Here’s a side-by-side review of a United Airlines 737 MAX 9 in economy class from Los Angeles to Chicago so that you can compare what has changed over the last couple of years and also know what to expect...
After Visiting 150 Countries, Here’s What I Think About America At 250
Honest Reflections On America’s 250th Birthday I sat down on July 4th to write my final reflection about the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, but I hit a wall…the sort of writer’s block that is typically very foreign to...
Passenger Doxxes American Airlines Flight Attendant, Calls Her A “Pig” In Ugly Online Attack
A passenger may have had a bad flight attendant on American Airlines, but responding by posting her picture online and calling her a “pig” was not accountability, but ugly, petulant behavior that deserves to be called out. Passenger Calls...
Hands Off My Nuts: First Class Needs More Warm Mixed Nuts, Not Fewer
View From The Wing argues that it may be time for airlines to retire hot mixed nuts in first class. Respectfully Gary, hands off my (mixed) nuts! Hands Off My Mixed Nuts: First Class Needs More Warm Nuts, Not...
Mid-Year Status Update 2026: Where I Am Winning, Losing
Elite status at airlines, hotels, cruise lines, car rental agencies, and now credit cards all play a factor in how we travel. Here’s how I am faring for 2026 at the midway point. Elite Status Purpose, Needs, And Wants...
Owners Want a Cut of the Marriott Bonvoy Machine
Marriott's owners say Bonvoy's billion dollar machine shortchanges them on award nights. However the fight ends, your points are likely to pay for it.
Delta New International Routes: Smart or Random?
Delta keeps adding nonstop Europe flights from cities that are not hubs. Is the dartboard strategy genius, and which city is next?
America The Beautiful: A Photo Essay
In my travels over the last two decades I’ve taken hundreds of thousands of pictures, the majority within the United States. In honor of America’s 250th birthday, I’m publishing a photo essay featuring some of my favorite photos I’ve...
United’s New Premium 787 Grounded Again Over Reported TCAS Issue
United’s brand-new “Elevated” 787-9 has been grounded again, just days after returning from Boeing, and the reported is a serious one involving the Dreamliner’s Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System. United’s Brand-New Premium 787 Grounded Again After Reported TCAS...
Sweet Irony: Fourth Of July Celebration…In United Club London
In honor of America’s 250th birthday, I’m re-running this story from 2022, though I suspect there are even more extra special festivities going on today at the United Club in London Heathrow. Quite the ironic venue, eh? Stop by...
10 American Travel Experiences You Should Have At Least Once
Like many things in life, America is best understood by experiencing it, not merely reading about it. 10 American Travel Experiences Everyone Should Have (At Least) Once Yesterday, I wrote about why the more I travel the world, the...
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Shuts Down For July 4th Flyovers And Fireworks
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport will effectively shut down for much of July 4th as Washington, DC celebrates America’s 250th birthday, a rare and rather dramatic reminder that DCA may be the most convenient airport in America until the...
Bizarre: Lufthansa First Class Award Space Resurfaces, But Phantom?
Just hours after writing my latest update on the ongoing saga with Lufthansa Group business and first class partner award space, it appeared that Lufthansa had began releasing space again…but instead it seems like a glitch that may reveal...
United Airlines Adds “Twilight Bag Drop,” Teases Free “Home Bag Pick-Up” At Chicago O’Hare
UPDATE: United Airlines is bringing back, or more formally debuting, its “Twilight Bag Drop” at Chicago O’Hare over the Fourth of July travel period after several months of testing. The service allows United passengers departing ORD between 5:00 am...
It’s Not Only First Class Awards That Lufthansa Has Restricted…
It has been more than a month since Lufthansa suddenly restricted partner first class awards. As that lockout continues, the news is even more grim: business class awards have also been heavily restricted. Lufthansa Continues To Restrict Partner First...
The More I Travel The World, The More I Appreciate Traveling In America
The more I travel internationally, the more I appreciate traveling within the United States. That wasn’t the outcome I expected when I started spending so much time overseas, but it has become increasingly obvious over the years. Travel has a...
Delta Pilots Launch Passenger Advice Website As Contract Fight With Management Heats Up
Delta’s pilot union has launched a passenger advice website that looks helpful on the surface, but the message underneath is clear enough: if Delta has reliability problems this summer, pilots do not want customers blaming pilots. Delta Air Lines...
Korean-American Doctor Says He Was Mocked With “Konnichiwa” Greeting After United Airlines Flight
A Korean-American physician says he was greeted mockingly with “Konnichiwa” after a flight by someone he initially assumed was a United employee, then watched as the awkward exchange turned into something more insulting. While this may not be a...
Scott Kirby Says United Airlines Is Spreading American Values Around The World
Scott Kirby’s July 4th message to United employees mixed patriotism, corporate pride, and his usual claim that United Airlines is not just the biggest airline, but “the best airline in the history of aviation.” Scott Kirby: United Airlines Plays...
Why European Car Rental Damage Claims Feel Like A Shakedown
A reader’s complaint about a post-rental damage charge in Germany raises a broader issue: when rental car companies have financial incentives to find damage, the return process starts to feel like a shakedown. Are European Car Rental Companies Incentivized...
