• Podcast

DLD 470: Out of service

• February 15, 2024
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, A321neo, American Airlines, Chicago, China, Copa Airlines, Cuba, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, Frontier, Heathrow, Houston, IAH, India, IndiGo, Korean Airlines, LCCs, lounges, Lufthansa, MCO, Orlando, Philadelphia, PHL, points, Qatar Airways, Raleigh-Durham, RDU, regulators, SAS, slots, ULCC, United Airlines, wetlease

What’s the silliest reason you’ve ever heard of for planes to be removed from service? We might have a new top contender for that title.

• Podcast

DLD 468: More MAX than you can shake a stick at

• February 1, 2024
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, 737 MAX 10, 737 MAX 7, 737 MAX 8, 737 MAX 9, A321neo, Air Europa, American Airlines, Breeze Airways, Dulles, Haneda, Hawaiian Airlines, IAD, IAG, ITA Airlines, lawsuit, Lufthansa Group, merger, Ryanair, slots, Tulsa, United Airlines

The MAX continues to dominate news cycles, but there’s lots more out there also worth talking about.

• Podcast
• Trip Reports

DLD 464: Got Status?

• January 4, 2024
• Tagged as: AirBaltic, Australia, Boeing, China, credit cards, elite status, Flying Blue, FlyingBlue, HiSky, India, Japan, livery, Norse Atlantic, Norwegian, routes, SAS, slots, South African Airways, Southwest Airlines, train, Trip Report, Turkish Airlines, UAE, Wideroe

As 2023 comes to a close we’re talking about status earned, how we value it, and what the year ahead holds.

• Podcast

DLD 463: Looking to lose weight (restrictions)

• December 21, 2023
• Tagged as: 787, 787-9, A220, A321neo, A350, Air New Zealand, Airbus, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Austin, Brisbane, British Airways, business class, JSX, lie-flat beds, Lufthansa Group, Mexicana, Phoenix, podcast, Porter Air, Qantas, routes, Scottsdale, Seoul, slots, Southwest Airlines, Stansted, Starlink, Tel Aviv, Turkish Airlines, union, United Airlines, WestJet

Long flights come with challenging performance requirements. Delta looks to shed some weight restrictions and United may be adding some next year.

• Podcast

DLD 459: Thanks galore

• November 23, 2023
• Tagged as: Alaska Airlines, awards, BNA, Connect Airlines, DAS23, Delta Air Lines, Dubai Air Show, eVTOL, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, Haneda, Houston, IAH, jetblue, LaGuardia, London, Nashville, Paris, Portugal, rewards, routes, slots, TATL, Transatlantic, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, WestJet

Thanksgiving week but we’re all avoiding the worst of the travel challenges, so that’s a win.

• Podcast

DLD 457: Awkward in Austin

• November 9, 2023
• Tagged as: A220, A321, Aer Lingus, Africa, Alaska Airlines, Allegient Air, American Airlines, AMS, Amsterdam, AraJet, Asiana, AUS, Austin, Delta Air Lines, Department of Transportation, DOT, earnings call, greenwashing, Halifax, Haneda, HND, Icelandair, KLM, MIA, Miami, PIT, Pittsburgh, podcast, routes, SAFs, Schiphol, Siam Reap, slots, Titan Air, YHZ

Is there at least maybe, hopefully a good reason for American Airlines slashing its mini-hub in Austin?

• Podcast

DLD 455: Well, that was unexpected

• October 26, 2023
• Tagged as: 767-400, A321neo, Aer Lingus, Air France, Air Greenland, Air India Express, Alaska Airlines, Avianca, Boeing, codeshare, Delta Air Lines, Delta Flight Products, Haneda, Hawaiian Airlines, HND, Horizon, live television, livery, MEA, Qatar Airways, routes, slots, United Airlines, ZipAir

A couple major unexpected events this week caught us off guard, but we’re doing our best to get through it all.

• Podcast

DLD 454: Is there such a thing as real loyalty program enhancements?!?

• October 18, 2023
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, American Airlines, AMS, Amsterdam, ancillary fees, Beond, Bermudair, carbon offsets, Delta Air Lines, economy class, elite status, Emirates, engines, frequent flier, frequent flyer, Haneda, HND, ITA Airlines, Italia Trasporto Aereo, Japan, jetblue, JFK Airport, KLM, loyalty, Mosaic, points, Portsmouth, premium cabin, promotions, PSM, Rapid Rewards, Rolls Royce, routes, slots, Southwest Airlines, Tokyo, TrueBlue, United Airlines

Can loyalty programs actually make changes that seem to make things better for customers, without taking benefits away elsewhere? Tune in to find out.

• Podcast

DLD 451: Hotter than fire

• September 28, 2023
• Tagged as: A350 XWB, Air Belgium, Air Peace, Akasa, Brightline, British Airways, CBP, China, Condor, Delta Air Lines, Eastern Airlines, economy class, Edelweiss, Haneda, Heathrow, HND, iAero, India, LHR, London, PDX, pilot shortage, podcast, Portland, Premium Economy, routes, slots, Tokyo, train, Trip Report

But at least there was no meltdown this week…

• Podcast
• Trip Reports

DLD 450: Wait, there’s now lounge elite status??

• September 21, 2023
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, 737 MAX 8, 757-200, A350, Allegiant, American Express, Boeing, co-brand, cobrand, credit card, credit cards, Delta Air Lines, elite status, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, lounge, lounges, medallion, merger, Mexico, Mexico City, New York City, podcast, premium cabin, Premium Economy, seating, seats, Sky Club, SkyMiles, slots, Spirit Airlines, Swiss, Trip Report, United Airlines, Upgrade, Vietnam Airlines

Delta made waves with its SkyMiles/SkyClub rules changes last week. Plus, new seats, new routes, and an end to revenge.