2PAXfly
QANTAS: Cuts thousands of flight across network
It’s only been a week since I reported that Qantas was boosting its flights to Europe by swapping to larger aircraft and tinkering with schedules. Now, in reaction to further uncertainty about the Straits of Hormuz due to the US/Israeli conflict with Iran, Qantas has quietly cut thousands of flights...
Wild About Travel
Surviving Sakura Cherry Blossom – 12 survival tips
I always said I’d never visit Japan in peak sakura season.Too busy, too expensive, too intense.And then I did. I described my 12 marvellous days yesterday. It was beautiful.It was also crowded, overloaded, and at times exhausting.Here are a few things I did that helped, and that I’d do again....
2PAXfly
QANTAS: First Project Sunrise A350-100ULR jet rolls out
After years of hype, delays and plenty of scepticism, Qantas, or more accurately, Airbus, has rolled out its first ultra-long-haul Airbus A350-1000ULR from the factory in Toulouse, marking a major milestone for Project Sunrise. It’s a timely occurrence, with the current Middle East trauma, that this aircraft could fundamentally change...
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,...
Also on BoardingArea
View from the Wing
American Airlines Turns 100 Today — And Finally Looks Like It Wants Customers Back
American Airlines turns 100 today with a lot still broken, but for the first time in years the airline is making visible moves that suggest it understands what customers actually value. From lounges and premium seats to small touches like pilot trading cards, the real story is not the centennial...
One Mile at a Time
Huge: United Restricts Polaris Lounge Access For Star Alliance Partner Airlines
United Airlines has just rolled out some major changes to its Polaris Lounge access. This goes beyond the recent announcement that select premium transcon passengers would receive access to Polaris Lounges, and that basic business class passengers wouldn’t receive access to Polaris Lounges.
Miles To Memories
Virgin Atlantic Just Hiked Award Fees Again
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club has quietly raised its award ticket surcharges for the second time in less than a year.
The Bulkhead Seat
American Airlines Brings Italian Coffee Experience Onboard With Lavazza Partnership
Delta Air Lines serves Starbucks. United Airlines partners with illy. Back in October, I…
One Mile at a Time
Oman Adds Negative HIV Requirement For Tourists From One Country
The Gulf nation of Oman has seemingly added a new rule that’s catching travelers from one country off guard…
Frequent Miler
VanillaGift: Get waived Visa gift card purchase fees with promo code VGMOM26
VanillaGift.com is running another sale on Visa gift cards, this time waiving purchase fees on $50+ cards when using promo code VGMOM26. The Deal Get waived purchase fees when buying $50+ Visa gift cards from VanillaGift.com and using promo code VGMOM26. Direct link to offer. Key Terms Expires May 10,...
Live and Let’s Fly
T-Mobile Free Inflight Wi-Fi Removed On American And United…United’s Timing Makes No Sense
T-Mobile’s free inflight Wi-Fi perk appears to be disappearing on at least two major U.S. carriers, and while that may make sense in the case of American Airlines, it raises real questions concerning United Airlines. T-Mobile Free Inflight Wi-Fi Disappearing On American And United…But Why Now? For years, T-Mobile customers...
TravelUpdate
Quick Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
Background & Access I was flying on the Singapore Airlines flight from New York to Singapore that makes…
Miles To Memories
New AT&T Amex Offer: Save Over 75% Off Your Cell Phone Bill! [Targeted]
There is a new targeted AT&T Amex Offer going out to accounts that could save you up to 77% on your next cell phone bill payment.
View from the Wing
Democrats Threaten To Break Up Any United-American Merger Once Trump Leaves Office
Democrats in Congress are warning that even if the Trump administration allowed a United-American merger to happen, a future administration could still try to unwind it after the fact. That turns any deal into something far messier than a normal merger fight, because approval would not necessarily end the legal...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
American Airlines Celebrates 100 Years Today.
American Airlines celebrates 100 years today, Wednesday, April 15, 2026 and joins a growing select group of other airlines which are now part of the elite century club of continuously being in business. According to the official Internet web site of the centennial of American Airlines...
Frequent Miler
Marriott Platinum Elite free breakfast simplified
One of the benefits of earning Platinum Elite status with Marriott is free breakfast, but not at all brands. Some brands, instead, give you only a $10 per day food & beverage credit or even only $10 per stay. And some brands are completely exempt from offering free breakfast. That’s...
One Mile at a Time
Pilots “Meow” & “Ruff,” Anger Air Traffic Control: “This Is Why You Still Fly An RJ”
Nothing against furries, but this doesn’t strike me as the time or place…
Economy Class & Beyond
AIX26: Introducing the RAVE Aerospace and Safran’s “Origin” Concept
RAVE Aerospace and Safran have shown off their new concept – introducing “Origin“. Origin consists of two complementary demonstrators for seating and in-flight entertainment, creating a passenger experience of the future based on hyper personalisation and immersive digital experiences. RAVE Aerospace and Safran Seats have combined their expertise on seating...
One Mile at a Time
New Capital One Venture Business With Up To 150K Miles: 8 Reasons To Apply
Link: Learn more about the Capital One Venture Business
Live and Let’s Fly
Harry And Meghan Didn’t Skip First Class On Qantas…There Was None
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are back in Australia for the first time since 2018, but this time, the focus is not on a royal tour…it’s on how they got there. Harry And Meghan Flew Qantas Business Class To Australia…There’s A Reason They Didn’t Fly First Several outlets have noted...
Frequent Miler
Newegg: Buy $500 Southwest gift cards for $455 with promo code SSF5747
Newegg is running another sale on Southwest gift cards, this time selling $50 denominations for $455 when using promo code SSF5747. The Deal Buy $500 Southwest gift cards for $455 from Newegg when using promo code SSF5747. Direct link to offer. Key Terms Expires April 15, 2026. Limit 1. Quick...
Miles For Family
“New” Capital One Venture Business Card with up to 150k Bonus Miles
Yesterday, Capital One launched a rebranding of the Spark Miles business credit card. The card is now the Capital One Venture Business card (affiliate link). The new name mirrors the card’s personal counterpart, the Capital One Venture Rewards card. Along with this new name, the card has a limited time...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Emirates Flight Attendant Imprisoned in Dubai After Police Used Electronic Surveillance to Tracks WhatsApp Message
An Emirates flight attendant remains in custody in Dubai’s notorious Al Qusais Police Station after he was arrested for sharing a photo in a private WhatsApp group of rising smoke from an Iranian kamikaze drone strike on the city. The crew member is one of at least two flight attendants...
One Mile at a Time
Air France-KLM Flying Blue Adds Choice Benefits, Offering Bonus Miles & Status
The Air France-KLM Flying Blue program has just rolled out a useful new perk for members, which seems entirely positive. I’m very happy to see this.
Live from a Lounge
Hughes to power Air India In-Flight Connectivity 2027 onwards
Air India has selected the next partner for in-flight connectivity, with Hughes focused on powering their international long-haul connectivity.
View from the Wing
Were LaGuardia Runway Collision Alerts Tuned Down Before The Air Canada Collision? — [Roundup]
Questions are being raised over whether LaGuardia runway collision alerts were tuned down before the Air Canada crash, plus Cancun airport drivers pushing for $20 tips, Hyatt Regency Kyoto set for demolition, Chase’s new La Colombe offer, and more.
TravelUpdate
Last Call! Limited Time Hilton Honors Credit Card Bonuses Ending Tonight!
Currently, you can 175,000 Hilton Honors points and 1 free night certificate from just one bonus. These these offers are expiring tonight!
Points Miles and Bling
Full Details: United MileagePlus Neo World Elite Mastercard
After an initial announcement in late February, the United MileagePlus Neo World Elite Mastercard is officially launched in Canada as…
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...
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...