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...
Also on BoardingArea
Frequent Miler
Traveling with pets: Hotel pet policies, which brands have no pet fees, tips, & more
Traveling with pets can be awesome, but it can add some hassles and potentially greatly increase your costs. My wife and I spent 7 years on a 50 state road trip, something we did with our small dog Truffles. In case you’re wondering, she’s a silky-poo: a silky-terrier/poodle mix (that’s...
Frequent Flyer Bonuses
Marriott Bonvoy: Earn 2,000 bonus points per night in Thailand
Marriott Bonvoy has a new nightly bonus points offer available for stays at 60 of their locations in Thailand. Be sure to compare the price of the bonus points offer rate to the best member flexible rate to see if it is worth going for the points as the rate...
BoardingArea
Review: American Express Centurion Lounge  – Houston (IAH), Terminal D
Hard to find but still crowded, with a nice bar The summary Without a doubt, this is the most challenging lounge to find in the US. It is located in terminal D of Houston Intercontinental and is literally tucked behind a duty free store. It amazed me that there was,...
Points With a Crew
These Are The Most Unacceptable Things You Can Do On An Airplane
A recent poll ranked 37 things you can do on an airplane, from acceptable to not. Leading the way was letting children play in the aisle, followed by ...
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...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Should Fire Safety Tests Be Announced In Advance By Hotel Properties?
The primary reason which people usually choose to stay in hotel, motel, and resort properties is to have a comfortable, clean, and dry place to stay when they are away from home — and that includes getting a good restful night of sleep to feel recharged and refreshed for the...
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...
The Bulkhead Seat
Hotel Review: The Standard, High Line
I have been in this hotel for drinks, but never stayed before we had…
Frequent Miler
“It’s a credit card and it works” | Ask Us Anything Ep88 | 7-8-26
What are our favorite USA destinations? If you go for the AA elite status as your Hyatt milestone benefit, when does the AA status expire? We answered these questions and more on the Ask Us Anything hosted live on YouTube on June 3rd, 2026. Watch the full episode below, or...
Your Mileage May Vary
Why I’m Not Trying To Get Access To United Club Lounges
Airport lounges used to feel like a reliable escape from the terminal. These days, getting through the door can be more frustrating than finding an empty seat near the gate.…
View from the Wing
First Class Meals Have Gotten So Bad, Airlines Should Charge Extra For Food Worth Eating
Domestic first class meals have been cut so far that airlines may be missing a revenue opportunity: sell premium pre-order meals passengers would actually want, instead of pretending today’s bundled food is still a premium experience.
Economy Class & Beyond
Airplane Art – EVA Air Boeing 777-300ER taxiing at Singapore Changi Airport
It’s Sunday again, so it must be time for some more Airplane Art. This week, we have an EVA Air Boeing 777-300ER taxiing at Singapore Changi Airport as it heads to the runway for the return trip to Taipei. EVA Air operated a fleet of 33 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in its...
Points With a Crew
Amazon Audible / Music Unlimited Free Trial
Amazon is currently out with an offer for Amazon Music Unlimited - different people apparently have different promotions, but a common one is 3 months free. Plus Prime Day deals!
Your Mileage May Vary
I Thought I’d Seen Small Airports…Then I Flew Through This One
My husband and I live in central Florida, so our “home” airport certainly isn’t small. In fact, MCO is currently the busiest airport in the state of Florida, and amongst…
One Mile at a Time
Confused Private Jet Pilot Flies Into Path Of United 787, But ATC Is A Mess Too
There’s some fascinating air traffic control audio of a private jet departing Teterboro Airport (TEB) essentially flying directly into the path of a United Airlines wide body aircraft landing at Newark Airport (EWR). This private jet pilot seems wholly unprepared to fly in such busy airspace (especially with his lack...
Miles To Memories
Works For Me – Why I’ll Keep Making These Travel and Points Assumptions
I save my travel and points assumptions for a few particular areas. Here's why I'll keep making them when it comes to these angles.
One Mile at a Time
Massive Amex Business Platinum Card As High As 300K Points Welcome Offer
The Business Platinum Card from American Express is one of the most perks-rich business cards out there, and is useful if youre looking to earn Amex Membership Rewards points. 
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Links to Eclipse Articles In Memory of Bonnie Tyler.
This brief article contains links to articles at The Gate With Brian Cohen pertaining to solar eclipses in memory of Bonnie Tyler, who passed away in Portugal on Wednesday, July 8, 2026 at 75 years of age and was best known for the hit song Total Eclipse of the Heart in...
View from the Wing
74% Of Loyalty Members Quiet Quit Within Two Months—While Brands Celebrate The Wrong Metrics
While 83% of loyalty program owners believe members feel valued, only 56% agree—and 74% quiet quit within two months. Starbucks’ worst-value reward becoming its most popular shows how brands mistake defensive cash-outs for loyalty, engagement and success.
Your Mileage May Vary
Flying With A Power Bank? Here Are The Rules For Every U.S. Airline
Flying with a power bank used to be fairly straightforward: keep it in your carry-on bag and don’t bring one that’s too large. That’s still the basic rule. But airlines…
Live and Let’s Fly
Chicago’s O’Hare Bet Could Get More Expensive
Chicago says its $8.8 billion O'Hare bet is on track. The bill for who actually pays it is just arriving.
Miles To Memories
Clip That Coupon! How To Use Your $200 Bilt Palladium Hotel Credit
I go over my experience using the $200 Bilt Palladium hotel credit and why it may be easier to do your hotel bookings on a computer.
One Mile at a Time
Hotels Posting Signs With Number Of Elite Guests: Useful, Tacky, Or Both?
There’s potentially lots of value to having hotel elite status. However, there’s no denying that elite ranks have swelled quite a bit over the years, especially with some programs making it easy to earn top tier status with a credit card.
The Bulkhead Seat
Hotel Review: Hotel Kabuki – JDV by Hyatt
I had to be in San Francisco for a night and all of my…
2PAXfly
QANTAS: A380s to get WiFi by 2027
But you will have to wait until early 2027. The A380s are scheduled to have their repeatedly delayed WiFi upgrade by then, but it’s slow Viasat not peppy Starlink. At least usage is free across classes. Qantas has now installed satellite internet across its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet and most...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: World’s most punctual airline in June 2026!
That’s according to aviation data company OAG, as reported in the AFR. They note that 87.16% of Qantas flights arrived on time during the month. That placed the Flying Kangaroo just ahead of Colombia’s Avianca, which recorded an on-time arrival rate of 87%. Subcontinental airline Indigo came in third with...
Wild About Travel
drat Budpaets
September 8, 2024, by Martin J CowlingLeave A Comment OverviewBudapest has long been one of my favorite cities, and this winter visit marks my tenth time here. My first visit was back in 1990, when the city was still shaking off the remnants of communism and transitioning to capitalism. Nearly...
2PAXfly
HOTEL REVIEW: Museum Apartment Hotel, Independent Collection by EVT, Wellington
This hotel has a split personality. Although they share public spaces, the two buildings in this accommodation are marketed as two different hotels, even though they share a lot of the same DNA. Yes, it’s confusing. I stayed at the other half of the hotel a few years ago, marketed...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Does Project Sunrise indicate a more premium, lower-volume international strategy, as Joe Aston says?
In an Australian Financial Review opinion piece over the weekend, Joe Aston, author of The Chairman’s Lounge: The inside story of how Qantas sold us out, argues that Qantas is changing its international strategy. His core argument is that Project Sunrise is not simply a new pair of ultra-long-haul routes:...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: SUNDAY 5 JULY, 2026
Hello travellers, We are finally home, although we have spent most of the week besieged by builders completing various aspects of our repairs and renovation. The dust has mainly settled and been cleaned away. As with all building work, there are still a few issues and complications to resolve. That...
2PAXfly
RIYADH AIR: What are reviewers’ first impressions
Saudi Arabia’s new flag carrier, Riyadh Air, has now carried its first paying passengers in its own Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. The early verdict from critics is fairly consistent. Riyadh Air looks exceptionally good. It is serving food, drinks and attention at a level many established airlines would struggle to match....
2PAXfly
INDONESIA/WEST PAPUA: Pilot killed and aircraft burned in remote highlands attack
An American pilot flying one of the small aircraft that keep Indonesia’s remote Papuan highlands connected has been killed after his Pilatus PC-6 Porter was attacked and burned at an isolated airstrip. This tragedy highlights the perils of flying into disputed areas, amid political turmoil. Captain Nicholas F. Gosselin was...