United Airlines continues its quiet, unpublished policy of granting elite-status extensions upon request—despite initially trying to sell members expensive status buy-ups. If you just lost your MileagePlus elite status on February 1, contacting United and politely requesting an extension (especially if you had unusual circumstances in 2025) remains surprisingly effective, as the airline recognizes keeping loyal customers is far cheaper than acquiring new ones.
Southwest Airlines just brought back one of its best-known promotions: register and book just one roundtrip (or two one-way flights) by Thursday, February 5, and you’ll earn a two-month Companion Pass valid August 10–October 7, 2026. Whether paying cash or using points, this Companion Pass lets you bring along a friend or family member for free, making late summer and early fall travel significantly cheaper.
A Florida man was arrested at a Disney-area vacation rental resort after deputies say witnesses captured video of him partially clothed engaging in “inappropriate conduct” with a vacuum cleaner. The complaint trail started with reports of a nude man in a hallway, escalated into indecent exposure calls the next day, and ended with an arrest a week later after investigators gathered statements and footage.
HotelSlash is rolling out a clever twist on refundable prepaid rates: you lock in the lower “prepaid” price with just a $25 deposit, and they front the rest. You aren’t charged the remaining balance until a few days before the cancellation deadline (with notice), which makes prepaid deals far less painful for cash flow and far less risky if you end up canceling.
The United Business Card’s best offer is back: 100,000 bonus miles plus 2,000 PQP after $5,000 in purchases in the first three months. With a $150 annual fee but a $125 United travel credit, two United Club passes, and additional PQP earning on spend,. The headline bonus and the ongoing perks both pencil out.
Delta hosted a fundraiser for Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s son-in-law as he runs for Congress—a move with painfully obvious “regulator optics.” Also: Visa’s swipe-fee messaging, a jaw-dropping St. Barts approach video, Southwest’s new boarding turning passengers into baggage handlers and more.
American squawked 7700 over Cuba and reversed course on the Miami–Quito run after the crew described the cabin as being “in lockdown” over a violent passenger who had to be physically restrained. The jet returned to South Florida about 74 minutes after departure, and after landing the aircraft underwent a brake inspection consistent with an overweight return when a long-haul flight turns back with much of its fuel still onboard.
Citi’s new premium Strata Elite card delivers far more first-year value than its $595 fee suggests — credits stack twice, bonuses are huge, and the math almost feels like a mistake.
Alaska Airlines sold a customer a paid first class seat for an 8-hour Liberia–Seattle flight — then called them to the podium at boarding and bumped them to coach because two pilots were deadheading. Pilot contracts can require premium cabin seats, and Alaska’s language is unusually aggressive about it compared to how United, Delta, and American handle “pilots over passengers.”
American’s new color-coded banners are supposed to make irregular ops easier to understand—red for canceled, green for self-service rebooking. But after back-to-back cancellations on my trip, both the app and website stayed stubbornly “green” while the flight that would actually get me to my destination was canceled. Weather isn’t the airline’s fault; confusing customers with a UI that won’t turn red is.
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 »
