2PAXfly
QATAR & ETIHAD: A380s retreat from Australia as the superjumbo shuffle continues
Qatar Airways is cutting back planned A380 service to Australia and China, with the superjumbo now concentrated on a much smaller number of routes as the airline rebuilds its network after disruption in the Middle East. AeroRoutes schedule filings show Qatar’s regular A380 operations from 16 June to 15 September...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Project Sunrise slips again due to ‘supply chain’ delay, now aiming for April 2027
The first Airbus A350-1000ULR for Project Sunrise, the aircraft Qantas is banking on to finally make non-stop Sydney and Melbourne flights to London and New York a commercial reality, will now join the fleet in April 2027 according to reports in the SMH. That is later than previously announced, when...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 24 May, 2026
Greetings from Sydney. Back at home for a week or so before I head out on my next trip. Later this week, I’m heading eastward to the Americas. Precise location and cities to visit will be revealed as the trip progresses. These will all be totally new destinations for me,...
2PAXfly
WEBJET: Travel agent squeezed as Virgin Australia cuts commissions
Webjet is warning investors that trading conditions remain “fluid and challenging” after Virgin Australia cut the commissions it pays the online travel agent, according to an article in the SMH. For travellers, that could mean fewer sharp Webjet airfare deals on Virgin flights. For Webjet, it is another revenue hit...
Also on BoardingArea
Frequent Flyer Bonuses
Marriott Bonvoy: Earn 3,000 bonus points for stays at over 2,000 hotels in the U.S. and Canada
Marriott Bonvoy have brought back their annual summer bonus for stays in the U.S. and Canada. This offer can be stacked with Exclusively for You targeted offers and also any global Marriott promotions should they decide to offer one for the summer. There is also no limit to the number...
Miles To Memories
50% Off Amazon Deal Is Back, What Is An American Airlines Companion Pass Worth & Cheapest International Flights This Summer
In our Around the Web series we take a look at interesting articles that cover miles, points, travel and personal finance.
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
British Airways Accused of Discrimination After Boy With Tourette’s Was Banned From Flight When He Shouted ‘Bomb’
A family has put British Airways on blast after their 13-year-old son was denied boarding on a recent flight from London Gatwick for a highly anticipated holiday to Spain, when the boy blurted out the word ‘Bomb’ in the gate area just before boarding. The boy suffers from Tourettes Syndrone...
From The Tray Table
I just used Europe’s new EES border system. Here’s what you need to know.
The European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) replaces passport stamps with a digital system for border crossings at…
Live and Let’s Fly
Baby Naomi Took Her First Flight In Delta One And Never Made A Peep
Kudos to Baby Naomi for her first flight and her lovely parents for being so gracious on my Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to Atlanta. Baby Naomi Was A Perfect Passenger In Delta One Toward the end of the boarding for my A350-900 flight from LAX-ATL, a young...
Economy Class & Beyond
TRAVEL TECHONOLOGY: The MacBook Neo – A Good Value Travel Laptop?
It’s time for some Travel Technology, this time focusing on the MacBook Neo. Can it make a good travel laptop? Or is it best left in the classroom? Wake up,  Neo.  Apple enters The Matrix. The MacBook Neo was launched in March 2026, as a “low-cost” Mac, aimed at Chromebook...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
United Airlines Pilot Threatens to Call the FBI After Passengers Notice Antisemitic Wi-Fi Hotspot On Flight
A United Airlines pilot threatened to call the FBI and have passengers’ phones searched after people noticed an antisemitic Wi-Fi hotspot name during a recent flight, prompting a potential security threat against the aircraft. “I had one of the strangest experiences I’ve ever seen on a flight recently on a...
Your Mileage May Vary
Mom Says American Airlines Denied Her A Gate Pass To Say Goodbye To Deploying Son
For many military families, those final moments before deployment are ones they remember forever. Which is why one mother says she was devastated when her family was reportedly denied gate…
Points Miles and Bling
Cultural Greetings: What I Wish I Knew Before Travelling to the Middle East, Asia, and Brazil
Introduction Have you ever noticed that greetings look very different depending on where you are in the world? It wasn’t…
View from the Wing
I Flew 3 Hours In A Coach Middle Seat — Now I’m Rethinking Why I Pay Extra For Domestic First Class
I spent three hours in an American Airlines coach middle seat from Washington National to Dallas — and got two and a half hours of real work done. That should not feel revelatory, but after years of chasing upgrades and paying more for domestic first, it made me rethink when...
Frequent Miler
25X miles / 45% back (maybe more?) at Viator today with Capital One Shopping
Today’s deal of the day for Capital One Shopping and Capital One Offers is Viator. While everyone should see a boosted offer for Viator today, the exact amount can vary from person to person. At the time of writing, I’m seeing 25X miles through a Capital One card account via...
Miles To Memories
Hotel Point Expiration Policies For Every Major Brand
We share the hotel point expiration policies for every major hotel loyalty brand out there, all in one place!
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Travel Hack to Get Free Hot Water For Cup Noodles at Seoul Incheon Airport Causes Furore in South Korea
A travel hack circulating amongst Chinese passengers to get free hot water at Seoul Incheon Airport for cup noodles is causing a furore in South Korea because it involves invading mother nursing rooms. The problem has arisen because, while convenience stores inside the airport sell cup noodles (known in South...
Live and Let’s Fly
Scott Kirby’s Memorial Day Message To United Airlines Employees Was More Measured This Year
CEO Scott Kirby’s Memorial Day message to United Airlines employees was more measured this year, pairing gratitude for American freedoms with a summer travel pep talk focused on operational reliability and customer care. Scott Kirby’s Memorial Day Message To United Employees Was More Muted, More Operational Kirby’s annual Memorial Day...
One Mile at a Time
Review: Aman Bangkok, Thailand (One Of The World’s Best City Hotels)
Duringmy two-part birthday trip to the Golden Triangle, I checked out four different hotels in Bangkok, given that its one of the worlds best value cities for luxury hotels, and the market keeps getting better (separately, Imreviewing the Rosewood Bangkok,Capella Bangkok, and Four Seasons Bangkok).
The Bulkhead Seat
Aer Lingus Flights Between Pittsburgh and Dublin Take Off Today
Back in December, I wrote about Aer Lingus adding flights between Dublin Airport (DUB)…
Points Miles and Bling
How to Share Aeroplan Elite Benefits with Travel Companions
Being able to share your elite benefits with your travel companions is one of travel’s joys, as far as I’m…
Miles To Memories
Fee Free Points Earning At Staples This Week With Mastercard Gift Card Sale
There is a new Staples Mastercard gift card deal that could be a way to rack up some fee free spend and some bonus points earning.
View from the Wing
Before You Marry Someone, Travel Together — Delays, Hotels And Long Days Reveal Everything
Travel strips away the version of someone they perform on dates. Delays, bad hotel rooms, money decisions, tired mornings, service workers, bathroom habits, and long stretches of conversation show you how they actually move through the world — and whether they make life easier or harder.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
In Memoriam: Cholula
Memorial articles for members of FlyerTalk have quietly ceased here at The Gate With Brian Cohen — but this article about Cholula will be one of two exceptions to that policy for Memorial Day 2026. “Mrs. Cholula and I are VERY sorry to hear of Pat’s passing. She was very much...
Traveling For Miles
World of Hyatt post devaluation analysis (this has only just got started)
What does the cost of standard room World of Hyatt awards look like now that the new award charts are in place and how does this compare to what the same awards cost in the halcyon days before 20 May? Well, I've attempted to check.
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 5/24/26, through Saturday, 5/30/26. Note that there is a limit of nine per customer per day listed, but some may be able to purchase more at their local store. The Deal Staples is again offering fee-free...
TravelUpdate
Today, I am celebrating 10 years writing for Travel Update!
Celebrating 10 years of writing for Travel Update has come around out of the blue. It feels like…
One Mile at a Time
A Scammy Shame: The Park Hyatt Sydney Now Claims It’s A Resort
Across the board, we’ve seen a growing number of hotels try to find loopholes in order to avoid having to deliver all elite perks. It’s an area where not all hotel groups are created equal, and historically, Hyatt has done much better than the competition.
2PAXfly
UNITED STATES: Trump administration floats airport squeeze on ‘sanctuary cities’
I have refrained largely from reporting on USA affairs. That’s partly because I don’t want to besmirch my reputation if I decide to travel to the USA again. However, there are just some things that need to be reported in the interests of Australians travelling to the USA. The Trump...
Wild About Travel
Dubrovnik. Dragons, Demons,
Dubrovnik looks almost unreal at first glance. Terracotta roofs stacked above polished limestone streets, all wrapped in thick medieval walls with the Adriatic on three sides. It is indeed a real‑world city. It became King’s Landing in Game of Thrones. Many key scenes were filmed in and around its medieval...
Wild About Travel
Berlin: Cities I Love #2
I have been coming to Berlin since the Wall fell. I have watched it change beyond recognition and yet remain, stubbornly, itself. It is a city that has survived everything history has thrown at it, and it wears that history openly, without flinching. There is nowhere else like it. 01...
2PAXfly
AIR NEW ZEALAND: How to book the new Economy Skynest sleep pods
Air New Zealand’s much-hyped Economy Skynest is finally going on sale. Yep, those at the bunk beds you can rent by the four hour period. From this week (18 May 2026), passengers booked in Economy or Premium Economy will be able to add a four-hour lie-flat sleep session on selected...
2PAXfly
THAILAND: Visa-free stays for Australians cut back to 30 days
The Thai government has approved changes that would end the current 60-day visa-free stay for Australians and visitors from more than 90 other countries. That generous 60-day exemption only arrived in July 2024, when Thailand was still trying to goose its post-pandemic tourism economy. It applied to passport holders from...
2PAXfly
AIR NEW ZEALAND: Koru program replaces Airpoints
Air New Zealand has officially launched its refreshed loyalty programme, Koru, replacing the long-running Airpoints brand and shifting more than five million members into a new tier structure from 22 April 2026. Existing Airpoints and Status Points carry across, so members are not starting again from scratch. The less thrilling...
2PAXfly
AIR SERVICES AGREEMENTS: Direct flights to Maldives from Melbourne, and Western Sydney Airport to get Gulf carriers
The Australian government has signed four new or updated aviation agreements, opening the door to more flights and more codeshares. Although, as ever with aviation bilaterals, permission to fly is not the same thing as an airline actually putting metal in the sky. The Albanese Government says it has negotiated...
Wild About Travel
Navigating the world’s best airport: a flawless experience.
Changi, Singapore. Everything you need to know. Stunning takeoff out of Singapore Changi (SIN) after a transit between my flight from Sydney and to Asia. I have been through this airport 82 times flawlessly. There are few airports where anyone can say that about. The others that follow it in...