2PAXfly
MIDDLE EAST: Australia eases travel warnings for key Gulf transit hubs
Australian travellers heading to Europe, the UK or Africa via the Middle East have been handed some qualified good news. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Smartraveller advice website have lowered advice for Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates from Level 4, “Do...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Project Sunrise announces first route, Sydney to London non-stop. Surprise, surprise!
CEO Vanessa Hudson just travelled to Airbus’ Toulouse headquarters to announce that London, from Sydney, would be the first Project Sunrise route, followed by New York. Is that really news? We knew it had to be an east coast departure, so that’s Sydney or Melbourne (Brisbane doesn’t have a First...
2PAXfly
TURKISH AIRLINES: Non-stop Australia flights delayed until 2027
Turkish Airlines’ promised non-stop flights between Istanbul and Australia have slipped again, with Sydney now expected by the end of 2027 and Melbourne pushed into 2028. That is the bad news. Turkish Airlines plans to fly a specially configured Airbus A350-1000, heavy on premium seats, fitted with the airline’s new...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: biggest Boeing 737 is coming — eventually
Virgin Australia has put a date, of sorts, on the next stage of its fleet renewal. It expects to receive its first Boeing 737-10 in late 2027. That’s like more than 12 months away. The PR department must have been light on for stories to report for this to be...
Also on BoardingArea
Frequent Miler
(New Link) Get 2 ChatGPT Business seats for $25/mo total for 4 years!
Update 6/18/26: Doctor of Credit has shared a new, working link for this promo. Like the previous versions, it probably won’t last for long, so if you want in, get on it ASAP. ~~~Original post follows~~~ Dan’s Deals has uncovered a working link to subscribe to ChatGPT Business and get...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
United Airlines Flight Attendant Tells Passenger Her Pride Month Lesbian T-Shirt is “Deeply Offensive”
A United Airlines flight attendant allegedly told a female passenger who was wearing a Pride month lesbian t-shirt that her choice of clothing was “deeply offensive.” There is, however, a slight complication to this story, and it might not have anything to do with the crew member being homophobic. On...
Economy Class & Beyond
Diving into the future of sustainability with Recaro and the R Sphere sustainability demonstrator
Recaro Aircraft Seating took home a Crystal Cabin Award for its R Sphere Economy Class sustainability demonstrator. Let us dive into this year’s demonstration model and see how the progression of the R Sphere concept has gone. The concept combines innovative materials, lightweight design, and circular thinking to reduce environmental...
Miles To Memories
Wyndham Launches New Premium Card, Refreshes Existing Cards
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has updated its Wyndham Rewards® credit card portfolio in partnership with Barclays, adding a new premium product and refreshing existing cards.
Points With a Crew
Hyatt House / Hyatt Place LAX Century Boulevard Hotel Review
If you're looking for a good LAX airport hotel - here is my Hyatt House / Hyatt Place LAX Century Boulevard hotel review, including info on wifi, breakfast, parking, rooms, amenities, cost and more
Live and Let’s Fly
Uh Oh: Is American Airlines Charging Elite Members More? Viral Screenshot Raises Surveillance Pricing Fears
A screenshot appears to show American Airlines charging very different first class fares for the same flight at the same time depending upon whether the user was logged into an AAdvantage account. If true, that would be deeply troubling. But I am not convinced the screenshot proves what some think...
One Mile at a Time
Review: Royal Jordanian Business Class Embraer E190-E2 (AMM-FRA)
For the next segment of my two-part birthday trip to the Golden Triangle, I flew Royal Jordanians Embraer E190-E2 business class (branded as Crown Class) on the 4hr30min flight from Amman (AMM) to Frankfurt (FRA).
Your Mileage May Vary
Barclays Just Refreshed The Arrival+ Card. Is Something Bigger Coming?
For a card that supposedly lives in Barclays’ back closet, the Arrival+ sure keeps getting attention. The Barclays Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard® has always been a bit of an…
Miles To Memories
How This Dumb Mistake Cost My Friend $650 On Our Recent Trip
I share why you want to select two guests for all inclusive reservations, otherwise it could end up costing you hundreds of dollars.
View from the Wing
Chase Beats Out Capital One For Miami Airport Lounge Space In $94 Million Deal
Chase is set to win a 13,793-square-foot Sapphire Lounge in Miami’s E Concourse after a bid projected to generate nearly $94 million for the airport over 15 years. The deal appears to beat a likely Capital One partner and shows how premium card lounge awards are increasingly won: design matters,...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Qatar Airways Has Picked the ‘Brunchgate’ Executive as its New Chief Customer Officer
Qatar Airways has hired the dual British and Irish airline executive Calum Laming as its new Chief Customer Officer, a newly created senior leadership position for the Doha-based carrier, which involves oversight of the entire customer experience under one coordinated focus. Laming is perhaps best known for presiding over the...
Frequent Miler
Up to $100 off at Costco with the purchase of a new membership
Regardless of whether you’re in the market for a first-time Costco membership or looking to add another one to expand your 2% Executive Member rebate capacity, Costco is currently offering another Groupon promotion that could be appealing. For the next couple of weeks, you can get a $50 or $100...
The Bulkhead Seat
Chase Sapphire Lounge Planned for Miami International Airport (MIA)
Miami International Airport (MIA) may soon have a new premium lounge offering, as plans…
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Remnants of Bizarre Tropical Storm Arthur Affecting Southeastern United States: June 2026 Travel Alert
Due to the effects of the remnants of bizarre Tropical Storm Arthur affecting the southeastern United States in June 2026, you may want to consider delaying your travel — or, at least, keep yourself updated as to the latest information pertaining to the weather — if the southeastern United States...
Live and Let’s Fly
Woman Arrested At Marrakech Airport After Posting Negative TikTok About Morocco
A French-Algerian content creator was arrested at Marrakech Menara Airport after posting a critical video about Morocco, including allegations about unsafe roads and police conduct. The arrest is certainly attention-grabbing, but I am not ready to jump to conclusions just yet. Blogger Arrested At Marrakech Airport After Critical TikTok Video...
Miles To Memories
Vroom, Vroom! 5% Categories For 2026 3rd Quarter & Quick Activation Links
I share the 5% Categories for the 2026 3rd quarter, give my thoughts on each and even give you easy to use activation links for them.
One Mile at a Time
Qantas Quietly Shifts Airbus A350-1000ULR Strategy, Shuns Melbourne
For nearly a decade, Qantas has been teasing how it will launch nonstop flights from Australia’s East Coast to London (LHR) and New York (JFK), under its ”Project Sunrise” concept. Initially, the idea was that these flights would be operated out of Sydney (SYD) and Melbourne (MEL), which is why...
Traveling For Miles
Hilton Points are on sale again (opportunities for big savings on high-end stays)
Hilton is running another one of its points sales again and assuming that the bonus you're targeted for is as high as 100% (which for most people it seems to be), you can now buy Hilton points from as little as 0.5 cents each and, as usual, with the cost...
Points Miles and Bling
Qatar Airways Restricts Who You Can Redeem Avios For
As of June 16, Qatar Airways Privilege Club has introduced new rules regarding who you can redeem your Avios for.…
The Bulkhead Seat
American Airlines Begins Using New Cockpit Security Barriers Today
As of today, American Airlines has begun using newly installed secondary cockpit barriers on…
Economy Class & Beyond
Qatar Airways restores 85% of its network, with boosted connections out of the United Kingdom and Ireland
With things settling down, Qatar Airways has been busy rebuilding capacity with its network, with 85% of the network restored. The milestone was reached with the launch of the airline’s summer 2026 schedule this week, which sees more than 140 daily departures from Doha to over 160 destinations worldwide. It...
Travel Codex
JetBlue Expands Mint LayFlat Business Class to San Diego
JetBlue just made a move that should get the attention of anyone who flies between South Florida and Southern California. Exciting those living in San Diego and Los Angeles. The airline announced a significant expansion of its premium Mint service from Fort Lauderdale, adding a new daily Mint flight to...
Dots, Lines, & Destinations
DLD 591: Come Hang With Us
Singapore? Bangkok? Lisbon? Portland? All are options to hang with the DLD crew this year, with the Portland event just a few weeks away.
Miles To Memories
($200 Bonus!) Earn Points For Payments You Normally Can’t Use A Credit Card For With Melio
There is a $200 Melio new member offer that is available to our loyal MTM readers. This program lets you earn payments on cash only payments.
2PAXfly
BOEING: Bird strikes, smoke and the cabin air problem that won’t go away
There are bird strikes. There are fume events. And then there are bird strikes that lead to smoke or oil mist entering the cockpit and/or cabin. That is the issue now ruffling feathers around Boeing’s 737 MAX, its LEAP-1B engines, and the regulators charged with deciding whether this is a...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 14 June, 2026
Greetings from Canada (I’m still here)! I’ve actually spanned the continent and just spent some delightful days enduring the cold of Newfoundland. I’ve also seen puffins at Gull Island and whales out of Bay Bulls Harbour. Both of which were wonderful experiences. Arrival at Montreal, not so much, but they...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: introduces confirmed upgrades with cash
Qantas has added a new way to upgrade your seat that takes the element of chance out. Confirmed Upgrades is a fixed-price cash upgrade offer for selected passengers on selected Qantas flights, with confirmation (or not) within half a day. This becomes the third form of upgrade you can use...
2PAXfly
WESTERN SYDNEY AIRPORT: Finally an opening date, and Jetstar gets first dibs
Western Sydney International Airport will welcome its first paying passengers on Sunday, 25 October 2026, with Jetstar being the first commercial passenger carrier off the tarmac. The inaugural flight from Western Sydney International, officially the Nancy-Bird Walton Airport and known by the code WSI, will be a Jetstar flight, JQ362,...
Wild About Travel
draft Kalogorlei ourback tnwn
I almost came to Kalgoorlie decades ago but never made it. I have travelled across Western Australia’s 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi), from Esperance in the south to Wyndham in the north, and through many towns, beaches, deserts, and mountain ranges in between. I love the state. Kalgoorlie remained...
2PAXfly
RIYADH AIR: New aviation deal with Saudi Arabia puts passennger flight on Australia’s horizon
Saudi Arabia has signed a new aviation agreement with Australia, opening the way for direct flights into Avalon in Victoria and Toowoomba Wellcamp in Queensland. The first flights are likely to be freight, chilled meat, seafood and dairy and not business class suites. But this raises the possiblity that Riyadh...
2PAXfly
RIYADH AIR: Initial destinations and flight schedule
We finally have the launch schedules and first five destinations for the long-awaited launch of Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air. Launch pricing is intriguing rather than sensational, but at least any travellers on these flights will get the full Riyadh experience in Riyadh Air’s fully kitted-out cabins. But don’t expect an...
2PAXfly
INDONESIA: Bali giveth to Australians, and taketh away from influencers
Bali is preparing to make holidays cheaper for Australians by restoring visa-free entry. At the same time, Indonesian immigration authorities are making life more complicated for influencers, content creators and assorted digital nomads by requiring them to obtain work visas. No longer will they be able to treat a tourist...