On the heels of United Airlines’ announcement last week that it would commence service from its San Francisco hub to Xi’an, Auckland, and Tel Aviv comes news that it will add three summer routes next year, including the resumption of service to Athens. A United FA on Flyertalk leaked the news over the weekend and […]
United Announces Non-Stop Service from San Francisco to Auckland and Tel Aviv
The Boeing 787 is revolutionary in that it has made otherwise financially nonviable routes viable. United announced two new routes today, to be operated on its 787-8 and 797-9 aircraft from San Francisco — Tel Aviv and Auckland. San Francicso to Tel Aviv Non-Stop on United Airlines Sensing an opportunity in American’s recent announcement that […]
Free Beer and Wine + Upgraded Meals in United Airlines International Economy Class
United Airlines promised a refresh to its international longhaul economy class meal service in January and has finally unveiled its plans, set to debut in June 2015. Free beer and wine return not only to transpacific flights, but to all longhaul international flights. Menus will be refreshed and appetizers, albeit modest, will return. Even desserts […]
United Airlines Should Capitalize on AA’s Poor New In-Flight Meals
Both Rocky and Sriram have sampled American Airlines’ new onboard premium class menu, effective 01 September 2014, and both found it to be supremely lacking. They are not the only ones, for I have not read one positive review of the new meal policy. Meanwhile, United Airlines has announced a true enhancement in in-flight meal […]
Star Alliance Should Pursue Alaska Airlines
For all the complaints about US Airways being a “low-cost carrier” or offering an inferior in-flight product, the carrier has been a valuable member of Star Alliance that will be missed tremendously. With a healthy European route network and an expansive route map in the Southeast and Northeast, US Airways has nicely complimented United’s route […]
The Real Reason Behind United’s New Service to Atlantic City
United Airlines announced new service from Houston Bush Intercontinental and Chicago O’Hare to beleaguered Atlantic City, New Jersey this week in a deal that brought NJ Governor Chris Christie and United CEO Jeff Smisek together for a special ceremony on Thursday. But if you think this announcement is about service to Atlantic City, think again. […]
United Airlines Pulls a "Newark" at SFO
Responding to robust demand and added flights to Newark, Cleveland, and Houston, United Airlines has pulled a “Newark” on us at San Francisco International Airport. To understand what it means to “pull a Newark” you must be familiar with United’s operations at Newark’s Liberty International Airport. In a word, ugh. Faced with a post-merger gate […]
JetBlue “Mini Mint” Is Getting Bigger: New Details Reveal Larger First Class Cabins
In July 2024, I exclusively reported that as JetBlue seeks to innovate in response to persistent losses and a blocked merger with Spirit Airlines, it plans to introduce a domestic first class cabin it has internally called “Mini Mint” across its fleet of Airbus jets. Those plans were officially confirmed in December 2024 and a […]
Delta Targets American’s Premium JFK–Orange County Route With Lie-Flat 757
Delta Air Lines is returning to a transcontinental route that will put it in direct competition with American Airlines’ premium offering between New York and Southern California. Delta Restores New York To Orange County Nonstop, Putting Pressure On American’s Premium Transcontinental Stronghold Delta will begin nonstop service between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport […]
SAS Expands Longhaul Network With New Dubai, Phuket, And Krabi Routes
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is continuing its post-restructuring rebuild with a fresh round of longhaul growth, this time with routes to the United Arab Emirates and Thailand. SAS Adds Dubai And Thailand Routes As It Builds Longhaul Momentum SAS will expand its long-haul network for the Winter 2026/27 season with new service to Dubai (DWC), Phuket […]
Why Elon Musk Should Buy Ryanair
If Elon Musk were to seriously consider buying a major airline, Ryanair might not be the fantastical choice critics would expect. The Irish ultra-low-cost carrier isn’t just cheap on ticket prices; it’s one of the most profitable and operationally robust airlines in the world. Musk has the capital and appetite for investments that no one […]
International Arrival Mistake At Chicago O’Hare Created A Serious Security Breach
I’ve had hundreds of international arrivals into the USA over the last couple of decades, but my arrival in Chicago O’Hare from Frankfurt was unique…someone seemed to forget that it was an international arrival! My United Airlines Flight Had A Security Breach At Chicago O’Hare… First, a general note. The United States does not currently […]
Immigration Agents Are Using Domestic Flight Passenger Data To Aid Deportations
A quiet but consequential shift is underway in how the U.S. government uses airline passenger data. The Transportation Security Administration has begun sharing information about domestic airline travelers with immigration authorities, expanding how routine travel data can be used for enforcement purposes. TSA Quietly Sharing Passenger Travel Data With Immigration Authorities Under the new practice, […]
Southwest Business Class, Lounges, Europe Flights Inevitable
Southwest Airlines has openly explored the possibility of adding business class, airport lounges, flights to Europe, and new aircraft – but it’s not if, it’s a matter of when. Southwest Will Move Into Premium Expansion, Here’s Why Management at Southwest Airlines has publicly stated it’s exploring a number of options which more or less assimilate […]
Exit Controls Quietly Expand At U.S. Airports
The United States has long avoided outbound passport control, but is quietly building a biometric exit system at airports that functions much like one. Should The U.S. Add Exit Controls? Pros, Cons, And The Quiet Biometric Shift Underway Let’s take a look at recent changes the U.S. has quietly introduced, examine the pros and cons […]
Delta Air Lines Drops Geneva Flights In Latest JFK Pullback
Delta Air Lines will end its nonstop service between New York (JFK) and Geneva (GVA) at the end of the IATA summer season in late October 2025. This follows the recent news that the New York–Brussels (BRU) route will end in January 2026 after 34 years and follows the elimination of New York–Munich (MUC) in […]
American Plans A321XLR Base At JFK After Crew Leak
A leaked crew listing reveals American’s A321XLR base at JFK, hinting at trans-Atlantic growth with smaller, fuel-efficient jets. A Leak Points to JFK as A321XLR Primary Home The internet has a way of exposing airline secrets, and this week American Airlines found itself in the spotlight. A leaked crew listing suggests the carrier will base […]
Frontier Adds 20 New Routes, Directly Challenging Spirit (Full List)
Frontier is adding 20 new routes from Detroit, Houston, Baltimore, Fort Lauderdale, Charlotte, and Dallas with fares starting from just $29 in its latest attack against Spirit Airlines. Frontier Airlines Adds New Routes, Many Already Flown By Spirit Airlines Let’s take a look at the new routes first, then we’ll discuss why Frontier might be […]
Gulf Air Returns To The U.S. With Nonstop Flights To New York
Gulf Air is making a return to the United States after a decades-long absence with new service between Bahrain and New York. Gulf Air Returns To The U.S. With New York JFK Service Bahrain’s national carrier will launch nonstop service between Bahrain International Airport (BAH) and New York (JFK) on October 1, 2025. This marks […]
A Day In The Life Of A Travel Blogger
Today I thought I’d pull back the curtain on my work as a travel blogger and how I approach opportunities to interact directly with airlines. A Day In The Life Of A Travel Blogger I receive a lot of media invites for events like new lounge openings, aircraft deliveries, or terminal expansions. Blogging is not […]
