Sam Chui
Gulf Airspace Closure Triggers Major Flight Diversions + Updates
On June 23, 2025, Gulf airspace closures triggered another wave of major international flight disruptions after Iran fired missiles at the U.S. Al Udeid military base in Doha. With airspace over Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates closing within hours of each other, air traffic across the region...
Points Miles and Bling
Review: Air France Business Class from Ottawa to Paris on Boeing 777-200ER
Air France Ottawa to Paris on 777-200ER A month after my frustrating experience on Air France’s 777-300ER from Ottawa (YOW)… The post Review: Air France Business Class from Ottawa to Paris on Boeing 777-200ER appeared first on Points Miles and Bling.
a plane on the runway
BoardingArea
IHG Platinum Elite: 5 Key Perks Frequent Flyers Love
IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite sits comfortably at a mid-tier status for those of us who spend a good chunk of our time exploring various hotel brands. I've observed how this tier offers a sweet balance: generous point-earning, the possibility of room upgrades, and solid recognition, without feeling unachievably exclusive...
Miles For Family
Refreshed Chase Sapphire Reserve Cards Now Live with Welcome Bonuses and New Application Rules
Last week, I wrote about the changes coming to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and the new Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business card (see this post for all the details). Today, applications are live for both of these cards. CSR Welcome Bonuses Revealed As a reminder, the new annual fee...
Running with Miles
JetBlue Adds AirTag Integration to Find Lost Bags – Here is What You Need to Do
JetBlue has added AirTag into their luggage system. Find out what you need to do to set it up! The post JetBlue Adds AirTag Integration to Find Lost Bags – Here is What You Need to Do appeared first on Running with Miles.
{Tech} for Travel
Flying soon try the Soundcore Sleep A30 for silence
With active noise cancelling and adaptive snore masking, the Soundcore Sleep A30 is built to help travellers rest better anywhere. The post Flying soon try the Soundcore Sleep A30 for silence appeared first on {Tech} for Travel.
View from the Wing
American Airlines Flagship First Class Is Ending—My Flights Reveal How Bad It’s Gotten
American Airlines is eliminating Flagship First Class in favor of more business and premium economy seats on its fleet of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The end of first class on the last U.S. carrier to offer it internationally is sad to me, but the project has been pushed back. As...
TravelUpdate
Flight Review: JetBlue A321 Classic New York to Sacramento
Background & Booking I was attending a wedding in Lake Tahoe, California, and needed a flight to get…
Traveling For Miles
TODAY: Earn 4x on Apple purchases through shopping portals (select products)
Shopping through online portals can be a great way to boost a loyalty account balance, save some cash, or to prevent a loyalty balance from expiring. Right now a number of shopping portals are offering improved earnings rates for select purchases made with Apple, so this may be a good...
Miles For Family
Flying in LATAM Economy to South America and Easter Island
This is a second installment  in my series of posts on our recent trip to South America. See my intro post Back from our family trip to Peru and Easter island: Bumpy start, awesome memories  As mentioned in my previous post, I ended up redeeming miles on all of our...
The Shutterwhale
Lounge Review: Qantas International First Lounge (Terminal 1) – Sydney Airport (SYD)
Discover the Qantas International First Lounge at Sydney Airport (SYD) with this in-depth review. From Neil Perry’s à la carte dining to panoramic runway views and oneworld Emerald access, here’s everything you need to know before your flight.
2PAXfly
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Non-reclining Business Class seat on Qantas wet-leased Finnair A330
You may have heard of the non-reclining Business Class seats on Qantas wet-leased Finnair A330s that are being wet-leased to Qantas. The Scandinavian carrier is reducing its European flights that would normally involve traversing its neighbour, Russia’s airspace. These seats seem to polarise travellers, who either love them or hate...
The Shutterwhale
Now Accepting Reservations: Sheraton Johor Bahru to Welcome Guests from 1 October 2025
Sheraton Johor Bahru is now accepting reservations from 1 October 2025. Featuring 345 rooms, diverse dining, event spaces for up to 600 guests, and direct access to a boutique mall, the new hotel is set to elevate the hospitality scene in southern Malaysia.
You Are Travel
Trip Report Introduction: A Two for One in Latin America – Adventures in Costa Rica and Panama
Tl;dr – A trip report recounting some fun travels to two of Latin America’s most vibrant countries.  Greetings!…
The Alviator
British Airways’ New Shorthaul Seats (A320neo/A321neo): Good For Some Economy Passengers
I flew British Airways' shorthaul seats recently. They're a big step up from the airline's older seats, though not revolutionary otherwise. The post British Airways’ New Shorthaul Seats (A320neo/A321neo): Good For Some Economy Passengers appeared first on The Alviator.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Manila Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica: My Visit
Even though the sun was shining, the air was rather steamy; and despite my wearing a T-shirt and jeans, I was sweating because I had been walking much of the day — including along the fortress walls of Intramuros — ever since the flight on which I was a passenger...
Altitude Yes
Tokyo Trains: How Packed Are They During Rush Hour?
Visitors to the city are unlikely to encounter ultra-packed trains unless they choose to venture out into the suburbs during peak periods. The post Tokyo Trains: How Packed Are They During Rush Hour? first appeared on Altitude Yes.
Sam Chui
Miracle at 37,000 Feet: Air France A380 Engine Failure
On September 30, 2017, an Air France Airbus A380 operating flight AF066 from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Los Angeles suffered an uncontained engine failure while cruising over southern Greenland. After the failure, the aircraft’s heading increased by three degrees to the right in three seconds, and there were vibrations...
a train going down the tracks with people on it
BoardingArea
Understanding SSSS: Extra Security Screening Explained for Travelers
I've always been fascinated by the hidden codes on boarding passes, and SSSS is no exception. Let me walk you through what it really means, why it happens, and how you can handle it like a pro. Understanding SSSS on Boarding Passes SSSS stands for Secondary Security Screening Selection, and it shows...
Travel With Grant
My 2025 Travel Predictions Midyear Review: Hits, Misses & Lots of Wild Guesses
Explore my midyear review of 2025 travel predictions where I assess which forecasts for airlines, hotels, and credit cards were hits or misses. Discover the unexpected outcomes and intriguing developments that have unfolded so far. The post My 2025 Travel Predictions Midyear Review: Hits, Misses & Lots of Wild Guesses first...
a group of people walking on a street with buildings and horses
BoardingArea
How to Earn Bilt Points Paying Rent in 2025
I've noticed that rental living is evolving—and Bilt Rewards is right at the forefront of that change. This program empowers renters by letting them earn points each time they pay rent through the Bilt app or the Bilt World Elite Mastercard, all without extra transaction fees. Given how competitive the...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Where Life Began? Matsieng Footprints in Botswana
Matsieng is one of the well-known “Creation Sites” in southern Africa — another one is the Cradle of Humankind in South Africa, which I also visited and will document in a future article — where followers of folklore believe that life began when Matsieng emerged from a hole in the...
Sam Chui
GeminiJets Airplane Models – Apr/May 25 New Release + Discounts
I have been collecting GeminiJets since they launched 20 years ago! During difficult times, I have found that model collecting can help alleviate some of the stress. Video Special Offer This is a sponsored post to showcase the latest GeminiJets airplane model releases. Hope you find something you like. To purchase GeminiJets, go to DiecastJets.com and...
The Alviator
London Southend Airport: Cute, But Not In London
Today I flew out of London Southend Airport. Only two of "London's" airports are in London, though this one is especially not in London IMHO. The post London Southend Airport: Cute, But Not In London appeared first on The Alviator.
Live and Let’s Fly
Review: oneworld Lounge Amsterdam (AMS)
The oneworld lounge in Amsterdam (AMS), also known as Lounge No. 40, is a swanky lounge in the non-Schengen zone of Schiphol Airport. oneworld Lounge Amsterdam Review (I don’t capitalize the “o” in oneworld because oneworld also does not do so) Access + Hours + Location The oneworld Lounge at...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Mauthausen Ljubelj Nazi Extermination Camp in Slovenia
We had just crossed the border from Austria into Slovenia through the Karawanks Tunnel — named for the Karawanks mountain range of the Southern Limestone Alps through which cars can pass through — and as the sun was setting while we were winding our way down the curving mountain road...
Frequent Miler
Chase Sapphire Reserve card: More costly, coupony, and complicated | Frequent Miler on the Air Ep311 | 6-20-25
Today we’ll talk about how Chase is breaking up the family (rule), we’ll discuss whether American Express is high when introducing “as high as” offers, and we’ll talk about how Chase has made the Chase Sapphire Reserve card harder to explain and harder and recommend. Main Event: Sapphire Reserve: More...
Frequent Miler
Koloa Landing, Kauai (Marriott Autograph Collection): Bottom Line Review
My wife and I have spent a fair amount of time traipsing throughout the Hawaiian Islands over the past 20+ years, as the vast majority of her family lives there. These days, if we’re not camping, we primarily use Wyndham points for Vacasa vacation rentals on most islands, unless we’re...
a plane on the runway at sunset
BoardingArea
The True Value of Southwest Rapid Rewards Points
Southwest Airlines has long been a standout for travelers seeking a straightforward loyalty program. Even as we move further into 2025, some recent tweaks—like newly introduced checked-bag fees—have slightly altered the value proposition. Still, I've observed that the Southwest Points to Dollars Calculator often places each Rapid Rewards point around...
Frequent Miler
Accor Live Limitless promo: Earn 2x points on Summer stays
Accor Live Limitless (ALL) is offering double points on stays through Summer 2025 at hotels in Canada, the USA, Mexico, the Caribbean, Panama, and Brazil. This could be great news for those folks who took advantage of the status match offered by Bilt earlier this year. The Deal Earn 2x...
Economondo
An Alderney Adventure: Sampling Aurigny’s Dornier 228s
Flying onboard two of the very few Dornier 228s currently in operation from Southampton to Guernsey via Alderney.
Live and Let’s Fly
Review: Cathay Pacific A350-1000 Business Class
My 14-hour Cathay Pacific A350-1000 business class flight was phenomenal, with delicious food and perhaps the most comfortable business class seat in the skies. Cathay Pacific’s longhaul business class is a pleasure to fly. Cathay Pacific A350-1000 Business Class Review (HKG-AMS) I booked my ticket for 75,000 AA miles, which...