Monthly Archives for March 2016.
Airlines for America is the organization that is paid to represent the interests of U.S. airlines. So when it forecasts record numbers of passengers traveling this spring, it’s meant to be taken as a compliment to the industry, a positive reflection on the airlines’ ability to deliver air travel at an attractive price. In A4A’s…
The pending FAA reauthorization bill has served as a kind of magnifying lens on several weighty issues facing travel suppliers and their customers. On the operational side, there’s the debate regarding the country’s air-traffic control system: To privatize, or not to privatize? However that plays out, air travelers’ experience isn’t likely to be much affected,…
At this week’s J.P. Morgan Aviation, Transportation and Industrials Conference, American Airlines chief Doug Parker spent a full 40 minutes detailing his vision for American’s future and expressing full confidence that his airline would come to be regarded as “best in class.” Implicit in his remarks, however, was the recognition that the airline currently falls…
Over the past several years, Choice’s recurring promotional offer has been 8,000 points after two stays. Sometimes it’s promoted as such: 8,000 points after two stays. More often though, the headline promotes either a free night or a gift card—both of which are available for 8,000 points. For its latest promotion, the featured bonus is…
Things seemed to be looking up for United. The company’s CEO, Oscar Munoz, had announced his imminent return to the job, less than three months after a heart transplant. In a news release announcing Munoz’s return, a United board member gushed thusly: The Board is confident in the strength and potential of United’s business…
When an airline’s own pilots call its service “outright embarrassing,” and deride the company’s corporate culture as “toxic,” you can safely say that airline has a problem. American Airlines, the world’s largest airline, has a problem. In a letter sent last week to American’s chairman and CEO, Doug Parker, the Allied Pilots Association, which represents…
Enter the Wyndham “Have Points, Will Travel” sweepstakes by March 31, 2016, for a chance to win the grand prize: 1 million Wyndham Rewards points. To enter, provide the requested contact information (email, phone, etc.) on the sweepstakes landing page and follow the instructions. Participants will receive one entry for each correct answer to five…
At a time when the distaste of consumers and the scrutiny of lawmakers would seem sufficient to shame hotels into ending their widely derided resort fees, Caesars Entertainment is doing the opposite. Last week, the company upped resort fees at five of its Las Vegas properties, from $29 to $32 a night. And yes, the…
Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week. If it was a good deal—or a notably bad deal—from an airline, hotel, or car rental loyalty program, you can read all about it here, and plan your travel accordingly. Free Spirit Flights for a…
The Starwood Preferred Guest credit card, issued by American Express, has long been the darling of the miles-and-points set. But with the pending merger of Starwood with Marriott, the card’s future is in doubt. For now at least, the SPG card looks better than ever, with a just-announced sign-up bonus that’s the highest ever offered…
Who will be the next president of the United States, if the airlines had their way? Given the Republican party’s self-proclaimed pro-business positions, and the Democrats’ focus on regulation, you might expect the answer to consist of a longish list of Republican candidates, with a top Democratic contender thrown in, just in case. If the…