Flying has lost a lot of its luster, even in premium classes. This summer, we reviewed the watered-down United Polaris experience to Europe—it was a tale of shrink-wrapped snacks and an eerily quiet business class cabin. United has aggressively cut amenities and services both in the air and on the ground, and unlike competitors, the […]
Luxury may not the first word that travelers associate with Canadian airline WestJet. And 2020 might happen to be one of the worst years in recent history to launch a new airport lounge. But the Calgary-based airline is defying all odds and plowing ahead with its plans to move upmarket. Founded in 1996, WestJet started […]
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a toll on the airline industry, air carriers are struggle to adapt and respond. Most airlines closed their lounges on temporary basis early March when air traffic came to a screeching halt. Seven months later, airport clubs are slowly re-opening around the globe, but some won’t make the […]
Even a pandemic won’t stop American Express from re-defining the airport lounge experience, one location at a time. The financial institution was on a roll early 2020, with three new lounges opening back-to-back at Phoenix, Charlotte, and Los Angeles airports—until COVID-19 put a damper on travel. Despite lingering uncertainty, American Express is resuming lounge operations. […]
While domestic travel in the US is slowly ramping up—flights are increasingly full, and security lines have returned at most airports—COVID-19 has decimated international travel. In an effort to boost consumer confidence, airlines are aggressively touting enhanced hygiene protocols. But they’re not shedding much ink on service cutbacks, and especially those that impact intercontinental premium […]
While the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic are hopefully behind us, there are still few hints of a “new normal.” With a patchwork of government regulations and ever-changing rules, fears of a second wave, and general uncertainty, the travel industry has been decimated and is bracing for some of its darkest years ahead. Still, […]
The highly-anticipated American Express Centurion Lounge at Los Angeles International airport opened its signature blue doors to the public this morning, following a media preview late last week. The Centurion Lounge LAX is the 12th location in the financial institution’s fast-expanding network and the third to open this year, after The Centurion Lounge Phoenix and […]
We’ve reached out to United to find out about the upcoming United Club at New Orleans airport, the airline’s strategy to cope with the demolition of Phoenix airport Terminal 2, and plans to mitigate chronic crowding at the Newark lounges. We have exciting news to share: United is building three new clubs. But patience will […]
After a seven-month hiatus, SkyTeam elite and premium passengers again have a place to call home when traveling through Istanbul. Yesterday, Kristin Colvile, CEO of SkyTeam, inaugurated the new SkyTeam Lounge at Istanbul’s sprawling new airport. The global airline alliance is fashionably late: not only did the new airport open early April, but the lounge […]
