I do not read hotel and restaurant reviews abroad the same way everywhere. In Europe, bad reviews can be easier for businesses to challenge or remove, so I rely less on average ratings and more on patterns, photos, trusted local sites, and avoiding obvious tourist traps.
American Airlines shareholders will vote next month on a board reform that could make it easier for outside candidates to break through management’s slate. The proposal is almost certain to fail — but after profits collapsed 87%, executive pay barely budged, and shareholders lagged the S&P 500 badly, the fact that board accountability is even on the ballot says something.
California couldn’t build high-speed rail, so now officials are studying 140 mph buses. Plus: MrBeast says he only books flights with Starlink, Southwest passengers complain about forced bag checks, and a woman says the wrong soap triggered TSA explosives screening.
Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey apparently went 20 years without seeing each other after their divorce. They both were in the same cabin of a flight to Hawaii, while Simpson’s second ex sat in back with their three kids.
Chase is offering a 30% bonus on transfers to Southwest Rapid Rewards, which sounds like value — until you remember how much Southwest has already taken away. The bonus mostly restores the value Rapid Rewards lost through devaluation, while showing how the new Southwest is happy to sell more points now that those points cost less to redeem.
The American Airlines Flagship lounge has introduced food items to order via QR code, delivered tableside. That’s something they already have in their most-recently opened Flagship lounge in Philadelphia.
Delta’s CEO says AI lacks soul and warmth — while his airline uses AI to help price tickets. Plus: Air Force One’s China-trip meal gets roasted, American tells a passenger stuck in the lav to try knocking, and TSA’s SFO screening contract fight heads to court.
Citi premium card looks complicated at first, but the real value is straightforward once you know how the credits post. The Strata Elite’s hotel, Splurge, Blacklane, Priority Pass, and Admirals Club benefits can make the first cardmember year far more lucrative than the $595 fee suggests.
An American Airlines flight attendant is objecting to her union’s left-wing political messaging, including May Day posts aimed at Trump and Elon Musk. Unions are obviously – and necessarily – political. That makes it tough for airline workers who have to pay dues to platform ideas they oppose.
Spirit Airlines workers say the company told them to ignore shutdown rumors right up until the end — then terminated nearly everyone without 60 days’ notice. Now they’re suing for WARN Act pay, while Spirit argues its collapse was unforeseeable because last-minute financing and a possible taxpayer bailout fell apart.
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 »
