Happy Sunday! I hope this finds you in the midst of a relaxing weekend. I know I needed it after a week on assignment in Germany, covering one of the biggest aviation conventions of the year.
In fact, it was a pretty busy week for our entire team — particularly those of us keeping tabs on a string of news from two of the biggest U.S. airlines.
If you fly Southwest Airlines, heads up: The carrier has dramatically hiked fees for both its EarlyBird check-in and upgraded boarding services; these are popular ways to ensure you find a good seat on Southwest. Last week the airline also revealed plans to add seven new routes (including three to Las Vegas) — but also to cut service on four.
As this was going on, I got a first look at Southwest’s brand-new seats, unveiled Tuesday in Hamburg. They’ll be on the airline’s new jets starting in 2025.
Meanwhile, American Airlines’ strategy shift comes with big news for AAdvantage members — particularly if you travel for work. American is scrapping its plan to limit mileage earnings on certain corporate and third-party bookings, so your business travel should be safe to earn miles and Loyalty Points for the foreseeable future. That revelation came a day after American announced the departure of a top executive who was a key driver behind the policy.
In the hotel world, there was World of Hyatt news that disappointed some loyalists: The Mr & Mrs Smith hotels are using dynamic award pricing, which means the number of points you’ll need for a stay will be unpredictable — just like it is at Marriott or Hilton. This proved a pesky hurdle as I recently started searching for late-summer Hyatt award space in Italy.
The past week also served as a good reminder of the perks many credit cards offer beyond travel benefits. For Chase cardholders, the Sapphire Presents concert series is a great item for your summer bucket list. And American Express cardmembers got presale access to U.S. Open tennis tournament tickets in New York.
Here are some other stories that caught our attention last week:
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