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
Frequent Miler
Bilt Rent Day for June: 25%-125% transfer bonus to TAP Air Portugal
Bilt Rewards has announced details of the next Rent Day, with this one happening on June 1. It offers a transfer bonus of 25%-125%, but it’ll likely be of limited appeal seeing as it’s to TAP Air Portugal. The Deal Transfer Bilt Rewards points to TAP Air Portugal on June...
One Mile at a Time
Saudi Arabia’s Futuristic “The Line” Gets Reality Check, As Project Suspended
Saudi Arabia is investing an unprecedented amount of money in tourism, and also in diversifying its economy away from oil. I’ve been watching this with great interest, as we’ve never seen a project to this scale before, and many have wondered just how realistic some of these ambitions are. I’m...
View from the Wing
United CEO Rules Out Buying American Airlines And JetBlue — But A JetBlue Bankruptcy Would Change The Math
Scott Kirby says United is not buying American Airlines or JetBlue — and calls a JetBlue deal “mathematically not doable.” But a bankruptcy scenario, recently floated by JetBlue's founder, would change the math.
Economondo
Review: Jin Air Boeing 737-800 – Seoul Gimpo to Jeju
This is review details my experience on a Jin Air Boeing 737-800 in June 2024. You can read my much more detailed full trip report of this flight by clicking here. About the Airline Expectations Pre-Flight Experience Once upon a distant time, booking a Korean domestic flight with an overseas...
Points With a Crew
No, Sorry – You Can’t Get A “Free Priority Pass Membership”
Despite what certain other blog authors might say, you can't have a "free" Priority Pass membership. Maybe travel isn't "free" but this isn't even close
Your Mileage May Vary
Can You Sit In An Exit Row If You Need A Seat Belt Extender?
Exit row seats are already confusing enough for some travelers. You have to be willing to help in an emergency, physically capable of opening the door, able to hear and…
One Mile at a Time
United CEO Scott Kirby Scoffs At Buying JetBlue, Says It’s “Last Thing” He’d Do
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby is a very smart, but increasingly strange and unpredictable, leader. He does a great job propelling his airline in the right direction, but I feel like he’s saying more and more things that make you scratch your head, and make you wonder if he is...
Frequent Miler
Capital One Offers: Spend $20 & earn 1K bonus miles at many retailers (eBay, Home Depot, Dollar General, & more, targeted)
Capital One Offers is currently targeting some cardholders with nicely rewarding spending offers for a nominal amount of spend. In many cases, you can spend $20 at a wide range of retailers and earn 1,000 bonus miles. The Deal Spend $20 at select retailers & get 1,000 bonus miles from...
Miles To Memories
American Airlines to Install Starlink on 500+ Narrowbody Aircraft in 2027
American Airlines has announced a sweeping modernization of its narrowbody inflight customer experience with the installation of Starlink, the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Earn Up to 2,500 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points With Uber
You can earn up to 2,500 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points with Uber — if you have not yet linked your Marriott Bonvoy and Uber accounts — when you complete up to three different ways to earn those points as an extension to the partnership which launched in Spring 2021 between...
Frequent Miler
Citi Custom Cash card is almost certainly being discontinued
Doctor of Credit published a post yesterday about a rumor that the Citi Custom Cash card will be getting discontinued by the end of this week. That sadly looks to be nigh on confirmed as they now have a screenshot of answers for Citi bankers to provide in relation to...
One Mile at a Time
Buy Wyndham Rewards Points With Up To 80% Bonus (0.72 Cents): Worth It?
Wyndham Rewards has launched its latest promotion on purchased points. While not quite in line with the best offers we’ve seen from the program, it’s still competitive. However, I’d only make a purchase with a specific use in mind, since Wyndham Rewards points have become less valuable over time.
View from the Wing
Saudi Arabia’s $1 Trillion Mirrored City Hits A Wall — The Tourism Bet Behind Riyadh Air Just Got Harder
Saudi Arabia’s mirrored megacity was supposed to help sell the kingdom as the next global tourism powerhouse. But with NEOM’s The Line now pushed beyond 2030 and other resort investments slowing, the travel demand behind Riyadh Air has gotten more challenging, as the country tries to figure out if...
You Are Travel
Norse Atlantic Airways Is Looking for a Buyer: Here’s Who Makes Sense
tl;dr – Who will end up with the Draupnir? ​Norse Atlantic Airways is reportedly up for sale and…
Your Mileage May Vary
We Went To Hamburg For The World’s Largest Miniature Airport. Miniatur Wunderland Was Much More Than That
If you hadn’t heard, we’re back from my wife Sharon’s big round birthday year trip. And in our house, those trips come with one simple rule: the birthday person gets…
Miles To Memories
Citi Merchant Offers, Save $50 on JetBlue Flights
Citi has a new Merchant Offer that can get you a $50 discount on JetBlue purchases. You can find these offers in your Citi app, or your account online.
Economy Class & Beyond
TRIP REPORT: It’s Still for the Friends
TRIP REPORT: It’s Still for the Friends. Still for the Friends Let’s see how American Airlines does in Transatlantic Economy Class and in the Main Cabin Extra subclass. Are things down the back improving… or degrading?  Still for the friends But first. A trip to Liverpool, North West England.  But...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Irate Passenger Shuts Down Manchester Airport in Bridge Protest After Airline Refused to Let Him Fly When He Urinated Himself
An irate passenger has been arrested and taken into custody after he shut down Manchester International Airport in the north of England when he started a bridge protest, causing traffic in and out of Terminal 2 to come to a halt as police rushed to close down roads as they...
Points Miles and Bling
The All-New Tangerine Rewards World Elite Mastercard
The Tangerine family of credit cards is expanding with the launch of the new Tangerine® Rewards World Elite®* Mastercard®*, a premium option that…
Frequent Miler
Discover It welcome offer doubled to $200, but not via referrals
For as long as I can remember, the welcome bonus on the Discover It card has been $100 after your first purchase, with the cashback you earn in the first year being doubled. That’s recently changed. You can now earn a $200 bonus, although there is a higher minimum spend...
Miles To Memories
Last Chance to Apply or Product Change! Citi Custom Cash Card Going Away
The Citi Custom Cash Card will be discontinued. Internal documents that were shared on reddit show that the card will no longer be available through new customer acquisition channels starting May 29, 2026.
You Are Travel
Kennedy 89, The Unbound Collection Hyatt Review: A Comfortable, Convenient Frankfurt Crash Pad Still Bookable with a 1-4 Award
tl;dr – A serviceable hotel that I’m sure will get better with time. Bonus points for strong elite…
One Mile at a Time
Ritz-Carlton Manager “Not Authorized” To Offer Service Failure Compensation
An OMAAT reader shared a frustrating Ritz-Carlton experience with me, and unfortunately my take on this is likely pretty cynical…
Points With a Crew
Buy United miles with up to a 100% bonus
For a limited time, you can get up to a 100% bonus miles when buying United miles. But is it worth it? Actually I only recommend buying miles in 3 instances: if you ...
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...