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...
Also on BoardingArea
Eye of the Flyer
How to Afford Football Season — Three Trips on Points and Miles
If you’re like me, you’re a diehard fan of an NFL team and a college football team. Maybe you somehow cheer for two from each tier because you married into a spouse’s fandom (or their family’s). Football fans are a special kind of crazy. We love traveling to see our...
Miles For Family
Review: Singapore Airlines Business Class SFO to SIN to BKK
This is a continuation of my Asia trip report. See also Back from Thailand and Singapore: 7 Biggest Takeaways. Flying to Thailand is not easy or quick from the USA. There are no nonstop flights from USA to Thailand, and it takes a few more hours than flying to Japan....
Live and Let’s Fly
Qatar Airways Plans Two Frankfurt Lounges, Likely With Its London-Style Access Split
Qatar Airways appears to be planning not one, but two lounge spaces at Frankfurt Airport’s new Terminal 3. That is excellent news for oneworld passengers, and I suspect Frankfurt will follow the London model, with a “Premium Lounge” for business and first class passengers and a separate “Frequent Flyer Lounge”...
One Mile at a Time
Buy IHG One Rewards Points With 100% Bonus, 0.5 Cents Each: Worth It?
Strategically buying points can be a good value, especially for luxury hotel stays. IHG One Rewards has just launched its latest sale on purchased points. The best bonus seems to be for 100%, which is an opportunity to acquire points for 0.5 cents each, and it’s in line with the...
Live from a Lounge
Air India Express will become first airline to launch international operations from Navi Mumbai Airport, to add Abu Dhabi service
Navi Mumbai Airport Will get its first international passenger flight on July 15, 2026, with Air India Express. Here are the details of the launch of international operations at the airport.
One Mile at a Time
Review: Brunfels Hotel Mainz, Hyatt Unbound Collection (Charming, Mostly)
For the last hotel stay ofmy two-part birthday trip to the Golden Triangle, my dad and I spent a few nights at the 127-key Brunfels Mainz, part of Hyatt Unbound Collection. This came after spending a few nights at the nearby Kennedy 89 Frankfurt, also part of Hyatt Unbound Collection,...
Live from a Lounge
Reminder: Accor offering 2000 Bonus Points (worth INR 4400) for signing up for ALL Accor+
Accor+ is offering a 20% passback on the membership price via points for sign-ups through June 30, 2026. Here are the details.
Live from a Lounge
Axis Bank adds IndiGo BluChip as a transfer partner for EDGE Rewards and EDGE Miles
You can now transfer your Axis Bank Credit Card points into IndiGo BluChips. Here are the details, and if it matters.
One Mile at a Time
Today Only: Up To 4x Bonus Airline Miles On Apple Purchases
Online shopping portals can be a great way to pick up additional miles and points for purchases youd make anyway. Just for following a specific link, you can earn bonus points in addition to the ones youd earn for credit card spending.
The Bulkhead Seat
American Airlines Passenger Refuses to Stow Bag and Gets Police Escort Off of Aircraft
An American Airlines flight departing from San Antonio International Airport (SAT) to Philadelphia International…
Frequent Miler
My 10 favorite sculpture hunts from our 50 state road trip
Neither my wife nor I are huge art fans, but on our 7 year, 50 state road trip one of the things we enjoyed doing was sculpture hunting. In many different cities around the country, artists have created and/or decorated multiple sculptures that you can look for. This can be...
The Bulkhead Seat
Hotel Review: The Omni King Edward Hotel
My company held an event at The Omni King Edward Hotel and it found…
Frequent Flyer Bonuses
Marriott Bonvoy: Earn up to 15,000 bonus points for stays in the Caribbean & Latin America
Marriott has brought back their annual summer bonus for stays at many of their properties in the Caribbean & Latin America. Just as we have seen in previous years the bonus varies depending on the brand, location and duration of stay (2 to 3 nights minimum) and this year they...
Points With a Crew
Why Won’t My Laptop Charge On A Plane?
If your laptop isn't charging on an airplane, that happened to me. Here are 3 strategies on how to fix the problem of laptops not charging on planes.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
2 Reasons Why Paying in Advance May Be a Good Idea
More often than not, purchasing goods and services for travel seems to be a gamble, as rates and prices can fluctuate wildly at any time with no notice. Although flexibility is often preferred, 2 reasons why paying in advance may be a good idea — and please note the use...
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...
Frequent Miler
Book airfare through credit card portal or direct? | Question of the Week Ep6 | 6-21-26
Book airfare through credit card portal or direct? Frequent Miler reader Mike wrote in with this question: American Express Platinum cards give you 5x points for direct bookings to airline flights. However, most airlines give you 3x to 5x for using their own co-branded cards for those same flights. Direct...
Your Mileage May Vary
The Worst Hotels In The World, According To TripAdvisor Reviews
Finding a bad hotel review isn’t difficult. Finding a hotel with thousands of bad reviews, spanning years, from travelers who seem genuinely horrified by what they found? That’s a different…
Frequent Miler
More easy rewards: Staples fee-free $200 Mastercard gift cards
Staples is again offering $200 Mastercard Gift Cards with no purchase fee from Sunday 6/21/26, through (probably) Saturday, 6/27/26. The dates listed on the Staples website state it’s due to end on Friday June 26, but that’s likely a typo. Note that there is a limit of nine per customer...
Economy Class & Beyond
Airplane Art – Eurowings Airbus A320neo pushing back at Hamburg Airport
It’s Sunday again, so it must be time for some more Airplane Art.  This week, we have a Eurowings Airbus A320neo being pushed back at Hamburg Airport, in a special livery – “Yes to Europe”, with the Lufthansa Group supporting a “Free and Strong Europe”. Eurowings operates a fleet of eight...
View from the Wing
American Airlines Pilot Says Man “Just Bit A Passenger” And Tried To Fight Everybody — His Father’s Day Signoff Was Perfect
American Airlines pilots asked for EMTs and law enforcement in Philadelphia after a man who may have been hallucinating bit another passenger and tried to fight people onboard. Air traffic control wished the crew a happy Father’s Day, and the pilot’s exhausted signoff was perfect: “I’ll be sure to tell...
Travel With Grant
My Online Passport Renewal Only Took 2 Weeks (Full Timeline & Process)
I recently renewed my U.S. passport online and was surprised by how fast and simple the process was. From application to delivery, it only took about 2 weeks with no paperwork or mailing required. I’ve shared the full timeline, what I needed to prepare, and one unexpected issue I ran...
Your Mileage May Vary
Understanding The Confusing Application Rules For Rewards Credit Cards
When applying for travel rewards credit cards, the bonus is only part of the story. It’s easy to get distracted by a big welcome offer. Banks know that. They put…
One Mile at a Time
Chase Sapphire Preferred Vs. Reserve: Which Is Better?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve Card are both compelling travel rewards credit cards. In this Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Reserve showdown, I’d like to compare the two cards — while they have a lot of similarities, they also have a lot of differences. And with the...
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...
2PAXfly
BOEING: Bird strikes, smoke and the cabin air problem that won’t go away
There are bird strikes. There are fume events. And then there are bird strikes that lead to smoke or oil mist entering the cockpit and/or cabin. That is the issue now ruffling feathers around Boeing’s 737 MAX, its LEAP-1B engines, and the regulators charged with deciding whether this is a...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 14 June, 2026
Greetings from Canada (I’m still here)! I’ve actually spanned the continent and just spent some delightful days enduring the cold of Newfoundland. I’ve also seen puffins at Gull Island and whales out of Bay Bulls Harbour. Both of which were wonderful experiences. Arrival at Montreal, not so much, but they...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: introduces confirmed upgrades with cash
Qantas has added a new way to upgrade your seat that takes the element of chance out. Confirmed Upgrades is a fixed-price cash upgrade offer for selected passengers on selected Qantas flights, with confirmation (or not) within half a day. This becomes the third form of upgrade you can use...
2PAXfly
WESTERN SYDNEY AIRPORT: Finally an opening date, and Jetstar gets first dibs
Western Sydney International Airport will welcome its first paying passengers on Sunday, 25 October 2026, with Jetstar being the first commercial passenger carrier off the tarmac. The inaugural flight from Western Sydney International, officially the Nancy-Bird Walton Airport and known by the code WSI, will be a Jetstar flight, JQ362,...
Wild About Travel
draft Kalogorlei ourback tnwn
I almost came to Kalgoorlie decades ago but never made it. I have travelled across Western Australia’s 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi), from Esperance in the south to Wyndham in the north, and through many towns, beaches, deserts, and mountain ranges in between. I love the state. Kalgoorlie remained...