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...
Also on BoardingArea
One Mile at a Time
Atmos Rewards Summit Card 25K & 100K Global Companion Award Basics
Link: Learn more about the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Credit Card
Frequent Miler
Free checked bags via credit cards | Frequent Miler on the Air Ep353 | 4-10-26
In this podcast episode, we’ll talk about how Rakuten doubles select credit card signup bonuses, JetBlue polishes its previously lackluster Premier card, and how to avoid paying those increasing checked bag fees. Free checked bags via credit cards Watch the full episode below, or listen on your favorite podcast platform....
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Airports Say Full Introduction Of New European Biometric Entry Rules Went As Badly As They Feared On Friday
Friday marked the first day of the full rollout of Europe’s much-delayed biometric ‘Entry/Exit System’ (EES) system at airports across the bloc, and a major trade organization representing airports throughout Europe said it went as badly as it had feared. Passengers are facing wait times of up to three hours...
Your Mileage May Vary
Would You Fly 8 Hours On A Narrowbody? Alaska Thinks You Might
Airlines are stretching narrowbody flights longer than ever. At what point does it become too much? For years, U.S. travelers have gotten used to flying long distances on narrowbody planes.…
Frequent Miler
Southwest Airlines: Earn 2x Rapid Rewards points on flights booked this weekend
Southwest has launched a new promotion that is offering double Rapid Rewards points on all flights booked by April 12th, 2026, and completed by July 1st, 2026. Registration for this offer is required prior to booking. The promotion is officially targeted, but I haven’t heard of any Rapid Rewards members...
Miles To Memories
Vegas All-Inclusive Wars, Main Street Station Hit, Vanderpump Lane & Boomers Takes Over!
Comparing the 5 Vegas 2026 all-inclusive deals, major skimming incident, Lisa Vanderpump Lane & Texas gas station gambling?
View from the Wing
American Airlines Let A Passenger Board, Then Said They Weren’t Checked In — And Kicked Them Off The Plane For A Standby
An American Airlines passenger scanned their boarding pass, answered the exit-row questions, took their seat, and thought they were on their way home to Austin. Then, after the whole plane had boarded, the airline gave that seat to a standby traveler, told the original passenger they were somehow “not checked...
Points With a Crew
Kickstarter: Coulf DeskDock 250W GaN Charger
The Coulf Desk Dock is a 9-in-1 Hub that replaces a traditional cable organizer with effortless Retractable Cable Management. It's on Kickstarter, but only for a few more ...
Your Mileage May Vary
7 Vintage Travel Accessories That Have Basically Disappeared—And What Replaced Them
Through the years, travel has changed by leaps and bounds. Reservations that used to be made by talking to someone on the phone are now done on your computer or…
woman shares traveling experience (l) Egypt temples (r)
BoardingArea
Family Goes Traveling For 1 Year. It’s The Trip Of A Lifetime Until They Get To Egypt. Days Later, They Flee The Country
“I had the same experience in Marrakesh."
Frequent Miler
American Airlines completes nerfing of basic economy for elite members
This week, American Airlines was one of a plethora of US carriers that raised fees for checked bags by 10%-33%. But that wasn’t all it did to make flying worse for its customers; it also completely nerfed benefits for elite members flying basic economy fares. Complete Guide to American Airlines...
Miles To Memories
Save $200 on Delta Vacations Booking with New Amex Offer
American Express has a new Amex Offer that can save you $200 on your next Delta Vacations booking.
Live and Let’s Fly
Here Come Award Surcharges Again And It Won’t Stop With JetBlue And Virgin Atlantic
While it does not come as a surprise in light of soaring fuel prices, we are seeing a spike in carrier imposed surcharges (formerly called “fuel surcharge”) on award tickets. The two latest additions–Virgin Atlantic and JetBlue–are particularly noteworthy. Here Come The Award Ticket Surcharges…Again For years, we’ve watched airlines...
From Home and Back
Do You Hoard Travel Amenities?
Learn about travel amenities that are worth the space in your luggage. Discover tips on useful items to hold on to and how to recycle them. The post Do You Hoard Travel Amenities? appeared first on From Home and Back.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Earn a Mystery Bonus MileagePlus Miles by Shopping in April
Effective through Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at 11:59:59 in the evening Eastern Daylight Time, you can earn bonus United Airlines MileagePlus miles — in addition to the standard MileagePlus miles earned — during the Mystery Bonus campaign at the MileagePlus Shopping portal by spending a minimum of...
One Mile at a Time
Review: Thai Airways Business Class Boeing 787 (BKK-MXP)
To kick off the return portion of my exotic journey to Bangkok via Paris, I flew Thai Airways Boeing 787 business class on the 11hr30min flight from Bangkok (BKK) to Milan (MXP). It had been several years since I flew Thai Airways long haul, and I remember thinking it was one of the more...
View from the Wing
United Airlines Maintenance Hung Out The Cockpit Window With A Coat Hanger — They Had To Swap The Jet
Passengers on a United flight from Newark to Austin watched maintenance lean out of the cockpit window with what looked like a coat hanger to prod a sensor on the nose of a Boeing 737. The optics for an onlooking passenger aren't great. United did not send out...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
United Airlines Terminated 76-Year-Old Technician After He Took Bottle of Water to Drink While Suffering Heart Palpitations
United Airlines has been accused of sacking a long-serving 76-year-old aircraft technician after he took a bottle of water from an airplane because he was suffering heart palpitations and lightheadedness to the point at which he thought he was about to pass out unless he took a sip of water....
Your Mileage May Vary
Discover’s Q2 5% Categories Are Live — And They’re Perfect for Spring Spending
Discover’s latest 5% Cashback Bonus categories are now live, and for Q2 2026, cardholders can earn bonus rewards at Restaurants and Home Improvement Stores. Whether you’re dining out more as…
Hawaii Calling
The Best Time To Visit Hawaii (2026)
Planning a trip to Hawaii is exciting—but choosing the best time to visit can make a huge difference in your overall experience. Living in Hawai‘i and experiencing the islands across different seasons, I can say that timing your trip makes a huge difference—from weather and crowds to pricing and overall...
Miles To Memories
Circa Las Vegas 2026 Summer Special: $400 All-Inclusive Midweek Stays
Circa Resort & Casino is offering a $400 All-In Summer Hotel Package. This deal is bookable now for midweek stays starting May 19 through Sept. 10.
View from the Wing
Best-Ever 200,000-Point IHG Business Card Bonus
Chase has brought back the best-ever 200,000-point offer on the IHG One Rewards Premier Business card, giving small-business owners a shot at one of the richest hotel bonuses currently on the market. The card’s $99 annual fee is easy to justify if you value the annual free night and fourth-night-free...
Points Miles and Bling
Booked: A Janky Group Trip to Asia
Last month, I took a trip to Asia that involved hopping around the continent, coordinating dates with friends and family,…
man shares hotel issue (l) Marriott hotel (r)
BoardingArea
‘Marriott Has Stolen $339 From Me’: Bonvoy Member Checks In To Ft. Lauderdale Marriott. Minutes Later, A Manager Knocks On The Door
"On Marriott's website it says..."
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...
2PAXfly
AIR NEW ZEALAND: Cuts 1,100 flights, affecting 44,000 passengers due to Middle East conflict
If your upcoming trip involves Air New Zealand, it’s worth double-checking your booking. The Kiwi carrier is cancelling around 1,100 flights through to early May, impacting roughly 44,000 passengers, as surging fuel prices ripple through the aviation industry. Most travellers are expected to be rebooked onto the same-day flights, as...
2PAXfly
TRIP REPORT: First impressions of Turkish Airlines Sydney to London
I have just flown Turkish Airlines for the first time, as has my husband, but on different flights. My trip was Sydney–Kuala Lumpur–Istanbul–London. His was Bangkok–Istanbul–Prague, and return. Before I do a considered full report on the flights and the trip, I thought it was worth posting about my first...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Joint flights with Qatar Airways to Doha shelved
If you’ve booked a Virgin Australia flight to Doha, there’s some bad news. Flights operated by Qatar Airways on behalf of Virgin Australia have now been cancelled until at least mid-June, as the ongoing Middle East conflict continues to disrupt travel through the region. And for travellers, this isn’t just...
Wild About Travel
rewute and redrfat Discovering the World’s Highest and Lowest Airports
Reflecting on my travels last year, I realised I flew through quite high and low-altitude airports. I have long realised that altitude affects the travel experience, airport operations, and the differing challenges for pilots. This got me thinking: of the 289 airports I’ve visited in my life, how many would...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 5 April, 2026
Greetings from London! I’ve moved on from Prague, which was very cold but fantastic. I hadn’t realised how much early 20th-century architecture there was in the city centre. There is even a Cubist architecture walk!  Once I got over the cold, I really enjoyed myself. The rugging up and de-rugging...