Category Archives for Airlines.
In a surprising move, American Airlines flights are now featured in Chase Travel’s ‘Points Boost’—unlocking exceptional redemptions of up to 2 cents per point for business class and premium economy seats. This major shift means travelers can now access American Airlines premium flights through Chase, significantly enhancing the value of Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
United Airlines is drastically cutting mileage earning and increasing award prices for passengers without a MileagePlus credit card, pushing flyers to sign up for its cards as it moves aggressively toward becoming an even more card-centric program.
Internal slides leaked from United Airlines reveal its aggressive strategy to dominate Chicago O’Hare, as their leadership openly mocks American’s hub there as “temporary” underscoring how American’s strategic missteps have cost hundreds of millions in losses.
United Airlines CFO Michael Leskinen openly ridiculed American Airlines’ strategy at Chicago O’Hare—declaring it a “temporary hub”—while hinting at upcoming major product announcements, loyalty program upgrades, and potential mergers on the horizon.
A passenger is suing Southwest Airlines, claiming the airline denied her wheelchair assistance and then left her stranded in an airport restroom, causing severe emotional distress—Southwest responded by offering just a $150 voucher.
A Yale business school dean just penned an extraordinary defense of American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, praising him as “beloved” and “resilient,” while blaming Boeing and bad weather for poor profits and operational meltdowns—but literally none of his claims withstand scrutiny. I go line-by-line.
Ten years after American Airlines introduced uniforms blamed for rashes and reactions, employees are still fighting in court—but judges remain skeptical, dismissing expert testimony as speculation rather than science.
Spirit Airlines is already facing bankruptcy, massive route cuts, and fleeing employees. Now, they’re losing one of their credit card partners, further deepening their financial crisis. While the airline industry relies heavily on lucrative card deals, this latest blow underscores just how precarious Spirit’s position has become.
American Airlines flight attendants were forced to use emergency flashlights to serve meals on a transatlantic flight from London to Los Angeles after the airline dispatched the aircraft without functioning galley lights. Crew faced challenging conditions preparing food and drinks in near darkness. “They just sent the plane anyway.”
The FAA just issued a new mandate requiring airlines to certify that pilot hiring is based solely on merit—not diversity initiatives—despite zero evidence of compromised safety. Is this regulation necessary, and even legal or just political signaling?
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 »
