Bilt Platinum’s annual free Blade helicopter transfer is still one of the best perks in points, and I just used my third ride—skipping the inevitable Manhattan traffic and getting to JFK in about five minutes. Here’s what the Blade Lounge West experience is like, how my rebooking played out, and why the business is changing now that Joby owns the passenger side.
Bank of America accidentally tipped its hand early on a revamped Air France-KLM Flying Blue credit card, with new perks that meaningfully accelerate elite status earning. The annual fee stays $89, existing cardmembers get the changes in March, and the updated XP bonuses make Silver, Gold, and even Platinum far more reachable through spend than before.
A report claims airline employees were stealing aircraft parts and then selling the components back to the carrier—an allegation the airline is now denying. Plus: a “world record” standby list for an inaugural flight, a passenger spooked by a “JetFuelCantMeltSteelBeams” Wi-Fi network name, Southwest gate magic in Denver, and more.
Citi’s new Strata Elite card is handing out approvals fast — and for good reason. With a 100,000-point bonus, stacked travel and retail credits, and easy eligibility rules, it delivers first-year value few premium cards can match.
A United 737 MAX ran off the runway after landing in Houston, and the newly released incident report includes cockpit voice recorder audio from the aftermath. In the recording, the captain calls ALPA while passengers are still evacuating and is told not to “say another word,” then coached on what to do next—raising uncomfortable questions about how quickly self-protection can take priority even while the situation is still unfolding.
A Taiwanese captain allegedly punched his Malaysian first officer multiple times during taxi out of LAX on an EVA Air flight to Taipei after a dispute over taxi speed. The first officer reportedly issued repeated “Speed” callouts and applied the brakes when the captain didn’t slow, after which the altercation turned physical—prompting an internal investigation and scrutiny from Taiwan’s aviation regulator.
An 80-year-old man pushed his wife through Tenerife South Airport in a wheelchair until staff at the security checkpoint noticed she was unresponsive and unusually cold. Medical assistance was called, she was confirmed dead of natural causes, and authorities activated the airport’s protocol for discovery of a body—while the husband was questioned and later released.
A federal judge blocked DHS from trying—again—to void the TSA’s union contract, ruling the agency can’t sidestep a prior injunction by issuing a “new” justification for the same outcome. The decision keeps the 2024 collective bargaining agreement in force and preserves workers’ grievance and arbitration rights while the case continues.
Bilt’s new credit cards launched Wednesday and the company has already pivoted after member confusion over Bilt Cash and the fee mechanics. The updated setup gives you a simpler choice, including a path to earn housing points with no transaction fee—and even boost rent and mortgage earning up to 25% based on how much you use the card for everyday spend.
Delta’s domestic “First Class” is supposed to buy you breathing room — until it doesn’t. On a Delta flight from San Antonio to Los Angeles, a tall passenger’s knees made it physically impossible for the seat in front to recline, sparking a mid-cabin standoff over a feature the airline sells as part of the upgrade. A flight attendant ended the debate with an honest apology, “I can’t make his legs smaller.”
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 »
