2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 19 July, 2026
Hello travellers, Greetings from Adelaide! I’m here visiting family and friends. It’s the second of two short domestic trips this week. The previous one was to Canberra to view the Arthur Boyd tapestries at the National Gallery of Australia, where I also sampled the Virgin Australia Lounge. What happened last...
2PAXfly
CATHAY PACIFIC: Adelaide to Hong Kong flights return for summer
Cathay Pacific will return to Adelaide for another Southern Hemisphere summer season, this time offering up to five weekly non-stop flights to Hong Kong during the busiest holiday months. The service will operate from 10 November 2026 until 27 March 2027. There will be three flights each week during November...
2PAXfly
LOUNGE REVIEW: Canberra Virgin Australia Lounge
I just had my first experience of the Canberra Virgin Australia Lounge. Yesterday, I spent time in Canberra seeing the Arthur Boyd tapestries at the National Gallery of Australia and the John Brack and Noel McKenna exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. I had one of those lingering credits with...
2PAXfly
UNITED AIRLINES: WTF! Adds European Business class rows to 321XLRs
Oddly, that is not how United Airlines is promoting this ‘innovation’. They are adding the curse of European Business Class blocked-off centre seats. British Airways call this arrangement ‘Club Europe’. United is promoting it as ‘Economy Plus Seats with Extra Elbow Room. They should hang their heads in shame! A321XLR...
Also on BoardingArea
Economy Class & Beyond
Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond (18th July)
It’s the calm before the storm, as aircraft gather. It must mean next week it’s the Farnborough Air Show. And for those of us who are reading this on Saturday, it must be time for Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond. Trams going up and down Hill Street, Birmingham...
Points With a Crew
Why Is The Stop Human Trafficking Phone Number Formatted So Weird?
A sign hung up at the airport bathroom at the Cincinnati / CVG airport has a phone number for stopping human trafficking, but the formatting is off ...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
What Is Wrong With This Photograph? Part 362
The photograph that is featured in this article was taken during a recent road trip. For this edition of this popular game, can you guess what...
Frequent Miler
Destinations that cost more (or less) than expected (A Carrie Commentary)
It’s been a long time since I tracked travel expenses for the points and miles blog Travel is Free (a blog I helped maintain in the 2010s). The motivation for this was to demonstrate how a nomadic life using points and miles could be just as cheap as a stationary...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 19 July, 2026
Hello travellers, Greetings from Adelaide! I’m here visiting family and friends. It’s the second of two short domestic trips this week. The previous one was to Canberra to view the Arthur Boyd tapestries at the National Gallery of Australia, where I also sampled the Virgin Australia Lounge. What happened last...
Your Mileage May Vary
The Countries Where Prostitution is Legal
Prostitution has been called “the oldest profession in the world.” Whether or not that’s true is up for debate, since the term “the oldest profession in the world” wasn’t coined…
The Bulkhead Seat
2026 Weekly Review: July 18th
Greetings from the Polaris® Lounge at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). We just got…
Miles To Memories
Good News! You’ve Changed More Than the Points and Travel Hobby Has
Amidst the frequent changes in the points and travel hobby, often for the worse, your own unique goals and evolution can rise above them.
View from the Wing
Dad Sits In Coach While His Daughters Fly First Class—Then Tries To Take A Stranger’s Seat Up Front
There have been plenty of controversial stories about a husband flying first class while his wife and kids sit in coach. Maybe he got the upgrade, and only one seat was available. Or he was on a business trip and had to be rested, so the company paid...
One Mile at a Time
Weekly Review: July 18, 2026
I hope everyone is having a nice weekend so far! I’m in the middle of a fun review trip, so expect lots more content in the coming days, as I’m moving at a fast pace. On the points & travel front, this week Delta announced plans to fly to Manila,...
Points With a Crew
The Border Patrol Didn’t Quite Know What to Make of Our Road Trip
We crossed the U.S.-Canada border four times in 36 hours. Here's how customs officers reacted to our unusual road trip—and why one crossing got extra scrutiny
Your Mileage May Vary
The Hidden Cost Of Booking An Early Morning Ride To JFK
When we had an 8 a.m. flight home from JFK, we decided to pay extra for a hotel-arranged car rather than deal with trains, transfers or waiting for a rideshare…
The Bulkhead Seat
Lounge Review: Eurostar Premier Lounge (Paris Gare du Nord)
We were off to London after spending a few days in Paris in the…
View from the Wing
The Truth About The United Airlines ‘Donald Trump Airport’ Travel Waiver
This is being described as walking back the policy, and in some cases denying the policy existed. But that's not what's going on here at all.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Wildfires in Canada Bring Poor Air Quality to United States: July 2026 Travel Alert
Wildfires in Canada bring poor air quality to United States in this July 2026 travel alert, which has led to hazy orange skies and closures or cancellations of events — such as the cancellation of the nightly fireworks display at Niagara Falls effective as of Wednesday, July 15, 2026 as...
View from the Wing
American Airlines Karen Demands Window Seat For Her Kid—Crew Gives Business Class To The Passenger She Harassed
An American Airlines passenger, dubbed a Karen on reddit, demanded that a passenger assigned to a window seat move so that her child could have it, became extremely abusive. The woman threatened to sue the airline, and to sue the passenger at the window, when he wouldn’t move. Finally cabin crew...
Your Mileage May Vary
This Delta Passenger Quickly Learned There Are Some Questions You Just Don’t Ask
We’ve all heard there are certain things you probably shouldn’t bring up in conversation. Religion. Politics. Money. Whether Marvel is better than DC. 😉 And then there are questions that…
Live and Let’s Fly
I Witnessed An Entitled Family Eat An Entire Meal At A Luxury Hotel, Then Bully Staff Into Making It Free
I witnessed a horrible dressing down of restaurant staff at the Andaz Delhi in Aerocity that left me shaking my head in disgust over the entitlement. Entitled Family Demanded Free Meal At Andaz Delhi After a long day, I sat down for a late dinner at AnnaMaya, the main restaurant...
Miles To Memories
Insane Australia Award Flight Price, Another Gorgeous Chase Lounge & Cool Tiki Bar Passport
In our Around the Web series we take a look at interesting articles that cover miles, points, travel and personal finance.
Economy Class & Beyond
Horsing Around? How one company moved 121 Mogolian Horses between Ulaanbaatar and Hanoi
Many delicate things are transported by air – be it humans, medicines, cargo, cars, or other live animals – including Horses. Chapman Freeborn Group has supported a specialist live-animal charter operation, moving 121 Mongolian horses between Ulaanbaatar and Hanoi. This was delivered through close collaboration between Chapman Freeborn’s Asia Pacific...
One Mile at a Time
Huge Amex Platinum Card Welcome Offer, As High As 175K Bonus Points
The American Express Platinum Card is one of the most popular premium cards on the market. While the card has a high annual fee, it also has compelling perks that will make it worthwhile for many.
Points With a Crew
19 Tech and Travel Deals at Amazon This Weekend
Some decent Amazon weekend deals on travel and tech gear going on this weekend, including headphones, luggage, locks, packing cubes and supplies, travel books and ...
Your Mileage May Vary
Why I No Longer Insist On Business Class To Europe
Over the years, my opinion about flying business class from the East Coast to Europe has changed more than once. When my wife Sharon and I first started traveling to…
Point Me to the Plane
5 Most Scenic Virtual Train Rides You Can Take From Home
Do you like train travel? How about beautiful scenery? Then come aboard these virtual train rides and enjoy the journey!
2PAXfly
AIR NEW ZEALAND: B777s are getting new business class suites, better than on new Dreamliners
Air New Zealand has revealed the replacement for the ageing Business Premier seats on its Boeing 777-300ERs. These older aircraft may end up with an off-the-shelf business class seat that many travellers will prefer to the bespoke product installed on its newer Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. From 2027, Air New Zealand’s...
2PAXfly
SYDNEY AIRPORT: Pay AU$20 to skip the international security queue
Passengers departing from the T1 International Terminal can now pay AU$20 per person for access to a priority queue at the main security checkpoint, regardless of airline, travel class, or Frequent Flyer status. The new SYD Fast Track service effectively opens Sydney Airport’s existing Priority Entry pathway to any international...
2PAXfly
LOUNGE REVIEW: Qantas First check-in and Lounge, Sydney
This is the second instalment of my Oh Canada! Trip Report. I’m lucky that many of my international trips start at Sydney Airport at the Qantas First Check-in facility. And that is closely followed by a visit to the Qantas First Lounge. That was the case this day, with my...
Wild About Travel
My ATM Rules to Keep You and Your Money Safe
At an ATM, distraction is all it takes. Last week, I was coming out of a metro station, when I noticed two European backpackers staring at an ATM. As I rode down the long escalator behind them, I could see they were squinting at the screen, unsure about fees or...
2PAXfly
AUSTRALIA: Goodbye orange arrival card. Digital passenger declarations go national
That mid-flight scramble for a pen, finding your flight number, address in Australia, and other details will soon be over. Wondering if you need to declare that wooden statue/shell necklace you bought in Bali/Fiji (you do). Not to mention declaring that jar of home-grown honey your aunt gave you in...
2PAXfly
TRIP REPORT: Oh Canada! Introduction
This is my most recent trip, completed in June 2026. It’s my first time in Canada, and we crossed the country from Vancouver on the West Coast to St John’s on the East Coast. The trip lasted about three weeks. This trip was in paid Business Class on Qantas and...
Wild About Travel
I Finally Did It: All 50 US States
My first trip to the USA was my second time overseas as a (very young adult). I boarded a Continental Airlines flight for Honolulu. I had no idea that I would return many, many times to the USA and end up visiting every state. For a long time, I thought...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 12 July, 2026
Hello travellers, Well, the dust has largely settled on our renovations, but as always, there is a bit here and a bit there still to do. We are back in our regular bedroom with its new floor, and using our repaired and renewed bathroom. All of that confirms what Dorothy...