Delta Air Lines just offered a candid look at how it is thinking about pricing, capacity, and competition…and none of it points toward cheaper travel anytime soon, regardless of oil prices. Several comments were made in its latest earning...
TSA Quietly Sharing Passenger Data With ICE, Leading To Arrests At U.S. Airports
If you think airport security screening in the United States is only about keeping flights safe, think again: the mission has secretly expanded. TSA Quietly Feeding Passenger Data To ICE, Leading To Hundreds Of Arrests A Reuters report reveals...
United’s New “Basic” Business Class Won’t Lower Prices, It Only Cuts Benefits
United Airlines is introducing a new tiered fare structure for its premium cabins, including what amounts to “basic” business class and premium economy. It’s exactly what I warned about last year, though we now have more details. UPDATE: These...
After Years Of Copying Delta, Is United Now Leading The Industry?
Something has shifted in the U.S. airline industry, and it is no longer controversial to ask whether United Airlines has overtaken Delta Air Lines as the carrier driving the conversation. Delta is still the undisputed profit leader, but might...
United Airlines Is Moving Beyond Cabin Classes To A More Layered Menu Of Choices
United Airlines is redesigning its aircraft in a very deliberate way that goes beyond seats or more premium capacity. The strategy centers on turning the airplane into a far more complex menu of options. United Is Redesigning The Airplane...
10 Takeaways From Scott Kirby On TSA Chaos, Fuel Shock, And Why United Will “Eat Competitors For Lunch”
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby offered a wide-ranging and unusually candid look at the state of the airline industry, government dysfunction, and United’s own strategy during a fireside chat with Washington Post aviation reporter Lori Aratani at Los Angeles...
Scott Kirby Is Making A Big Bet As Oil Spikes—Could It Finally Push United Past Delta?
Exactly one year ago, Scott Kirby struck an upbeat tone in the face of economic headwinds, insisting United would not shrink or retreat. He is singing from the same hymnal again, but this time the stakes are much higher....
United Airlines CEO Says JetBlue Merger Is “Up To Them”…But He’s Holding All The Cards
A year after United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby first addressed the possibility of a merger with JetBlue and downplayed a deal was in the works, we can now more clearly see his strategy in laying the groundwork for what...
Analysis: FAA Flight Cuts At Chicago O’Hare Will Benefit American, United, And Travelers
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is preparing to intervene at Chicago O’Hare International Airport to rein in what officials suggest is an unsustainable spike in flight schedules that could overwhelm infrastructure and degrade reliability when summer travel surges. This...
Analysis: Hyatt Just Blew Up The World Of Hyatt Award Chart
Today Hyatt announced a significant update to its World of Hyatt loyalty program that will affect how members redeem points for free nights. The changes, which take effect beginning in May 2026, mark the most structural update to the...
United Airlines Is Doubling Down On Chicago Even As The Economics Worsen
United Airlines is about to pour even more capacity into Chicago O’Hare, but leaked internal slides suggest the financial trend line there is already moving in the wrong direction. United’s Chicago O’Hare Expansion Looks Like A Gate War, Not...
World’s Powerful Flight Attendant Heaps Effusive Praise On American Airlines CEO…
Here’s a puzzle that is worth looking into: why is Sara Nelson, known as world’s “most powerful” flight attendant, heaping praise on American Airlines CEO Robert Isom? Is United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby part of this “love triangle” of...
How The FAA Handles Civilian Airspace When Military Operations Intersect
The FAA’s abrupt shutdown of airspace over El Paso last week was lifted almost as quickly as it was imposed. But the speed of the reversal has obscured a deeper and more consequential issue: how civilian aviation safety is...
American Airlines Signals European Growth With New Route Wishlist, But Asia Remains Absent
American Airlines is signaling that its network ambitions may extend well beyond its current footprint, but the question is whether any of these “dream” routes are realistic in the near future under current market conditions. It’s also telling what...
Delta Just Ordered Dozens Of Widebody Jets. So Where Will They Fly?
Delta Air Lines has quietly positioned itself for the next decade of longhaul growth, and unlike some headline-grabbing route announcements, this one starts with the hardware. Delta’s Widebody Buying Spree: Where Will All Those New A350s And 787s Fly?...
American Airlines Profit Plunges, But Is Its Premium Pivot Finally Real?
American Airlines just reported its 2025 results, and while the headline profit number looks ugly, the more interesting story is what AA is trying to become, and whether it can actually earn a revenue premium for it. American Airlines...
United Draws A Line In The Sand At O’Hare, But American Is Already Stepping Over It
United Airlines is drawing a very public line in the sand at Chicago O’Hare, and American Airlines is already testing it. United Draws A “Line In The Sand” At Chicago O’Hare As American Fires Back There are airline battles,...
United Airlines Shifts 56 787-9 Orders To 787-10: Is The 777-200ER Era Nearing Its End?
United’s reported decision to swap dozens of Boeing 787-9 orders for larger 787-10s looks like a quiet fleet move with loud implications for the future of the 777-200ER. United Converts 56 787-9 Orders To 787-10. Are The Days Of...
United Shakes Up MileagePlus Leadership And Brings In Vasu Raja. Yes, That Vasu Raja.
An internal letter from United Airlines Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella, reviewed by Live And Let’s Fly, outlines a major leadership shakeup at MileagePlus and Kinective Media that signals a potential change in direction for United’s loyalty strategy. United...
Bilt 2.0 Expands Beyond Rent, But At The Cost Of Simplicity
Link: Apply or upgrade your existing card to the Bilt Blue Card (no annual fee), Bilt Obsidian Card ($95 annual fee), or Bilt Palladium Card ($495 annual fee). The long-rumored Bilt 2.0 is not a simple card refresh. Instead,...