• 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.

• Podcast

DLD 440: Premium problems

• July 13, 2023
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, AAdvantage, American Airlines, awards, Boeing, Boom Supersonic, India, lounge, lounges, merger, Norse Atlantic, Norwegian, premium cabin, Premium Economy, Premium Plus, rewards, routes, United Airlines, Upgrade, Virgin Atlantic, Wideroe

Can economy class be considered an upgrade from premium economy? We’re talking about airlines, so you know where this is going.

• Podcast

DLD 428: Squeeze play

• April 13, 2023
• Tagged as: American Airlines, AMS, Amsterdam, British Airways, credit cards, Dubai, DWC, EWR, immigration, JFK Airport, Newark, Norse Atlantic, OTG Experience, points, routes, SEA, Seattle, slots, Upgrade

Trying to squeeze more planes into a terminal is rarely an easy task. When the terminal is brand new and someone screwed up the design work it is even worse.

• Podcast

DLD 375: Lasha Tumbai

• March 3, 2022
• Tagged as: AAdvantage, American Airlines, Avios, awards, Eastern Airlines, ETOPS, frequent flier, frequent flyer, podcast, Qatar Airways, reward, rewards, ukraine, Upgrade, upgrades

A bit of a challenge this week to get past the very real suffering of war and have a conversation about what it means in the context of aviation. But we’re trying.

• Podcast

DLD 322: …And then see what sticks

• December 24, 2020
• Tagged as: 737 MAX, 737MAX, American Airlines, Boeing, Brexit, COVID-19, COVID19, elite status, frequent flier, frequent flyer, India, jetblue, Mosaic, points, routes, Trip Report, Upgrade, upgrades

As has happened several times since the pandemic began airlines are shaking up their route maps with idea so crazy they just might work. So which new destinations will work this time around??

• Podcast

DLD 319: Bursting that bubble

• November 26, 2020
• Tagged as: Aer Lingus, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Antitrust Immunity, ATI, COVID-19, COVID19, Delta Air Lines, elite status, Emirates, fees, Gatwick, Hong Kong, jetblue, joint venture, LGW, London, MAN, Manchester, podcast, singapore, Stansted, STN, TATL, Transatlantic, Upgrade, upgrades, WestJet

Collapsing joint ventures, splitting London, and plenty of bubbles to burst in this week’s show.

• Podcast

DLD 302: Apologies all around

• July 30, 2020
• Tagged as: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, bankruptcy, BRU, Brussels, Brussels Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, GoAir, India, insurance, jetblue, Oneworld, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Upgrade, upgrades

Cover your face and fly with free insurance and maybe even score an upgrade or just get a bunch of seats for yourself. But we spread all that out into a reasonable conversation, not just a tease.

• Podcast

DLD 251: Widget Wishes

• July 18, 2019
• Tagged as: All Nippon Airways, ANA, ATC, business class, Delta Air Lines, first class, frequent flier, frequent flyer, Iceland, Jeju, JejuAir, JinAir, Korean Air, loyalty, Pakistan, podcast, points, Trip Report, Upgrade, upgrades, WAB Air, WOW Air

A new neo takes flight and old routes reopen. Plus a fancy first class cabin and WOW might make a comeback after all.

• Podcast

DLD114: Faroe, Faro and Farnborough

• July 21, 2016
• Tagged as: Boeing, Farnborough, helicopter, podcast, sukhoi, Upgrade

Obscure city pairs on a helicopter? Out of the way airports to ease immigration? Airshow updates? We’ve got all that and more in this week’s show!

• Airlines
• Elite Status
• Podcast

DLD 69: Mr. Tilton, I presume

• December 11, 2014
• Tagged as: american, American Airlines, Boston, British Airways, Chile, Cleveland, Delta, Delta Air Lines, elite status, jetblue, Lufthansa, Premium Economy, Qatar, Santiago, United, United Airlines, Upgrade

Today we’re tackling a serious question from a former UA loyalist who is looking to spread his wings elsewhere. We’ll call him Mr. Tilton to protect the innocent.