After years of frustration with loyalty programs I proudly freed myself of the elite status grind. I hated it and came crawling back to both airline and hotel status. Why Chasing Status Had Run Its Course Every year the...
Mocked For Hyatt–Rosewood Take, Now Marriott Circles

I was roasted for suggesting Rosewood should sell to Hyatt. Now leaked documents point to a Marriott-Rosewood tie-up. [Alleged] Marriott Legal Email Screenshot Leaks Rosewood Acquisition Plans Over the past few days a rumor has been making the rounds...
Aer Lingus Is Pulling Long-Haul Out Of Manchester

If you were hoping Aer Lingus’ base in Manchester would help claw back long-haul relevance, you may want to sit down. Aer Lingus is set to stop selling long-haul flights from Manchester beyond March 31, 2026, specifically the Manchester...
JetBlue And JAL Split After A Partnership That Never Worked

JetBlue’s Japan Airlines redemption partnership ends 3/31/26. It was underbuilt, under-marketed, and often showed phantom space. The Partnership That Arrived Quietly And Left Quietly JetBlue and Japan Airlines (JAL) are pulling the plug on their reciprocal points partnership on...
With The US “Running” Venezuela, Travel Is Poised To Return

President Donald Trump’s statement that the United States will “run the country” of Venezuela, travel will flood back, here is how and why. US Captures Maduro and His Wife, What Now? In a night time raid that saw 150...
Unpopular Opinion: Trevi Fountain’s New €2 Charge Is Right

Trevi Fountain in Rome implemented a €2/person charge and I think it’s the right approach but I am sure I will be burned at the stake for this unpopular opinion. Trevi Fountain Implements €2 Fee From February 1st, 2026...
American Airlines: Flagship Lounge Philadelphia Lags Others

The introduction of American Airlines new Flagship lounge at Philadelphia is an utter disappointment and lags significantly behind the competition. New Flagship Lounge Open In Terminal A the American Airlines lounges (Philadelphia) are open for business and on a...
A Two-Star Hotel Stay at the World’s Biggest Luxury Conference

In the most conflicted possible experience, I found myself in a two-star hotel during the world’s largest luxury travel conference, ILTM Cannes. But why? Why I Intentionally Booked A “Two-Star” Hotel Location, location, location. For this particular event, ironically...
Spirit’s Engine Deal Buys Time

Spirit’s new Pratt deal and $140M cash boost buy breathing room, but survival still hinges on running a tighter airline, not just signing smarter contracts. A Lifeline Arrives, Quietly Spirit Airlines has spent the better part of the last...
48 Hours In New York City For Family Christmas Magic

My daughter had been romanticizing Christmas in New York City and with nearly no notice, my wife and I decided to make it happen. Behold the power of points. Let’s Go To New York City At 3:30 in the...
United, Delta, American Make Flying a Premium Privilege

As Spirit and Frontier struggle, United, Delta, and American lean harder into premium travel, quietly reshaping air travel into something fewer people can afford. United, American’s New Premium 787-9s Matthew has covered the rollout for American’s 787-9P (Premium) with...
Explaining Delta’s Basic Premium Economy To A Child & Father

This week, I had the unique challenge of explaining Delta’s latest market segmentation to both my 11-year old daughter, and my father and this is how it went. What’s New In Travel This Holiday Season? A reporter for a...
Spirit’s Demise Is Bad News for All Air Travelers

Is Spirit Airlines going out of business as soon as this weekend? It’s possible, but if it does it spells bad news for all flyers in the US, not just Spirit’s. Other Carriers Pouncing On Spirits Misfortune The media...
Breaking: Terror Attack on Sydney’s Bondi Beach

Gunmen open fire on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia at a Jewish event. Today Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach became the setting for an unspeakable tragedy. On the evening of December 14, 2025, a terror attack unfolded during a Hanukkah...
Virgin Voyages’ “Status Match” Feels More Like A Tease

Virgin Voyages advertises a status match program, but what travelers receive is a one-time perk bundle than anything resembling real elite status. Background: A Match That Really Isn’t One Virgin Voyages has launched what it calls an “Enhanced Status...
What Visa’s Data Says About Luxury Travel’s Future

Visa’s credit card data from ILTM Cannes hints at who will be traveling in style, where they are going, and which destinations are quietly losing their shine. A Payments Company Walks Into ILTM… A senior economist from Visa, Dr....
Book Review: Unreasonable Hospitality – Perfect For Travelers

Will Guidara’s rise through the restaurant elite offers excellent insights into the service industry and has applications throughout travel. A Rare Book Review It’s not often that Live And Let’s Fly features a book review nestled amongst our hard-hitting...
Will An Airbus A350-2000 Take On The Boeing 777X?

Airbus is openly studying a stretched A350-2000 to match Boeing’s 777X. Here is why Emirates and other giants suddenly care about a few extra rows. Background: From Superjumbos To Stretched Twins Once upon a time, airlines that wanted serious...
New Questions In The Carnival Cruise Death Of Anna Kepner

New details about how Anna Kepner was found on a Carnival cruise are raising hard questions for investigators, the cruise line, and her grieving family. Live And Let’s Fly reached out to Carnival weeks ago for comment as news...
Is The Airbus A320 Having Its Boeing 737-MAX Moment?

After a sudden dive, a global software recall and thousands of grounded jets, is the Airbus A320 staring down its own 737 MAX-style reckoning or just a painful reset? Background: From One Bumpy Flight To A Global Headache This...
