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...
Also on BoardingArea
One Mile at a Time
How Concerned Are You About Hotel Room Safety? Here’s My Approach…
We all have different habits when staying at hotels, and that includes the precautions we take when it comes to hotel room safety and security.
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...
Frequent Miler
Last Chance Deals: 7 transfer bonuses, 5X-7X quarterly spending bonuses, & much, much more
Welcome to our weekly list of what’s ending this week as well as a collection of some other deals that are due to end soon. It’s an extremely busy week for deals that are about to end because Tuesday is both the end of the month and end of Q2. As...
Points With a Crew
The 28 worst tourist traps out there
How can you tell a tourist trap from an interesting sight? After reading a list of 28 of the worst tourist traps out there, I was surprised to see how many of those I'd been to - I definitely have to agree with #1 on the list...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
What Is Wrong With This Photograph? Part 359
The photograph in this article was taken during breakfast hours in the dining area near the lobby at the Spark by Hilton Minot in North Dakota. For this edition of this popular game, can you guess what...
View from the Wing
The Washington Post Ranked America’s Best Airports. Somehow Dulles Beat San Francisco
The Washington Post ranked America’s best airports, but its methodology helps explain some strange results: San Diego missing the top 50, San Francisco outside the top 10, and Dulles ranked ahead of easier airports. Airports should be judged by how quickly and reliably they get passengers to, through, and out...
Frequent Miler
Is my brain built for this? Managing points and miles even when it doesn’t come naturally (A Carrie commentary)
Does anyone else feel a little bit like the art kid attempting to ace a math class when learning about miles and points strategies? When I go to points and miles conferences or even listen to the Frequent Miler on the Air podcast from week to week, I often find...
Your Mileage May Vary
Is InterContinental Ambassador Status Worth $225?
InterContinental Ambassador status sounds simple enough: pay $225, or 45,000 IHG One Rewards points, and receive extra benefits at InterContinental hotels. But whether it’s actually worth buying depends almost entirely…
View from the Wing
SWISS Is Serving First Class Passengers A Hot Dog Called The Bastardo And Putting Sour Cream On It
SWISS is serving first class passengers a seasonal hot dog called “The Bastardo,” topped with apple chutney, red coleslaw, sour cream, walnuts, and cress. They had to cut the bun because the hot dog kept tipping over on SWISS First porcelain.
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...
Live and Let’s Fly
Delta’s LAX Growth Is Not Done: Philadelphia And Washington Dulles Flights Planned
Live and Let’s Fly has learned that Delta’s new Los Angeles–Newark service may be only one piece of a broader LAX expansion strategy, with future nonstop service also planned for Philadelphia and Washington Dulles. Delta’s Los Angeles Expansion May Not Stop With Newark As I covered earlier, Delta Air Lines...
Live and Let’s Fly
“We Almost Hit A Drone!” United Airlines 737 Comes Within 100 Feet On Newark Approach
A United Airlines 737 landing at Newark came within about 100 feet of a drone, according to pilots, in the latest reminder that careless or pernicious drone operators can create very real danger around airports. United 737 Nearly Hits Drone On Approach To Newark A United Airlines flight from Key...
View from the Wing
Delta Wants To Win LAX While American And United Are Stuck At The Gate. Philadelphia And Dulles Flights Coming
Delta has already become the largest carrier at LAX, and now it appears to be pressing its advantage while American and United are gate-constrained. After moving up Newark–Los Angeles by four years, Delta may add Philadelphia and Washington Dulles next, filling in more competitor hubs so Los Angeles customers have...
One Mile at a Time
Weekly Review: June 27, 2026
I hope everyone is having a nice weekend so far! Hello from beautiful, and swelteringly hot, South Tyrol… and here I was thinking we’d slightly be escaping the heat by leaving Florida! On the points & travel front, this week Ryanair updated its family seating policy, Wyndham Rewards announced award...
Travel With Grant
2026 Travel Predictions Midyear Review: Which Predictions Came True?
I've reached the halfway point of 2026, so it's time to see how my predictions are holding up. Some have already come true, while others are still waiting to happen—and a few are looking less likely by the day. Check out my midyear review to see which predictions hit the...
Points With a Crew
How Many of These “Old Man Airport Behaviors” Do You Do?
The series of Progressive Insurance commercials talking about people turning into their parents slays me. The latest one about airport behaviors had me thinking ...
Your Mileage May Vary
Why Passports Come In Different Colors (And What Those Colors Actually Mean)
Have you ever noticed that passports from different countries come in different colors? It turns out those colors aren’t chosen at random. From politics and religion to geography and history,…
Miles To Memories
Amex Pulls Transfer Bonuses, Cruises From $49 & Rakuten Bonuses For Amazon
In our Around the Web series we take a look at interesting articles that cover miles, points, travel and personal finance.
View from the Wing
30 Chase Sapphire Reserve Benefits, Credits, And Rules Even Seasoned Cardmembers Miss
The Chase Sapphire Reserve has a $795 annual fee, but its real value depends on understanding how the credits, lounge access, travel protections, transfer partners, authorized user benefits, and new earning categories actually work. These 30 details cover the fine print that can help cardmembers stack benefits, avoid clawbacks, earn...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Views From Putnam Hill Park in Zanesville in Ohio
Consisting of approximately 18.5 acres, Putnam Hill Park in Zanesville in Ohio offers a panoramic view of the small city — along with the historic and somewhat unique Y-Bridge that crosses the Muskingum River.
View from the Wing
TSA Finds Smoke Grenade In Peanut Butter, Airbnb Demands Tipping, And Marriott Takes Away Ketchup Packets
News and notes from around the interweb: Most likely, TSA caught this because they consider peanut butter to be a liquid. Last week a traveler flying through Indianapolis International Airport attempted to take two live smoke grenades, one of which was concealed inside of a jar of peanut butter. TSA...
Miles To Memories
(Last Chance) 3 Night Stay & $100 Back Holiday Inn Club Vacations Timeshare Presentation Offer
There is a new Holiday Inn Club Vacations Offer that could net you a 3 night stay in 9 different destinations, plus $100 cash back!
Your Mileage May Vary
How To Get Through TSA Security As Quickly & Easily As Possible
If you don’t fly very often, going through TSA can feel overwhelming. There are signs everywhere, bins flying around, people taking off jackets, emptying pockets, removing laptops, and somehow everyone…
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
United Airlines Boeing 737 With 106 Passengers On Board Narrowly Avoids Collision With Drone Flying in Prohibited Airspace Near Newark Liberty Airport
A packed United Airlines Boeing 737 with 106 passengers and five crew members on board narrowly avoided colliding with a drone as it made its final approach to land at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on Friday. The incident involved United flight UA-1513, which was in the final minutes of...
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...
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...