Marriott explicitly says you don’t get elite perks or points when booking through third-party sites—but my recent stay proved reality isn’t always that simple. Without even pushing, I casually asked if they had my Platinum number, and suddenly I had full lounge access, elite benefits, and points on a deeply discounted Citi Travel booking. Here’s how easily the “no elite perks” rule broke down in practice.
Surveillance footage reveals how TSA missed a meat cleaver in a passenger’s carry-on, allowing him to board a Delta flight from Portland to Salt Lake City. His surprising explanation? The kitchen blade was simply “too good a deal to pass up.”
The FAA just issued a new mandate requiring airlines to certify that pilot hiring is based solely on merit—not diversity initiatives—despite zero evidence of compromised safety. Is this regulation necessary, and even legal or just political signaling?
The Department of Homeland Security is buying a lavish $70 million Boeing 737 MAX dubbed the “sex plane,” and the Wall Street Journal reveals Secretary Kristi Noem traveled aboard the jet with Corey Lewandowski, fueling long-standing reports of their extramarital relationship.
A college student bought herself a $7,000 business-class ticket to Dubai as a graduation gift—but moments after settling into her seat, another passenger demanded she downgrade to coach so her daughter could have it, loudly calling her “ungrateful” when she refused until a flight attendant finally intervened.
An influencer’s mid-flight attempt at romance hilariously misfired when the oblivious guy across the aisle completely missed her subtle (and then not-so-subtle) hints. Her awkward efforts—and his total confusion—quickly went viral, turning an everyday Sydney-Melbourne flight into comedy gold.
Southwest Airlines flight attendants are furious after the airline decided to relocate their reserved overhead bin space from the front to the back of the aircraft—sparking fears their belongings could be stolen. The change, meant to solve chaotic boarding issues following the airline’s switch to assigned seating, has triggered immediate backlash from crew members concerned about security and convenience.
In a blunt internal message to employees, United Airlines says it has offered flight attendants the highest pay rates in the industry, but claims union leaders are refusing to agree to the needed tradeoffs. After five years without raises, here’s what’s holding up a deal.
Delta Air Lines just handed out a staggering $1.3 billion in profit-sharing bonuses today, giving employees roughly an extra month’s pay—and announced another round of salary raises. Meanwhile, workers at American and United are left with little to no bonuses, highlighting a dramatic gap in compensation and morale across U.S. airlines.
American Airlines says it’s making a premium push, but a recent menu at the Austin Admirals Club tells a very different story—featuring “Sicilian” brisket in the heart of Texas and “angry pasta” that made me mad. It’s a small detail that captures a much bigger problem with how the airline thinks about product and culture.
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 »
