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
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...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
British Airways Faces Food Safety Complaint After Passenger Finds Drinks Stored on Cabin Floor
British Airways has been forced to remind flight attendants not to place food and drink on the floor of the plane after local food safety officials from the council that is responsible for its home base at London Heathrow responded to a complaint from a passenger who was disgusted with...
Live and Let’s Fly
Air Canada Captain Removed From Cockpit After Medical Emergency, Passengers Help Restrain Him
An Air Canada Express flight from Newark to Halifax diverted to Boston after the captain suffered a medical emergency and was removed from the flight deck, leaving the first officer to land the aircraft safely. Air Canada Flight Diverts To Boston After Captain Suffers Medical Emergency An Air Canada Express...
One Mile at a Time
Review: Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
To finish offmy two-part birthday trip to the Golden Triangle, my dad and I flew Lufthansas A340 first class from Frankfurt (FRA) to New York (JFK), which was my first flight featuringLufthansas new first class soft product (and with Lufthansa seemingly now restricting first class awards, perhaps also my last).
One Mile at a Time
Chase Sapphire Preferred Vs. Capital One Venture: Which Is Better?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (learn more) and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (learn more) are two of the most popular mid-range travel rewards credit cards. While the cards have similar annual fees, most other aspects of the cards differ. And as of June 2026, the Sapphire Preferred has...
View from the Wing
Air France KLM Flying Blue Is Essential For U.S. Points Collectors — 38 Award, Transfer, And Status Moves Worth Knowing
Air France KLM Flying Blue is one of the most important programs for U.S. points collectors, with broad transfer access, strong Europe award value, and more quirks than most members realize. These 38 practical moves cover award searches, married-segment pricing, free stopovers, child discounts, elite-status shortcuts, XP plays, partner redemptions,...
Frequent Miler
Getting in on great deals, creating the ultimate credit card collections, and more (Week in Review)
More than a decade ago, my wife and I were early subscribers to a service called MoviePass, paying about $20 per month to go to an unlimited number of movies. For a couple of years, we saw almost every major movie, and the theater felt like home. Eventually, MoviePass proved...
The Bulkhead Seat
EVA Air Began Nonstop Flights Between Taipei and Washington DC Yesterday
I first wrote about EVA Air’s plans to fly nonstop between Taiwan Taoyuan International…
Live from a Lounge
Emirates and Etihad launch new insurance initiatives as Gulf travel confidence returns
Emirates and Etihad have launched new insurance packages, to attract customers back to travel via the Emirates.
Eye of the Flyer
Final Call: My Favorite Southwest Card’s 90k Welcome Offer (Almost 70% to the Companion Pass!)
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card has a limited-time welcome offer that wraps up July 2, and if you’ve been on the fence, this is the week to get off it. (All information about the Chase cards below was collected independently by Eye of the Flyer. None of it...
Live and Let’s Fly
A Fishy Meal On Lufthansa
Have you ever been given a special meal when you did not order one? That happened to me on a Lufthansa flight in economy class…and I didn’t mind one bit. It was November 2011 and I was traveling from Beirut to Frankfurt. Since business class was simply the same economy...
Live from a Lounge
Wyndham Rewards to shake up award pricing in September 2026, introduces new 45,000-point redemption tier
Wyndham Rewards is planning to change its award chart in various different modes in the coming days. Here are all the details.
One Mile at a Time
Huh: Trump’s New “Patriotic Passport” Will Say “Welcome, But Be Good!”
The United States’ newest limited edition passport will say ”welcome, but be good” on it. However, I can’t actually make sense of why it would say that? I’m not even trying to be political here, and I’m trying to remain balanced, but can anyone help me make sense of this?
One Mile at a Time
Delta Plans LAX To Newark Flights, Competing (Poorly) Against United
We know that Delta has big growth plans at Los Angeles Airport (LAX), as the airline sees a once in a generation opportunity to dominate an airport that has historically seen traffic fairly evenly split between the big three carriers.
Points With a Crew
Amazon Prime Day 2026 ENDING SOON – 47+ Deals Still Available [UPDATED]
With only hours left in Amazon Prime Day 2026, there are still some great deals - technology, luggage, travel, headphones, and household items on sale at steep discounts
View from the Wing
Flight Attendant Calls Out “Cute Boy In 17D” Over The PA, Then Asks Him Out With A Trip Offer On A Napkin
A passenger says a flight attendant called him out over the PA as the “cute boy in 17D,” then handed him a napkin with her name, phone number, and an offer to take a trip together. It is a bold move, but not unheard of: flight attendants have asked out...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
A New Name For an Ocean; and a New Ocean Yet to Be Named?
An ocean is a very large expanse of sea — or the whole body of salt water — which covers almost three quarters of the Earth — and although the name has been in use for some time, one ocean received a new name which has been accepted by many...
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...