Qantas First Class Awards Available for Fall and Winter

sydney opera house
May 29 2019

Here’s a search of available first class award space for two passengers in November. I searched Los Angeles – Sydney, but it brings up Los Angeles – Melbourne space where there’s connecting availability to/from Sydney, and Dallas Fort-Worth – Sydney where there’s connecting availability on American between LA and Dallas.

Some space appears to exist October through February, in other words when Americans want to travel to Australia.

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Goldman Sachs Likely to Lose Money on New Apple Credit Card

iphone 5s
May 29 2019

Citibank pulled out of advanced negotiations with Apple to be the new issuer of a co-brand card that will now launch from Goldman Sachs this summer. According to a report “J.P. Morgan Chase, Barclays and Synchrony, also bid on the business.”

One bank staffer is said to have texted a Goldman Sachs executive, “Dude, if that portfolio ever makes money, I’m buying you a beer.”

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Big Marriott Hotel Owner Complains About Free Breakfast at Resorts

breakfast food styrofoam container
May 29 2019

Mark Brugger, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Diamondrock Hospitality, spoke about how Marriott’s new loyalty program is affecting his hotels during the company’s earnings call.

When asked by analysts to provide color on the Bonvoy transition, he noted lower costs and some positives and negatives depending on the property but where he zeroed in on a problem it’s providing breakfast at resorts to elites.

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Regional Jets Are Going to Get Faster 5G Inflight Internet

american eagle plane
May 29 2019

Regional jets have been stuck with slower internet speeds. In particular, they cannot be upgraded to Gogo’s 2Ku satellite system, the internet provider tells me, because “the radome is too large.” Still there’s a need to improve the inflight experience on regional jets.

Gogo announced today that it “will build a 5G network for aviation.” This is a new air-to-ground network regional jets and smaller mainline jets operating in the US and Canada, and for business jets.

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American’s Joint Venture With LATAM Rejected By Chile’s Supreme Court

plane on tarmac
May 28 2019

Several South American countries have approved the American Airlines joint venture with LATAM, and American has expected to receive approval from the U.S. In a surprising move, the Chilean Supreme Court has overturned the country’s regulatory anti-trust approval of the deal citing limited competition and barriers to entry. Presumably with US regulatory approval American and LATAM will move forward with their joint venture excluding US-Chile from the arrangement.

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Starting August 1 U.S. American Express-Issued Priority Pass Cards Will No Longer Give Airport Restaurant Credit

airport shop
May 28 2019

American Express has confirmed to me that U.S.-based cards offering Priority Pass will no longer provide credit in participating airport restaurants going forward.

Effective August 1 “the Priority Pass Membership benefit offered on American Express Platinum and Centurion Cards and Hilton Ascend, Hilton Aspire, and Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ Cards will no longer include complimentary access to non-lounge airport experiences.”

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