2PAXfly
QATAR & ETIHAD: A380s retreat from Australia as the superjumbo shuffle continues
Qatar Airways is cutting back planned A380 service to Australia and China, with the superjumbo now concentrated on a much smaller number of routes as the airline rebuilds its network after disruption in the Middle East. AeroRoutes schedule filings show Qatar’s regular A380 operations from 16 June to 15 September...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Project Sunrise slips again due to ‘supply chain’ delay, now aiming for April 2027
The first Airbus A350-1000ULR for Project Sunrise, the aircraft Qantas is banking on to finally make non-stop Sydney and Melbourne flights to London and New York a commercial reality, will now join the fleet in April 2027 according to reports in the SMH. That is later than previously announced, when...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 24 May, 2026
Greetings from Sydney. Back at home for a week or so before I head out on my next trip. Later this week, I’m heading eastward to the Americas. Precise location and cities to visit will be revealed as the trip progresses. These will all be totally new destinations for me,...
2PAXfly
WEBJET: Travel agent squeezed as Virgin Australia cuts commissions
Webjet is warning investors that trading conditions remain “fluid and challenging” after Virgin Australia cut the commissions it pays the online travel agent, according to an article in the SMH. For travellers, that could mean fewer sharp Webjet airfare deals on Virgin flights. For Webjet, it is another revenue hit...
Also on BoardingArea
Eye of the Flyer
Norwegian Viva Specialty Dining Review – Should you pay to Enjoy “Better” Meals?
Introduction: My First Atlantic Crossing on the Norwegian NCL Viva Prima Class Ship Emptying my Delta SkyMiles Accounts to get Value Flying to Lisbon Portugal The Comfort Inn South Bend SBN Airport Review via Delta Stays – How Very Disappointing Checking Bags on Two Separate Delta Tickets (Interlining) – How...
One Mile at a Time
Review: Four Seasons Bangkok, Thailand (A World-Class Urban Resort)
During my two-part birthday trip to the Golden Triangle, I checked out four different hotels in Bangkok, given that its one of the worlds best value cities for luxury hotels, and the market keeps getting better (separately, Im reviewing the Rosewood Bangkok, Capella Bangkok, and Aman Bangkok).
Live and Let’s Fly
Awful: California Hotel Clerk Calls Israeli Guests “Baby Killers” After Seeing Their Passports
A California hotel clerk allegedly saw Israeli passports, shouted “Free Palestine,” accused guests of being “baby killers,” began recording, then posted the video himself on social media. This is vile antisemitism, and it has no place in the hospitality industry. California Hotel Clerk Harasses Israeli Guests, Calls Them “Baby Killers”...
One Mile at a Time
Qantas Airbus A350-1000s For Project Sunrise Flights Delayed, Again
Qantas has a couple of dozen Airbus A350s on order, some of which will be used to operate the world’s longest nonstop flights. This includes flights from Sydney and Melbourne to New York and London.
Josh Trips
Malliouhana review: a serious contender for the best hotel in the Caribbean
I’m not even going to try to bury the lede here – I absolutely adored Malliouhana. Having stayed…
2PAXfly
QATAR & ETIHAD: A380s retreat from Australia as the superjumbo shuffle continues
Qatar Airways is cutting back planned A380 service to Australia and China, with the superjumbo now concentrated on a much smaller number of routes as the airline rebuilds its network after disruption in the Middle East. AeroRoutes schedule filings show Qatar’s regular A380 operations from 16 June to 15 September...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Project Sunrise slips again due to ‘supply chain’ delay, now aiming for April 2027
The first Airbus A350-1000ULR for Project Sunrise, the aircraft Qantas is banking on to finally make non-stop Sydney and Melbourne flights to London and New York a commercial reality, will now join the fleet in April 2027 according to reports in the SMH. That is later than previously announced, when...
Frequent Miler
10 AARP member benefits you might not know about
Despite being in my mid 40s, I’ve had an AARP membership for 10 years. No, I’m not Benjamin Button; you don’t have to be 50 years old to become an AARP member. In fact, you can join from the age of 18. Some of you might have done that in...
Points With a Crew
Which Chase Ink card is best? ($1,000 or 90,000 Points)
There are 4 Chase Ink cards with increased bonuses right now (up to $1,000 or 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points). The best Chase Ink card is probably...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Hang Up and Call Again and You Do Not Get If You Do Not Ask: Mantras For Life
Hanging up and calling back is one of the best pieces of advice you can get when it comes to life in general, as whenever you do not get the answer for which you are looking for, simply try another agent. Agents of airlines, lodging companies, and other multinational corporations...
Frequent Miler
Earn 8x or redeem with Chase Travel℠ Point Boosts? | Question of the Week Ep4 | 5-24-26
Earn 8x or redeem with Chase Travel℠ Points Boosts? Frequent Miler reader Bryant wrote in saying… With the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card providing 8X points on travel and hotel, doesn’t it always make sense to book through Chase and get the multiplier? That being said, what then is the best...
The Bulkhead Seat
Hotel Review: Casa Monica Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection
Last month, we spent a weekend in Saint Augustine, FL. This was our first…
Your Mileage May Vary
He Stored His Carry-On In a Bin Far Ahead of His Seat. It Didn’t End Well
Keeping your carry-on far from your seat can create more problems than just a difficult exit from the plane. We’ve all seen people do it. They have a seat far…
Frequent Miler
(50% sale) CardPointers: Automatically enroll offers to all of your cards
CardPointers is an app/website/browser extension that helps you track all your credit cards, their various benefits, etc. Its most popular feature is the ability to auto-enroll card-linked spending offers like Amex Offers, Citi Offers, etc. Rather than having to go through and manually click to enroll in each offer, CardPointers...
View from the Wing
JetBlue CEO Plays Seat Bingo On Fort Lauderdale Flight — Middle Seats Win Free Tickets
JetBlue’s CEO was spotted onboard a Boston–Fort Lauderdale flight playing “Seat Bingo” with passengers and giving away free tickets — with two of the winners sitting in middle seats. The video is making the rounds again, and while it appears to be recycled, it's still good to see JetBlue's top...
Your Mileage May Vary
The Airline Baggage Rule Mistake That Can Cost You At The Airport
I tend to plan obsessively before our trips. Sharon, my wife, will confirm this in 3… 2… 1. (Sharon here. OMG, does he plan obsessively before our trips….!) But when…
Miles To Memories
Why RIGHT NOW! Is The Time To Grab A New Discover Card
I share why right now is the time to get a Discover card, and the (best ever?) $200 Discover card bonus is just a small part of it.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Advertisements Target Travelers in The New Yorker Magazine in 1965
If you look at this Portable Document File of the issue of The New Yorker magazine from Saturday, February 20, 1965 — which was posted at the official Internet web site of Musicradio77.com — in addition to the interesting article pertaining to WABC-AM at that time, you will notice multiple...
Economy Class & Beyond
Airplane Art – LOT Polish Airlines Embraer E195 preparing to depart from Hamburg Airport
It’s Sunday again, so it must be time for some more Airplane Art. This week, we have a LOT Polish Airlines Embraer E195 as it prepares for the return flight to  Warsaw, Poland, in the sunset at Hamburg Airport. LOT operates a fleet of 18 Embraer E195 aircraft., It also operates...
The Bulkhead Seat
Transatlantic Turbulence: Will Norse Atlantic Be the Next Low-Cost Carrier to Fold?
Norse Atlantic Airways may still be flying passengers across the Atlantic, but reports that…
Josh Trips
What Hyatt got right about its recent points devaluation
Nobody likes a points devaluation, but it’s a reality of the points and miles games. With that, I…
View from the Wing
Chicago O’Hare Bathroom Video Is So Bad It Makes Crowded Airport Lounges Look Like Luxury [Roundup]
News and notes from around the interweb: When I complain about crowded airport lounges, with lines to get in, being not luxury – it’s all relative. The comparison for most isn’t whether the lounge meets some external standard… it’s ‘compared to the terminal’. So at Chicago O’Hare there’s this. Often...
Your Mileage May Vary
Deciphering Your Boarding Pass: What Do All Those Letters & Numbers Mean?
Most travelers glance at their boarding pass long enough to find their gate, seat assignment and boarding group. But airlines pack a surprising amount of information into all those random-looking…
Miles To Memories
Current Retention Offer: Amex, BOA, Capital One, Chase & Citi Retention Offer Data Points
Retention offers are a massive part of this hobby. Here are data points on a current retention offer Amex, Chase & Citi have offered to credit card users.
2PAXfly
UNITED STATES: Trump administration floats airport squeeze on ‘sanctuary cities’
I have refrained largely from reporting on USA affairs. That’s partly because I don’t want to besmirch my reputation if I decide to travel to the USA again. However, there are just some things that need to be reported in the interests of Australians travelling to the USA. The Trump...
Wild About Travel
Dubrovnik. Dragons, Demons,
Dubrovnik looks almost unreal at first glance. Terracotta roofs stacked above polished limestone streets, all wrapped in thick medieval walls with the Adriatic on three sides. It is indeed a real‑world city. It became King’s Landing in Game of Thrones. Many key scenes were filmed in and around its medieval...
Wild About Travel
Berlin: Cities I Love #2
I have been coming to Berlin since the Wall fell. I have watched it change beyond recognition and yet remain, stubbornly, itself. It is a city that has survived everything history has thrown at it, and it wears that history openly, without flinching. There is nowhere else like it. 01...
2PAXfly
AIR NEW ZEALAND: How to book the new Economy Skynest sleep pods
Air New Zealand’s much-hyped Economy Skynest is finally going on sale. Yep, those at the bunk beds you can rent by the four hour period. From this week (18 May 2026), passengers booked in Economy or Premium Economy will be able to add a four-hour lie-flat sleep session on selected...
2PAXfly
THAILAND: Visa-free stays for Australians cut back to 30 days
The Thai government has approved changes that would end the current 60-day visa-free stay for Australians and visitors from more than 90 other countries. That generous 60-day exemption only arrived in July 2024, when Thailand was still trying to goose its post-pandemic tourism economy. It applied to passport holders from...
2PAXfly
AIR NEW ZEALAND: Koru program replaces Airpoints
Air New Zealand has officially launched its refreshed loyalty programme, Koru, replacing the long-running Airpoints brand and shifting more than five million members into a new tier structure from 22 April 2026. Existing Airpoints and Status Points carry across, so members are not starting again from scratch. The less thrilling...
2PAXfly
AIR SERVICES AGREEMENTS: Direct flights to Maldives from Melbourne, and Western Sydney Airport to get Gulf carriers
The Australian government has signed four new or updated aviation agreements, opening the door to more flights and more codeshares. Although, as ever with aviation bilaterals, permission to fly is not the same thing as an airline actually putting metal in the sky. The Albanese Government says it has negotiated...
Wild About Travel
Navigating the world’s best airport: a flawless experience.
Changi, Singapore. Everything you need to know. Stunning takeoff out of Singapore Changi (SIN) after a transit between my flight from Sydney and to Asia. I have been through this airport 82 times flawlessly. There are few airports where anyone can say that about. The others that follow it in...