American’s 2026 AAdvantage changes are now live, and the most meaningful shift isn’t elite qualification—it’s the quiet devaluation of partner earning bonuses, now reduced and capped. Combined with basic economy earning zero miles, it points to a broader strategy change: AAdvantage is no longer being treated as the primary reason to choose American, as the airline pours money into premium seats, clubs, and service instead.
Capital One has signed a lease for a new lounge at Charlotte, and at roughly 14,000 square feet it would be the biggest Capital One Lounge yet. The space will sit on the mezzanine of the Concourse A expansion with tarmac views, locally inspired food, a full-service coffee bar, and work areas—though with only a concessions agreement in place, an opening likely isn’t soon.
A warning is making the rounds that the slot machines at Las Vegas airport are among the worst bets in town—possibly paying out near the legal minimum—so you’re better off waiting until you hit the Strip. Plus a United first class passenger stunned there’s no screen, Hilton’s new Diamond Reserve premium clubs, a surprisingly decent Admirals Club entree, and a very dirty cabin photo that should embarrass an airline.
On a 5 a.m. Spirit flight, a passenger ordered the Ghirardelli hot chocolate—and says she was sweating, nauseous, and vomiting within minutes, with severe diarrhea for the rest of the flight. The timing makes classic food poisoning unlikely, which raises a more interesting question: was it something she consumed earlier, the stress of an all-nighter, or the reality of making “hot chocolate” with airline tank water?
Sixty-three Ole Miss fans were on the same tight connection through DFW, with a delay threatening to strand them short of the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix. Instead of holding the flight, American simply moved gates—turning what would have been a terminal sprint into a short walk, and the Phoenix flight still pushed back early.
United flight attendants voted down a union-endorsed contract by 71% after five years without a raise—and now the union is demanding pay increases immediately, before a new deal is negotiated. United is pushing back, arguing that any added pay or “quality of life” improvements have to come as part of a full contract package with tradeoffs on work rules.
Hilton has brought back status matches—and the fast track is easier than the last time around. You get Gold for 90 days upon approval, then only 6 paid nights keeps Gold through March 2028 (12 nights earns Diamond through March 2028).
United served a first class dinner that one passenger dubbed a “bowl of sadness,” and the complaints quickly turned into something else: a wave of copycat posts riffing on the same lines. Plus in today’s roundup: a Southwest mechanic’s payroll, a passenger who slept on a stranger for an entire flight while her boyfriend took a photo, Delta’s CIO retirement, and more.
Bilt will unveil a refreshed card lineup next week, but details are already leaking—including a three-card structure and new annual fees. The biggest change may be how “fee-free” rent and mortgage payments work: the perk appears to become conditional on enough non-rent spending (or offset with Bilt Cash), which radically changes the math for how you use the card.
Airlines and airports tell you to arrive at the airport 2 hours in advance for a domestic flight and 3 hours in advance for an international flight. And then during peak times they warn you to show up even earlier than that. This is insane.
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 »
