American Airlines now upgrades deadheading pilots into first class ahead of the customers who actually earn those seats. Ten high-value flyers watched a pilot get the only available upgrade on their flight, a moment that captured how far the airline has drifted from its own loyalty promises.
The discovery of a loaded magazine under 7A forced Frontier to empty the aircraft and bring in police, TSA, DHS, and K-9 units. Frontier now says an armed officer left it behind on the inbound flight, a failure that highlights how often the people trusted to carry guns in the cabin show less discipline than the passengers who face consequences for far smaller mistakes.
Former British Airways chief Alex Cruz says he’s proud of bringing the low-cost mindset from Vueling to BA — unbundling meals, baggage, and perks while calling it innovation. You might wonder why he’s confessing. He’s actually bragging!
The Sapphire Reserve refresh wasn’t about adding perks or taking them away — it was about bringing the card’s economics back into line with how Chase needs it to operate.. Once you understand why the old earn and redemption structure no longer worked for them, every change in the refresh snaps into focus.
A new lawsuit argues that TSA’s ban on transgender screeners performing airport security pat-downs is unlawful, claiming it strips them of core job duties, blocks advancement, and violates Title VII. The case challenges whether TSA can exclude trans officers from pat-downs after years of allowing assignments based on gender identity.
Scott Kirby didn’t just adjust United’s messaging between administrations — he rebuilt the airline’s public identity to match whichever political winds were blowing. Under Biden, United wrapped itself in pronouns and DEI; under Trump, Kirby is aligning with Stephen Miller and Trump.
Barry Sternlicht has brought the Starwood name back — and now its largest brand, 1 Hotels, has relaunched its loyalty program. The return of Starwood sparks plenty of nostalgia, but the new approach looks very different from the SPG era. Here’s what’s changing and what members can expect.
Rep. Nancy Mace’s Charleston airport blow-up is now in its third week. After cursing out officers and threatening to sue American Airlines, she’s now claiming TSA “targeted” her for extra screening—a charge that screeners told her was nothing more than routine random selection.
Two fledgling airlines with turbulent histories are teaming up to launch an all-business class carrier in the United States. The concept is fascinating — and ambitious — but regulatory hurdles, fleet challenges, and execution risks make the path forward far tougher than the announcement suggests.
A Delta flight to South Africa was moments from departure when an elderly couple realized their passport was missing and had to deplane. After the aircraft began pushback, a flight attendant found the passport, stopped the plane, and brought the couple back onboard—earning cheers from passengers and saving their dream trip.
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 »
