Economy Class & Beyond
TRIP REPORT: TK1753 Istanbul Airport to Oslo Airport (BUSINESS CLASS)  – Growing Old in Style
TK1753 Istanbul Airport to Oslo Gardermoen Airport (BUSINESS CLASS) Growing Old in Style Time to head from one level of cold to another. It’s off to Oslo on an aircraft that feels like it’s done some hard time in its life.  In this mammoth trip report Yes. I’m that old....
Economondo
Royal Brunei Dreamliner Review: Sampling the Cheapest Direct Flight from Dubai to London
Flying with Royal Brunei Airlines on their fifth freedom overnight slog from Dubai to London Heathrow
Economy Class & Beyond
Lufthansa unveils its retrofitted A320 cabin
Lufthansa is retrofitting a number of its existing Airbus A320ceo (current engine option – the original production run of the A320) with new products inside the aircraft. The modernised cabin will be installed on 38 A320 aircraft, with a planned retrofit rate of one aircraft every 30 days. The first...
Economy Class & Beyond
Air India pushes forward with its planned Summer 2026 deployments
Air India is pushing forward its improved passenger experience, with the airline annocing will deploy aircraft featuring new, retrofitted or upgraded cabin interiors on additional key international routes as part of its Northern Summer operations for 2026. Business Class aboard Air India’s new Boeing 787=9 – Image, Air India  This...
Also on BoardingArea
One Mile at a Time
Was Tucker Carlson “Detained” At TLV By Israeli Officials, Or Is He Just Confused?
Conservative figure Tucker Carlson traveled to Israel this week, and he claims he was detained at the airport, following a contentious interview. However, is there more to the story?
Points Miles and Bling
Porter Airlines announces three new routes, two to United States
Porter Airlines has announced a further route expansion for its 2026 summer schedule, bringing new access from Ontario to Newfoundland… The post Porter Airlines announces three new routes, two to United States appeared first on Points Miles and Bling.
The Bulkhead Seat
United MileagePlus Overhaul Makes Credit Cards Key to Earning More Miles and Cheaper Awards
Major US airlines increasingly rely on loyalty programs and co-branded credit cards as major… The post United MileagePlus Overhaul Makes Credit Cards Key to Earning More Miles and Cheaper Awards appeared first on The Bulkhead Seat.
Dots, Lines, & Destinations
DLD 574: Crushing the Craving
Terrible airport dining, a mess in El Paso, and some interesting A350 action.
One Mile at a Time
Wow: Huge United MileagePlus Changes Make Program All About Credit Cards
Nowadays the major airlines in the United States earn much of their profits from their loyalty programs, and in particular, their co-branded credit card businesses. Even though the ”big three” carriers are already raking in billions per year from these programs, they still see a lot of upside.
Frequent Miler
Citi ThankYou Rewards Airline and Hotel Transfer Partners (2026)
Citi ThankYou Rewards competes directly with the other bank-issued transferable points programs: Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Wells Fargo, and Capital One “Miles.” Points can be transferred to airline partners, used to pay for travel or merchandise, redeemed to pay bills, or converted into cash back. However, the best use...
Live and Let’s Fly
Delta Flight Declares Emergency, Returns To Houston After Disruptive Man In A Blouse Sparks Midair Chaos
A Delta Air Lines flight was forced to make an emergency return to Houston this week after a man wearing a blouse became disruptive shortly after takeoff, illustrating once again how a single individual can derail an otherwise routine flight. Delta Flight Makes Emergency Landing In Houston After Disruptive Passenger...
View from the Wing
United Airlines Slashes MileagePlus Earnings Up To 40% And Hikes Award Prices—If You Don’t Have Their Credit Card
United Airlines is drastically cutting mileage earning and increasing award prices for passengers without a MileagePlus credit card, pushing flyers to sign up for its cards as it moves aggressively toward becoming an even more card-centric program.
One Mile at a Time
How To Earn Bilt Points With Rakuten For Online Shopping, And Is It Worth It?
Rakuten is my favorite online shopping portal, and it lets you earn bonus rewards for purchases you make online. Historically, Rakuten has offered the ability to earn cash back or Amex Membership Rewards points for online shopping, with the latter being a more compelling option (at least for those good...
Miles For Family
My Order of Operations for International Travel Bookings
I have a big trip to Asia coming up in just a few months. Believe it or not, I don’t have everything booked yet! While I booked my first flight almost a year ahead of the trip, I’ve been slowly piecing together all the parts over the last several months....
Plane ‘n Simple
JetBlue Flight 543 Makes Emergency Landing at Newark After Engine Failure and Cabin Smoke
In a frightening incident that briefly shut down Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on Wednesday evening, JetBlue Flight 543 was forced to make an emergency return shortly after takeoff following an engine failure that filled the cabin with smoke. All passengers were evacuated safely via emergency slides, and no serious injuries were reported...
TravelUpdate
Chase Makes Changes to Cash Back Redemptions
Chase is about to make changes very soon, limiting options when it comes to how you make cash back redemptions with their points.
View from the Wing
Delta Pilot Reports Attempted Cockpit Breach, Passenger Restrained—But Airline Claims It Never Happened
A Delta pilot reported an attempted cockpit breach just after takeoff from Houston, prompting passengers to restrain a shirtless man mid-flight—yet the airline insists no such breach attempt occurred.
TravelUpdate
American Airlines 777 Tokyo-DFW Business Class Review (2018)
My American Airlines 777 Tokyo-DFW business class review was part of my work trip to Japan. Traveling with…
TravelUpdate
Why I’m Eyeing This 1.4 Cents Per Point Hilton Honors Redemption…
This redemption is on my radar and is really tempting, giving me to redeem Hilton Honors points at a 1.4 cents per point value.
One Mile at a Time
Two Hilton Hotels In Germany Face Scrutiny Over Iran Regime Ownership
Two hotels in Germany may lose their Hilton affiliation, after the owner’s ties to the Iranian government have been exposed.
Eye of the Flyer
Couple Kicked Off 13+ Hour Qantas A380-800 in Business Class for Being Rude!
My wife and I, just last week, returned home from Sydney on Friday the 13th 2026, Australia and had the chance to fly for the first time on a Qantas A380 in business class (review up in a bit). Boarding was a bit of a mess because of a small...
View from the Wing
‘Stop, He’s Already Dead!’ Leaked United Slides Mock Collapse of American’s ‘Temporary’ Chicago Hub, Plan To Beat Them Revealed
Internal slides leaked from United Airlines reveal its aggressive strategy to dominate Chicago O'Hare, as their leadership openly mocks American's hub there as "temporary" underscoring how American's strategic missteps have cost hundreds of millions in losses.
Live and Let’s Fly
Tucker Carlson Claims He Was “Detained” In Israel. That’s Not What Actually Happened.
Tucker Carlson says he was “detained” in Israel after an interview with the U.S. ambassador, but his description sounds strikingly similar to my own uncomfortable experience at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, which cannot properly be characterized as a detention. Tucker Carlson Says He Was “Detained” In Israel, But...
One Mile at a Time
United Airlines’ Chicago Smack Talk Is A Bit Extreme At This Point, No?
At the moment, perhaps the most interesting airline ”battle” in the United States is between American and United at Chicago O’Hare Airport (ORD). While both airlines have hubs there, the dynamics have changed. A decade ago, American had the advantage, while United has been growing there considerably ever since, putting...
Pointalize
Credit Card MCC Codes Guide
Stop losing points on miscoded purchases. Master Merchant Category Codes (MCC) to ensure every swipe earns 4x-5x rewards. Updated guide for 2026.
You Are Travel
Hilton Goes to Crete for Its Latest Adults-Only All-Inclusive
tl;dr – The property will join Hilton’s growing Curio Collection. The Aulūs Chania by Domes will join Hilton’s… The post Hilton Goes to Crete for Its Latest Adults-Only All-Inclusive appeared first on You Are Travel.
You Are Travel
Hilton Expands Its Curio Collection with a New Property in the Greek Isles
​tl;dr – Hilton adds a property in Rhodes. ​Hilton recently made two additions to its soft-brand Mediterranean portfolio,… The post Hilton Expands Its Curio Collection with a New Property in the Greek Isles appeared first on You Are Travel.
Pointalize
SLH vs. Mr & Mrs Smith Hotels
Hilton (SLH) vs. Hyatt (Mr & Mrs Smith) in 2026: We review which partnership offers better elite benefits, breakfast perks, and redemption value for your points.
Economy Class & Beyond
Aer Lingus to launch seasonal (and temporary) service to Barbados from Dublin
It seems Aer Lingus have got its calculator out and worked out it will be cheaper to operate its own service between Dublin and Barbados (Bridgetown), rather than send people to another carrier. As such, the airline is spinning up a temporary service to help its passengers. The seasonal/temporary service...
Economy Class & Beyond
Emirates prepares for the month of Ramadan
It’s coming up to the Holy Month of Ramadan, with Emirates showing off its offerings for the month ahead, whilst they support travellers. Emirates Iftar boxes at Boarding Gates For the comfort of all fasting customers, complimentary iftar boxes to help break the fast containing water, laban, a banana, and...
Economy Class & Beyond
Lufthansa Expands Allegris seat availability on its Boeing 787-9 fleet
The “rollout” of Lufthansa’s “new” seat product – Allegris, continues to crawl along, with certification set to be granted to 25 out of the 28 seats aboard the Boeing 787-9 in Business Class.   Allegris took flight in its first incomplete form in summer 2024 (with the first class product delayed). This...
{Tech} for Travel
New Sony WF-1000XM6 boasts massive 25% better noise cancelling
A new processor and redesigned drivers power the Sony WF-1000XM6, which claims 25 per cent stronger noise reduction and upgraded call performance. The post New Sony WF-1000XM6 boasts massive 25% better noise cancelling appeared first on {Tech} for Travel.
Economy Class & Beyond
TRIP REPORT: Back to Istanbul Airport and the Turkish Airlines Business Class Lounge
Back to Istanbul Airport and the Turkish Airlines Business Class Lounge Growing Old in Style Time to head back to Istanbul Airport and experience the wonder of the Turkish Airlines Business Class Lounge. But how to get to the airport…   In this mammoth trip report Yes. I’m that old. Next....
Economy Class & Beyond
AirAsia X plans to try flying to London again, whilst establishing a Bahrain Base
AirAsia X is busy at the moment, with it establishing routes to Bahrain and onward to London Gatwick. AirAsia X Airbus A330-300 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport – Image, Economy Class and Beyond. The announcement was made at a press conference in Bahrain, with the airline firming up its letter of...
Economy Class & Beyond
Airplane Art – Thai Airways Airbus A350-900 at Oslo Airport
It’s Sunday again, so it must be time for some more Airplane Art. This week, we have a Thai Airways Airbus A350-900 resting at Oslo Gardermoen Airport as it is prepared for the return journey to Bangkok. Thai Airways operates a fleet of 22 Airbus A350-900 aircraft in its widebody fleet....
Economy Class & Beyond
Manchester Piccadilly Station closes for major work for the week
The main rail hub in the northwest of England – Manchester Piccadilly – is currently closed, and will be for the next week as engineering work is carried out. The work will involve overhauling tracks, points and signalling systems across six lines serving the North West’s busiest railway station. The work,...