Wild About Travel
Explore Asia’s best city with me!
If you’ve never been, let me tell you why Taipei should be next on your list. This city offers so much to love. The food is extraordinary, the transport is amazing, the streets are safe, and the people are genuinely kind. There is enough history, culture, and night market chaos...
2PAXfly
CORPORATE TRAVEL: Scandal in UK company may affect Australians
This scandal has been a bit of a long saga over the last few months, but as the expected overcharging liability soared from tens to hundreds of millions of dollars, I thought it was worth providing some background and explanation of the travel agents’ scandal. Corporate Travel Management has landed...
2PAXfly
HAWAIIAN AIRLINES: Alaska integration sees entry to OneWorld alliance
Alaska Airlines’ takeover of Hawaiian Airlines, finalised in September 2024, has been deliberately paced. April 22, 2026, stands out as one of the most consequential milestones. Today, multiple strands of the merger come together. This allows the two carriers to function as one behind the scenes while retaining distinct brands....
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Brisbane lounge access changes
If you’re flying internationally from Brisbane with Qantas or partners like Cathay Pacific, Fiji Airways or Malaysia Airlines, your usual airport routine in Brisbane has changed. Lounge access is now before security, and not after. Lounge access is now before security From April 14, 2026, through early September 2026, the...
Also on BoardingArea
Miles To Memories
Capital One Quicksilver Switching to Discover Network, Adds 3% Bonus Categories
Capital One is informing existing cardholders that he card will soon move to the Discover network. There are also two new 3% categories.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Earn 500 Bonus SkyMiles by Shopping
Effective through Monday, May 4, 2026 at 11:59:59 in the evening Eastern Daylight Time, you can earn 500 bonus SkyMiles by shopping — in addition to the standard SkyMiles earned — during the Mother’s Day Bonus Offer campaign at the Delta Air Lines SkyMiles shopping portal by spending a minimum...
View from the Wing
Amex Raised Platinum’s Fee, Customers Didn’t Cancel — Higher Annual Charges Coming Across Cards
American Express just showed that raising the Platinum annual fee does not drive cardmembers away, with retention holding steady even after the refresh and higher pricing. Even more important, existing cardmembers are spending more, net card fees are growing faster than other revenue lines, and Amex is proving that consumers...
The Bulkhead Seat
Avianca Expands US Network With New Routes and Increased Frequencies This Summer
Avianca is ramping up its US operations for Summer 2026. The airline has unveiled…
Miles To Memories
Ouch! More Bad News from Hyatt as 112 Hotels Shift to Higher Category in May
Hyatt will change categories for 136 properties, with 112 hotels will shifting to a higher award category. This is in addition to award chart changes that make each category more expensive.
The Bulkhead Seat
Ouch: Hyatt Annual Award Increases Are Out and the Majority of Hotels Move Up
Hyatt is rolling out the annual update to the redemption costs for its World…
Frequent Miler
World of Hyatt announces 2026 category changes. They’re not inspiring.
Not content to simply obliterate its award chart, World of Hyatt today announced its award category changes for 2026. The good news is that “only” 136 properties are affected. The bad news is that 112 of them are going up in price. The really bad news is that Hyatt’s new,...
You Are Travel
Hyatt Releases Its Annual Award Category Changes: I’m Over It
​tl;dr – 136 properties are changing. Here are a few notable moves. Hyatt is planning some major changes…
Miles To Memories
New Chase Offer for AT&T Wireless, Save $75 on Your Monthly Bill
There's an new targeted Chase Offer on select credit cards. Cardholders will receive a $75 credit wen making $100 or more AT&T Wireless payments.
View from the Wing
Etihad Grows To Double Daily In Chicago And Daily In Charlotte — It’s Not As Crazy As It Sounds
Etihad is expanding in two U.S. markets at a moment when Middle East demand looks shaky, adding a second daily Chicago flight and boosting Charlotte to daily service for the summer. On the surface that looks aggressive, but the real play is not local Abu Dhabi demand — it is...
woman shares flight issue (l) Vueling airlines (r)
BoardingArea
‘Had A Valid Ticket, Checked In, Everything’: Woman Books Flight With Discount European Airline. Then She Tries To Board
"This shouldn’t be normal.”
You Are Travel
Ethiopia is Building a $12 Billion Airport to Become a Global Leader in Connectivity
​tl;dr – The country has big ambitions to win a share of the region’s connecting traffic. In January,…
Points With a Crew
Kickstarter: MIDISHI M1 Automatic Shoe Washer And Dryer
The MIDISHI M1 is an automatic shoe washer and dryer trying to get you to stop washing your shoes by hand. Taking up a tiny amount of space, it's on Kickstarter, but only for a few more ...
Live and Let’s Fly
United Airlines CEO Says Internal Turf Wars Keep Airfares Too Low
According to United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, airfares do not rise when they should. They rise when airlines are “forced” to act. In that, Kirby muses, is a lesson on how airlines can get away with raising fares. United CEO Says Airlines Foolishly Only Raise Fares In A Crisis United...
Your Mileage May Vary
I Didn’t Know Hilton Honors Allowed This Great Option
Hilton Honors has a feature that doesn’t get much attention—but it can make a big difference when you’re trying to book an award stay. If you’ve ever collected points across…
Will Run For Miles
Hyatt Category Changes Announced
Hyatt category changes effective May 20
Miles To Memories
10% Off Your Next Hilton Stay With Chase, Wells Fargo & US Bank Offers
There is a new Chase Offer For 10% Off Hilton that is also available from several other banks. This is a pretty good offer if you can get it.
TravelUpdate
What’s it like flying Turkish Airlines business class from Istanbul to Dublin?
The last sector of my trip saw me flying Turkish Airlines business class from Istanbul to Dublin. My…
The Bulkhead Seat
Lufthansa Unveils New Employee Uniforms Ahead of 100th Anniversary
Lufthansa has revealed the next generation of employee uniforms. They blend tradition with modern…
View from the Wing
Emirates Plans First Class Suites With Private Bathrooms
Emirates says private bathrooms are the next frontier for first class, with president Tim Clark confirming the airline is developing suites that would have their own dedicated lavatories. If it happens, Emirates would move beyond its long-running shower spa concept and join a tiny group of airlines trying to make...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
ICE Agents Put Deportee On Wrong Alaska Airlines Flight Even After the Crew Told Them the Plane Was Going to a Different Location
A deportee was put on the wrong Alaska Airlines flight at Seattle-Tacoma Airport by ICE agents, even after flight attendants warned them that the plane wasn’t going to the intended destination. The bizarre incident occurred in May 2025 but is only now coming to light after an investigation by the...
One Mile at a Time
Air Canada Adds Airbus A321XLR To Fleet: Layout, Seats, Routes, Etc.
In March 2022, Air Canada placed an order for Airbus’ new long range narrow body jet. A little over four years later, there’s now an exciting update, as the airline has just taken delivery of its first of these aircraft. Let’s go over all the details, and what this plane...
Frequent Miler
Mayday: Brutal new World of Hyatt chart launches May 20th
Update 4/24: Well, we have an official date for Mayday: May 20th. That’s when World of Hyatt’s new, new dynamic award chart will roll out. Make those reservations while you can. There will also be (primarily negative) category changes to 136 properties that will go live on that same day,...
No Work All Travel
Trip Report: JR East Pass (new Japanese rail pass)
Disclaimer: I received one JR East Pass in exchange for a review. The aptly named JR East Pass was introduced last month, having combined two smaller regional passes to become one mega all-you-care-to-ride pass. Check out the map below and I will fill in the two major prefectures (roughly Japan’s...
2PAXfly
QANTAS & VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Why both airlines are having domestic sales
Yesterday I wrote an article about airlines cutting flights, and earlier this month about prices increasing due to fuel costs. So, why are Australia’s two major airline groups currently running domestic sales? These sales are happening at the same time as one of the biggest cost shocks the airline industry...
2PAXfly
FLIGHT CUTS: Middle East conflict gives airlines lots of uncertainty
Planning an international trip in the next few months? You will need to pay close attention to your flights. No time to ‘book and forget’. With the way things are changing, it is more than likely that your flight might change. It might be the departure time, the route, the...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: SundAY 19 April, 2026
Greetings from London! I’m here in Spring, soaking up culture with visits to multiple galleries and exhibitions, I’m also enjoying a lot of theatre performances, and catch-ups with friends. New Museums and Galleries is my guideline, and to that end, I visited Leighton House, with its mad Arabic rooms, seen...
2PAXfly
AIR NEW ZEALAND: Skynest to cost AU$400. Soon bookable
Finally, Air New Zealand is about to offer a solution to the problem of sleeping in Economy. After years of delays, it’s finally becoming a reality, with bookings open from 18 May 2026. Years in the making Air New Zealand first revealed the concept in 2020, pitching it as a...
2PAXfly
CHINESE AIRLINES: Cut Australian flights, increasing flights to Europe
Chinese airlines are quietly pulling capacity out of Australia and redeploying those aircraft to Europe. They are chasing stronger demand and higher yields as global travel patterns shift. Due to the current Middle East conflict between the US/Israel, and Iran. There are some real consequences for Australian travellers. Fewer flights...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Cuts thousands of flight across network
It’s only been a week since I reported that Qantas was boosting its flights to Europe by swapping to larger aircraft and tinkering with schedules. Now, in reaction to further uncertainty about the Straits of Hormuz due to the US/Israeli conflict with Iran, Qantas has quietly cut thousands of flights...
Wild About Travel
Surviving Sakura Cherry Blossom – 12 survival tips
I always said I’d never visit Japan in peak sakura season.Too busy, too expensive, too intense.And then I did. I described my 12 marvellous days yesterday. It was beautiful.It was also crowded, overloaded, and at times exhausting.Here are a few things I did that helped, and that I’d do again....
2PAXfly
QANTAS: First Project Sunrise A350-100ULR jet rolls out
After years of hype, delays and plenty of scepticism, Qantas, or more accurately, Airbus, has rolled out its first ultra-long-haul Airbus A350-1000ULR from the factory in Toulouse, marking a major milestone for Project Sunrise. It’s a timely occurrence, with the current Middle East trauma, that this aircraft could fundamentally change...