Avelo’s CEO wants the Ryanair model pushed even further: not just low airport costs, and cities paying his airline to fly there — but future airport deals giving Avelo part ownership of the airport itself. That turns ordinary route incentives into public airports handing over a stake to a fragile private airline while taxpayers absorb the risk.
Most points advice assumes you’re saving for long haul business class awards. But if your travel is mostly domestic, the best credit card strategy looks very different: earn the most flexible points you can, carry airline cards for benefits rather than spending, and choose lounge access based on the airports you actually use.
Delta disclosed that it has 9 million American Express cardmembers. They also shared how many members participate in their Starbucks and Uber partnerships – and we can infer just how much spending is happening on their cards, and the balances that cardmembers are revolving.
Bankrupt Spirit Airlines is trying to turn its LaGuardia flight slots into $87 million, but the airport’s operator says the airline is trying to auction off rights that aren’t Spirit’s to sell. That sounds like a major problem—except FAA-approved slot sales are real, and LaGuardia still has to provide airport access on reasonable, non-discriminatory terms.
An American Airlines passenger says the woman seated behind him became erratic during descent, lunged over his seat, and slammed him into the cabin wall hard enough to knock off his glasses and possibly leave him unconscious. He is suing the alleged attacker directly, not American, while a related federal criminal case plays out first.
TSA has moved from “remove your laptop” to “remove your cat.” Before heading to the airport, check your suitcase for a feline stowaway. Plus Airbus a350 damaged during water cannon salute, Alaska award sale and points transfers, and draconion cancellation fees.
Three weeks ago I revealed that American Airlines had brought restaurant-style ordering of hot food items to its Flagship lounges. American has now announced this change – along with several others.
A Delta flight from St. Thomas to New York saw a pre-takeoff argument that ended with everyone involved kicked off the plane. Also: GHA Discovery offers paid elite status through 2027, Southwest blows up its succession plan, Alaska opens its new Portland lounge while cutting basic economy mileage earning,
Passengers on an Israeli airline flight bound for Slovenia ended up in Croatia instead after Slovenian authorities refused to let the plane land, forcing travelers to continue by ground to Ljubljana – all on the last day of the outgoing Slovenia which has been anti-Israel, before a new friendlier government took power.
A Cathay Pacific passenger needed real help after a canceled flight, but the chat response exposed how airline customer service increasingly uses AI to manufacture empathy while failing to solve the real problem. The agent pasted the prompt instead of the reply, the instructions to acknowledge feelings, sound positive, and validate the customer.
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 »
