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Is Ethiopian Airlines’ ShebaMiles the Next Mover in Points and Miles?
When U.S. Bank launched points transfers to airline partners less than a month ago, one addition caught my eye: Ethiopian Airlines ShebaMiles.

It got me wondering whether ShebaMiles could be the next non-U.S. airline program to make a bigger push into the U.S. points and miles market, following programs such as Avios, Aeroplan, LifeMiles, Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and Japan Airlines Mileage Bank.

Airline points and miles are a multibillion-dollar business and a reliable cash cow for carriers. Airlines sell billions of dollars’ worth of miles to banks and other partners every year, and during COVID, several pledged their loyalty programs as collateral to raise billions in cash. More recently, Air Canada sold a 25% stake in Aeroplan for C$2.5 billion.

The U.S. is by far the largest miles market globally, followed distantly by Brazil. Given how profitable selling miles can be, more and more non-U.S. airlines want a piece of that cash flow.

Domestically, the U.S. “Big Three” each pursue their own strategy, backed by a physical presence across the entire country. Foreign airlines, by contrast, have a much smaller footprint in the U.S., so they lean on miles sales and bank partnerships to generate cash and attract members from the world’s largest points and miles market.

Origins of the Non-U.S. Airline Playbook

The strategy was pioneered by British Airways Avios, under International Airlines Group (IAG), and later refined by LifeMiles after its parent airline, Avianca, joined Star Alliance in 2012. The formula included:
- Buy-miles promotions
- Bank transfer partnerships and promotions
- Intentionally curated redemption “sweet spots” to generate word-of-mouth buzz, particularly for partner redemptions
- Change, cancellation, and partner-redemption fees as additional revenue streams
Other non-U.S. and regional carriers later adopted a similar model to attract members outside their home markets. Air France-KLM’s Flying Blue and Air Canada’s Aeroplan are chief among them, particularly because the U.S. market dwarfs their home markets in size.

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COVID as a Turning Point

When COVID hit, people stopped traveling and airlines across the industry were suffering. Several major airlines turned to their loyalty programs as collateral to raise billions in cash, making the value of these businesses impossible to ignore.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is a prime example of how programs have evolved since then. In just a few years, it transformed from a currency centered largely around Virgin Atlantic flights into one of the more prominent programs in the space by expanding bank transfer partnerships, joining SkyTeam, launching online partner redemptions, and shifting to dynamic pricing on its own flights and select partners.

As a side note, Alaska Airlines’ Atmos Rewards program took a slightly different path. Still U.S.-based and historically regional, it broadened the program’s appeal by pairing a highly competitive elite program on the West Coast with a unique co-brand credit card, a broad range of airline partners, and other benefits that extend beyond Alaska’s traditional footprint.

The Next Movers

More recently, the spotlight has shifted to Japan Airlines Mileage Bank, which has added partnerships with Bilt, Capital One, and most recently Citi.

Now, it may be Ethiopian Airlines ShebaMiles’ turn. The program has already checked several boxes:
1. Star Alliance membership
2. A website supporting partner redemptions
3. Buy-miles promotions
4. Its first U.S. bank partnership
If ShebaMiles continues following the playbook used by programs such as Avios, LifeMiles, Aeroplan, Flying Blue, Flying Club, and JAL Mileage Bank over the past 15 years, I think there are several likely next moves:
- Creating/Maintaining a few redemption sweet spots to generate buzz, potentially while continuing to use an award chart for the time being
- Adding more bank partners with attractive pricing for those partners, potentially below 130 basis points per mile
- Launching bank transfer promotions
- Introducing multi-tier and eventually dynamic redemptions on Ethiopian’s own flights, with some inventory reserved exclusively for ShebaMiles members rather than relying on the current single-tier, inventory-based system
- Improving customer service and adding online changes, or at least cancellations, paired with change and cancellation fees
- Adjusting fees over time as members become more familiar with the program
Africa has also become an increasingly popular destination in recent years. I’ve personally visited the continent six times over the past 15 years and traveled through about half of it.

There are very few places Ethiopian Airlines doesn’t fly across Africa today, apart from some North and Southern African markets served by partners such as EgyptAir and Airlink. That’s the result of a network Ethiopian began building years ago.

Fathala Wildlife Reserve. TROY LIU / POINTS INSIDER

Sure, United MileagePlus, Air Canada Aeroplan, and Turkish Miles&Smiles can already be used to book Ethiopian flights, but those programs only have access to the award inventory Ethiopian makes available to partners.

If ShebaMiles eventually introduces multi-tier redemptions on Ethiopian’s own flights, with additional inventory reserved exclusively for its own members, that could become a real competitive advantage.

U.S. customers would have another option when choosing a miles program, and I’ve never been more bullish on the future of this industry as more banks and programs enter the market.

And with ShebaMiles becoming more relevant in the U.S., we’ve added the program to PointsYeah Live Search, making it possible to search ShebaMiles award availability alongside other supported programs.

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September 21, 2026
What’s an Airline Codeshare?

Booking a flight can occasionally produce something that looks a little strange.

The ticket might have an American Airlines or Delta flight number, even though the flight is operated by another airline. Or the same flight might appear in a search twice, each time with a different airline and flight number.

That’s usually a codeshare partnership at work.

The basic idea is pretty simple: one airline operates the flight, while another can sell seats on that flight under its own flight number. That lets airlines sell trips to places they don’t actually fly themselves and makes it easier to combine flights from different airlines.

How a Codeshare Works

Say American Airlines sells a ticket from Fort Lauderdale to London via Philadelphia.

American can operate the first flight to Philadelphia, while a partner airline handles the flight to London. Thanks to a codeshare agreement, American can sell both flights together as one itinerary.

That partner flight can even carry an American flight number when it appears on AA.com. Look a little closer, though, and there should be language such as “Operated by British Airways.”

That’s the important distinction.

AA.COM

The operating airline is the airline whose plane and crew are actually flying the flight. The marketing airline is the airline selling that flight under its own flight number. One airplane can therefore show up under multiple flight numbers.

More on This: How to Search for Award Flights with PointsYeah

Why Codeshares Matter

For airlines, codeshares expand the destinations they can sell without adding more planes or routes.

For passengers, the useful part is being able to combine flights from different airlines into one booking. That can mean checking in with the airline operating the first flight and having checked bags transferred between airlines rather than collecting and rechecking them along the way.

There are still a few things worth knowing about. The operating airline determines things such as the aircraft, seats, and onboard service, while baggage rules, mileage earning, and elite-status benefits can vary depending on which airline sold and operated the flight.

At the airport, check in with the airline operating the first flight, not necessarily the airline whose flight number is printed most prominently on the ticket.

Codeshare flight numbers are also primarily for cash tickets. When booking with miles, the award will typically use the flight number of the airline actually operating the flight rather than a partner’s codeshare number.

That distinction can matter when comparing cash and award options. PointsYeah’s Miles Fare Search maps available codeshare flights when there’s a corresponding cash fare, making it easier to recognize when two differently numbered results are actually the same flight.

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So when another airline’s name appears underneath the flight number, don’t ignore it.

American and Starlux Are the Latest Example

American Airlines and Starlux Airlines announced a new codeshare partnership effective September 30.

The arrangement lets the airlines sell certain flights operated by the other under their own flight numbers. For American, that can connect its U.S. network with Starlux flights across the Pacific and beyond Taipei. Starlux can similarly sell connections onto American flights in the U.S.

It doesn’t mean American is suddenly flying its own planes to all of those destinations. The plane might belong to Starlux and the flight attendants might work for Starlux, but the flight can still show up as part of an American itinerary.

That little “operated by” line tells the story.

September 21, 2026
Citi Partners With Japan Airlines, and JAL Miles Are Suddenly Everywhere

Japan Airlines miles used to be a little harder to come by in the U.S.

Flying JAL was one way to earn them, and transferring hotel points was another. But for most people earning points through credit cards, Mileage Bank wasn’t an obvious program to use.

That’s changing quickly.

Citi ThankYou Rewards became the latest program to add Japan Airlines Mileage Bank as a transfer partner on September 20. Bilt, Capital One, and Rove also transfer directly to JAL. Hotel programs like Marriott Bonvoy and Accor Live Limitless add a few more options.

For most Citi cardholders who can transfer ThankYou points to airlines, the new JAL partnership is 1:1. That means 1,000 Citi points become 1,000 JAL miles. Cardholders with Citi’s no-annual-fee cards get a lower 1:0.7 ratio, turning 1,000 points into 700 miles.

But why care about JAL miles in the first place?

Japan has been one of the most searched international destinations among PointsYeah users. JAL flies there nonstop from several U.S. cities, and its miles can be used to book those flights. They can also be used for flights on partner airlines, including American Airlines and other Oneworld carriers.

So there’s a lot more that can be booked with JAL miles than the name might suggest.

There are also a few things worth knowing before transferring points over.

That 55,000-Mile Business-Class Award Has an Asterisk

JAL publishes an award chart showing how many miles its flights can cost.

Between North America and Japan, a one-way flight starts at 27,000 miles in economy, 40,000 in premium economy, and 55,000 in business class.

Those are the starting prices. What shows up when searching can look very different.

JAL uses a system called Award Ticket PLUS. If the cheapest award seats are all booked up, the airline can sometimes make another seat available for more miles. The price rises based on how many seats JAL expects to have left.

I searched from Los Angeles to Tokyo and saw just about every outcome. Several dates had no business-class awards available. Some flights checked in around 80,000 miles. Plenty approached 200,000. Others were somewhere in the middle.

JAPAN AIRLINES

And 200,000 isn’t the ceiling.

JAL’s award chart shows that a business-class award from Los Angeles can climb as high as 421,500 miles with PLUS. From Dallas, the maximum is 509,500 miles.

Those are extreme examples, but they illustrate why it’s worth searching before transferring points. A flight that starts at 55,000 miles on the chart may cost considerably more on the date you want to travel.

First class follows different rules. JAL doesn’t use PLUS there, but prices change depending on the season. Los Angeles to Japan currently ranges from 110,000 miles one way during low season to 140,000 during high season.

There’s cash to pay on top of the miles, too. JAL currently lists fuel surcharges starting at $320 one way between North America and Japan, plus taxes and fees.

JAL Miles Aren’t Just for JAL

There’s another reason all these new transfer options matter.

Mileage Bank miles can be used to book flights on partner airlines, including American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, British Airways, and Cathay Pacific. Instead of PLUS, these awards are priced based on the total distance of the trip.

For example, a partner trip covering 2,001 to 4,000 miles costs 23,000 miles in economy or 42,000 in business class. A flight from New York to Los Angeles falls within that distance band.

Longer trips cost more. An itinerary covering 6,001 to 8,000 miles costs 45,000 miles in economy or 80,000 in business class.

BOARDING1NOW / ISTOCK

That doesn’t mean JAL will always be the best program for booking those flights. There still needs to be an award seat available, and it’s worth comparing the price with other programs before transferring anything.

But JAL Mileage Bank is suddenly relevant to a much bigger group of people.

That’s really what makes Citi’s addition interesting. It isn’t another transfer partner to memorize. It’s another way into a program that can book flights to Japan and plenty of flights that never touch Japan at all.

The useful part is knowing it’s there when one of those awards turns up.

September 20, 2026
5 Small Things That Can Make Traveling a Lot Easier

I had some time to kill at the Philadelphia airport recently and started noticing the lines.

The regular TSA security line was long. PreCheck had a few people waiting. The separate Touchless ID lane had absolutely nobody at all.

A couple of minutes after collecting my belongings from security, I watched a separate American Airlines flight board. Plenty of passengers were still waiting when Groups 7 and 8 were called, followed by Group 9.

Joining AAdvantage (American’s free loyalty program) would have put some of them in Group 6 and possibly saved them from gate-checking their bags.

Neither observation was particularly groundbreaking. But they got me thinking about the small things that can make a trip easier without buying a better seat or having airline status.

Some take a few minutes to set up. Others are just useful habits to have when something goes wrong.

Here are five that can make a difference.

Join the Airline’s Loyalty Program

There doesn’t need to be much loyalty involved in joining a loyalty program.

American is a good example. AAdvantage members board in Group 6. Nonmembers flying in Main Cabin board in Groups 7 or 8, while basic economy passengers without another form of priority board in Group 9.

Signing up is free.

Moving up a boarding group or two isn’t going to transform a trip, but it can mean getting on the plane before overhead bin space starts disappearing. And it’s an easy benefit to get even if you only fly American more than once or twice a year.

AAdvantage members get access to free onboard Wi-Fi, too.

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Having an account also keeps reservations in one place, saves information such as a Known Traveler Number (KTN), and makes sure miles from a flight don’t disappear into nowhere.

Not every airline gives members an earlier boarding group just for signing up, so this isn’t a reason to open a dozen loyalty accounts tonight. But when booking a flight, it’s worth seeing what joining the airline’s program gets beyond miles.

Sometimes there’s a useful perk hiding behind a free signup.

More on This: I Want to Travel With Points. Where Do I Start?

Get TSA PreCheck and Look for Touchless ID

The difference between the security lines at Philadelphia was hard to miss.

TSA PreCheck doesn’t guarantee a short wait. I’ve certainly stood in some long PreCheck lines. But it does offer dedicated lanes at participating airports and a less cumbersome screening process, like leaving shoes on and laptops in bags.

New enrollment currently starts as low as $76.75, depending on the provider. Renewals can start at $58.75, depending on the method.

Global Entry is another option, particularly for international trips. It costs $120, includes TSA PreCheck benefits, and adds expedited processing when returning to the U.S.

Before paying for either, check the credit cards already in the wallet. Plenty of travel cards (typically ones with annual fees) reimburse the application fee for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. Enroll, charge the fee to an eligible card, and the reimbursement typically comes back as a statement credit.

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PreCheck can also unlock an even easier option at some airports.

TSA PreCheck Touchless ID uses facial comparison technology for identity verification and has dedicated lanes. I’ve increasingly found those lines shorter than PreCheck itself. At PHL that day, nobody was waiting.

Eligible PreCheck members with a valid passport can opt in through participating airlines. With an airline, that means adding a Known Traveler Number and passport information to the profile, then opting in either there or during check-in. A Touchless ID indicator on the boarding pass shows when it’s ready to use.

American, Alaska, Delta, Hawaiian, Southwest, and United currently participate.

Touchless ID isn’t everywhere yet. But after doing the work to get PreCheck, it’s worth checking whether there’s an even shorter line available.

Download the Airline App Before Something Goes Wrong

Airline apps aren’t particularly exciting when everything is running on time.

They’re considerably more useful when a flight isn’t.

Most handle the basics, including boarding passes, gate changes, delay notifications, and bag tracking. But they’re more helpful during a disruption.

When a flight gets canceled, the instinct is often to head straight for a customer-service desk or call the airline, only to hear that “higher than normal call volume” message. Everyone else is doing the same thing.

Depending on the airline, the app may already offer rebooking options while the line at the airport is still growing. Meal or hotel vouchers may show up there, too.

That doesn’t mean an app can fix every problem. Sometimes an agent really is necessary. But it’s much easier to find out with the app already downloaded, logged in, and connected to the reservation.

A flight cancellation is a bad time to discover the password doesn’t work.

Know What Else Is Flying That Day

When I really need to be somewhere, I like to know what comes after my flight.

That doesn’t require memorizing the day’s schedule. A quick look can answer the important questions. Is there another nonstop that afternoon? Does another airline fly the route? Would a connection still get there in time?

That information becomes much more useful when the original flight starts slipping.

Instead of starting from scratch after a cancellation, there’s already some idea of what to ask for or look at next. If there’s a 3 p.m. flight that still gets there before dinner, that’s worth knowing before joining the line at the airport.

The same applies to trips booked with points. A quick PointsYeah search can show other award options around the same time or day, including flights available through different loyalty programs.

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Availability can disappear quickly during a disruption, so none of this guarantees a seat. The point is knowing where to look before everyone else on the flight starts looking, too.

Keep Some Points and Miles Around for When Things Go Sideways

Some of my most useful points redemptions are the ones I never end up using.

I needed to get to Boston recently, and my JetBlue flight kept getting delayed. At some point, another delay could have meant not getting there when I needed to.

American had another flight leaving later that day, and there was award availability. So I booked it with AAdvantage miles.

I didn’t particularly want to take that flight. It was there in case JetBlue never went anywhere.

The cancellation terms on the American award gave me enough flexibility to hold onto the backup while I waited to see what happened. JetBlue eventually got moving, so I canceled the American flight and got the miles back.

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This is something to be careful with, though. Cancellation rules vary, it’s always worth checking the terms before booking something that may need to be canceled fairly close to departure.

But it’s a good example of why having some miles available can be useful beyond planning the next vacation.

The same goes for hotels. A cancellation, missed connection, or bad weather can unexpectedly create the need for a room near an airport, sometimes at an ugly last-minute price. Hotel points can cover the night instead. Transferable points can be even more useful because they provide options across several airline and hotel programs.

There doesn’t need to be a giant balance sitting around indefinitely. But using every point down to zero can leave fewer options when a trip goes sideways.

Points are usually the fun part of planning a trip. Sometimes they’re just a very useful Plan B.

More on This: How Credit Card Transfer Partners Work

Small Things Add Up

None of these will prevent a delay, guarantee an empty security line, or make boarding particularly glamorous.

But that’s what struck me at PHL. Some people were waiting in a long security line while another had nobody in it. Others were boarding later than they needed to because they hadn’t joined a free airline program.

Flying comes with plenty of hassles that can’t be avoided. It makes sense to skip the ones that can.

September 20, 2026
What’s a Positioning Flight?
Sometimes the flight you want doesn’t leave from your home airport.

Maybe there’s no award availability from where you live, but plenty from an airport a short flight away. Or maybe starting somewhere else gets you a nonstop flight or costs fewer points.

A positioning flight is a separate flight booked to get to the airport where the trip actually begins.

For example, say someone lives in Raleigh (RDU) and finds a business-class award to Europe from Washington Dulles (IAD). They could book a separate flight to Washington, then begin the international itinerary from there.

That first flight is the positioning flight.

Why Book a Positioning Flight?

Positioning gives you more airports to work with when searching for flights.

Award availability can vary considerably depending on where a trip starts. A flight that isn’t available from a home airport might be available from another city, sometimes for fewer points or with a better itinerary.

And positioning doesn’t always require another flight. If another airport is within driving distance, driving works too. In some places, a train might be an option.

The idea is the same: getting to the airport where the itinerary you want begins.

What to Know Before Booking a Positioning Flight

The biggest thing to remember is that positioning flights are usually booked separately from the main itinerary.

That means making the connection is your responsibility. If the positioning flight is delayed and the next flight is missed, the airline operating the main itinerary generally isn’t obligated to rebook it.

A few things can make positioning less risky:
- Leave plenty of time. For an important international flight, arriving the night before may make sense.
- Be careful with checked bags. Bags may need to be collected and checked again before the next flight.
- Consider the entire cost. Factor in the positioning flight, hotel, transportation, parking, and other expenses before deciding whether the better award is worth it.
- Have a backup plan. Know what other options exist if the positioning flight is delayed or canceled.
Are Positioning Flights Worth It?

Sometimes.

If getting to another airport requires a short flight or drive and opens up a much better itinerary, positioning can be worth the extra step.

Other times, the additional cost and risk outweigh whatever the alternative itinerary saves.

But knowing to search from other airports can open up options that aren’t obvious when looking only from home. Just leave enough room between separate itineraries that a good award doesn’t turn into a missed flight.
September 20, 2026
Southwest Airlines Shares Updates on Lounges, Premium Card, and Long-Haul Flying

Southwest Airlines has changed considerably over the past year and a half, from assigned seating and extra-legroom seats to bag fees. But the airline isn’t finished reshaping the guest experience.

Southwest CFO Tom Doxey spoke this week at Morgan Stanley’s annual Laguna Conference and offered a handful of updates on what passengers can expect next.

Some could start showing up fairly soon.

Starlink Is Coming to Hundreds of Southwest Planes

Southwest recently began installing Starlink, and the rollout is moving quickly.

Doxey said the airline expects around 300 aircraft to have Starlink installed by the end of this year, with installations continuing into 2027.

That means the faster Wi-Fi should become much easier to find on Southwest flights over the next few months. There will still be some luck involved, though, as plenty of planes will continue offering Southwest’s existing Wi-Fi until they get Starlink.

Southwest’s Lounge Plans Are Already Taking Shape

Southwest recently confirmed plans to open its first airport lounges in partnership with Chase. This is an amenity the airline has never offered before.

The airline has already said it plans to start with 11 lounges, and Doxey indicated there could eventually be more. But perhaps more interesting is how far along some of those first locations already are.

Construction has started at some locations, Doxey said, while designs and mock-ups are already taking shape. He suggested that early construction work contributed to the lounge plans becoming something of a “worst-kept secret” before Southwest announced them.

He also hinted that the finished product may not look quite like what some people expect from Southwest.

“I think some people are going to be a little surprised, actually, when they say, ‘Oh, this is the Southwest lounge,’” he said.

Southwest still hasn’t revealed all 11 locations. Doxey didn’t name any additional airports, but said the choices should look “very logical” when looking at a map of Southwest’s network.

A More Premium Southwest Credit Card Is Coming

The lounges also give Southwest something new to offer current and future credit card holders.

Southwest has already confirmed plans for a more premium credit card that will offer lounge access, but there’s still no word on when it will arrive or exactly what it will include.

Doxey was unusually direct about why Southwest wants one. He called the absence of a top-tier premium card a “hole” in the airline’s current credit card lineup.

For now, details such as the annual fee, other benefits, and launch date are still up in the air. But with lounge construction already underway, both pieces are getting closer.

The Boeing 737 MAX 7 Could Finally Arrive Next Year

Southwest also expects another long-awaited change to its fleet.

The FAA certified the Boeing 737 MAX 7 in August after years of delays. This finally cleared the smaller MAX variant for commercial service.

Southwest already has 27 MAX 7s that were built before certification and have been sitting in storage. Doxey said Boeing is now working to bring those aircraft up to the final approved specifications.

Southwest expects some of those planes to begin arriving around the end of this year before entering passenger service in early 2027.

International Long-Haul Flying Is Still on the Table

One much bigger potential change is less certain.

Southwest executives have repeatedly floated the possibility of eventually flying farther internationally. Doxey confirmed that the airline is still considering it, although no decision has been made.

“We haven’t decided what we’re doing with that particular item,” Doxey said. “But what we have said is that we’re absolutely considering whether that should be part of the offering that we have.”

There are still some big questions to answer, including where Southwest might fly and what aircraft it would use. For now, long-haul flying is something Southwest is considering rather than a firm plan.

But it’s another example of just how different Southwest could look a few years from now. Assigned seating and bag fees are already changing the airline people know today. Add lounges, a higher-end credit card, better Wi-Fi, and perhaps longer international flights, and Southwest starts to look different in ways that go well beyond how boarding works.

September 18, 2026
American Airlines Is Planning More Premium Seats, Lounges, and Fleet Upgrades

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom and CFO Devon May sat down with investors this week at Morgan Stanley’s annual Laguna Conference. The majority of the conversation centered on revenue, fuel prices, and profitability, but there were also several updates that could affect the experience of flying American over the next few years.

Here’s what stood out.

American’s Premium Push Is Still Just Getting Started

American has spent the last several years pushing its product upmarket, with upgraded lounges, more premium seats, and the launch of its new Flagship Suite.

There’s a pretty simple reason why.

Isom said just 30% of American’s seats now account for 50% of the airline’s revenue. And despite all the attention American has placed on premium cabins recently, the airline still considers itself relatively early in that transition.

By the end of the decade, American expects its number of premium seats to grow by roughly 50%.

Some of that growth is already underway. American’s first retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER entered service with a larger Flagship Suite cabin, while Isom said work on the airline’s 777-200ERs will be “moving before you know it.” Airbus A319 and A320 reconfigurations are also beginning to roll out.

The result should be considerably more premium seating across American’s fleet over the next several years, on both its domestic and international jets.

More on This: American’s Strangest Premium Plane Is Starting to Disappear

American Says More Lounges Are Coming

American also appears to be preparing for one of its biggest periods of lounge investment in years.

Isom said customers will see “more new lounge openings at American over the next couple of years than we’ve done in decades.”

Several lounge projects are already underway, but the comment suggests there’s plenty more happening behind the scenes.

That’s worth watching as American puts more emphasis on the experience before a flight, not just the seat onboard.

Free Wi-Fi Is Also Growing AAdvantage

American’s rollout of free Wi-Fi isn’t just about making the flight better.

Isom said AAdvantage enrollments are running at record levels, with much of that growth driven by free Wi-Fi. An AAdvantage membership is required to use the service.

More members also gives American a larger pool of customers for other parts of AAdvantage, particularly its credit card partnership with Citi.

The onboard upgrades still have some distance to go. Isom said a “significant chunk” of American’s fleet will have high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi as the airline moves through 2027. Seatback entertainment will take several years to spread across the fleet.

Some Flights Could Be Trimmed

There was one less exciting update.

Higher fuel prices are causing American to reconsider some of its planned flying. May said the airline will make adjustments to its December schedule and now expects to grow somewhat less in 2027 than it anticipated several months ago.

That doesn’t necessarily mean widespread route cuts. American still sees room to grow its network over the longer term.

But schedules could get a little thinner in the near term as American adjusts to higher fuel costs.

In the aggregate, the comments point to an American that will look different over the next several years. More premium seats and lounges are coming, Wi-Fi and seatback entertainment are spreading across the fleet, and some of that investment is already starting to show up. The immediate question is how much higher fuel prices slow the airline’s plans to grow the network around it.

September 18, 2026
Chase Is Changing Two Sapphire Reserve for Business Benefits

Chase is making two changes to the Sapphire Reserve for Business, and one is considerably easier to call an upgrade than the other.

The card’s annual statement credit for hotel stays through The Edit by Chase Travel will double from $500 to $1,000 beginning January 1, 2027. Meanwhile, Chase is adding a $1 million annual spending cap to the card’s 3-points-per-dollar earning rate on eligible social media and search engine advertising purchases beginning November 15, 2026.

Here’s what’s changing.

The Edit Credit Doubles, but Takes More Stays to Use

Beginning January 1, the Sapphire Reserve for Business will offer up to $1,000 in annual statement credits for stays booked through The Edit by Chase Travel, up from the current $500.

That’s a meaningful increase, but Chase isn’t handing cardmembers a single $1,000 hotel credit.

Instead, the benefit will be divided into a minimum of four statement credits worth up to $250 per stay. Using the full $1,000 will therefore require at least four qualifying stays during the year.

The Edit is Chase’s collection of higher-end hotels and resorts. Eligible stays also include benefits such as daily breakfast for two, a $100 property credit, and a room upgrade when available.

For businesses already booking several stays through The Edit each year, the additional $500 could be valuable. Those making only one or two eligible stays will have a harder time using the full benefit.

Advertising Spend Gets a $1 Million Cap

The other change goes in the opposite direction.

Beginning November 15, cardmembers will earn 3 points per dollar on the first $1 million spent on eligible social media and search engine advertising each account anniversary year. Spending beyond that threshold will earn the card’s standard 1 point per dollar.

A $1 million annual cap won’t affect most small businesses. But it is still a restriction on one of the card’s business-focused bonus categories, and it could matter for companies with particularly large advertising budgets.

The unusual timing is worth noting, too. For this benefit, Chase defines the first account anniversary year as beginning November 15, 2026, and running through the monthly statement on which the next annual fee appears. Subsequent periods will run for 12 months.

Neither change alters the Sapphire Reserve for Business’s other benefits. But together they make for a mixed update. There’s potentially another $500 a year available through The Edit, provided there are enough qualifying stays to use it, while the advertising category becomes less rewarding after $1 million in annual spending.

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September 17, 2026
Edelweiss and Discover Are Taking a Simpler Approach to Business Class

Edelweiss is getting a new business class. And for an airline built largely around taking people on vacation, it’s fairly simple.

The Swiss leisure airline unveiled the new cabins for its Airbus A350 fleet on Wednesday, September 16. There’s a standard business class seat, plus a small number of larger suites at the front. The first aircraft gets the new cabin in December, with the rest following by summer 2027.

That’s not particularly notable on its own. But Edelweiss is part of Lufthansa Group and serves as the leisure counterpart to SWISS. Discover Airlines plays the same role alongside Lufthansa and unveiled a similarly straightforward business class earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Lufthansa and SWISS have spent years developing Allegris and SWISS Senses (the respective terms for their new cabins), with five different business class seats offering different amounts of privacy, space, and bed length.

Yet somehow, Lufthansa Group’s leisure airlines have ended up with business class that’s much less confusing. And depending on what matters in a seat, the standard product might be more appealing, too.

Edelweiss Doesn’t Make the Seat Complicated

Edelweiss’s new A350 cabin is a massive upgrade from what the airline offers today.

Every business class seat will have direct aisle access, convert into a fully flat bed, and have a substantial shell separating it from the aisle. Roughly half are arranged as pairs for two people flying together.

EDELWEISS

The front-row Business Suites add roughly 4-foot-high closing doors, 32-inch screens, more storage and space around the feet, plus a mattress topper. That’s about as complicated as the cabin gets.

The pricing structure is also straight and to the point. Edelweiss’s fare conditions say advance seat selection is free in business class, with the Business Suite specifically listed as the exception that costs extra.

EDELWEISS

Discover Keeps the Choices Limited, Too

Discover Airlines announced its new Ocean Blue cabins in January. Its first retrofitted Airbus A330 is scheduled to enter service in April 2027.

Its business class follows much the same formula. Standard lie-flat seats have direct aisle access and substantial privacy shells. The cabin has just two front-row Business Class Suites, which add roughly 4-foot-high doors, 32-inch screens, and additional space and storage.

DISCOVER

Standard business class seat selection is included with most Discover business fares, although its cheapest Business Light fare can charge for advance selection. Discover hasn’t published what selecting one of the future suites will cost.

The details differ slightly, but both leisure airlines arrive at roughly the same place. The standard seat already delivers the basics expected from a modern business class, while a small number of suites offer a little something extra.

Lufthansa and SWISS, on the other hand, have gone in a very different direction.

Lufthansa and SWISS Turn One Cabin Into Five Choices

Lufthansa’s Allegris has five business class seat types. There’s the Classic Seat, Privacy Seat, Extra Space Seat, Extra Long Bed Seat, and Business Suite.

SWISS Senses follows essentially the same playbook with five categories of its own.

The idea behind that is personalization. A longer bed, more room, more privacy, or a suite can be selected depending on what matters most. But that also means buying a business class ticket isn’t necessarily the end of the purchasing decision.

TYLER GLATT / POINTS INSIDER

On my last Lufthansa Allegris award (that happened to be booked with Aeroplan points), the Classic Seat was the only option available without an additional charge. Lufthansa wanted 210 Canadian dollars, or about $153 at the time, for a Privacy Seat or Extra Long Bed Seat. The Extra Space Seat cost about $185.

The Business Suite was about $545 just to select the seat.

And those fees are per person. For two or more people flying together, choosing something other than the Classic Seat can very quickly become a significant additional expense.

Those prices were specific to that flight, but they illustrate the tradeoff. The free Classic Seat is also the least private option, with considerably more exposure to the aisle. SWISS has a similarly exposed Classic Seat in its Senses cabin.

That’s where Edelweiss and Discover start to look a lot more appealing. Their standard seats already have substantial shells wrapping around them. More privacy isn’t something reserved for another category of business class seat.

There’s an aesthetic argument, too. Edelweiss and Discover arguably look more cohesive, with essentially one design language running through business class. Allegris and SWISS Senses mix several visibly different seats because each is meant to do something different.

Put the four cabins next to each other without airline names attached, and it might be difficult to pick out which belong to the leisure airlines.

Somehow, the Leisure Airlines Are Simpler

That doesn’t make Edelweiss or Discover categorically better.

Lufthansa and SWISS offer more choice, and their best business class seats can provide more space and privacy. Both also offer international first class, something Edelweiss and Discover don’t have.

But business class is where the contrast within Lufthansa Group becomes hard to miss.

Edelweiss and Discover are rolling out attractive cabins with suites, direct aisle access, free Starlink, and relatively simple seat choices. Lufthansa and SWISS have turned the business class seat itself into a menu, where more privacy, room, or bed length can mean paying again after the ticket is booked.

It’s an odd state of affairs. Leisure airlines cater heavily to vacation trips, exactly where it would be easy to imagine more aggressive upselling.

Instead, Edelweiss and Discover may have landed on something the group’s full-service carriers haven’t. Business class that looks premium without requiring much explanation or another round of nickel-and-diming.

September 17, 2026
Amex and Aspire Expand Canadian Lounge Partnership to Calgary and Montréal

American Express is expanding its partnership with airport lounge operator Aspire in Canada. A new co-branded lounge is now open in Calgary and another is coming to Montréal.

The Aspire Amex Lounge at Calgary International Airport (YYC) opened September 16 in the domestic departures area. Another location will open in Montréal-Trudeau International Airport’s (YUL) transborder area by early 2027, serving passengers departing for the U.S.

The expansion follows the first Aspire Amex Lounge, which opened in Montréal’s domestic departures area in September 2025. Amex says that location has recorded more than 50,000 cardmember visits since opening.

Once the new Montréal location opens, the Aspire Amex network in Canada will include three lounges across two airports.

These Lounges Aren’t Just for Canadian Amex Cardmembers

These aren’t Centurion Lounges. They’re Aspire lounges operated by Swissport, with Amex partnering with Aspire to provide additional benefits for eligible cardmembers.

But access isn’t limited to Canadian Amex cards. Aspire lounges also participate in Priority Pass, which is a benefit of several U.S. credit cards, including The Platinum Card® from American Express.

U.S. Platinum Card members need to enroll in Priority Pass before using the benefit. Access requires a Priority Pass membership card and same-day boarding pass.

Eligible Amex cardmembers receive priority lounge and waitlist access at Aspire Amex Lounges. The lounges also offer a mix of buffet options and tableside ordering.

The upcoming Montréal location could be especially useful for U.S.-bound passengers. It will sit in the airport’s transborder area, while the existing Aspire Amex Lounge serves domestic departures.

With Calgary now open and a second Montréal location coming, the partnership is expanding from one lounge last year to three across two Canadian airports.

September 17, 2026