News and notes from around the interweb:
- Rakuten‘s $50 referral offer ends 12/31. Rakuten is an online shopping portal that earns points or cash back for the purchases you make anywhere, akin to the mileage malls that work with airlines like American, United, Alaska, et al. You can choose between cash back, Amex points or Bilt points ($50 is worth 5,000 points – with Bilt, at least for the near future.)
The easy, quick win before this offer is just to go to GiftCards.com through the portal and buy a $50 gift card for Uber, DoorDash, Southwest Airlines or Delta. You get $50 or equivalent points back, making this a free $50 (or better, since the points are worth more than $50).
- United keeps talking about how they’re spending more on food?
And the worst meal ever award goes to @united … it tasted more awful than how it looks #united #businessclass #aviation @OneMileataTime pic.twitter.com/wwQb9nWBAC
— Vikas Chaudhary (@VikasChaud58249) December 17, 2025
- Not even Southwest!
- Air Canada Aeroplan, which already has more airline partners than any other frequent flyer program, has added airBaltic redemptions.
- British Airways devaluation, every single BA route
- I recently gave a hard time to the Capital One lounge at DFW airport over the food and grab ‘n go situation there so I should note that the Capital One Landing at DC’s National airport remains outstanding. No wait without a reservation, either.
- American Airlines catering has long had a strange obsession with short rib (cheap, fatty meat ‘reheats well’) but of late they’ve been offering short rib as two of the options for pre-order meals.
- Third Dallas airport McKinney gets its first airline: Avelo
That’s a whole lotta gelt in the thumbnail for this post! Happy holidays, everyone.
Maybe AA is letting you pick the sides now? Broccoli on a plane just sounds gross, Ill risk it with the tater.
Check your Chase offers for an extra 5% off Giftcards dot com
Let’s hope the LGA landing is just as good as DCA. Still holding out for a preview this week, Gary!
@1990 — You too, friend! Happy holiday season, VFTW community — Wishing safe travels and decadent food for all.