2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 18 January, 2026
Hello travellers, Greetings from a very wet Sydney. We’ve been hosting a number of overseas friends. But even more enjoyable is making some reciprocal plans to visit them later this year using our hard-earned Amex Rewards points.  My next trip is a month or so away. It will be to a much...
2PAXfly
SYDNEY AIRPORT: Air traffic control shortages bring chaos
Dozens of flights have been cancelled, and many more were delayed on Thursday, 15 January 2026, according to the AFR. A shortage of air traffic control staff has triggered the worst disruption at Australia’s busiest airport since the pandemic began. As always, when Sydney sneezes, the entire national air network...
2PAXfly
AIRLINES: passengers behaving badly; are ‘aisle lice’ a thing?
These ‘aisle lice’ are new to me, but I love the term. According to an article in The Guardian, the term refers to passengers behaving badly on an aircraft, specifically those passengers show leap up, grab their bags, and try and streak to the front of the aircraft to be...
2PAXfly
CONSUMER LAW: What to do when your flight is cancelled
Flight cancellations are a fact of life in peak travel periods, when airports and airlines are handling record numbers of passengers. When your travel plans suddenly unravel, whether it’s because of weather, airline issues or some other reason, you need to know what your rights are, what you can claim...
Also on BoardingArea
The Gate with Brian Cohen
What Is Wrong With This Photograph? Part 336
My 22-hour sojourn to Europe and back was initially supposed to be a trip that lasted for approximately three weeks in Tbilisi in Georgia and several other countries — which included a stop in Amsterdam — but the severe winter weather in Amsterdam had other plans for us. For this edition...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 18 January, 2026
Hello travellers, Greetings from a very wet Sydney. We’ve been hosting a number of overseas friends. But even more enjoyable is making some reciprocal plans to visit them later this year using our hard-earned Amex Rewards points.  My next trip is a month or so away. It will be to a much...
Frequent Miler
What are “points farms”, WSJ and NYT think the newest cards are too confusing, and good news for F1 fans (Saturday Selection)
Throughout the week, our team shares articles they’ve stumbled upon that 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: What are “points farms”, WSJ and NYT think the newest cards are too confusing,...
Your Mileage May Vary
How a Hollywood Affair Started the Chocolate-on-the-Pillow Tradition
If you’ve stayed at a “nicer” hotel (figure 4 stars or more), you may have gone back to your room after dinner and found that your bed had been turned…
One Mile at a Time
Air France-KLM Flying Blue Credit Card Changes Make Status Easier To Earn
The Air France-KLM Flying Blue program has a credit card in the United States, issued by Bank of America. It’s a card that I have, as someone who has Flying Blue Platinum status. We’ve just learned about some changes coming to the card, and they’re entirely positive, as I see...
The Bulkhead Seat
2026 Weekly Review: January 17th
Another week has passed and 2026 is off to a busy start. I’m in… The post 2026 Weekly Review: January 17th appeared first on The Bulkhead Seat.
View from the Wing
Bank of America Leaks Flying Blue Card Changes Early—Much Faster Air France KLM Elite Status Earning
Bank of America accidentally tipped its hand early on a revamped Air France-KLM Flying Blue credit card, with new perks that meaningfully accelerate elite status earning. The annual fee stays $89, existing cardmembers get the changes in March, and the updated XP bonuses make Silver, Gold, and even Platinum far...
Pointalize
World of Hyatt: The Ultimate Guide
Discover why Hyatt remains the best hotel loyalty program. Learn about the 5 Free Nights offer, new Milestone Rewards, and how to maximize Globalist status.
Frequent Miler
Bilt 2.0 “simplified” – which option is better?
Now that Bilt has “fixed” its overly complicated Bilt 2.0 rewards program by introducing a slightly less complex option (see details here), I decided to take a quick look at which option is better. The answer? It’s complicated. Easy calculator: If you’re looking for advice about which option you should...
One Mile at a Time
Weekly Review: January 17, 2026
I hope everyone is having a nice weekend so far! We just wrapped up a family ski trip this week (which I’m still recovering from — three-year-olds are fun but exhausting when outside their usual element!), so you can expect a few hotel reviews over the coming days. On the...
The Bulkhead Seat
Hotel Review: The Time New York – JDV by Hyatt
The Time New York – JDV by Hyatt is a boutique hotel in the… The post Hotel Review: The Time New York – JDV by Hyatt appeared first on The Bulkhead Seat.
Your Mileage May Vary
Do Airline Miles Expire? U.S. Expiration Policies by Program
Airlines have dramatically changed their policies on the expiration of loyalty program points. Previously, almost every plan required some activity in your account to keep your points active. There’s been…
Points With a Crew
What Stops People From Eating Hotel Breakfast When They’re Not Staying There?
Since most hotels (at least in America) don't have a breakfast attendant checking whether you're actually a guest, is it okay to eat the "free" hotel breakfast even if you're not a guest?
Miles To Memories
The Enduring Greatness of the Citi Strata Premier
While the bank might be a punchline here and there, the Citi Strata Premier most definitely should not be. The card still uniquely delivers. The post The Enduring Greatness of the Citi Strata Premier appeared first on Miles to Memories.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Welcome Aboard Swan Hellenic SH Minerva: The Vessel to Antarctica.
Prior to being welcomed aboard Swan Hellenic SH Minerva — which was the ship to Antarctica — I had never really been on a cruise. The closest I had come to cruising up to that point is being aboard overnight ferries or small vessels for cruises that lasted a few...
Altitude Yes
My First Flight With Free Wi-Fi on American Airlines
Despite a phased rollout, a recent flight on an Embraer 175 marked my first American flight with free Wi-Fi since the launch on Jan. 6. The post My First Flight With Free Wi-Fi on American Airlines first appeared on Altitude Yes.
Economy Class & Beyond
Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond (17th January)
Good news, everyone – we’re past the halfway point of January, as we head into the marketing blitz of Blue Monday and the travel deals that might not turn up. Anyway, it’s Saturday at the time of writing – it must be time for Last Week at Economy Class and...
Frequent Miler
American Airlines & United shopping portal promos: Earn up to 2,000 bonus miles
The American Airlines and United shopping portals are both offering up to 1,000 bonus miles when shopping at both in-store and online retailers. The Deals American Airlines shopping portal: Spend $200 & earn up to 400 bonus AAdvantage miles Direct link to offer Expires January 22, 2026 United shopping portal:...
View from the Wing
Airline Denies It—But Staff Accused of Stealing Aircraft Parts and Selling Them Back [Roundup]
A report claims airline employees were stealing aircraft parts and then selling the components back to the carrier—an allegation the airline is now denying. Plus: a “world record” standby list for an inaugural flight, a passenger spooked by a “JetFuelCantMeltSteelBeams” Wi-Fi network name, Southwest gate magic in Denver, and more.
Your Mileage May Vary
The One Question Flight Attendants Lie About — And Why It’s Honestly Hilarious
When they’re put in charge of a few hundred passengers, flight attendants wind up getting a lot of questions. And because their “audience” is different from flight to flight, they…
ATX Jetsetter
Weekly Recap: January 17, 2026
Catch up on the latest aviation and travel related news for the week ending January 17, 2026 in the ATX Jetsetter weekly recap. The post Weekly Recap: January 17, 2026 appeared first on ATX Jetsetter.
View from the Wing
Readers Keep Getting Approved For Citi Strata Elite 100,000 Points And Over $2500 In First-Year Value
Citi’s new Strata Elite card is handing out approvals fast — and for good reason. With a 100,000-point bonus, stacked travel and retail credits, and easy eligibility rules, it delivers first-year value few premium cards can match.
One Mile at a Time
How To Redeem Avianca Lifemiles For Best Value: A Key Star Alliance Program
The avianca lifemiles program is one of the most useful frequent flyer programs out there for redeeming miles. The beauty of lifemiles is that it’s not just useful if you want to fly with avianca, but also if you want to travel on any Star Alliance carrier, especially in a...
Points With a Crew
TSA reveals the wildest items they confiscated in 2025: ‘Is this what I think it is?’
From BB guns, to ninja stars, tasers, guns hidden in guitars and more, here's a look at some of the strangest items confiscated by TSA last year.
2PAXfly
SYDNEY AIRPORT: Air Traffic Control stinks! Sewage smell overwhelms control tower
Air traffic controllers at Sydney Airport were forced to work through overpowering sewage odours during the peak 2024–25 holiday travel period. Some staff were reportedly dry heaving at their desks while managing aircraft movements according to a story in the Sydney Morning Herald. Incident logs from Airservices Australia show the...
2PAXfly
HOTEL REVIEW: Bring boltcutters? Picton Waterfront Apartments, New Zealand
Our New Zealand holiday continued once we arrived in Picton and alighted from the Interisland ferry, picked up our hire car and made our way to the Waterfront Apartments, ready for our four-night stay, with a view straight down Picton harbour. Car Hire Just a note, that another visitor, who...
Wild About Travel
Johannesburg: First encounter with the City of Gold
Firstly, three fascinating facts about Johannesburg for your next Trivia Pursuit Competition: I flew to Johannesburg expecting not to like it, but there is something about its youthfulness, energy, hustling, humour and beauty that got to me. I rate all the cities I have visited or lived in, and Johannesburg...
2PAXfly
TURKISH AIRLINES: To reverse decision on Premium Economy?
Turkish Airlines could be seriously exploring the return of premium economy to its aircraft cabins. That would fit with the carrier plans to operate some of the longest flights in its history, including nonstop services between Istanbul and Sydney. That’s a development worth the attention of Australian travellers. Premium Economy...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: New Year, means time to plan for the next Qantas Double Status Credits & Points promotion
Each year since at least 2018, Qantas has offered a Double Status and Points promotion in February or March. Sure, it has offered similar promotions on other dates, but February/March are the most consistent and reliable. To that end, with the second week of the new year coming to a...
2PAXfly
CATHAY PACIFIC: Anniversary marks 2026 as 80 years in the air
Cathay Pacific has launched its 80th-anniversary celebrations for 2026, marking eight decades since the airline’s founding in 1946. The anniversary program is being rolled out under the theme ’80 Years Together’. The biggest indicator is an aircraft painted in retro livery. The birthday celebrations were formally launched at a Hong...
2PAXfly
STARLUX: Takes delivery of first A350-1000
Starlux Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A350-1000, becoming the first Taiwanese airline to operate Airbus’ largest long-range twin-engine aircraft, a fleet milestone that has implications for Australian travellers flying long haul via Asia. The aircraft, registered B-58551, was handed over at Airbus’ Toulouse headquarters before operating a...
2PAXfly
2026: What’s new in the sky for Australian travellers
There are some interesting changes in aviation for 2026. It’s mainly about longer flights, that get you there moe quickly. It’s also about flying quieter and more comfortably for those uninterrupted very long hours. Most of these innovations have already been announced, but I thought at the beginning of 2026,...