Robinhood just unveiled a $695 “platinum-plated” credit card aimed at premium spenders, but the headline benefit is the metal, not the earning. Outside of portal rebates and limited categories, it’s just 1% back, and the real value is locked behind a long list of monthly credits with restrictions, minimums, and timing rules. In other words: it’s an expensive coupon book that only works if you want to manage it like one.
“Vegas At Par” taking Canadian dollars 1:1 to pay U.S. prices is bringing back visitors to participating properties. Also, Southwest gets dragged again for blocking seat changes even with empty rows, plus a 100,000-point business card offer from a regional bank and new Air Tahiti Nui Sydney service.
American Airlines abruptly stopped taking local catering at London Heathrow and began flying in minimal meals from the U.S., leaving premium cabins with a stripped-down service both directions because the galleys can’t hold two flights worth of food. The airline hasn’t explained the reason, but a photo that’s circulating showing mice nested in bread on an American Airlines 777 offers a clue for why Heathrow catering was shut off overnight.
Southwest is experimenting with bringing cleaners on board between flights — but only to clean the premium extra-legroom section, leaving the rest of the cabin to the usual quick flight-attendant “tidy.” A flight attendants union leader says the trial creates a two-tier experience, likening it to Titanic class service, and warns passengers will notice fast when the front looks freshly cleaned and the back doesn’t.
A change to U.K. inheritance tax taking effect April 6 could push the family behind Priority Pass into a control shift — and that matters far beyond Britain. If Collinson is forced toward a sale, private equity is the obvious buyer, and its playbook is obvious: charge more for airport lounge access, underinvest in the experience, and monetize what used to be included.
Bilt Palladium’s earn rates and transfer bonuses can generate outsized value — especially if you’re redeeming to expensive partners like Hyatt or stacking a big Rent Day bonus to Japan Airlines. The problem is simple: swipe fees don’t cover that, particularly for heavy spenders who maximize housing earn. It needs cross-subsidy: less engaged members redeeming cheaply and leaving value on the table to fund power users who extract it.
American Airlines has started flying its newly retrofitted Airbus A319 with 12 first class seats instead of 8—and it got there without removing any coach seats. The result is visible in a new back-galley photo: flight attendants say there’s nowhere to stand or work, and they end up in the aisle while passengers queue for the lavatory.
American Airlines has a new internal playbook for oversold flights — and it changes how you should think about taking a voluntary bump. A leaked memo lays out two rules that matter to passengers: everyone is supposed to be paid the highest offer the gate makes, and the third offer is usually the ceiling unless managers approve more. If you want the most compensation, that inside detail is now part of the strategy.
American Airlines sent employees a pointed note accusing United of dumping capacity into Chicago O’Hare to manipulate a lease provision that allocates gates based on prior-year flying. What stands out is who didn’t sign it: the message came from the COO and Chief Commercial Officer, not CEO Robert Isom, whose job has been on the line.
Singapore Airlines flight 21, the 19 hour 10 minute non-stop from Newark to Singapore, struck the tail of a Spirit Airlines plane on Tuesday morning. Video from inside the Singapore Airbus A350-900 shows the damage to Spirit’s tail.
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 »
