2PAXfly
QANTAS: Flooding closes LAX First Lounge, premium dining moves next door
Qantas’ Los Angeles First Lounge has been temporarily closed by flooding, according to the Qantas Lounge page. That means the closure of one of the best overseas lounge experiences for premium passengers on the long trek to Australia. The airline has not set a reopening date on its lounge website....
2PAXfly
VIETJET: launching Australian airline to rival Qantas and Virgin
Vietnamese low-cost carrier VietJet is reportedly seeking the approvals needed to launch an Australian subsidiary, in a move that could create a new domestic competitor for Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia. According to reporting by Ayesha de Kretser in the Australian Financial Review, VietJet has approached the Civil Aviation Safety...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: No First Lounge for London. Premier dining room instead
The original plan was to have a new First Class Lounge at London’s Terminal 3. It was to be ready for the debut of the Project Sunrise flights. Qantas has quietly shelved those plans, to the indignation of premium frequent flyers and passengers. Instead, the airline will refurbish and enlarge...
2PAXfly
CHINA AIRLINES: More flights to Australia from October, 2026
Taiwan’s China Airlines is increasing flights to Australia from late October, giving travellers more non-stop choices between Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Taipei. The headline act is Sydney, where China Airlines will lift its Taipei service to daily from 25 October 2026. Melbourne follows on 28 October with a fifth weekly...
Also on BoardingArea
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Flooding closes LAX First Lounge, premium dining moves next door
Qantas’ Los Angeles First Lounge has been temporarily closed by flooding, according to the Qantas Lounge page. That means the closure of one of the best overseas lounge experiences for premium passengers on the long trek to Australia. The airline has not set a reopening date on its lounge website....
Frequent Miler
What are Hyatt points worth now that the new award chart is live?
At Frequent Miler, we keep a database of point valuations called “Reasonable Redemption Values.” These are estimates of the “worth” of airline miles, hotel points, transferable points, and more. The idea is that we try to identify the point at which it is “reasonable” to get that much value or...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Delta Air Lines eCredits Expire 5 Years After Issue — If…
Delta Air Lines eCredits expire 5 years after they are issued, which has been upgraded from the typical expiration policy of only one year back in the spring of 2025... ...but this policy is only in effect if...
2PAXfly
VIETJET: launching Australian airline to rival Qantas and Virgin
Vietnamese low-cost carrier VietJet is reportedly seeking the approvals needed to launch an Australian subsidiary, in a move that could create a new domestic competitor for Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia. According to reporting by Ayesha de Kretser in the Australian Financial Review, VietJet has approached the Civil Aviation Safety...
Frequent Miler
Lifemiles+ eliminates free cancellation benefit for new subscribers
Avianca Lifemiles has a subscription service called Lifemiles+. I’ve written pretty extensively about the value in subscribing to Lifemiles+, particularly for family travelers, since those subscribing to the Basic plan or higher have enjoyed benefits like a 10% discount on award redemptions, including on Star Alliance awards, and free changes...
Points With a Crew
Get An Easy $50 From Rakuten (Deal Ends Tuesday)
If you don't have a Rakuten account, sign up and get an easy $50 by signing up and spending at least $50 (including on gift cards to many retailers!) in the first 90 days.
Frequent Miler
Alaska Atmos rolling out free Wi-Fi for members on Hawaiian and Alaska flights
Late last week, Alaska Airlines announced that it now has approximately 150 aircraft equipped with Starlink Wi-Fi. In partnership with T-Mobile, they have made free Wi-Fi available to Alaska Atmos members. Wi-Fi is now complimentary on all Hawaiian Airlines aircraft flying to and from Hawaii, as well as on 100%...
Frequent Miler
Free 1-year New York Times subscription with $500+ Delta gift card purchase
Delta Airlines is offering members a one-time-use link in their email to purchase a Delta gift card and activate a complimentary one-year all-access digital subscription to the New York Times when they buy a gift card of $500 or more. I currently see a promotional rate of $1 per week...
Your Mileage May Vary
I Kept My Choice Privileges Points Alive With Just 1 Wells Fargo Point
Choice Privileges points expire after 18 months of no qualifying activity. I recently needed to reset the clock on my account, and Wells Fargo made it surprisingly easy. Last year,…
The Bulkhead Seat
CLEAR® Plus Will Increase Membership Prices on July 1st, But Price is Unknown
Starting  July 1st, the annual cost of a CLEAR® Plus membership will rise from…
Frequent Miler
$10 St. Jude’s donation possible via Domino’s with Paze
Doctor of Credit highlights an opportunity for those who still have cards eligible for the Paze promotion. Domino’s Pizza sells an opportunity to donate to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital under their “extras” section. It is apparently possible to order that donation and check out paying via Paze. Assuming you...
View from the Wing
Hilton Employee Says Hotel Created Fake Guests To Get Paid More For Your Points Stays
A Hilton employee says their hotel created fake occupied rooms before night audit to push occupancy over the threshold where Hilton Honors reimburses more for award stays. The alleged scheme may sound like inside-baseball accounting, but it matters to members: inflated reimbursement costs ultimately make free nights more expensive in...
Frequent Flyer Bonuses
Save up to 10% when you buy Iberia gift cards by July 5
Looking to save a bit of cash when flying on Iberia or want to give the gift of travel? You could consider buying Iberia gift cards during their holiday sale that offers up to 10% off the face value of the card. The discount ranges from 5% when you buy...
Points With a Crew
Last Chance For Chase Freedom Q2 2026 5% Spending (Including One Of The Best I’ve Seen)
Finally, it's time to activate your Chase Freedom Q2 2026 Bonus categories, and there are some good ones. You must activate before earning 5% cash back and ...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
American Airlines Faces $2.64 Million Annual Bill to Let Pilots and Flight Attendants Skip Regular TSA Security Screening
American Airlines faces a mammoth $2.64 million annual fee to allow its workforce of more than 47,500 pilots and flight attendants to skip past regular TSA airport security screening, as the Department of Homeland Security introduces a new fee as part of the introduction of its ‘Crewmember Access Point’ program....
Your Mileage May Vary
Cruise Lines Are Cracking Down On A Tradition Many Cruisers Love
Every traveler seems to have a vacation tradition. Some people always visit the local public market. Others hop on a sightseeing bus their first day to get their bearings. I…
Miles To Memories
OnePay $200 Referral Bonus, Plus $50 for New Accounts
OnePay is running a limited-time referral promotion that rewards both new and existing customers. New users can earn $50 cash back, while the person referring them earns $200.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Save Up to 40 Percent With Expedia
Celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States of America by saving up to 40 percent on select hotel properties and vacation rentals with Expedia; and get deals on cars, packages, and flights as well through Tuesday, December 15, 2026... ...but you must...
One Mile at a Time
What Should Hotels Realistically Offer Guests For Birthdays & Anniversaries?
People stay at hotels for all kinds of reasons. For leisure guests, its common to travel for some sort of a special occasion, like a birthday, anniversary, or honeymoon. Many travelers will let hotels know of those special occasions in advance, in hopes of scoring something extra.
Frequent Miler
Use Kroger points for groceries (1,000 points = $10 off)
Kroger regularly offers opportunities to earn bonus Kroger Points on gift card purchases and other items throughout the store.  Historically, the best use of points has been for purchasing fuel, where 1,000 Kroger points gets you $1 off per gallon on up to 35 gallons of gas. However, for those...
View from the Wing
Hertz Renter Actually Deserved Arrest And Passenger Says American Airlines Broke Her Arm
A Hertz renter allegedly stole the car and actually deserved arrest, American Airlines is again accused of forcing gate-checked bags despite empty overhead bins. Also: hotel-room lasagna, Air France’s apparent ground A/C advantage, and a new lawsuit claiming an American Airlines employee broke a disabled passenger’s arm while providing mobility...
Your Mileage May Vary
Delta’s Austin Sky Club Is Excellent — But Even It Can’t Escape Lounge Crowding
The Delta Sky Club at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has been there for years. Somehow, despite flying to Austin fairly often, we had never managed to visit. That wasn’t because we…
Miles To Memories
Last Day to Transfer Amex Membership Rewards to Etihad Guest
If you've been considering transferring American Express Membership Rewards points to Etihad Guest, time is almost up.
Points Miles and Bling
Everything You Need to Know About Aeroplan Family Sharing
Aeroplan is undoubtedly the most popular frequent flyer program for Canadians, and its Family Sharing feature is one of the…
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Lounge pass rules change from 1 July 2026
From Wednesday 1 July, Qantas will tighten the rules governing Complimentary Lounge Invitations, ending the long-standing ability to transfer a pass to any other Frequent Flyer member, regardless of whether they are travelling with you. If you have a stash of passes, you only have days to give them away!...
Wild About Travel
concordes at last
She was the most beautiful aircraft ever created. She was the fastest passenger aircraft ever to fly. She was created through the cooperation of two countries, and the technology that came with her is still being used, with the breakthroughs she sparked continuing to impact aviation today. One fatal crash...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 28 June, 2026
Hello travellers, Well, I’m in Sydney, but not quite home yet. If you have ever had a renovation done, you will understand. I have spent the last week at a Meriton Suites in central Sydney. It’s been a mixed experience. Living in central Sydney has some great advantages, especially on...
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,...
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...