Wild About Travel
Marvellous 12 days in Japan
It is a bit of a grim world right now, so I thought I would share a positive, beautiful, and delicious 1000-mile journey through one of my favourite countries in Sakura (Cherry blossom). Despite it being insanely busy, I enjoyed the landscapes, food, museums, shopping, temples, parks, and, of course,...
Wild About Travel
Gulf Aviation After the Ceasefire: What Travellers Need to Know Now
A two-week ceasefire for Iran was announced on 7th April. On 9th April, several Gulf governments reported a full day without any new missiles or drones. The UAE’s defence ministry said the country was “free of any air threats” that day, after weeks of intercepting ballistic and cruise missiles and...
2PAXfly
TURKISH AIRLINES: Leadership shake-up. Why?
A recent leadership overhaul at Turkish Airlines has sparked industry attention. Here’s a clear breakdown of what we know as fact and what is informed speculation. The interest in this story stems from Turkish Airlines’ recent commencement of non-stop flights to Istanbul from Australia. A flight I recently took, and...
2PAXfly
THAILAND: Travel insurance for tourists may become compulsory
Thai authorities are moving toward making travel insurance mandatory for all foreign visitors, as hospitals struggle with rising unpaid medical bills from tourists. It’s not law yet, but according to the Bangkok Post, the direction for travellers is clear, so Australians should take note. Why Thailand is cracking down The...
Also on BoardingArea
One Mile at a Time
Oy: Lufthansa Now Charges Up To $1,760 To Cancel “Flexible” Tickets
Lufthansa is adopting a new policy for ticket flexibility that I can’t help but find to be a little questionable, as flagged by FrankfurtFlyer…
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
American Airlines Finally Joins the Popular Trading Card Trend Thanks to Efforts of Pilots
More than two decades after Alaska Airlines became the first U.S-based carrier to start secretly issuing airplane-themed trading cards to those in the know, American Airlines is finally joining the trend after the collectible trading cards became TikTok famous. More and more passengers have been stopping American Airlines pilots in...
One Mile at a Time
Hah: Spanish Airline Volotea Charges For Fuel After You Book Your Ticket
At the moment, airlines are in a really tough spot, given the impact that higher oil prices are having on their operating costs. The issue is that the cost of airfare isn’t based on the cost of providing transportation, but instead, it’s determined based on what consumers are willing to...
View from the Wing
American Airlines Passengers Brawled On Final Approach To Miami — “She Had Her Elbow In Me The Whole Entire Time”
An American Airlines flight to Miami turned chaotic just before landing when a fight over armrest space escalated into a shouting match and physical confrontation while crew begged everyone to sit down.
One Mile at a Time
Retiring Icelandair Pilot In Trouble For Startling Town With Surprise Flyover
Yikes, well this is one way to end your career…
Eye of the Flyer
Delta Fee Hike, 500K Point Offers, and a Wild Week of Travel Chaos You Might’ve Missed
Delta made a quiet but impactful move this week, while massive points offers and strange travel headlines added to the mix.
Pointalize
Amex Cuts Lufthansa Lounge Access
Amex is ending its Lufthansa Lounge partnership on October 1, 2026. Discover how this affects Platinum and Centurion cardholders and what benefits are lost.
Live and Let’s Fly
American Airlines, Google Reduce Contrails By 62%
American and Google reduced contrail formation by nearly two-thirds on transatlantic flights. The tech is proven, cheap, and almost nobody is talking about it.
One Mile at a Time
Lufthansa Pilot Strike Will Largely Ground Airline For Two Days (Again)
Lufthansa is currently celebrating its 100th anniversary, and in the spirit of not straying too far from tradition, pilots at the airline are about to go on strike, causing major disruptions. This will be the second strike from pilots in around a month, and we also just saw a flight...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Spanish Airline Reportedly Adding Fuel Surcharge On Existing Bookings As Oil Prices Surge
The Spanish low-cost airline Volotea has reportedly started to demand payment of an additional fuel surcharge from passengers who have already booked and paid for their flight tickets. The measure is a sign of just how much pressure some airlines are coming under from surging oil prices caused by the...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Icelandair Files Police Report After Retiring Pilot Performs Low Altitude Fly Pass Without Authorization
The Icelandic flag carrier Icelandair has reportedly filed a police report on one of its own pilots after the Captain flew a Boeing 757 on a scheduled flight from Frankfurt to Reykjavik at low altitude over a built-up area on approach for landing. The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon as Icelandair...
Wild About Travel
Marvellous 12 days in Japan
It is a bit of a grim world right now, so I thought I would share a positive, beautiful, and delicious 1000-mile journey through one of my favourite countries in Sakura (Cherry blossom). Despite it being insanely busy, I enjoyed the landscapes, food, museums, shopping, temples, parks, and, of course,...
Frequent Miler
Last Chance Deals: Virgin & Lifemiles transfer bonuses, increased Venture Rewards & Virgin card offers, & more
Welcome to our weekly list of what’s ending this week as well as a collection of some other deals that are due to end soon. It’s another busy week for expiring deals which includes a couple of transfer bonuses from Citi ThankYou to Virgin Atlantic and Avianca Lifemiles. Also ending this...
Points With a Crew
Which Marriott credit card is the best? (New Higher Offers – Up to 5 Free Nights)
There are 5 different Marriott credit cards - each with their own set of perks and benefits. Let's take a look at the pros and cons and decide which Marriott card is best
The Gate with Brian Cohen
What Is Wrong With This Photograph? Part 348 Reader Edition
Washington Eye Care has something on their official Internet web site that was spotted by the sharp eyes of derek, who has been a reader of The Gate With Brian Cohen for a long time. For this edition of this popular game, can you guess what...
Frequent Miler
New Southwest rule targets people like Nick, a baby is born as the plane lands, United app displays TSA wait times, and Delhi confronts stray dogs (Saturday Selection)
Throughout the week, our team shares articles they’ve stumbled upon which may interest our readers, even if they might not otherwise merit a full post. Here are some of the posts we found interesting this week: New Southwest rule targets people like Nick, a baby is born as the plane...
The Bulkhead Seat
2026 Weekly Review: April 11th
Greetings from Tampa! I’m enjoying a quiet weekend at home and hope you’re having…
Your Mileage May Vary
7 Signs You’ve Walked Into a Tourist Trap Restaurant
From massive menus to over-eager hosts, here’s how to spot a tourist trap before it ruins your meal. No matter where you travel, you’ve got to eat. And in tourist-heavy…
Economy Class & Beyond
Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond (11th April)
It’s the weekend before Aircraft Interiors Expo, and your author should be packing rather than writing – but here we are. Time for Last Week at Economy Classes and Beyond. Midland Metro Tram serving the new stops along the first part of the Eastside Extension – Image, Economy Class and Beyond....
View from the Wing
Taxi App Users Warn Of Scam — Drivers Claim The Payment Failed, Then Charge You Again [Roundup]
Beware a taxi-app scam where the Curb payment supposedly “fails,” only for the rider to get charged twice. Also American’s beef wellington gets a rave review, Amex loses Lufthansa lounge access, Air Canada opens new Cafés, and JetBlue starts adding surcharges to United Airlines international redemptions.
One Mile at a Time
Weekly Review: April 11, 2026
I hope everyone is having a nice weekend so far! I’ve been enjoying being home for a little over a week now, but have another adventure coming up soon. In the meantime, I’m happy to be making good progress on getting caught up with trip reports. On the points &...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Yet More Strike Strife at German Airline Lufthansa to Leave Tens of Thousands of Passengers Stranded On Monday and Tuesday
More strike action is planned by flight crew at the German flag carrier Lufthansa in an increasingly bitter dispute by pilots that could leave tens of thousands of passengers stranded on Monday and Tuesday after the short-notice walkout was called with little more than 24 hours’ notice. Lufthansa says it...
Your Mileage May Vary
Why Breaking Even Is No Longer Enough for a Travel Rewards Card
There was a time, not too long ago, when breaking even with a travel rewards card felt like a win. Back then, the ability to earn points on your purchases…
Miles To Memories
Will This “New” Hyatt Hotel Have The Brand’s Best Views? $7 Billion Loyalty Program IOU & Islands With Most Direct Flights
In our Around the Web series that takes a look at interesting articles that cover miles, points, travel and personal finance.
2PAXfly
NEW ZEALAND: Top of the South Island, what we did and ate in Picton, Havelock and Blenheim
We had three nights/four days at the Picton Waterfront Apartments, and were mainly interested in rest and relaxation. We also did a little sightseeing, and winery wining and dining. This post is a short summary of some of those activities. Hope it gives you an idea of what you can...
Wild About Travel
Sendai: The City of Trees
A 90-minute hop from Tokyo on Japan’s fastest train, the Hayabusa Shinkansen, brings you to Sendai, the city of trees! My critique of many Japanese cities is that they have a lot of concrete and asphalt, and not much green space. In the 19th century, Sendai’s local ruler encouraged tree...
2PAXfly
EUROPE: New EES entry system for Australians
From April 10, a major overhaul of border control across much of Europe comes into full effect, replacing the familiar passport stamp with biometric data, digital records. I experienced this when entering the Czech Republic at Prague Airport in March, and it was surprisingly efficient. It’s called the Entry/Exit System...
2PAXfly
LOYALTY: Airline programs now worth billions. Qantas in top 10
If you’ve ever wondered why airlines seem more interested in selling points than seats, a new global report puts some serious numbers behind that suspicion. According to the latest On Point Loyalty Top 100 report, airline loyalty programs have evolved into multi-billion-dollar businesses, and for Australian travellers, that shift is...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Launch of new reward seats search tool
Earning points is easy. Finding a decent reward seat, especially in business class, is where things usually fall apart. Virgin Australia is promising to fix that, with a new calendar-based Reward Seat search tool rolling out across its website and app. The airline is calling a ‘step change’ in how...
2PAXfly
AIR NEW ZEALAND: Cuts 1,100 flights, affecting 44,000 passengers due to Middle East conflict
If your upcoming trip involves Air New Zealand, it’s worth double-checking your booking. The Kiwi carrier is cancelling around 1,100 flights through to early May, impacting roughly 44,000 passengers, as surging fuel prices ripple through the aviation industry. Most travellers are expected to be rebooked onto the same-day flights, as...
2PAXfly
TRIP REPORT: First impressions of Turkish Airlines Sydney to London
I have just flown Turkish Airlines for the first time, as has my husband, but on different flights. My trip was Sydney–Kuala Lumpur–Istanbul–London. His was Bangkok–Istanbul–Prague, and return. Before I do a considered full report on the flights and the trip, I thought it was worth posting about my first...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Joint flights with Qatar Airways to Doha shelved
If you’ve booked a Virgin Australia flight to Doha, there’s some bad news. Flights operated by Qatar Airways on behalf of Virgin Australia have now been cancelled until at least mid-June, as the ongoing Middle East conflict continues to disrupt travel through the region. And for travellers, this isn’t just...