Heathrow Airport is now charging a drop-off fee (How to pay & How to avoid)
In what can only be described as a pathetic nickel & dime move, Heathrow Airport has finally started to charge the £5/$6.85 drop-off fee that it has been threatening to introduce for well over a year. This post takes a look at who has to pay the fee, how the fee can be paid, and how travelers arriving at Heathrow by car can avoid paying the fee.
Hyatt completes the purchase of ALG Group (~100 new properties coming to the World of Hyatt)
It was back in August that Hyatt confirmed that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of Apple Leisure Group for $2.7 billion and we were told to expect the deal to close in the fourth quarter of this year. Well, true to its word, Hyatt has now announced that the deal is done and that approximately 100 new properties have now been added to its portfolio.
Hawaiian Airlines will restart its Sydney Route next month
In the wake of Qantas starting to reboot a variety of long-haul routes and Singapore Airlines saying that it will operate Vaccinated Travel Lanes from Sydney and Melbourne, Hawaiian Airlines has confirmed that it will join the party and will bring back its Honolulu - Sydney service in mid-December.
My first look at the World of Hyatt post devaluation (has value remained?)
On 26 October, seasonal pricing was introduced to the World of Hyatt program meaning that while no properties moved hotel categories on that date, Hyatt stays from March 2022 onwards can now cost up to 25% more than they currently do. With Hyatt's seasonal calendars now live, I've taken a look at a few regular Hyatt properties and a few well-known and higher-end Hyatt properties to see what the calendars show and to see if I can answer three key questions that have been on my mind.
American Airlines just made Lifetime Elite status a little more valuable (in one way)
American Airlines recently ripped up the rules surrounding elite status qualification for the AAdvantage program and introduced a whole new system through which its flyers can earn elite status. For some, the fact that the new system will probably create more low-level elites means that Lifetime Gold and Lifetime Platinum status has just been devalued (more competition for benefits). For others, however, Lifetime AAdvantage Elite status will have just become more useful.
How to transfer Citi ThankYou Points to airline loyalty programs (2024)
Like all the major transferable currencies Citi ThankYou points are relatively easy to earn (if you have the right credit cards) and because they can be transferred to an impressive number of airline loyalty programs, they're a key element to most people's miles & points strategy.
This was my ‘panic’ American Airlines award booking
On Monday afternoon, I wrote that I was looking at different ways in which I could spend the 170,000 AAdvantage miles that were sitting in my account and I mentioned a number of options that I had been considering. At the time, I had no idea which option (or options) I most wanted to go for and I was prepared to keep thinking things through for a few more weeks. A tweet that I saw on Monday evening quickly changed all of that.
All British Airways 777s will have the new Club Suite by the end of 2022
British Airways has issued an update on the progress that it's making with retrofitting its new Club Suite to its long-haul fleet and while the news out today is mostly good, some information that's missing from the update may point to a longer rollout timeframe than was originally envisioned.
JetBlue LaGuardia expansion starts this Sunday
It was back in April that JetBlue first told us that it was planning to leverage its new partnership with American Airlines to help it significantly increase its presence at New York's LaGuardia airport, and now the airline has confirmed that we'll start to see that expansion roll out from this weekend.
United Airlines Business Class 787-9 Dreamliner review (LHR-SFO)
Earlier this year, I booked a fantastic Business Class deal that should have seen me flying to Los Angeles with SWISS and back to Europe with United but with airlines playing around with their schedules as much as they were, my booking got changed multiple times and I ended up having to fly with United in both directions. That wasn't ideal, but it gave me a chance to try out three of the airline's long-haul Business Class cabins and this is a review of the first cabin in my itinerary.
Could the United States ban travel from the UK again?
On 8 November, the United States is reopening its borders to travelers originating in the Schengen Area, China, India, Ireland, Iran, Brazil, South Africa, and, of course, the United Kingdom, and while this is certainly a move to be welcomed, anyone taking this as a sign that US travel bans are a thing of the past could be being a little optimistic.
United Airlines announces 22 daily flights to London in 2022 (1 new route)
Yesterday, a low-key United Airlines teaser appeared to suggest that it would be announcing at least one new international route at 08:00 today to go alongside the 10 new flights and 5 new destinations that the airline announced on 14 October. Well, 08:00 ET has now passed and we now know what United's teaser was all about.
IHG Rewards extends elite statuses through January 2023
It was the last week of April 2020 when IHG announced that it would offer elite status extensions through January 2022 and now that Hilton (in September) and Marriott (yesterday) have both announced that members of their loyalty programs will continue to enjoy their elite statuses into 2023, IHG has followed suit.
Heads up: United Airlines will add yet more international routes
United Airlines launched a big teaser earlier this month which gave us all a lot of clues as to what new international routes the airline was planning to announce. Those new routes were promptly revealed just a day later but now United is suggesting that its news doesn't end there.
The new World of Hyatt award calendars are now live
As most people reading this will probably know, the World of Hyatt introduced peak and off-peak pricing yesterday, 26 October, and while the new pricing system doesn't affect stays made before the end of February 2022, all of Hyatt's properties are now displaying their respective award calendars for all bookable dates from 1 March 2022 onwards.
Huge News: American Airlines reinvents how elite status is earned
Today looks like it's a day for surprises. I didn't expect Marriott to announce the huge Bonvoy devaluation that we've seen, while the cataclysmic changes that I was expecting American Airlines to make to its awards charts never materialized. Instead, what American Airlines announced today was a wholesale change to how AAdvantage elite status is earned.
How did I not know that Gatwick surcharges are lower than those at Heathrow?!
I like to think that I'm fairly up to speed with a lot of the more important information surrounding the topics about which I write, and I like to think that I'm (mostly) completely on top of anything that relates to the cities that I visit frequently, the airlines with whom I fly a lot, and the hotels that I stay at more than once or twice a year. Apparently, that's not always true.
Official: US ends travel bans (Testing requirements & vaccine exemptions announced)
Earlier this month, we were told that the United States would reopen its borders to fully vaccinated travelers from regions, countries, and states from where travel has been banned since the early months of the pandemic. Unsurprisingly, this news was greeted with a great deal of jubilation in various corners of the world but until now, we've had no firm idea what the opening would look like, what the specific requirements for travel would be and what exemptions would be permitted. Now we know.
Devaluation coming tomorrow: Book your 2022 Hyatt stays now
Hyatt originally planned to introduce peak and off-peak pricing back in March 2020 but the pandemic got in the way of those plans and the devaluation was postponed. Now, however, the postponements are over and Hyatt's move to peak, off-peak, and standard award pricing comes into effect tomorrow and with some bookings set to cost up to 25% more, now is the time to make any bookings that you think you may need.
Qantas has confirmed 12 international routes will return by January
With Victoria now joining New South Wales in saying said that it plans to open up to vaccinated visitors from 1 November with no quarantine requirements, and with the Australian government under increasing pressure to open up its borders to international travelers, Qantas is pushing forward with getting its global route network restored and it has now confirmed the international routes that it will start/restart in the coming months.
Cathay Pacific eliminates waitlists for standard award bookings
Earlier this year, Cathay Pacific eliminated two types of awards and brought its Miles Plus Cash option online allowing customers to pay for any available seat using a mix of Asia Miles and cash. Now, a little over 6 months later, Cathay Pacific has made a further change to its loyalty program by announcing that the ability to waitlist for a standard award is being removed with immediate effect.
Hyatt peak & off peak pricing will not affect free night awards
Yesterday was the day when we finally had official confirmation that the World of Hyatt would, after numerous postponements, finally introduce peak and off-peak season pricing from Tuesday, 26 October 2021 at 10:00 am CT for stays made on or after 1 March 2022. While clearly devaluation, this isn't as bad as it could have been, and one of the silver linings around the dark cloud of seasonal spring is that Hyatt's free night awards will not be affected by what's on the way.
Marriott has opened the Reykjavik EDITION
At the time of writing, there are just 11 EDITION properties around the world but Marriott has been promising us plenty more, and true to its word, it has now opened the doors to its newest EDITION property Reykjavik, Iceland.
Is Hyatt about to add a new Hyatt Regency in London?
A normally very reliable source has reported that an IHG property in the center of the City of London which has remained closed since the pandemic first brought life to a screeching halt, will reopen early next year. It won't, however, be reopening under its old name. Instead, it will reopen as a new Hyatt Regency.
Uh-Oh! An outlier? An overreaction? Or a sign of things to come?
COVID-19 infection rates in the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands, are now rising and in the UK's case, reaching levels not seen since January. And while the death rates in these countries aren't anywhere near the highs of last year (because the vaccines, for the most part, are doing their job), this isn't stopping some countries getting spooked at the way some infection rates are trending.
Hilton News: Early upgrade confirmations & digital key sharing on the way
Hilton is introducing a couple of new measures which should make the travel lives of guests and Hilton Honors elite members a little easier. Coming soon, Hilton Honors elites will get advance notice when their space-available upgrade has been cleared by a property and Hilton guests who have downloaded the Hilton app and are a room's primary occupant will be able to share their digital key with those with whom they're traveling.
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.
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 to 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.
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