This woman won’t fly private or first class with her kids. And there’s a reasonable argument here, but this one’s so over the top I’m actually not sure if it’s parody?
Hyatt’s big award chart overhaul is now live, and members are already seeing free nights price up to 67% higher at some top hotels. But Hyatt itself warned that this year’s changes are only the setup: the new five-tier pricing structure is in place now, and the broader damage doesn’t hit until next year.
American Airlines is trying to look more premium, but one passenger reports the pretzels they were served expired in 2020. Packaged pretzels that old probably are not dangerous if the bag is intact, but six year old snacks are still a ridiculous look for an airline trying to convince passengers its product is improving.
A viral video appears to show United raising a fare by $400 after a passenger enters a senior-citizen date of birth, with the website saying the price changed “based on traveler information.” But this looks like a recurring website glitch where United pulls a senior fare that is not actually the lowest eligible fare.
Hilton used to rely on promotions to make Honors earning competitive. Now the points are worth less, the bonuses are smaller, and this summer’s offer can amount to just $2 a night — or less.
British Airways already charged some of the highest cash surcharges in the award world. Now it is raising the cash element on Avios redemptions by as much as 33%, while giving members almost no detail beyond a few London-origin examples — because apparently paying hundreds of dollars on top of your points still was not enough.
Marriott elite upgrades are supposed to be a loyalty benefit. But hotels are increasingly turning better rooms and suites into auctions, asking even top-tier members to bid for upgrades they expected to receive free — and warning that dozens of other guests may already be competing for the same rooms.
Airlines are forcing passengers to check carry-ons because overhead bins are supposedly full — only for them to board and find empty space. Plus: Dulles becomes the focus of U.S. Ebola screening, TSA marijuana headlines overstate what changed, and the Hamptons gets a $150 Popeyes chicken tender tower.
Philadelphia’s tiny Centurion Lounge may finally be getting the expansion it desperately needs. A document describing an Amex PHL lounge extending into lower-level space — matching reports that American Express is taking over the British Airways lounge below.
A United flight from Newark to Guatemala City diverted to Washington Dulles after a passenger tried to open a rear cabin door at cruising altitude and then assaulted another traveler, according to air traffic control audio. The door could not actually open at 36,000 feet — but the behavior was serious enough to send the 737 MAX off course.
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 »
