Citi brought back the best-ever welcome offer on its AAdvantage Business card: 75,000 American Airlines miles after $5,000 spend in 5 months, with the $99 annual fee waived for the first year. The headline bonus is great on its own, but the real edge for frequent American flyers is what the card unlocks inside AAdvantage Business—extra earning on tickets and, for many cardmembers, the ability to stack Loyalty Points in ways that can accelerate status.
A passenger was banned after vaping in an airplane lavatory triggered the smoke alarm and brought police to meet the flight on arrival, but the more interesting question is why e-cigarettes are treated the same as cigarettes in the first place.
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.
Delta Air Lines is now making guests check bags before entering the dining room at its Delta One lounge at New York JFK, after what staff described as a very serious recent incident. At the same time, passengers buying upgraded drinks are being asked to tip in SkyMiles, adding a tacky new twist to what Delta sells as a premium ground experience.
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 »
