Skift State of Travel 2026: What the $11 Trillion Industry Is Actually Doing
Skift's 2026 report maps the global travel industry through a new framework — and the headline finding is counterintuitive: price pressure is real, but 88% of travelers are optimizing their trips, not canceling them.
American Airlines Five Star Service: What This $350+ Airport VIP Package Gets You
American Airlines Five Star Service offers dedicated airport escort, priority check-in, Admirals Club access, and car coordination at 22 airports for $350+. The analysis suggests it's best for travelers who genuinely need help — not a luxury upgrade for seasoned fliers.
Do Hotel Points Expire? A Complete Guide to Policies and How to Extend Them
Most major hotel loyalty programs expire points after 12–24 months of inactivity, but extending that clock is often trivial. Here's the expiration policy for every major hotel group and the fastest ways to reset the timer.
Lufthansa Allegris Business Class on the 787: Better, But Not Memorable
Lufthansa's new Allegris business class on the 787 earns 4 stars — a meaningful upgrade over the previous product — but inconsistent seat types within the cabin, slow service, and disappointing food prevent it from competing with Air France or Qatar on the same routes.
World of Hyatt Explorist Status: Worth 30 Nights of Your Life?
Explorist sits between Discoverist and Globalist in World of Hyatt's elite tier structure. The published benefits are modest — but Milestone Rewards accumulation makes the math interesting for frequent travelers who can't reach Globalist.
Business Class Plus: The Airlines That Offer It and What You Actually Get
More than 16 airlines now offer a premium tier within business class — select bulkhead suites with larger ottomans, better entertainment, and sometimes doors. Here's how to identify which products qualify and what the upgrade costs.
American Airlines 777 Retrofit: Flagship Suite Doors Are Coming to 20 Planes
American is retrofitting all 20 of its Boeing 777-300ERs with the Flagship Suite product — sliding doors, no first class, and a reconfigured cabin that adds seats. Here's the timeline and what changes.
Two American Airlines Flights. Same Callsign. Same Frequency. Flying at Each Other.
On August 13, AA2482 appeared on Phoenix ATC frequency twice simultaneously — one inbound from Chicago, one departing. The controller handled it. The systemic question remains: why can this happen?
American Airlines Swaps Seven Executives to Close a $5 Billion Gap With Delta
CEO Robert Isom's C-suite reshuffle acknowledges a 'meaningful gap' with rivals as Q2 net income collapsed 88%. What the leadership changes signal about American's competitive position and what it means for oneworld travelers.
The World's Best Business Class Airline Lounges: A Curator's Picks
Not all business class lounges are equal — these are the standout experiences globally, ranked by what actually makes a lounge worth the layover.
IHG Isn't Cutting Owner Fees — Here's the Argument It's Making Instead
While Marriott and Hilton cut fees to ease hotel owner pressure in 2026, IHG redesigned its franchisee services package. The economics are different enough to make the contrast instructive.
Cancún at Fifty: The Market-First Lesson That Most Destination Copies Got Wrong
Mexico identified US demand before breaking ground. Every failed Cancún copy reversed the order. Fifty years of data make the case for market-research-first destination development.
Iceland's Hotels Were Already Full. Then Came the Eclipse.
With fewer than 13,000 hotel rooms and 128,000 visitors expected for the August 12 total solar eclipse, Iceland is stress-testing its tourism infrastructure in ways that extend well beyond one celestial event.
Avios Now Has an Award Calendar — and It's the Fastest Way to Find Nonstop Award Space
British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus award flights are now searchable month-by-month on a single calendar interface. Here's what it covers, what it misses, and how to use it.
Hyatt Discoverist Status: What You Get, How to Earn It, Whether It's Worth It
Discoverist is Hyatt's entry-level status tier. You get 2PM late checkout and 10% bonus points. Here's when those perks matter and the fastest path to earning the status.
Best Business Class Bedding: Which Airlines Actually Help You Sleep
From United's Saks Fifth Avenue duvet to EVA Air's bed-like blanket, a ranked breakdown of which business class cabins have the bedding gap sorted — and which ones haven't bothered.
Iberia's New Madrid Lounge Is Exclusively for Oneworld Emerald Members
Iberia is opening a new dedicated lounge at Madrid-Barajas for Oneworld Emerald members — elite status holders who fly Alaska Atmos, Cathay, and British Airways now have a premium Madrid option.
American Airlines Ends Double Upgrades on Premium Routes: What Elite Members Need to Know
AAdvantage elites gain premium economy upgrades on select routes from August 25 — but the double-skip to business class ends on those same flights.
Google Maps Now Books Hotels for You: What Agentic AI Means for Travel Search
Google Maps now checks hotel availability and compares rates via natural language. The search-to-booking gap where OTAs built their business is closing.
American AAdvantage Cash & Miles: Flexible Redemption or Value Dilution?
American Airlines is launching Cash & Miles awards for domestic flights — a flexibility play that lets members spend partial miles but likely at a poor cents-per-mile value.
American Airlines Ends Double Upgrades: What Changes August 25
Starting August 25, American elites on nine premium routes lose the ability to upgrade directly from economy to business class — but all elites gain access to premium economy upgrades.
American's 777-300ER Retrofit: Flagship Suite Doors, No First Class, 20 Planes Over Two Years
American Airlines is overhauling all 20 of its 777-300ERs with Flagship Suite business class and more premium economy. What the new cabin configuration actually delivers — and what gets cut to make room.
HOSHINOYA Nara Prison: Inside Japan's Most Unlikely Luxury Hotel
A Meiji-era prison converted to 48 luxury rooms opened in Nara in June 2026. Here's what HOSHINOYA's heritage bet reveals about Japan's approach to historic preservation — and travel's evolving appetite for unusual spaces.
American's Admirals Club Fees Are Jumping Up to 75%
American Airlines is raising Admirals Club membership fees as much as 75% starting August 23, while quietly pushing members toward a co-branded credit card instead.