What’s better than free hotel WiFi? Free fast hotel WiFi, of course. Hotels have mostly gotten the message that free WiFi is a base expectation of today’s travelers. The bad old days of nickel-and-diming hotel guests for checking email or streaming Netflix movies are behind us. But free WiFi doesn’t always mean free high-speed WiFi.…
In a widely syndicated Associated Press article, Delta’s new CEO, Ed Bastian, calls on travel consumers to focus less on price and more on service and reliability. That’s at once a hope, a call to action, and the cornerstone of Delta’s current business plan. So far, that plan seems to be succeeding. The airline has…
Got a smartphone and T-Mobile service? Traveling on a Gogo-equipped airline flight? If so, you’ll be entitled to a free hour of inflight WiFi, on every flight, beginning on June 13. In addition, T-Mobile customers will enjoy unlimited texting, picture messaging, and access to Visual Voicemail on Gogo-equipped flights. The new perk is part of…
We knew it was coming some time this year, but not exactly when. Now we know. American this week announced the start date for earning miles based on spend rather than according to the distance flown: August 1, 2016. Earning and Spending, Linked For flights on American, AAdvantage members will thenceforth earn miles according to…
With no sign of relief in sight, the TSA’s inability to effectively and efficiently manage airport security screening promises to remain this summer’s biggest bad-news travel story. The long lines and missed flights have given rise to much finger-pointing, but little in the way of practicable solutions. Although by no means an out-and-out fix, one…
Enter the Eight O’Clock Coffee “Chill in Italy” sweepstakes by July 13, 2016, for a chance to win the grand prize: a seven-day trip for two to Italy, including air and hotel accommodations. (Winner may elect to receive a check for $4,000 in lieu of the trip.) To enter, provide the requested information (name, email,…
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. United Chases Big Spenders with…
Shark Week is coming, and Southwest Airlines is all in. Through the end of August, the airline’s shark-themed B737-700 will be plying the otherwise-friendly skies, to promote Southwest’s growing presence in such international destinations as Costa Rica, which will be featured in Discovery Channel’s Shark Week programming, from June 26 through July 3. Related: United…
“Delta Becomes Only U.S. Airline to Offer All In-Flight Entertainment For Free” That’s the headline of this morning’s news release from Delta. On its face, it’s an attention-getter and a smile-inducer. Everyone likes inflight entertainment. Everyone likes free. And it would undeniably be a nice precedent to establish for U.S. carriers. There are disclaimers, however.…
In the airline’s first major initiative since replacing CEO Jeff Smisek with Oscar Munoz, United today announced details of a major upgrade to its international business-class product. Dubbed Polaris, “the north star, the brilliant point in the nighttime sky that travelers have looked to as their certain and constant guise,” the reimagined business-class offerings run…
The Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard is the high-end credit card linked to American’s AAdvantage program. High end as in a $450 annual fee. That’s a high price to pay for a credit card, to be sure. But this one, like similar offerings from Delta and United, comes bundled with a host of travel…