Don’t buy Gogo on the plane. I was surprised to see the price for a Gogo wi-fi day pass on a Delta transcon flight at a whopping $50 last week– the highest I’ve ever seen it. I’m very glad I took the minute or two while waiting in line to board to buy a day pass in advance on Gogo’s website for just $16, saving $34. If you are a inflight wi-fi freak like me, buy your passes ahead of time. It’s quick and easy– buy one or more passes online before the flight, save them to your account, and when you sign on from the plane, access your pass and you are on. For $16 instead of $50. Buy Gogo passes here.  Southwest offers wi-fi for just $8 per day per device, but we hear regularly that service is very spotty. Regrettably, United does not offer a pre-purchase option yet– here’s a shot from its inflight wi-fi FAQ page: 

Are you a winner or loser? “A switch to a revenue-based frequent-flyer program from a miles-based model causes a loss, though a negligible one, in points earned for domestic U.S. flyers, according to research released this week by PricewaterhouseCoopers,” reports Business Travel News. Examining mainland U.S. domestic routes on the 11 largest U.S. airlines, the PwC study determined that travelers on average earn 45 fewer reward points per one-way trip when accrual is based on dollars spent. But the switch will more deeply affect a clear set of “winners” and “losers,” according to the report. Winners = business travelers driven by schedule more than price and frequent short-haul travelers. Losers: travelers who frequently fly nonstop routes and travelers who tend to buy tickets well in advance.

Virgin eyes Hawaii service; AA to LaGuardia. Virgin America hopes to add Hawaii to its route map, and American Airlines said it would like to launch LaGuardia-West Coast service if that New York airport gets rid of its existing “perimeter rule” that precludes such long-haul flights. Virgin reportedly hopes to take advantage of more fuel-efficient A320s equipped with “Sharklets” on their wings to begin new flights from the West Coast to Hawaii, perhaps as soon as later this year. Meanwhile, AA president Scott Kirby told an aviation conference last week that if LaGuardia’s limit on flight distance is relaxed, his company would like to operate “a lot of flights from LaGuardia to the West Coast,” although he noted that would require major infrastructure enhancements at relatively decrepit LGA. In any case, if the perimeter rules are relaxed, the Port Authority is going to have to mix and match the limited number of slots available at LGA– which could be contentious and messy. 

Virgin Atlantic adds Dreamliner at SFO, elsewhere

New Delta ad. Does business travel allow you the time and opportunity to indulge “the child within you?” Delta seems to think that it does — or it should — and illustrates that idea along with a jaunty song in an unusual new TV ad. What do you think of the Delta ad: Does it capture the essence of your business travel experience? See video here Please leave your comments below. 

New SFO-Auckland service coming? Press reports from New Zealand indicate that Air New Zealand could lose its current monopoly on non-stop flights to North America. The reports said United is considering the launch of non-stop San Francisco-Auckland flights with a 787 Dreamliner, and that American — a joint venture partner with Qantas — has its eye on new Los Angeles-Auckland service. Qantas pulled out of the non-stop LAX-Auckland market three years ago.

‘Scuse my Scough. How can you protect your health aboard a germy airplane during flu season without wearing a surgical mask? A Brooklyn start-up is producing what it calls the Scough — a scarf with an embedded active-carbon filter “impregnated with silver ions,” designed to protect the wearer from the germs of others (or to protect others from your germs). Priced from $49, they’re intended to be more fashionable and less conspicuous than more medical-looking devices (until you wrap them around your nose and mouth, perhaps giving you a slight resemblance to a stagecoach robber or a terrorist).

Why you should change the credit cards you carry

In Case You Missed it…

>Which cities worldwide have the best (and worst) quality of life?

>United renovates airport clubs, boosts food quality.

>Virgin Atlantic will boost San Francisco schedule with a 787.

>Hilton finally jumps on the free Wi-Fi

Don’t miss TOMORROW’s Weekend edition where we cover: Several new route announcements, Southwest on bag fees, Etihad’s residence in NYC, Lufthansa’s upgrades, a big batch of new hotels and more Amex Gold Card bennies.

World’s 10 highest (and lowest) quality cities

How to enjoy dining alone

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