2PAXfly
NEW ZEALAND: Flight from Blenheim to Wellington on Air New Zealand
Our return to Wellington was from Blenheim Airport (BHE). It’s a tiny airport adjacent to a New Zealand Air Force facility. No lounge, and not much of anything else except a big waiting room with two ‘gates’, one at either end. The Airport Facilities are minimal, no lounge, for example,...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 10 May, 2026
Greetings from Sydney. As you will find out below, I have been battling an awful case of jet lag. It has filled me with brain fog, sleep deprivation, irritability, and a general lack of thought capability. I’ve written a post about what I should have done to combat it. What...
2PAXfly
JET LAG: I have been suffering the worst jet-lag of my life. Here is what I should have done
About a week ago, I returned from London to Sydney via Istanbul and Singapore. My flights were mostly with Turkish Airlines, with the last leg on a wet-leased Finnair A330 on a Qantas ticket. It’s been a week, and I am still desperately sleep deprived, irritable, brain fogged, and useless....
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Double Status Credits in ‘Pick your bonus’ promo. A longer runway than Qantas
Virgin Australia has responded to Qantas’ latest double rewards offer with its own ‘Pick Your Bonus‘ 2026 promotion, giving Velocity Frequent Flyer members the choice of double Status Credits or double Velocity Points on eligible flights. Qantas’ current offer is limited to flights between 12 May and 31 August 2026....
Also on BoardingArea
2PAXfly
NEW ZEALAND: Flight from Blenheim to Wellington on Air New Zealand
Our return to Wellington was from Blenheim Airport (BHE). It’s a tiny airport adjacent to a New Zealand Air Force facility. No lounge, and not much of anything else except a big waiting room with two ‘gates’, one at either end. The Airport Facilities are minimal, no lounge, for example,...
Frequent Miler
Hotel review: JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa
My wife and I spent eight nights in Crete recently, five at Domes Noruz Chania (see my review here), followed by three nights at the JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa. This is a relatively new JW Marriott property as it opened in June 2025. Having never stayed at a...
Points With a Crew
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express Review – New Higher Offer
The Blue Cash Preferred from American Express card is one of the best cards for grocery purchases and even better, it comes with a $0 annual fee the first year. Find out how to ...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
“Your Mother Went Up in the Smoke”: A Sad Short Story From Auschwitz
The pebbles crushed the soil below as they crunched under my feet while I walked along the dirt road past the many barracks where Jewish people from the Theresienstadt concentration camp — which was also known as the Theresienstadt ghetto — were held at the former concentration camp known as...
The Bulkhead Seat
Air France-KLM Reportedly Weighs Rebrand as Expansion Reshapes Airline Group
One of Europe’s largest airline groups, Air France-KLM Group, is reportedly considering changing its…
Frequent Miler
Should you have a hotel credit card even ​If you aren’t loyal to a hotel chain? | Ask Us Anything Ep86 | 5-6-26
Do any of the luxury hotel booking platforms (like Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts®) allow booking for others? If you are hotel chain agnostic, should you have a hotel credit card? We answered these questions and more on the Ask Us Anything hosted live on YouTube on May 6th, 2026....
Your Mileage May Vary
The Most Specific Sign Ever Seen at an Amex Centurion Lounge
A traveler at Denver’s Centurion Lounge encountered an unusually strict bar policy sign—and the internet had plenty to say about it. Imagine having a long, hard day of travel after…
One Mile at a Time
Chase Ink Business Preferred Review: 100K Bonus Points & 3x Categories
Nowadays, small business credit cards are more competitive than ever before. Not only can they help you earn valuable rewards for your business, but in some cases, business credit cards also offer valuable perks that can save you a lot of money and offer peace of mind with your purchases.
One Mile at a Time
Chase Ink Business Preferred Review: 100K Bonus Points & 3x Categories
Nowadays, small business credit cards are more competitive than ever before. Not only can they help you earn valuable rewards for your business, but in some cases, business credit cards also offer valuable perks that can save you a lot of money and offer peace of mind with your purchases.
View from the Wing
“Leave The Bags!” Flight Attendants Plead In Frontier Evacuation Video — Passengers Took Carry-Ons Anyway
Cabin video from the Frontier evacuation shows flight attendants pleading, “Leave the bags!” as passengers took carry-ons anyway. The exchange captures why emergency evacuations rarely work the way safety briefings imagine: people panic, protect their belongings, film, and make split-second choices that can slow everyone down.
Points With a Crew
The 14 best travel books that will inspire wanderlust and a road trip
If you're in the mood for wanderlust or a road trip or just learn about travel, here are 14 of the best travel books meant to inspire your next adventure
Your Mileage May Vary
Why the Chase Ink Business Preferred Is Still Worth a Look in 2026
If you have a business—even a side hustle—business credit cards can open up an entirely different world of points and miles opportunities. That said, I’m not going to tell you…
Miles To Memories
Well, Well! How Far this Bank Point Transfer Lineup Has Come…
The number of Wells Fargo transfer partners has recently grown by two. The new additions and longtime participants are worthy considering.
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
One of Europe’s Largest Airline Groups Considers Name Change as it Eyes Further Growth
One of Europe’s largest airline groups is reportedly considering a name change because its current moniker doesn’t truly reflect the brands under its wings or its future growth plans. The airline group in question is Air France-KLM, which was formed in 2004 during a period of intense airline consolidation in...
Frequent Miler
Office Depot/OfficeMax: Buy $300+ Mastercard Gift Cards, Save $15
Office Depot and OfficeMax stores have returned with their profitable gift card deal on Mastercard gift cards. The Deal Buy $300+ Mastercard gift cards at Office Depot/OfficeMax & get $15 off instantly. Key Terms Valid 5/10/26-5/16/26 Limit 10 per household/business (different stores may try to impose various limits that don’t...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Golden Spike Monument in Council Bluffs
Originally known as the Pacific Railroad and then the Overland Route, the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States occurred on Monday, May 10, 1869 — exactly 157 years ago today — stretching from Council Bluffs in Iowa to Oakland Long Wharf in California. In commemoration of...
One Mile at a Time
Review: American Flagship Lounge Miami Airport (MIA)
To kick offmy two-part birthday trip to the Golden Triangle, I had the chance to check out the American Flagship Lounge Miami (MIA), prior to my Qatar Airways A350 business class flight to Doha (DOH). Separately, I reviewed the British Airways Lounge Miami, which is the primary lounge Qatar Airways...
View from the Wing
Foreign Airlines Force You To Weigh Carry-On Bags — The Safety Excuse Doesn’t Hold Up
oreign airlines often make passengers weigh carry-on bags at the gate, sometimes limiting them to just 15.4 pounds including the bag itself. They call it safety, bin space, or boarding efficiency, but the U.S. proves planes can operate safely without this theater — the real explanation is regulation, not some...
Miles To Memories
(More Targeted) Best Ever 75K Blue Business Plus No Lifetime Language Offer
More people have been targeted for the 75K Blue Business Plus no lifetime language offer. We even have a link to check your accounts!
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
CBP Stops Traveler With An Entire Cooked Pig in His Luggage at Detroit Metro Airport
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stopped a man traveling from Togo with an entire cooked pig in his checked luggage after he stepped off a flight at Detroit Metro Airport earlier this week. CBP Director of Field Operations at the Michigan airport, Marty C. Raybon, shared an image of the...
Economy Class & Beyond
TRIP REPORT: Airplane Art Extra from the Hyatt Regency O’Hare
Airplane Art Extra from the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Still for the Friends It’s a bit early this week, but it’s time for a lot of aviation photos. It’s Airplane Art time.  Still for the friends But first. A trip to Liverpool, North West England.  But why? To the… daytime Heathrow...
Your Mileage May Vary
This Popular Packing Hack Could Backfire At TSA
People are always looking for hacks to bring as much as possible when traveling, preferably without paying for it. We’ve gone through some of them in the past (Spoilers: some…
The Bulkhead Seat
Alaska Airlines Celebrates Mother-Daughter Crew This Mother’s Day
This Mother’s Day, Alaska Airlines is highlighting a special family story that spans generations…
View from the Wing
Hurry For The Chase 100,000 Point Ink Business Preferred Bonus
Chase has brought back a 100,000-point bonus on the Ink Business Preferred, giving small-business owners and those of you with a side hustle one of the strongest bank card offers available right now. The card’s $95 annual fee is low for a bonus this large, and the points can be...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Double Status Credits surprise, but only for Australia and New Zealand
Qantas has launched a short, sharp ‘double rewards’ offer for Frequent Flyer members. You can choose between double Status Credits or double Qantas Points on eligible flights within Australia and across the Tasman. The booking window is tight. You need to register and book between 12.01 am AEST on 5...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 3 May, 2026
Greetings from Sydney. My month-long stay in the UK has come to an end, and I’m back home to enjoy the dwindling warmth of Autumn. It was a great time catching up with friends, seeing way too much theatre, and adding to my long list of galleries, museums, and artworks...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: More cuts to domestic flights but flights to Paris and Rome extended
Qantas has confirmed it will extend its 5% reduction in domestic capacity through to September, stretching what was initially a short-term cut from May–June into a full winter slowdown. Its low-cost sibling Jetstar is following suit, with both airlines also trimming flights across the Tasman and within New Zealand. For...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Restarting Doha flights with Qatar Airways from June
Although Qatar Airways has resumed some of its Australian network flights as of 1 May, Virgin Australia’s wet-leased flights using Qatar Airways aircraft are not returning until June The return to the wet lease agreement is cautious because of the Middle East conflict. Virgin Australia has confirmed its Doha flights...
2PAXfly
QATAR AIRWAYS: Network begins to rebound restoring Australian flights
Qatar Airways is ramping up flights to Australia, restoring capacity after months of disruption caused by Middle East airspace closures. From May, the Doha-based carrier is progressively returning to a full schedule across Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, with daily flights reinstated after a period of reduced services. Australian routes return...
2PAXfly
INTERNATIONAL FLYING: Middle East conflict and fuel crisis cuts one in four flights
Almost a quarter of international flights from Australia were cancelled in April. That’s according to the AFR, as airlines scrambled to deal with soaring fuel prices and widespread airspace disruptions. The trigger is the escalating conflict involving Iran, which has effectively shut down large parts of Gulf airspace since late...
2PAXfly
EMIRATES: Talk of First Class private suites with en suite bathrooms
Rumours are mounting that Emirates could be working on a new First Class concept featuring private suites with their own en-suite bathrooms. It sounds ambitious, but this is the airline that already put showers on board the Airbus A380 and introduced fully enclosed suites on the Boeing 777. If any...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: New open skies deal between Australia and Canada opens more flights and destinations
A new open skies agreement between Australia and Canada has removed limits on flights between the two countries, giving Qantas the green light to expand its services. The updated air services arrangement allows unlimited passenger capacity for Australian carriers, replacing the previous cap that effectively limited Qantas to a daily...