A woman says goodbye to her “traveling boyfriend” at airport baggage claim — and seconds later her husband appears with flowers, stunning everyone nearby. But look closely at the monitor: this isn’t security footage at all, it’s a production feed, and the on-screen file name gives away what’s going on.
An airline wanted $100 to check his bag, and a Danish traveler returning to Spain after a three-month vacation in Mexico didn’t have it — so he settled into Mérida’s airport and effectively made it his home. Trying to reach Havana for a separate ticket to Madrid he says expires January 11, he became a quiet fixture in the terminal until staff started calling him the “Danish Tom Hanks.”
A flight delay sent one American Airlines passenger to the Flagship Lounge at DFW for a quick shower. When they finished, they returned the key, said “thank you,” and started walking away—until the employee stopped them cold: “Where is the tip?”
Two Pakistan International Airlines flight attendants assigned to PK840 (a Boeing 777 from Jeddah to Multan) got into a physical fight in the departure lounge before boarding. Video shows the two women locked up by the arms while a mustached airline official tries to separate them, with bystanders stepping in as they re-engage. The flight ultimately pushed back 2 hours and 19 minutes late, and both attendants were suspended.
Scott Kirby predicted United would push American out of Chicago O’Hare, but American is finally acting like a carrier with fight left—adding 100 peak daily departures and explicitly positioning the move as competition. The gate battle, a $30 million grab for two Spirit gates, and United’s immediate retaliation to new Chicago routes all point to the same thing: O’Hare is turning into a real schedule war.
Airlines don’t buy wine the way you do. They buy through tenders and through vendors that manage the unglamorous parts: forecasting, bonded supply, station-by-station distribution, substitutions, and even menu language and crew training. That’s why economy wine can land around $3 a bottle, while trophy First Class pours can run hundreds—and why both can still taste disappointing if they’re chosen (or served) without any thought to the inflight environment.
The Capital One Venture X 100,000-mile bonus is ending. With six months to earn the miles and premium perks like lounge access, travel credits, and transferable points, it’s easily one of the best card offers of the year.
A self-described Bilt investor is out with an unverified preview of what Bilt Card 2.0 could look like when the new Cardless-issued lineup is unveiled January 14, including rumors about how earning might change, whether benefits depend on Bilt status, and if the current five-transactions rule could be replaced by a minimum monthly spend requirement.
New York weather disruptions eased and competitors recovered, but Delta kept cancelling flights anyway—because it still couldn’t cover crews even after the storm was over.
A Southwest flight attendant is going viral for turning the soda cart into “Dirty Dr Pepper” and “Pink Drink” combos—and then telling passengers on longer flights to “put me to work” and keep her entertained.
Also in today’s roundup: American’s current Summer 2026 A321XLR/787-9 premium route plan, a Sapphire Reserve dining-credit tracker (with gift-card reimbursement datapoints), and a Bilt 2.0 partner-coupon leak.
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 »
