Today's Hotels Pulse
FAA says Spirit’s LaGuardia slots belong with another low‑cost carrier
The FAA Administrator argues that the coveted take‑off slots Spirit Airlines holds at New York’s LaGuardia should be reallocated to a different low‑cost carrier. Meanwhile, Spirit is preparing to auction off those slots to the highest bidder.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Airbnb leads $58M Series C in WeRoad
Weak Promo: Marriott Bonvoy® Week Is Back at Starbucks Through February 22nd
Marriott Bonvoy® Week has returned to Starbucks, running February 16‑22. Members who link their Marriott Bonvoy and Starbucks accounts can earn up to 100 Marriott points for three qualifying purchases. The earnings cap is a steep drop from earlier promos that offered as many as 500 points. The promotion is viewed as modest, especially by frequent Starbucks patrons who see little added value.
Thousands of American Airlines Employees Blamed New Uniforms for Rashes—10 Years Later, Courts May Toss Their Case
The episode examines the ongoing lawsuit by American Airlines employees who claim the airline’s 2016 uniform change caused skin rashes, a case now before the Seventh Circuit. It outlines the timeline of complaints, the inconclusive testing by Intertek and NIOSH,...
African Travel Commission Summit Calls for Removal of Border Barriers and Stronger Regional Air Connectivity
The inaugural African Travel Commission (ATC) Summit in Lagos called for urgent reforms to visa policies, border regulations, and regional aviation to unlock Africa’s tourism potential. Delegates noted tourism generated roughly $225 billion in GDP and supported 30 million jobs in 2025,...
SLC Launches Luggage Delivery Service
Salt Lake City International Airport has introduced Bringit, a smart luggage delivery platform that lets travelers postpone baggage claim and drop‑off. The service aims to eliminate the gap between hotel check‑in and check‑out, allowing passengers to head directly to meetings...
YYZ Expands Contract With HMSHost
Toronto Pearson (YYZ) has broadened its long‑standing partnership with HMSHost, adding six new Canadian‑focused food concepts—including Mary Brown’s Chicken, OEB Kitchen + Bar, Li, Libretto Slice Shop, Kinton Ramen, and Community by Roger Mooking—and upgrading existing venues such as Starbucks,...
Improved Offers for Hilton Cards Coming Soon
American Express is preparing to re‑launch enhanced welcome offers on its Hilton Honors credit cards. The basic Hilton Honors card will grant a free night reward plus 70,000 bonus points after $2,000 spend, while the Hilton Honors Surpass card will...
New York City-Based Little Ruby’s Just Opened in Dallas, Its First Out-of-State Expansion in 24 Years
Little Ruby’s, the Australian‑inspired all‑day restaurant founded in New York in 2002, opened its first out‑of‑state location in Dallas on February 2, marking a 24‑year expansion hiatus. The Uptown venue occupies 1,790 sq ft indoors with a 950‑sq ft patio, seating roughly 156 guests....
Rixos Murjana Signals Shift Toward Mass-Market Tourism in Saudi Arabia
Rixos Murjana marks Saudi Arabia’s entry into the all‑inclusive resort market, targeting families and premium travellers with nearly 500 rooms and rates between $250 and $600 per night. The project reflects a shift from ultra‑luxury, Vision 2030‑driven tourism to a broader,...
Wendy’s Brutal Sales, McDonald’s Big Momentum, and Dutch Bros' Infinite Runway
Wendy’s reported an 11% drop in Q4 same‑store sales and an 8% decline for 2025, signaling a sharp contraction in its core market. In contrast, McDonald’s posted roughly 7% same‑store sales growth in the same quarter, buoyed by a record‑breaking...
HSBC Premier Elite Card Review: 60,000 Points Signup Bonus and $495 Annual Fee
HSBC’s Premier Elite card carries a $495 annual fee and offers a 60,000‑point sign‑up bonus after $4,000 of spending in the first three months. Cardholders earn 5× points on all travel, 2× on dining and 1× on other purchases, plus...
New: Project Expedition’s Cruise Shore Excursion Search
Project Expedition has launched a cruise‑shore excursion search tool that tailors independent tours to ship itineraries, offering back‑to‑ship guarantees and cruise‑friendly refund policies. Traditional cruise‑line excursions are often expensive, overcrowded, and rigid, prompting travelers to seek private alternatives. The new...
Blue Grass Airport Announces Continued Growth of United Airlines in Lexington, Ky
Blue Grass Airport announced United Airlines will upgrade its daily Lexington‑Denver flight to a 126‑seat Airbus A319 on May 21, 2026, adding more than 50 seats per day. The carrier will also increase Lexington‑Chicago service to up to seven daily...
Allegiant Launches Destination Dollywood Flight Experience for Smoky Mountain Getaway
Allegiant Air announced Flight #925 — Destination Dollywood, a themed service linking Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) to Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) on November 6. The partnership with Dollywood Parks & Resorts adds onboard trivia, music, themed food, giveaways and exclusive merchandise....
SELECT-SERVICE MARRIOTT FRANCHISE IN NORTHERN NJ/NYC MARKET
A premium‑branded, select‑service Marriott franchise is available in the densely populated NYC metropolitan area and New Jersey’s most populous county. The property benefits from a prime location near major demand generators, delivering a solid history of revenue, occupancy, and RevPAR....
Japan Airlines A350 Business Class Rivals Top Global Suites
Move over Qsuites, the new @japanairlines Airbus A350 business class may just be one of the best in the world. What do you think?
Celestyal Rolls Out Rewards for Med Group Bookings
Celestyal introduced a limited‑time promotion for travel advisors booking new group reservations on 7‑ and 14‑night Mediterranean cruises for the 2026‑2027 seasons. Incentives include tiered onboard credit ranging from €130 to €200 per person, free cabin rewards for groups of...
Press Release: TrueNoord Delivers Two ATR 42-600s to JSX
Specialist regional aircraft lessor TrueNoord has delivered two ATR 42-600 turboprops to U.S. public‑charter carrier JSX, with the first arriving in November and the second in January. Both aircraft are now operating in JSX’s premium hop‑on service. The deal expands...
Lufthansa, Air India Expand Partnership, Will Coordinate on Routes
Lufthansa Group and Air India signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen cooperation across routes, IT, loyalty programs and customer experience. The agreement expands their relationship from a simple codeshare to a broader interline framework covering all subsidiaries, including Austrian,...
Crystal Launches Book & Sail Contest for Advisors
Crystal has unveiled the Book & Sail contest, targeting U.S. and Canadian travel advisors enrolled in its Trade Engagement Program. Running from Feb. 17 to Mar. 31, 2026, advisors earn points for qualifying bookings, with higher‑value sailings yielding more points. The top...
Tokyo Deaflympics 2025 Leaves Lasting Boost for Accessible Tourism
Tokyo’s 2025 Deaflympics, held Nov. 15‑26, attracted 3,000 athletes from 75 nations and sparked a citywide push for deaf‑friendly infrastructure. The metropolitan government installed light‑based warning devices in over 660 toilets and changing rooms and added speech‑to‑text screens at 40...
No More Miles: Emirates Plans to Drop Condor as a Skywards Earning Partner
Emirates announced that, effective May 1 2026, passengers will no longer earn Skywards miles on flights operated by Condor. Until April 30 2026, accrual rates remain at up to 0.75 miles per mile in economy, 1.0 in premium economy, and 1.25 in business. The...
Delays Could Get Even Worse at Chicago O’Hare After Pilots Told To Refuse Time Saving Trick
Pilots from major unions are being urged to refuse LAHSO clearances at Chicago O’Hare, a time‑saving runway technique that has raised safety concerns. ORD already struggles with on‑time performance, hovering around a 65% departure punctuality rate, making any operational slowdown...
Air Canada Grows Mexico Network with Montréal–Guadalajara Flight
Air Canada is expanding its Mexican network this summer, adding a year‑round nonstop Montreal‑Guadalajara service beginning June 2, 2026, and boosting capacity on four existing routes. The airline will operate three weekly flights on the new route and increase weekly...
Louis Hotels Doubles Agent Incentive Offering Two Free Nights
Louis Hotels announced it is doubling its agent incentive program, now offering two complimentary nights for each qualifying booking. The enhanced reward applies to all properties in the brand and is available immediately to registered travel agents. By providing a...
ESA Opens Select Suites Property in Sterling, CO
Extended Stay America (ESA) opened a new Select Suites property in Sterling, Colorado, adding a two‑story, 104‑room hotel to its portfolio. The property offers full kitchens, on‑site laundry, complimentary Wi‑Fi, an indoor pool, and a recreation room with games for...
Six Firms Vie for Polish Airport PBB Contract
Six firms have lodged bids to design, supply, install, commission and service 92 passenger boarding bridges for Poland’s new Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) airport. The consortiums include Sezo Invest / ShinMaywa, FMT Sweden, Albert Ziegler, Adelte Airport Technologies / TK Airport Solutions, and Comsa Instalaciones....
COMO Hotels & Resorts Reimagines Arctic Exploration with Exclusive Journey to Svalbard
COMO Hotels & Resorts is debuting two luxury micro‑cruises to the Svalbard archipelago, launching in May and September 2026. The 10‑ and 11‑night itineraries aboard the converted M/S Polarfront accommodate only 12 guests in seven suites, blending high‑end hospitality with Arctic...
Concord Hospitality Promotes Three Executives to Senior Roles
Concord Hospitality announced the promotion of three senior executives: Joe Trumfio to senior vice president of investment operations, compliance and reporting; Cathryn Andrews to senior vice president of hotel accounting; and Alex Langston to senior director of risk management. Trumfio’s newly...
Relais & Châteaux Announces Four New Projects in Partnership with UNESCO
Relais & Châteaux has launched four joint sustainability projects with UNESCO, pairing elite restaurants with biosphere reserves, world heritage sites, and cultural heritage initiatives across Africa, Europe, North America, and Asia. Each property—FYN, Maison Pic, Eleven Madison Park and L’Effervescence—will implement actions under...
Mexico Tourism Hit All‑Time High in 2025
Mexico's tourism sector reached an all‑time high in 2025 with 98.2 million international visitors, a 13.6% rise over 2024 and the largest total ever recorded. Foreign‑exchange earnings climbed to $34.99 billion, while overnight stays increased 6.1% to 47.8 million. The record underscores strong...
Hyatt Chairman Tom Pritzker Resigns Over Epstein Emails—Helped Arrange Trip to Find Him a New Girlfriend [Roundup]
The episode covers the fallout from Hyatt Chairman Tom Pritzker’s resignation after a 2018 email chain revealing he helped Jeffrey Epstein’s girlfriend arrange a Southeast Asian trip to find a new girlfriend, prompting the hotel’s president to assume the chairmanship....
EuroAirport Upgrades Check-In Process
EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg has introduced self‑service bag‑drop devices alongside 24 new check‑in kiosks in Halls 2 and 4, while Hall 3 is temporarily closed for upgrades. The airport plans to equip all four halls with kiosks and self‑service bag‑drop by the end...
JetBlue Offers Double Tiles Toward Mosaic Status in 48-Hour Flash Promo
JetBlue announced a 48‑hour flash promotion, offering double TrueBlue Tiles for bookings made on February 17‑18 for travel between February 24 and March 18. The offer applies to qualifying nonstop one‑way flights costing at least $100 and excludes Blue Basic...
United Orders 300 GEnx Engines for 787s
United Airlines has signed a deal with GE Aerospace to purchase 300 additional GEnx engines and associated spares for its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. The order, which does not disclose price, will increase United’s fleet of GEnx‑powered aircraft to over...
Hyatt Names Mark Hoplamazian Chairman
Hyatt Hotels Corp appointed its president and chief executive, Mark Hoplamazian, as chairman, replacing retiring executive chairman Thomas Pritzker, who has guided the company since 2004. Hoplamazian, who has led Hyatt for nearly two decades, oversaw the brand’s asset‑light expansion...
Regent Seven Seas Orders Fourth Prestige-Class Ship
Regent Seven Seas Cruises has signed a contract with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to construct a fourth vessel in its new Prestige‑Class series, slated for delivery in 2036. The first Prestige‑Class ship, Seven Seas Prestige, debuted in December 2026, with the...
Hyatt Chairman Resigns After Epstein Emails Surface Showing Hotel Favors And “May The Force Be With You” Reply
Hyatt Hotels' long‑time executive chairman Thomas J. “Tom” Pritzker announced his immediate retirement and will not seek re‑election to the board. The decision follows the U.S. Justice Department’s release of Epstein‑related emails that show Pritzker arranging hotel bookings and using...
AWH Partners Acquires Hotel Trio Healdsburg for $38M
AWH Partners has purchased the 122‑key Hotel Trio Healdsburg for $38 million, equating to $311,475 per key—significantly below the estimated $500,000 replacement cost in Sonoma County. The all‑suite, Marriott‑branded property is the only Residence Inn in northern Sonoma and the second‑largest hotel...
MoU Takes Aeroberm Vertipad to Japan
AirMobility and Skyportz have signed a memorandum of understanding to introduce Skyportz’s patented Aeroberm modular vertipad to Japan. The partnership will fuse Aeroberm’s downwash‑reducing hardware with AirMobility’s AirVport vertiport automation software, creating a fully integrated vertiport solution. By deploying this...
Applebee’s Creates Still Together Sips with Dre and Snoop
Applebee’s has launched a limited‑time "Still Together Sips" cocktail menu created with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog, featuring two drinks made with the award‑winning Still G.I.N. gin. The $7 Young, Wild & Free Fruit Punch and $10 Rollin’ On The Beach are served with original temporary tattoos and are...
Beyond the Balance Sheet: Why the Future of Franchising Is Proactive, Not Passive
The Restaurant Innovation and Franchising Summit in San Diego will feature a session called “The Money Map: Navigating Your Franchise to Peak Profit,” urging operators to treat unit economics as a dynamic narrative rather than static spreadsheets. Panelists stress proactive...
AI, AEO, and GEO: Questions Every Hotelier Should Ask
The article advises hoteliers to begin AI adoption by focusing on AI‑driven performance analysis of paid search, hotel metasearch and Google hotel ads, where measurable demand already exists. AI can process large campaign datasets to pinpoint high‑converting markets, eliminate wasteful...
Intrepid Travel Signs up to to the Safer Tourism Pledge
Intrepid Travel, the B Corp‑certified adventure operator, has signed the Safer Tourism Pledge, the travel industry’s leading framework for traveller risk, health and safety. The company runs more than 900 small‑group trips in over 120 countries, and the pledge adds...
Holiday Inn Owner IHG Hopes World Cup Can Kickstart US Recovery
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is counting on the 2026 FIFA World Cup to revive U.S. travel after three consecutive quarters of declining room revenues. U.S. RevPAR fell 2% in Q4, lagging rivals Hilton and Marriott, while growth in Europe, the...
Terminal Upgrade Underway at Shannon Airport
The Shannon Airport Group has launched a €15 million upgrade of its main terminal, the first phase of a €40 million investment programme slated for completion by May 2027. The renovation replaces the 1970s façade with a modern, curved design that will accommodate...
Hotel BI vs Excel: The Hidden Costs
Excel remains a default tool in hotels, but its apparent zero‑cost facade hides substantial operational expenses. Hotels can spend up to 125 hours each month cleaning, formatting, and moving data, turning revenue managers into data clerks. This manual burden erodes...
Coast Hotels Celebrates Its Top Achievers
Coast Hotels Limited, a subsidiary of APA Hotel Canada, announced the winners of its 2025 Coast Hotels Awards at the annual brand conference in Nanaimo, B.C. The ceremony highlighted a range of performance‑based recognitions, including a first‑ever Lifetime Achievement Award...
Tragedy: American Express May Have Closed United Airlines Travel Bank “Loophole”
American Express appears to have ended a long‑standing loophole that let Platinum cardholders claim the $200 annual airline credit by purchasing United Airlines Travel Bank credits. The change, effective around February 6, 2026, reclassifies these purchases as ticket‑related, making them ineligible for...
Hong Kong’s New T2 Departures Facility to Open in May
The Airport Authority Hong Kong announced that the departure facilities at Terminal 2 will begin operations on May 27, 2026. The rollout follows a phased commissioning that started with the Coach Hall in September 2025 and aligns with expected summer travel demand. The new...
Hilton and Winnow Voted ‘World’s Leading Sustainable Partnership’
Hospitality giant Hilton and food‑waste tech firm Winnow have been named World’s Leading Sustainable Partnership 2025 at the World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards in Dubai. Their Green Ramadan 2025 program, using AI‑powered smart meters across Hilton kitchens, achieved a...