United Airlines has a pretty sweet Million Miler program right now — Compared to American and Delta, it is quite generous (with lifetime Star Alliance Gold status at 1MM for the member and a companion) but perhaps that is...
United Quietly Eliminates Award Holds and Why It Matters
United Airlines rolled out a new website earlier this year that offered customers the ability to hold award space if they had insufficient miles, a tremendously helpful feature to eliminate the risk of buying or transferring miles. Despite assurances...
Hilarious United Airlines Holiday Video
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and Christmas is not too far off. United is getting a jump start on the holidays this year with a video that is both hilarious and touching: Seriously, I love this video. I...
Why United Airlines Should Bring Back Cappuccino and Espresso
Yesterday United introduced illy as its new coffee partner and paradoxically, included this picture in its press release— You see, United does not offer cappuccino or mocha onboard its flights. Not that it couldn’t, mind you. Much of...
United Airlines Chooses illy as New Coffee Provider
United flyers can finally breathe a sigh of relief — the despised coffee currently found onboard and in United Clubs is on the way out and Italian coffee maker illy is on the way in. Starting next month we...
New Coffee Coming to United Airlines
While I love a good cappuccino, I rarely drink plain coffee — why drink an addictive beverage that stains your teeth and keeps you up at night? I realize I am in the minority here, particularly among the traveling...
U.S. Justice Department Blocks Newark Slot Deal Between United and Delta
United has already abandoned New York Kennedy in a deal in which United traded its Kennedy slots for 24 of Delta’s Newark slots. Today, the U.S. Department of Justice said not so fast, suing to block the deal on anti-competition...
Should He Be Banned from Flying United?
Here’s the story — a man is involved in a near-death plane accident on a private jet and suffers from PTSD. He also happens to be a frequent United flyer, a 2-million-miler Global Services member. Going forward, whenever he...
Guam Demands United Airlines Improve Service
Attorneys General from Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands have sent a letter to United Interim CEO Brett Hart demanding onboard service improvements including the return of free inflgiht meals and a second free checked bag...
United CEO Oscar Munoz Will Return Next Year
Hobbled United CEO Oscar Munoz is on the mend. After replacing disgraced CEO Jeff Smisek, Munoz promised big changes to United but quickly suffered a heart attack, forcing United to name Brett Hart as Interim CEO. For weeks we have...
Rumor: United Will Charge to Gate Check Excess Carry-on Bags
Checked baggage fees are here to stay and checking a bag remains an unattractive option — who wants to stand around a baggage carousel or risk losing your valuables when you can keep your bags with you onboard? That...
What American Giveth, United Taketh Away
American Airlines recently made “to go” coffee cups available throughout most of its lounge network, adding value by helping members save time and avoid the cost and hassle of waiting in crowded coffee lines in airport concourses. Delta and...
Onboard Video from the Final United p.s. Flight from JFK
This will be my last post on United Airlines leaving JFK airport, but I wanted to bring your attention to the photo above and video below that was posted by Flyertalk member Phil Level on Facebook. You have to love...
A Review of My First and Last United p.s. Flights from JFK
Yesterday I wrote about the new challenges on the horizon for United employees at JFK. In the story, I shared a couple pictures of my first and last p.s. flights on United at JFK. Here’s a brief trip report...
United JFK Employees Say Goodbye to Home, Hello to Uncertainty
A United Club agent pauses between welcoming guests to steal a furtive glance toward a pair of Japanese dragon statues on the adjacent wall, one of the last remnants of United’s heyday at JFK. She has been with United...
Pictures: Saying Goodbye to United Airlines at JFK
The final United Airlines flight at John F. Kennedy International Airport just took off for Los Angeles, ending a storied era for United. Today you can view a selection of pictures I recently took around Terminal 7, United’s now...
Kuwaiti Government Expels United Airlines from Kuwait
United Airlines has announced it will suspend service to Kuwait City and Bahrain on January 13, 2016. I’ve flown the route twice and the plane was half full both times (and with only about 50 passengers the one time...
A Familiar Face on United Airlines
Prior to departure on a recent redeye to Washington Dulles, an LAX gate agent came onboard toward the end of boarding to check on overhead bin space. As usual, the bins were full. A late-boarding Ethiopian family of four,...
Brett Hart is United’s New Acting CEO
And just like that, another lawyer is at the helm of United Airlines. As a lawyer myself, you might expect that I would express some form of solidarity, but it just makes me suspicious from the outset after sleazy...
Update on United CEO Munoz Coming Today
United released the following, fairly cryptic statement this morning from Henry Meyer, non-executive Chairman of the Board– The Company anticipates it will today conclude the corporate governance process necessitated by the hospitalization of President and CEO, Oscar Munoz. The company...
