United Announced A Chicago “Line In The Sand” Meant To Prevent New Flights — American Just Added Routes Anyway

by Gary Leff on January 22, 2026

Jan 22 2026

United’s CEO Scott Kirby went out of his way on the earnings call to “draw a line in the sand” in Chicago—promising United will add flights to match any American expansion at O’Hare. The point of saying it publicly wasn’t bravado. It was deterrence: to signal to American (and to analysts) that new Chicago capacity will be met in kind, making growth less attractive for both airlines.

American’s response came fast anyway, announcing new routes from O’Hare—turning Kirby’s game-theory warning into an immediate test of whether this becomes a real fare war or a negotiation by headline.

United Adding More Widebody Planes Than Any US Airline Since 1988 — Here Is Who Did More

by Gary Leff on January 22, 2026

Jan 22 2026

United made a big claim in its latest earnings update: in 2026 it expects to take delivery of roughly 20 Boeing 787s—more widebody aircraft in a single year than any U.S. carrier has taken since 1988. The “since 1988” reference isn’t random; it points to one standout widebody delivery spree that still hasn’t been surpassed.

Delta Delay Cost Them Their Alaska Cruise — And A 19th-Century US Law Made It Impossible To Catch Up To The Ship

by Gary Leff on January 22, 2026

Jan 22 2026

A family’s Alaska cruise was effectively over before it began after a delayed Delta flight out of Detroit caused them to miss the only Minneapolis–Vancouver connection that could reach the ship on time.

Delta rebooked them to try to save the trip, but the replacement flight didn’t pan out, and once the cruise sailed there was no “meet it at the next stop” option, because a 19th-century U.S. maritime law prevents cruise ships from carrying passengers between U.S. ports.

NYC Mayor Says He Is Banning Hotel Junk Fees Everywhere, Not Just In The City — What The New Rule Really Does

by Gary Leff on January 21, 2026

Jan 21 2026

NYC’s mayor says he’s banning hotel “junk fees” everywhere—not just in the city. In reality, the proposal forces all-in price disclosure (and disclosure of deposits and card holds), pretty much mirroring existing federal rules with additional fine revenue for the city.

Ex-Flight Attendant Posed As A Pilot For 4 Years — Scoring Hundreds Of Free Flights On American, United, Hawaiian

by Gary Leff on January 21, 2026

Jan 21 2026

A Canadian ex–Air Canada flight attendant allegedly spent four years posing as an airline pilot—using a forged employee ID to grab hundreds of free flights on American, United, and Hawaiian, and even asking for cockpit jumpseat access. Indicted in Hawaii after two 2024 Hawaiian flights, he was arrested in Panama, extradited to the U.S., and is now jailed in Honolulu awaiting trial on two wire-fraud counts.

Passengers Stopped Buying Tight Connections — American Airlines Data Shows Travelers Now Buy Cushion

by Gary Leff on January 21, 2026

Jan 21 2026

Airlines used to design schedules to win the first page of flight search by minimizing elapsed time. American Airlines data suggests travelers now choose longer connections for reliability—and the Dallas-Fort Worth schedule rebuild is enabled by that shift.

Southwest Sued For Not Paying Flight Attendants Overtime — Does A Union Contract Override State Wage Law?

by Gary Leff on January 21, 2026

Jan 21 2026

Southwest is being sued by a former flight attendant who says the airline did not pay overtime required under Illinois law because its pay system focuses on flight time, not total duty time. Southwest argues the claim cannot proceed in court because flight attendants are unionized and the dispute belongs under the Railway Labor Act framework.

New York Airport Took The Money, Blocked A Sexual Harassment Billboard — Can They Pick Which Messages Travelers See?

by Gary Leff on January 21, 2026

Jan 21 2026

Syracuse airport officials approved a paid billboard from an employment law firm — then rejected it over one line about “harmless flirting.” The firm sued, the airport rewrote its advertising rules mid-case, and a federal judge still granted an injunction, calling the “misleading” rationale “nonsense.” The fight now is over a simple question: can a government airport pick which messages travelers get to see?

1,145 Passengers Are on Standby for Alaska Airlines’ Inaugural Rome Flight—Likely an All-Time Record

by Gary Leff on January 20, 2026

Jan 20 2026

Just days after 526 people were listed for Alaska Airlines’ inaugural Rome flight, the standby list has ballooned to 1,145—more than the aircraft can even carry. At this point it’s turning into a meme, with staff asking people to cancel unless they’re truly planning to show up, even as seats are still for sale at higher fares.

American Airlines Shows Off Its “Free Hotel” Feature—Here’s Why You Should Book Your Own Instead

by Gary Leff on January 20, 2026

Jan 20 2026

American Airlines is touting a new app-and-website feature that can automatically book you a “free” hotel when an overnight delay strands you. The demo in its own promo is the perfect reminder of the catch: the airline room you’re offered is often the cheapest option available, not the one you’d choose to sleep in.

If you can front the cost, you can usually do better—using trip-delay coverage, distressed passenger rates, or points—without spending an hour in a voucher line.

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 »