United flight attendants haven’t had a raise in 5.5 years, and inflation has quietly taken a big bite out of what their pay is worth—so the tone shift this week is notable. The union says a final agreement is now close enough that it’s postponing a planned protest day, while United is telling crews the deal will deliver industry-leading pay, signing bonuses, and progress on “sit pay” and other long-running priorities.
A viral check-in video from a Sheraton in suburban Atlanta shows a manager refusing to honor a guest’s reservation because she arrived with a dog she says is a service animal. When police arrive, the hotel keeps repeating “no pets,” and the officer has to explain the basic point: service animals aren’t pets under disability law, and a blanket no-pets policy doesn’t end the conversation.
We’re living in an era where the brand is the product, not just the logo—and Delta understood that earlier than any U.S. airline. The point isn’t that Delta runs more ads; it’s that Delta has spent a decade building a story about who it serves and what it stands for, and that narrative makes customers pay a premium while giving employees a clearer North Star for decisions.
March 2026 brings a fresh round of best-ever credit card offers, with several new bonuses added and others already gone. Here’s the up-to-date list of the most lucrative deals still available.
JetBlue’s CEO says New York LaGuardia is now simply too expensive to operate from after the airport’s stunning rebuild—an admission that should worry anyone who cares about cheap fares and real competition. The problem isn’t that airports are getting nicer; it’s that America builds infrastructure slowly and at enormous cost, then forces airlines to absorb it through higher per-passenger fees that low fare carriers can’t make work.
ExpertFlyer just rolled out a new premium tier that can surface about 11 months of American Airlines systemwide upgrade availability in a single search, and it’s also adding more robust automated alerts plus AeroLOPA seat maps (while raising prices on other plans).
Also, the world’s deepest hotel room is shutting down, a passenger scolds someone else’s kid mid-flight, and Hotels.com in the U.K. is walking back Expedia OneKey to revive its old “stay 10, get 1 free” model.
American Airlines says it wants to win more premium travelers, but its flight attendants union says the airline is replacing well-liked crew hotels across the system in ways that mean less rest and worse onboard service. This is not just a fight over layovers — it is a test of whether American can really deliver a better product while still cutting the conditions crews depend on to do the job.
Citi just brought back the best-ever welcome offer on its AAdvantage Business card: 75,000 American Airlines miles after $5,000 spend in 5 months, with the $99 annual fee waived for the first year. The headline bonus is great on its own, but the real edge for frequent American flyers is what the card unlocks inside AAdvantage Business—extra earning on tickets and, for many cardmembers, the ability to stack Loyalty Points in ways that can accelerate status.
Chase has the biggest-ever Marriott Boundless bonus: 5 Free Night Awards after $3,000 in 3 months, valid up to 50,000 points per night (and you can top off each with 15,000 points). There is also a 2026 airline statement credit up to $100, and the no-fee Marriott Bold now offers 2 Free Night Awards after $1,000 in spend.
Chase has a huge bonus on the IHG One Rewards Premier Card: 175,000 points after $5,000 in spend in three months. The $99 card is also a long-term keeper thanks to the annual free night (with top-off), 4th night free on award stays and Platinum status.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
