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...
Also on BoardingArea
BoardingArea
Review: American Airlines Flagship Lounge – Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Terminal D
Elevated lounge highlighted by its buffet and cooking station The summary American Airlines elevated Flagship Lounge is in Terminal D at DFW Airport, which is one of the nicest terminals in the US. Entry to the lounge is shared with a traditional Admirals Club near gate D 23. Previously, the...
Miles To Memories
Increased Offer For The World of Hyatt Business Card (10K Better!)
There is a new World of Hyatt Business Card 70K Offer that is just off the all time, but it does come with a lower spending requirement.
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Detroit Metro Airport Shelves Plans For Controversial Cigar Lounge, But It’s Blaming Spirit Airlines’ Downfall Rather Than Health Group Complaints
Detroit Metropolitan International Airport (DFW) has shelved controversial plans for a cigar lounge inside the McNamara terminal building, although the reason for dropping the idea has nothing to do with growing opposition to the indoor smoking area, according to the airport’s board of directors. The idea of an indoor smoking...
Live and Let’s Fly
Poland Is Building Europe’s Next Megahub. Nobody Noticed.
While Heathrow argues about a runway, Poland is pouring concrete for a megahub between Warsaw and Lodz. The next great European hub is not where you think.
View from the Wing
New: American Airlines Will Bring Flagship Suites To Boeing 787-8s, Overhauling Tiny 20-Seat Business Class Cabin
American Airlines is planning to retrofit existing Boeing 787-8 aircraft with new Flagship Suites. Right now, they have fantastic business class seats, but they have too much variability in their widebody premium product. The 787-8s don't have enough premium seats, and they have an older business class product,...
One Mile at a Time
American Can Finally Unlock Its A321XLR Business Class Suite Doors… Gradually
In late 2025, we saw American Airlines start to take delivery of Airbus A321XLRs, the carrier’s new long range, narrow body planes (though they’re initially being used primarily for premium transcontinental flights). These planes have new business class seats, and one of the features was supposed to be that they...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Dear Deer. Oh, Deer. Sunday Morning Photograph.
A dear deer looked in my direction in a rather creepy way while I sat down for breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Chadron hotel property in the western Nebraska city of Chadron...
Miles To Memories
(Sold Out) Learn How To Leverage Online Sportsbooks + Casinos For Money, Miles & Points
We are going to be doing a MTM Seminar in Detroit later this year to teach how to leverage online sportsbooks & casinos for money, miles & points.
Frequent Miler
Newegg: Buy $500 Marriott gift cards for $450
Newegg has a new travel-related gift card deal today, selling $500 Marriott gift cards for $450. The Deal Buy $500 Marriott gift cards for $450 from Newegg when using promo code FPSF2697. Direct link to offer. Key Terms Expires July 19, 2026. Limit 5. Quick Thoughts Marriott gift cards don’t...
One Mile at a Time
Turkmenistan Airlines 737 Business Class: Look At That Meal!
Hello from India, as I just wrapped up my Turkmenistan Airlines adventure. In the previous installment, I’ve covered my flight in Turkmenistan Airlines’ Boeing 777-300ER business class, as well as my odd transit experience at Ashgabat Airport (ASB).
View from the Wing
Why Your Flight Is Still Delayed Long After The Weather Clears—How Splitting Up Planes And Crews Makes Disruptions Multiply
Airlines often blame weather even after skies clear because the disruption has scattered aircraft, pilots and flight attendants across the network. After a storm delayed my American Airlines flight at Washington National, a missing crewmember exposed how separating planes and crews can turn one late arrival into delays across multiple...
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...
View from the Wing
Passenger Refuses To Sit Next To A Woman, Slaps A Flight Attendant—Justifies It To Police As ‘Sharia Law’
A passenger on a SunExpress flight to Germany refused to sit beside a woman, then slapped a female flight attendant and invoked “Sharia” when questioned by police. Early reports wrongly identified the airline, described the German citizen as a migrant and called the slap a punch.
Economondo
Flying the Boeing 747-400 for One Last Time: Frankfurt to Bengaluru with Lufhansa
Flying on what is probably my last ever Boeing 747-400 flight with Lufthansa
Live and Let’s Fly
Of Course Marriott Stopped Emailing You About Claims
Marriott's Best Rate Guarantee now works in silence. File a claim, hear nothing, and watch the deadline pass. That is not an accident.
One Mile at a Time
Transfer Citi Points To Air France-KLM Flying Blue With 20% Bonus: Worth It?
The Citi ThankYou program, which is one of the major transferable points currencies, has just introduced its latest transfer bonus, a 20% boost when you move points to Air France-KLM Flying Blue. We see a transfer bonus like this an average of once per year, and I know it’s one...
One Mile at a Time
Man Refuses To Sit Next To Woman On Plane, Citing “Sharia Law,” Then Punches Flight Attendant
A German resident of Turkish descent was arrested upon landing on a flight from Turkey to Germany, after he refused to sit next to a female seat mate, only to then punch the flight attendant when she tried to help with the situation. The guy then proceeded to insult police...
Frequent Miler
Last Chance Deals: Amazon & Marriott Amex Offers, great Choice points sale, & 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 a bit of a quieter week for expiring deals this coming week, but there are still several offers that are about to end that you...
Economy Class & Beyond
Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond (18th July)
It’s the calm before the storm, as aircraft gather. It must mean next week it’s the Farnborough Air Show. And for those of us who are reading this on Saturday, it must be time for Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond. Trams going up and down Hill Street, Birmingham...
Points With a Crew
Why Is The Stop Human Trafficking Phone Number Formatted So Weird?
A sign hung up at the airport bathroom at the Cincinnati / CVG airport has a phone number for stopping human trafficking, but the formatting is off ...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
What Is Wrong With This Photograph? Part 362
The photograph that is featured in this article was taken during a recent road trip. For this edition of this popular game, can you guess what...
Frequent Miler
Destinations that cost more (or less) than expected (A Carrie Commentary)
It’s been a long time since I tracked travel expenses for the points and miles blog Travel is Free (a blog I helped maintain in the 2010s). The motivation for this was to demonstrate how a nomadic life using points and miles could be just as cheap as a stationary...
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...
Your Mileage May Vary
The Countries Where Prostitution is Legal
Prostitution has been called “the oldest profession in the world.” Whether or not that’s true is up for debate, since the term “the oldest profession in the world” wasn’t coined…
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...
2PAXfly
SYDNEY AIRPORT: Pay AU$20 to skip the international security queue
Passengers departing from the T1 International Terminal can now pay AU$20 per person for access to a priority queue at the main security checkpoint, regardless of airline, travel class, or Frequent Flyer status. The new SYD Fast Track service effectively opens Sydney Airport’s existing Priority Entry pathway to any international...
2PAXfly
LOUNGE REVIEW: Qantas First check-in and Lounge, Sydney
This is the second instalment of my Oh Canada! Trip Report. I’m lucky that many of my international trips start at Sydney Airport at the Qantas First Check-in facility. And that is closely followed by a visit to the Qantas First Lounge. That was the case this day, with my...
Wild About Travel
My ATM Rules to Keep You and Your Money Safe
At an ATM, distraction is all it takes. Last week, I was coming out of a metro station, when I noticed two European backpackers staring at an ATM. As I rode down the long escalator behind them, I could see they were squinting at the screen, unsure about fees or...
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...