Tag Archives for united airlines.
After 71% of United Airlines flight attendants rejected their latest contract offer, the airline is back with a controversial demand—PBS scheduling could fundamentally change what trips flight attendants work.
A United Airlines passenger headed from Los Angeles to Nicaragua suddenly found himself landing in Tokyo instead—after no one noticed he had boarded the wrong flight. Here’s how it happened, and why it’s not as rare as you’d think.
American Airlines and United are locked in a fierce, expensive battle over Chicago O’Hare Airport—flooding the market with flights, low fares, and aggressive marketing. Yet both carriers are strangely leaving their strongest strategic weapon unused: their massive frequent flyer programs and credit card partnerships, a surprising oversight that could cost either airline the competitive edge they desperately need.
A United Airlines first class passenger and his hearing impaired wife were threatened with removal from their flight after a conflict with an off duty crewmember. Video from the cabin shows the man in his seat, upset but controlled, explaining that the employee snapped at his wife because she “didn’t hear” and “wasn’t listening.”
United Airlines will purchase the last two Spirit Airlines Chicago O’Hare gates for $30 million, significantly escalating its strategic battle to push American Airlines out of the critical hub. With both airlines locked in an intense fight and billions in loyalty revenue at stake, United’s aggressive move sharply raises the pressure on American as the two carriers are in a pitched battle at the airport.
An FAA safety inspector is suing United Airlines for $12.75 million, claiming he was banned for life from flying the airline after reporting a torn seat pocket—a violation of safety regulations. He had been investigating United’s 737 MAXs and was taken off that duty.
United Airlines continues its quiet, unpublished policy of granting elite-status extensions upon request—despite initially trying to sell members expensive status buy-ups. If you just lost your MileagePlus elite status on February 1, contacting United and politely requesting an extension (especially if you had unusual circumstances in 2025) remains surprisingly effective, as the airline recognizes keeping loyal customers is far cheaper than acquiring new ones.
The United Business Card’s best offer is back: 100,000 bonus miles plus 2,000 PQP after $5,000 in purchases in the first three months. With a $150 annual fee but a $125 United travel credit, two United Club passes, and additional PQP earning on spend,. The headline bonus and the ongoing perks both pencil out.
United is planning a controlled overnight cutover next week that will take its key systems offline for roughly 2–3 hours — and it has already pre-canceled most departures during the window. While flights already in the air will keep moving, everything that depends on the reservation stack effectively freezes: schedules, booking, retrieving reservations, ticketing, cancellations/refunds, and check-in via United.com, the app, kiosks, call centers, and agency channels.
United is escalating its Chicago fight with American on every front—capacity, Wall Street messaging, and now a fresh set of ads that openly taunt AAdvantage. The new “AAdvantage, United” line is the kind of not-even-trying-to-be-subtle jab that only makes the rivalry louder as ORD turns into a full-blown marketing and schedule war.
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 »
