Author: FlightDrama

Hawaiian Airlines has always offered a sub-standard lounge experience in comparison to its in-flight product. The lounges are often crowded and offer a limited range of coffee, snacks and POG juice, but little else. So the recent merger with Alaska Airlines has shifted Hawaiian’s ground experience up a gear as it looks to create synergies with its sister airline. Hawaiian has just unveiled a preview of its largest lounge investment at Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), set to open at the end of 2027. The lounge will be a welcome upgrade to regular Hawaiian fliers as it’s not…

Around the world Christmas is celebrated with unique traditions and events, and some of the most enchanting holiday markets might be in your own neighborhood. Here are some curated picks making lists across the web for the best places to shop for gifts around the globe. 1. Union Square – New York, New York  New York is home to some of the most beautiful holiday displays, and many people come from near and far to witness its holiday glamor. The Christmas market in Union Square has been named one of the best holiday markets in the U.S. Located in Union…

Delta Finishes 2024 Flush with Cash Delta Air Lines reported its year-end earnings on Friday, and the carrier did well — to the tune of $1.7 billion in profit for Q4 and nearly $6 billion for the year. The carrier earned about $15 billion in gross revenue for the quarter, and just north of $61 billion for the year — and that’s before including the ransom payments it received to release the CrowdStrike employees it held hostage in the Biscoff tunnel in the Atlanta airport since the summer. Delta is also paying out $1.4 billion in employee profit sharing, which…

The one you should be concerned with depends on how you measure it, and how hot or cold conditions might be. To continue reading this article or issue you must be a paid subscriber. Sign inPrevious articleSomeone To Watch Over MeJim Wolper is an airline transport pilot and retired mathematics professor. He’s also a CFI with single-engine, multi-engine, instrument and glider ratings.

Europe: EU-LISA EES and UK ETA Updates The EU-LISA Entry/Exit System (EES) Phase 1 missed its November launch date. The European Commission is working on a Progressive Rollout over the next six months. Next Working Group meeting: Friday, January 10th, 2025. The UK ETA program went live on January 8th, 2025, for U.S. citizens, the Americas, the Caribbean, and parts of Asia. Israel has also implemented new ETA requirements for Visa-Exempt travelers as of January 1st, 2025. Sustainability: Reporting and Monitoring Updates The 2024 UK ETS, EU ETS, and CORSIA Reporting Periods are now open. UK ETS: Reports due March…

In 1953, our Middle Eastern (MID) Regional Office was established in Cairo, Egypt to support the aviation priorities of 15 Member States across the region: Bahrain, Egypt, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Tasked with fostering the highest standards of safety, security, and efficiency, the MID Office is integral to ensuring that air transport contributes to sustainable economic and social development across the region and beyond. By closely collaborating with Member States, regional and sub-regional civil aviation bodies, and United Nations…

Disclosure: The Points Pundit receives NO compensation from credit card affiliate partnerships. Support the blog by applying for a card through my personal referral links. This article is meant for information purposes only and doesn’t constitute personal finance, legal, health or investment advice. Please consult a licensed professional for advice pertaining to your situation.Over the last few months, I’ve extensively written about how recent changes made my Amex have completely altered my travel credit card strategy. On one hand we’ve seen Amex increase fees, only to ‘offset’ them by ‘credits’ which are split on a monthly or quarterly basis. An…

The first quarter of each year is always challenging for airlines in the Northern Hemisphere as demand drops and they seek to stimulate demand with aggressive pricing while handling the complications of seasonal weather disruption and subsequent increases in operating costs.

After announcing a bold vision for the airline’s future at CES, Delta executives say their goal is to now grow the value of a SkyMiles membership, not necessarily further monetize it. Delta Air Lines wants to convert more flyers to SkyMiles members through creating additional value in their program.   The announcement came during the airline’s 2024 fourth quarter earnings call on Friday, January 10, 2025.   Delta SkyMiles Membership Should Create “Even Greater Amount of Loyalty to Delta” Earlier in the week, Delta chief executive Ed Bastian laid out a vision of the future at the 2025 Consumer Electronics…

As I sat down to write this column, I had just returned from an amazing trip to EAA AirVenture.It was 19.7 hours of single-pilot IFR spread over three days, most of it between 8,000 and 10,000 feet, dodging cumulus buildups. I experienced dense morning fog, afternoon thunderstorms, and made a timely weather divert with the help of incredibly helpful air traffic controllers.Most of my local flying where I live in North Florida occurs in the morning or early evening, well below 5,000 feet, and averages less than an hour and a half per flight. The Oshkosh trip reminded me that…