2PAXfly
QANTAS: Project Sunrise A350 reaches Melbourne Australia after 19-hour test flight
Qantas’ Project Sunrise aircraft has touched Australian soil for the first time, completing a marathon non-stop test flight from Toulouse to Melbourne. The specially modified Airbus A350-1000ULR landed at Melbourne Airport at about 10.46am on Friday, 24 July, after spending 19 hours and 13 minutes in the air. The aircraft...
Wild About Travel
Fargo: Wide, Weird, and Way Better Than You Think
I came expecting a dull, drive-through prairie city. I was wrong. Most visitors know “Fargo” from the 1996 movie and TV series about crime and weirdness. I also need to add that I watched a second, much less well-known 2014 movie, Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter, very loosely based on a...
2PAXfly
ALTURA AIRLINES: Majority Indigenous-owned carrier launches from Perth
Australia has another airline name in its skies. You won’t find Altura Airlines appearing beside Qantas or Virgin Australia when searching for your next Perth flight. The new majority Indigenous-owned carrier commenced operations from Perth on Tuesday, 21 July 2026. Its initial focus is charter flying for mining, energy, infrastructure...
2PAXfly
TRIP REVIEW: Qantas B787-9 Dreamliner, QF75 Sydney to Vancouver in Business Class. Oh Canada!
This is the next post in my Oh Canada! Trip Report. I’ve covered the reason for this trip in the introductory post, as well as my check-in experience and the Qantas First Lounge pre-boarding experience. Now its time for the actual flight. This is my first time (I think) on...
Also on BoardingArea
The Bulkhead Seat
Southwest Airlines Flight Attendant Detained by ICE Over Alleged Visa Overstay
A Southwest Airlines flight attendant is being held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement…
Frequent Flyer Bonuses
Qatar Airways Privilege Club: Up to 24,000 bonus Avios on flights to and from Australia (July 24 Bonus Offer Highlight)
Today’s bonus offer highlight is the return of a bonus Avios offer when flying on Qatar Airways or Virgin Australia to or from Australia via Doha. Check out all of the new bonuses added today:
Traveling For Miles
The wreckage of a hugely significant Pan Am flight has been found
The wreckage of a Pan Am Douglas DC-4 that went down off Puerto Rico in 1952 has been found on the floor of the Atlantic, 74 years later. On the face of things, this may not sound like a big deal and the Clipper Endeavor is not a name most people...
Points With a Crew
Kickstarter: GUOER K2 Smart Cooing and Warming Bag (Back By Saturday)
The GUOER K2 Smart Bag has cooling and warming modes, 2-layer storage, and flexible power for car or power-bank use. It's on Kickstarter, but only for a few more ...
Live and Let’s Fly
My Flawless Emirates A380 First Class Flight Was Far Too Short
Hello from Dubai, where I enjoyed a lovely but far too short journey on the Emirates A380 from Mumbai to Dubai…what a fabulous aircraft with an outstanding first class product! Emirates A380 First Class – My First Impressions The whole trip to India was built around this flight (and my...
Miles To Memories
I Have One Kind Of Major Problem With The Bilt Palladium Hotel Credit
I noticed a Bilt Palladium hotel credit pricing issue when I went to use my newly minted credit card perk. It is something Bilt should fix.
Your Mileage May Vary
Trump’s Budget Proposal Could Put Air Service At Nearly One-Third Of U.S. Commercial Airports At Risk
Most travelers don’t realize just how much of America’s aviation system depends on federal funding. Sure, everyone knows about TSA officers and air traffic controllers. But the federal government also…
One Mile at a Time
Air China, The New Most Luxurious Way To Fly To Iceland (Fifth Freedom Fun!)
Iceland is a gorgeous country that’s well worth a visit, but flying there typically isn’t very luxurious. Outside of seasonal flights on some carriers from the United States, there’s not much flat bed service to the country (Icelandair’s premium cabin is more comparable to domestic first class in the US).
View from the Wing
Boeing Sent $7.5 Million For 737 MAX Crash Families. Their Lawyer Stole $3 Million—Now His Associate Wants Probation
Boeing wired $7.5 million for Lion Air 737 MAX families. More than $3 million vanished into Girardi Keese’s Ponzi scheme. Now an associate asks for probation.
Frequent Miler
Earn up to 7x at Giftcards.com today via Capital One Shopping and Capital One Offers
Capital One Shopping and Capital One Offers are featuring up to 7%/7x miles back for Giftcards.com purchases today. This is Capital One Shopping’s “Offer of the Day,” so you won’t see it by searching. Instead, scroll down on the home page until you find the offer. To access Capital One...
Miles To Memories
Amazon Deal: $20 Back On $80 Of Popular P&G Products
There is a $20 Off $80 P&G Amazon deal that could get you a nice discount on things you needed to buy anyway.
Traveling For Miles
Citi ThankYou Rewards: Transfer partners & transfer times [2026 Edition]
Citi ThankYou points are one of the four big transferable currencies in the miles & points world and can be earned by using select Citi credit cards (e.g. the Citi Strata Premier® Card), and these points can be transferred across to a variety of other travel loyalty programs.
Points Miles and Bling
The Logistics of Group Travel With Points
A few weeks ago, we looked at how to split (or not split) group expenses paid with points, and today…
Frequent Miler
Newegg: Buy $1,000 Delta gift card, get $100 bonus gift card
Newegg has another travel-related gift card deal out, this time offering a $100 bonus gift card with the purchase of a $1,000 Delta gift card. The Deal Buy a $1,000 Delta gift card on Newegg and get a bonus $100 Delta gift card for free Direct link to offer Key...
One Mile at a Time
Dubai So Desperate For Visitors That It Launches Tourism Refer-A-Friend Program
Dubai has seen a massive amount of growth over the years, especially as a global tourism destination. It goes without saying that the current conflict with Iran has given a lot of people pause, and has caused them to reconsider a visit to the United Arab Emirates.
The Bulkhead Seat
FAA Flight Cap Forces United Airlines to Cut 11 Chicago O’Hare International Airport Routes
United Airlines is postponing the launch of 11 planned routes from Chicago O’Hare International…
Miles To Memories
Wyndham Timeshare Presentation Offer: Over 20 Destinations To Choose From!
There is a new Wyndham Timeshare Offer that could give you a really cheap vacation from over twenty different destinations options.
View from the Wing
Startup Pitched Emirates On Business Class Meal Preorders — New Lawsuit Says The Airline Stole The Tech
A startup says it pitched Emirates on a passenger meal-preorder platform, shared confidential implementation details, and then watched the airline launch its own business class preorder system. A new lawsuit claims Emirates stole the technology.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Miles and Points On Sale — July 24 2026
Sometimes you need an infusion of miles or points to your membership account for whatever reason — perhaps to have enough to redeem for a limited time award as one example — and the best time to purchase or gift miles or points is when they are on sale, as...
The Points of Life
Don’t Judge Me Jerk: Filming Business Class
I am loving this new idea of blogging on the go. Sure, it may not have all the photos, but I am a writer first (buy my book). The latest installment of my next round-the-world trip comes from my business class flight from CLT-MAD. I must have done something right...
Economy Class & Beyond
Digging a little deeper in to UK Airport Drop off fees… what about the free options?
There’s been a story floating around the wires this week, with the RAC publishing a story on the cost of dropping off someone at a UK airport (and the prices going up). With nearly all charging for the privilege, there’s a little more to the story.  Let’s investigate. It costs...
Frequent Miler
Current Amex Offers
This post is designed to show current Amex Offers. If you have any Amex cards, even authorized user cards, then you’re eligible to sign up for offers when you log into your Amex account. If you’re planning to shop or book travel, check this page to see if an Amex...
Live and Let’s Fly
American Airlines Posts Record Revenue. So Why Did It Earn Just $71 Million?
American Airlines produced record revenue in the second quarter and showed genuine progress in premium, corporate, and international demand. But after generating nearly $17 billion in revenue, it kept only $71 million. Fuel explains much of that collapse, but not all of it. American Airlines Posts Record Revenue, But Its...
Traveling For Miles
Can you earn hotel points & elite credits on multiple rooms?
The question of elite credits normally gets raised as the end of the year approaches and travelers realise that they're still short of the few nights to re-qualify for whatever hotel status they hold. This year I've been asked the question a little earlier but I thought I'd address it...
2PAXfly
EMIRATES: A better headrest may be as good as Economy seat innovation gets
Emirates has unveiled a new Economy Class headrest designed to stop passengers’ heads rolling sideways while they attempt the unlikely feat of sleeping upright. Called the U-Dream, the adjustable headrest folds around the passenger’s head and neck, rather like a built-in travel pillow. It may prove genuinely useful. It also...
2PAXfly
WESTERN SYDNEY AIRPORT: First international passenger flights 100 days away
Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) will welcome its first overseas passenger flight on Monday, 26 October 2026, when an Air New Zealand Airbus arrives from Auckland. The same aircraft will then operate the first scheduled international passenger departure from the new airport, returning across the Tasman later that morning. Western...
Wild About Travel
Why Working From Cafés Around the World Reveals So Much About Culture
I just spent two hours in a café in Đà Nẵng, Vietnam, and ended up observing how differently cafés work here compared to other places. People were happily shouting to each other across the room, kids running and dancing and playing games or videos on their phones. One group took...
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...
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...