Category Archives for General.
Marriott allows hotels to impose cash co-pays on award stays, and the Westin LAX is now charging a $20 destination fee even when you redeem points for a free night. It is one of the ugliest differences between Bonvoy and rivals like Hyatt and Hilton, which do not let hotels tack resort or destination fees onto standard award stays.
Marriott is finally ending one of the most quietly annoying things about staying at its hotels: Pepsi. After 34 years, Coca-Cola is taking over across nearly 10,000 properties worldwide, a huge switch that says Marriott thinks guests notice the difference — and that superior economics justify replacing a decades-old global deal.
A traveler at a pet-friendly hotel in China was reportedly sent recommendations for dog meat restaurants, in one of the stranger travel stories of the day. Also: Amex’s Fort Lauderdale lounge waitlist hits 197, politicians are debuting airport holograms, bees delay a flight in Charlotte, and American’s new A319 interiors look far better even as the cabins get tighter.
The White House budget would bar federal spending on COVID air travel mask mandates, reopening one of the most polarizing fights in modern flying even though the federal rule died in court and vanished four years ago. What makes this feel especially strange is that it is not responding to any current mandate at all — it is a symbolic attempt to settle an argument that already ended on April 18, 2022.
The FAA’s new “temporary” drone restriction is drawing criticism as a backdoor attempt to stop people from filming ICE operations. Also Abu Dhabi preclearance is temporarily closed, Hong Kong’s Centurion Lounge has a premium queue problem, and Park Hyatt Tokyo may have found a clever way around elite late checkout.
Senators are warning that using a VPN could do the opposite of what many travelers expect — obscuring your location enough that intelligence agencies may treat your traffic as foreign and sweep it into domestic surveillance. Also Omni scoops up $200 million of Greenbrier debt, Frontier’s chairman explains the CEO ouster and JetBlue’s future, and one United flight attendant offers an unusually honest answer about a checked bag.
A pilot flew a Cessna Citation with a tail number altered using tape, got a written FAA warning during a ramp check, and then flew the jet home anyway without fixing the problem or getting a permit. The Fifth Circuit upheld his 150-day suspension, concluding that an aircraft can be mechanically fine but still legally unairworthy.
Mount Everest guides are accused of poisoning climbers to trigger costly helicopter evacuations in a $20 million insurance scam. Also: Hyatt offers 20% points back in Las Vegas, Delta’s Minneapolis Delta One Lounge moves closer, Amex drops Etihad, and United is apparently pouring a legit $150 bottle in business class.
News and notes from around the interweb: Warning don’t use your SkyMiles Amex to pay for upgraded beverages at the Delta One lounge JFK it doesn’t code as a restaurant, and also sends a Resy solicitation for feedback but doesn’t code as a Resy restaurant either. I'd also note the restaurant doesn't code as such when using Amex. And, despite receiving a Resy solicitation for feedback, it doesn't code as Resy, either. So don't use your SkyMiles Amex card to pay. @xJonNYC — Jamie Baker (@baker_never_y) April 1, 2026 70% bonus on transferring Chase points to IHG One Rewards in April. This is a poor use of points. Don’t transfer points to IHG. An IHG point is worth about half a cent. They’ll often sell it for that, even. If you want to book IHG…
Marriott says guests can now earn points for skipping toilet flushes, raising the obvious question of whether this is about sustainability or simple cost cutting. Also in the roundup on April Fools’ Day: Amex kills the Platinum Saks credit, Qantas swaps in a first class cheeseburger, and San Diego’s Aspire lounge is getting much bigger.
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 »
