2PAXfly
NEW ROUTES 2026 #4: Delta Airlines East Coast to Los Angeles on A350 with Delta One Business Class
Delta began operating its new A350 aircraft to Melbourne late last year, giving travellers a third option, alongside Qantas and United, for direct flights to Los Angeles. The airline now flies from Melbourne and Brisbane three times a week, and daily from Sydney. Its Delta One Business Class seat has...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 8 March, 2026 — International Women’s Day
I’m in Adelaide for the annual Adelaide Arts Festival, catching up with friends, and sucking up the cultural events. Today is International Women’s Day. To celebrate, Qantas have more than 2,500 customers flying on Jetstar and Qantas flights operated by all-female crews. Virgin Australia is celebrating with the Future Aviators...
Wild About Travel
Pretoria (Tshwane): The Capital That Surprised Me
I arrived in Pretoria with low expectations. South Africa had been a mixed bag. The delights of the Garden Route, a superb Johannesburg, falling in love with Cape Town and almost getting mugged there, wonderful stops in Hermanus and Durban. And then the disappointments: Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and Mossel Bay...
2PAXfly
NEW ROUTES 2026 #5: Singapore Airlines with new A350 business class with doors — late 2026
After years of speculation, Singapore Airlines is refreshing its long-haul Airbus A350 business class with privacy doors. The rollout begins in the first half of 2026, with retrofits phased across selected long-haul A350 aircraft. When do we see these refreshed cabins in Australia? Background I’m doing a series of posts...
Also on BoardingArea
Miles To Memories
Three Massive Offers for Amex Marriott Bonvoy Cards
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy has a bonus of 175,000 points, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant is offering 200,000 points and the Marriott Bonvoy Business card can earn you up to 5 Free Night Awards.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Surplus Sales: Buy Way Cool Items Instead of Stealing Them — Like a Landing Gear
Unlike stealing items such as blankets and pillows from airplanes — as was the topic of this article — you can attend what are known as surplus sales where you can purchase just about anything which has to do with commercial aviation. I attended a surplus sale at what was then...
Frequent Miler
(Update) Bilt 2.0 is charging 0.2% foreign transaction fees despite claiming there are none
Update: Per this screenshot of an email from Bilt CEO Ankur Jain: Hey [redacted] copying in the cardless team here as well to dig in asap on your fraud charges. On the other one, we are aware of the questions surrounding final transaction amounts for foreign transactions and are actively...
Hawaii Calling
Front Row to the Bellagio Fountains: Prime Steakhouse Review
Quick Take• Restaurant type: Upscale steakhouse by Jean-Georges Vongerichten• Atmosphere: Classic steakhouse inside, fountain-view patio outside• Price range: $150–$300+ per person depending on steak selection• Reservation tip: Request outdoor patio seating and book between 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM for the best fountain views Some restaurants promise a “fountain view,”...
View from the Wing
Marriott Guest Finds Crack Pipes In Hotel Room — Hotel Offers 10,000 Points [ROUNDUP]
A Marriott guest says they found crack pipes in a Dallas hotel room and received 10,000 points plus an apology from the property. Also X to launch a 6% interest account and 3% rebate debit card, American will serve Smash Kitchen condiments with its sliders, and one flight attendants tombstone...
One Mile at a Time
IHG Premier Card 175K Points Limited Time Welcome Bonus (Last Chance)
Link: Learn more about the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card with a bonus of 175K points
Points Miles and Bling
Marriott Increases Free Night Award Top-Up to 25K Points (Up From 15K)
Marriott Bonvoy has increased the Marriott Free Night Award top-up limit to 25,000 points, effective immediately! With the previous cap…
Your Mileage May Vary
The Best Hotel Rewards Program, per Travel + Leisure
A new ranking shared by Travel + Leisure analyzed nine hotel rewards programs to see which deliver the most value for travelers. Hotel loyalty programs have been around since the…
Miles To Memories
Highest Ever 80,000 Points Bonus for World of Hyatt Business Card
The World of Hyatt Business Card now has a new welcome offer of 80,000 points, which is the highest ever bonus offered for this card.
View from the Wing
Chase, Amex, Capital One Or Citi — Which Premium Card Is Best For You Now
American Express, Chase, Capital One, and Citi have all overhauled the premium card market, and the right answer is no longer obvious. The best card now depends less on marketing claims and more on which lounges, credits, transfer partners, and spending bonuses actually match how you travel.
Frequent Miler
Marriott Amex Cards: Best Ever 175K and 200K Welcome Offers
American Express has just launched massive, limited-time welcome offers for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant and Bonvoy Bevy cards, each one almost doubling the previous version. The Bevy is now giving 175,000 Bonvoy points after a $5,000 minimum spend within the first 6 months, while the Brilliant card doles out a...
Miles To Memories
Marriott Adds More Flexibility to Free Night Awards
Marriott announced today a positive change for Marriott Bonvoy members, adding more flexibility to Free Night Awards.
Frequent Flyer Bonuses
Miles & More: Earn 5 extra miles per EUR spent on Hertz car rentals worldwide
Today's bonus offer highlight is another really good car rental offer from Miles & More offering extra miles on Hertz rentals! Check out all of the new bonuses added today:
One Mile at a Time
Emirates Bans Passenger, Now He’s Stranded In Dubai: I’m Conflicted
An OMAAT reader who asked to remain anonymous shared an interesting story with me, and I’m not sure what exactly the correct take is… I’m curious what others think.
The Bulkhead Seat
The Wolseley Hotels Will Launch With First Property With Takeover of New York’s Chatwal Hotel
A new luxury hospitality brand, The Wolseley Hotels, has announced its global debut with…
Frequent Miler
Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card: 5 x 50K free night certificate offer is back (still available via referral)
Update: The increased welcome offers on the Marriott Boundless (up to five free night certificates) and Bold cards are still available via referral. They will probably die within a day or two. ~~~ We’ve periodically seen an offer on Chase’s Bonvoy Boundless card to earn 5 Marriott free night certificates, each...
Points With a Crew
Kickstarter: Shuffle Wallet 2.0
The Shuffle Wallet 2.0 is built for speed and flexibility with 7-card instant access, precision fanning, and modular organization. It's on Kickstarter, but only for a few more ...
Live and Let’s Fly
Delta Air Lines Signals New Los Angeles–Manila Flights As Philippine Airlines Pushes Chicago Route
Delta Air Lines has quietly revealed plans to launch service between Los Angeles and Manila, but the timing of the disclosure points to a strategic goal beyond simply announcing a new route. Delta Signals Los Angeles–Manila Flights As It Responds To Philippine Airlines Chicago Route Request A recent filing with...
The Bulkhead Seat
JetBlue Expands Fort Lauderdale Flights With More Frequencies
JetBlue announced continued growth at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) today with the expansion…
Your Mileage May Vary
Global Entry Has Reopened, But The Real Mystery Is Why DHS Shut It Down In The First Place
After more than two weeks offline, the Global Entry trusted traveler program has reopened. That’s welcome news for frequent international travelers, especially those who’ve gotten used to breezing past the…
Miles To Memories
What Still Works For Amex Airline Incidental Credits In 2026?
We take a look at what still works for Amex airline incidental credits. There are still creative ways you can use the Amex reimbursements.
You Are Travel
Allegiant Pulling Out of Oakland – Another Blow to the East Bay Airport
​tl;dr – Another airline departs OAK, and it’s essentially the Southwest hub no one talks about. ​Allegiant Air…
John The Wanderer
Ultra-Luxury at Sea: The Debut of Four Seasons I and Captain Kate McCue
Captain Kate McCue with Four Seasons I branding. Source: Cruise Critic / Four Seasons Yachts. This article is the launch of the Four Seasons I yacht. It is about the…
View from the Wing
Frontier Passenger Used A Stranger As An Armrest — Then Touched His Wife, Started A Fight, And Forced A Miami Diversion
A Frontier Airlines flight from San Juan to Atlanta diverted to Miami after a passenger waiting for the lavatory leaned on another traveler, touched his wife, and then fought a third woman who stepped in. The bizarre chain of escalation turned a minor cabin confrontation into a diversion, an arrest,...
2PAXfly
MIDDLE EAST: Advice for Australians caught in flight chaos
Airspace is closed across parts of the Middle East due to attacks by Israel and the USA and consequent retaliation from Iran. This has left thousands of Australian travellers stranded or scrambling to rearrange flights. If you’re travelling through the region in the coming days or stuck there right now,...
2PAXfly
DISRUPTION: Middle East carriers and airports in chaos. What to do if you are travelling soon
What follows is practical advice for those travelling by air via the Middle East who will be affected by the conflict generated by the attacks on Iran. Background Escalating conflict in the Middle East has triggered major airspace closures and cascading flight chaos. Gulf hubs including Doha, Dubai and Abu...
Wild About Travel
Flying via the Middle East right now. Practical tips, not panic, for travellers.
Are you about to fly internationally? With a Middle Eastern airline or to, through or over the Middle East? Many airlines and transit hubs are affected, with flights paused, rerouted or heavily delayed across the region. Check your specific airline and route for the latest status before you travel. Before...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 1 March, 2026
It’s been a big week in Australian aviation, especially with the announcement of Qantas’ half-year results, a direct route from Brisbane to Las Vegas, and surprising changes to their loyalty scheme.  A lot of posts to catch up on in this Review, so read on: QANTAS: First International A321XLR route...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: First International A321XLR route announced — Brisbane to Manila
According to a story on ET, the first international A321XLR route will be Brisbane to Manila, commencing on 25 October 2026. But don’t get too excited, because there won’t be any flat beds, just domestic Business Class recliners. So, aside from a newer, quieter, more highly pressured plane, it’s a...
Wild About Travel
Qantas’ “New Era” For Status
Qantas has just made it more expensive to stay loyal. Funny how that works. The airline is calling it a ‘new era’ for its Frequent Flyer program. I’d call it a quiet price hike dressed up in marketing language. This is a change I’ve been waiting on for months. After...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: MASSIVE overhaul of Qantas Frequent Flyer program. The good and the bad
Qantas is making it easier to earn Status Credits without setting foot on a plane, but there are positives and negatives. As part of its sweeping overhaul of the loyalty program, the airline will lift the annual threshold required to retain status, even as it introduces rollover credits and more...
Wild About Travel
Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth): A City That Feels Lost.
I had just had an amazing week on the Garden Route, exploring wineries, seeing whales, and enjoying hikes, coffee, food, and South African hospitality. Enjoy some of the photos! When my Baz Bus minibus (great service by the way) reached Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth, we arrived in a very different world....