Alaska Airlines: Free Starlink, Zero Points on Saver Fares
Alaska is cutting Atmos points on saver fares and giving fleet-wide Starlink Wi-Fi instead. The loyalty strategy behind the trade-off.
Skyscanner's CEO on Why Agentic Booking Won't Kill Metasearch
Skyscanner CEO Bryan Batista on agent-to-agent flight search: why the company stays a data layer, not an OTA, and why that's the winning position.
British Airways Starlink Wi-Fi: Five Planes and a Long Pause
British Airways called Starlink 'game-changing' and marketed it heavily — then quietly suspended installations after equipping only five aircraft. Rival Virgin Atlantic completed its full fleet in one month.
EU Flight Delay Compensation Is Changing — and Airlines Know It
The EU is updating EC261 to require airlines to proactively send passengers compensation claim forms within 48 hours of a qualifying delay. The industry cost estimate doubles to €15 billion annually.
Starlux Airlines Wants Oneworld. Cathay Pacific Is Saying No.
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan's premium carrier, has been blocked from joining the Oneworld alliance by Cathay Pacific, which holds veto power and views Starlux as a competitive threat.
When Transferable Points Don't Transfer: What to Do and How to Avoid It
Points transfers fail more often than program terms admit. Here are the scenarios that cause failures, the fixes that actually work, and the one rule that prevents most problems.
Vietnam and the Philippines Sign a Tourism Pact — Here's What It Means for Southeast Asia Travel
Vietnam and the Philippines signed a Tourism Cooperation Program for 2026–2029, committing to more air connectivity, joint marketing, and combined itinerary packages. Here's who benefits.
Buy Alaska Atmos Rewards Points With 90% Bonus: Worth It at 1.98 Cents Each?
Alaska Atmos is offering a 90% bonus on purchased points through July 5, bringing the effective cost to 1.98 cents per point. Here's when the math works and when it doesn't.
Alaska Atmos Global Getaways: 50% Off Award Redemptions to 6 Destinations
Alaska Atmos rewards are offering up to 50% off economy awards to Bangkok, Helsinki, Mexico City, Tahiti, Paris, and Taipei — booking window closes June 6.
Alaska and Korean Air Plan Codeshare: What It Actually Means for Atmos Members
Alaska Airlines filed with the DOT for a codeshare agreement with Korean Air covering six transpacific routes. The partnership is likely a merger remedy, not a voluntary move — and it comes with significant caveats for loyalty program expectations.
Oneworld & Taj InnerCircle NeuPass: Status Match and Hotel Discounts Through 2028
Oneworld and Taj Hotels launched the first alliance-wide hotel loyalty partnership — Emerald members get 15% hotel discounts and an automatic Taj Gold status match (normally requiring 40 nights). The partnership runs through March 2028.
Alaska Airlines Ends Atmos Points Earning on Saver Fares: What to Know
Alaska Airlines is eliminating all Atmos Rewards points and status earning on Saver (basic economy) fares, effective August 1, 2026 for bookings from June 11. How the change works and how to adjust your booking strategy.
Alaska Lounge Portland PDX: The Pacific Northwest Gets the Lounge It Deserved
Alaska Airlines opened a new 14,000 sq ft lounge at Portland PDX on June 4, 2026 — double the size of its predecessor, an $18M Pacific Northwest design statement, and a meaningful upgrade for Atmos members flying through Oregon.
The Hidden Cost of AI Agents in Travel: When Infinite Search Breaks the Economics
AI agents can run 881,076 fare queries in the time a human runs 10. Travel search was built on the assumption humans eventually stop looking. That assumption is now broken — and airlines and hotels are scrambling to respond.
Award Ticket Change Fees Are Getting Out of Hand — This Is Just the Beginning
Lufthansa Miles & More now charges up to €1,500 to cancel an award booking. Etihad blocks changes within 72 hours. American Airlines remains an outlier with free changes. The era of flexible award tickets is ending.
Hawaiian Airlines Cuts Free Economy Meals, Calls It an Upgrade
Starting July 1, 2026, Hawaiian Airlines is replacing complimentary economy meals with a $11–$17 pre-order menu. The airline describes this as 'elevating onboard service.' Travelers should know what's actually changing.
NEOM's The Line Is Suspended — What $1.5 Trillion of Ambition Actually Built
Saudi Arabia has halted construction on The Line indefinitely. The collapse from 170km to 2.4km is a masterclass in what happens when sovereign megaprojects lose their math.
World of Hyatt Credit Card: Why the Math Works at $95
A $95 annual fee hotel card where the anniversary free night alone justifies renewal. Here's the spend structure and the 2026 case for holding the World of Hyatt Credit Card long term.
Alaska Atmos Summit Card's Best-Ever Signup Bonus: What to Know
The Alaska Atmos Rewards Summit Card is offering 100K points plus a 25K Companion Award after $6,500 spend — the strongest welcome bonus the card has seen since launch, with total value around $1,875.
Record Summer Travel Volume With a Growing Affordability Gap
AAA projects the busiest Memorial Day travel period on record — 200,000 more travelers than last year — as fuel costs hit $4.50/gallon. The summer is record-volume for higher earners and cutback season for everyone else.
The AI Hotels Are Buying Now Will Look Like Fax Machines by 2029
At Skift's Data + AI Summit, Adam Harris argued that hotel CEOs signing multi-year AI contracts are betting on probabilistic systems structurally unsuited to running hotel operations.
Hyatt to Investors: Stop Counting Rooms
At Hyatt's first investor day in three years, CEO Mark Hoplamazian called room count 'empty calories' and made the case for fee growth as the measure that actually matters.
Thai Airways A321neo Business Class: Flat Beds for $50 Over Economy on a 65-Minute Flight
Thompson Vantage staggered flat beds, 17.3-inch 4K monitors, and attentive service — on a domestic Bangkok to Chiang Rai hop that costs $330 roundtrip in business class.
Aman Nai Lert Bangkok Review: The Most Personalized City Hotel in Southeast Asia
Aman Nai Lert Bangkok offers 52 all-suite keys inside a 7-acre heritage park, from $1,200 per night — a rare city hotel with no meaningful tradeoffs.