Passengers flying with Turkish low-cost carrier AJet now have to pay a surcharge if they want to bring a large carry-on bag on board. The Turkish Airlines subsidiary adjusted its carry-on baggage rules in December. The cheapest Basic fare now only includes a personal item measuring 40 × 30 × 15 cm with a maximum weight of 4 kg.

Previously, a large carry-on bag (55 × 40 × 23 cm, 8 kg) and a personal item were included for all passengers. Now, at least the EcoJet fare must be booked to include this. Alternatively, the carry-on bag can be added later in the booking process (after seat selection) for around €12.

At least the surcharge is still fairly reasonable in most cases. As in the following example, where the fare including 25 kg of checked baggage and a large carry-on costs only €20 extra.

Competitor Pegasus Airlines adjusted its baggage rules accordingly two years ago. AJet is now following the same downward spiral.

€50 Penalty Fee at the Gate

AJet threatens passengers who do not add the carry-on baggage in advance with a €50 penalty fee at the gate.

Especially at outstations, this will probably not be enforced rigorously. Still, it’s advisable not to take the risk.

EU Regulation Still Pending

For several years now, the European Union has been discussing uniform minimum standards that all airlines would have to comply with. The aim is to restore price transparency. Currently, this is not the case when a flight costs €20, but passengers end up paying €30 for carry-on baggage later in the booking process.

The European Parliament approved a corresponding motion for the first time in autumn 2023. Since then, the plans have become more concrete: airlines would be required to allow a personal item plus an additional carry-on bag with L + W + H = 100 cm (e.g. 50 × 30 × 20 cm). However, nothing has been decided yet, and there is also opposition to the proposal within the EU.

After the Lufthansa Group took over roughly 40% of the company in early 2025, ITA Airways‘ loyalty program Volare was initially set to end on December 31, 2025. In a rather surprising move, the airline sent out an e-mail to select members on Thursday, announcing that the end of Volare would be postponed until March 30, 2026. This also means all status holders can enjoy benefits (or match their tier) for three additional months.

The e-mail itself reads as follows:

We are pleased to inform you that the Volare Program has been extended until March 30, 2026.

You can redeem your Non-Qualifying Volare points until 30 March 2026 to book flights with ITA Airways and partner airlines using the Cash&Points or Award Ticket options.

You can also use them to purchase products or services from our commercial partners until 30 April 2026.

Please note that the balance of Qualifying Volare Points accrued as of December 31, 2025, will be retained and can continue to grow until March 30, 2026.

Your Club membership and related benefits will be guaranteed through March 30, 2026.

That means you can still redeem leftover award miles until the end of March (without any thrilling redemption options). After that, you can only use them in partner shops – which are even less attractive. The more appealing part of the message is that status benefits will be granted for three additional months, too.

While I personally did not receive an email, my status has already been updated on ITA’s website:

Three More Months of Lufthansa Group Benefits

Most Volare members probably already matched their status to Miles&More, which is still possible. With a successful match, your Volare status isn’t that important any more, as the Miles&More Senator is at least as valuable and lasts until February 2027.

However, there is an increasing number of reports from people whose match has been denied. It seems like Lufthansa (or statusmatch.com) remembered that ITA gave out statuses like free candy over the past two years. These people can rejoice, being able to enjoy three more months of benefits on ITA Airways and Lufthansa Group flights.

Among these perks are:

• Lounge access on Lufthansa Group flights (incl. Eurowings)
• Priority check-in & boarding
• Additional baggage allowances (excl. Light fares)
• and more

Editor’s Note: A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one. There are basically no downsides to these news – unless you like to complain about overcrowded Lufthansa lounges over the next three months.

Thanks to our source krabbs in the Travel-Dealz Forum

Translated by Felix

Oneworld member American Airlines made its loyalty program AAdvantage a lot less attractive for budget travellers – and literally did it overnight. On December 17, 2025, the program quietly implemented new earning rules for the cheapest economy tickets of itself and six affiliated airlines. If you have booked a ticket on or after December 17, AAdvantage won’t credit any of these fare types:

• Aer Lingus Saver Economy
• American Airlines Basic Economy
• Alaska Airlines Basic Economy
• British Airways Basic Economy
• Fiji Airways Economy LITE
• Iberia Basic Economy

You can find the new earning regulations on the AAdvantage website:

While the move itself is textbook anti-consumer policy, the airline chose an even worse way to announce it. Instead of any official press release or announcing the impending changes in advance, the airline quietly altered their terms&conditions overnight. In the past days, the aviation centric Twitter X account JonNYC and blogs like LoyalyLobby and One Mile At A Time picked up and pointed out the changes.

Members of other programs like the British Airways Club or Iberia Plus can rest easy – as of now, credits for the cheapest economy fares in those programs remain unchanged. So no matter if you fly American Airlines, British Airways or Iberia Basic Economy, you can still earn miles on any affiliated program, except AAdvantage.

Editor’s Note: While most American loyalty programs have become revenue based, this is an especially disappointing change for many frequent flyers. Interestingly, it was done by the only US airline that actually offers an alternative within the same alliance: If you fly primarily in the USA and wish to keep your Oneworld status through the cheapest tickets available, Alaska Airlines’ Atmos is an alternative. While American won’t let you earn award miles or status points for some cash tickets, Atmos lets you earn status miles through award flights.

After British Airways and Turkish Airlines (since 2024), another European airline is adding flights to Australia. Oneworld member Finnair announced this week that it will operate daily flights to Melbourne. These will start in October 2026 and will be operated with a layover in Bangkok.

Finnair already flies from Bangkok and Singapore to Sydney with Airbus A330 aircraft. However, these flights are operated as a wet lease for Qantas and not as Finnair flights. In the meantime, these aircraft even wear Qantas livery.

Flight schedule

The long-haul flight from Helsinki departs (like many other Asia routes) around midnight. After about 11 hours in the air, the aircraft reaches Bangkok Airport, where it remains on the ground for just under two hours. After a further 9 hours of flight time, Melbourne is reached. In total, the journey takes around 22 hours outbound and about 24 hours on the return.

Here is the schedule for the individual segments:

• Helsinki – Bangkok – Melbourne:
  • AY 145 Helsinki HEL – Bangkok BKK: 00:10 – 16:30
  • AY 145 Bangkok BKK – Melbourne MEL: 18:15 – 07:15 (+1)
• Melbourne – Bangkok – Helsinki:
  • AY 146 Melbourne MEL – Bangkok BKK: 15:35 – 20:45
  • AY 146 Bangkok BKK – Helsinki HEL: 22:30 – 06:05 (+1)

Finnair has fifth-freedom rights on the Bangkok–Melbourne route and can therefore also sell tickets for this sector alone. Passengers booked on the full route will likely also have to briefly leave the aircraft in Bangkok.

An Airbus A350-900 will be used on the route. On board there are 30 seats in Business Class, 26 in Premium Economy, and 265 in Economy Class. At least for now, Finnair is therefore not using the more premium-heavy configuration with an even larger Business Class cabin.

In Business Class, Finnair offers the well-known AirLounge seat without a recline function but with a high level of sleeping comfort. I’m still not a big fan of it, especially for such a long flight where you’ll spend several hours sitting upright. Other passengers, however, like it more. Here’s my review:

Award flight prices & upgrades

The route was announced yesterday, and from today flights should already be bookable on Finnair.com. More interesting, however, is the question of award flights and upgrades.

Unfortunately, the answer is somewhat disappointing. Award flights and upgrades are twice as expensive as a regular long-haul flight. In other words, they cost the same as booking the Helsinki–Bangkok and Bangkok–Melbourne segments separately.

An award flight from Helsinki to Melbourne therefore costs:

• Economy Class: 60,000 Avios + €78
• Premium Economy: 87,000 Avios + €98
• Business Class: 125,000 Avios + €153

Alternatively, booking via the British Airways Club is possible. The required mileage is the same there, but the surcharges are slightly lower. On the other hand, with Finnair you can (in theory) add a feeder flight from, for example, Copenhagen almost for free, which is not possible with BA.

Upgrades with Avios or upgrade vouchers are also possible and cost:

• Economy → Premium Economy: 34,000 Avios or 4 upgrade vouchers
• Premium Economy → Business Class: 46,000 Avios or 6 upgrade vouchers
• Economy → Business Class: 80,000 Avios or 8 upgrade vouchers

Anyone looking to book an award flight in Business Class should instead consider flights with Qatar Airways. These start at around 90,000 Avios + €300 in Business Class, without the need to travel to Finland first, but with rather limited availability.

Source : Press release by Finnair

Translated by Ditmar

In December 2023, Alaska Airlines announced its intention of taking over Hawaiian Airlines. The latter joining Oneworld Alliance was a logical consequence and pondered at the time.

Said takeover has since been approved and completed. Yesterday, further news broke about the Honolulu based carrier joining Oneworld alliance. While neither Alaska Airlines nor Hawaiian made any official statement, Australian Oneworld member Qantas edited its text concerning airline partners on its website. In the short Paragraph about Hawaiian, the airline mentions a concrete and fairly realistic date: April 22, 2026 – instead of merely naming the year.

From 22 April 2026, Hawaiian Airlines also officially joins the oneworld alliance. If you’re a Qantas Frequent Flyer, you’ll be able to enjoy the full range of oneworld benefits when travelling on both Hawaiian Airlines or Alaska Airlines with a Qantas or Alaska Airlines flight number.

Hawaiian Airlines | qantas.com

To be honest, the paragraph in question is not entirely new. It has been online for roughly two months. However, it only gained public attention recently, because Twitter X-Account JonNYC (known as a reliable source for aviation news) posted about it. Like many other blogs, we were unaware of the (unofficial) announcement for quite a while. Because this means great news for people booked on Hawaiian flights past that date, we decided to write a news piece, nonetheless.

From April 22 onward, Oneworld status holders can enjoy perks like lounge access, priority services and additional baggage allowances on Hawaiian Airlines flights. Reciprocal, if you are flying with a different Oneworld member like American, Japan Airlines or Qantas from Honolulu, you can access the Hawaiian Airlines lounge at the airport. While we cannot preview the exact rules for frequent flyers yet, we will keep you updated. Without a two-month delay.

Editor’s Note: This is excellent news for Oneworld status holders, as their tier will be recognized by a growing number of carriers. If you hold Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status, Hawaiian Airlines tickets past May now deserve a closer look. Beyond that, the alliance continues to grow at a remarkable pace, welcoming its third new member (Fiji Airways in April and Oman Air in June 2025) within twelve months.

Thanks to our source, One Mile at a Time!

Translated by Felix

Miles&More has announced a new option for earning (Qualifying) Points outside of flying. Effective immediately, you can exchange your eVouchers for Qualifying or HON Circle Points. Each eVoucher gives you 50 Points, and Senators and HON Circle Members can now also carry over additional Points into the next year. This means you can take 100 points per eVoucher into the next year toward re-qualifying for status.

Miles&More says this option will be available permanently, so you can rely on it in the future when working toward Senator or HON Circle status. The qualifying points earned by converting eVouchers also count toward Lifetime Status.

Extra Qualifying Points for eVouchers

You can redeem all eVouchers in your account, but each transaction restricts you to four. The process is irreversible and can take up to 24 hours for the points to post. You’ll find the option under “Status Management” on the Miles&More website; it is not yet available in the app.

Using eVouchers to Carry Over Qualifying Points to Next Year

The rules differ slightly when transferring additional Qualifying Points into the next year. This option is only available to Senators and HON Circle Members who have earned at least 100 additional qualifying points (or HON Circle points for HON Circle members) within the current calendar year. You can carry these over to the next year by exchanging eVouchers via the “Status Management” page. Each eVoucher gives you 100 Points for the next year.

The system will debit your account the converted points within 24 hours and then credit it again in January. Unfortunately, these do not count as additional qualifying points for lifetime status. This option is also irreversible, so make sure you won’t need the eVouchers for something else.

Conclusion – Is It Worth It?

At first glance, I’d say no. Using eVouchers for upgrades usually gives you much better value. But if your eVoucher(s) would otherwise expire, e.g. because of lack of availability, or because you’re a Frequent Traveller who gets only one extra eVoucher and can’t really use it, then exchanging them is definitely the better, albeit not ideal, option.

Translated by Ditmar

The USA hold true to its government’s America First policy. In July, President Trump signed an Executive Order that ordered the National Park Service (NPS) to mull increased entrance fees for Non-American visitors. A press release on NPS.gov confirmed the results – and upcoming changes – last night.

Starting January 1, 2026, entrance fees for non US-residents will change. And the prices increase drastically:

• The price of the America the Beautiful pass (formerly known as Golden Eagle) will rise to US$250 (~€213) instead of previously US$80.
• If you don’t hold the pass, you’ll have to pay $100 per person on top of the regular entrance fees at the most popular parks like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone or Yosemite.
• Free Entrance Days, five to six days per year on which the entrance fee in all parks is waived, will be only available for US residents going forward.

America the Beautiful Pass Price Triples

Everyone who ever did a road trip through the US is familiar with the America the Beautiful pass. It comes with a price-tag of $80 and includes entry to all US National Parks for every person in one car (or 4 pedestrians) for twelve months after purchase. Starting in January 2026, this offer will be only available to US citizens or permanent residents. Tourists need to purchase a similar pass, with the same conditions, but costing $250 instead.

The pass not only includes entrances fees, but also covers Day Use Fees, as well as fees in National Monuments, National Forests and other federal recreation spots. State Parks on the other hand are not included, as these are not operated by the US federal government.

It is unclear if passes purchased in 2025 remain valid. It is currently possible to buy the American the Beautiful pass online for US$80 (~€68). If you have planned a trip to the United States in 2026, it might pay off to buy the pass now or in December and use it next year. However, there is no official statement if purchased passes remain valid for foreigners in 2026.

No Annual Pass? $100 Surcharge in Select Parks

If you don’t purchase an annual pass, you can still buy entrance tickets for each park separately. However, 11 of the most popular parks will start charging $100 extra if you aren’t a US resident. These $100 have to be paid per person. Affected are the following parks:

• Acadia National Park
• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Everglades National Park
• Glacier National Park
• Grand Canyon National Park
• Grand Teton National Park
• Rocky Mountain National Park
• Sequioa & Kings Canyon National Park
• Yellowstone National Park
• Yosemite National Park
• Zion National Park

If you visit more than two of these parks within a single year, or if you travel with two or more persons, you should purchase the annual pass – since it includes everybody you can fit in a car.

The following map shows all US National Parks. Parks with a $100 surcharge are marked in red.

No More Free Days for Tourists

As mentioned previously, US National Parks waive entrance fees on five or six certain days each year. Starting 2026, tourists can no longer benefit from this rule – it becomes exclusive to US residents. At least for the most popular parks, this doesn’t change too much, as those were too crowded on said days to consider a visit anyway.

Editor’s Note: A bunch of people asked me lately if I would advise visiting the US these days, my answer remains the same: “If you’ve never been there, go for it. It’s an amazing place, and it has always been expensive. But if you have visited in the past, don’t go: You are in for a worse experience at a higher price.” The changes to National Park fees (for tourists) are right down that alley. As a regular visitor of 30+ years, it’s a bit sad to see that recently, I feel a little less welcome every time I cross the pond.

Translated by Felix

Sources: US ministry of the interior press release and NPS.gov

For many years, the British Airways Executive Club was one of the best programs for earning elite status within the Oneworld alliance. But at the turn of the year 2024/2025, that came to an abrupt end. Contrary to earlier announcements, BA completely overhauled the status qualification system. Originally, a purely revenue-based system had been announced, meaning you would have needed more than €8,000 in spend with BA to reach Oneworld Sapphire status.

After massive criticism, the announced system was softened after only a few days. In addition to revenue-based Tier Points, bonus points depending on travel class and distance band were introduced. Initially, this promotion was supposed to run only a few weeks. It was then modified and extended for flights through December 2026 (for bookings until Dec. 2025).

Even at that time, BA indicated:

It’s expected the airline will always offer members a Bonus Tier Point proposition in addition to the general 1 Tier Point for £1 earning mechanism.

British Airways press release, February 2025

And that is now exactly what has happened. Since November 25, 2025, the bonus has been extended indefinitely. No registration is required. In practice, however, little changes since the same bonus amounts have been applied since February.

How the Additional Tier Points Work

In principle, the following applies for the additional Tier Points:

• Short-haul flights:
  • 75 Tier Points in Economy Class (excluding Basic Economy)
  • 175 Tier Points in Business Class
• Long-haul flights:
  • 150 Tier Points in Economy Class (excluding Basic Economy)
  • 275 Tier Points in Premium Economy
  • 400 Tier Points in Business Class
  • 550 Tier Points in First Class

However, several restrictions apply:

• Flights must carry a BA flight number (codeshare flights operated by Oneworld partners are fine)
• All Basic Economy fares are excluded
• Award flights, upgrades, etc. are also excluded
• For Oneworld partner flights:
  • Iberia & American: revenue-based Tier Points, but no bonus points
  • All other Oneworld partners: Tier Points based on distance & booking class, but no bonus points

The bonus points are awarded in addition to the regular accrual. For example: if you fly from Germany to London for €170 (£150) excluding taxes/fees, you earn 300 Tier Points: 150 TP for the £150 ticket price plus 2 × 75 TP as bonus. But only if you did not book the Basic fare without checked baggage.

Customers booking the Basic fare are punished twice. First, cheap fares now earn almost no Tier Points, and secondly, you don’t get the bonus points either because Basic is excluded. And flights with Iberia or American flight numbers are extremely unattractive under the new system: revenue-based accrual applies, but without bonus Tier Points to compensate, even though the airlines supposedly cooperate closely.

Calculation Example

We’ve once again put together an example that illustrates the accrual in the new system. The example is a Business Class flight BER–LHR–JFK–LHR–BER in booking class I. We assume a promotional fare of around €2,000 (including €200 taxes).

Under the old 2024 system, this itinerary would earn 360 Tier Points (40 + 140 + 140 + 40). That corresponds to:

• 120% of BA Bronze / Oneworld Ruby (360 / 300 TP)
• 60% of BA Silver / Oneworld Sapphire (360 / 600 TP)
• 24% of BA Gold / Oneworld Emerald (360 / 1200 TP)

Under the new system, the same flights earn 1,580 revenue-based Tier Points plus 1,150 bonus Tier Points, for a total of 2,730 Tier Points. That corresponds to:

• 78% of BA Bronze / Oneworld Ruby (2,730 / 3,500 TP)
• 36% of BA Silver / Oneworld Sapphire (2,730 / 7,500 TP)
• 14% of BA Gold / Oneworld Emerald (2,730 / 20,000 TP)

Based on this example, you would need to fly about 65% more to reach elite status. Earning status with Economy tickets was neither attractive in the old system nor in the new one.

Too Little, Too Late

British Airways originally aimed to make the points system simpler. The opposite has happened. Of course, BA continues to market all this as an improvement rather than acknowledging that the new system is a major misstep.

In practice, the new system is unlikely to help restore loyalty. Those who left in the past months have long since found alternatives. The fact that the initially temporary bonuses are now permanent does not change that, especially since they are tied to strict conditions.

Even Iberia Plus is now more attractive in many cases. It also uses a revenue-based system, but awards 1 point per € instead of £. And similar bonus points as in the British Airways Club are offered not only for BA flight numbers, but also for American Airlines (except Basic Eco) and Iberia.

Calculate Miles & Status Credits

Since the bonus points are now permanent, we’ve included them in our mileage/status calculator. The status calculator shows which frequent flyer program gets you closest to Oneworld Ruby / Sapphire / Emerald with your flights.

For Economy tickets, it’s important that the fare type is also specified. Otherwise the system assumes Basic fare, which gives no bonus points. To avoid that, you need to activate “expert mode” and provide all optional parameters (issuing airline, price, fare). For example, for a Standard fare ticket to New York costing €250 (incl. fuel surcharge, excl. taxes):

BA:O:BER-LHR-JFK-LHR-BER:BA:250EUR:standard

Interestingly, the BA Club is now among the best options again, alongside Iberia Plus, if you book the Business example to New York above and aim for Oneworld Sapphire. But even then, you’d need three round trips.

However, once Economy flights and/or Oneworld partner flights are included, the British Airways Club loses ground, bonus points or not. And in reality, hardly anyone flies exclusively with BA; there will always be some partner flights included.

Source: British Airways

For many years, Aegean Airlines has offered one of the easiest paths to Star Alliance Gold status. Over time, the rules have been adjusted several times. But even now, the status with Miles+Bonus has still been comparatively easy to maintain – at least since the tightening of the rules in 2023, as long as you travelled to Greece once per year.

Now there is more bad news. The requirements to achieve and keep Star Alliance Gold status are once again being significantly increased. Until now, it was enough to take 4 flights with Aegean + earn 12,000 status miles per year to renew Gold status. In the future, you will need 12 flights with Aegean or Olympic Air and 18,000 status miles. So one trip to Greece per year won’t be enough anymore.

Aegean is also introducing a new Platinum status with even higher thresholds. At the same time, there are new benefits for Silver & Gold status, mainly related to seat selection.

New (and Old) Qualification Rules

The new rules take effect on November 5, 2026. So everyone can still benefit from the old rules at least once more. It’s not yet entirely clear whether November 5 refers to the actual upgrade date or the renewal date. But it’s likely the former – that’s also how it worked with the changes two years ago. The following table compares the old and new thresholds:

New Status Benefits

While the requirements are being tightened, there is at least some positive news. Aegean is expanding the status benefits for Silver and Gold members – also valid starting November 5, 2026:

• Miles+Bonus Silver:
  • Free standard seat selection on Aegean & Olympic Air flights
  • 1,000 bonus award miles as a birthday gift each year
• Miles+Bonus Gold:
  • Free standard seat selection on Aegean & Olympic Air flights
  • 50% discount on extra legroom seats
  • 2,000 bonus award miles as a birthday gift each year

A completely new Miles+Bonus Platinum status is also being introduced. You reach it with 72,000 status miles per year, including at least 32 flights with Aegean or Olympic Air. Hardly anyone is likely to achieve this. Still, here’s a look at the most important perks:

• 30% mileage accrual bonus on Aegean & Olympic Air flights (instead of 20% for Gold)
• Free seat selection on Aegean & Olympic Air flights (incl. Up Front & Extra Legroom)
• 2 additional checked bags on every Aegean/Olympic Air flight (instead of 1 as Gold)
• Aegean Business Lounge: Up to 8 guests allowed (instead of 1 guest). They need to be on the same booking
• 3,000 bonus award miles as a birthday gift each year
• Exclusive Platinum hotline
• Ability to gift Gold status

Conclusion

The 2023 changes already caused major frustration. Until then, Star Alliance Gold status could be renewed relatively easily without ever setting foot on an Aegean aircraft. Then the requirements for that scenario were suddenly tripled, and it became almost mandatory to fly to or via Greece once a year.

Now, even that easy workaround is gone. One annual trip to Greece was not a major barrier for frequent flyers. But reaching 12 segments is much harder if you’re not island-hopping across Greece. For non-Greeks, Star Alliance Gold via Miles+Bonus is now basically a thing of the past.

Translated by Ditmar

Since 2023, China has been increasingly opening up to international tourism. What began with visa-free entry for citizens of five European countries was gradually expanded. In the meantime, the country can now be visited for up to 30 days (instead of 14) without a visa, and almost all European states are included (but still not the UK).

Most recently, December 2025 was communicated as the current expiration date of the regulation. Now, visa-free entry has officially been extended until December 2026. The rule now also applies to Swedish citizens.

Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is quoted as follows:

China has decided to extend visa-free policy to France and other countries to December 31, 2026. China has added Sweden to the visa-free scheme effective from November 10, 2025 to December 31, 2026

Nao Ming, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China according to gov.cn

Even though only France is mentioned, it can be assumed that the regulation will be extended to all of the European countries that had visa-free access in 2025. A corresponding confirmation can be found via the state news agency Xinhua:

On the same day, the Chinese foreign ministry announced that China will extend its unilateral visa-exemption arrangements for more than 40 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, to Dec. 31, 2026. The current visa-free policy for nationals of some of these countries runs until Dec. 31, 2025 before the extension.

China Focus: China widens visa-free access in latest opening-up move | english.news.cn

Accordingly, digital arrival cards are also to be introduced from November 20. So it is finally no longer necessary to squeeze all countries visited in the past two years into a single line with a ballpoint pen. Filling out the online form will still remain voluntary, with paper forms still available. Until now, there had only been a trial run for selected airports.

Visa-free entry should now be available to nationals of the following countries:

• Andorra
• Argentina
• Australia
• Austria
• Bahrain
• Belgium
• Brazil
• Brunei
• Bulgaria
• Chile
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Iceland
• Italy
• Japan
• Kuwait
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Luxembourg
• Malaysia
• Malta
• Monaco
• Montenegro
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• North Macedonia
• Norway
• Oman
• Peru
• Poland
• Portugal
• Russia
• Romania
• Saudi-Arabia
• Slovenia
• Slovakia
• Spain
• South Korea
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Uruguay

All offers to China

Have you held back from booking flights for 2026 until now? Then take a look at the following deals:

Beijing, Xi’an, Hangzhou & More China: €1,117 Hainan Airlines Business Class from Cairo (Oneway at €676)

Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Thailand, Jakarta & China: Saudia Flights Starting at €289 from Madrid (With Luggage)

Seoul, Taipei, & More: Air China Flights to East Asia Starting at €385 from 5 European Countries (with Luggage)

The Cheapest Accor Hotels Worldwide by Region

Shanghai, China: €923 Lufthansa Group Premium Economy from Oslo

Shanghai, China: €1,747 Lufthansa Group Business Class from Budapest

The Cheapest Hilton Hotel in each Asian Country

Xi’An, China: €1,542 Non-Stop Shanghai Airlines Business Class from Budapest

18 Chinese Cities: €1,337 Lufthansa & Air China Business Class from Norway

Shanghai & Nanjing: €740 China Southern Premium Economy from Amsterdam (With Luggage)

In More Than 100 Luxury Hotels: 3-For-2 or 4-For-3 at Mandarin, Four Seasons, Raffles, Conrad & More

China: €659 Shanghai Airlines Non-Stop Premium Economy Flights from Budapest (With 2×23 Kg Luggage)

Ten Destinations in China: €428 China Eastern / Shanghai Airlines Flights from Budapest (With Luggage)

Southeast Asia, China & More: €426 Shenzhen Airlines Flights from Barcelona (With 2×23 Kg Luggage)

The Cheapest Hilton Hotels Worldwide

World of Hyatt: 500 Points for Staying at New Hotels

Which of the Six Disney Resorts Across the World Should You Visit?

Overview of All Raffles Hotels Worldwide

Until April 2025, it was a fixed rule that you need a business class ticket or international connection flight to access SkyTeam lounges before domestic journeys. It was a welcome surprise when members of the alliance changed that rule. Six months after the the initial 25 lounges opened their gates to SkyTeam Elite Plus status holders on domestic flights, the list has been expanded to more than seventy locations.

The document linked above shows all lounges, and can therefore be a little confusing. We have compiled a list that just includes affected airports, sorted by the hosting airline. New entries are printed bold.

Most Changes in China, Mexico & South Korea

As you can easily see from the distribution of our list, status holders on domestic itineraries in China, South Korea and Mexico benefit most from the latest changes. With China Eastern and Xiamen Air, two Chinese airlines have opened almost all of their domestic lounges to frequent flyers. This is good news, not only because of China’s extensive domestic flight network. From personal experience, the domestic lounges are often more enjoyable than their international counterparts.

The other two airlines opening up lounges on a large scale are Korean Air and Aeromexico. On the world’s busiest route (Seoul to Jeju), SkyTeam Elite Plus members can now enjoy lounge access in each direction. Outside entire airlines changing lounge access rules, the addition of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam is noteworthy. Due to slow ground transport, air travel is important to Vietnam, and lounge access on domestic routes was previously possible only in Hanoi.

Delta SkyClubs Still Missing From the List

The most glaring omission from the list remains Delta Air Lines, but American travellers on domestic itineraries are in a special situation anyway. In most cases, not even business class tickets grant lounge access. Other members like Saudia limit lounge access to their hubs. Carriers like Taiwan’s China Airlines are missing because they simply don’t operate domestic flights.

While most frequent flyers will benefit from these rules in one way or another, there are two notable exceptions. Delta SkyMiles tier holders are denied lounge access on any domestic itinerary in the US, to both Delta and SkyTeam partner lounges. If you gained your SkyTeam status through Aerolíneas Argentinas, you still can’t access any SkyTeam lounge before a domestic flight.

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Last year, Alaska Airlines acquired Hawaiian Airlines. Soon after, they announced that Hawaiian plans to join the Oneworld Alliance, and that Alaska and Hawaiian would use a joint frequent flyer program. Now, the airlines have released the framework for their new program, including the name Atmos Rewards. While it follows the footsteps of Alaska Mileage Plan in many cases, it introduces a few notable changes.

Reaching the Oneworld Emerald status has now been made a bit more difficult, but there are a few positive changes for members flying on Hawaiian flights or those who wish to earn their miles using a credit card.

Option to Choose between Distance or Spend-Based Miles

In the past years, many programs have changed the way they credit status miles from a distance-based approach to a spend-based approach. Atmos Rewards has decided to take a different approach: Let the member decide. Once a year, you get the choice between earning 5 points for each dollar you spend (excl. taxes) or continuing to earn points the old way, based on the distance you fly. There’s actually even a third option: getting a flat 500 points per segment – though this is probably only a good choice for people who exclusively fly very short segments.

There seems to be one negative change, though. As the third option is getting 500 points per segment, it seems logical that the minimum credit of 500 points will be removed if you choose to continue earning points by distance. This could make it more difficult for some members to reach their status.

These choices only apply to flights with Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian. Flights with partner airlines, booked through partner websites, will continue to earn based on the distance, including the 500 minimum points per segment.

Same Ruby & Sapphire Status Qualification, Tougher Emerald Qualification

Now that we covered how to earn status points, let’s take a look at how many you’ll need for each status. Starting next year, these are the new status names and requirements:

• MVP Atmos Silver (Oneworld Ruby): 20,000 status points
• MVP Gold Atmos Gold (Sapphire): 40,000 status points
• MVP Gold 75K Atmos Platinum (Emerald): 75,000 80,000 status points
• MVP Gold 100K Atmos Titanium (Emerald): 100,000 135,000 status points

As you can see, the Silver and Gold status remains untouched. Gold 75K is now renamed to Platinum and requires 5,000 more miles. The biggest change comes to the 100K status, as Titanium now requires 35% more miles than before. However, the Titanium status also comes with a very interesting new perk:

New Free Same-Day Global Upgrades for Titanium Members

Members of US-based frequent flyer programs will be familiar with the concept of frequent flyers being upgraded on the day of the flight, if there’s an available seat in a higher travel class. However, all programs only do this on domestic flights. Atmos Titanium members, however, will now be eligible for upgrades on all routes, even on long-haul flights. The catch: Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian have a relatively small long-haul network. Still, this is a very nice new perk for the program’s most loyal members.

The perk is announced as “starting in Spring 2026”. It’s thus possible that some exclusions may be worked in until then, such as excluding basic economy tickets. This, however, is all speculation at this point.

Free Upgrades on Hawaiian Flights Within North America

While the free global upgrades are limited to Titanium members, all members are eligible for free upgrades on all Hawaiian Flights within North America. Of course, the lower your status, the less likely you are to end up in First Class. However, the chances of getting a seat with extra legroom will definitely be higher. These upgrades will be confirmed at least 48 hours before departure, unless you booked a Saver fare (then it’s 2 hours – and unlikely).

Basically, this perk was already there for Alaska Airlines flights and has been extended to Hawaiian flights. While they’re not exactly life-changing on small island hopper flights within Hawaii, they can mean quite a relief for your legs on Hawaiian’s flights to the continental USA:

Communities for Members

The program is also introducing a new concept, called communities. Members can subscribe to one of 6 communities to receive offers and perks that suit them best:

For Europeans, the “Global Locals” community seems like a wise choice, though we currently have absolutely no idea what exactly these communities will offer. Members can switch communities once every 365 days and have to actively join one.

Earn Uncapped Status Points with Atmos Credit Cards

Alaska Airlines also used this rebranding opportunity to roll out new credit cards. We won’t get into much detail as it’s not available to our European readers, but basically, from next year, you can earn unlimited status points by spending money with an Atmos credit card, earning a status point for every $1-3 spent, depending on the credit card you select. There are three different cards: Ascent Visa Signature for $95/year, Summit Visa Infinite for $395/year, and a business card for $70 per business and $25 per card. They offer different benefits, ranging from free checked bags to waived partner booking fees and lounge passes.

The End of HawaiianMiles

While Mileage Plan gets to live on through Atmos Rewards, HawaiianMiles will cease to exist on October 1, 2025. If you have a HawaiianMiles account, make sure to link it with Atmos Rewards before September 25, through this link. Miles will be converted at a 1:1 ratio.

Conclusion

Alaska Airlines made many changes to its programs at the beginning of this year, especially to the number of miles you’ll earn on flights with partner airlines. Those changes made the program rather unattractive to Europeans. Now they’re changing their program again, extending benefits to Hawaiian flights and giving a unique global upgrade perk to its most loyal members. However, reaching a status seems to be as difficult as before for Europeans. Thus, Atmos may be a pretty good program for people living on the US West Coast, but for Europeans, it remains a niche program.

Vietnam is currently gaining among popularity among international travellers. The country’s beautiful beaches, low prices and flavourful cuisine make it a favourite among our editors and readers alike. There are good news for those who were interested in going, but wanted to avoid the hassle of getting a visa. Starting August 15, 2025, members of twelve European countries can enter the country without additional measures for 45 days after arriving at the airport.

Passport holders of these twelve countries will enjoy visa-free entry:

• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Hungary
• Luxembourg
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Switzerland 

These are joining Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Belarus on the list of European countries who were already granted visa-free entry to the South-East Asian country. The exemption rule is set to last at least three years, with visa-free entry ending in August 2028 for citizens of Switzerland, Poland and the Czech Republic.

We currently offer the following deals to Vietnam:

• Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia & More: Etihad Business Class from Europe, Starting at €1,615 (No Lounge Access)
• Bangkok & Ho Chi Minh City: €431 China Southern Flights from Luxembourg; €490 from Amsterdam (With Luggage)
• Fifth Freedom Flights: €108 Emirates Roundtrips between Bangkok and Da Nang, Vietnam (With Luggage)
• Southeast Asia, China & More: €426 Shenzhen Airlines Flights from Barcelona (With 2×23 Kg Luggage)
• Round the World: Three Example Routings, Starting at €924 (Separate Tickets; €1,081 with Checked Luggage)

Star Alliance member All Nippon Airways (ANA) used the big stage of the 2025 Paris Air Show to unveil its newest business class product, called The Room FX. It’s a variation of the airline’s popular THE Room business class, that is deployed on 10 of its 13 Boeing 777-300ER. The new version will be installed across their internationally used Boeing 787-9, marking a significant upgrade over their current product on these planes.

The airline advertises the product to be the “largest seat on a mid-size aircraft”, giving passengers more space than any other seat on a Boeing 767, Boeing 787, Airbus A330, A340 or A350. Unsurprisingly, the configuration comes on a (now industry standard) 1-2-1 seating pattern, providing direct aisle access for all guest. Rather unusual for new business class products, about half of the seats will be facing backwards.

While the concept of backwards facing business class seats is not new, many airlines stopped using the design technique in the latest version of their premium cabins. However, both the original THE Room and Qatar Airways’ QSuite, probably the industry-leading products, use the same configuration.

Each seat is equipped with a sliding door, providing passengers with roughly 2m x 1m private space each. When fully extended, the bed measures 1.94 meters in length and 69cm in width.

Seats Do Not Recline

A major difference to ANA’s 777 The Room variant is that the seats in the Boeing 787 will not recline in different angles. It is reduced to two settings: upright or lie-flat. There is only one airline to recently deploy seats like that on their aeroplanes, and it is Finnair. The Oneworld member use a similar configuration on its Airbus A350 and A330 long-haul fleet and has garnered mixed reviews.

Passengers preferring to chill in a lounging position for a couple of minutes during a twelve-hour flight, will be out of luck. While it’s not set in stone that travellers in ANA’s 787 will face the same problem – having to compromise in terms of comfort is not something I want to do when spending quadruple digits on a ticket.

The renderings advertise three different positions: Either upright, a couch mode with a deployed leg rest – or fully flat.

Large Screen and Storage Space

In another rendering, ANA shows a storage space directly besides the 24-inch HD flat screen monitor, with USB-A, USB-C and international power outlets. This is a well-designed solution that should improve working with notebooks. Instead of dragging the charging cable over your shoulder or getting your feet tangled up, you have a straight connection in front of you. This also minimizes the risk of unintentionally disconnecting every time you move an inch.

The design is the same that is used on ANA’s Boeing 777 fleet, bringing the airline’s existing products closer together.

No Information About Rollout or Deployment

While ANA seems mighty proud of its new business class product (and it does look good), the airline shared basically no information about when or where to expect it. It will be deployed gradually over the Boeing 787-9 fleet in 2026. ANA operates a total of 44 aircraft of this type, though parts of the fleet are exclusively used for domestic travel and won’t receive the new premium cabin. Their 8 Boeing 787-10 and 34 Boeing 787-8 (some of which sport a domestic configuration, too) won’t receive the update, either. It’s also unclear which origins (although it will most likely be Haneda or Narita) and destination will be the first to be blessed with The Room FX service.

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Bottom Line

ANA announced its new The Room FX business class, with nice renderings and little else. The most contentious point of the new seat is that the backrest doesn’t gradually recline, possibly reducing options to relax. That being said, the new cabin design looks like a significant upgrade over the current product on the Boeing 787-9.

The rapid devaluation of frequent flyer miles has become a constant trend over the past three years. At least some programs like Miles&More announce devaluations in advance – even if the threat of legal action was necessary to get to that point.

The International Airlines Group, consisting of Iberia, British Airways and others, are not fans of such (forced) transparency. On the contrary, award prices have been adjusted overnight and without prior notice, once again. This time, flights operated by Iberia – one of the best Sweet Spots for Avios redemptions – are affected. Avios prices for business class flights are almost 20% more expensive.

The changes are effective immediately for all bookings made via Iberia Plus or the British Airways Executive Club.

Price Comparison – Old vs. New Award Chart

Unitl a couple of days ago, Iberia had an award chart table on its website, free to see for everybody. Currently, such a table is nowhere to be found. But when searching for flights, all prices are higher than before. For business and premium economy awards, all Avios prices are higher. Just like before, prices are categorized in peak season and off-peak season prices. You can find a calendar here.

Off-Peak Business Class Prices

These are fares for a oneway business class ticket from Madrid. You’d have to add taxes & surcharges (roughly €100) when booking.

Peak Season Business Class Prices

These are fares for a oneway business class ticket from Madrid. You’d have to add taxes & surcharges (roughly €100) when booking.

Economy Class awards actually got a little cheaper. However, the price decrease comes days after Iberia Plus abolished free checked bags and cancellation options for economy awards. If you book via the British Airways Club, you can benefit from decreased prices and still check a bag for free.

On the other hand, Premium Economy award prices increased just as much as business class prices. For example, tickets to New York increased from 25,500 to 29,500 Avios during the off-peak period (+16%).

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Bottom Line

Until the price increase, Iberia non-stops from Madrid were one of the best ways to redeem Avios. Especially if you booked a cash ticket to Madrid as a feeder. After the devaluation, at least off-peak are still reasonable – given that you find availabilities.

However, it is distinctly unreasonable to devalue Avios several times each year, without any prior warnings or press releases. This is especially frustrating for tenured members that have a lot of Avios in their account – which can be redeemed for less time and time again. It gets even more ridiculous in the light of offers like Avios subscriptions – where you purchase Avios a year in advance. Only to see the value decrease instantly after buying them. With measures like this, IAG is basically begging to get sued.

Translated by Felix

Thanks to our sources, FlyerTalk and LoyaltyLobby!

In 2018 Lufthansa’s (and other airlines’) joint loyalty program Miles&More started offering an option that makes most frequent flyer programs more attractive: Opening a Mileage Pool. Up to two adults and five children could bundle their miles and book award flights, accessing available award miles from both parties. In February 2024, Lufthansa deactivated the option – the official reason being technical difficulties.

Said “difficulties” are seemingly fixed. Opening up a new Pool is possible once again. That by itself is good news – but: opening a new pool takes seven days to process before you can use it. That would mean the earliest possible date to use it is June 2nd. Exactly on that day, preparations for Miles&More’s major devaluation refurbishment begins – making it impossible to book award flights with the old pricing. What a striking coincidence.

How to Open A Mileage Pool

If you open the Mileage Pooling subsection on Miles&More’s website from most countries, you will be greeted by the following statement.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to install a new Mileage Pool until further notice. We ask for your understanding.

Mileage Pooling | Miles&More

However, this is not entirely accurate. Last weekend, Matteo from the Italian travel blog The Flight Club reported that opening up pools is possible again – if your country is set to Italy. In order to do that, you simply need to scroll to the very bottom of the site and switch the country setting.

This does not refer to your nationality or residency – it works independently of your registered address or physical location. Select Italy as your country on the next screen and refresh the Mileage Pool page.

The statement about technical difficulties will disappear. Instead, you will be able to open a new Mileage Poll under this link.

You can invite another person by entering their name and Miles&More service card number. The other person has to accept the invitation (which may require their country settings to be changed, too) – and you have to wait seven days until your miles are pooled.

As soon as the pool is activated, both adults can access the joint miles. The miles are kept on separate accounts, but can be spent by both parties. Miles that will expire the earliest will automatically be spent first.

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Bottom Line

Miles&More Mileage Pooling is back – that by itself is great news. Sadly, it is heavily dampened by the circumstances. It’s most likely not a coincidence that Lufthansa re-introduced the feature days before devaluing its award chart. And only making it possible by using a backdoor.

Thanks to our sources, TheFlightClub.it & Vielfliegertreff

For several years now, it has been apparent that the high-speed trains of the Italian railway company Trenitalia will eventually run to Germany. These plans are now becoming increasingly concrete. Just a few days ago, the planned trains were officially registered with the Austrian regulatory authority. As a result, there is now an outlook on when and which routes will be served.

According to the plans, the first trains will run starting in December 2026 on the Milan–Munich and Rome–Munich routes. From 2027, the first extension to Berlin is planned, and by 2028, it may be possible to travel without changing trains from Rome and Naples to Berlin.

The following routes are planned overall. Some stops have been omitted for clarity:

• From December 2026:
  • Rome – Florence – Bologna – Verona – Bolzano – Innsbruck – Munich
  • Milan – Verona – Bolzano – Innsbruck – Munich
• From June 2027:
  • Milan – Verona – Bolzano – Innsbruck – Munich – Nuremberg – Erfurt – Halle – Berlin
• From December 2027:
  • Naples – Rome – Florence – Bologna – Verona – Bolzano – Innsbruck – Munich
• From June 2028:
  • Naples – Rome – Florence – Bologna – Bolzano – Innsbruck – Munich – Nuremberg – Erfurt – Halle – Berlin

A concrete timetable is not yet available. The document from SchienenControl does contain departure times, but only for stops within Austria.

The journey from Milan to Munich is expected to take just over 6 hours. The trip from Naples to Berlin would be roughly estimated at around 15 to 16 hours (departure around 6 AM, arrival around 10 PM). According to a 2023 newspaper report, the trains can only travel up to 200 km/h within Germany, meaning it would take almost 6 hours between Berlin and Munich.

The following map illustrates the planned routes. Potential detours are not considered, such as if the high-speed line between Berlin and Nuremberg cannot be used.

Frecciarossa 1000 Set to Be Used

Eight-car trains of the Frecciarossa 1000 type (also known as ETR 400 / ETR 1000) are planned for use on the route. Within Italy, these trains can reach speeds of up to 350 km/h. The application mentions a capacity of about 450 passengers, suggesting that the four travel classes known from Italy will remain:

• Standard (2-2 seat layout)
• Premium (2-2 seat layout with slightly more legroom)
• Business Class (1-2 seat layout, similar to 1st class in Germany)
• Executive Class: 1-1 layout with luxurious onboard service

For Trenitalia’s Spanish subsidiary, Iryo, however, the Executive Class was removed and replaced with a standard first class. This increases capacity by about 10 seats, but sacrifices luxury. On the other hand, for such a long journey from Berlin to Naples, the Executive seat would certainly make the ride significantly more comfortable.

Translated by Ditmar

It has been more than eight years since United Airlines first introduced the seats of its Polaris Business Class. It took several years, but by 2023, the retrofitting of the entire long-haul fleet was completed. Now, another update is already on the horizon. Yesterday, the Star Alliance airline unveiled a new seat.

This new seat is expected to debut starting in 2026 on newly delivered Boeing 787 aircraft. The onboard configuration is especially premium-heavy, with Business Class taking up more space than Economy. However, there are also a few changes in Premium Economy and Economy Class.

This Is the New Polaris Business Class

The newly delivered Boeing 787-9s will feature a total of 64 Business Class seats. The arrangement is particularly interesting. United is moving away from its previous staggered layout and opting for a (reverse) herringbone configuration. In the centre of the cabin, there will be a herringbone setup where passengers’ heads are positioned close together. In the forward Business Class cabin, a reverse herringbone layout will be used, meaning passengers’ heads face away from each other, offering more privacy. This is designed to appeal to both solo travellers and couples. This layout can be clearly seen in Aerolopa’s seat map:

This is made possible by the new Ascent seat model from American manufacturer Adient Aerospace. The seat itself isn’t entirely new—Qatar Airways uses it in its Boeing 787s without QSuite (but with a door), and American Airlines will also be using the same seat in the future.

Rows 1 and 9 will feature especially spacious seats. These so-called Polaris Studios will only be available for an (expensive) surcharge, but they’ll offer amenities such as a 27″ screen, a companion ottoman for dining together, caviar service, etc. A similar concept can be seen with Lufthansa’s Allegris Business Suites—essentially a “First Class Light.”

Even the other 56 Business Class seats will come with closing doors for additional privacy. The biggest change, however, is likely the new seating layout, with all its pros and cons. In addition, there will be a 19″ 4K monitor (up from 16″), more charging options (including wireless charging and USB-C), and a revamped design featuring marble and wood-like finishes. United also promises an improved food selection.

Small Upgrades for Premium Economy & Economy Class

The Premium Economy cabin will retain its familiar 2-3-2 layout. New additions include small privacy wings at head height, and the entertainment screen grows from 13 to 16 inches diagonally. Seat pitch hasn’t been disclosed but is expected to remain around the usual 97 cm (38 inches).

In Economy Class, the screen size increases from 9 to 13 inches. The number of Economy seats will significantly decrease, from 188 in the previous Boeing 787-9 configuration to just 123. The number of lavatories is also being reduced. Passengers in Economy and Premium Economy will share a total of three lavatories.

In Service Starting 2026

The Dreamliners with the new configuration are scheduled for delivery starting in 2026. The first planned routes include San Francisco–Singapore and San Francisco–London. In general, these aircraft will likely only be used on routes with very high Business Class demand.

According to One Mile at a Time, there are also plans to retrofit existing aircraft, though no timeline has been set. Meanwhile, Executive Traveller reports that no such plans currently exist. One thing is clear: the existing seats will continue flying for many years to come.

Conclusion

Even though Polaris has many fans, I personally am not one of them. Over the years, the catering quality has significantly declined, and the seats are so narrow that it’s hard to even bend your knee while sleeping. The new seats should improve on that a bit. However, the ability to select the bulkhead seats with the wider footrest is gone—they are now branded as “Studios” and come with a steep surcharge.

Aside from that, the new product looks promising—at least in the photos. And compared to Lufthansa’s Allegris, the layout seems attractive to both business travellers and couples. It will be interesting to see how the new Polaris Business Class performs in day-to-day operations. A comparison with rival American Airlines will also be worth watching. The seats are essentially the same and only differ in small details. AA’s first flight with the new seat is already scheduled: June 5, 2025.

Translated by Ditmar

SkyTeam member Air France unveiled its new first class cabin yesterday, giving an update to its decade old, existing La Premiere product. The new suites look incredibly spacious and are equipped with two proper seats, along with two 32 inch, 2K monitors. Instead of sliding doors, seats will be separated from the aisle by (supposedly) sound-proof curtains. We had a look at some of the highlighted features of the hard product and briefly compared them to other First Class cabins we previously reviewed on our site.

Two Seats, Three Screens per Passenger

Air France takes a page out of Singapore Airlines’ playbook by providing passengers with two different seating options. In addition to the regular seat, the new design also introduces a chaise longue, facing the rear of the aircraft. For comparison, in Lufthansa’s and Swiss’ First Class, this space is covered by an ottoman, which serves as both storage space and seating opportunity. Air France’s offering looks significantly more comfortable.

That Air France designed it as a relaxing alternative to the main seat is highlighted by the fact that the airline installed a second 2K screen. You can watch movies or track the flight’s progress, no matter which seat you prefer or which direction you are facing. In addition to the mounted screens on each end of the suite, you can also use a tablet to control them. This technology is neat, but not new. You can also find it in some modern business class seats, for example on Air France’ Airbus A350s.

More Length, Small Bed and Innovative Storage Space

The sheer length of the Air France’ seat is quite impressive – renderings show five windows per passengers. For comparison: Swiss’ First Class covers three windows in the same aircraft (Boeing 777-300ER).

However, the total length of the suite (3.5 meters) does not lead to a longer bed. When fully flat, the bedding measures 2.00 meters in length and 75 cm in width. This can’t measure up to Lufthansa’s bedding in the new Allegris cabin, that is slightly longer (2.10 meters) and significantly wider (90 cm).

The cabin also feels more spacious by getting rid of the overhead bins. Instead, you can store your trolleys inside the fittings of the suite.

The decision to opt for curtains instead of plastic doors has been kept from the airlines’ current first class product. It leads to a less cramped feeling that might occur when sitting behind closed doors.

While Air France’s design choices lead to a product that is ahead of its European and American competition, a look at Asian airlines shows: there is still room for improvement. For example, Singapore Airlines’ suites are still a top-notch product, despite their age.

Deployment and Pricing

In its press release, Air France states that the new design “will progressively be introduced on a selection of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft”. Each plane will receive a single row of four first class seats in a 1-2-1 pattern. The airline plans to serve New York, Los Angeles, Singapore and Tokyo with the new cabin by the end of the 2025 summer schedule.

In addition to that, the old product is currently available on flights to Abidjan, Dubai, Los Angeles, Miami, New York-JFK, San Francisco, São Paulo, Singapore, Tokyo-Haneda and Washington DC. All aircraft equipped with first class cabins are stationed at Air France main hub in Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.

Air France’ first class is the outstanding premium product in the Western hemisphere. Sadly, discounted tickets for the travel class are basically non-existent. We haven’t had an Air France La Premiere deal on travel-dealz for half a decade, because the airline usually charges five-digit prices for this travel class. Award seats are also infamously hard to come by and are reserved for FlyingBlue Platinum and Ultimate members.

So while it is a decent pastime to marvel at Air France’s new elite seating spaces, most of our readers and authors won’t ever experience them in person.

American carrier Southwest Airlines has gone down in history as the first aviation company to operate a no-frills, low-cost business model. This came at a time when tickets still included checked bags, food and beverages by default – and long before Spirit, Ryanair or EasyJet took to the sky. Since then, things changed quite a lot. Other airlines started to offer cheaper fares than Southwest, but also unbundled them. As of March 2025, Southwest was the last major US airline two include two checked bags of 22 kg each in every fare type.

This is about to end, as the airline announced Tuesday morning. From May 28 onward, new bookings will no longer include checked bags. The news is part of major operational changes deemed necessary by a investor that took over the board in 2024. After announcing operating profits for 46 years straight (1973 – 2019), the airline got hit hard by the Covid-Pandemic and has been losing money since. As part of the changes in strategy, Southwest flights started showing up on Google Flights, the airline began operating red-eye flights and the Open Seating policy will be abolished.

Tickets Include Checked Bags Until May 27

The airline will implement the new policy on May 28, 2025. That means, you can still enjoy free checked bags on your Southwest flight if you book by May 27 or earlier. After that day, you will have to pay extra for each bag you check in. Only Southwest frequent flyers, owners of select credit cards and people opting for the expensive Business Select fare will enjoy on free checked bag when booking after that day.

In addition to that, the airline announced the following changes:

• Rapid Rewards frequent flyers earn up to 67% less points (effective immediately)
• Re-introducing expiration dates for Flight Credits a year after earning them

Bottom Line

Southwest Airlines enjoyed the reputation of a lovable dark horse on the US aviation market. Its key advantages were free hold luggage and the Open Seating policy, which worked without assigned seats on a first-come-first-served basis. Their new business daddy, Elliot Investment, has decided to eliminate these unique selling points in favour of short-term profits. Southwest’s leadership has previously criticized by their new investors for being stubborn and stuck in the past.

While frequent flyers and credit card holders may still see an upside flying Southwest, casual passengers have no incentive to choose the airline over the competition. By 2026, all large US airlines will operate under similar, anti-consumer policies.

Translated and edited by Felix