Wild About Travel
Drafyh Bergen: Norway’s Fjord-Framed Gem
There are some cities I like, some I love, and some that just smack you in the face with their wow factor. Hence the language in my headline’ Surrounded by seven mountains and nestled beside deep blue waters, Bergen’s scenery is more than spectacular. Founded in 1070, Bergen is Norway’s...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 31 May, 2026
Greetings from Canada! I’m here crossing the continent over the next few weeks. It’s my first time in this part of North America. I flew with Qantas to Vancouver, stayed overnight at the airport before meeting up with my husband, and then proceeded to our next Canadian destination. What happened...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Expands points redemptions on Philippine Airlines
Qantas Frequent Flyers can now use points to book Classic Reward seats across the full Philippine Airlines (PAL) network, opening up 15 new island and regional destinations via Manila. Qantas Points can now take you beyond Manila to places like Boracay, Cebu and Palawan with their suspiciously perfect beaches and...
2PAXfly
JETSTAR: Consumer protections threaten airline’s existence
In an article in the SMH, Jetstar chief executive Stephanie Tully warns that the proposed new aviation consumer protections could “undermine Jetstar’s existence”. Quite a phrase from a low-cost airline owned by the Qantas Group. The comments were made to a Senate committee examining the federal government’s planned Aviation Consumer...
Also on BoardingArea
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Air France Finally Agrees to Refund Passenger €500 Fee For Skipping a Flight Even Though His Selfies Proved He Was On the Flight
Air France has finally repaid a passenger a €500 fee it charged after the airline accused him of skipping a leg of his journey, even though he provided photographic evidence, alongside other documentation to prove that he had been on the flight. Xander Nabavi-Noori from Washington D.C. had booked tickets...
Monkey Miles
June Transfer Bonuses – Amex to Marriott 20%, Citi to Qatar 30%, Bilt 125% bonus ( Active and Historical Bonuses, Full Partner Lists, and Calculator )
  
Miles To Memories
Staples Brings Back Fee Free Bonus Points Earning With Visa Gift Card Promotion
There is a new Staples Visa gift card deal this week that allows you to earn some fee free bonus points & increase your earning elsewhere.
The Bulkhead Seat
The Luxury Collection Hotel Manhattan Midtown Gets Rebranded as The London
The Luxury Collection brand has officially returned to New York City with the debut…
Frequent Miler
Amex drops Qantas as a transfer partner (seemingly without notice?)
As reported by Award Wallet, American Express Membership Rewards seems to have lost a transfer partner this morning. As of June 1, 2026, Qantas Frequent Flyer is no longer showing up in the list of transfer partners for Membership Rewards points in the United States. That’s a surprising development, given...
Live and Let’s Fly
Review: Frutt Mountain Resort Review (Kempinski Ski Lodge In Switzerland)
My 9-year-old son Augustine offers his review of the Frutt Mountain Resort, a Kempinksi property in Kerns, Switzerland, where he spent four days skiing earlier this spring. Frutt Mountain Resort Review (A Kempinski Property In Switzerland) The Frutt Resort, a ski lodge located in Melchsee-Frutt not to far from Lucerne,...
Miles To Memories
Up To 125% Transfer Bonus: Bilt Rent Day Now Live
Wake up, wake up, it is the first of da month! That means it is time to partake in the Bilt Rent Day promotions.
View from the Wing
New American Airlines Policy Says It Can Sell You First Class, Give You Coach — And Keep Most Of Your Money
American Airlines now says that if it downgrades you from first class to coach, it may owe you just 40% of the affected segment’s fare — even when the coach seat it gives you sold for far less. A new DOT complaint argues that American’s policy lets the airline sell...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Save Up to 35% in India, South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa With IHG Hotels & Resorts
You can save up to 35% on room rates — including breakfast — at your choice of greater than 190 participating hotel and resort properties in India, South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific regions with IHG One Rewards through Monday, August 31, 2026... ...but you must...
The Bulkhead Seat
Hilton Launches Undergraduate by Hilton and Aims for Up to 500 College-Town Hotels
Not to be confused with Graduate by Hilton, the hotel giant is now expanding…
Live from a Lounge
IndiGo won’t move to Full-Service Carrier Model Because they are hiring Willie Walsh, says Rahul Bhatia; But Airfares likely to Inch Up.
IndiGo is in the midst of another twist, with the airline on tenterhooks over a new situation not of its own making. How will IndiGo navigate the new crisis? A hint comes through during the airline's analyst conference call.
Frequent Miler
30% transfer bonus to Qatar Avios from Citi ThankYou
Those with Citi ThankYou Rewards to redeem can get a 30% transfer bonus when transferring ThankYou Rewards to Qatar Airways Avios between June 1 and June 30, 2026. This is a bonus offered on the Qatar Airways end, so you won’t see this in your Citi ThankYou account, but you...
Economy Class & Beyond
Govia Thameslink Railway folds back into public ownership
Passing quietly yesterday, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) left private ownership, and its franchise was reclaimed by the HM Government. GTR operated services on core lines in the South East of England. including those operated by Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern and Gatwick Express.  They are the fifth train company that has...
One Mile at a Time
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Struggling Financially: Will Things Improve?
It’s a fascinating time for the luxury cruising industry, given how the space is evolving. In particular, it’s interesting to see luxury hotel groups get into cruising, even if it’s largely just a licensing deal.
TravelUpdate
Have you also noticed the sad decline of airline lounges?
Airline marketing departments go out of their way to make their frequent flyer lounges appear attractive. Online text…
Frequent Miler
Bilt Rent Day for June: 25%-125% transfer bonus to TAP Air Portugal
Bilt Rewards has announced details of the next Rent Day, with this one happening on June 1. It offers a transfer bonus of 25%-125%, but it’ll likely be of limited appeal seeing as it’s to TAP Air Portugal. The Deal Transfer Bilt Rewards points to TAP Air Portugal on June...
Live and Let’s Fly
Bilt Rent Day: TAP Air Portugal Transfer Bonus Of Up To 125%
If you hold a Bilt credit card, you can earn extra points for spending on the first day of each month, what Bilt calls “Rent Day.” Today, there’s also a bonus on transfers to Miles&Go, the loyalty program of Tap Air Portugal. Bilt Rent Day – Up To 6X Points...
One Mile at a Time
Boeing 777X Deliveries Delayed Again, As Certification Issues Drag On Into 2027
The 777X is Boeing’s new flagship aircraft. While the jet was initially supposed to enter commercial service in 2020, that timeline has been pushed back considerably. With each year that passes, it seems that entry into service for the plane is pushed back by an additional year.
One Mile at a Time
Boeing 777X Deliveries Delayed Again, As Certification Issues Drag On Into 2027
The 777X is Boeing’s new flagship aircraft. While the jet was initially supposed to enter commercial service in 2020, that timeline has been pushed back considerably. With each year that passes, it seems that entry into service for the plane is pushed back by an additional year.
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Qatar Airways Cabin Crew Reportedly Taking Part in a Historic Mass ‘Sickout’ As Anger Over Bonus Reaches Boiling Point
Flight attendants at Qatar Airways are reportedly taking part in a historic mass ‘sickout’ as frustration with an annual bonus, or lack thereof, reaches a boiling point. While employment laws in many countries generally prohibit mass sickouts, it’s important to understand just how seriously such action could be viewed in...
TravelUpdate
New $300 Amex Credit, Amex Gold Card Benefit Tweak, Trump Admin Mulls Travel Ban & more…
New $300 Amex Credit, Trump mulling new travel ban, Amex Gold Card tweaked & more as we recap top stories from the months of May.
TravelUpdate
Use This American Express Platinum Card Benefit Before It Goes Away For Good!
The American Expres Platinum Card is about to lose this benefit for good, so better use it now before it gets axed later this month.
View from the Wing
Aspen Airport Will Close For 7.5 Months — No Commercial Flights, No Private Jets [Roundup]
Aspen Airport will close for roughly seven and a half months in 2027, with no commercial flights, no private jets, and no terminal access while the runway is rebuilt and shifted west. Also: a NetJets runway incursion at SFO, Bilt’s non-card business heading toward $1 billion in revenue, a 50%...
TravelUpdate
Amex Platinum Card Changes Impact, China Travel Spike, New Hilton Promotion & more…
The impact of the Amex Platinum Card changes, travel to China up by 50% and more as we recap stories from the week gone by.
Wild About Travel
Drfat Perth
OverviewWhen you hear the name “Perth,” it’s worth noting that there are actually three places that share the name: Perth in Scotland, Perth in Tasmania, and the vibrant capital of Western Australia, which I’m reviewing here. Perth, WA, is known for its vast open spaces, stunning coastlines, and year-round sunshine....
2PAXfly
STARLUX: Taiwan’s ‘luxury’ airline to fly to Sydney and Auckland
Sydney looks set to gain a new Taiwanese contender in 2027, with STARLUX, the Taiwan-based airline, having confirmed (ET) plans to launch direct flights between Taipei and Sydney, with Auckland added as a trans-Tasman tag flight. That means Australians could soon have another way to reach Taiwan, North Asia, North...
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...
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...