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...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: EconomyFlex fares gain free same-day Fly Ahead feature
For those whose business meetings end early and want to get back home sooner, Virgin Australia is extending its Fly Ahead feature to eligible domestic Economy Flex passengers. This allows them to move to an earlier flight on the same day without paying a change fee or fare difference. It...
2PAXfly
EMIRATES: New-generation lounges roll out globally, but Sydney is still waiting
Emirates is rolling out a new ‘signature’ lounge concept across its global network, beginning with Munich and Frankfurt and continuing to Manchester, Mauritius and Istanbul later this year. The airline says it will spend more than AED50 million (AU$20 million) on each next-generation lounge. That is a substantial sum. Passengers...
Also on BoardingArea
Points With a Crew
Which Marriott credit card is the best? (150,000 Points Or 4 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
Fun With Borders: Haskell Free Library & Opera House
We decided to have fun with borders at Haskell Free Library & Opera House in honor of the celebrations of both Independence Day in the United States and Canada Day in Canada, as this historic structure straddles the border between the two countries. Marked with a cornerstone that the building was...
Frequent Miler
Assessing the damage of Hyatt’s devaluation, a first time car rental claim for Greg, Nick’s lessons from canceled travel plans, and more (Week in Review)
As of last Monday, the entire Frequent Miler team is now 40 years old or above. Yes, I finally joined the guys in the over-the-hill club. Symptoms have included lame puns, grumbling about noise levels in public places, and a diligent morning routine of vitamins (even before coffee). Despite these...
Frequent Miler
Easy $300 checking bonus with Capital One 360
Capital One 360 is again offering a $300 bonus when you open a new checking account and receive two direct deposits of $500 or more within 75 days of account opening. That’s quite an easy bonus to hit, and at $600 for those playing in two-player mode, it becomes even...
Frequent Miler
12 things to know about Hyatt’s devaluation | Frequent Miler on the Air Ep365 | 7-3-26
On today’s episode, we’ll see how the 5x airline card saga continues, Nick will give us more reasons to use the Southwest app, we’ll hear some exciting news about Frontier, and we’ll dive deep into Hyatt’s devaluation. 12 things to know about Hyatt’s devaluation Watch the full episode below, or...
Altitude Yes
American to Open Grab-and-Go Provisions by Admirals Club at JFK Airport
The new Provisions lounge will be located by gates 12 and 14 in the main building, and will include a barista bar. The post American to Open Grab-and-Go Provisions by Admirals Club at JFK Airport first appeared on Altitude Yes.
Your Mileage May Vary
I Keep Complaining About The Venture X. So Why Do I Still Have It?
I’ve been giving the Capital One Venture X card a hard time lately. And honestly, I think it deserved some of it. I’ve been having an ongoing internal conversation about…
Frequent Miler
Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Reserve for Business℠ can have different Points Boost rates…on the same hotel
When Chase refreshed the Sapphire Reserve® card and launched the Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ card last year, it did away with the previous 1.5 cents per point (cpp) redemptions everywhere via Chase Travel℠ and replaced them with Points Boosts. This feature gives holders of either card the opportunity to redeem...
Miles To Memories
Bring Back the Mirage? Station Turns 50, Gold Spike Rumors & INSANE July 4th SPECTACLE!
Caesars digital key experience, how Vegas does the 4th, historic brand turns 50 & Vegas field trips hit different.
View from the Wing
Guest Arrested After Duping 300 Luxury Hotels Arrested, Skipping Hyatt Bill And Stealing Laptop
Police in Raipur arrested serial hotel scammer Bingson John after he allegedly skipped out on a Hyatt Raipur bill and took a hotel-provided laptop. Authorities say he has spent more than 30 years duping hundreds of luxury hotels across India, presenting himself as a tour guide, teacher, or yoga instructor,...
View from the Wing
Guest Arrested After Duping 300 Luxury Hotels, Skipped Hyatt Bill And Stole Laptop
Police in Raipur arrested serial hotel scammer Bingson John after he allegedly skipped out on a Hyatt Raipur bill and took a hotel-provided laptop. Authorities say he has spent more than 30 years duping hundreds of luxury hotels across India, presenting himself as a tour guide, teacher, or yoga instructor,...
The Bulkhead Seat
Allegiant Air Unveils New 250th Anniversary Aircraft Livery Honoring America
I’ve written several times recently about US carriers launching special liveries to celebrate this…
Frequent Miler
Rakuten offering up to $100 / 10K Bilt points for Chase Unlimited cards
For several months, Rakuten has been offering rewards after you apply through Rakuten’s link and are then approved for the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card. Now, another Chase card is in the mix: the Ink Business Unlimited®. The current rate for Freedom Unlimited is $90 in cashback or up to 9,000...
Points With a Crew
Kickstarter: OULIYO Slim Travel Adapter
The OULIYO travel adapter is card-sized, with dual AC outlets, a power bank, and an auto-recovery fuse. It's on Kickstarter, but only for a few more ...
Your Mileage May Vary
Traveler Discovers Unexpected Hotel Amenity At A JW Marriott. The Internet Takes It From There.
Every once in a while, you check into a hotel and discover something you weren’t expecting. Maybe it’s a disco closet like we found at a Hyatt Centric. Maybe it’s…
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Save Up to 10% on Airfares to Africa With Ethiopian Airlines
You can save up to 10% on airfares to Africa with Ethiopian Airlines for travel to your choice of any of 76 destinations on that continent which are served by the airline through the end of the schedule for seats in the economy class cabin... ...but you must...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
American Airlines Pilots Unhappy That the Texas-Based Carrier Won’t Let Them Claim For Uber Black
Pilots at American Airlines have criticized the Texas-based carrier over a slew of new issues, including the fact that the airline refuses to reimburse them for trips between the airport and their layover hotels using Uber Black – described by the rideshare app as the “ultimate stylish ride,” which uses...
Frequent Miler
Hilton Luxury Brands Amex Offer: Spend $1250, Get $250 Back in US and Latin America (targeted)
There’s a new Amex Offer that can save you $250 on stays when you spend at least $1250 at Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, and LXR properties in the US and Latin America. This can be used at two of Hilton’s more sought-after properties in North America: Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal...
Miles To Memories
Rakuten Offers 10,000 Bilt Points ($100) Bonus for Citi Strata Elite
There's a new credit card bonus on Rakuten for the Citi Strata Premier, which earns you an extra $100 or 10,000 Bilt Points.
Frequent Miler
Chase Travel℠ Chase Offer: Spend $600 & get $100 back (targeted)
There’s another Chase Offer that offers a $100 statement credit when you book $600+ through Chase Travel℠. This can be stacked with the $250 Edit credits on both the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Reserve for Business® cards (assuming you have one that’s targeted). Rethinking The Edit by Chase Travel℠ The Deal...
Live and Let’s Fly
10 American Travel Experiences You Should Have At Least Once
Like many things in life, America is best understood by experiencing it, not merely reading about it. 10 American Travel Experiences Everyone Should Have (At Least) Once Yesterday, I wrote about why the more I travel the world, the more I appreciate traveling in America. Today, I want to be...
View from the Wing
Delta Needs To Win Los Angeles. The Fight With United Is Really About Credit Card Spend
Delta is already the largest airline at LAX, but its Los Angeles push is really about more than adding routes to Newark, Philadelphia, Dulles, Manila, or Asia. United’s long-haul network makes it Delta’s real threat in LA, and the bigger prize is premium relevance in one of the country’s richest...
Miles To Memories
Some Amex Platinum Cardholders Receiving $50 “Saks Benefit Goodwill” Credit
Some American Express Platinum cardholders are reporting a surprise $50 "Saks Benefit Goodwill" statement credit appearing on their accounts.
View from the Wing
Why The Best Rewards Credit Card Is Usually Two Cards, Not One
Most people ask for the best rewards credit card, but the better answer is often a pairing: one card that earns the most in your biggest spending categories and another that earns more than 1x everywhere else. Signup bonuses and benefits matter, but ongoing spending should be judged separately, whether...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: COVID credit class action means more than a million customers will receive payout notices
More than one million Qantas customers are set to receive notices explaining how to claim compensation. These customers were issued flight credits, rather than refunds, for cancelled flights during the COVID-19 pandemic. Law firm Echo Law began contacting eligible customers on Monday, 29 June. This follows Qantas’ March settlement of...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Flooding closes LAX First Lounge, premium dining moves next door
Qantas’ Los Angeles First Lounge has been temporarily closed by flooding, according to the Qantas Lounge page. That means the closure of one of the best overseas lounge experiences for premium passengers on the long trek to Australia. The airline has not set a reopening date on its lounge website....
2PAXfly
VIETJET: launching Australian airline to rival Qantas and Virgin
Vietnamese low-cost carrier VietJet is reportedly seeking the approvals needed to launch an Australian subsidiary, in a move that could create a new domestic competitor for Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia. According to reporting by Ayesha de Kretser in the Australian Financial Review, VietJet has approached the Civil Aviation Safety...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: No First Lounge for London. Premier dining room instead
The original plan was to have a new First Class Lounge at London’s Terminal 3. It was to be ready for the debut of the Project Sunrise flights. Qantas has quietly shelved those plans, to the indignation of premium frequent flyers and passengers. Instead, the airline will refurbish and enlarge...
2PAXfly
CHINA AIRLINES: More flights to Australia from October, 2026
Taiwan’s China Airlines is increasing flights to Australia from late October, giving travellers more non-stop choices between Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Taipei. The headline act is Sydney, where China Airlines will lift its Taipei service to daily from 25 October 2026. Melbourne follows on 28 October with a fifth weekly...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Lounge pass rules change from 1 July 2026
From Wednesday 1 July, Qantas will tighten the rules governing Complimentary Lounge Invitations, ending the long-standing ability to transfer a pass to any other Frequent Flyer member, regardless of whether they are travelling with you. If you have a stash of passes, you only have days to give them away!...
Wild About Travel
concordes at last
She was the most beautiful aircraft ever created. She was the fastest passenger aircraft ever to fly. She was created through the cooperation of two countries, and the technology that came with her is still being used, with the breakthroughs she sparked continuing to impact aviation today. One fatal crash...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 28 June, 2026
Hello travellers, Well, I’m in Sydney, but not quite home yet. If you have ever had a renovation done, you will understand. I have spent the last week at a Meriton Suites in central Sydney. It’s been a mixed experience. Living in central Sydney has some great advantages, especially on...