United Airlines is refreshing its airport lounge network and bringing innovation in an area that has long been lacking — dining. You can now order food from Giordano’s from the comfort of your armchair in United’s newly-renovated lounge near B18 in...
Video: United Captain Surprises Son
File this under heartwarming. A United Airlines Captain caught wind that his son was flying home on a military charter serviced by United and made arrangements to pilot the flight. Sneaking onboard, he had a FA distract his son...
2016 Freddie Awards Winners and Commentary
I made my annual pilgrimage to the Freddie Awards yesterday, something I look forward to every year. Due to inclement weather in Las Vegas, this year the festivities were held on the floor of the brand new T-Mobile Arena...
Two Flights to Las Vegas for the Price of One!
Last night I was already tired. I started the day early flying from Hamburg to Newark to Chicago on United with a friend, then was to fly from Chicago to Las Vegas on United on a late evening non-stop flight....
My Airfone Adventure on United
Sometimes I could kill myself for not anticipating problems before they occur. Last Thursday (after my redeye nightmare) I flew from Chicago to Frankfurt on United. My upgrade to business class cleared, I had an aisle seat assigned, and...
Scary Flight Experience
I’ve written about the scariest in-flight experience I have ever had, but I think last night may have been even worse. I’m still trying to process how much was reality and how much was nightmare. I was on a...
Malaysia Airlines 747 Hijacks My A380!
Malaysia Airlines has six three A380s that are utilized to operate two daily flights between Kuala Lumpur and London, though apparently that is logistically impossible for the troubled carrier. To wit, the carrier has brought a 747-400 out of...
Malaysia Airlines CEO Christoph Mueller Resigns
Malaysia Airlines CEO Christoph Mueller — the man with 25 years of airline experience who turned around Aer Lingus — is leaving Malaysia Airlines “due to a change in his personal circumstances” less than halfway through his contract. His...
Delta Slashes Telephone Booking Fee and Business Class Award Prices
Times are good for U.S. airlines and times are especially good for Delta Air Lines, which continues to report surging profit. In this era of low oil prices and profitability, Delta is rolling back some of the odious fees...
90 Years of United History in One Minute
Yesterday I shared 15 Cool Facts About United Airlines and today I want to share a cool video UA put together tracing back the many companies and subdivisions that eventually coalesced to form the United Airlines we know today....
15 Cool Facts About United Airlines
United Airlines celebrates its 90th birthday today and has been my airline of choice for more than a decade. I’ve flown over a million miles in “the Friendly Skies” and have no plans to shift that loyalty. While contemporary...
It’s Official! Alaska and Virgin America Announce Merger (FAQs)
Alaska Airlines and Virgin America have formally announced a merger agreement in which Alaska will acquire Virgin America for $2.6BN. No, April Fools was four days ago. I’ll try to sum it up through a series of frequently asked questions (FAQs):...
FTU Signature Event in Las Vegas April 29 – May 01, 2016
Frequent Traveler University (FTU) is coming to Las Vegas later this month and there is still time attend this event if you have not already signed up. From April 29 through May 01, 2016 you can hang out in...
Alaska Airlines Blames "Travel Hacking" for Emirates Devaluation
Alaska Airlines has taken a ton of heat today for its decision to raise prices for business and first class tickets on Emirates by as much as 100%. Now it is defending itself on its blog, claiming that its...
Emirates First Class Awards on Alaska DOUBLE in Price
Overnight and without notice, Alaska has massively devalued first class award cost on Emirates. This is unbelievable for an airline that has a such a good reputation. The award charts are not even fully updated yet (Emirates to Europe...
Hijacked EgyptAir Flight Lands in Cyprus
In a throwback to the “good old days” of pre-9/11 hijacking, an EgyptAir domestic flight traveling from Alexandria to Cairo was commandeered by a man claiming to have a bomb strapped to himself and forced to divert to Larnaca,...
Last Day to Burn Your AA Miles Prior to Devaluation!
Monday, March 21, 2016 is the final day to use your AA miles at prevailing rates. On March 22nd a massive devaluation kicks in for premium cabin awards in nearly every region, making your AA miles much less valuable....
Starwood Bidding War Begins
Breaking news this morning — Starwood has accepted a bid of $78 cash per share by Chinese investor group Anbang, throwing a wrench into the Marriott – Starwood merger. How could this be? Wasn’t a contract with Marriott already signed?...
This Rule is Vital for Maximizing Your AA Award
A handful of clients have contacted Award Expert this week requesting help “maximizing” AA awards prior to the devaluation on March 22, 2016. I don’t mean the couples trying to get to Bangkok on Cathay Pacific or families booking...
American Tourism in Cuba is Now Legal
In a sweeping Executive Order ahead of his trip to Havana next week, U.S. President Barack Obama has essentially made tourism in Cuba legal for all Americans. And you thought Marco Rubio was shedding tears over losing Florida! Up until...
