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.
Most travelers don’t seek out McDonald’s abroad for the food. The real value is that it’s a predictable place to stop, walk in unnoticed, and use a clean restroom—something you can’t always count on in parts of Asia, Africa, or even busy tourist districts. Menus change country to country, but the bathrooms are consistent, free, and easy to find, which makes McDonald’s a more useful travel tool than a meal plan.
Hilton says it is removing a Minneapolis-area hotel from the brand after a follow-up video suggested the property was still refusing to honor Department of Homeland Security bookings even after an apology and assurances that agents would be welcome.
A passenger spotted SOS flashes from a plane. The man they helped that night had just killed two women — a 40-year Colorado mystery finally solved.
Starting today, WiFi is free on most American Airlines flights for AAdvantage members, putting American alongside Delta and JetBlue while United and Alaska head toward free Starlink service. The catch is rollout: not every aircraft is enabled yet, widebodies come later, and customers paying for monthly or annual WiFi plans should watch for billing until American clarifies cancellations and refunds.
A guest says a spa massage at the Conrad Maldives left him needing neck surgery, costing more than $50,000 out of pocket, and that after submitting medical records and bills Hilton has gone silent for months—even as he describes the injury as life-altering and raises questions about what went wrong in the treatment.
DHS is accusing Hilton-branded hotels in the Minneapolis area of canceling government-rate reservations and refusing to house immigration personnel, citing a “no ICE” email from a Hampton Inn franchise while activist pressure like “No Sleep for ICE” protests provides a motive for the cnacels.
A United passenger on a flight to Orlando reportedly took off his pants as soon as he reached his economy seat, leaving fellow travelers wondering why no one intervened. United can refuse transport for passengers who are not properly clothed, but in the cramped, dirty reality of coach, comfort and basic decorum keep colliding.
Delta and Marriott have perfected the same loyalty trick: strip the meaningful upgrades, then convince customers they still got one—whether it is Comfort Plus instead of first class, or a fourth-floor room and a “you’ve been upgraded” packet.
Airline status buys convenience, not permission to steamroll people. A video shows a United Global Services passenger barking “let me go first!” as he pushes past a family with toddlers during preboarding—he doesn’t want to be the second passenger on board.
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 »
