Written by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
On the landing page of a new website touting the consumer benefits of Alaska’s acquisition of Virgin America, which closed today, there’s this: Alaska Airlines and Virgin America are coming together. Like bacon on a donut, electricity and guitars, or Labradors and poodles, we’re an odd couple that works well together. We may seem like […]
The post Alaska-Virgin America Merge, Creating 5th Largest U.S. Airline appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
Unless you’re traveling in first or business class, and maybe even then, longer flights simply mean more discomfort. So while airlines take it as a point of pride that they operate long, longer, and longest flights, most flyers rightly treat long-flight boasts as more threat than promise. The latest such claim comes from Qantas, which […]
The post 17 Hours on a Plane? Holy Deep Vein Thrombosis! appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Carl Unger @ SmarterTravel
Free meals in coach—that relic of a bygone, gilded era of aviation—might be making a comeback. “Might,” of course, is the operative word here. According to USA Today, Delta is exploring the idea. The carrier recently began testing complimentary inflight meals between New York’s JFK and both Los Angeles and San Francisco. The trial launched November 1 and will […]
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Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
The debate over inflight phone-calling raged hot and heavy two years ago, with the opposing forces seemingly gaining the upper hand. The Association of Flight Attendants called for an outright ban on the calls. A no-call bill was introduced in Congress. The DOT signaled its general opposition to inflight cell use on safety grounds, in […]
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Read MoreWritten by Ashley Rossi @ SmarterTravel
A few months ago, New York Times Editor Damon Darlin wrote an op-ed suggesting that parents of rude or screaming children should give out small inflight gifts or “goodie bags” as a preemptive apology for their child’s behavior. Which begs the question, should parents have to apologize for traveling on an airplane with their child? Obviously there’s […]
The post Should Parents Apologize for Bringing Their Child on the Plane? appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Shannon McMahon @ SmarterTravel
Does connecting to inflight Wi-Fi allow government intelligence agencies to spy on your every digital move? The idea may sound more sci-fi thriller than reality, but classified documents leaked by National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden signal that it’s been happening for years, according to a report in the French newspaper Le Monde. An […]
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Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
New York Senator Chuck Schumer has looked into United’s Basic Economy fares, set to launch early next year, and he doesn’t like what he sees. He’s particularly outraged that the new ultra-low-priced fares will restrict customers to a single small carry-on, leaving the overhead bins for the exclusive use of those paying higher fares. Here’s […]
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Read MoreWritten by Shannon McMahon @ SmarterTravel
Rejoice, Netflix watchers. The streaming service has finally added a download option to take advantage of before those times you’ll be without reliable or free Internet, i.e. traveling. So if you’ve ever put your show-binging habit on hold for a flight, fear no more—Netflix has listened. “While many members enjoy watching Netflix at home, we’ve […]
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Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
When it comes to commercial air transportation, consumers have two bottom lines. First, it must be cheap. And second, it must be safe. Under President-elect Trump, it’s likely to become less of both. This week, Trump chose as his new Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, whose record as Secretary of Labor and Deputy Secretary of […]
The post Trump’s Pick to Head DOT Is Bad News for Travelers appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
While the Thanksgiving travel period was mostly uneventful, thankfully, at least one plane-full of holiday flyers got more than their fair share of inflight drama. On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, aboard Delta flight 248 between Atlanta and Allentown, PA, a belligerent male passenger stood up in the aisle, arms raised in triumph, and harangued his […]
The post Delta Bans Disruptive Trump-Supporter for Life appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
Inflight WiFi is good. Even better is free inflight WiFi. No, there’s no industry trend toward offering free onboard Internet access among the airlines—JetBlue is the exception—as there has been among the major hotel chains. And there isn’t likely to be any time soon. The economics of WiFi-in-the-sky and WiFi-on-the-ground are different. And besides, charging […]
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Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
It’s become an industry-wide marketing trend recently for airlines to serve branded coffee and promote the association. Boast the roast. Delta, for example, began serving Starbucks brews on select flights in 2013, and has since expanded the offering worldwide. Here’s how Delta touted the global rollout, in 2015: “With a high-quality global brand like Starbucks […]
The post McDonald’s Coffee On Board: Upgrade or Downgrade? appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Ed Perkins @ SmarterTravel
Soon, you’ll be able to fly from New York to London in about three hours—again. An ambitious group of enthusiasts, engineers, and financiers announced a plan to build a new supersonic transport (SST) aptly named “Boom.” The trade press reports that a half-scale demonstrator and test vehicle, called the XB-1, will fly sometime next year. […]
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Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week. If it was a good deal—or a notably bad deal—from an airline, hotel, or car rental loyalty program, you can read all about it here, and plan your travel accordingly. Will Uber Be the Death […]
The post Recap: The Week’s Biggest Stories and Best Deals appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
Premium economy—upgraded coach service, typically featuring more legroom, priority airport services, and more amenities—is hot. And for good reason: At least in theory, it’s a win-win. From the airlines’ perspective, it’s a high-profit product as well as a way of accommodating elite upgrades without displacing paid passengers in business or first class. For travelers, it’s […]
The post $15 for 4 Extra Inches of Legroom? Yes, Please! appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
Let’s be honest: We’d all fly first class if we could. We don’t, of course. And it’s not because we can’t. I could charge a $12,138 first-class flight to Tokyo on any of several credit cards in my wallet, and pay it off over time. So could you. We don’t, because it’s a bad deal. […]
The post How Much Would You Pay for Unlimited First-Class Upgrades? appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
There’s an ongoing debate among travel junkies concerning what’s commonly referred to as premium economy. Specifically: When does an airline’s coach product legitimately deserve to be called premium economy? Is a couple of extra inches of legroom enough to qualify for the “premium” designation? An upgraded inflight entertainment system? Better meals? Priority boarding? More frequent-flyer […]
The post Delta’s Premium Economy, Coming in 2017. The Real Deal? appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
Love ’em or hate ’em, most travelers would agree that kids on a plane can make for a stressful flight experience. They scream. They cry. They kick the seatbacks. They do what kids normally do. Which, in the tight confines of a commercial jet, can be downright torturous to those around them. Reactions to such […]
The post Do We Need Kids-Free Seating on U.S. Airlines? appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Carl Unger @ SmarterTravel
Did you feel that? Did the earth just move below our feet? It’s true: Southwest, struggling to meet its 2016 revenue goals, is considering adding ancillary fees to bring in additional cash. according to a USA Today report. The good news? Bag fees are off the table. “We have a unique and beloved position in […]
The post As Revenue Declines, Southwest Mulls New Airline Fees appeared first on SmarterTravel.
Read MoreWritten by Tim Winship @ SmarterTravel
If the results of a new study of mice by scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and the University of Bristol in England prove to be extendable to humans, the end of jet lag may be in sight. Working with the theory that oxygen plays a key role in keeping mammals’ circadian […]
The post The Jet-Lag Problem, Solved? appeared first on SmarterTravel.
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