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...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Restarting Doha flights with Qatar Airways from June
Although Qatar Airways has resumed some of its Australian network flights as of 1 May, Virgin Australia’s wet-leased flights using Qatar Airways aircraft are not returning until June The return to the wet lease agreement is cautious because of the Middle East conflict. Virgin Australia has confirmed its Doha flights...
2PAXfly
QATAR AIRWAYS: Network begins to rebound restoring Australian flights
Qatar Airways is ramping up flights to Australia, restoring capacity after months of disruption caused by Middle East airspace closures. From May, the Doha-based carrier is progressively returning to a full schedule across Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, with daily flights reinstated after a period of reduced services. Australian routes return...
Also on BoardingArea
Monkey Miles
Rakuten – 15-20x on a ton of stores with Big Give Week
Rakuten is running a flash sale
The Points of Life
Simply The Best: April 2026
Get with it TPOL. Time to post more. Here’s what I did post from April. Go Blue! A777Neo Wins TPOL’s March Madness Bracket! St. Lucia Carnival: This Isn’t Trinidad World Cup 2026 Tickets: Did I Buy Too Many, Not Enough? Introduction: Michigan Basketball National Championship Trip Report Thank You Trump!...
Miles To Memories
Staples Brings Back Fee Free Bonus Points Earning With Visa Gift Card Promotion
There is a new Staples Visa gift card deal this week that allows you to earn some fee free bonus points & increase your earning elsewhere.
Frequent Miler
Fee-free Visa Gift Cards online and in-store at Staples
Staples is again offering fee-free fixed $200 Visa Gift Cards, this time both online and in-store through Saturday, May 9, 2026 (though I would expect the online offering might not make it that long). The limit is nine per customer per day in-store (although some stores may allow more), while the...
One Mile at a Time
New Lufthansa FOX “Premium Onboard Experience” Debuts In All Four Classes
Lufthansa is currently trying to improve its passenger experience, particularly on long haul flights. We’re seeing the airline progressively roll out its new long haul Allegris cabin concept, which includes a new first class and new business class, among other things.
TravelUpdate
Deadly Virus Spreads On Atlantic Cruise, Leaving 3 Passengers Dead
3 passengers just died due to a virus during a recent cruise. How severe is this virus and how quickly can it spread?
One Mile at a Time
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Review: Big Annual Fee, Bigger Benefits
Link: Learn more about the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
View from the Wing
American Airlines AI Gave Away Their Seats — Even Though They Made It To The Gate On Time
American Airlines passengers made it to the gate on time in Miami, with boarding still underway — but their seats were already gone. The likely culprit is American’s automated rebooking system, which can give away seats from passengers it predicts will miss a connection before they actually do, leaving these...
TravelUpdate
Amex Platinum Card Refresh Numbers, New Amex Gold Card Benefits & more…
The success of the Amex Platinum Card refresh, new Amex Gold Card benefits and more as we recap the top stories from the week gone by.
Eye of the Flyer
150,000 Points: The Chase Sapphire Reserve®’s Best Offer in History
If you’ve been eyeing the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card and looking for a sign that it’s time to apply, this might be it. Chase’s premium travel, lifestyle, and rewards product now features a limited-time promotion — the card’s biggest offer ever. Earn A very conservative value of 150,000 Chase points...
BoardingArea
Review : Salon Odyssee, Desjardin – Plaza Premium Lounge – Montreal (YUL), Transborder Concourse
The only lounge in Montreal’s transborder (US) concourse that is not operated by Air Canada remains one of the oddest lounges I have visited The summary This lounge remains the only choice for travelers leaving Montreal for the US that are not flying Air Canada (or Star Alliance carriers). It...
View from the Wing
Delta Air Lines Once Offered Hot Towels And Multi-Course Meals In Economy — Now Passengers Are Roasting This Sad Sandwich [Roundup]
Delta once tried to make economy class feel premium, with hot towels and multi-course meals on long-haul flights. Here's just how far the airline’s onboard experience has fallen. Plus United looks to save money on business class amenity kits, airlines rushing in to back fill for Spirit Airlines and more.
You Are Travel
Marriott Brings W Hotel to this Quaint Seaside Italian Town
​tl;dr – The W Sardinia – Poltu Quatu is now open. ​Marriott recently fully launched its third W…
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Singapore Airlines Chooses Ultra-Fast Starlink Wi-Fi But Passengers Could Be Left Disappointed… Here’s Why
Singapore Airlines has become the latest major international carrier to sign a major deal with Elon Musk’s Starlink internet company for fast and free in-flight Wi-Fi at 38,000 feet. Unfortunately, Singapore Airlines’ plans for Starlink aren’t nearly quite as grand as many of its rivals. Announcing the Starlink deal on...
Live and Let’s Fly
Delta Cancels Hundreds Of Flights, Warns Operational Problems Could Last All Summer
Delta Air Lines has canceled hundreds of flights this weekend while rivals largely kept flying, and the issue appears to be more than weather. Does this foreshadow a summer of misery for Delta passengers? Delta Cancels Hundreds Of Flights As “Crew Restrictions” Expose Operational Weakness Delta Air Lines has canceled...
One Mile at a Time
Yikes: United Boeing 767 Strikes Truck & Light Pole On Newark Approach
When you’re driving on the highway, you don’t generally expect that you’re at risk of being hit by a commercial aircraft. Yet that’s exactly what just happened. I first covered this yesterday, but would like to provide an update, as some more details have been made available.
One Mile at a Time
Amazing Rakuten Promotion: Earn Up To 100x Amex Or Bilt Points Per Dollar Spent
Online shopping portalscan be a great way to pick up miles & points for purchases youd make anyway. Just for following a specific link, you can earn bonus points or cash back in addition to the rewards youd earn for credit card spending.
One Mile at a Time
Amazing Rakuten Promotion: Earn Up To 100x Amex Or Bilt Points Per Dollar Spent
Online shopping portalscan be a great way to pick up miles & points for purchases youd make anyway. Just for following a specific link, you can earn bonus points or cash back in addition to the rewards youd earn for credit card spending.
One Mile at a Time
Singapore Airlines Rolling Out Free Starlink Wi-Fi, With A Major Catch
Singapore Airlines has just become the latest carrier to announce plans to introduce free Starlink Wi-Fi, though the timeline and percentage of the fleet expected to be fitted with the service leaves a bit to be desired.
Live from a Lounge
Singapore Airlines will offer internet connectivity via Starlink 2027 onwards on Airbus aircraft
Singapore Airlines has signed on with Starlink to become its latest customer, providing high-speed Wi-Fi on board. Coming 2027.
Frequent Flyer Bonuses
Earn up to 3,000 bonus Miles & More miles when flying with ITA Airways
Now with ITA Airways fully integrated into the Miles & More ecosystem, the program is offering a bonus miles incentive to fly with the Italian airline. The up to 3,000 bonus miles offer: Earn up to 3,000 bonus Miles & More Miles when you fly with ITA Airways. Earn 1,000...
Frequent Miler
Domes Noruz Chania, Crete hotel review (Marriott & Fine Hotels + Resorts® property)
My wife and I just spent the last eight nights on vacation in Crete, a Greek island in the Mediterranean Sea. We spent the first five nights at the adults-only Domes Noruz Chania which is part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection that we booked through Amex’s Fine Hotels + Resorts® (FHR)...
The Bulkhead Seat
Gone But Not Forgotten: The Rise and Fall of America’s Lost Airlines
Spirit Airlines going out of business has taken over almost all travel news this…
Points With a Crew
Chase Ink Business Preferred® vs. Chase Ink Business Unlimited® – $750 or 90,000 points
The Chase Ink Preferred and Chase Ink Unlimited are two of Chase's business credit cards and they can both be great options to boost your Ultimate Rewards points balance. Deciding which one is best can depend on ...
2PAXfly
INTERNATIONAL FLYING: Middle East conflict and fuel crisis cuts one in four flights
Almost a quarter of international flights from Australia were cancelled in April. That’s according to the AFR, as airlines scrambled to deal with soaring fuel prices and widespread airspace disruptions. The trigger is the escalating conflict involving Iran, which has effectively shut down large parts of Gulf airspace since late...
2PAXfly
EMIRATES: Talk of First Class private suites with en suite bathrooms
Rumours are mounting that Emirates could be working on a new First Class concept featuring private suites with their own en-suite bathrooms. It sounds ambitious, but this is the airline that already put showers on board the Airbus A380 and introduced fully enclosed suites on the Boeing 777. If any...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: New open skies deal between Australia and Canada opens more flights and destinations
A new open skies agreement between Australia and Canada has removed limits on flights between the two countries, giving Qantas the green light to expand its services. The updated air services arrangement allows unlimited passenger capacity for Australian carriers, replacing the previous cap that effectively limited Qantas to a daily...
2PAXfly
FIJI AIRWAYS: Dallas USA flights dropped from September
Fiji Airways is reshaping its network, cutting its Dallas route while boosting capacity on other key services amid rising fuel costs. The airline will suspend flights between Nadi and Dallas Fort Worth from 7 September, marking a retreat from one of its longest and most operationally demanding routes. That removes...
2PAXfly
EMIRATES: A380s to get Starlink WiFi
The first Starlink-equipped superjumbo is now in service, marking the start of a rollout the airline says will extend across its entire fleet by mid-2027. And, it’s free. Emirates is ditching its current pay-to-use model, which charges up to around US$20, in favour of complimentary high-speed access for all passengers....
Wild About Travel
Draft Future of First Class?
From Railway to Runway I juts tcked ofve r 1800 flights. of hthsoe, just 23 havebeejn fistc alss Some quick history. The class system in air travel, evolved from the British railways of the 1830s and originally aligned closely with the British Class System. Understanding this evolution from railways to...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 26 April, 2026
I’m still in London, but will be departing soon. It’s really begun to warm up now, just in time for the London Marathon today. Not that I’m a participant. In fact, the only reason I know is because of its effects on public transport. And there seem to be a...
2PAXfly
SYDNEY AIRPORTS: July will see changes to flight paths as Western Sydney Airport starts cargo flights
Sydney’s skies are about to change, and if you live under a flight path, brace for impact. A shake-up of airspace across the city kicks in on July 9, paving the way for the first cargo flights into Western Sydney Airport later that month. It’s all part of getting the...