Florida’s cruise dominance was supposed to be permanent. Then Royal Caribbean’s flagship (world’s largest), Icon of the Seas, sails from Galveston in 2027. Icon Of The Seas Is Moving To Galveston, Not Florida. Florida has owned cruise homeporting for...
Kirby Is Crazy… Like A Fox
United CEO, Scott Kirby, has made some outlandish statements about merging with American Airlines, and maybe he is crazy… crazy like a fox. United Floats Merger Privately, Then Publicly Reports documented an alleged conversation in which United CEO, Scott...
VidantaWorld’s New Yacht, Elegant, Has A Pricing Problem
VidantaWorld’s Elegant looks like a luxury disruptor at first glance, but the pricing and inclusions tell a very different story. A Mexican Resort Brand Quietly Goes To Sea VidantaWorld has officially entered the cruise market with Elegant, a 216-guest...
Why The Government (Morally) Has To Save Spirit Airlines
There’s a real possibility of Spirit Airlines shutting down after the government blocked its lifeline. That changes the moral math. Spirit Was Told It Had To Survive Alone Spirit Airlines had two serious suitors. Frontier wanted it. JetBlue wanted...
Statistically, United CEO Kirby Is Right, Airfares Are Low
United CEO, Scott Kirby wants higher fares and claims they should be 15-20% higher. The uncomfortable part is that the long-term data says he has a point. Kirby Said The Quiet Part Out Loud United CEO Scott Kirby recently...
Alaska Launches Rome, British Airways Restores St. Louis
Alaska Airlines crosses the Atlantic for the first time April 28. Meanwhile, nine days earlier, British Airways restores a UK nonstop to St. Louis, the first since 2003. The Route Nobody’s Covering The travel blogosphere is busy writing about...
The Case That Supports A United-American Airlines Merger
Statements from United Airlines CEO, Scott Kirby this week about a merger with American Airlines caused significant uproar but there is a case that supports the tie-up. Kirby’s Outlandish Proposal United isn’t just posturing anymore. The idea of a...
2026: $11B+ in Hotel Points Outstanding, Why Devaluations Are Inevitable
Major hotel chains disclose more than $11bn in outstanding points liability. The chains want those points to devalue. You want them to hold value. Guess who’s winning. The Number Hiding In The 10-Ks Marriott’s most recent annual report lists...
American Bets Billions On Miami And DFW
While competitors cut capacity, American is dropping $5 billion into simultaneous expansions at both hubs. Here's why it matters.
Delta’s 2012 Refinery Bet Is Paying Off Big, Could Be Bigger
Fourteen years ago, Delta bought an oil refinery for $150 million. Now it's worth billions. Here's the math.
American Airlines, Google Reduce Contrails By 62%
American and Google reduced contrail formation by nearly two-thirds on transatlantic flights. The tech is proven, cheap, and almost nobody is talking about it.
Aer Lingus Adds Starlink, Delta Stands Alone
Starlink lands on Aer Lingus, expanding its airline takeover while Delta bets elsewhere. Will that gamble pay off as competition finally emerges? Starlink’s Grip On Airline WiFi Tightens Aer Lingus just joined the growing list of airlines rolling out...
Royal Caribbean’s New Credit Card Points To Alliances
Royal Caribbean’s new credit card could be a model for airline alliances. It’s a parent company finally leveraging its own brands the way alliances have not, yet. What Royal Caribbean Actually Launched Royal Caribbean Group just rolled out a...
Brightline Las Vegas Will Reshape US Short Haul Flights
The Brightline Las Vegas high-speed train could gut short haul air routes across the US. Here is what it means for Southwest, Spirit, and your fares.
Hyatt Just Added 22 All-Inclusives: Book Before May
Bahia Principe joined World of Hyatt this week with fixed award pricing. Here are the best redemption sweet spots to use before Hyatt's May overhaul hits.
JetBlue-Alaska Makes Most Sense, But Does Alaska Want It?
There has been a lot of chatter this week about the possible targets from JetBlue for a merger, and among them Alaska makes the most sense, but are they interested? JetBlue Explores Merger Targets As Matthew recently reported in...
Forbes: Your Advisor Is Now Your Extraction Plan
Forbes just coined a term every traveler should know: contingency concierge. Here's why your travel advisor might be your most important safety net.
American’s Hub Problem Is A Credit Card Problem
Airlines make more from your credit card than your seat. That should change how we think about hubs, routes, and where carriers choose to grow. The Credit Card Is the Product Now We have made this point clear many...
Bilt Buys Sion for $30M and It’s About the Data
Bilt acquired travel commission platform Sion for $30M. The price tag hints this is about transaction data, not travel concierge services.
American Airlines Upgrade Offer Clever, Effective, Valuable
American Airlines offered Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum clients a rare opportunity to confirm upgrade space this week. It was clever, effective, and valuable. American Airlines Offers A Limited Upgrade Option For New Bookings I was delighted to receive...
