Category Archives for General.
American’s new color-coded banners are supposed to make irregular ops easier to understand—red for canceled, green for self-service rebooking. But after back-to-back cancellations on my trip, both the app and website stayed stubbornly “green” while the flight that would actually get me to my destination was canceled. Weather isn’t the airline’s fault; confusing customers with a UI that won’t turn red is.
United told pilots it expects delivery of its first 787-9 with the new Polaris Studio in February, with entry into service in March. Also today: Starbucks is rolling out a revamped Rewards program in March that cuts earning, Hawaiian Airlines Bank of Hawaii credit cards are back and more.
Southwest’s new seat fees aren’t just changing over time — they’re changing by passenger, even when two travelers are looking at the same seat on the same flight. In one example, a Companion Pass flyer saw an exit row seat priced at $45 for them but $26 for their companion, and similar screenshots and reports are piling up across social media.
United is offering a paid “upgrade” to 1K status for $12,670—and marketing it as a discount. Also: an airport self-checkout tip screen that defaults to 18% while adding a card surcharge, American’s corporate-travel claims vs the revenue reality, why American still needs widebodies, disgusting cabin trash behavior, and a Delta One etiquette thread that’s hard to unsee.
Marco Rubio reportedly covers his head with a blanket on Air Force One so Trump won’t think his secretary of state is “weak” for sleeping on long trips. Also: Hyatt adds 22 Bahia Principe all-inclusives to World of Hyatt, Bilt begins fixing new-card denials and low credit lines, airline power outlets still fail travelers, and more.
Passengers on an American Airlines Hartford–Charlotte flight say they were seated on the plane when they heard “rushing water,” then watched a pipe burst and water start gushing from the back of the cabin, pooling down the aisle across multiple rows. The infuriating twist: they say American treated the cancellation as “weather-related,” meaning no hotel help—an ugly look in the middle of a storm week when the airline’s broader recovery has already been far rougher than its competitors.
Delta is now selling upgrades for as little as $19—less than a checked bag fee—which tells you exactly why elite “upgrade” status feels increasingly pointless. Also in today’s roundup: United first class drama, planes that look like they aren’t being cleaned, a ceiling collapse at an Embassy Suites, tipping fatigue, and American’s free Wi-Fi rollout.
Delta just sold a first-class seat for $37—which tells you everything about how little “upgrades” are worth when the airline can monetize the cabin instead. Also in today’s roundup: basic-economy behavior at its finest, a rare case where a hotel service charge actually pays out to staff, an “infinite money glitch” casino-chip joke, an ICE protest tactic targeting rental cars, and more American Airlines nonsense.
Most Amex points don’t get used for travel—they’re redeemed for gift cards, statement credits, and shopping, which keeps Amex’s average redemption cost low and makes the best travel redemptions possible for everyone else. Also: Delta’s new Sky Club plans, “straight to jail” travel content, It’s Always Marriott, a DOT frequent flyer authority critique, and the GLP-1 airfare angle.
Southwest Airlines is back in dress-code drama after a passenger accused a flight attendant of telling her to “pull your shirt up” before she could fly, saying the comment singled out her body and birthmarks.
The clash is awkward for an airline that built its brand on LUV and once leaned into cheeky marketing—and it highlights the core problem with airline attire rules today: they’re vague, discretionary, and enforced unevenly from one crew member to the next.
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 »
