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
JetBlue Vacations Launches BNPL Option with Upgrade’s Flex Pay
JetBlue Vacations announced a partnership with Upgrade’s Flex Pay to offer a buy‑now‑pay‑later (BNPL) product for flight‑and‑hotel packages. The service, embedded in the airline’s website, app and call‑center, lets customers choose monthly installments with no late fees. The move marks a major fintech entry into the travel‑booking space.
![Ranked: Delta Air Lines' Top 15 Long-Haul Routes [Summer 2026 Flights]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://static0.simpleflyingimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/delta-air-lines-airbus-a330-900-custom-thumbnail.jpg?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop)
Ranked: Delta Air Lines' Top 15 Long-Haul Routes [Summer 2026 Flights]
Delta Air Lines is set to operate a record 11,895 long‑haul departures in Q3 2026, a 2% increase over the previous high. The airline will average 129 daily long‑haul flights, with frequencies ranging from 124 to 132. Growth is strongest...
Bruno Reis Appointed President of Embratur as Brazil Strengthens Global Tourism Momentum
Brazil's tourism agency Embratur appointed Bruno Reis as its new president, succeeding Marcelo Freixo after a record‑breaking year for the sector. In 2025 Brazil attracted 9.3 million international visitors and generated about USD 7.9 billion in tourism revenue. Reis, a 20‑year Embratur veteran who started...
Making a Menu that Works Hard to Boost Profitability
At the Restaurant Leadership Conference, CMOs from WOWorks, Paris Baguette and Sonny’s BBQ shared menu strategies to boost profitability. They emphasized simplifying items, cross‑utilizing ingredients, and creating value through experience and speed. Limited‑time protein plates proved demand‑driven pricing works, while...
Hawaiian Airlines Entry Strengthens Oneworld’s U.S. Presence
oneworld has officially added Hawaiian Airlines as its newest member, making Honolulu a global hub and bringing the alliance’s U.S. carrier count to three alongside American and Alaska. The partnership opens new routes to Hilo, Rarotonga, Pago Pago and Papeete,...
World Cup Travelers Got a Warning About Trump’s Policies. That’s Bad for Business.
More than 120 civil‑rights and soccer supporter groups have issued a travel advisory warning World Cup visitors about heightened risks under the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. The advisory lists threats such as arbitrary denial of entry, invasive device searches, and...
Asian Airlines Capture Demand as Iran Conflict Reroutes Travel
The Iran‑Israel conflict forced Gulf hubs to shut, prompting Asian and Australian airlines to capture displaced long‑haul traffic. Singapore Airlines boosted its London service to six daily flights, while Korean Air and Qantas shifted capacity toward Europe, reporting strong yields...
American and Alaska Airlines Flirt With a Bigger Tie-Up
American Airlines and Alaska Air are in advanced talks about a strategic partnership that could evolve into a full merger, potentially creating the nation’s third‑largest carrier. The combined entity would integrate Alaska’s strong West Coast presence with American’s extensive domestic...
Hospitality Ranks Least Prepared for AI as Workforce Gaps Widen
A 2026 Resume Now analysis finds hospitality is the least AI‑ready industry, trailing healthcare, financial services and logistics. The report highlights a widening skills gap as AI tools are deployed faster than frontline workers can be trained. Automation is reshaping scheduling...
Lufthansa Group Introduces New Basic Economy Fares With No Carry-On Bags
Lufthansa Group is adding an Economy Basic fare to its short‑ and medium‑haul network, launching on April 28 for travel starting May 19. The new tier eliminates the free carry‑on allowance, offering only a personal item and charging for baggage and other...
Alaska Airlines Elite Upgrades Expected At the Gate Only
Alaska Airlines, after integrating Hawaiian Airlines into a single reservation system on April 22 2026, has overhauled its upgrade policy. Complimentary elite upgrades are now cleared only on the day of departure, with most upgrade inventory sold early to paying passengers through...
Scandic Hotels Group Moves Closer to Dalata Deal as Leadership Overhaul Begins
Scandic Hotels Group, which has been managing Dalata’s portfolio since November, announced that Dalata’s CEO Dermot Crowley and his deputy will step down later this year as part of a post‑acquisition restructuring. Dalata was bought for €1.4 billion (approximately $1.5 billion) by...
How Women-Led Travel Experiences Are Changing The Way People See A Destination
Women are increasingly shaping tourism by leading tours, workshops, and hospitality ventures that connect travelers directly with local culture. The UN reports women make up 56% of the hospitality workforce and view tourism as a key avenue for economic empowerment....
The Hidden Hazard in Commercial Kitchens: Why Floor Safety Can’t Be Ignored
Commercial kitchens face a hidden safety threat: the flooring. Slip‑resistant surfaces like Altro Stronghold 30 protect staff from grease‑laden slips, reduce injury liability, and improve comfort during long shifts. Operators often overlook floor design, drainage, and transitions, focusing instead on equipment...
Flight Attendants Union Head Sara Nelson Is Now “Praying” For President Trump To Save Spirit Airlines
Flight attendants union leader Sara Nelson is pleading with former President Donald Trump for a bailout to rescue Spirit Airlines after the Biden‑administered Justice Department blocked the JetBlue‑Spirit merger. Nelson had previously championed the merger as a labor win, arguing...
Times Square’s Distrikt Hotel up for Sale After Foreclosure Auction
Rialto Capital Advisors is marketing the 155‑key Distrikt Hotel at 342 West 40th Street for sale, targeting a buyer by the end of Q3. The property was acquired by U.S. Bank for a nominal $100 after a 2021 foreclosure triggered...
Rethinking Fast-Casual Growth in the Age of Instant Gratification
Fast‑casual chains are abandoning the old playbook of prime foot‑traffic locations and sprawling menus in favor of speed, digital convenience, and consumer‑first real‑estate. Edible Brands illustrates the shift by integrating order‑ahead tech, simplifying operations, and expanding into nontraditional sites such...
Choice Hotels Posts 12% YoY EBITDA Growth in Q4 2024
Choice Hotels announced adjusted EBITDA of $604.1 million for Q4 2024, a 12% year‑over‑year increase that topped the top end of its guidance. The boost came from higher RevPAR, robust domestic and international room growth, and a surge in upscale and extended‑stay...
Buy Marriott Bonvoy Points for as Little as 0.89¢ Each With This New Up-To-40% Bonus Promotion
Marriott Bonvoy launched a points‑purchase promotion offering up to a 40 % bonus on buys of 2,000 points or more, reducing the effective cost to about 0.89 ¢ per point. The offer runs until 11:59 p.m. EST on June 23 2026 and sits atop a 150,000‑point...
Capcom and Virgin Voyages Deploy AI Tools at Google Cloud Conference
Capcom and Virgin Voyages each rolled out new AI‑driven applications at Google Cloud’s developer conference in Las Vegas, with Capcom’s agents logging 30,000 hours of playtesting per month and Virgin’s Rovey virtual assistant handling cruise bookings. The demos highlight how...
Inside New Orleans’ Event-Driven Economy – Placer.ai Blog
New Orleans leverages a year‑round calendar of large‑scale events, making the downtown core a magnet for domestic tourists, with 64.6% of weekend visitors traveling more than 250 miles. Mardi Gras remains the flagship, attracting a growing share of in‑state guests—54.2% during the final...
Inside The White House Fight Over Whether To Bail Out Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines, which holds under 2% of U.S. domestic seats, faces possible insolvency after fuel‑price spikes and a stalled merger. The White House is weighing a $500 million loan that could convert into a 90% equity stake, a proposal surfacing weeks...
Dusit Hotels & Resorts Joins GSTC in Support of Sustainable Hospitality Worldwide
Dusit Hotels & Resorts has become a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), reinforcing its commitment to responsible tourism. The Thai‑based hospitality group operates 290 hotels, resorts and villas across 18 countries, encompassing more than 11,800 rooms. Its...
Marriott Named a 2026 Where You Work Matters Platinum Employer
Marriott International has been named a 2026 Platinum Employer on the Where You Work Matters list, the highest distinction for U.S. employers. The hotel chain is the only hospitality company to achieve overall platinum status, reflecting strong career advancement and...
Liora Estate Opens in Healdsburg, CA Following Rebranding of 27 North
Liora Estate has reopened in Healdsburg, California, after rebranding the former 27 North property. The boutique hotel offers 16 rooms with European‑inspired design and a new coastal bistro called Maréla. Guests can enjoy daily rituals such as a welcome aperitif, Sonoma...
Restaurants Brace for the Impact of High Gas Prices
Restaurant executives warned that surging gasoline prices could erode consumer spending, with the National Restaurant Association estimating an additional $125 billion in fuel costs for Americans this year. While the industry’s $1.6 trillion sales base remains robust, chains like KFC and Panda...
The Caribbean Price Drop Window: When Flights And Resorts Get Cheaper
Caribbean tourism grew 2.5% in early 2025, pushing the region ahead of the U.S. East Coast as the top beach destination. While peak season runs December‑April, the cheapest travel window falls during the hurricane season—September through early November—when flight and...
Survey: Most Americans Want Daily Alone Time on Group Vacations
A Talker Research survey of 2,000 Americans commissioned by Club Wyndham finds 73% consider themselves perfect vacation roommates, yet they crave about two hours of daily alone time. Nearly half (49%) say shared spaces increase the likelihood of arguments, and...
Lounge Review: Avianca’s New Diamond Lounge, Bogota
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Airport Documents Reveal New Delta Sky Club Coming To Honolulu — Southwest And Alaska Getting New Lounges Too
Three major U.S. carriers are adding new premium lounges at Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Alaska Airlines secured a 20‑year lease for 14,022 square feet with a $15 million renovation commitment, while Delta signed a 10‑year lease for 12,280 square...
Travel Expo Slated in Davao City
The World Travel Expo 2026 will take place in Davao City from May 15‑17, featuring 25 exhibitors from Visayas and Mindanao to showcase domestic destinations. Organizers argue that face‑to‑face events still drive exclusive deals despite the rise of online booking...
Bradley Expands Elvari Washroom Accessories Collection
Bradley Company has broadened its Elvari Washroom Accessories line with four new models—a recessed combination unit, a recessed paper towel dispenser, a jumbo roll toilet paper dispenser, and a free‑standing waste receptacle. Each product retains Elvari’s pill‑shaped silhouette, premium stainless‑steel...
United Airlines CEO Says Passengers Will Have to Be Patient As He Rules Out Free Wi-Fi On Non-Starlink Planes
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby confirmed that free in‑flight Wi‑Fi will remain exclusive to aircraft equipped with Starlink, dismissing plans to extend it to the rest of the fleet. United has already installed Starlink on regional jets and is rapidly...
Conrad Athens The Ilisian Opens Following Redevelopment of Former Hilton
Conrad Athens The Ilisian opened on April 23 2026 in the Ilisia district, replacing the historic Hilton Athens. The 278‑room luxury hotel features three Presidential Suites, a Royal Suite and the upcoming Omega Penthouse, creating Athens’ largest suite collection. It anchors The...
LiveStay Breaks Ground on Hybrid Hotel Tower
LiveStay, the newly unified brand that merges Veriu Hotels & Suites, Punthill Apartment Hotels and UKO, has broken ground on a 17‑storey mixed‑use tower in Adelaide’s CBD. The development will deliver 120 hotel rooms and 120 co‑living studios, with the...
Downloadable Guide: 7 Automated Campaigns Every Hotel Should Already Be Running
Cendyn released a downloadable guide outlining seven automated marketing campaigns hotels should run. The guide targets pre‑stay upsells, win‑back offers, and other touchpoints to boost engagement and revenue. Cendyn, a cloud‑based hospitality tech firm with over 32,000 customers and $20 billion...
Where to Eat, Stay, and Play Around the Kentucky Derby
Robb Report’s guide outlines where affluent visitors can stay, dine, and indulge in exclusive experiences during the Kentucky Derby in Louisville. It highlights three luxury hotels—Hotel Bourré Bonne, 21C Museum Hotel, and the historic Seelbach Hilton—each offering bespoke amenities and...
Meet the AI Startup That Gives Hotel Operators an Expert Data Team on Demand - By Ivana Johnston
Ladera.ai, founded in 2023 and based in Redwood City, offers an AI‑driven platform that unifies hotel PMS, CRM, and marketing data and lets commercial teams ask plain‑English questions. The system acts as a virtual analyst, strategist and data scientist, delivering...
Dubai’s Leading Sustainability Voices Joined BE WTR for an Informative World Earth Day Roundtable
On World Earth Day, BE WTR hosted a sustainability roundtable at Dubai’s W Hotel Mina Seyahi, bringing together leading voices from hospitality, media and local NGOs. The discussion highlighted how UAE luxury brands are embedding ESG practices such as local sourcing, waste...
Lounges Matter
Aspire Executive Lounges predicts the global airport lounge market will climb from $4.9 billion in 2025 to nearly $6.3 billion by 2027, driven primarily by upscale leisure travelers willing to pay for premium experiences. Airlines are increasingly outsourcing lounge management to specialist...
My Place to Expand Colorado Footprint with Westminster Hotel
My Place Hotels of America signed a franchise agreement with Indus Empire Investment to develop a 71‑key, four‑story My Place 3.0 hotel in Westminster, Colorado, slated for opening in late 2027. The property will be managed by Legacy Management and...
WTTC Convenes Travel & Tourism Leaders in Global Event in Egypt to Accelerate Sector’s Recovery
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) convened a three‑day leadership cruise aboard the Crystal Serenity as it transited the Suez Canal in early May. Hosted by the Egyptian government and sponsored by the Antonio Lefebvre Foundation, Coral Group and...
Davidson Selected to Manage Homestead Midway Utah
Davidson Hospitality Group has taken over management of the Homestead Midway Utah resort, adding the 190‑acre property—featuring 123 rooms and 85 residences under development—to its growing portfolio. The luxury resort is entering a multi‑year transformation that will introduce new amenities...
Booking.com Breach Exposes Guest Names, Emails and Reservation Details
Booking.com disclosed that unauthorized parties accessed guest names, email addresses, phone numbers and reservation details. The company said financial data and home addresses were untouched, but warned travelers of targeted phishing scams, raising alarm across the hotel industry.
Aman to Open First Ranch Retreat in Texas
Aman announced Amansanu, its first ranch‑inspired retreat in Texas Hill Country, marking the luxury group’s sixth U.S. property. The resort will feature standalone pavilions, a limited collection of Aman‑branded residences on ten‑acre lots, and a full suite of amenities including...
British Airways Caught in Frequent Flyer Backlash as It Extends Loyalty Status to Passengers Who Didn’t Fly
British Airways has sparked a furious backlash after extending elite status to passengers who barely fly, while many members close to a tier upgrade see their status lapse. The carrier replaced its Executive Club with a revenue‑based British Airways Club,...
Spirit Airlines Near Liquidation: Business Model Collapse Explained
Spirit Airlines Is Days Away From Liquidation — Here’s Why Their Business Failed - View from the Wing https://t.co/e49lheFBn7
Centennial Yards Bags Iconic Hotel Brand for Downtown Mega-Build
Centennial Yards, the $5 billion downtown Atlanta redevelopment, announced that Virgin Hotels will anchor its 8‑acre Entertainment District with a 261‑room, 14‑story property. The hotel, topped out earlier this year, is slated to open in 2027, missing the 2026 FIFA World...
Schiphol to Reduce Airline Charges because of Middle East Conflict
Amsterdam Schiphol will apply a temporary 10% discount on airport charges for daytime flights from April 27 2026 to March 31 2027 to offset airlines' soaring fuel costs caused by the Middle East conflict. The measure aims to keep essential connections and support the...
Salboy Launches Aparthotel Brand with First Site in Cornwall
Salboy Group, a major UK property developer, has launched a boutique aparthotel brand called Hidden, debuting with an 18‑unit property in St Ives, Cornwall. The development features 16 two‑bedroom apartments with private terraces and more than half equipped with outdoor...