Wild About Travel
copy an dre doBeautiful Bold Brightline -The Best way to Ride
Birghtline is superb. What blows me away is that the Brightline experience has been created to attract and keep people who have never ridden a train before. And it works. Background First, a bit of history. In 2018, Brightline did the unthinkable and opened a new private rail service in...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: A380 caught in global wing-crack inspection order
One Qantas Airbus A380 is among 16 superjumbos worldwide caught up in an urgent inspection program. Inspections were called for after cracks were found in a critical internal wing structure, as reported by the SMH. Europe’s aviation safety regulator, EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency), issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Adds Economy Plus to Project Sunrise, but other seats will be Economy Minus
Qantas has previously promised to provide Economy passengers with greater legroom befitting these ultra-long Project Sunrise flights. Like the politicians it seeks to influence through its invitation, Chairman’s Lounge makes promises it doesn’t keep. A standard 33-inch pitch in Economy is one of those. Forthcoming non-stop flights from Sydney to...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: New Canberra direct to Bali flights
These flights began on 22 July, so Canberrans can choose not to drive to Sydney Airport to make the domestic connection. Instead, they can fly direct from Canberra Airport to Denpasar in Bali. The new service is a meaningful win for travellers across the ACT, including residents of Batemans Bay,...
Also on BoardingArea
View from the Wing
30 Chase Sapphire Reserve Benefits, Credits, And Rules Even Seasoned Cardmembers Miss
The Chase Sapphire Reserve has a $795 annual fee, but its real value depends on understanding how the credits, lounge access, travel protections, transfer partners, authorized user benefits, and new earning categories actually work. These 30 details cover the fine print that can help cardmembers stack benefits, avoid clawbacks, earn...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Views From Putnam Hill Park in Zanesville in Ohio
Consisting of approximately 18.5 acres, Putnam Hill Park in Zanesville in Ohio offers a panoramic view of the small city — along with the historic and somewhat unique Y-Bridge that crosses the Muskingum River.
View from the Wing
TSA Finds Smoke Grenade In Peanut Butter, Airbnb Demands Tipping, And Marriott Takes Away Ketchup Packets
News and notes from around the interweb: Most likely, TSA caught this because they consider peanut butter to be a liquid. Last week a traveler flying through Indianapolis International Airport attempted to take two live smoke grenades, one of which was concealed inside of a jar of peanut butter. TSA...
Miles To Memories
(Last Chance) 3 Night Stay & $100 Back Holiday Inn Club Vacations Timeshare Presentation Offer
There is a new Holiday Inn Club Vacations Offer that could net you a 3 night stay in 9 different destinations, plus $100 cash back!
Your Mileage May Vary
How To Get Through TSA Security As Quickly & Easily As Possible
If you don’t fly very often, going through TSA can feel overwhelming. There are signs everywhere, bins flying around, people taking off jackets, emptying pockets, removing laptops, and somehow everyone…
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
United Airlines Boeing 737 With 106 Passengers On Board Narrowly Avoids Collision With Drone Flying in Prohibited Airspace Near Newark Liberty Airport
A packed United Airlines Boeing 737 with 106 passengers and five crew members on board narrowly avoided colliding with a drone as it made its final approach to land at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on Friday. The incident involved United flight UA-1513, which was in the final minutes of...
Miles To Memories
Disneyland or Walt Disney World? Reflecting on Our Latest Family Vacation
We just completed our 2026 Disneyland family vacation, and I have thoughts. I include plenty of Walt Disney World comparisons.
The Bulkhead Seat
2026 Weekly Review: June 27th
Greetings from Paris! We are here in the stifling heat. The city has been…
Live and Let’s Fly
Trump’s “Welcome, But Be Good” Passport Is A Sad 250th Birthday Gift To America
President Trump says America’s new limited-edition 250th anniversary passport says, “Welcome, but be good!” I assume he does not literally mean that phrase will appear in the passport, but the fact that we even have to ask says plenty. Trump Passport With His Own Image Is A Sad 250th Birthday...
Points With a Crew
How Many Languages Are Flight Attendants Required To Learn?
You might be surprised to realize that certain flight attendants on specific airlines are required to learn multiple languages, even just to be ...
Economy Class & Beyond
Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond (27th June)
It’s been a week of hiding in air-conditioned offices and considering relationships with an electric fan as hot weather has grabbed the UK and Western Europe like no one’s business. However, the show must go on, so under heat and far too much water, it must be time for Last Week...
The Bulkhead Seat
SWISS Adds a First Class Hot Dog to Its Summer Menu
SWISS is giving First Class dining a playful twist this summer by serving a…
Point Me to the Plane
Review: Park Hyatt London River Thames
There are high expectations about the opening of the Park Hyatt London. I wondered if it would live up to all the buzz!
Your Mileage May Vary
Choosing Between One Hotel Bed or Two: Which is the Better Option?
A hotel room with one king bed or two queens—does it really matter? To some travelers, it’s a minor detail. To others, it can change how comfortable the entire stay…
View from the Wing
Why Are $200 Southwest Gift Cards Selling On eBay For $269?
Southwest gift cards are showing up on eBay for more than face value, including $200 cards reportedly selling for $269. I think it's a mix of automated dropshipping markups and buyers using compromised payment accounts to turn spend into gift cards — but the whole thing is strange.
Miles To Memories
New Amex Offer for Apple Pay Purchases, Get Up to $10 Credit
There is a new Apple Pay Amex Offer that should be super easy to maximize and put a little bit of profit in your pocket.
One Mile at a Time
Chase Sapphire Preferred & Reserve Card Bonus Eligibility Rules: Earn Up To 400K Bonus Points With Three Cards
TheChase Sapphire Preferred Card (learn more) andChase Sapphire Reserve Card(learn more) are among the most popular personal travel rewards cards, while theSapphire Reserve for Business(learn more) is quickly becoming one of the most popular premium business travel rewards cards.
The Bulkhead Seat
Limited-Edition Trump Passport Sparks Debate Over New Message
In late April, I wrote about how the US State Department is preparing to…
Live and Let’s Fly
Delta Challenges United On Los Angeles–Newark, But Without Lie-Flat Seats
Delta Air Lines is returning to Los Angeles–Newark, betting that enough local travelers will choose Delta at Newark even without matching United’s premium product. Delta Will Fly Los Angeles–Newark, But Can It Pull Travelers Away From JFK? Delta Air Lines is adding a new transcontinental route from Los Angeles to...
The Bulkhead Seat
More Flights, More Sunshine: Delta Supercharges Orlando This Winter
Delta Air Lines will dramatically increase its winter service this year with more cities…
Miles To Memories
End of Month Checklist: Credits, Spending Offers & Card Perks
I give you a list of everything you need to accomplish NOW with the end of month checklist. We are talking statement credits, spending offers & more
View from the Wing
Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis Review: River Suite Upgrade, Free Valet, And Credits That Didn’t Post
Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis delivered exactly what keeps me loyal to Hyatt: strong Globalist value, a river-view suite upgrade, free award-stay parking, and a good breakfast. But the stay also showed the usual friction — slow service, a few room shortcomings, and promised credits that did not actually come...
Economondo
Buzzing through Borneo on MASwings Twin Otters: Kota Kinabalu to Miri via Lawas
Come with me as I fly the STOL capable Twin Otter through the skies of Malaysia with MASwings
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Celebrating the Legacy of a Traveler Who Was Deaf and Blind
Deaf-blindness is a rare condition in which an individual experiences the combination of the loss of both hearing and vision — which therefore limits access to both auditory and visual information — and no other person in the history of our planet is better known to have had this condition...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Routes for Project Sunrise A350 before it heads to London
Qantas’ first Project Sunrise Airbus A350-1000ULR is due to arrive in April 2027, but the airline will be flying it around on domestic and short-haul international routes before that. Might be a chance to get a partial experience without the 20% premium on the Sydney to London route. ET is...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: A380 retirement to be brought forward?
Qantas may be preparing to bring forward the retirement of its Airbus A380 fleet, despite only completing the expensive restoration of all ten surviving superjumbos late last year. That is the central claim in a Rampart report by Joe Aston (paywall article), written after last week’s Qantas investor and media...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 22 June, 2026
Greetings from Sydney! I’m back after three weeks in Canada. I’ve crossed the country from Vancouver on the west coast to St John’s in Newfoundland, I think the most easterly point. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a city visit rather than time spent in nature. Cities visited in no...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Extends COVID credits usage, but redemption date stays 30 June 2026
Virgin Australia has made a late concession on its COVID-era travel credits, extending the travel period for eligible credits issued between 21 April 2020 and 31 July 2022. Passengers still need to book by 30 June 2026, but they can now travel up to 27 May 2027. That is a...
2PAXfly
MIDDLE EAST: Australia eases travel warnings for key Gulf transit hubs
Australian travellers heading to Europe, the UK or Africa via the Middle East have been handed some qualified good news. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Smartraveller advice website have lowered advice for Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates from Level 4, “Do...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Project Sunrise announces first route, Sydney to London non-stop. Surprise, surprise!
CEO Vanessa Hudson just travelled to Airbus’ Toulouse headquarters to announce that London, from Sydney, would be the first Project Sunrise route, followed by New York. Is that really news? We knew it had to be an east coast departure, so that’s Sydney or Melbourne (Brisbane doesn’t have a First...
2PAXfly
TURKISH AIRLINES: Non-stop Australia flights delayed until 2027
Turkish Airlines’ promised non-stop flights between Istanbul and Australia have slipped again, with Sydney now expected by the end of 2027 and Melbourne pushed into 2028. That is the bad news. Turkish Airlines plans to fly a specially configured Airbus A350-1000, heavy on premium seats, fitted with the airline’s new...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: biggest Boeing 737 is coming — eventually
Virgin Australia has put a date, of sorts, on the next stage of its fleet renewal. It expects to receive its first Boeing 737-10 in late 2027. That’s like more than 12 months away. The PR department must have been light on for stories to report for this to be...