2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 22 June, 2026
Greetings from Sydney! I’m back after three weeks in Canada. I’ve crossed the country from Vancouver on the west coast to St John’s in Newfoundland, I think the most easterly point. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a city visit rather than time spent in nature. Cities visited in no...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Extends COVID credits usage, but redemption date stays 30 June 2026
Virgin Australia has made a late concession on its COVID-era travel credits, extending the travel period for eligible credits issued between 21 April 2020 and 31 July 2022. Passengers still need to book by 30 June 2026, but they can now travel up to 27 May 2027. That is a...
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...
Also on BoardingArea
Frequent Miler
Last Chance Deals: Delta, inKind, & Kroger gift card deals, Marriott points sale, & more
Welcome to our weekly list of what’s ending this week as well as a collection of some other deals that are due to end soon. There are ten deals due to end this week. Those include deals for Delta and inKind gift cards, as well as the latest 4X fuel points...
Points With a Crew
Which Hilton credit card is the best? (New Higher Welcome Offers)
There are 4 different Hilton credit cards - each with their own set of perks and benefits. Let's take a look at the pros and cons and decide which Hilton card is best
The Gate with Brian Cohen
What Is Wrong With This Photograph? Part 358
I enjoyed my recent visit to the state capitol building in Wyoming, which included interesting exhibits for visitors — but one presentation seemed off to me; and I am wondering if what I noticed is something that is actually wrong; or that perhaps I missed something. For this edition of this...
Frequent Miler
Why I chose the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card as the next addition to my $0 wallet (A Carrie commentary)
I recently wrote about my re-entry into the miles and points game with a low-hassle $0 credit card wallet. In that post, I described my thinking behind acquiring a Capital One Savor card and the Spark Miles Select card (now the Capital One VentureOne Business card). What my $0 wallet...
Your Mileage May Vary
How Airports Secretly Influence What You Buy, Where You Walk, And How You Feel
Airports may look like simple transportation hubs, but almost every aspect of their design is carefully planned. From the moment you enter the terminal until you board your flight, subtle…
The Bulkhead Seat
2026 Weekly Review: June 20th
Greetings from Chicago! We’re back for the summer aside from a few upcoming vacations…
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 22 June, 2026
Greetings from Sydney! I’m back after three weeks in Canada. I’ve crossed the country from Vancouver on the west coast to St John’s in Newfoundland, I think the most easterly point. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a city visit rather than time spent in nature. Cities visited in no...
View from the Wing
Delta Pilots Save The Day After Boston Air Traffic Control Clears American Jet For Takeoff Right As They’re Landing
Delta pilots went around on final approach at Boston after air traffic control cleared an American jet for takeoff on an intersecting runway. The controller then asked American, “Where are you going?” — even though the flight had already been cleared to depart.
One Mile at a Time
Weekly Review: June 20, 2026
I hope everyone is having a nice weekend so far! We just wrapped up an amazing week in Greece (despite the challenge of getting there), and just now arrived in South Tyrol. My first impression is very positive, and I can’t believe I hadn’t visited here since I was a...
Live and Let’s Fly
The Fatherhood Tradeoff I Gladly Made
Frank Bruni’s Father’s Day column hit me hard, because it put words to something I have felt for years: fatherhood has changed, and arguably for the better. The Fatherhood Tradeoff I Gladly Made Frank Bruni wrote a beautiful Father’s Day column in the New York Times that put into words...
Points With a Crew
Why You Should Always Print Your Boarding Pass (But I Never Do)
A recent Travel+Leisure article gives 4 reasons why you should ALWAYS print your boarding pass. The only problem is that ...
Your Mileage May Vary
Hyatt’s Late Checkout Perk: The Hidden Loophole You Need To Know
Hyatt has long received credit from miles-and-points travelers for being better than other major hotel loyalty programs. In many ways, that reputation was deserved. World of Hyatt benefits are generally…
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Horrifying Near Miss at Boston Logan as Quick-Thinking Delta Air Pilots Go Around to Avoid Landing On Top of American Airlines Boeing 737
The quick-thinking pilots of a Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 with as 129 passengers and six crew members on board averted a horrifying near miss as it was coming into land at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) on Saturday morning after air traffic controllers cleared an American Airlines to take...
The Bulkhead Seat
United Sends New Boeing 787-9 Back to Boeing After Repeated Technical Issues
United Airlines has pulled its first Boeing 787-9 featuring the carrier’s new “Elevated” interior…
One Mile at a Time
Chase Sapphire Preferred Review: New Product Changes Offer Overall Improvement
One of the most popular travel rewards cards is the $95 annual fee Chase Sapphire Preferred Card… and for good reason! The card consistently offers excellent welcome bonuses, with spending categories matching how many of us spend anyway. The perks are awesome without requiring a spreadsheet to track the benefits....
Miles To Memories
What the Hyatt Is Chase Thinking?
Chase took its sweet time making a Hyatt transfer devaluation. Today, I consider what the bank is possibly thinking with this move.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Double Arch Collapsed — But You Can Visit Another One. Photographs Included.
The Double Arch collapsed in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in southern Utah on Thursday, August 8, 2024 — but you can visit another one which is still intact. No fatalities or injuries were reported as a result of the collapse of the geologic feature known as Double Arch, which has...
View from the Wing
‘Billionaire Travel Rules’ Promises Luxury Secrets, Then Gets Hotels, Luggage, And Flying Commercial All Wrong
An Instagram reel promises “billionaire” travel secrets, but its advice about luggage, flying commercial, and hotel upgrades sounds more like status theater than luxury travel.
Your Mileage May Vary
Flight Attendant Gets The Last Laugh On A Passenger Who Claimed To Be Vegetarian
Airlines have gotten pretty good at accommodating special dietary requests. Whether it’s for medical, religious, or personal reasons, passengers can often request meals that fit their needs—as long as they…
Economy Class & Beyond
Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond (20th June)
It’s that time of the week again, where links are collated, commentary added, and I try to keep working through my bucket of iced coffee, given the hot weather the United Kingdom is enduring this week. It must be time for Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond. Time to be...
Live and Let’s Fly
United’s Brand-New 787 With Polaris Studio Suites Sent Back To Boeing After Operational Woes
United’s first new “Elevated” Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with Polaris Studio suites is heading back to Boeing after a rough start in commercial service. Whatever the precise technical issue, it appears serious enough to hobble service and now pull United’s most exciting new aircraft out of the schedule. United Airlines’ Brand-New...
Miles To Memories
Say What?! Get 25,000 Bilt Points For Signing Up For A No Fee Bank Of America Card
Rakuten is offering an extra bonus when you apply for two no-fee Bank of America credit cards. Earn up to $275 or 27,500 points.
Points With a Crew
19 Tech and Travel Amazon Father’s Day Deals
If you're looking for last-minute Father's Day gifts, Amazon has some decent deals on travel and tech gear going on this weekend, including headphones, luggage, locks, packing cubes and supplies, travel books and ...
Point Me to the Plane
The Worst Inflight Annoyances: Seat Kickers, Bare Feet & More, Study Says
Wonder what other flyers find annoying about their seatmates' behavior? This survey ranks the list.
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...
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...