The Accidental Correspondent: Part 1 — The Strategy of the Sky
•February 2, 2026
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Why It Matters
Coleman’s cost‑effective strategy shows independent journalists can gain front‑row insight into high‑stakes aerospace events, while the Airshow’s new themes signal accelerating investment in space, SAF, and eVTOL technologies.
Key Takeaways
- •Points funded travel enables premium access for freelance journalists
- •Singapore Airshow 2026 adds Space Summit, $1.8T space economy
- •Sustainable aviation fuel highlighted as industry turning point
- •Advanced Air Mobility and eVTOL demos attract global attention
- •Geopolitical showcase includes Boeing, COMAC, and Singapore MRO leaders
Pulse Analysis
The rise of loyalty‑point economies is reshaping how independent reporters cover premium events. By converting years of credit‑card rewards into a United Premium Plus ticket and a hotel stay, Brian Coleman eliminated the financial barrier that typically separates freelance journalists from corporate press corps. This approach not only preserves journalistic objectivity but also grants access to priority boarding, lounge facilities, and prime exhibition floor space—resources that can dramatically improve reporting depth and timeliness.
The 2026 Singapore Airshow reflects a broader industry pivot toward next‑generation markets. The inaugural Space Summit spotlights a $1.8 trillion in‑space economy, while exhibitors showcase sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) projects aimed at decarbonizing commercial fleets. Simultaneously, advanced air‑mobility (AAM) prototypes, including electric vertical take‑off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, demonstrate the shift from traditional jet propulsion to urban air‑taxis. Major players such as Boeing with its 777X, China’s COMAC C919, and Singapore’s ST Engineering underline the geopolitical and technological stakes of this transformation.
These developments carry lasting implications for aerospace stakeholders. Investors are watching SAF and AAM pipelines as potential growth engines, while defense and commercial manufacturers navigate shifting regulatory landscapes. Independent coverage, like Coleman’s, adds a critical layer of scrutiny, offering nuanced narratives that cut through corporate press releases. As loyalty‑point travel democratizes access, a more diverse set of voices will likely influence policy, investment decisions, and public perception of the rapidly evolving aerospace sector.
The Accidental Correspondent: Part 1 — The Strategy of the Sky
The 2026 Singapore Airshow
About this time of the year, journalists from around the globe pack a couple of bags and head for Singapore to attend the annual international air show. I’ve actually never made it to Singapore and I won’t this year. But I do have a friend who should already have arrived, my pal Brian Coleman, the former producer on the Airplane Geeks podcast and the current producer of the Journey is the Reward. Not a full time journalist, I introduced Brian to the NBAA Expo a few years ago in Las Vegas with a walking tour of the static site. He handled the convention center on his own. what makes Brian’s experience a little different is how he came to find himself in Singapore. Below you’ll find his first report. I’ll be keenly awaiting his first “Space” report.
Rob Mark
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The Accidental Correspondent, by Brian Coleman – (Click to Listen to this Episode)
As a first-time journalist heading to one of the world’s most prestigious aerospace events—the 2026 Singapore Airshow—I occupy a strange middle ground. Most of my peers in the media center will arrive with decades of tail-number knowledge and corporate expense accounts that bleed black ink. They will have spreadsheets of technical specs and pre-written narratives. I, however, will be arriving as a blank slate. I have no expectations of what a global defense and commercial aviation summit should look like, and my “expense account” was actually a decade-long accumulation of credit card points. I will arrive with a sense of wonder and a very sensible reservation at a Holiday Inn, secured with a stash of IHG points.
Brian Coleman
The path to Singapore began not with a press release, but with a spreadsheet. I will be an outsider looking in, a reporter with no preconceived notions, staying in a “standard” hotel while preparing to cover the most “extraordinary” technology on the planet. There is a distinct satisfaction in “gaming” the high-stakes world of international travel. The decision to fly United Airlines wasn’t just about the route; it was about the math. A cash fare for a last-minute flight to Singapore during the Airshow—where demand peaks and prices skyrocket—can easily exceed $3,000 for a standard economy seat. Instead, I turned to my stash of Chase Ultimate Rewards. By using the Chase Travel portal, I was able to secure a seat for only 80,000 points. Therefore, I bypassed the cash barrier entirely.
But I didn’t stop at “Economy.” For a flight that crosses twelve time zones, comfort isn’t a luxury; it’s a professional necessity. I opted for United Premium Plus. This isn’t just “extra legroom”; it’s a separate cabin that offers 38 inches of seat pitch, deeper recline, and a dedicated meal service that feels more like a restaurant and less like a cafeteria. Using points to “pay” for this upgrade meant I would arrive in Singapore not as a crumpled version of myself, but as a journalist ready to hit the ground running.
And the best part about using the Chase travel portal? The ticket actually codes as a revenue ticket. This means I’ll also be earning miles for this 17-hour flight and enjoying all the benefits of being a United Lifetime Premier 1K member. There is a profound irony in being a “frugal traveler” who is treated like royalty. As a 1K, I’ll be among the first to board, bypass the long security lines, and have access to the United Club—all for a trip that cost me zero out-of-pocket dollars in airfare.
My points strategy continued on land. Singapore is notoriously one of the most expensive hotel markets in the world, especially during a biennial event that draws 50,000 trade visitors. While others were shelling out $800 a night for “standard” rooms, I looked toward my IHG One Rewards balance. By booking a Holiday Inn property using points, I ensured that my “boots on the ground” costs remained virtually zero. This frugality provides a unique perspective: I am staying in the heart of the action, breathing the same humid air as the CEOs, but I’m doing it with the scrappy resourcefulness that defines independent journalism.
I am heading to Changi with no baggage—metaphorically speaking. I don’t have a decade of bias toward one manufacturer over another. I don’t know the secret handshakes of the defense world. What I do have is a list of “What Ifs.” When I land, I expect to be overwhelmed. The 2026 Singapore Airshow is being billed as a turning point for the industry, specifically focusing on the Space Summit and the pivot toward sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
All Kinds of Space
I keep reminding myself not to forget the “Space” in “Aerospace.” For the first time, the show is expanding its DNA with the Space Summit 2026, held at the Sands Expo. It’s no longer just about the sky; it’s about the $1.8 trillion in-space economy. I’m looking for the future of how we move, whether it’s via SAF-powered jets or orbital satellite constellations. My notebook is currently a list of “must-visits.” I expect to stand under the massive, folding wingtips of the Boeing 777X. I want to ask their representatives not just about the technical delays, but about the human element. The Chinese manufacturer COMAC is expected to have a significant presence with the C919. To a seasoned journalist, this is a geopolitical story; to me, it’s a curiosity. You cannot go to the Singapore Airshow without acknowledging the massive footprint of ST Engineering, the local titans of MRO and defense. And of course, the 2026 show will be a playground for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), with the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) craft that promise to turn “taxis” into “fliers.”
But perhaps the most important part of my preparation isn’t a technical manual, but a meeting. I’ve arranged to link up with Steve Visscher and Grant McHerron from the Plane Crazy Down Under podcast. In the hierarchy of the airshow, they are the guides blazing the way in information on all things aviation with a Southern Hemisphere perspective. I imagine our first meeting will happen near the flight line; the smell of jet fuel already thick in the air. I expect to feel like a student in the presence of masters. While I am looking at the “shiny objects,” they will be looking at the tail numbers and the subtle shifts in the industry’s tectonic plates. I need their context to turn my “no expectations” into a narrative that actually matters. I expect them to tell me which displays are just marketing fluff and which ones represent a genuine leap in technology. Or maybe I’ll figure it out on my own.
As I pack my bags, the weight of the trip is starting to settle in. My United flight departs soon. I have my IHG confirmation, my press credentials, and a healthy dose of nerves. I am traveling 8,000 miles to watch machines defy gravity, fueled by points and a desire to see the world from a new angle.
The beauty of this journey is its impossibility. On paper, a freelance journalist shouldn’t be able to afford a front-row seat to the future of global defense. But in the 2026 economy of loyalty, my “free” ticket is my invitation to the table. By leveraging years of strategic spending into a premium seat and a point-funded hotel, I have removed the financial stress that usually clouds a reporter’s vision. I am arriving with my overhead cleared and my eyes wide open. The next time I write, the “blank slate” will have its first marks. I’ll be on the ground in the heat of Singapore, trying to make sense of the roar. Nothing prepares a first-timer for the sound of a fighter jet tearing the tropical sky in half. It isn’t just noise; it’s a physical weight that settles in your chest.
I’m so looking forward to Part 2 of this adventure.
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