Southwest Airlines Expands in Las Vegas and Orlando With Lots of New Routes
Southwest Airlines announced a major expansion at Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport and Orlando International Airport, adding 26 routes to or from Las Vegas and 23 to or from Orlando. New nonstop services will launch to destinations such as Anchorage, Cancun, Boston, St. Maarten and several Mexican resort cities, with additional routes slated for 2027. The carrier is also boosting frequencies on existing high‑traffic corridors, aiming for a record number of daily departures from Las Vegas and more than 200 daily flights from Orlando by 2027. The rollout will occur between spring 2026 and spring 2027.
JetBlue Pushes Back on Bankruptcy Rumors as Fuel Costs Drive Losses
JetBlue Airways denied recent bankruptcy rumors after rival David Neeleman warned of a possible $1.3 billion loss in 2026 if fuel prices stay near $4.50 per gallon. The airline reported a $319 million first‑quarter loss, driven by soaring jet fuel costs, but...
Improve Guest Experience With AI Not Just Respond Quicker
The piece argues that hospitality technology must move beyond merely faster replies and use AI to shape guest perception and empathy. A recent survey shows 86% of hospitality professionals say AI automation saves them time. By handling repetitive, cross‑channel queries,...
Your Hotel Is Empty 6 Hours a Day. What Is That Costing You?
Hotels typically sit idle for four to six hours each day—early morning, midday and late evening—while staff, utilities and maintenance continue to incur costs. Operators are now treating this dormant inventory as a separate revenue stream, offering day‑use rooms to...
Cost of Misalignment Between Marketing and Revenue Strategy
Cayuga Consulting warns that hotels often run marketing and revenue management in parallel rather than in sync, creating a hidden liability gap. Shifts in booking behavior—shorter windows, price‑sensitive travelers, and post‑COVID volatility—amplify the cost of misalignment. When pricing adjustments aren’t...
Best Western Amex Offer: Spend $250 & Get $50 Back
American Express has launched a targeted Offer for Best Western stays in the United States and Canada. Cardholders who spend at least $250 on room rates and associated charges receive a $50 statement credit. The promotion runs until July 31,...
When First Class Can Be Cheaper Than Baggage Fees
Airlines' escalating checked‑bag fees are making economy tickets more expensive than premium upgrades. United recently offered a passenger a $97 first‑class upgrade that included free baggage, cheaper than the $100 fee for two checked bags. Such last‑minute upgrade offers illustrate...
Least Stressful Airports in the U.S.
Recent traveler surveys rank the United States' least stressful airports, focusing on parking costs, drive time to downtown, and on‑time performance. Minneapolis‑St. Paul International leads the list, praised for reasonable parking fees and a 20‑minute commute to the city center....
New JetBlue Premier Card Benefits Are Live, Now with 100K Welcome Offer
JetBlue has launched a refreshed Premier Mastercard on May 5, adding a 100,000 TrueBlue point welcome bonus for $5,000 spend in the first 90 days and a $499 annual fee. New perks include up to $300 in annual TrueBlue Travel...
Power Bank Fire Prompts IndiGo Evacuation as Airlines Tighten Battery Rules
An IndiGo flight from Hyderabad to Chandigarh evacuated after a passenger’s power bank ignited on the tarmac. Cabin crew extinguished the fire and used slides to evacuate all 198 occupants without injury. The incident adds to a surge of lithium‑battery...
Victory Group Acquires Cameron House on Loch Lomond
Victory Group, the investment firm, has purchased the historic Cameron House resort on Loch Lomond from KSL Capital Partners. The 17th‑century estate offers rooms, suites, cottages, two golf courses, three pools and eight dining venues. Financing was supplied by Apollo‑managed...
American Airlines Pilots Union Says Takeover Talks Are Happening — “Any Path Forward” Is On The Table
American Airlines pilots union President Jim Kirby, after a no‑confidence vote against CEO Robert Isom and a board that refused to meet, is now courting merger discussions, saying any path forward—including a takeover—must be considered. The union is meeting with...
From Waste to Workflow: How Restaurants Are Turning Food Waste Into a Business Advantage
Restaurants are reclassifying food waste from a cost center to a profit lever as margins tighten. In the United States, the sector discards roughly 11.4 million tons of food each year—an estimated $25 billion in value—yet studies show a dollar invested in...
Gulf Conflict Hits China: May Day Flight Chaos
China's May Day travel rush is being reshaped by the Gulf conflict and the Strait of Hormuz blockade, which have driven up aviation fuel costs and forced widespread flight cancellations. International flights saw a 7.4% cancellation rate, with Japan experiencing...
Vegas Loop to Take Over Monorail?
The Boring Company’s Vegas Loop is proposing to dismantle the aging Las Vegas Monorail’s 3.9‑mile elevated guideway and replace it with a precast two‑lane roadway for Tesla‑driven Loop vehicles. Existing monorail stations would be retrofitted as Loop access points, eliminating the...
Can I Save Points on a Hyatt Award with a Date Change Trick? | Question of the Week Ep2 |...
Frequent Miler’s Matt asks whether changing the date of a Hyatt award reservation can lock in current point costs before upcoming World of Hyatt program changes raise redemption rates. The podcast episode explores the feasibility of booking a stay now,...
New Trump Palm Beach Airport Renaming Deal — He’ll Control The Merch And Messaging
Palm Beach County and the Trump Organization have struck a deal to rename Palm Beach International Airport as President Donald J. Trump International Airport, effective July 1, 2026, pending FAA approval. The agreement grants the county royalty‑free, perpetual use of the Trump...
Earn Up to 1,200 Bonus Atmos Points by Shopping: Member Appreciation Bonus
Alaska Airlines is running a Member Appreciation Bonus through May 11, 2026, allowing members to earn up to 1,200 extra Atmos points via its shopping portal. Shoppers receive 400 bonus points after spending at least $150, and a larger 1,200‑point boost after...
AmEx Offers: Get 10% Back on Expedia Hotel Bookings
American Express has re‑launched a limited‑time offer that gives cardholders 10% back, up to $125 in statement credits, for prepaid hotel reservations made through the dedicated expedia.com/amex link. The promotion runs until August 4, 2026, and mirrors earlier cycles that have alternated...
Up to 110,000 United Miles For New Card: Unlocks Faster Flight Earning, Lower Award Prices
United Airlines has overhauled its MileagePlus program, tying the most valuable earning rates and lower award prices to ownership of a United co‑branded credit card. New card offers now deliver up to 110,000 bonus miles and 3,000 Premier Qualifying Points,...
Orlando Airport Goes Galactic With Star Wars-Inspired May the Fourth Video
Orlando International Airport (MCO) rolled out a 74‑second Star Wars‑themed video on May 4, 2026, using augmented reality to stage the iconic opening crawl inside its terminals. The clip shows stormtroopers racing through gates, a holographic cameo by Mayor Buddy Dyer, and...
New Amex Offers for Hotel Stays: Best Western, Expedia, Ascend, Cambria, WorldHotels and More
American Express has rolled out a suite of new Amex Offers targeting hotel stays, covering brands such as Best Western, WorldHotels, Ascend Collection, Cambria, Margaritaville Beach House, Opal Collection, Barceló, and AKA, plus a 10% cash‑back deal on prepaid Expedia...
Hotel Scammers Now Know Your Reservation Details — Demand Payment Through Zelle, PayPal Or Venmo
Scammers are exploiting a recent Booking.com data breach to steal reservation details from guests of three Hilton properties in San José, Costa Rica. Using the leaked names, emails and travel dates, fraudsters pose as hotel staff and demand payment through Zelle, PayPal...
Amex MR (NL) To Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Conversion Devalued By 59%
American Express has slashed the transfer ratio from its Membership Rewards points in the Netherlands to Cathay Pacific's Asia Miles program by 59%, dropping the conversion from a 1:1 rate to roughly 0.41 points per mile. The change takes effect...
JetBlue Offers Status Match to Former Spirit Airlines Elite Members
JetBlue announced a status‑match program for Spirit Airlines’ Free Spirit Silver and Gold members, moving them into JetBlue’s Mosaic 1 or Mosaic 2 tiers. The offer coincides with JetBlue’s addition of 11 former Spirit routes from Fort Lauderdale, expanding its...
DoorDash Is Bad For Restaurants, Drivers, And Customers — Why Does Everyone Keep Using It?
DoorDash’s commission model forces restaurants to add surcharges and absorb 15‑30% fees, squeezing already thin profit margins. Drivers receive low pay and often deliver sub‑par service, leading to food‑quality issues. Consumers face higher total costs, while restaurants lose direct customer...
Air Canada Suspends Several More US Routes as Network Adjustments Continue
Air Canada announced the suspension of four U.S. routes—Toronto to Sacramento (effective August 1), Vancouver to Raleigh (effective July 29), Toronto to Charleston (effective September 6) and a temporary pause on Montreal to Austin (September 5‑October 19). The cuts follow the airline’s earlier decision to...
Singapore Airlines Chooses Ultra-Fast Starlink Wi-Fi But Passengers Could Be Left Disappointed… Here’s Why
Singapore Airlines announced a partnership with Elon Musk’s Starlink to provide ultra‑fast, free Wi‑Fi on its long‑haul fleet. The airline will equip only three aircraft types – the Airbus A350‑900 LR, A350‑900 ULR and the A380 – and the retrofit...
The Spirit Is Gone
Spirit Airlines, the pioneer of the ultra‑low‑cost carrier model in the United States, ceased operations in the early hours of May 2, 2026 after a series of bankruptcies, failed merger attempts, and a blocked $500 million bailout. The airline, once celebrated for its...
Almanac Hotels Join Global Hotel Alliance & GHA Discovery
Almanac Hotels has officially joined the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), expanding the network’s footprint in the upscale hospitality segment. The alliance rollout coincides with a series of loyalty promotions, including a D$40 bonus for stays at Pan Pacific Singapore and...
The Unified POS as a Blueprint for Restaurant Success
Restaurant operators are turning to unified point‑of‑sale (POS) platforms to replace fragmented legacy systems. By aggregating transactions, inventory, staff actions and payment data, a single POS creates a real‑time data hub that fuels faster decision‑making. Integrated with cloud‑based AI, the...
IHG Business Greater China Offer For 3X Points + Up To 20K Bonus Per Month May 1 – December 31,...
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has launched a limited‑time Business Rewards promotion for members in Greater China that runs from May 1 to December 31, 2026. The deal triples points on qualifying stays, meetings and events, delivering nine IHG One Rewards...
Winning Over OTA Guests with Trust and Convenience in the Website and CRM
Hotel operators are grappling with OTA commissions that can climb into seven‑figure sums, squeezing margins and limiting brand control. A recent SiteMinder report shows OTAs remain the primary entry point for most travelers, reinforcing the need for win‑back strategies. The...
Orange to Set up AI-Driven Tourism Platform in Aragon
Orange Spain, operating as MasOrange, has been awarded a contract by the regional government of Aragon to develop an AI‑driven tourism platform. The solution will modernize the collection and management of tourism data, moving away from outdated manual processes. By...
Why Every Travel Brand Needs Human in the Loop Support for the EES Disruption Wave
Europe’s Entry/Exit System (EES) went live on April 10, 2026, and within weeks caused massive biometric‑screening delays, stranding hundreds of travelers at Schengen airports. A high‑profile incident at Milan’s Linate left 122 EasyJet passengers on the tarmac, while processing times...
Gone But Not Forgotten: The Rise and Fall of America’s Lost Airlines
Spirit Airlines’ recent bankruptcy highlights a long‑standing pattern of airline failures in the U.S. The article reviews historic carriers—Pan Am, TWA, Braniff, Eastern, People Express, ValuJet, and others—showing how deregulation, oil shocks, labor disputes and thin margins led to their demise...
Delta Cancels Hundreds Of Flights — Executives Say The Problem Could Last All Summer
Delta Air Lines has been cancelling hundreds of flights each day, citing crew‑scheduling constraints amplified by recent weather events. Executives trace the root cause to a flawed pilot contract and an over‑reliant ARCOS automated call‑out system that struggles to match...
How to Start Using AI in Your Boutique Hotel: A Practical Guide That Actually Works
Boutique hotel owners recognize AI’s potential but struggle to begin because the real hurdle is decision‑making, not technology. The guide proposes a five‑step framework—cataloguing repetitive guest questions, building a consistent knowledge base, selecting a single use case, piloting the solution,...
IHG Premier Card Hits 185,000 Points — Worth Getting For The Bonus, Keeping For The Free Night
The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card now offers a total of 185,000 bonus points for new members who spend $6,000 within the first six months—150,000 after $3,000 and an additional 35,000 after $6,000. The card carries a $99 annual...
AAdvantage Business Loyalty Account: Get 10,000 Miles For Joining (Code BNS10K)
American Airlines is offering a limited‑time promotion that grants 10,000 AAdvantage bonus miles to businesses that enroll in the AAdvantage Business loyalty program using promo code BNS10K before Dec. 31, 2026. To qualify, accounts must have five active travelers and generate at...
Two Marriott Cobranded Credit Cards Now Available In Brazil
Marriott International has partnered with Brazil’s Bradesco bank to introduce two co‑branded Visa Infinite credit cards. The Bradesco Horizon Visa Infinite combines United MileagePlus miles with Marriott Bonvoy points, while the Bradesco Marriott Bonvoy Visa Infinite focuses solely on Marriott...
American Airlines Flight Attendants Are Still Unhappy With the New and Improved Catering at London Heathrow
American Airlines abruptly ended its Dnata catering contract in March, forcing a double‑provisioning workaround that crowded galley space on transatlantic flights. By late April the airline signed a temporary deal with upscale Austrian caterer Do&Co, ending the duplicate loads but...
After Spirit Shutdown, Budget Airlines Seek $2.5 Billion Bailout — DOT Says They’re Taking Advantage
Spirit Airlines' collapse has spurred rival low‑cost carriers—including Frontier, Allegiant, Sun Country and Avelo—to request a $2.5 billion federal bailout. Their plan calls for suspending the 7.5% domestic airfare excise tax and the $5.30 per‑segment air‑traffic‑control levy. DOT Secretary Sean Duffy...
Delta Air Lines Meltdown Leaves Passengers Without Help — One Grabs Gate PA: “Is Anybody Working?”
Delta suffered a severe operational breakdown that left gates unattended, prompting a passenger at LAX gate 30B to commandeer the public‑address system and call for staff. The incident highlights staffing gaps that have plagued Delta over recent days, mirroring similar...
Accor & Uber Partnership In Select Countries Live Later 2026
Accor’s ALL loyalty platform and Uber announced a multi‑market partnership that will go live in the second half of 2026. The deal lets ALL members earn points on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders, while Uber One subscribers receive ALL...
Best Western Rewards 1,000 Bonus Points Per Night In Asia May 11 – September 7, 2026
Best Western Rewards is offering members 1,000 bonus points for each qualifying night stayed at any Best Western hotel in eight Asian markets between May 11 and September 7 2026. Members must register for the promotion and can earn points up to a...
British Airways Will Pay Pilots $100,000 a Year Just to Taxi Planes On the Ground Around Chicago O’Hare
British Airways is hiring experienced Boeing 777 and 787 pilots to taxi its aircraft between Terminal 5 and Terminal 3 at Chicago O’Hare, offering a base salary of $90,000‑$100,000 per year. The role targets recently retired pilots who can no longer fly...
Breeze Airways Expands in Atlantic City With New Routes Following Spirit’s Exit
Breeze Airways announced a phased rollout of new leisure routes from Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) to replace the service void left by Spirit Airlines. The airline will start daily flights to Orlando on July 3, add Myrtle Beach and Fort...
Last Chance Deals: Airbnb Amex Offer, 10K Bonus Flying Blue Miles Promo, Delta Portal Promo, & More
Frequent Miler’s weekly roundup highlights a handful of travel and finance offers that expire this week, including an Airbnb Amex Offer (up to $50 back or 5,000 points on a $250 spend), a Flying Blue promotion granting 10,000 bonus miles on...
Current Point Transfer Bonuses for May 2026
FrequentMiler’s May 2026 update lists active transfer bonuses across major points pools, including a 65% boost from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy (May 1‑15) and a 25% bonus from Citi ThankYou Rewards to Leading Hotels of the World (Apr 19‑May 16). Additional offers...