Category Archives for Airlines.
United has raised the price of close-in saver awards without warning. Routes that were 15,000 miles just days ago now price at 20,000 miles, a one-third increase that applies only within two weeks of travel and isn’t tied to cash fares.
A flight attendant says she looked up during the safety demo and saw her own face on a passenger’s phone, enlarged and already texted to someone else. In her TikTok, she explains exactly how she responded and why crew have limited options when they’re being recorded without consent in a confined cabin.
Most travelers book airfare direct to keep earning bonuses on their card of choice. But some travel portals now pass through airline merchant coding and add their own points on top, letting you double-dip rewards and still get the protections and earnings your premium card offers. For many flyers, that makes portal booking more lucrative than buying straight from the airline.
Finland’s government is seeking a €7.6 million fine from Finnair after investigators said the airline gave misleading information in a case examining how it restricted the display of cheaper fares on online travel agencies. The probe is still ongoing, but regulators say the airline’s responses obstructed their work—creating the unusual scenario of a government moving to penalize its own majority-owned carrier.
The DOT’s recent airline passenger regulations have stretched their authority, prompting a major rethink. Instead of rushing rules through, they’re adopting a more deliberate, evidence-based process—hoping new consumer protections withstand legal scrutiny and deliver lasting passenger benefits.
Southwest will end its wheelchair-boarding advantage on January 26 when assigned seating takes effect. That change removes the incentive to preboard for early seat selection, but it doesn’t touch the real reason unneeded wheelchair requests have exploded across airlines.
The Trump administration has formally withdrawn the Biden administration’s plan to require airlines to pay cash compensation for flight delays — a rule that was never close to becoming real. Despite two years of headlines, DOT never issued an actual proposal, never established legal authority, and never moved beyond an advance notice of proposed rulemaking.
Passengers are roasting American Airlines’ $11 cheese plate after photos showed just how little you get for the price. One flyer summed it up perfectly: “It tastes like a bad financial decision.” And the close-up of the single $3 grape makes the case better than any review ever could.
Delta Air Lines scored a critical victory when a federal appeals court paused the Department of Transportation’s order to break up its joint venture with Aeromexico. The partnership can continue pending appeal, pushing any final decision into late 2026 and ensuring joint scheduling and pricing remain in place for now.
American Airlines flight attendants face escalating pressure from their union, including threats of termination for unpaid dues and a demand they pay 48% more in union fees. With internal union battles complicating matters, a national legal defense group has stepped forward, offering flight attendants free legal assistance to protect their jobs and understand financial options.
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 »
