Southwest Airlines is considering making major changes to its seating process. The airline is researching “transformational options” surrounding its storied single-class, open-cabin format, CEO Bob Jordan said Thursday, as the airline seeks to form new streams of revenue and boost existing ones. Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG’s free biweekly Aviation newsletter. Speaking during an earnings conference call with investors and media, Jordan and other airline executives were purposefully vague about the possible changes, noting that they were studying customer preferences al ..read more

Seven years after it was first announced, the wait is finally over. Lufthansa’s first aircraft equipped with the carrier’s new “Allegris” cabin has landed, with new seats in all classes. TPG got a sneak peek Thursday in Munich. The inaugural flight featuring the new Lufthansa cabin is scheduled to depart Wednesday from Munich Airport (MUC) to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) in Canada. Service on Allegris aircraft will continue to roll out in the coming months to Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ), Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) and Sa ..read more

Southwest Airlines is shrinking its route map. The carrier will ax four cites from its route map in August and will reduce its presence in two other major airports, the Dallas-based carrier announced Thursday in its quarterly earnings report. The airports that will lose Southwest service are: Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG’s free biweekly Aviation newsletter. Bellingham International Airport (BLI) in Washington Cozumel International Airport (CZM) in Mexico Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) The move to exit a ma ..read more

Want a credit card that’s made from a piece of storied aviation history? If so, you may want to strongly consider getting a Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card with the limited-edition Boeing 747 design made from two retired Delta Air Lines Boeing 747 aircraft. Delta and American Express have partnered to release a limited-edition card design made with 33% metal from two retired 747 Queen of the Skies aircraft. This sleek card is available to both new and existing Delta Amex cardmembers. Consider this your chance to hold a pie ..read more

Marriott International, with more than 30 brands under its belt, is the undisputed leader in the world’s hotel orbit. However, Hilton leaders Wednesday morning outlined a growth strategy signaling why their cross-town rival in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area shouldn’t get too complacent in its lofty perch. The hotel giant behind brands like Waldorf Astoria, Conrad and Home2 Suites has an array of new brands and partnerships that should add thousands of new hotels and Hilton Honors loyalty program engagement in the years to come. Hilton’s development pipeline of 472,000 hotel rooms worl ..read more

Breeze Airways is bolstering its summer schedule. The Provo, Utah-based ultra-low-cost carrier on Tuesday announced five new routes launching this summer — each of which will touch a warm-weather, leisure destination on the East Coast. Breeze is adding three new routes to Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) in South Carolina, a popular summer beach destination. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY It’s also adding a few new options out of Westchester County Airport (HPN) in White Plains, New York, and it’s doubling down on its growth out of Raleigh-Durham International ..read more

Another property from TPG’s list of the most exciting hotels opening in 2024 is welcoming guests — and this time, it’s great news for fans of Japan, wellness experiences and IHG One Rewards. Introducing the Six Senses Kyoto in Japan. IHG Made up of just 81 rooms and suites, Six Senses Kyoto is the first Six Senses property in Japan and part of the wellness-focused brand’s push to enter into more urban spaces (a London property is set to open in the latter half of the year). Inspired by Japan’s Heian period (from 794 to 1185), the hotel offers a “modern interpretation” of the art- and culture-f ..read more

Airlines will soon face far stricter rules for issuing refunds, the Biden administration said Wednesday. Among the changes, the White House defined what kinds of long delays or cancellations entitle passengers to refunds. Eligible travelers must receive refunds automatically to their original form of payment within seven to 20 days, depending on how they paid, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced as part of a series of new regulations. Meanwhile, the DOT will also require airlines to more clearly disclose fees for ancillary charges like seat selection and baggage upfront. They’ll al ..read more

Just when folks may have been wondering if Hyatt and its popular World of Hyatt loyalty program were losing some luster, the hotel giant’s Mr & Mrs Smith acquisition rollout shows this is no hotel loyalty underdog. Hyatt bought Mr & Mrs Smith last year, but the luxury and boutique hotel booking platform’s hotels weren’t fully integrated into the World of Hyatt loyalty network. That changed today, as more than 700 Mr & Mrs Smith hotels are now bookable via Hyatt booking channels. The partnership comes amid Hilton snatching away the Small Luxury Hotels of the World partnership Hyatt ..read more

In many respects, 2023 was a record-setting year at airports. The Transportation Security Administration saw its busiest summer ever. All-time, single-day passenger traffic records fell on two occasions. Airlines fielded historic demand for overseas travel, prompting carriers to shift their schedules to meet an enduring craving for travel. By all accounts, 2024 will be more of the same. But it remains a very different story at many of America’s smallest airports. Nearly four years after the pandemic shuttered air travel and helped precipitate a pilot shortage that had been brewing for years, t ..read more