The Gate with Brian Cohen
Flights to Atlanta Resume With Ethiopian Airlines: Special Fares and Bonus Miles
Flights to Atlanta resume with Ethiopian Airlines — as well as special airfares starting as low as $999.00 for a ticket for a seat in the economy class cabin — using modern Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 airplanes with service effective as of Thursday, May 21, 2026... ...but you must...
Dots, Lines, & Destinations
DLD 581: A Premium Pair
Chatting up changes for a pair of premium cabins, plus points subscriptions, capacity shifts, and more fallout from the Iran war.
The Bulkhead Seat
American Raises Checked Bag Fees to Match Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United
American Airlines has joined the party and announced that it will be increasing the…
Frequent Miler
What are JetBlue TrueBlue points worth?
At Frequent Miler, we keep a database of point valuations called “Reasonable Redemption Values.” These are estimates of the “worth” of airline miles, hotel points, transferable points, and more. The idea is to identify the point at which it is “reasonable” to get that much value or more from your...
Points With a Crew
Kickstarter: SANJINZY 240W Hyper-Thin Metal USB-C Cable
The SANJINZY 240W USB-C cable is super thin and made out of metal to be more durable than other cables. It's on Kickstarter, but only for a few more ...
Wild About Travel
Sendai: The City of Trees
A 90-minute hop from Tokyo on Japan’s fastest train, the Hayabusa Shinkansen, brings you to Sendai, the city of trees! My critique of many Japanese cities is that they have a lot of concrete and asphalt, and not much green space. In the 19th century, Sendai’s local ruler encouraged tree...
One Mile at a Time
Review: Thai Airways Business Lounge Bangkok Airport (BKK)
During myexotic journey to Bangkok via Paris,I flew Thai Airways’ Boeing 787 business class from Bangkok (BKK) to Milan (MXP). Prior to my flight, I had chance to check out several of the Star Alliance lounge options in Bangkok, and in this installment, I’d like to review the Thai Airways...
The Points of Life
Go Blue! A777Neo Wins TPOL’s March Madness Bracket!
TPOL went from 35th place to 4th place as Michigan beat UConn to make my life great again. Whether A777Neo will visit Puerto Rico is the outstanding question. Next up: TPOL’s Final Four Trip Report. The post Go Blue! A777Neo Wins TPOL’s March Madness Bracket! appeared first on The Points Of...
Live and Let’s Fly
American Airlines Flight Delayed Because Pilot Was In Line At Starbucks…That’s How Bad AA Coffee Is
Airlines delay flights for all kinds of reasons…weather, maintenance, late inbound aircraft. But a pilot stuck in line at Starbucks? American Airlines Flight Delayed Because Pilot Was In Starbucks Line A reader of View From The Wing shares a story of an American Airlines flight from Charlotte (CLT) to Liberia...
The Bulkhead Seat
Lufthansa Flight Attendants Plan to Strike Tomorrow Amid Labor Dispute
Lufthansa’s flight attendants are preparing to stage a one-day strike tomorrow, April 10th. This…
One Mile at a Time
Delta CEO Says Fares May Not Go Down Even If Oil Prices Drop, And That’s Fine
Delta CEO Ed Bastian is being criticized over some comments he made about the trajectory of ticket prices. This is one of those topics on which I have to defend airlines, as I think some people are just unrealistic about how the industry works.
View from the Wing
Airlines Blame High Fuel Costs For Bag Fee Hikes — But Shouldn’t Promise To Cut Them When Costs Fall
Airlines keep pointing to higher fuel costs when they raise bag fees, and that is rhetorically powerful because passengers understandably expect lower costs to mean lower prices. But that is not how airline pricing really works: fees are one tool carriers use to manage total revenue, and they have no...
TravelUpdate
American Express Adds New Restrictions, This Time To Referral Bonuses
American Express has made a sudden unannounced update to its referral program, making changes to annual caps on earnings.
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
American Airlines Let Flight Attendants Busted For Drugs And Alcohol Return to Work Without Follow Up Testing
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has accused American Airlines of allowing 12 flight attendants who were busted for positive drug and alcohol tests, including amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine, return to work without completing the necessary follow-up tests to ensure they were clean. The lapses allegedly occurred between May 2019...
Live from a Lounge
European Carriers such as Lufthansa, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic expand capacity to India
Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Swiss and Lufthansa are all hastening their plans to launch flights to India. Here are the details of the plans.
One Mile at a Time
Delta CEO Predicts Multiple Airline Mergers, Says They’ll All Benefit Delta
Airline consolidation has been a big topic of conversation in recent times. We’ve recently learned that JetBlue is reportedly looking to be acquired, and we’ve even seen the Transportation Secretary talk about how ”Trump loves to see big deals.”
Live and Let’s Fly
Delta, Southwest Match $45 Bag Fee As Airlines Once Again Move In Lockstep
Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines are the latest two U.S. carriers to raise baggage fees in the face of rising fuel costs and uncertainty in the Middle East. Delta, Southwest Raises Checked Bag Fees, The Latest Carriers To Hike Prices Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines have raised its...
No Work All Travel
Hotel Review: Tower Club at lebua, Bangkok
Disclaimer: In exchange for a review, I was invited to enjoy one of the new guest rooms at the Tower Club at lebua, Bangkok. The last time I stayed at the Tower Club at lebua,  the focus was on the food. Given its Michelin-starred pair of restaurants, as well as other...
2PAXfly
EUROPE: New EES entry system for Australians
From April 10, a major overhaul of border control across much of Europe comes into full effect, replacing the familiar passport stamp with biometric data, digital records. I experienced this when entering the Czech Republic at Prague Airport in March, and it was surprisingly efficient. It’s called the Entry/Exit System...
One Mile at a Time
Lufthansa Flight Attendants Going On Strike, Most April 10 Flights Canceled
Lufthansa is pulling out all the stops to celebrate its 100th anniversary in the most authentic way possible, and it involves lots of industrial action. A few weeks ago, Lufthansa pilots went on a two-day strike, and now Lufthansa flight attendants are planning a one-day strike.
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Man Caught Stealing From Passenger Hand Luggage On Flight to Pittsburgh After He Was Spotted Vaping in Bathroom
A man was only caught stealing from other passengers’ hand luggage on a flight from Los Angeles to Pittsburgh after he drew attention to himself when he started to vape in the bathroom. Jaymer Ferrell, 23, of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count of theft on an aircraft after...
Live from a Lounge
BOBCARD Etihad Guest Premium Credit Card: Up to 15,000 Miles on Signup in April 2026
Etihad Guest and BOBCARD have launched a new signup offer on their newly launched co-brand credit card, the best one, so far.
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Bahrain Finally Reopens its International Airport After 39 Days As Iran Ceasefire Takes Hold
The Kingdom of Bahrain has finally reopened its main international airport on the outskirts of the capital, Manama, after it was shuttered for an unprecedented 39 days following the start of US and Israeli strikes on Iran. At the outset of the conflict on February 28, Bahrain closed its airspace...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Lufthansa Flight Attendants Will Go On Strike On Friday in Latest Disruption For German Flag Carrier
Lufthansa’s centenary year of celebrations is turning into one of disruption and strife as the German flag carrier faces down yet another day of strike action from aircrew… This time, from flight attendants at its flagship mainline carrier, as well as one of the airline’s short-haul subsidiaries. Crew members from...
Monkey Miles
Amex changes referral terms – 5 referrals per year, per card
This update just went through, but you’re now limited to 5 Amex referrals per year, per card…not per person. You can see it now when you log in and go to refer. Digging deeper into the terms and conditions is where you’ll find the language regarding per card vs per...
Frequent Miler
90K Bilt points through welcome bonuses
Until recently, there weren’t many opportunities to earn many Bilt points through welcome bonuses. People previously earned Bilt points primarily through credit card spend, rewards for paying rent, and shopping or dining with Bilt’s partners. Two big developments have changed all that. First, with the rollout of Bilt 2.0, Bilt...
Points With a Crew
Should you sign up for the Capital One Venture or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card? (Higher Offer Ending Soon)
Chase and Capital One both offer great mid-tier credit cards for travel points and miles. Which card is better?
The Gate with Brian Cohen
In Which Direction Does Water Drain at the Equator?
One of the people who asked me about whether or not I was north or south of the Equator in Kenya also asked me about in which direction does water drain at the Equator. People generally believe that water drains counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere in accordance with the Coriolis...
Frequent Miler
UBS credit cards finally have welcome bonuses (but only through 6/30/26)
UBS credit cards are quirky little things. Historically they haven’t had welcome offers, you need to be a High Net Worth individual to get approved for them, and you can’t apply for them online—you have to call UBS. While the latter two quirks haven’t changed, the first one has: there...
You Are Travel
Hilton Forges Exclusive Agreement with YOTEL
​tl;dr – Hilton makes a move in the ‘smart-convenience’ sub-segment of ‘lifestyle’ travel. ​Hilton recently announced an exclusive…
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...
Your Mileage May Vary
Why Flying Through Europe Feels So Confusing (It’s Not Just You)
If you’re used to flying within the U.S., the rules are pretty straightforward:Domestic flight? No passport.International flight? Passport. Then you fly through Europe… and suddenly none of that logic seems…