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.

I Could Not Stop Thinking About Bilt Cash — It’s Not Cash, It’s A Monthly Benefits Budget For Picking Your Perks

by Gary Leff on January 22, 2026

Jan 22 2026

Bilt wants you to treat Bilt Cash like money, but that framing misses what’s actually new here. It functions more like a monthly “benefits budget” that lets you pick the credits and perks you value—more points, rides, dining, hotel benefits—rather than forcing everyone into the same coupon book. The one big catch: expiration, which turns end-of-year spending into a lot less attractive deal.

Bilt Cash Details Just Dropped — Here Is What 4% Actually Buys On The New Cards: Value Is Better Than Expected

by Gary Leff on January 21, 2026

Jan 21 2026

Bilt just released the missing details behind its new cards: what the promised 4% “Bilt Cash” actually buys on top of points. The redemption menu is much bigger than expected—ranging from monthly Grubhub and Lyft credits to Blacklane rides, hotel portal credits, and even Blade flights—and there’s a points-accelerator option that can effectively raise your ongoing earn rate if you play it right.

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.

How I’m Maxing Out Citi Strata Elite’s Huge Point Bonus And Double Dipping Its Year One Travel Credits

by Gary Leff on January 21, 2026

Jan 21 2026

Citi’s new Strata Elite card doesn’t just come with a 100,000 point bonus – its Splurge, Blacklane, and $300 hotel credits are timed to the calendar year, so you can use them twice in your first cardmember year. Here’s exactly how to stack those perks, plus Priority Pass and Admirals Club passes, to squeeze the maximum value out of year one.

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.

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 »