Category Archives for Airlines.
United Airlines top-tier 1K status is being offered online for just $330, a tiny fraction of what frequent flyers normally spend to earn it. It may look like an easy shortcut to upgrades, priority treatment, and fee waivers, but buying status this way risks far more than wasted money if the airline decides the offer was unauthorized.
Business class doors have quickly become the next must-have feature after flat beds and direct aisle access, but that does not mean they always make the seat better. On some aircraft, especially narrowbodies, the space used for doors may be better spent on a longer bed, a wider aisle, or a roomier overall seat—raising the question of whether doors deliver real privacy or just the appearance of it.
Delta is defending a display at JFK created for Arab American Heritage Month after critics said it depicted Palestine in a way that erased Israel from the map. The airline says the display was put together by employees in an employee-only break room.
Spirit Airlines could stop flying as soon as this week and begin selling off assets, according to a new report, a scenario that would turn a fragile bankruptcy into a full shutdown. Even if creditors are still talking, the mere prospect of liquidation makes the airline harder to save by scaring off new bookings, which are the one thing a struggling carrier cannot afford to lose.
JetBlue founder David Neeleman says the airline could be pushed into bankruptcy this year if fuel prices stay elevated, and he does not think any major U.S. carrier wants to take on its debt.
Spirit Airlines wants to exit bankruptcy for a second time, but the U.S. bankruptcy trustee says the airline still has not explained why its first restructuring failed so quickly or why creditors should believe this plan is any better. In order to wipe out shareholders and unsecured creditors again, it has to prove that shrinking the airline is a more credible path than selling it or liquidating what is left.
American Airlines turns 100 today with a lot still broken, but for the first time in years the airline is making visible moves that suggest it understands what customers actually value. From lounges and premium seats to small touches like pilot trading cards, the real story is not the centennial nostalgia—it is whether these early signs of progress mean American is finally serious about becoming an airline people want to choose again.
Democrats in Congress are warning that even if the Trump administration allowed a United-American merger to happen, a future administration could still try to unwind it after the fact. That turns any deal into something far messier than a normal merger fight, because approval would not necessarily end the legal and political risk.
Southwest Airlines has put a former United executive in charge of Rapid Rewards at a moment when the loyalty program is under pressure and redemptions have been falling. Her background suggests Southwest may push harder on personalization, partner revenue, and a more modern loyalty model—with changes that could go well beyond points for flights.
American Airlines has a new private jet partnership that lets customers earn AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points, creating a new path to elite status outside traditional airline flying. It is a small deal for American financially, but a much bigger one for TLC Jet—and it also undercuts the airline’s own past arguments against premium flying outside the traditional commercial terminal model.
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 »
