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...
Also on BoardingArea
Monkey Miles
Check out our New Transfer Bonuses Hub ( Active and Historical Bonuses, Full Partner Lists, and Calculator )
Here are all the banks offering a transfer bonus to partner programs (Updated August 1st, 2022)
You Are Travel
Thai Airways Restores Amsterdam Route After 28 Years
​tl;dr – Another option for enjoying Thai Airways’ business class to and from Europe. Thai Airways recently announced…
View from the Wing
Katy Perry Dipped Her Rewards Credit Card In The Trevi Fountain Because She Had No Change
Katy Perry did not have coins for the Trevi Fountain, so she dipped a credit card in the water instead — and the real question is what card she was carrying in Rome.
TravelUpdate
Earn 5 Free Nights! Marriott Bonvoy Business Card Review
Amex is offering elevated limited time welcome bonuses on their co-branded cards with Marriott. With the Marriott Bonvoy…
One Mile at a Time
JetBlue Accused Of Surveillance Pricing: Is That Actually Happening, Or…?
A statement by a JetBlue employee on social media has the internet up in arms. There’s only one problem… it wasn’t actually accurate!
You Are Travel
Check Your Hyatt Account for Targeted Free Night Award Offers
​tl;dr – Hyatt members report having received email offers for Free Night Awards. ​Hyatt has rolled out a…
Economy Class & Beyond
Ethiopian Airlines taps Boeing for further 787-9 Dreamliners
Ethiopian Airlines is exercising its held options with Boeing, with the airline ordering an additional six 787-9 Dreamliners. The options are from the airlines’ options made as part of their order in 2023.  Ethiopian Airlines will use the 787-9 jets to expand its intercontinental network from Addis Ababa and increase...
Eye of the Flyer
Cruise Lines Likely to Restrict Number of Free Drinks on Beverage Packages Soon After $300,000 Carnival Judgment
If you have been following cruise news lately you may have seen the story that is making the rounds and it is a real doozy. A woman aboard a Carnival cruise ship was served 15 shots of tequila, then wandered into a crew-only area, and fell down a staircase passed...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
American Airlines Will Start Scoring Flight Attendants On Customer Satisfaction And Flight Delays
American Airlines will soon start scoring flight attendants on how well they serve customers, alongside a slew of other metrics that could create some significant friction between front-line workers and management at the Texas-based carrier. As first reported by trusted aviation insider JonNYC on X, American Airlines has been building...
View from the Wing
American Airlines Has Started Issuing Grades To Flight Attendants
American Airlines has started issuing performance grades to flight attendants, using a mix of customer survey data, operational metrics, and internal compliance measures to score how they are doing. That is a meaningful shift for an airline that badly needs better onboard service, but unless those scores eventually lead to...
You Are Travel
Save $100 on Noble House Hotels & Resorts with This (Targeted) Amex Offer
​tl;dr – Simple savings on boutique luxury at Noble House Hotels & Resorts. ​American Express recently refreshed its…
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Captain of Southwest Airlines Plane Incapacitated During Takeoff From Las Vegas When Display Screen Falls On His Head
The Captain of a Southwest Airlines flight from Las Vegas to Reno was incapacitated just as the aircraft was taking off from Harry Reid International Airport, when a display screen dropped on his head as the Boeing 737 was in its initial ascent. The accident, first reported by the Aviation...
Live and Let’s Fly
Senators Warn United-American Merger Would Create “Industry Behemoth”
A bipartisan pair of senators is raising alarm bells over even the idea of a United Airlines and American Airlines merger. Senators Warn United And American Against Merger, Cite Higher Prices And Fewer Choices A new bipartisan letter from U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D – MA) and Sen. Mike Lee...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
The Trump Administration is Already Pinning the Blame for the Demise of Spirit Airlines On Democrats
The Trump administration is already signalling that it will place the blame for the collapse of Spirit Airlines squarely at the feet of Democrats if last-ditch talks to save the beleaguered ultra-low-cost carrier end in failure. Spirit Airlines is currently locked in talks with the federal government about a potential...
One Mile at a Time
American Airlines Will Start Scoring Flight Attendants, And It Won’t End Well
American Airlines is reportedly launching an initiative to start scoring flight attendants based on a variety of metrics. While I’m in theory in favor of flight attendants being subject to more of a performance-based system, I have to imagine that this likely won’t end well.
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...
man shares cruise experience (l) Carnival cruise (r)
BoardingArea
Man Goes To Carnival Cruise’s New Celebration Key. Then He Notices The Water: ‘Screaming For Help’
"You’d have to peel it off instead of using a towel."
One Mile at a Time
Alaska & Bank Of America Expand Partnership: New Credit Cards & Perks
As we all know, nowadays a large percentage of profits in the US airline industry are derived from loyalty programs, and in particular, co-brand credit card agreements. The bigger an airline is, the more lucrative its loyalty program can be.
Frequent Miler
Best ways to get to Europe with points and miles (2026)
Ah, the Old Continent. Whether you plan to search for Platform 9 3/4, hunt for trolls, sleep in castles, or are just craving a ham baguette, Europe has an undeniable allure for many travelers. Fortunately, it is probably the foreign continent with the most connections from North America, giving you...
Monkey Miles
Don’t forget to use your Amex credits for April
Several Amex cards have statement credits that need to be used each month, but also every 6 months. Here's a list to help you
One Mile at a Time
Hyatt CEO Says Good Loyalty Programs Are About Experiences, Not Points
Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian just made some comments about hotel loyalty programs, which I think OMAAT readers will find to be interesting. While I think some will take issue with the premise of what he’s saying, I’m not sure he’s wrong, though there is some nuance to it.
Frequent Miler
3K bonus points for new IHG members after registering & staying within 21 days
Head for Points has flagged a new member promotion from IHG: Join IHG via the dedicated landing page below, then make your first qualifying stay within 21 days to earn 3K bonus points. The Deal IHG One Rewards is offering a bonus 3,000 points when a new member joins IHG...
Points With a Crew
4 Reasons to Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Including a New Higher Welcome Offer)
If you are starting out in the world of credit card miles and points, and aren't sure which card you should get - here are 4 reasons it should be the Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Wear Your Belongings to Avoid Baggage Fees and Mishandled Luggage?
I try to avoid checking my baggage whenever possible — to the point where I usually only travel with one bag which I carry onto the airplane with me — but what if you are carrying more items with you and want to avoid paying baggage fees at the same...
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...
Wild About Travel
Marvellous 12 days in Japan
It is a bit of a grim world right now, so I thought I would share a positive, beautiful, and delicious 1000-mile journey through one of my favourite countries in Sakura (Cherry blossom). Despite it being insanely busy, I enjoyed the landscapes, food, museums, shopping, temples, parks, and, of course,...
Wild About Travel
Gulf Aviation After the Ceasefire: What Travellers Need to Know Now
A two-week ceasefire for Iran was announced on 7th April. On 9th April, several Gulf governments reported a full day without any new missiles or drones. The UAE’s defence ministry said the country was “free of any air threats” that day, after weeks of intercepting ballistic and cruise missiles and...
2PAXfly
TURKISH AIRLINES: Leadership shake-up. Why?
A recent leadership overhaul at Turkish Airlines has sparked industry attention. Here’s a clear breakdown of what we know as fact and what is informed speculation. The interest in this story stems from Turkish Airlines’ recent commencement of non-stop flights to Istanbul from Australia. A flight I recently took, and...
2PAXfly
THAILAND: Travel insurance for tourists may become compulsory
Thai authorities are moving toward making travel insurance mandatory for all foreign visitors, as hospitals struggle with rising unpaid medical bills from tourists. It’s not law yet, but according to the Bangkok Post, the direction for travellers is clear, so Australians should take note. Why Thailand is cracking down The...