Wild About Travel
Ode to Paris: My Favourite Things
Paris does something to me that no other city quite manages — it hits me every single time I arrive. The smells, the tower, the croissants, the hot chocolate, the coffee, the Seine, the packed brasseries, the art galleries, the markets, the parks. All beautiful. That’s the thing about the...
2PAXfly
AUSTRALIA: International travellers to be slugged another AU$10 to leave
Australian international travellers will pay more to leave the country from 1 January 2027. The Federal Budget confirms the Passenger Movement Charge (PMC) will rise by AU$10 from AU$70 to AU$80. This is a Commonwealth charge applied to most passengers departing Australia by air or sea. Airlines collect it through...
Wild About Travel
Cities I Love
A series for travellers, dreamers, and anyone who has ever fallen for a place. It’s a crazy time right now, isn’t it? In the midst of everything, I’ve been reminiscing about how lucky I’ve been to spend time in some of the most extraordinary cities on earth. Not just passing...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Digital upgrade — faster check-in, smarter app, and priority bag drops
Virgin has announced a major upgrade to its mobile app and domestic airport check-in experience. It promises a 50% redution in check-in times across 10 Australian domestic airports. The rollout starts this month, May 2026, and should rbe complete before the end of the year. What this actually means is...
Also on BoardingArea
Frequent Miler
Current Amex Offers
This post is designed to show current Amex Offers. If you have any Amex cards, even authorized user cards, then you’re eligible to sign up for offers when you log into your Amex account. If you’re planning to shop or book travel, check this page to see if an Amex...
Points With a Crew
The Easiest Way To Get Your Free $50 From Rakuten (Deal Extended)
If you're not sure how to take advantage of the easy $50 welcome bonus from Rakuten, here is in my opinion the best way to get some easy money. Simply ...
Economy Class & Beyond
TRIP REPORT: Off the Camera Roll – Views and Images of a Windy City – Still for the Friends
Off the Camera Roll – Views and Images of a Windy City TRIP REPORT: Still for the Friends Time for a bit of a photojournal. Something new for the trip reports called “Off the Camera Roll” Still for the friends But first. A trip to Liverpool, North West England.  But...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
The One Benefit of a Window Seat With No Window
My preference for a window seat has been mentioned in many articles here at The Gate With Brian Cohen primarily because I can enjoy the view of outside the aircraft — even if it only offers clouds, ocean, and sky; and whether the view is during the day or night... ...but...
Frequent Miler
Get 2 ChatGPT Business seats for $25/mo total for 4 years! (probably won’t last)
Dan’s Deals has uncovered a working link to subscribe to ChatGPT Business and get the second seat free for 4 years. That means that with the link below, as long as this deal lasts, you’ll be able to sign up for ChatGPT Business for 2 people for a total of...
Frequent Miler
Best $95 travel credit card combo | Frequent Miler on the Air Ep358 | 5-15-26
We talk a lot about the ultra-premium credit cards with expensive annual fees, but there are plenty of people interested in credit cards with more modest annual fees. Luckily, there are some great $95 credit cards that can be supplemented with fee-free cards for a great travel rewards strategy. Best...
Your Mileage May Vary
United Sent Us A “Customer Appreciation” Email After Our Flight Returned To Its Departure City
After our United flight to Frankfurt turned around mid-flight and stranded us back in Washington D.C., the compensation process was almost as confusing as the disruption itself. If you’ve been…
woman shares traveling accident and airline issue (l) Flair Airlines aircraft (r)
BoardingArea
Woman Falls Off Bridge In Mexico, Breaking Her Spine. Then She Tries To Reschedule Her Flight Home With Flair Airlines: ‘No Sign Of Humanity’
“We cannot make any exceptions..."
The Bulkhead Seat
FAA Approves DJT Airport Code for Palm Beach International Airport After Recent Renaming
As I wrote about in March, Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) is officially being…
Frequent Miler
Mastercard launches “Taste by Priceless” Lounges
It seems like every Tom, Dick, airline, and credit card issuer has their own airport lounge these days. Never one to miss out on a chance to get in the game late, Mastercard has now announced the opening of two new proprietary lounges, one in Hong Kong and the other...
View from the Wing
Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Bets $2.6 Billion On Delta — After Decades Warning Against Airlines
Warren Buffett spent decades warning that airlines destroy capital, joking that investors needed to be talked down before buying them. Now Berkshire Hathaway is back anyway, disclosing a $2.6 billion stake in Delta — its third major run at an industry Buffett once treated like an addiction.
Miles To Memories
Vegas Elevator Nightmare, Another Pro Sports Team, Allegiant’s Big Merger & AI Maps Gone Wild!
More pro sports for Vegas, elevator nightmare, updating on Summer comps, Mandalay Bay suite tour plus Slotapalooza!
View from the Wing
American Airlines Wants Commercial Flights Back To Naples, Florida — The Airport Locals Tried To Move
American Airlines wants to bring commercial flights back to Naples, Florida — a wealthy, convenient Gulf Coast airport that locals have spent years fighting, and even tried to move. The plan is for Charlotte service starting this winter, but the real story is whether one of Florida’s most contested small...
The Bulkhead Seat
American Airlines Adds 23,000 Seats for Biggest-Ever Football Travel Schedule
American Airlines is boosting its flight schedule this fall to accommodate football fans traveling…
Points With a Crew
Should you buy Hilton points with (up to) a 100% bonus?
Buying points can be a great way to boost your balance, but only if makes sense financially! Does the new Hilton promotion fit that criteria?
Points With a Crew
Kickstarter: VitaLink Thin Foldable Keyboard (Back By Saturday)
The VitaLink foldable keyboard is a sleek CNC foldable keyboard with a 4K touch display, speakers, and 8 layout options. It's on Kickstarter, but only for a few more ...
You Are Travel
This Priority Pass Lounge Was Just Named the Best of Its Bunch
​tl;dr – Representing PDX! ​Priority Pass recently announced its Priority Pass Excellence Awards 2026, and the big winner…
Your Mileage May Vary
The Most Stressful Airports in the U.S. According to Travel & Leisure
Not all airports feel the same. Some are calm, quiet, and surprisingly pleasant. Others feel like chaos wrapped in construction, traffic, crowds, and delayed flights. When I went to what…
Frequent Miler
US Bank Amazon Business cards are live with targeted welcome offers of up to $750
Early this week, US Bank officially launched its new Amazon Business Cards for new applications. In and of itself, the card is interesting to Amazon Prime customers, as it earns 5% back at Amazon, AWS, and Whole Foods, and 2% back on your top 3 monthly non-Amazon categories (the non-Prime...
Frequent Flyer Bonuses
Offer Extended: Earn 40,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points on private home rentals
The best offer of the year for booking private home rentals via Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy has been extended by a week! The 40,000 bonus Bonvoy points offer is now available for booking until May 22, 2026 The 40,000 bonus points offer: Earn 40,000 Bonus Bonvoy Points when...
View from the Wing
The Travel Review Trap In Europe — How I Avoid Bad Hotels And Restaurants Built For Tourists
I do not read hotel and restaurant reviews abroad the same way everywhere. In Europe, bad reviews can be easier for businesses to challenge or remove, so I rely less on average ratings and more on patterns, photos, trusted local sites, and avoiding obvious tourist traps.
One Mile at a Time
Airline Dress Codes: What Constitutes “Offensive” Clothing? Does This Count?
Every so often, we see airlines remove people from aircraft for violating their vague dress codes. In this post, I’d like to talk about that in a bit more detail, because I saw some shirts at an airport today that sure caught me off guard…
Miles To Memories
Allegiant Completes Acquisition of Sun Country Airlines
Allegiant has successfully completed its acquisition of Sun Country Airlines Holdings in a $15 billion deal.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Save Up to 45% at Select Iberostar Beachfront Resorts With IHG One Rewards
You can enjoy some time relaxing at the beach and spend less money, as you can save up to a maximum of 45% at select Iberostar Beachfront Resorts with IHG One Rewards at 26 participating resort properties in Mexico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Brazil, Aruba, and the United States from Thursday,...
2PAXfly
GOVERNMENT: Budget grounds taxpayer-funded Qantas Club memberships
The Australian Federal Government has cottoned on to the public service’s travel habit of taxpayer-funded airline lounge memberships. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has banned Commonwealth agencies from charging taxpayers for Qantas Club, Virgin Australia lounge and similar airline memberships. The directive emerged from the 2026 budget papers. Lounge bill The...
2PAXfly
NEW ZEALAND: Flight from Blenheim to Wellington on Air New Zealand
Our return to Wellington was from Blenheim Airport (BHE). It’s a tiny airport adjacent to a New Zealand Air Force facility. No lounge, and not much of anything else except a big waiting room with two ‘gates’, one at either end. The Airport Facilities are minimal, no lounge, for example,...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 10 May, 2026
Greetings from Sydney. As you will find out below, I have been battling an awful case of jet lag. It has filled me with brain fog, sleep deprivation, irritability, and a general lack of thought capability. I’ve written a post about what I should have done to combat it. What...
2PAXfly
JET LAG: I have been suffering the worst jet-lag of my life. Here is what I should have done
About a week ago, I returned from London to Sydney via Istanbul and Singapore. My flights were mostly with Turkish Airlines, with the last leg on a wet-leased Finnair A330 on a Qantas ticket. It’s been a week, and I am still desperately sleep deprived, irritable, brain fogged, and useless....
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Double Status Credits in ‘Pick your bonus’ promo. A longer runway than Qantas
Virgin Australia has responded to Qantas’ latest double rewards offer with its own ‘Pick Your Bonus‘ 2026 promotion, giving Velocity Frequent Flyer members the choice of double Status Credits or double Velocity Points on eligible flights. Qantas’ current offer is limited to flights between 12 May and 31 August 2026....
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Double Status Credits surprise, but only for Australia and New Zealand
Qantas has launched a short, sharp ‘double rewards’ offer for Frequent Flyer members. You can choose between double Status Credits or double Qantas Points on eligible flights within Australia and across the Tasman. The booking window is tight. You need to register and book between 12.01 am AEST on 5...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 3 May, 2026
Greetings from Sydney. My month-long stay in the UK has come to an end, and I’m back home to enjoy the dwindling warmth of Autumn. It was a great time catching up with friends, seeing way too much theatre, and adding to my long list of galleries, museums, and artworks...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: More cuts to domestic flights but flights to Paris and Rome extended
Qantas has confirmed it will extend its 5% reduction in domestic capacity through to September, stretching what was initially a short-term cut from May–June into a full winter slowdown. Its low-cost sibling Jetstar is following suit, with both airlines also trimming flights across the Tasman and within New Zealand. For...