hour or so.  I’m comfortably ensconced at the Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta Downtown now, and all is ok with the world.

But let’s talk about inflight wi-fi.  I was very excited to see the wi-fi “alert” (for lack of a better word) on Delta’s fabulous gate information display system while waiting for my flight at DCA.  There was even a “wi-fi” placard by the boarding door of the MD-80 jet bringing me to Atlanta.  After takeoff, and getting the “approved electronics” all clear from our in-flight crew, I brought out my laptop and decided to give inflight wi-fi a try.

Delta’s service is provided by Aircell and marketed as gogo.  This is the same service offered by American Airlines among others.  Connecting was easy, and no different than logging into the internet provided by your favorite hotel.  My laptop picked up the full strength wireless signal immediately, and I was connected in seconds.  Opening Internet Explorer, I was soon at the login screen.  Login was easy, and quick.  The price for Delta’s service was $9.95 (ETA: $9.95 for flights of 3 hours or less, $12.95 for flights over 3 hours, and $7.95 for handheld devices on flights of any length).  That price point is definitely ok for longer flights, but probably not worth the trouble for a short flight such as today’s from DCA to ATL.  But this was my first opportunity to try gogo, and I would not let it pass me by.

I surfed to several popular websites, checked my personal email, and connected to my work email through VPN.  Speed was ok, not lightening fast, but certainly acceptable.  I’d liken it to something between cheap DSL and a fast cable connection.  Not the fastest ever, but certainly, no complaints.  I was able to accomplish most everything with reasonable speed.  I’m happy to see this option available, and will use it again where available.  The only problem with today’s flight….it was my first without Delta Medallion status.  I’m just not used to boarding in Zone 5!  Must obtain Delta status again! 

Hello everyone from my wi-fi equipped Delta Air Lines flight to Atlanta.  I’m blogging via gogo, and needless to say it works.  I’ll post a review once I arrive in Atlanta.