Monthly Archives for April 2026.
One passenger in India is accused of a string of alarming incidents in March, including allegedly trying to open an emergency exit inflight, smoking near jet fuel on an airport ramp, and fighting with airline and airport staff. The episodes reportedly happened on separate flights just weeks apart, making this less a one-off outburst than a pattern of escalating aviation misconduct.
United Airlines is planning two of the worlds largest airport lounges in Houston and Washington Dulles while also laying groundwork for a return to New York JFK. An internal presentation makes clear these projects are not just about nicer terminals — they are part of a broader strategy to turn hub spending into faster growth, stronger loyalty, and higher profits.
Starlink is making inflight internet fast enough and reliable enough to support calls, conferencing, and anything else passengers want to do online at 35,000 feet. The old argument for blocking inflight calls is collapsing, and airlines should be free to let passengers decide — as long as people are considerate.
A two-bedroom beach condo in St. Maarten can be had for just 15,000 points a night — or under $100 if you buy the points on sale — which is the kind of value that makes even a pretty uninspiring currency suddenly worth paying attention to.
American Express is adding a new Centurion lounge in Boston, a Sidecar dining outpost in Charlotte, and a major expansion of its Centurion lounge at Dallas-Fort Worth. The catch is that Boston cardmembers will be waiting until 2029, years later than originally expected.
Marriott says guests can now earn points for skipping toilet flushes, raising the obvious question of whether this is about sustainability or simple cost cutting. Also in the roundup on April Fools’ Day: Amex kills the Platinum Saks credit, Qantas swaps in a first class cheeseburger, and San Diego’s Aspire lounge is getting much bigger.
Southwest’s latest privacy policy email told customers almost nothing, which is exactly why so many people assumed the worst. The real changes were broader and older than Monday’s notice suggested, and they are fueling fears that the airline is building the tools for heavier tracking, biometric monitoring, and more personalized pricing.
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 »
