Is British Airways paying out the wrong number of Avios on Qatar Airways Business Class fares?
The title of this post is a question to which I don't have an answer but it's a question that has come to light as a result of the recent changes that Qatar Airways made to how its Business Class fares are structured and how many Avios British Airways now says that Qatar Airways Business Class fares will accrue. If you're flying in Qatar Airways Business Class and crediting your flights to the Executive Club, this is something to look out for.
Has Global Entry dropped an unpublished benefit or was LAX an outlier?
I have to admit that I'm not usually in a particularly observant mood when I get off a transatlantic flight in the United States (I've usually used up all my observational powers during the flight while writing notes for a flight review) so I'm not sure if a Global Entry benefit that no longer appears to be offered at LAX was a benefit that was just specific to LAX or if it was (and possibly still is) available elsewhere. Whichever it is, if you have Global Entry and are arriving at the Tom Bradley Terminal at LAX, your path to the big wide world just got a little more congested.
Qantas announces “Massive Release of Reward Seats” for 2022
We've already seen evidence of Qantas chomping at the bit to get flyers traveling internationally again when it brought forward the resumption of two key routes last week, and now the airline has shown more evidence of wanting to get people back in the air by announcing that it has released more award seats than ever before for travel in 2022.
This apparently pointless status match may not be quite as pointless as it seems
Alitalia, as an airline, may be officially dead, but its spirit is very much alive within the newest Italian flag carrier ITA Airways. Over the weekend, news emerged that ITA is offering an elite status match to just about anyone and on the face of things, this looks like a pretty pointless status match (I'll explain why in a moment). Having thought this offer though a bit more, however, I'm starting to think that it may have its uses.
Amex Centurion Lounge London Heathrow Terminal 3 review
After almost two years of delays (not all of which were Covid-related), the American Express Centurion Lounge at London Heathrow opened its doors for the first time last week so, as I was passing through Heathrow Terminal 3 a few days ago, I thought I would take a look and see what the new lounge has to offer.
Qantas brings forward the return of its Sydney – Los Angeles route
Qantas has said that following the announcement from New South Wales than it plans to open up to vaccinated visitors from 1 November and that vaccinated visitors will no longer need to quarantine, it will bring forward the relaunch of a couple of its key routes. Specifically, the Sydney - Los Angeles and the Sydney - London routes are two that will be coming back sooner than planned.
United Airlines announces 10 new flights and 5 new destinations for Summer 2022
After two days of teasers, United Airlines has now revealed that it plans, what it's calling, its largest transatlantic expansion in history with the launch of 10 new flights and the addition of 5 new destinations in the summer of 2022.
Marriott shares plans for eleven new St Regis Resorts by 2025
Marriott has announced that it has plans to nearly double the number of St. Regis Resorts in its portfolio by 2025. The hotelier has confirmed that it will add a total of eleven new resorts to its existing fifteen St Regis Resorts in the course of the next four years as it looks to expand its high-end offering.
Phew! British Airways didn’t drop the hammer when Qatar Airways refreshed its Business Class fares
The title of this post probably should read "...and breathe" because ever since we heard that Qatar Airways was refreshing its Business Class fare structure for the thousandth time, I've been holding my breath and waiting for British Airways to destroy what is undoubtedly one of the easiest routes to earning valuable elite status. Fortunately, my fears appear to have been unfounded.
American Airlines & JetBlue now offer reciprocal elite benefits (award bookings are on the way)
American Airlines and JetBlue first announced their (slightly surprising) partnership back in July last year but other than offering members of each other’s loyalty programs the ability to earn their preferred currency when flying, so far the partnership has offered little in the way of reciprocal elite status benefits. Starting this today, however, that has all changed.
United Airlines will announce new routes tomorrow (we have clues)
Early yesterday, United Airlines posted a cryptic teaser on Instagram which suggested that the airline would be making some kind of announcement at 08:00 ET today. Well, the appointed hour has now passed and we now know that the cryptic message was just a lead-in to a new video (just posted) that contains clues to help us all guess where United plans to fly to before the official announcement tomorrow at 08:00 ET.
American Express has opened the London Heathrow Centurion Lounge
American Express has today announced that its long-awaited Centurion Lounge has finally opened at London Heathrow Airport. The lounge is located inside Terminal 3 and American Express has given us a brief look at what the lounge has to offer.
Hyatt unveils a new Unbound Collection property in Florence, Italy
In early September, Hyatt announced that it would be adding six new European properties to its portfolio with two of those properties opening their doors to guests as early as this month. The Tribune Hotel in Rome opened just a few days ago (with no fanfare at all) and now Hyatt has confirmed that the IL Tornabuoni Hotel in Florence is accepting bookings as well.
Aer Lingus is bringing back two of its routes to the United States
In anticipation of the Biden administration finally getting around to opening up travel to the United States the UK, Ireland, and the Schengen area (take your time Joe, no hurry), Aer Lingus has announced that it will be restarting two of its transatlantic routes to the US in the coming weeks.
I’m amazed that American Airlines honored last week’s points sale error
Last Friday, American Airlines launched yet another points sale which, on the face of things, looked very similar to a lot of the other points sales that we usually see it running. The sale was offering up to 35% off the regular cost of miles and should have priced American's currency at over 2 cents per mile. But it didn't. It priced it far lower.
Wow! Capital One Miles now transfer to most partners in a 1:1 ratio
If Amex deciding that Walmart is an appropriate partner for its Platinum Card wasn't a big enough surprise for your Thursday morning, then try this on for size: Capital One has announced that the miles earned from spending on two of its cards will now convert over to most of its partners in a 1:1 ratio. Who saw that coming?!
Hyatt Launches the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card
After a few weeks of rumors suggesting that Hyatt and Chase may be about to release a premium co-branded consumer card, we now know that those rumors were slightly wide of the mark. While it's true that a new World of Hyatt credit card is being introduced, it's not a premium consumer card. Instead, Hyatt has just announced the launch of the World of Hyatt Business credit card which is a Visa card issued by Chase.
Marriott Has Added 19 Autograph Collection Properties To Its All-Inclusive Portfolio
In February of this year, Marriott confirmed plans to add a number of Blue Diamond all-inclusive resorts to its Autograph Collection brand but, at the time, didn't actually say when the properties would be available to book on Marriott.com. Well, as of right now, 19 new all-inclusive properties are bookable with Bonvoy Points and/or cash.
The InterContinental London Park Lane review
Recently, I found myself back in London and in need of a centrally located hotel that was an easy walk from an underground station and an easy walk a number of places that I needed to visit during my very short stay. Given that I had an IHG One Rewards certificate sitting in my account that was due to expire at the end of the year, this seemed like a good opportunity to save some money and take a look at a property that I hadn't stayed it in quite a few years.
British Airways Will Restart One Of Its Routes To California
As has been the case with most airlines, the pandemic caused British Airways to take an ax to large parts of its route network and even though a lot of those routes have been restored in recent months, the airline still isn't flying to all of the US destinations that it served before the coronavirus changed the world. Starting next month, however, one more route to California will be back in the airline's schedules.
Sometimes I Have To Force Myself Not Save Elite Benefits For Some Hypothetical Future Trip
Miles, points, and elite status benefits are all there to be used (it's pointless hoarding miles and points because they'll devalue over time and what's the point of benefits if you don't use them?) but sometimes I have to give myself a good solid kick in the you-know-where when I realize that something is stopping me from acting in a rational and sensible way. One such kick was needed this weekend.
Why Does Alaska Airlines Have A High Segment Requirement For Top-Tier Status & American Airlines Doesn’t?
Last week we finally got to find out a lot more about the new top-tier elite status that Alaska Mileage Plan first mentioned back in January and one of the bigger surprises that we were given was the news that to earn top tier MVP Gold 100K status, flyers will have to book 24 segments that are marketed and operated by Alaska Airlines. In this post, I speculate on what the key driver of this requirement may be and why American Airlines doesn't have a similar requirement.
Uh-Oh! Qatar Airways Is Changing Its Business Class Fare Structure (Again)
It was only last November when we saw Qatar Airways first introduce its version of an unbundled Business Class fare which no longer offered free seat selection or lounge access as part of its benefits package. Now, less than a year later, Qatar Airways is overhauling its Business Class fare structure once again and the latest changes could spell the end of the line for those of us accustomed to earning valuable elite status by booking the best deals that Qatar Airways offers.
KLM Reverses Some US Route Cuts – Two Routes Are Now Back In The Schedules
Just two weeks ago, KLM announced that it would be cutting three of its winter routes between Amsterdam and the United States as the Biden administration continued to do nothing to open up travel for most Europeans and as the Dutch government imposed new restrictions on US travelers. Now, following sudden and unexpected changes of heart by both governments, KLM has announced that two of those three routes will be operated after all...albeit a little later than planned.
BA’s New Short-Haul Onboard F&B System Seems Excellent
At the beginning of the year, British Airways announced that it would stop serving food and drinks from an onboard cart on its short-haul routes. It wasn’t clear from the original announcement whether this was a short-term COVID measure or if this was yet another cost-cutting exercise but regardless, customers have spent the past months having to pre-order food and drinks in the days leading up to their flights as there has been no option to order onboard. Now, those days appear to be behind us.
Yet Another New Los Angeles Hyatt Will Charge A Destination Fee
The Shay, A Destination Hotel in Culver City, California, was originally slated to open in late summer 2020 but as with most hotel openings scheduled for 2020, that date was pushed back into 2021. The property is now set to open its doors on 1 November 2021 but unless you have top-tier Globalist status or you're planning to use World of Hyatt points, you probably shouldn't be in too much of a rush to visit.
The UK Overhauls Its Entry & Testing Rules – Bad News For The Unvaccinated
The British transport secretary Grant Shapps (who somehow survived this week's cabinet reshuffle) has announced that England's quarantine rules, the rules surrounding the COVID tests that passengers are expected to take before embarking on their trip (to England), and the tests passengers are expected to take following their arrival in England, will be changing from next month. It's bad news for the unvaccinated.
Alaska Airlines Has Now Revealed Details of Its New Top-Tier Elite Status
At the very beginning of this year, Alaska Airlines announced that it would be creating a new top-tier elite status level for the 2022 qualification year but the airline wasn't forthcoming with any details of what the new status tier would offer or what the qualification requirements would be like. Now, with a little over three months to go before the 2022 qualification year begins, a lot has been revealed.
United Airlines Reschedules Its New Route To Africa
A little over a year ago, United Airlines announced that it planned to start offering a variety of new flights from Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington DC. One of those routes was to Lagos, Nigeria, and was scheduled to launch in late spring this year. For reasons that are all too obvious, that route never launched but now United says that it's ready to give it another try.
Am I Booking Long-Haul International Travel Right Now?
I get asked a wide variety of travel-related questions every day but the one question that I'm getting asked more than any other right now surrounds my plans for future international travel. A lot of people seem to be happy to travel domestically but most also seem to be reluctant to travel long-haul and, frankly, it's not hard to see why.
Virgin Atlantic A350 Upper Class Review (New Suites – Daytime Flight)
Because something called COVID became a word all too familiar to all of us just a few months after Virgin Atlantic started offering the new Upper Class suite, it took a lot longer than I had hoped before I got to fly in the new cabin. Thankfully, earlier this year and after many cancellations and rebookings, I managed to make the most of an exceptionally good Business Class fare between London and Los Angeles to finally try out the new Virgin Atlantic product. I'm not embarrassed to say, I was very excited.
Would You Pay $150 To Access An American Airlines Flagship Lounge?
In February 2020, in the days when most of us still had little idea what lay ahead, rumors began to circulate that American Airlines was considering allowing flyers to pay to access the Flagship Dining facilities that it operates at a number of its US hubs. The pandemic put all those plans on hold but now that the airline is starting to reopen its Flagship Lounges around the country, the airline has confirmed that, in part, those rumors had substance.
This Is Why I Don’t Like Booking Flights Through OTAs
A few months ago, when JetBlue was offering some excellent Business Class fares on its new New York - London routes, I went against a long-term policy of mine and booked a trip through an online travel agency. Specifically, I booked through Amex Travel and while I wouldn't say that my experience has put me off booking with an OTA ever again, it has reminded me why I have a policy of avoiding OTAs whenever possible.
Finnair Announces Two New US Routes & Increases Service To Chicago
Following on from its July announcement of new routes from Stockholm to Bangkok, Phuket, and Miami, Finnair has now confirmed that it plans to launch two more US routes out of the Swedish capital and that it plans to turn what has traditionally been a transatlantic summer route into a route that's operated year-round.
KLM Has Suspended Three US Leisure Routes For Winter 2021/22
With the United States government continuing to show no interest in loosening restrictions on travelers originating in various European countries, we're now seeing some counties in Europe retaliating and imposing considerably stricter measures on travelers visiting from the United States. Unsurprisingly, this is now starting to lead to route suspensions.
Hyatt Announces Six New European Properties
Hyatt is back with another announcement featuring new properties that it will be adding to its portfolio and as has been the case in a number of the hotelier's recent statements, the new properties will all be located in Europe.
There Is One Very Good Reason The New Curve Card Has My Attention
Curve is a product that's been around in the UK for some time but that is only now making a bid to crack the US market and it's a product that even though it has been open to me for a while (thanks to my home in the UK), has never really held much interest. Now, however, a small and possibly overlooked aspect of the US version of Curve is making me seriously reconsider my ambivalence towards the card.
Sometimes I Really Don’t Understand Airline Pricing
Most readers have probably seen examples of airline pricing that's gone completely crazy because someone, somewhere, put a decimal point in the wrong place or because a currency exchange calculation has been done incorrectly. But this post isn't about one of those error fares. It's about fares that are being intentionally published for travel between the UK and the United States.
A Good Indicator That A “Best…” List Is Utter Nonsense
If you're immersed in the miles and point world and aren't blinkered in your approach to the various loyalty programs that are available (i.e you don't blindly "love" a single program and see no wrong with it), you probably have a good idea which loyalty programs are good and which are second rate. Unfortunately, a lot of people aren't so fortunate and they often rely on the various "top" and "best" lists that get published all too frequently.
A Regency Suite With Balcony At The Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill (In Pictures)
A look at one of the suites that World of Hyatt Globalist members may be upgraded into if they use a suite upgrade award or if they're lucky enough to get a complimentary suite upgrade when they stay at the Hyatt Regency London - The Churchill.
Earn 1,000 Bonus AAdvantage Miles Per Hyatt Stay (Select Regions)
Hyatt is currently sending out emails to members of its World of Hyatt program offering them 1,000 bonus American Airlines miles for every qualifying stay they make at properties in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India. Registration is required so make sure you check the details below if you think that you'll be able to make the most of this offer.
Pictures Of The New Thompson Hollywood (A World Of Hyatt Property)
The Thomson Hollywood opened its doors a little over two weeks ago so in between the meetings and endless zoom calls that seem to have taken over my life, I took the opportunity to take a walk to Hyatt's latest Los Angeles property to see what it was like.
12 Observations/Thoughts From My Recent American Airlines Business Class Flight
Earlier this month, I flew American Airlines Business Class from Los Angeles to London Heathrow and while a full review of this particular flight is probably unnecessary (I've got another AA Business Class review in the pipeline), I thought I'd share a few thoughts and observations now that the number of people flying from the US to Europe is on the rise.
It’s Vitally Important For Europe To Ban US Travelers (Apparently)
If the headline for this article upsets, annoys or angers you, please don’t bother complaining to me. I’m just the messenger. The sentiment expressed in the headline is based entirely on the signals being sent out by the United States government.
Alaska Airlines Adds Three New Routes To Mexico For Winter 2021/22
Bay Area residents rejoice. Alaska Airlines has today announced that it's adding three new routes to Mexico for Winter 2021/22 and all three routes will be originating in San Francisco. Alaska Airlines already boasts more non-stop flights between the West Coast and Mexico than any other airline and this news just shores up that lead.
Dear White House, Get On With It Or Tell The Truth.
The US administration has a problem. It has been telling everyone who is prepared to listen that its Covid policies are driven "by the science" but it now finds itself in a position where that's patently untrue. There is absolutely nothing scientific about the current ban on travelers arriving from the UK, Ireland, or the Schengen Area but instead of addressing that situation, the administration appears to have decided to stick its head in the sand and do nothing about it.
Tip: Hyatt Properties Showing No Award Availability May Have Bookable Award Nights
I've just been checking for award availability at a Hyatt property in California and stumbled across a small but potentially significant anomaly that I didn't know about - it's possible for the Hyatt website to display no award availability for your chosen travel dates when the property that you'd like to stay at actually has rooms available for award bookings on the dates in question.
British Airways Devalues JAL & Cathay Pacific Partner Awards (Another No Notice Devaluation)
Sadly, the headline says it all. British Airways has increased the cost of select Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific partner awards without giving Executive Club members any notice whatsoever. The changes only affect short-haul flights of up to 2,000 miles but with some awards now costing over 50% more, this isn't good news for Avios collectors.
We Left England Just In Time – The Government Advice Continues To Be Ridiculous
As of Monday, 19 July, most Covid-related rules governing behavior in homes and in public in England have been lifted so that life, such as it is, can get back to some kind of normality. Or at least that's what the public has been told. Unfortunately, because the UK government is led by people who would struggle to run a lemonade stand, life, for a lot of England's residents, is currently far from normal and, sadly, it's only going to get worse.
Something To Watch: Will The Amex Platinum Cards Offer Access To Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses?
Plaza Premium seems to be on a little bit of a roll. Recently, Capital One announced that its new lounge in Denver will be operated in partnership with Plaza Premium, and now we’re hearing that Plaza Premium has just taken over the running of all Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses outside of the UK. For holders of the Platinum Card® from American Express, and the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, this may turn out to be good news.
Be Careful. Another New Hyatt Will Charge You A “Destination Fee”
I’m a big fan of Hyatt and I make no apologies for believing that the World of Hyatt program is the best major hotel loyalty program around…and by some considerable difference. I am, however, getting more than a little tired of seeing an ever-increasing number of World of Hyatt properties charging guests inexcusable Resort/Destinations fees. It’s also very disappointing to see that a new Hyatt that’s soon to open in Los Angeles will be adding this rip-off fee to most guest’s folios.
Does Anyone Else Dread Flying On Short-Haul Leisure Routes?
I try my very best not to fly with low-cost carriers. I have no issue with the fact that they charge you extra for the air onboard, the fact you often have to walk the distance of a marathon course across a searing hot airfield to get to the aircraft or the fact that they frequently land nowhere near the city you thought you were heading for. That’s all part of their business model and I accept that.
Capital One will open a new lounge in Denver
Capital One has already committed to opening airport lounges at Dallas Fort Worth and at Washington’s Dulles International Airport, now it has confirmed that it will be opening a new lounge at Denver International Airport too.
US CBP Is Now Giving 2 Years Grace For Global Entry Renewals
The pandemic has brought chaos to a whole variety of things in the travel world and the Global Entry program has not escaped unscathed. Fortunately, over the past 18 months, the US CBP has been reasonably swift to take action to try to alleviate the issues caused by the seemingly ever-increasing backlog of applications, and now, with the backlog not really getting noticeably smaller, it has extended the Global Entry grace period to two full years.
Heathrow Airport Gets A New Priority Pass Restaurant
In a move that has clearly been made to address (at least in part) the lack of Priority Pass lounges at Heathrow T2 as quickly as possible, Priority Pass has signed up a restaurant at the terminal at which holders of select Priority Pass memberships can enjoy a credit towards whatever they choose to spend.
Finnair Adds A New 7th Freedom Flight To The United States
Finnair has announced that it plans to base three of its Airbus A350 aircraft at Stockholm's Arlanda Airport this coming winter season and use them to operate three new 7th freedom flights. Two of these flights will be heading to Asia while the third will be crossing the Atlantic to the United States.
NEWS: No More Quarantine For Vaccinated UK Residents Returning From Amber List Countries
The UK's Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, has just addressed Parliament to confirm that fully vaccinated UK citizens/residents arriving into England from "amber list" countries will no longer have to self-isolate upon their return to England. The devolved nations will be reviewing their rules separately and may or may not follow England's lead.
How I Helped Friends Negotiate The US Entry Restrictions & Get To Los Angeles (With a 3,400 Mile Detour!)
Despite the success of our vaccination program and the fact that most European countries are now welcoming visitors from the United States, the US government shows no signs of lifting the restrictions that it has in place for non-residents/non-citizens wishing to travel to the United States from the UK, Ireland, and all the countries signed up to the Schengen agreement.
UK Airlines Trial Fast-Track Arrivals For Vaccinated Passengers
British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Heathrow are this week, launching a trial to prove it’s possible to quickly and easily identify and verify fully vaccinated passengers arriving in the UK as the travel industry seeks to persuade the government to relax entry restrictions for low-risk travelers.
Is There A Point To England’s Test & Trace (For Travelers) Program?
I've traveled in and out of England a number of times in the past few months and each time I've entered the country I've been contacted by England's NHS Test & Trace team who want to check that I'm self-isolating as required. I have no problem with this, but having now had quite a bit of experience with the Test & Trace team, I can't help but wonder if there's any point to the operation.
Finnair’s Business Light Fares May Not Be So Bad (For Some)
For the past few days, things have been looking pretty gloomy on the Finnair Business Class fares front, but a little bit of digging has revealed that the news may not be quite as bad as we thought. In fact, the news could have been a lot worse.
The US & UK Are Damaging Their Vaccination Projects With Their Stance On Travel For The Vaccinated
I've been a strong supporter of most of the stronger measures that both the US and UK governments have used during the coronavirus pandemic, but we've now reached a point where both governments are sending out dangerously mixed signals that are playing into the hands of the more ignorant members of our societies.
DELAYED: Aer Lingus Launches Two New Routes To The United States (And One To The Caribbean)
We've known for some time that Aer Lingus has been planning to launch a number of new non-stop transatlantic routes from Manchester in the UK with New York and Boston among the destinations being targeted but details have been thin on the ground. Now, however, Aer Lingus has finally unveiled its plans and they're not entirely free from surprises.
Is This A New Level Of Idiocy From The UK Government?
At various times, in the past 18 months, the UK has seen shortages of one thing or another but one thing that has never been in short supply is stupidity at the very highest levels of government. After month after month of mistakes, lies, poorly executed plans, and half-baked ideas, I thought that the government had finally reached a level where it was no longer able to surprise me with its idiocy. Sadly, I may have been wrong.
Turkish Airlines Increases Services To Five US Cities
Turkish Airlines operates to 10 US cities out of its base in Istanbul (the Turkish Airlines website may claim that the airline flies to "208 different locations in United States" but that's simply untrue) and this month sees Turkish Airlines boosting services to 5 of those 10 cities as the airline begins to approach the service levels it offered before the pandemic ruined world travel.
Alaska Airlines Announces New Winter Routes From The West Coast
In the past three months, Alaska Airlines has announced new routes out the Pacific Northwest, new routes to California's wine country, and new routes between California and a number of National Parks in Montana. Now the airline is back with news that it will be launching four new winter routes out of three of the West Coast cities that it serves.
When Did US Carriers Make Inflight Wi-Fi So Expensive?
This is a genuine question. I've taken very few domestic flights on which I've needed to use Wi-Fi in the past few years and I was mostly crossing the Atlantic with British Airways in the year leading up to the pandemic, so when I recently took flights with American and United and saw how much they were both charging for inflight wi-fi I was genuinely taken aback.
Quick Look: United Airlines 737-900 First Class (SFO-LAX)
Recently, I needed to get from San Francisco back home to Los Angeles, and rather than flying with one of the carriers I would normally choose (American Airlines or Alaska Airlines), I found myself flying with United. The short nature of the journey means that this flight clearly doesn't warrant a full "review", but I thought I'd share a few pictures and thoughts about the flight nevertheless.
No. Americans Visiting The UK Don’t “Have To Quarantine For 10 Days”
As we finally get to a point where governments on both sides of the Atlantic start to openly acknowledge that we have to find a way to open up travel across The Pond, I keep seeing media outlets (and a well-known credit card site that poses as a media outlet) making the statement that US travelers visiting the UK currently "have to quarantine for 10 days" upon arrival. As a statement of fact, that's incorrect and it's a great example of lazy journalism.
American Airlines Announces More Significant Expansion In Austin
Just a few months ago, American Airlines announced that it was adding a significant number of new routes to its operations in Austin as well as bringing back a few routes that it had operated in the past. Today, American had doubled down on its Austin expansion by announcing more new routes that are set to take flight in the fall.
American Airlines 777-300ER Business Class LAX – LHR (Night Flight)
Last week I wrote about my American Airlines Business Class flight between London and Los Angeles which took place during the hours of daylight so this post will take a look at what American Airlines is currently offering passengers on the overnight flight in the opposite direction.
Quick look: Amex Centurion Lounge at San Francisco (SFO)
American Express is now operating all but two of its domestic lounges so on a recent layover in San Francisco, I dropped into the Amex Centurion Lounge at SFO to take a look at how things are shaping up in the current environment and to see what Amex is offering travelers fortunate enough to have access.
Planning An International Trip? Make Sure You Know What “Fully Vaccinated” Means
Although governments around the world are still struggling to come together to agree on a way forward for a COVID passport (or something akin to a COVID passport), more and more countries are saying that they will accept "fully vaccinated" visitors from later this year. On the one hand that sounds promising but, on the other hand, it could spell problems for travelers who don't read the small print.
[Updated] Which Amex Centurion Lounges Are Open Or Are Opening Soon?
One of the nicer benefits that are offered by the Platinum Card and the Business Platinum Card from American Express is entry into the Centurion Lounges that Amex has been opening up around the United States and in select countries around the world. Covid-19 has seen all of these lounges closed for much of this year but a few lounges have now reopened and, with a bit of luck, more reopenings may be on the way.
Hyatt & SVC Reach Agreement – Only Five US Hyatt Properties To Disappear
At the beginning of January, it looked like Hyatt was going down a similar path to both Marriott and IHG as it entered into a dispute with an owner of 22 properties that were flagged under the Hyatt Place brand. At that point, it looked like Services Properties Trust was going to move control of its Hyatt Place properties to Sonesta, but following negotiations, it now seems that an agreement has been reached in the case of 17 of those 22 properties.
United Should Probably Rethink Its Boarding Group Numbering
Recently, I took my first flights with United Airlines for over a decade and while a number of observations came out of those flights (observations that will come up in future posts), one thing that my recent experiences appear to suggest is that United should probably consider changing how it numbers its boarding groups.
Delta Expands Flights To Paris & Adds A Route To The South Of France
With France having announced that it will be accepting fully vaccinated visitors from the United States from 9 June, Delta has announced that it is adding flights to Paris from Minneapolis/St Paul and Boston and that a seasonal service to the south of France will also operate this summer.
A Chase Sapphire Lounge May Be Coming To An Airport Near You
Chase has issued a press release to say that it plans to open a series of lounges at airports around the United States and that each lounge will be branded as a "Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club". Not much detail has been given about what the lounges will offer or where the lounges will be located but there are one or two things that we do know.
Emirates Will Launch A New Route To Miami This Summer
Since the beginning of the year, we've seen Emirates announce the resumption of services between Dubai and various US cities that saw their non-stop ties to Dubai cut when the pandemic first took hold. Now the airline tells us that it's ready to go one step further by launching a completely new route to the US - to Miami.
United Airlines Signs Agreement To Go Supersonic
United Airlines turned all mysterious yesterday when it deleted all of its images from Instagram and used its social media channels to tease an announcement scheduled for 6:00 am Central Time. Well, the teasing is now over and we know what it was all about - United is the first airline to sign a commercial agreement to buy aircraft from Boom Supersonic.
Trying To Use Marriott’s Suite Night Awards Continues To Be Incredibly Annoying
Marriott's Suite Night Awards are supposed to be one of the best benefits that the Marriott Bonvoy program offers as they're only offered to members who credit a minimum of 50 nights to their Bonvoy accounts in a calendar year, but the more I try to use them the more convinced I am that they're not a particularly useful benefit at all.
Are We Really Going To Criticize American Airlines For This?!
Last week, American Airlines used various social networks to share a great picture taken by @bee.kreates and originally posted to Instagram. The picture, as you'll see below, shows a silhouette of an aircraft flying across a Chicago skyline and while it got nothing but positive comments on American's Instagram feed, some of the comments on Twitter were considerably less complimentary.
GREAT NEWS: British Airways Doubles The Number Of Guaranteed Award Seats In Most Cabins
With the UK travel industry still struggling to get a recovery underway thanks to government regulations surrounding COVID testing, self-isolation, and mandatory quarantines, British Airways has announced that it will be offering more guaranteed award seats on every flight than it has ever offered before.
American Airlines & JetBlue Now Offer Reciprocal Mileage & Elite Qualifying Credits On Most Flights
American Airlines and JetBlue have today announced that they are now offering near-universal reciprocal mileage earning and elite status credit accrual for members of the AAdvantage and TrueBlue programs. Flyers from both airline programs can now choose whether to earn AAdvantage Miles or TrueBlue points when they book with either airline and depending on which they choose, they'll also earn credits towards elite status too.
Quick Look: British Airways First Lounge Heathrow (What It’s Like Right Now)
The British Airways First Lounge is the only British Airways lounge currently open at Heathrow Terminal 5 and so until that situation changes, it's open to all travelers passing through T5 whose fare or airline status gives them lounge access as one of their benefits. With American Airlines and Qatar Airways now operating out of T5, this is currently a lounge for more than just British Airways passengers.
British Airways Opens ‘Forty Winks’ Sleep Lounge At Heathrow (Also Coming To NYC)
The Elemis Spa that once sat between the British Airways First Class lounge and the Concorde Room was confirmed as a permanent casualty of the pandemic a few weeks ago and now the often forgotten Business Center in the First Class lounge has been confirmed as a permanent casualty too. It hasn't, however, taken British Airways long to come up with a plan for the spaces that these two facilities once occupied.
Confession: I’m Breaking A Significant Rule Of The Miles & Points Game
The miles and points game is full of unwritten rules that help guide us away from doing something stunningly stupid, that help us make the most of the opportunities we’re presented with and that, on the whole, help us to travel in a lot more comfort and luxury than the people who know nothing of the game we play. Right now, however, I’m breaking what could be classified as the most important unwritten rule of them all.
Has British Airways Got The Key To Unlock The Travel World
If you're one of the lucky ones who has been able to travel internationally in recent months you'll know all about the circus that can surround pre-departure Covid-19 tests, and if you're reading this while waiting for your chance to finally get back to exploring the world you should know that it's a circus that you'll soon have to deal with too.
American Airlines Introduces New Amenity Kits
Possibly in the hope that more people will soon be traveling and that international travel may once again be an option for people to consider, American Airlines has announced that its introducing new amenity kits for its premium cabins.
Delta Has Announced A New Service To Croatia
Although the European Union has made some positive noises about opening up its borders to travelers from the United States, nothing concrete has yet been put into place and that has left the bigger US airlines looking around for destinations that they don’t yet serve and that are happy to accept visitors with a year’s worth of travel dollars burning holes in their pockets.
British Airways Will Let You Book A Check-In Time Slot
If you’re lucky enough to have mid-tier airline status or higher or if you only fly in premium cabins, you’re probably not accustomed to having to worry about the length of the lines at airport check-in desks. That, however, is not a privilege shared by the overwhelming majority of travelers around the world.
My Strange World Of Hyatt Credit Card Statement Credit
As most of you with Chase credit cards will know, for the past few years Chase has been publishing offers that give cardholders a small credit for spending with select retailers and, occasionally, with one or two hoteliers. Recently, a credit from one of these offers hit my World of Hyatt credit card account but, a little amusingly, I have no idea what that credit is doing there.
Iberia Plus Devalues Select Award Sweet Spots (No Notice Given)
Over the weekend, it looks as if Iberia Plus took a leaf straight out of the IHG playbook and made a number of changes to the cost of select awards without giving members any notice at all. While it's always disappointing to see the cost of awards increasing, in this case it's especially disappointing as the changes see Iberia eliminating a number of especially good sweet spots.
American Is Reopening More Admirals Clubs & Revamping Select Offerings
American Airlines has announced that this month will see it reopening more Admirals Clubs that were shuttered towards the beginning of the pandemic, that some lounges will see their operating schedules extended, that more touchless technology is being trialed to reduce unnecessary contacts when accessing a lounge, and that revamped food offerings are now being served.
Alaska Airlines Adds More California Services
At the beginning of last month, Alaska Airlines announced four new seasonal routes out of California's three biggest airports and now the airline has announced that it's about to offer more services to the very heart of wine country from a variety of airports in Southern California.
Earn Thousands Of American Airlines AAdvantage Miles When You Buy Or Sell A Home
Every year we seem to hear of new ways for people to earn miles and points from sources that have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with travel, and while I have no idea how long this source of miles has been around, I've just discovered that you can earn a substantial number of American Airlines miles when you buy or sell a home.
Another IHG Mess – The Promotion You Were Targeted For May Not Be Valid
Earlier this month, a significant number of IHG Rewards members had a message dropped into their accounts informing them that they could earn 10,000 bonus points for every 10 nights they consume at IHG properties in 2021. Well, there's a very good chance that if you saw that message in your account it was there in error and you weren't really targeted for that promotion at all.
Southwest Airlines Is Now Offering Hawaii Pre-Clearance From 5 California Airports
Southwest Airlines has announced that customers traveling to Hawaii from five of its California departure points are now able to get clearance to enter Hawaii before they depart for the islands. With document screening lines at the various Hawaiian airports often resembling lines for rides at a pre-pandemic theme park, this is good news for Southwest Airlines flyers.
Australia Will Get A New InterContinental Property This Year
Australia is already home to seven InterContinental properties but by the end of 2021, that number will go up to eight following the announcement that the Hotel Continental on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula will reopen as the InterContinental Sorrento later this year.
Some Six Senses Resorts Are Now Bookable With IHG Rewards Points
IHG announced the purchase of Six Senses Hotels Resorts for $300m in February 2019 and IHG Rewards members shave been waiting patiently ever since to be given a chance to use their points to book these luxurious properties. Now, that wait is over (at least in part) because 6 of the Six Senses properties are now showing award night availability on IHG's website.
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