2PAXfly
QANTAS: introduces confirmed upgrades with cash
Qantas has added a new way to upgrade your seat that takes the element of chance out. Confirmed Upgrades is a fixed-price cash upgrade offer for selected passengers on selected Qantas flights, with confirmation (or not) within half a day. This becomes the third form of upgrade you can use...
2PAXfly
WESTERN SYDNEY AIRPORT: Finally an opening date, and Jetstar gets first dibs
Western Sydney International Airport will welcome its first paying passengers on Sunday, 25 October 2026, with Jetstar being the first commercial passenger carrier off the tarmac. The inaugural flight from Western Sydney International, officially the Nancy-Bird Walton Airport and known by the code WSI, will be a Jetstar flight, JQ362,...
Wild About Travel
draft Kalogorlei ourback tnwn
I almost came to Kalgoorlie decades ago but never made it. I have travelled across Western Australia’s 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi), from Esperance in the south to Wyndham in the north, and through many towns, beaches, deserts, and mountain ranges in between. I love the state. Kalgoorlie remained...
2PAXfly
RIYADH AIR: New aviation deal with Saudi Arabia puts passennger flight on Australia’s horizon
Saudi Arabia has signed a new aviation agreement with Australia, opening the way for direct flights into Avalon in Victoria and Toowoomba Wellcamp in Queensland. The first flights are likely to be freight, chilled meat, seafood and dairy and not business class suites. But this raises the possiblity that Riyadh...
Also on BoardingArea
woman shares vacation experiences (l) Aruba beach and animals (r)
BoardingArea
‘Really???’: Woman Vacations In Aruba. Then She Says It ‘Sucks’ Compared To Curaçao. Now She’s Launched A Furious Debate Over The Best Caribbean Island
"Mambo beach is top tier."
Eye of the Flyer
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card — Benefits, Earning Rates & How to Apply
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is Chase’s entry point into the Marriott ecosystem — and at $95 a year, it punches well above that fee. An anniversary Free Night Award, automatic Silver Elite Status, 15 Elite Night Credits every year, and a points structure that stacks with your Marriott...
Frequent Miler
$200 Amazon Gift Card upon approval for Prime Visa
A new limited-time offer has launched exclusively for Amazon Prime members: Get an instant $200 Amazon gift card upon approval for the Amazon Prime Visa. This might make sense for frequent Amazon or Whole Foods shoppers since this card offers 5% back on both. The Offer & Key Card Details...
Points Miles and Bling
WestJet Calgary Stopover Program – Add a Free Stopover on Europe and Asia Flights
Airlines, particularly in Europe, have increasingly embraced stopover programs to encourage travellers to explore hub cities rather than simply transit…
Your Mileage May Vary
The Best Credit Cards To Use For Cell Phone Protection In 2026
Cell phone protection is one of those credit card benefits that’s easy to ignore until you need it. Most of us carry phones that cost hundreds, if not over a…
Miles To Memories
Chase Ink Cash & Unlimited: New $1000 Bonus Launching Soon
Based on an internal Chase memo, Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Unlimited cards will have a $1,000 bonus starting next week.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Earn 500 Bonus Atmos Points by Shopping for Summer
Effective through Friday, June 19, 2026 at 11:59:59 in the evening Eastern Daylight Time, you can earn 500 bonus Alaska Airlines Atmos points — in addition to the standard Atmos points earned — during the Summer Bonus Offer campaign at the Atmos Shopping portal by spending a minimum of $200.00 shopping...
View from the Wing
CrowdStrike Stranded Passengers—But A 1978 Law Says Airline Vendors Can’t Be Sued For This
CrowdStrike’s botched software update helped trigger one of the biggest airline meltdowns in years, stranding passengers and costing Delta alone more than $500 million. Now those passengers are being told they may not be able to sue a software company because of the Airline Deregulation Act.
Live and Let’s Fly
United Airlines May Block Middle Seats On New Airbus Jets (Update)
UPDATE: United Airlines tells Live And Let’s Fly: “Part of our winning strategy is to continually invest in the customer, nose-to-tail, and we’re always evaluating and testing new ways to further differentiate ourselves within the industry and add even more value to the experience of flying United.” Live And Let’s...
Miles To Memories
Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles with Capital One Venture Business
The signup bonus on the Capital One Venture Business card (formerly Spark Miles) dropped from 150,000 miles to 100,000 miles.
One Mile at a Time
Airlines Are Offering Huge Credit Card Bonuses This Summer — But Do They Make Sense?
If it feels like every airline is dangling a big credit card bonus right now, you’re not imagining it. As summer travel ramps up, Alaska, American, Delta, and Southwest, are all running elevated welcome offers on their co-branded cards and United just wrapped up its own increased offers a...
View from the Wing
United Airlines Confirms It Will Block Middle Seats On New A321XLRs To Fly With Fewer Flight Attendants
United Airlines confirms its new Airbus A321XLRs will use blocked middle seats in coach so the planes can fly with fewer Flight Attendants. The move copies European-style business class seating and could turn two otherwise unusable middle seats into a paid extra space product.
Frequent Miler
Delta promo: Earn 20% bonus MQDs when booking Extra seats (targeted?)
Delta is targeting some SkyMiles members with an opportunity to earn 20% bonus Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) when booking Extra seats. It looks like this promotion has been running for the past couple of months, but there’s still another month to go, plus it should stack with a different promotion...
Live and Let’s Fly
Review: Delta Air Lines 737-900ER First Class
My two-hour journey from Atlanta to Chicago on a Delta Air Lines 737-900ER in first class was a very calm flight with excellent service, which helped to offset an annoying air traffic control delay. Delta Air Lines 737-900ER First Class Review I originally booked a Los Angeles – Chicago one-way...
Frequent Flyer Bonuses
Top 5 Hotel Bonus Points offers for June 2026
Here are our Top Hotel Stay Bonuses for this month! These are for stays that you credit to a hotel frequent guest program. Many of these offers go beyond this month so don’t count them out for stays you’re booking past this month. If none of the offers listed below...
Miles To Memories
Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business, New 200K Bonus Coming Soon
Chase will soon launch a 200,000 points bonus for the Sapphire Reserve for Business credit card. The new offer will go live on June 14 at branches that are open Sunday, and then June 15 online. 
Points With a Crew
Kickstarter: VEZERLEZER WK2 All-in-One Flashlight
The VEZERLEZER WK2 is an all-in-one flashlight that offers plenty of punch for a fairly affordable price. It's on Kickstarter, but only for a few more ...
Points With a Crew
Grab 1750 Airline Miles With A Shopping Portal Bonus
Get one step closer to that next big trip by earning thousands of bonus airline miles with the current airline shopping portal bonuses
Your Mileage May Vary
The Funny, Weird, And Sometimes Brutal Names Locals Have For Tourists
If you’ve ever visited a tourist destination, there’s a decent chance the locals had a name for people like you. Most of the time, you’ll never hear it. These nicknames…
Frequent Flyer Bonuses
Top 5 Flight Bonus Miles and Points Offers for June 2026
Here are our Top 5 Flight Bonus Mile/Point Offers for this month. This post is of course for bonuses for flying this month however many of these offers go beyond so don’t count them out for flights you need to book past this month. If none of the offers listed...
View from the Wing
Passengers Leave Airport Lounges A Mess As Crowds Overwhelm Once-Premium Spaces
Crowded airport lounges are looking less premium as passengers leave behind dirty tables, used plates, and even bare feet on furniture.
Frequent Miler
How to transfer Avios between British Airways, Qatar, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Finnair and Loganair
British Airways, Qatar, Aer Lingus, Iberia, Finnair, regional Scottish airline Loganair, and Vueling (a low-cost carrier) all share a common rewards currency: Avios. Strangely, despite sharing a currency, each program has its own loyalty program with differing fees, award prices, and rules. Since they are partners, it’s often possible to...
Live and Let’s Fly
United Airlines Reveals Mouthwatering New Polaris Business Class Meals
United Airlines has revealed the first wave of its new Chef’s Table meals for Polaris business class, and the menu options sounds very, very good. United Airlines Reveals New Chef’s Table Polaris Business Class Meals Back in March, I wrote about United Airlines partnering with Chef’s Table, the brand behind...
One Mile at a Time
Chase Sapphire Reserve Vs. Amex Platinum: Which Premium Card Wins?
Nowadays premium cards are more popular than ever before. Two of the most well-known are the American Express Platinum Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, and I know a lot of people struggle to decide which card is a better fit.
2PAXfly
RIYADH AIR: Initial destinations and flight schedule
We finally have the launch schedules and first five destinations for the long-awaited launch of Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air. Launch pricing is intriguing rather than sensational, but at least any travellers on these flights will get the full Riyadh experience in Riyadh Air’s fully kitted-out cabins. But don’t expect an...
2PAXfly
INDONESIA: Bali giveth to Australians, and taketh away from influencers
Bali is preparing to make holidays cheaper for Australians by restoring visa-free entry. At the same time, Indonesian immigration authorities are making life more complicated for influencers, content creators and assorted digital nomads by requiring them to obtain work visas. No longer will they be able to treat a tourist...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Taj hotel discounts for frequent flyers, with future status match
OneWorld executives have been busy. Qantas frequent flyers can now receive discounts at more than 630 Taj and Indian Hotels Company properties, under a new partnership linking the Oneworld airline alliance with the Taj InnerCircle–NeuPass loyalty program. The agreement stretches beyond Taj’s grand palaces and luxury hotels to include everything...
2PAXfly
ONEWORLD: Philippine Airlines is joining, and that’s good news for Australian travellers
Philippine Airlines (PAL) is preparing to join the oneworld alliance, bringing a Southeast Asian carrier into the same airline family as Qantas. The Philippine flag carrier has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to become oneworld’s 16th member, following an invitation from the alliance’s governing board. The announcement was made at...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Looking at Superjumbo A380 replacement
Qantas is reportedly considering an order for about 20 additional widebody aircraft, potentially setting up another contest between Airbus and Boeing for a large slice of the airline’s international fleet. According to Reuters aviation correspondent Tim Hepher, Qantas is discussing either additional Boeing 787 Dreamliners or the Airbus A350-900 with...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 7 June, 2027
Greetings again from Canada! I’ve spent just shy of a week in the Canadian capital, Ottawa. I’ve also had my first experience of Air Canada, and its Express and Rouge brands. I’m impressed on the whole with their Business Class. Less so by their lounges. What happened last week? Don’t...
2PAXfly
EXPLAINER: What’s the difference between narrow-body versus widebody aircraft?
It used to be largely true that wide-body aircraft were for long-haul flights and narrow-body aircraft were for short-haul flights. Bue recently, and especially since the advent of the Airbus A321XLR, that distinction no longer holds. What largely holds is the level of comfort and service provided on the different-sized...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Corporate affairs head demonstrates double standards on social media
This story was reported by Hannah Wootton, in the AFR. As you will see, there are now deleted posts involved, making this difficult to verify independently. However, the AFR is a journal of record and demonstrates traditional journalistic ethics, so I am inclined to trust their reporting. Since he’s Virgin...