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News and Tips For Your Trips

Southwest adds more Oakland routes in 2018

Image: Southwest

Southwest Airlines’ 2018 schedule will give East Bay business travelers new daily flights to five domestic destinations that currently have no regular non-stop service from Oakland International – including two transcon routes.

In its 2018 summer schedule announcement, the airline said it will introduce daily non-stops on July 8 from Oakland to San Antonio, and on July 15 from OAK to Orlando, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Indianapolis. (Saturday-only non-stops from OAK to Orlando begin April 8.)

Earlier this year, Southwest started offering non-stop seasonal service from Oakland to Newark Liberty International, but based on the success of those flights, the airline now plans to convert that into year-round service, with daily flights due to start April 8, 2018.  (The only other non-stop service from Oakland to the New York City area is on JetBlue, which goes to JFK Airport.)

The new service will give Southwest 33 non-stop destinations out of Oakland.

Southwest at Oakland

Southwest Airlines jets at Oakland International Airport (Photo: Port of Oakland)

Southwest has been steadily ramping up its California operations in recent months, and it has a new promotion for Rapid Rewards members who live in the state. Called California Millions, it will give away millions of Rapid Rewards points to winners. It remains in effect through November 30. Here’s a link to participate.

The airline’s summer schedule for next year also includes new daily non-stops between San Antonio and Ft. Lauderdale starting July 8. On June 6, Southwest will end its daily service between Flint, Michigan and Chicago Midway.

On June 7, Southwest will resume daily seasonal service between Denver-Charleston, S.C., Chicago-San Juan and Omaha-Orlando. And on June 9, it will start new Saturday-only seasonal flights between Boise-Dallas, Denver-Panama City, Fla., and Tulsa-Orlando.

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Confirmed: Southwest to fly to Hawaii. Unconfirmed: Lower fares

Southwest officials announced new Hawaii service at an employee conference. (Image: Southwest)

Southwest Airlines has confirmed that it plans to fly to Hawaii, probably beginning next year – a decision that could bring sharply lower fares for all travel to the islands. Or maybe not…

Since the airline started to take delivery of new Boeing 737MAX 8 aircraft, there has been widespread speculation that it would use the planes – which can fly 500 nautical miles farther than its 737-800s – to begin service.

And now the company has announced its intention to do just that. Southwest said it will seek FAA approval to gain ETOPS certification for its new 737s – a regulatory requirement for flying them to Hawaii. ETOPS stands for Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards.

Assuming it gains that approval, Southwest said it “plans to begin selling tickets in 2018 for service to Hawaii.” It’s not clear yet if flights will also begin in 2018. 

However, the company hasn’t yet said which airports will get the new flights – only that “service details are to be announced at a later date.”

Southwest’s new 737MAX aircraft will provide the extra range needed for Hawaii flights. (Image: Southwest)

Will Southwest bring lower fares to the islands? Maybe. But don’t get too excited yet.  Atlanta expected the so-called Southwest Effect to reduce fares when Southwest took over AirTran’s hub there. Instead, fares went up and the number of flights went down. “Airfares have gone up so much that Atlanta had the largest year-over-year increase in average domestic fares in the country,” reported the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2014.

However, the move should provide a boost to Southwest’s Rapid Rewards program, which has always suffered from not having the reach of other airline programs that can fly members to Hawaii or around the world.

My best guess is that we’ll enjoy a temporary decrease in fares as airlines compete with Southwest on introductory fares, but in the long run the lowest fares will remain about the same, currently, stubbornly, rarely sinking below the $400 average roundtrip. Why? Because it’s not cheap to fly to Hawaii—  it’s about 2,500 miles from the US west coast, a route that requires more fuel and more expensive planes. And increasingly, Southwest’s recent moves have shown that it’s not always a low fare leader.

Southwest officials made the announcement to a gathering of its employees in southern California. Joining the conference via satellite from Honolulu were Hawaii Governor David Ige and Southwest president Tom Nealon, who predicted that the carrier’s entry “will be a game-changer in the US. to Hawaii market.”

That statement is probably a reference to something called the Southwest Effect – a concept introduced in the 1990s in a Transportation Department analysis of domestic airline competition. Back then DOT found that whenever Southwest enters a new market, it tends to result in an increase in traffic and a reduction in fares for all competitors in that market.

Related: Is Southwest really a low fare carrier? 

Hawaii is way WAY out there– bout 2,500 miles from the west coast. (Image: Google)

In a recent detailed analysis of the likelihood that Southwest would start flying to Hawaii, the financial website Seeking Alpha predicted this would likely lead to a fare war. “In our opinion, the most important impact of the Southwest Effect in Hawaii is that it tends to lead to a dramatic reduction in fares, given that we believe travel demand to Hawaii is relatively inelastic (so passengers are unlikely to increase much),” the website said.

Seeking Alpha predicted that Southwest “could easily add at least 10 daily flights to Hawaii, to start with.” Based on the amount of market share that Southwest controls, it suggested that likely airports to host Hawaii flights would include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle and Portland.

What do YOU think will happen to Hawaii fares when Southwest enters that market? Leave your comments below.

Southwest Airlines Hawaii

An image tweeted out by Southwest Airlines announcing new flights to Hawaii

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Another big fare sale starts today

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 at SFO

Southwest Airlines kicked off a fall winter fare sale good for trips thru Feb (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Travel demand and fares typically tumble during the slower fall and winter months, and this year is no exception– we saw some remarkably low fares from United last week, and as expected, there’s more to come…

Today, Southwest Airlines kicked off the first big late fall and winter fare sale, and I expect other airlines to start matching these low fares in the next 24-48 hours. (see below for links)

So if you felt priced out of peak summer season, take a look at what Southwest has on offer during the “dead weeks” between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and into the cold, dark early winter months.

Southwest kicked it off today with with fares starting at $100 roundtrip. From there, roundtrip fares rise in several steps to around $260-$280. Many of these fares are about $30-40 cheaper than a similar sale Southwest offered in October 2016– good evidence that fares are trending downward.

While these fares are slightly higher than those we’ve seen in previous un-announced spot sales, what’s better about this is the big window for travel, which extends all the way through the end of February.

UPDATE: Several readers report finding even lower fares than the ones publicized by Southwest, so be sure to check around.

Sample approximate round trip fares include:

$100: All intra-California and CA-Las Vegas flights, Atlanta-Chicago, Raleigh or Richmond; Washington DC-Boston

$160: SFO/OAK/LAX-Denver, Atlanta-most cities in Florida, New York LGA-Chicago,

$185: SFO/OAK/LAX to Dallas or Denver; Atlanta-Boston, Chicago, Dallas or New York

$240: Houston-Phoenix, Atlanta-Los Angeles/Las Vegas; Denver-Atlanta;  New York to Chicago or New Orleans; SFO/OAK-Chicago

$280: Most transcon flights between New York, Baltimore, Atlanta or Boston and LAX, SFO/OAK, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle

There are also several good deals on flights to Mexico in the $200-$250 round trip range.

Expect other major airlines to match these low fares over the next 24 hours. (We’ll update this page with competitive matches as they roll out…see below). Keep in mind that even with matches, Southwest’s fares are cheaper if you plan on checking baggage- it offers two bags for free.

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Party scene on the roof of the brand new Virgin Hotel Chicago

You can party on the rooftop of the new Virgin Hotel in Chicago this fall or winter (Nancy Branka)

This sale is good for flights during what’s known in the biz as the “dead weeks” when travel demand plummets to annual lows– this means that hotel and car rental costs are also at annual lows, so it’s a great time to take a cheap trip. It’s also a good time to get home and see the family if pricey peak holiday season fares keep you grounded.

For business travelers who have not been able to get out and see clients due to this year’s high fares, this is a great opportunity save by traveling when most folks are staying at home. You can take off for a quick visit just before Christmas or drop by during the cold dark months of January and February.

Details of Southwest’s 72-hour sale:

>Must buy your tickets between now and Thursday, October 12 at 11:59 p.m. (in originating city).

>Travel windows: October 31-December 19; January 3-February 14, 2018

>Not available on Fridays or Sundays (bummer for business travelers or weekenders)

>Black out dates: Christmas/New Years peak season from December 20- January 3

>Very limited time: Only a handful of seats on each flight are on sale- you snooze, you lose.

>See Southwest website for other rules and restrictions, or to book trips.

Stay tuned for UPDATES: Airlines matching this sale so far include: Alaska Air, Delta, United (with slightly higher fares), JetBlue added a deeply discounted 24 hour sale good for late Oct/Early Nov trips only. 

–Chris McGinnis

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Routes: Hawaiian, Alaska, Delta, United, Southwest

Hawaiian will start deploying new single-aisle Airbus A321neos later this year. (Image: Airbus)

In domestic route news, Hawaiian Airlines will add new West Coast routes as new aircraft come online; Alaska eyes more expansion in the months ahead; Delta grows again at Seattle; United adds two routes in the west; and Southwest’s Houston hub will get a new spoke.

As it takes delivery of new single-aisle Airbus A321neos next year, Hawaiian Airlines said it will add or alter service in some West Coast markets. Hawaiian’s first new A321neo service will begin January 8 between Oakland and Maui, where the plane will replace the existing A330 service. Hawaiian will begin new service January 18 between Portland and Maui, also using an A321neo. The airline’s seasonal Oakland-Kauai flights, currently using a 767, will stop September 4, then use an A321neo when they start up again April 11. And Hawaiian will inaugurate wide-body Los Angeles-Kona daily flights March 11, switching to an A321neo on the route next summer.

Alaska has ambitious route expansion plans. (Image: Jim Glab)

Although they provided no specifics, Alaska Airlines officials said in an earnings conference call that the carrier will start service in 30 new markets over the next six months, according to the travel industry news website Skift. That presumably includes some new service that has already been announced but hasn’t yet started, like new Bay Area routes Alaska will phase in from late summer through fall, as well as some new Dallas Love Field service coming in late August and February. Officials also said that of 20 markets the airline entered in the past nine months, 15 are now operating in the black. (I’m hoping for some competition on the SFO-ATL route! Come, Alaska! Let’s go!)

Delta Connection/SkyWest is putting upgraded E175s into West Coast service. (Image: Delta)

Delta has announced plans for some more growth at Seattle. Its new Seattle-Austin service, which started last month with a single daily roundtrip, will add a second frequency October 1, providing a morning departure from Seattle. On the same date, the carrier will launch new daily Delta Connection/SkyWest flights between Seattle and Medford, Oregon, with a two-class E175.  October 1 also marks the addition of new Delta service between Los Angeles and Albuquerque, operated six days a week by Delta Connection/Compass Airlines with an E175.

United Airlines dropped service between Los Angeles and St. George, Utah, more than four years ago, but it plans to resume that route on October 6. United Express/SkyWest will fly the route once a day with a CRJ200. Another route United will revive, this one on December 1, is Denver to Pueblo, Colorado, with two daily weekday CRJ200 flights also operated by SkyWest.

Southwest Airlines’ Houston Hobby hub will get a new spoke on March 8, when the airline adds daily service to Milwaukee. The airline said the route will allow for easy connections to international destinations including Mexico City, Cancun and Belize. On the same date, Southwest will start weekly Saturday service to Tampa from Detroit and Omaha.

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Airport news: Houston, LAX, Newark, Ft. Lauderdale, Seattle

United’s Concourse C North at Houston Bush Intercontinental (Image: United)

In airport news, United plans some operational changes at Houston Bush Intercontinental; Los Angeles International gets a popular new eatery for Delta flyers; Newark’s Terminal C adds several dining options; Southwest opens an international concourse at Ft. Lauderdale; and Seattle issues leases for several new concessions.

United Airlines said this week it will change its scheduling at Houston Bush Intercontinental  this fall to offer “shorter, more convenient connection times and better access to more destinations.” Specifically, United plans to “rebank” its flight operations at IAH on October 29, shifting from the current 10 daily flight banks to eight. (A flight bank is a window of concentrated arrivals and departures.) Besides making for shorter connections, the airline said, the change will let it better utilize its 90 gates at IAH and “use aircraft more effectively throughout the entire country.” And in 2018, United said, it will finish its $277 million investment in the airport’s C North concourse, offering more spacious gate areas, improved technology and new dining options.

Delta’s Terminal 3 at LAX gets a Shake Shack. (Image: Shake Shack)

Los Angeles International’s Terminal 3, part of Delta’s new home at the airport, is opening a new comfort food mecca this week: Shake Shack. The fast-growing fast-food favorite started with one location in New York City 13 years ago and now has 130 worldwide (including 80 in the U.S.). Its specialty is hamburgers (all-natural, antibiotic-free Angus beef), but it also offers chicken, hot dogs, fries, frozen custard and breakfast sandwiches. It’s open from 4:30 a.m. to midnight. The chain opened its first Los Angeles location last year in West Hollywood and now has five in the area.

That long-term overhaul of concessions at Newark Liberty International’s Terminal C – United’s hub – has opened three more dining venues. But there are actually six, because these new Terminal C eateries have one identity for breakfast and then change to a different one for lunch and dinner. For lunch/dinner, the new venues include Wabi-Sabi (Asian street food), Notorious P.I.G. (barbecue, of course) and Uptop Pizzeria (build your own pie). Earlier in the day, they serve up something totally different as Crepe Juliet, Flip Flop Pancake Shop and Breakfast Boli. Two months ago, the terminal opened two other split-personality eateries – Eggy Weggy and Supreme Bowl in the mornings, then Custom Burger and Philly Cheesesteaks later in the day.

Southwest’s Concourse A at Ft. Lauderdale Airport. (Image: Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport)

Southwest Airlines is due to cut the ribbon this week on its new Concourse A  linked to Terminal 1 at Ft.Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, which will house the airline’s growing international operation at FLL. The new concourse has five gates that can handle both international and domestic flights, as well as a Customs and Immigration facility. It has several new shops and eateries – and even a pet restroom. Southwest flies to Nassau and to Cuba from FLL, and this month added new routes to Belize City, Grand Cayman, Cancun and Montego Bay. It plans to start service in November from FLL to Providenciales in the Turks & Caicos.

Travelers at Seattle-Tacoma International can look forward to plenty of new food and beverage options in the months ahead. The airport has just awarded leases for a couple of dozen new outlets, representing all kinds of global cuisine and branches of local favorites, as well as new retail stores. The biggest is probably the Marche Food Hall, which will be in Concourse A at Gates A5 and A6. It will include a juice bar, a bakery, an ice cream shop, a burger restaurant, a coffee shop and a beer bar. Other new options will include two locations of Starbucks Urban Market (selling news publications, sundries and travel necessities as well as the usual Starbucks fare) and eateries ranging from Asian to Italian to Alaskan seafood and more. You can see a full list here. The airport plans to boost the number of retail outlets and restaurants from the current 86 to 135 in the years to come.

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Most popular: Delta 747 + Fare sale + New routes + Longest United flight + New Bev Hills hotel

United Airlines showing its true colors for Pride month (Image: United)

TravelSkills’ 10 most popular posts over the last week (descending order):

1 Reader Report: Final ride on a Delta 747

2 Big late summer/fall airfare sale takes off (Expired)

3 Routes: Southwest, AA, Delta, Alaska, + a new 787 route

4 Routes: JetBlue to Europe + AA, Delta, Norwegian, United, Avianca, Etihad

5 Two rare birds land by the Bay- with ultra cheap fares

6 Major transformation at Denver International + more airport news

7 Airports ask Trump for a raise, but you’ll pay for it

8 United’s longest flight won’t have this

9 3 U.S. cities get cheap new nonstops to Rome

10 New: Hilton-Beverly Hills, Hyatt-NYC, Marriott-Phoenix, Westin-Milwaukee, Choice-Chicago

Don’t miss: Global travelers shrug off political, terror concerns

TravelSkills editor Chris McGinnis took some time off for a family reunion in North Carolina this week at the High Hampton Inn– nice! And not like any Hampton Inn he’s ever stayed in before!

Blue Ridge Mountain time #travel #northcarolina #mountains #blueridge #summer

A post shared by Chris McGinnis (@chrisjmcginnis) on

Links to stories from other sources that we thought you’d like to read:

Yellow Taxi sharing goes live in NYC

Travelers growing accustomed to terror?

Best Western testing in-room Alexa

PricewaterhouseCoopers sees an end to U.S. airline consolidation

Hilton picks AmEx as exclusive provider of Honors  credit cards

Delta recruits L.A. celebrity chefs for Delta One transcon in-fight service

Gogo says its high-speed 2Ku satellite Wi-Fi service is now on more than 200 aircraft

Here are the 20 longest flights operated by U.S. carriers

British Airways cabin crews plan four-day walkout in mid-June

KLM starts offering boarding passes, flight status updates via Twitter

Wyndham Hotels starts a new brand for three- and four-star independent properties

Take a look at the new ‘Canopy Park’ coming to Singapore’s Changi Airport

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Big late summer/fall airfare sale takes off

Southwest Airlines

Southwest kicks off big summer sale- we expect others airlines to match it (Image: Southwest Airlines)

While fares to Europe have tumbled this summer, domestic tickets have remained stubbornly high on many routes.

If you feel priced out of peak summer season, or have plans for trips in late summer or fall, Southwest Airlines has an airfare sale for you– on its domestic as well as its growing list of international destinations.

Southwest kicked it off today with with fares starting at $100 roundtrip. From there, roundtrip fares rise in three more steps: $160, $200, and $260. 

As usual, expect other airlines to match this sale. TravelSkills will monitor their responses at the bottom of this post. (Scroll down…)

What’s nice about this sale is that it’s good for late summer trips starting as early as August 22— keep in mind that Labor Day is on Monday, September 4 this year.

And summer is not officially over until September 21. That’s a nice window for a late summer trip!

Take a look at what Southwest has on offer during the slower fall months as well as the “dead weeks” before and after Thanksgiving.

Sample approximate round trip fares include:

  • $100 Between San Francisco & Oakland and Burbank, Los Angeles, Portland, Reno, San Diego (and most other intra-California and Vegas routes)
  • $116 Boston-Atlanta
  • $160 Atlanta-Washington DC Reagan National, Orlando, Ft Lauderdale
  • $200 New York LaGuardia-Nashville, Kansas City, Milwaukee, St Louis, plus Sacramento-Portland, Austin-Atlanta
  • $208 between Oakland and Puerto Vallarta
  • $260 between Houston and Phoenix, or Oakland, Austin
  • $300 between Oakland and Atlanta, Nashville, New Orleans (Most transcon in the $300 range)

Keep in mind that Rapid Rewards redemptions are cheaper now, too because the SWA program is based on ticket prices.

Southwest at Oakland

Southwest Airlines jets at Oakland International Airport (Photo: Port of Oakland)

We expect other major airlines to match these low fares over the next 24-48 hours. (We’ll update this page with competitive matches as they roll out…see below)

Note that Southwest does not charge for the first or second bag, and does not impose change fees like most other airlines. When major airlines match these fares, they’ll likely do it with “basic economy” fares that have even more fees and restrictions.

Details of Southwest’s 72-hour sale:

>Must buy your tickets between now and Thurs, June 8 at 11:59 p.m. (in originating city).

>Travel window: August 22- December 13

>Lowest fares not available on Fridays or Sundays

>Blackout dates for domestic flights: September 1 and 4, and November 17-28, 2016 (this varies on a handful of routes)

>International fares are only available on Tuesdays and Thursdays; blacked out Sept 4-6, Nov 25-28

>Only a handful of seats on each flight are on sale- you snooze, you lose.

>See Southwest website for other rules and restrictions, or to book trips.

Stay tuned for UPDATES: Airlines matching this sale so far include: Alaska Air | Virgin America (with slightly higher fares) | United

ICYMI, see the 25 most recent TravelSkills posts right here

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Routes: Alaska, Southwest, Finnair, United, American, Air India, Avianca

Alaska Airlines will start Mexico City nonstops from SFO and LAX in August. (Image: Alaska Airlines)

In international route developments, Alaska unveils plans for its new California-Mexico City flights; Southwest will add more international service from Ft. Lauderdale; Finnair is about to launch San Francisco flights; United schedules aircraft changes for some transpacific markets from SFO and launches more seasonal Europe service; American puts its code on new flights from the West Coast to Barcelona; Air India adds two U.S. gateways; and Avianca Brasil adds a U.S. route.

Alaska Airlines has won Transportation Department approval for Mexico City routes thanks to slots at MEX that Delta and joint venture partner Aeromexico had to give up, and now Alaska has released schedule plans for its new service. On August 8, Alaska will start flying one daily roundtrip from both San Francisco and Los Angeles to Mexico City; on November 6, it will add a second daily LAX-MEX flight, plus one a day from San Diego to Mexico City. The SFO flight and the first LAX flight will use 737s; the second LAX flight and the San Diego service will use E175s.

Southwest Airlines is due to cut the ribbon in a couple of weeks on a new international concourse at its Ft. Lauderdale base, when it will also add service from FLL to new international destinations including Montego Bay, Cancun, Belize and Grand Cayman. Now Southwest has announced two more international destinations from Ft. Lauderdale. In early November, it will begin daily flights from FLL to San Jose, Costa Rica and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. And on November 11, the carrier will also start Saturday-only service to Cancun from Nashville and St. Louis.

Finnair will use an A330 on its San Francisco route. (Image: Finnair)

June 1 is the launch date for seasonal Finnair service from San Francisco to Helsinki, operating three days a week through the end of September with an Airbus A330-300. Finnair is a member of the American/British Airways Oneworld alliance, and Alaska Airlines this week announced a frequent flyer partnership with Finnair as well. “Members of Alaska Mileage Plan can begin earning miles on Finnair starting today,” the airline said. “Award redemption will commence later this year. Finnair Plus members can begin earning and redeeming points on Alaska Airlines starting today.”

United Airlines is planning some equipment changes on transpacific routes from San Francisco this winter, according to Routesonline.com. On August 1, United will pull the 747-400 from its daily SFO-Taipei flight, replacing it with a 777-300ER.  Starting October 28, one of United’s two daily SFO-Shanghai Pudong flights will use a three-class 777-200ER instead of the previously planned 787-9; the other will use a 787-9. On December 16, United will boost SFO-Auckland schedules from seven to 10 a week as previously announced, but will use a 787-9 instead of a 787-8 for the winter season. And starting December 20, United’s daily 787-9 service from SFO to Tokyo Haneda will switch to a 777-200ER.

Meanwhile, United on May 24 is due to kick off its next round of seasonal transatlantic service, including flights from Newark to Athens continuing through October 4; Washington Dulles to Barcelona through October 27; and San Francisco to Munich through September 3. On May 25, United adds Chicago O’Hare-Shannon service continuing through September 5, and Chicago-Edinburgh flights through October 4.

Level will fly A330s from Oakland and Los Angeles. (Image: IAG)

Remember that new low-fare service from the West Coast to Barcelona that we told you about in March on a carrier called Level? That’s a new low-cost operation from International Airlines Group, the parent of British Airways and Iberia, and it’s due to get off the ground next week, with twice-weekly Los Angeles-Barcelona flights beginning June 1 and three flights a week from Oakland to Barcelona starting June 2, both using two-class A330s. And now Routesonline.com reports that BA/Iberia’s joint venture partner American Airlines will put its AA code onto the Level flights.

Air India’s SFO-Delhi flight proving very popular (Image: Peter Biaggi)

Air India is said to be doing so well with its San Francisco-Delhi service that it plans to add two new U.S. gateways later this year, according to The Times of India. The carrier has already announced plans to start flying to Washington Dulles in July, and the newspaper said Air India now expects to begin non-stop Los Angeles-Delhi service September 1, followed by Dallas/Ft. Worth service sometime later this year.  The report said Air India is seeing a surge in passenger demand for U.S. service now that travelers cannot take their laptops into the cabins of the big Middle Eastern airlines on non-stop flights to the U.S. Besides its SFO service, Air India also flies to Delhi from New York and Chicago, and to Mumbai from Newark.

Avianca Brasil is due to kick off new daily flights between Miami and Sao Paulo June 23, with red-eye service in both directions.

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Full-on fare war: Atlanta-Boston $80 economy, $335 first

JetBlue’s arrival in ATL sparks major fare war (Image: Google Flights)

Today JetBlue launched new nonstops between Atlanta and Boston, sparking one of the craziest fare wars I’ve seen to date- even in first class.

As of today, JetBlue is selling roundtrips as low as $109 on its five ATL-BOS flights per day. That’s crazy.

But even crazier? Spirit Air, which offers one daily nonstop, is selling seats for just $80 roundtrip (plus fees).

Delta, long the major player in this market (with 11 roundtrips per day), seems to be keeping above the low-fare fray, but just barely. Its lowest round trips are going for just $136 roundtrip. But for $136, you get one of Delta’s new bare bones basic economy fares. For regular main cabin seats, you’ll pay $165 roundtrip– still cheap by historical standards.

Delta is also discounting its first class seats on ATL-BOS— a nice upgrade for the 2.5 hour flight! We’ve found found first class round trips for $335 to $475 in April and May.

Southwest has jumped into the fray as well… with roundtrips going for as little as $121 round trip on its three daily ATL-BOS nonstops.

Last week JetBlue announced that it was fighting a decision by ATL authorities to make it use gates in ATL’s Concourse D when it was told it would be able to use gates at the much nicer Concourse E. As of today, the issue has not been resolved, and JetBlue is using gates in both D and E concourses according to a spokesperson.

In any case, these are great deals for Bostonians who’d like to soak up some southern springtime hospitality. They are also perfect for the many cash strapped students traveling between ATL and Boston– or elsewhere.

Go get some beans with these low fares!

Note: These fares were available on Google Flights on Thursday March 30 and are subject to change.

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Alaska Airlines adds 6 more California nonstops

Alaska will deploy three-class E175s on new San Diego routes. (Image: Alaska Airlines)

Just a week after announcing 13 new nonstop routes from the Bay Area starting in late summer and fall of this year, Alaska Airlines is aiming to strengthen its grip on the California market even more by launching service on six new routes from San Diego.

The expansion calls for daily service from SAN to Omaha and to Austin starting August 27; to Albuquerque beginning October 18; to Minneapolis-St. Paul as of November 18; and to Kansas City and St. Louis beginning December 15.

All routes will be flown once a day with the popular 76-seat, three-class E175s (12 seats in first class, 12 seats in premium class and 52 seats in the main cabin). Once a day is not really enough to entice business travelers who love multiple options when plans change, but at least it’s a new nonstop option. In many of these markets, Southwest also operates one or two nonstops per day.

Alaska has been gradually building up its presence at California’s second largest city. Some of that growth begins this week, including new daily San Diego-Baltimore/Washington flights and three daily roundtrips between SAN and Sacramento. Alaska also recently won authority for new service from San Diego to Mexico City, but schedules haven’t yet been set.

New Alaska routes coming at San Diego. (Map: Alaska Airlines)

It’s a busy week for Alaska inaugurals in other markets as well. In addition to the San Diego flights mentioned above, the airline this week is kicking off a daily San Jose-Newark roundtrip; a daily Portland-Orlando flight; and three flights a day between San Jose and Burbank.

Alaska said that over the past five years, it has added 18 non-stop destinations from San Diego; by late August of this year, it will be operating 40 daily flights from SAN to 28 destinations.

“From San Diego, guests can make convenient connections to Tokyo and London, served by partner carriers Japan Airlines and British Airways,” the company noted.

Last year, Alaska’s Horizon Air unit placed an order for 30 new E175 jets, with options for 33 more. Deliveries are due to begin this year. SkyWest Airlines also operates some E175s for Alaska.

As it grows its own brand presence, Alaska must also figure out how to blend its network together with Virgin America’s. In last week’s announcement of new service from the Bay Area, Alaska said that all the new mainline routes would be flown with A320 family aircraft. That’s the type used by Virgin America – although the company didn’t say they would be operated by Virgin America. Alaska is expected to decide later this month what it will do with the Virgin America brand– so stay tuned!

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Routes: Norwegian, WOW, Emirates, United, Air China + more

A Boeing 737 MAX in Norwegian livery. (Image: Boeing)

In international route developments, Norwegian adds more flights from the east coast to Europe; WOW Air increases frequencies to the west coast; Emirates kicks off controversial new U.S. route; United expands code-sharing with Asiana; Air China adds a Los Angeles route; Southwest begins a new international service from Denver; and Avianca increases its U.S. schedule.

Norwegian Air hasn’t even started its new 737 MAX low-fare service from the U.S. east coast yet and already it is adding more routes. In addition to those already scheduled to Ireland and Scotland (with fares starting at $65 one way), Norwegian also plans to add twice-weekly flights to Bergen, Norway, from both Providence., R.I. and from Stewart Airport in Newburgh, N.Y.  The airline has also filed its winter schedules for Paris Charles de Gaulle, where it will switch from 787-8s to 787-9s starting October 29. Norwegian’s Paris schedule calls for six flights a week from New York JFK (down from daily in the summer), four a week from Los Angeles, two from Ft. Lauderdale and one from Orlando.

Also increasing its U.S. service is low-fare rival WOW Air, which offers connecting flights to Europe through its Reykjavik hub. WOW told Air Transport World that its service to Reykjavik from San Francisco and Los Angeles will be increased to daily frequencies with its summer 2017 schedule. The carrier has been running five flights a week from San Francisco and four from LAX. WOW is installing premium seating in its A330-300s, which it uses for the west coast routes.

Emirates is using a 777-300ER on its new Dubai-Athens-Newark route. (Image: Emirates)

Emirates this week launched its promised new service from Newark to Athens, continuing to Dubai, and was greeted at Newark Airport with a protest staged by 200 United Airlines employees. United, Delta and American are adamantly opposed to U.S. route expansion by the Middle East Big Three airlines – Emirates, Etihad and Qatar – and are conducting an intensive lobbying effort with the Trump Administration to block new service for those carriers. The U.S. airlines allege that their Mideast rivals are subsidized by their governments, thus challenging Trump’s pledge to put American companies first in the face of foreign competition.

United Airlines will expand its code-sharing agreement with Star Alliance partner Asiana Airlines on March 17, when United’s code will go onto Asiana’s daily Chicago O’Hare-Seoul Incheon flights.  At the same time, Asiana will put its code onto 16 domestic United routes out of ORD.

Air China will use a 787 on new LAX-Shenzen service. (Image: Air China)

Got business in Shenzen, China? Air China has filed a schedule for new service to Shenzen from Los Angeles International, due to begin July 6. Air China – a Star Alliance member — will fly the route three days a week, using a 787-9 Dreamliner.  Speaking of Shenzen, China’s Xiamen Airlines has trimmed back its Seattle-Shenzen-Xiamen 787-8 service from three flights a week to two, a seasonal reduction continuing through May 22.

Two minor players in the foundering US-Cuba market, Silver Airways and Frontier,  have announced they are pulling out completely later this spring. Other carriers have cut back on flights as the market finds its legs…and waits to see what the Trump administration has in store.

Southwest Airlines has started its newest international route: The carrier has started flying from Denver International to Belize City, Belize. It’s currently operating as Saturday-only service, but Southwest will boost it to Saturday and Sunday flights for the summer, June 4 to August 14.

Avianca’s Los Angeles-Bogota route, which has been operating four times a week, will increase to daily frequency starting March 26. The carrier uses a two-class 787 on the route. Meanwhile, the Colombian carrier also plans a new U.S. route. It will begin Bogota-Boston service on June 2, operating four flights a week with an A319.

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Getting on earlier flight getting easier

Want an earlier flight? Southwest eased standby rules for preferred customers. (Image: Jim Glab)

Southwest Airlines A-List and A-List Preferred customers have a new benefit – they can now stand by for an earlier flight any time during the day they are ticketed to travel, with no fee involved.

The free standby perk existed on Southwest before, but it was limited to flights that departed two hours or less before the ticketed flight.

The standby privilege is not available for flights that depart later than your scheduled flight, and you must standby for a flight to the same destination that you booked. You can’t get on the standby list by phone or app – you have to request it in person at the airport.

(Image: Jim Glab)

(Of course, since Southwest has no change or cancellation fees, you could simply try to rebook your flight to an earlier one by phone or online – although it might cost you more if there’s a fare difference. Not so with a standby.)

Even if you’re not on Southwest, it might be possible to get on an earlier flight without paying a fee (around $75 for domestic flights), whether or not you’re an elite-level frequent flyer or a full-fare ticket holder. The key is to be able to show the gate agent that it is in the airline’s best interest to accommodate you on an earlier flight.

  • If you get to the airport in time to grab an earlier departure, check the arrival status of the inbound aircraft that will become the outbound flight you’ve booked. (Instead of looking at the airline’s arrivals board, use FlightAware’s mobile app for greater accuracy.) If it’s coming in late, it means your departure will likely be delayed – and you might miss a connection downline. That makes it in the airline’s interest to put you on an earlier departure, especially if your connecting flight is overbooked or the last one of the day.
  • If you’re flying out of a connecting hub and have a chance for an earlier departure than the one you’ve booked, ask the gate agent about the likelihood of “miss-connects” on that earlier flight. These are connecting passengers whose inbound flights are coming in late enough that they might miss the next segment (i.e., the one you want to get on). If the airline will accommodate your request, it will not only make you a happy passenger, but will also open up a seat on the later flight for someone who missed their connection.

The right approach to a gate agent could get you home earlier. (Image: Jim Glab)

  • Remember that your attitude in talking to the gate agent can make all the difference – and gate agents have all the power in these situations, especially when it comes to waiving fees. These employees are busy and frequently abused by irate travelers – so taking a high-handed approach won’t get you anywhere. Don’t be overbearing, but don’t be obsequious either. Just be pleasant and seem like you’re trying to be helpful rather than demanding or annoying.
  • If you have a good reason for wanting to get home earlier, it might be worth mentioning – especially if it involves your family. Would an earlier flight get you back in time to attend your kid’s Little League game or recital? Gate agents have families, too, and it could make them a little more sympathetic to your request.

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Southwest plans big boost for in-flight Wi-Fi

Southwest travelers will see faster Wi-Fi in the months ahead.. (Image: Southwest Airlines)

Southwest travelers will see faster Wi-Fi in the months ahead.. (Image: Southwest Airlines)

Travelers on Southwest Airlines should see an improvement in Wi-Fi capabilities in the months ahead.

The airline said it has signed new connectivity agreements with Panasonic Avionics and Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE) to enhance the in-flight experience for customers across its fleet.

“Both of the agreements support Southwest’s focus on yielding greater Wi-Fi bandwidth available to Customers on Wi-Fi-equipped aircraft,” Southwest said.

The agreement with Global Eagle extends the airline’s current use of that vendor’s Airconnect connectivity system, and the deal with Panasonic will provide that firm’s Wi-Fi and live TV products on a portion of the Southwest fleet.

“Southwest’s agreements with Panasonic and GEE align with next year’s planned retirement of the carrier’s non-Wi-Fi-equipped 737-300 Classic aircraft and the introduction of the new Boeing 737-8 (MAX),” a spokesman said. “By the end of 2017, Southwest Airlines is targeting to operate a 100 percent Wi-Fi-equipped fleet of more than 700 aircraft.”

By the middle of next year, Southwest said, passengers should be able to surf the Internet faster due to a Wi-Fi bandwidth increase of at least three times the current levels. That bandwidth will increase even more over the following 12 months.

“Connectivity speeds are expected to increase, and Southwest plans to develop relationships with content providers to bring even more exclusive content to its customers while on flights,” the company said. It added that it expects to continue offering live TV at no cost to customers, and maintaining an $8 fee per day per device for Wi-Fi connectivity.

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Deal Alert: Major domestic fall winter fare sale

Southwest Airlines recently painted a 737 based on the Colorado state flag.

Southwest Airlines kicked off a good fall winter sale- including flights to Colorado for ski trips! (Photo: Stephen Keller/Southwest Airlines)

Travel demand and fares always tumble during the slower fall and winter months, and this year is no exception.

Today, Southwest Airlines kicked off the first big late fall and winter fare sale, and I expect other airlines to start matching these low fares in the next 24-48 hours. (see below for links)

So if you felt priced out of peak summer season, take a look at what Southwest has on offer during the “dead weeks” between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and into the cold, dark early winter months.

Southwest kicked it off today with with fares starting at $100 roundtrip. From there, roundtrip fares rise in several steps to around $300. These fares are about $10 more than a similar sale Southwest offered in October 2015.

Sample approximate round trip fares include:

$100: All intra-California and CA-Las Vegas flights, Atlanta-Chicago, Raleigh or Richmond; Washington DC-Boston

$160: SFO/OAK/LAX-Denver, Atlanta-most cities in Florida, New York LGA-Chicago,

$200: SFO/OAK/LAX to Dallas or Denver; Atlanta-Boston, Chicago, Dallas or New York

$260: Houston-Phoenix, Atlanta-Los Angeles/Las Vegas; Denver-Atlanta;  New York to Chicago or New Orleans; SFO/OAK-Chicago

$300: Most transcon flights between New York, Baltimore, Atlanta or Boston and LAX, SFO/OAK, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle

Expect other major airlines to match these low fares over the next 24 hours. (We’ll update this page with competitive matches as they roll out…see below). Keep in mind that even with matches, Southwest’s fares are cheaper if you plan on checking baggage- it offers two bags for free.

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Party scene on the roof of the brand new Virgin Hotel Chicago

You can party on the rooftop of the new Virgin Hotel in Chicago this fall or winter (Nancy Branka)

This sale is good for flights during what’s known in the biz as the “dead weeks” when travel demand plummets to annual lows– this means that hotel and car rental costs are also at annual lows, so it’s a great time to take a cheap trip. It’s also a good time to get home and see the family if pricey peak holiday season fares keep you grounded.

For business travelers who have not been able to get out and see clients due to this year’s high fares, this is a great opportunity save by traveling when most folks are staying at home. You can take off for a quick visit just before Christmas or drop by during the cold dark months of January and February.

Details of Southwest’s 72-hour sale:

>Must buy your tickets between now and Thursday, October 6 at 11:59 p.m. (in originating city).

>Travel windows: November 30-December 20; January 4-February 15, 2017

>Not available on Fridays or Sundays (bummer for business travelers or weekenders)

>Black out dates: Christmas/New Years peak season from Thursday December 21- Wednesday, January 4

>Very limited time: Only a handful of seats on each flight are on sale- you snooze, you lose.

>See Southwest website for other rules and restrictions, or to book trips.

Stay tuned for UPDATES: Airlines matching this sale so far include: Virgin America | United | Delta (Dec. only) | JetBlue

–Chris McGinnis

Don’t miss out on these popular TravelSkills posts:

Kicking support animals off planes | Shocked passenger refuses to pay $3 for water | Marriott-Starwood: Higher prices, better rewards | The 10,000 points question! | Eye-catching maps explain state of the world | Test your planespotting skills!

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Southwest Airlines adds new Mexico flights from Bay Area

Southwest at Oakland

Southwest Airlines jets at Oakland International Airport. (Photo: Port of Oakland)

Members of Southwest Airlines’ Rapid Rewards loyalty program who live in and around the Bay Area will soon have access to new international vacation destinations in Mexico

The carrier said this week it has applied for government approvals to start operating the first non-stop flights from Oakland International Airport to Puerto Vallarta and San Jose del Cabo/Los Cabos, Mexico, targeting a February 2017 launch for both routes. (Fare information not yet available)

Since its merger with AirTran, Southwest has been slowly adding international destinations to its route map, all of them in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. But from California, the transborder route growth so far has all been from Los Angeles and Orange County.

There’s already service to Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta from San Francisco International and Mineta San Jose airports offered by United, Alaska Airlines and Virgin America, but Bay Area flights there from Southwest are a first for Rapid Rewards members.

Southwest's current Latin American route map

Southwest’s current Latin American route map

Bryant Francis, the Port of Oakland’s aviation director, said that Los Cabos, in particular, “is the most requested international destination from the East Bay and North Bay that does not have a non-stop option.”  Southwest’s plan to add Mexico routes from Oakland will dovetail nicely with the airport’s big Terminal 1 renovation, which will bring a new security checkpoint and international check-in and arrivals area to the facility by the second quarter of next year, followed by an expansion of federal inspection services a few months later.

Oakland has been Southwest’s airport of choice for much of its Bay Area growth. Currently, it flies to OAK to: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boise, Burbank, Chicago (Midway), Columbus, Dallas (Love Field), Denver, Houston (Hobby), Kansas City, Las Vegas, Long Beach, Los Angeles (LAX), Nashville, New Orleans, Ontario, Orange County/Santa Ana, Phoenix, Portland (PDX), Reno/Tahoe, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Seattle, Spokane, St. Louis.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: How to get the BEST summer fare deals | One airline fee fading fast | Trip Report: Aer Lingus Economy Class | 5 top jobs for frequent travelers  | First class phase out coming soon

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Most popular: Southwest PreCheck | SFO secrets | New routes | China trip report | JetBlue to ATL?

SFO

An unusual perspective of SFO sent in by reader Monte Deignan who was inspired by our SFO secrets post this week!

TravelSkills’ 10 most popular posts over the last week (descending order):

1 Southwest’s interesting new PreCheck promotion

2 6 SFO secrets you should knowWeekend Edition

3 Routes: Alaska, American, JetBlue, Frontier, Allegiant

4 Trip Report: United BusinessFirst to Xi’an, China

5 The secret reason for new hotel loyalty discounts

6 Be the first to try American’s premium economy cabin

7 Surf Air: All-you-can-fly in Europe for $3,250

8 New tech speeds up airport security screening

9 6 highly annoying habits of infrequent fliers (Don’t miss the reader comments on this one!)

10 Lyft’s posh new option, but how much does it cost?

Virgin Atlantic SFO

Deep selection of bourbon & new nibblies at Virgin Clubhouse at SFO (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

We took a spin through the recently refurbished Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at SFO this week for a reveal of its new snack menu (from Whitechapel in SF) and a presentation by its talented mixologist Justin who’s been running the exquisite full service bar with his wife for 10 years. TIP: A Virgin spokesperson said that the club should have airside access by next fall (2017). Virgin Atlantic has two flights per day from SFO, the first one, which departs at 5:40 pm is still using the older Airbus A340; the 9:10 pm departure uses its new 787 Dreamliner. By October, both flights will be operated with a Dreamliner. Our advice: Book the 9:10 pm departure and arrive at the Clubhouse early for a few Manhattans or Old Fashioneds, then pour yourself onto the plane for a good night’s sleep! Don’t forget that the club is open to business class ticketholders and both Virgin and Delta Elites with same-day transatlantic nonstop flights to London.

Remember when a US Airways A320 took a dive into the Hudson River? Watch part of that drama unfold here on the official trailer of “Sully” (IMDB) starring Tom Hanks in theaters this September.

Links to stories from other sources that we thought you’d like to read:

JetBlue to return to Atlanta in 2017

The REAL story behind TSA PreCheck enrollment mess

WIRED mag goes inside Delta’s “Mission Control” VIDEO

United’s board goes from worst to first in 3 short months- sign of turnaround?

TSA Horror Show has been fixed- for now at least

Maybe ATL is not so “international” after all

How much do Uber drivers really make? Not much!

FAA funding bill in Congress would keep more PreCheck lanes open during peak periods
TSA answers travelers’ questions in Facebook Messenger
KLM Beer Heineken

KLM to offer a first: Beer on tap inflight (Photo: KLM)

KLM will offer in-flight beer on tap

One major airport in the world hasn’t lost a bag in 20 years

Travel + Leisure names Virgin America best U.S. airline for ninth straight year

Boingo offers free airport Wi-Fi to Android users for six months

Singapore Airlines will introduce bidding system for seat upgrades

Hey have you given Lyft a try yet? We’ve recently been won over by friendlier drivers, ease in tipping, and rides in the front seat. Get $20 off your first ride when using our link!

Lyft Logo

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: How to get the BEST summer fare deals | One airline fee fading fast | Trip Report: Aer Lingus Economy Class | 5 top jobs for frequent travelers  | First class phase out coming soon

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Havana, Cuba airline tickets from US cities coming soon

Havana

Refrigerator magnets from a recent trip to Havana (Chris McGinnis)

Last month, the U.S. Transportation Department awarded U.S. carriers new route rights to serve secondary cities in Cuba, but not the biggest plum – Havana.

This week, DOT finally acted on all the requests it had from U.S. airlines to operate regular scheduled service to the Cuban capital, awarding Havana routes to eight airlines for flights that are likely to start sometime this fall.

The preliminary route awards are still subject a public comment period before being finalized. Tickets are not yet on sale, but should be later this summer. Right now, round trip charter flights from Miami to Havana are running at about $450 round trip, a price that we expect to drop significantly when competition cranks up in the fall.

The only Havana route from the West Coast went to Alaska Airlines, which will operate daily non-stops from Los Angeles using a two-class, 181-passenger 737-900ER. The flight will originate in Seattle, offering same-plane service top Cuba. Alaska said it expects to begin the service by year’s end. From LAX or SFO, current fares to Havana via Mexico City (Aeromexico) or Panama City (Copa) are about $625 round trip.

Recent: Curious about Cuba? Don’t miss this!

Cuba cars

Vintage cars serve as tourist taxis in Havana’s Plaza de la Revolucion (Chris McGinnis)

Most of the new routes will be from the eastern U.S., especially Florida. The exception to that rule was DOT’s selection of United to operate Houston-Havana flights, but only once a week. United will also operate daily non-stops to Havana from its Newark hub.

American Airlines will offer four daily roundtrips to Havana from Miami and one a day from Charlotte; Delta’s new route authority includes daily roundtrips to Havana from Atlanta, New York JFK and Miami; JetBlue won rights for two daily flights from Ft. Lauderdale and one each from New York JFK and Orlando; Southwest’s new route authority provides for two daily roundtrips from Ft. Lauderdale and one from Tampa; Spirit Airlines got two daily Ft. Lauderdale-Havana flights; and Frontier will be allowed a single daily flight from Miami to Havana.

Don’t miss: Cruising into Cuba: It’s complicated!

Havana nonstops

Nonstops to Havana from US cities announced today (Image: Great Circle Mapper)

Technically, the U.S. still does not allow for simple tourist travel to Cuba; Americans who go there must fall into one of 12 categories approved by the government, including things like journalistic activity, professional research and meetings, educational activities and so on. Here’s a link to the Treasury Department’s rules for travel to Cuba.

Have you been to Cuba yet? Will you go in the near future? Why or why not? Please leave your comments below!

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: How to get the BEST summer fare deals | One airline fee fading fast | Trip Report: Aer Lingus Economy Class | 5 top jobs for frequent travelers  | First class phase out coming soon

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Southwest’s interesting new PreCheck promotion

Southwest has a new PreCheck membership offer for Rapid Rewards members. (Image: Southwest Airlines)

Southwest has a new PreCheck membership offer for Rapid Rewards members. (Image: Southwest Airlines)

We’re starting to see a bandwagon effect among airlines that want to see more of their customers signed up for TSA’s PreCheck trusted traveler program. The latest is Southwest, which just came out with a new offer for Rapid Rewards members.

Southwest said in an email to members that for a limited time, they can redeem 9,000 points to obtain a code that will cover the $85 cost of a five-year PreCheck membership.

Members can take advantage of the offer through August 22, the airline said, adding that the authorization code for the PreCheck fee will be sent to them by mail after they apply for the redemption online. Rapid Rewards members can use points to obtain up to eight codes per customer.Precheck logo TM

To join PreCheck, they must still go through the usual sign-up process including a personal interview at an application center.

Southwest’s offer comes on the heels of a JetBlue promotion announced last week that offers a similar code at no cost to Mosaic-level elite members of its TrueBlue loyalty program. The JetBlue gift codes can be redeemed for PreCheck payment through September 30.

And Delta has started offering free or discounted membership in the CLEAR trusted traveler program to members of SkyMiles. The membership, normally $179 per year, is free to Diamond Medallions; $79 for Platinum, Gold and Silver members; and $99 for other members. The CLEAR program uses biometric IDs to let members go to the head of the regular TSA screening lines. CLESR is currently available at 13 airports.

Bloomberg: TSA Horror Show has been fixed. For now, at least

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: How to get the BEST summer fare deals | One airline fee fading fast | Trip Report: Aer Lingus Economy Class | 5 top jobs for frequent travelers  | First class phase out coming soon

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San Francisco’s new $2.5 billion airport terminal

SFO Terminal 1

Rendering of SFO Terminal 1 to be complete by 2024 (Image: SFO)

Today San Francisco International Airport officially launched the much needed, long anticipated renovation/replacement of its aging Terminal 1, from which Southwest Airlines currently operates.

Today also marked the last public appearance of long-time airport director John Martin who retires next month. In his remarks, Martin got a big chuckle from the crowd (including SF mayor Ed Lee) when he recalled his first ever trip to SFO for a job interview saying,  “I flew into Terminal 1 on World Airways, and while I was excited to be there, I thought the place looked like a bus terminal. I’m very pleased to see it go.”

To celebrate the kick off of the project, Martin, Lee and other dignitaries whacked at a Terminal 1 column with shiny new sledgehammers.

Instead of shovels, dignitaries used sledgehammers at SFO event. Interim terminal construction in background (Chris McGinnis)

Instead of shovels, dignitaries used sledgehammers at SFO event. Interim terminal construction in background (Chris McGinnis)

The $2.4 billion terminal will be completed in phases over the next eight years. The first phase will be to demolish much of what’s there while preserving a sliver of the current structure as the “Interim Boarding Area B” where Southwest will continue to operate from 9 temporary gates during the renewal. From what I could tell, the interim terminal layout it identical to the old, but will be updated with new carpet and mod egg chairs. (This is where the event was held today.) By 2019, there will be 17 new gates in operation.

Rendering of what Southwest's Interim Terminal B gates will look like (SFO)

Rendering of what Southwest’s Interim Terminal B gates will look like (SFO) CLICK for 360 degree view

SEE: 3D view of interim Terminal B 

SFO spokesperson Doug Yakel told TravelSkills: “In September, Southwest will shift from their existing gates to newly-developed gates 23-28. These gates will have all-new materials and finishes, in line with Terminal 2 or Terminal 3 East. This move allows work to begin on the permanent new Boarding Area B, which will be built around the gates Southwest is using right now.”

When it’s complete, the new Terminal 1 Boarding Area B will be bigger, brighter and designed to look and feel like the popular Terminal 2 (Virgin America & American) or United’s newest Terminal 3 Boarding Area E.

Don’t miss: 6 highly annoying habits of infrequent flyers

SFO Terminal 1

SFO’s new terminal 1 will connect to the International Terminal (to the left) and to Delta’s Boarding Area C (to the right). It will also accommodate overflow from international terminal.

Upon completion, Boarding Area B will feature a total of 24 gates, including six gates which can accommodate international arrivals by providing direct access to the U.S. Customs & Border Protections Federal Inspection Area.  Connecting walkways located post-security will provide easy access to International Boarding Area A and Boarding Area C (Delta), which has a new behind-security corridor to Terminal 2. Eventually, another behind-security corridor will connect T2 with United’s Terminal 3 although there’s no firm date for when that project will launch.

Save! How to shop for summer airfare “deals”

All good… but it is going to take a while! Here’s the phasing schedule:

September 2016:    Interim Boarding Area B opens with 9 gates

December 2018:     New Boarding Area B opens with 9 gates

June 2019:             New Boarding Area expands to 17 gates

September 2020:    New Boarding Area B reaches full capacity of 24 gates

Mid-2024:              Terminal 1 Center, refreshed Boarding Area C complete

For more information, please visit: www.flysfo.com/about-sfo/airport-development/t1

 –Chris McGinnis

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: How to get the BEST summer fare deals | One airline fee fading fast | Trip Report: Aer Lingus Economy Class | 5 top jobs for frequent travelers  | First class phase out coming soon

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Alaska, Southwest fight for California with new flights

Alaska Airlines 737 New Livery

Alaska Airlines will begin two new intra-California routes early next year. (Image: Alaska Air)

Both Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airlines this week announced they will add new routes from California airports. This is likely just the beginning of a battle for the hearts and wallets of California’s frequent flyers as Alaska absorbs Virgin America and takes on Southwest for dominance in the Golden State. For the short term, travelers should benefit with more options and lower fares. 

Alaska set a March 17, 2017 start for new Sacramento-San Diego and San Jose-Burbank service. It will offer three roundtrips a day in both markets, using its new 76-seat E175 jets operated by SkyWest Airlines with first class, premium economy and economy seating. (More on the E175 here.)

Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines will increase its growing presence at Mineta San Jose International Airport by adding nonstops to Baltimore/Washington International and Salt Lake City International, both starting on November 6 of this year.

Southwest will operate one daily roundtrip between SJC-BWI and two a day between SJC and Salt Lake City.

Officials at the airport noted that there is currently no non-stop service between San Jose and the metro Washington D.C. area, which was the second most requested domestic destination in a Silicon Valley corporate survey.

We checked times and prices on the new San Jose-Baltimore nonstop. Here’s what we found for an early November roundtrip:

Southwest San Jose

The new flights will give Southwest 76 weekday departures from SJC to 15 destinations. Plus it will give San Jose another much-needed nonstop connection to the East Coast.

San Jose has made huge gains this year with flights to several long-haul destinations. British Airways just launched new 787 Dreamliner flights to London. On June 16, Air China inaugurates nonstops to Shanghai, followed by Lufthansa nonstops to Frankfurt later this summer.

 

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: United’s newest, longest flight + Tipping Uber drivers + Qantas 747 Trip Report + Confusion over PreCheck policies + No-fee earlier flights

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Routes: Alaska, United, Southwest, AA, Virgin + more

United plans to fly 757-300s from Washington Reagan National to San Francisco and Denver. (Image: BriYYZ/Wikimedia Commons)

United plans to fly 757-300s from Washington Reagan National to San Francisco and Denver. (Image: BriYYZ/Wikimedia Commons)

In U.S. route news, Alaska Airlines plans to expand at Mineta San Jose Airport with new intra-California service, and it is also growing at Portland; United trims its Cleveland schedule and puts larger aircraft on two Washington Reagan National routes; Virgin America makes a seasonal SFO route year-round; Southwest plans to fly to another Los Angeles-area airport; American adds a new spoke from LaGuardia; and a small niche carrier targets Pittsburgh for expansion.

Alaska Airline's mod new look. What do you think? (Image: Alaska Air)

Alaska Airline’s mod new look. (Image: Alaska Air)

Alaska Airlines announced an expansion in the Bay Area, with plans to add service from Mineta San Jose Airport starting June 5 to both San Diego and Orange County/Santa Ana, Calif. The carrier will operate three daily flights in each market, using 76-seat Embraer 175s from SkyWest Airlines. The planes have 12 seats in first class, 12 in preferred class and 52 in the main cabin, and are equipped with Wi-Fi and free streaming entertainment. Meanwhile, February 18 is the launch date for three new Alaska Airlines routes out of Portland International. The carrier will begin once-daily service from Portland to Kansas City, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Omaha.

Effective May 4, United Airlines plans to drop two routes from Cleveland Hopkins Airport, ending its service to Las Vegas and to St. Louis. That brings United’s presence at Cleveland down to 15 destinations, from 58 two years ago. Meanwhile, United also plans to expand capacity on a pair of routes out of Washington Reagan National by switching to 213-seat 757-300s from smaller aircraft. The 757s will replace 737-800s starting March 23 on the San Francisco-DCA route, and A320s and 737-800s on the Denver-DCA route beginning March 3. In other developments, United plans to discontinue service April 4 from Chicago O’Hare to Elmira/Corning, N.Y., and to operate Saturday/Sunday seasonal service from O’Hare to Great Falls, Montana from June 11 through August 14.

Southwest Airlines, seeking to expand its network to “five for five in Greater L.A.,” has applied for takeoff and landing slots at Long Beach Airport. The airline already flies out of Los Angeles International, Burbank, Orange County Airport and Ontario. Southwest didn’t say where it wants to fly from Long Beach, but California and Nevada media are speculating that it might have its sights on the Bay Area and/or Las Vegas. The airline said it hopes to start service at Long Beach later this year.

According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, American Airlines plans to start daily non-stop service from that Kentucky city to New York LaGuardia effective June 2. It said American will operate one daily roundtrip with a 50-seat regional jet.

A red carpet welcome under wintry skies at Palm Springs International

Virgin America’s inaugural flight to Palm Springs got the red carpet treatment (Chris McGinnis)

Virgin America Airlines said that its seasonal service between San Francisco and Palm Springs will be operated year-round from now on. The airline said it will fly the route four times a week through the fall. Virgin’s Palm Springs-New York JFK flights will remain seasonal, continuing through May.

OneJet, a small but fast-growing niche airline that operates seven-passenger Hawker 400 jets on routes in the Midwest, said it plans to make Pittsburgh its next focus city. The little airline, which already flies from Pittsburgh to Milwaukee and Indianapolis, plans to start twice-daily Pittsburgh-Hartford flights on May 9, and then to add four more destinations from Pittsburgh in the second quarter, although it didn’t day which ones.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about:  Boeing 747 nearing its end? + “Targeted” for an upgrade? + 5 newest biz class hotels in New York + TSA PreCheck is exploding + Bargain hunters travel guide for 2016 

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New ATL-Bay Area flight + SIA trip report + Global Entry + Airfares fall

New Southwest Airlines nonstop flights between Atlanta and Oakland start today (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

New Southwest Airlines nonstop service between Atlanta and Oakland starts today (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Today Southwest Airlines begins new nonstop service between Oakland and Atlanta. The Boeing 737-700 flight departs OAK at 12:25 pm arriving in Atlanta four and a half hours later at 7:55 pm. The flight to Oakland departs Atlanta at 8:35 am and arrives at 11:10 am. Southwest no longer flies nonstop between SFO and ATL leaving the route to Delta and United. Will Virgin America move in? See below…

TravelSkills’ 10 most popular posts over the last week (descending order):

1 Gotta see this: Trip Report: Singapore Airlines’ NEW business class [PHOTOS]

2 Airline updates: Alaska Air’s new partner + United trims Mideast + Lufthansa Denver + London

3 Shorter lines, please! Global Entry gets more global

4 We see the future: Stunning new airport designs: FRA, SLC, PDX (images)Weekend Edition

5 Airport expansion: How to unclog Chicago O’Hare

6 New routes: New Southwest routes + Virgin expands at Dallas + Alaska, AA add more

7 A war of words: Delta dumps Dubai, blasts Mideast carriers

8 Great reader comments here: Want more business trips?

9 Nothing official yet, but Will Hyatt buy Starwood?

10 Most readers want New Orleans Where will Virgin America fly next?

Did you choose a custom background yet?

Did you choose a custom background yet?

Did you know that you can choose the background on the new United. com website? I chose “random for each visit.” Which one did you pick? And what do you think about the new site? Leave your comments below!

A few newsy nuggets from other sources that we missed on TravelSkills this week:

Here’s an inside look at how United prepares in-flight meals.

New carry-on bag design has link to phone, Wi-Fi, battery pack, USB port and more

JetBlue will introduce a new co-branded credit card in 2016.

United expands code-sharing with Brazil’s Azul.

Airfares coming down slightly. Here’s why

FlyteNow, the Uber of private aviation, fighting court order

The real reason Delta dumped Dubai

Why federal air marshals should be grounded

Parking at ATL will be a hassle for next 8-10 years!

Delta to exit big airline trade group

United losing momentum due to C-suite drama?

Delta vs United in New York City

Lyft beats Uber to the airport in Las Vegas 

Get your flu shot at the airport- multiple locations 

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Global Entry gets more global + New York’s lowest ranked hotels +Best/worst hotel programs for awards + More flat seats

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Big fall-winter airfare sale takes off

A Southwest Airlines 738 in new livery takes of from Midland, Texas (Photo: Felipe Garcia / Flickr)

Southwest Airlines big fall/winter fare sale starts right now! Other airlines will soon be matching (Photo: Felipe Garcia / Flickr)

Travel demand and fares always tumble during the slower fall and winter months, and this year is no exception.

Today, Southwest Airlines kicked off the first big late fall and winter fare sale, and I expect other airlines to start matching these low fares in the next 24-48 hours. (see below for links)

So if you felt priced out of peak summer season, take a look at what Southwest has on offer during the “dead weeks” between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and into the cold, dark early winter months.

Southwest kicked it off today with with fares starting at $100 roundtrip. From there, roundtrip fares rise in several steps to $300.

Sample approximate round trip fares include:

$100: All intra-California and CA-Las Vegas flights, Atlanta-Raleigh or Richmond; Washington DC-Boston

$150: Atlanta-most cities in Florida, New York LGA-Chicago,

$200: SFO/OAK or LAX to Dallas, Chicago or Denver; Atlanta-Boston, Chicago, Dallas or New York

$260: Atlanta-Los Angeles (very good deal!); Denver-Atlanta;  New York to Chicago or New Orleans

$300: Most transcon flights between New York, Baltimore, Atlanta or Boston and LAX, SFO/OAK, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle

Expect other major airlines to match these low fares over the next 24 hours. (We’ll update this page with competitive matches as they roll out…see below)

This sale is good for flights during what’s known in the biz as the “dead weeks” when travel demand plummets to annual lows– this means that hotel and car rental costs are also at annual lows, so it’s a great time to take a cheap trip. It’s also a good time to get home and see the family if pricey peak holiday season fares keep you grounded.

For business travelers who have not been able to get out and see clients due to this year’s extraordinarily high fares, this is a great opportunity save by traveling when most folks are staying at home. You can take off for a quick visit just before Christmas or drop by during the cold dark months of January and February.

Details of Southwest’s 72-hour sale:

>Must buy your tickets between now and Thursday, October 15 at 11:59 p.m. (in originating city).

>Travel windows: December 2-December 16; January 5-February 10 2016

>Not available on Fridays or Sundays (bummer for business travelers or weekenders)

>Black out dates: Christmas/New Year peak season from Thursday December 17- Monday, January 4

>Very limited time: Only a handful of seats on each flight are on sale- you snooze, you lose.

>See Southwest website for other rules and restrictions, or to book trips.

Stay tuned for UPDATES: Airlines matching this sale so far include: Alaska Airlines | American | United

–Chris McGinnis

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: New Two brand new United Clubs + Jennifer Aniston needs a shower + Best Megahub? + Big Hilton/SkyMiles bonus 

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How to get a free drink when stuck in economy

More airlines offering free drinks for elites (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

More airlines offering free drinks for elites (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Airlines are doing everything they can to woo their coveted elite level passengers. This week United joined the fray by offering one free drink to all Premier 1K and Global Services passengers who might suffer the indignity of flying at the back of the plane.

A United spokesperson told TravelSkills, “To show appreciation for their loyalty – we’re offering one free drink, excluding half-bottle premium wines, to Global Services and Premier 1Ks in United Economy on flights worldwide.” United did not make a formal announcement about this, but the new policy went into effect this week.

So how do you claim your free pop? United says that the new iPhone 6 Plus devices now used by its flight attendants (or inflight paperwork) will identify you as 1K or Global Services, so all you have to do is ask.

Could this move be another executive order under new reign of CEO Oscar Munoz? It’s not confirmed, but I bet he had something to do with it…

Related: What your flight attendant knows about you

Since last year, Delta has offered free wine, beer and booze to all passengers flying in its Comfort+ cabin (premium economy) on flights over 250 miles regardless of elite status.

All passengers in Virgin America’s Main Cabin Select seats (bulkheads and exit rows) get free booze and bites on all flights. You have to pay extra to sit in those seats, but elite level flyers frequently find themselves upgraded to these seats at the last minute.

A free drink coupon always comes with a Southwest Airlines Business Select ticket, and Southwest showers Rapid Rewards member with four cocktail coupons for every 10 flights. (Be sure your communications preferences are set to receive the cocktail coupons in your Rapid Rewards profile.) Also, holders of the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Card have been know get four free drink coupons each year, but I’m not sure if that’s still a card benefit.

Executive Platinum members stuck in coach who flash their card or boarding pass to flight attendants get a free drink and snack from American Airlines.

Have a happy Friday and enjoy your inflight cocktail!

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: New Two brand new United Clubs + Jennifer Aniston needs a shower + Best Megahub? + Big Hilton/SkyMiles bonus 

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Big summer-fall fare sale- 3 days only

A Southwest Airlines 738 in new livery takes of from Midland, Texas (Photo: Felipe Garcia / Flickr)

Southwest Airlines big fall fare sale starts right now! Other airlines matching (Photo: Felipe Garcia / Flickr)

Travel demand and prices are bound to tumble after what could be the busiest summer travel season…ever.

So if you’ve been priced out of peak summer season, or have plans for trips in late summer or fall, Southwest Airlines has an airfare sale for you. 

Southwest kicked it off today with with fares starting at $100 roundtrip. From there, roundtrip fares rise in three more steps: $200, $260 and $300.

What’s nice about this sale is that it’s good for late summer trips starting as early as August 24— keep in mind that Labor Day is not until Monday, September 7 this year.

And summer is not officially over until September 21. That’s a nice window for a late summer trip!

Sample round trip fares include:

$100: All intra-California and Las Vegas flights, Atlanta-Raleigh or Richmond; Washington DC-Boston

$200: Atlanta-Boston, Chicago, Dallas or New York; SFO or LAX to Denver

$260: Denver-Atlanta; LAX or SFO to Dallas, Chicago, Austin; New York to Chicago or New Orleans

$300: Most transcon flights between New York, Baltimore, Atlanta or Boston and LAX, SFO, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego Seattle

Expect other major airlines to match these low fares over the next 24 hours. (We’ll update this page with competitive matches as they roll out…see below)

Details of Southwest’s 72-hour sale:

>Must buy your tickets between now and Thursday, June 4 at 11:59 p.m. (in originating city).

>Travel window: August 24- December 16

>Not available on Fridays or Sundays

>Black out dates: Labor Day: September. 3-5 and 7. Thanksgiving: November 20 through December 1

>Only a handful of seats on each flight are on sale- you snooze, you lose.

>See Southwest website for other rules and restrictions, or to book trips.

**UPDATES: Airlines matching this sale so far JetBlue | Virgin America | American | United (limited) | Delta 

–Chris McGinnis

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: A lie-flat seat to avoid! + 10 more airports get immigration pre-clearance + Hotel chains’ Wi-Fi service ranked +  Toronto Airport’s new rail link

 


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Voluptuous tower + Delta experiment + World’s largest hotel + United’s most popular plane?

Gazing up at SFO's new control tower is vertigo-inducing! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Gazing up at SFO’s new control tower is vertigo-inducing! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

TravelSkills’ 12 most popular posts over the last week… plus a few newsy nuggets we missed. 

1. A TravelSkills exclusive and oh, what a view! First look: Inside SFO’s brand new control tower (photos)

2. Have you smelled it? Delta experiments with boarding & aromatherapy

Weekend Edition3. Unless you are Muslim: The largest hotel you’ll likely never stay in

4. Special tags for right-size bags: Another carry-on crackdown coming?

5. Bay to ATL Southwest adds Oakland-Atlanta, other nonstops

6. Holdover from last week: Ugly Chinese worse than ugly Americans?

7. Bad news after huge build up at ATL, elsewhere: Frontier’s CEO dismissed as complaints soar

8. The dancing baby is back! Selected highlights of Delta’s clever new safety video

9. Get group discounts without being part of the group: Trip Report: A new kind of travel package

10. Airlines keep adding new flights: New routes: JetBlue + United + Delta + SAS + Air Canada + Southwest

11. Will all these new flights lead to lower fares? Don’t hold your breath Airfare war in the wings?

12. More evidence that there’s no single site that’s best for airfare shopping: Delta accused of blocking key data

Update: Delta Sky Club at SFO + Miami Centurion lounge opens in June

Singapore Airlines premium economy coming...but not for a while (Chris McGinnis)

Singapore Airlines premium economy coming…but not for a while (Chris McGinnis)

Juicy nuggets of news from other sources that we missed on TravelSkills this week:

Singapore Airlines’ new premium economy seat- Coming Dec 15 at JFK. LAX & SFO in 2016

First new flights for Eastern Airlines from Miami to…

Except for Dreamliners, United’s remodeled 767s are its most popular widebody.

Roundup of Uber acceptance at airports

Nice gig if you’re a “people person”

Which airlines fare worst in on Twitter?

Supersonic business jet goes on sale. Cost? $120 million.

Oakland Airport offers free parking for travelers flying on new routes.

Best view of the week: Big bright and beautiful Barcelona El Prat airport. Wow! 

Barcelona El Prat (Chris McGinnis(

Barcelona El Prat (Chris McGinnis).


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5 key findings from Consumer Report on frequent flyer programs

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: United’s new 50,000 mile bonus + Easy 1,000 AAdvantage miles + Starwood-InterContinental merger? + Delta bumps up summer seats to Europe! 

Consumer Reports found Southwest had the greatest availability of seats for award travel.

Consumer Reports found Southwest had the greatest availability of seats for award travel. (Image: Jim Glab)

Which airline frequent flyer programs are the most (and least) generous with reward seats for their members?

Consumer Reports magazine conducted a detailed analysis of free seat availability on the five largest airlines (Delta, American, United, Southwest and JetBlue) over the past two years.

Briefly: Southwest is the most generous with awards, JetBlue the least. New York is the most popular destination for award trips. All airlines except United increased award seat availability last year. JetBlue awards are the most valuable. Don’t rely on what you see online– call an agent to check award availability. And buying miles is always a bad idea.

Mores details among the findings:

  • Southwest Airlines made 11.5 percent of its seats — a total of 11.9 million — available for award travel on hundreds of routes. That’s the highest among the five airlines. Among the 25 most popular reward routes, Southwest had the highest percentage of award seat availability on 72 percent of them. By contrast, JetBlue ranked last of the five with only 4.5 percent of its seats, or 892,000, available for reward trips. Delta set aside 5.6 million U.S. award seats, followed by United with 5 million and American with 3.5 million.
  • The top five domestic award travel destinations, and the airline with the highest percentage of available seats, were New York City (Southwest at 12.8 percent), Los Angeles (Delta at 11.7 percent), Las Vegas (Southwest at 10 percent), Miami (Southwest at 13.7 percent) and Orlando (Southwest at 9.3 percent).

New: United’s sweet 50,000-mile bonus is back

  • Although everyone talks about award seats being harder than ever to find, Consumer Reports determined that the number of one-way award trips flown by the five airlines in fiscal 2014 was 26.9 million, an increase of almost 3 million from the previous year. All the airlines increased award travel last year except United, which cut it from 10.2 percent to 9.8 percent of all tickets.
  • In assessing whether or not award seats represented a good value compared with the lowest fares available in a given market, the report found that JetBlue awards represented good value on all its routes, but it only serves 10 of the top 25; Southwest had good award seat value on 88 percent of its routes vs. 60 percent for United, 38 percent on Delta and 36 percent on American.
  • The magazine suggested that frequent flyer members should not buy extra miles to top off their accounts when that option is available. “They cost about 3 cents per mile, clearly a losing proposition. Instead, use the miles you do have to buy a one-way ticket covering half of your round trip, which all big five airlines now allow.”

The full report is a whopper– check it out here. 

How do your own experiences in finding award seats compare with the Consumer Reports findings? Post comments below. 

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: United’s new 50,000 mile bonus + Easy 1,000 AAdvantage miles + Starwood-InterContinental merger? + Delta bumps up summer seats to Europe! 


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Delta cutting back + Virgin shines + Southwest seats + Cool coach seat design + Star Wars jet

Cozy

Now that’s a middle row I could love (Image: Thompson Aero)

Delta reining it in. The strong dollar is proving a boon for Americans traveling overseas, but not so much for airlines that depend on two-way international traffic. Delta cited “currency headwinds” for its announcement last week that it plans to trim its international capacity by 3 percent overall in its winter schedule. It’s routine for airlines to adjust capacity in the winter, but some of Delta’s cutbacks will be severe, “focused on markets that have been most affected by the strong dollar and markets where demand has been negatively impacted by the decline in oil prices,” the company said. Specifically, in the winter schedule Delta will cut capacity to Japan by 15 to 20 percent; Brazil by 15 percent; Africa, India and the Middle East by 15 to 20 percent; and it will suspend service to Moscow. Domestic capacity, on the other hand, will increase by 2 percent, Delta said.

TravelSkills

**TRAVELSKILLS HOUSEKEEPING! We will be updating our format over the next few weeks to make it more easily read on mobile devices. Things could get a little buggy so please bear with us as we make the transition. Thank you, dear readers! We look forward to hearing your feedback when it’s all done.**

(Photo: Virgin America)

(Photo: Virgin America)

Virgin tops quality ratings. For the third year in a row, Virgin America has come out on top of the annual Airline Quality Rating (AQR), a compilation of carrier performance statistics prepared by academics at Wichita State and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. But the report, now in its 25th year, noted that the industry’s overall quality deteriorated last year. The study considers on-time performance, denied boardings, mishandled baggage and customer complaints. The authors question why the air travel experience is getting worse for passengers when the airlines are finally hauling in substantial profits. Hawaiian ranked #2 and Delta, #3. The worst rating went to Envoy, the shrinking American Airlines subsidiary that operates under the American Eagle banner. United was just a few notches from the botton at #9 out of 12. Hmmm. So airline performance is getting worst, yet we are in one of the highest demand periods ever for air travel…what gives? How bad will it have to get before Americans to stop, or at least start cutting back on flying?

Priority Pass losing United. The $399/year Priority Pass is a popular option for travelers who spread their business around and don’t want or need access to a single airline lounge program. It offers access to hundreds of airport lounges around the world. Over the last few years Delta and America quit Priority Pass, and just this week we learned that United Clubs are pulling out, too, starting May 15. (Note: This will not affect those who have Priority Pass “Select” membership via an American Express Platinum card– it did not offer United Club access anyway…)

NewSWeconomyseats

Southwest’s new seats coming soon to a 737 near you. (Southwest Airlines)

New Southwest seats. Passengers on Southwest Airlines’ 737-800s in mid-2016 will be the first to experience the airline’s new seats, which will also be installed on its 737 MAX aircraft due for delivery starting in 2017. The company said the seats are lighter than the current versions; come with adjustable headrests; provide more legroom and stowage space; and are “the widest economy seats available” for 737s — more than half an inch wider than current models. However, at least one observer suggested that Southwest’s new seats will become wider by making the armrests narrower, and said the airline would do better for passengers by installing power ports- notably absent on Southwest’s growing number of long haul flights. If the photo above does not do the seats justice, take a look at this video Southwest produced.

Screen Shot 2015-04-18 at 4.33.06 PM

Getting laptop power from your window shade? Yep. (B/E Aerospace)

Window shade chargers? Why waste all that high-altitude sunlight? According to a report in Australian Business Traveler, engineers at B/E Aerospace have developed a new kind of window shade for commercial aircraft cabins that can be used to charge passengers’ electronic devices. The outside of the shade is covered with a thin film of solar cells, and a USB connection lets passengers plug into the resulting electricity. (Hopefully, powerless Southwest Airlines will get a sales pitch about this…see above.)

An end to middle seat blues? An aircraft seat manufacturer in Northern Ireland has created a new design and configuration for three-across economy seating that could take the pain out of a middle seat assignment. (See lead photo above.) The seats are angled instead of straight across, and a retracting bottom section provides easy access to the inside seats. Thompson Aero Seating’s new Cozy Suite also features seats with curved headrests for easier snoozing in economy and curved armrests with space for two elbows.

Bigger portions, free beer/wine on United. Long-haul international passengers in United’s economy cabins will see an improved food and beverage service this spring, the airline said, including free beer and wine, complementary three-course meals with “more substantial portions,” and a new option to buy “premium snacks.” The new service rolls out June 1 on transatlantic and transpacific flights as well as service to Argentina, Chile and Brazil. Main-course meals include things like turkey meatloaf in barbecue sauce, Tuscan ravioli with red pepper sauce, and udon noodles with stir-fried vegetables. Check out TravelSkills reader reports and comments about United food here.

ANA’s flying billboard. With all the hype surrounding the upcoming release of a new Star Wars movie — e.g., its new trailer drew millions of views within hours of appearing on YouTube — is it any surprise that an airline is jumping on the publicity bandwagon? Japan’s All Nippon Airways said its newest 787-9 Dreamliner is being fitted out with special livery that it calls the R2-D2 design — “the first time a Star Wars character will appear on the exterior of a commercial aircraft,” ANA says. It’s part of a new five-year promotional partnership between ANA and The Walt Disney Company (Japan) Ltd.

Recent: Turkish Airlines pings Silicon Valley

Weekend Edition

Did you miss yesterday’s issue of TravelSkills’ Weekend Edition? Not to worry! Here ’tis:

Runway closure at LAX + New Starwood brand + More passport kiosks + New tier for IHG elites + Fast cars

In Case You Missed It…

::

>>Take a peek at what you may have missed on TravelSkills.com this week! <<
Like what you just read? Then say so! Scroll back up to the top and LIKE the post on Facebook, post it on Linked In and/or tweet it!

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Delta hub in China? + Lufthansa lie-flat + AA points promo + Delta mileage sale + SAS new biz class

Shanghai Pudong PVG airport a new Delta hub? (Photo: Matt_Weibo / Flickr)

Shanghai Pudong PVG airport a new Delta hub? (Photo: Matt_Weibo / Flickr)

Delta eyes Shanghai hub. Delta said last week it will relocate its operations at Shanghai Pudong Airport from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 on April 13 in order to be close to its codeshare partners China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai Airlines, and Delta CEO Richard Anderson suggested in a message to employees that Shanghai could be Delta’s next hub as it builds up the China-U.S. market with its partners. He compared it to the existing link between Delta and partner KLM at Amsterdam Schiphol. Delta currently flies to Shanghai from Seattle, Detroit and Tokyo Narita, and if it wins government approval, will add Los Angeles-Shanghai Weekend Editionservice in July, giving it a total of 28 flights a week from the U.S. The code-sharing pacts with China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines give Delta access to 30 destinations beyond Shanghai. And Delta’s customers will have access to a new SkyTeam Lounge that China Eastern plans to open in the airport’s Terminal 1 later this year.

AA accelerates elite points. Members of American Airlines’ AAdvantage program can get on the fast track to elite status by buying pricey premium cabin tickets this year. The company said members who buy full-fare first and business class tickets (fare categories J and F) from now through December will earn 3.0 elite-qualifying points per mile — the usual 1.5 per mile plus a new bonus of an additional 1.5. For discount first and business fares (R, D, A, I, P), the regular 1.5 points per mile is supplemented with an extra 0.5 points for total of 2.0. The bonus applies for travel on American, US Airways, British Airways, Iberia, Finnair, Qantas and Japan Airlines. Hmm. That’s starting to sound like a revenue-based frequent flyer program to us…

original_Lufthansa_New_Business_Class_Rollout_Dates_Routes

Lufthansa’s new lie-flat seat (Lufthansa)

Lufthansa lies flat. Thankfully Lufthansa is rapidly shedding its old-school angled lie flat seats, and they will be completely gone in a few months. A Lufthansa spokesperson confirmed that, for example, the carrier’s A380s between Frankfurt and SFO now feature the new business class product. “The Business Class retrofit process of the entire Lufthansa long-haul fleet will be completed in the second quarter of this year,” he said.

Related: Business class on sale for summer! 

A mesmerizing look at a Delta jet from a window of ATL's Concourse E (Photo: AP Gouge Photography)

A mesmerizing look at a Delta jet from a window of ATL’s Concourse E (Photo: AP Gouge Photography)

Delta mileage sale. Delta, which recently changed its SkyMiles rules to make some domestic/Latin America/Caribbean award flights available starting at 10,000 miles one-way, is greatly expanding the number of markets in that deal in a new promotion for spring travel (April 30-June 20). The purchase deadline is April 23. Sample markets include Atlanta-New Orleans, New York LGA-Orlando, Seattle-Phoenix, New York JFK-Bermuda, Atlanta-Nassau and Los Angeles-Mazatlan. among others.

American’s merger milestone. Although they’ve been operating under common management for some time, American and US Airways were technically separate airlines — until last week, when the FAA finally granted the company a single operating certificate for the two carriers, a step that American called “a major milestone” in the merger process. Although that makes a difference to air traffic controllers (all flights will now go by the AA call sign “American”), the change will be transparent to passengers, who will still check in at aa.com or usairways.com or their respective check-in counters. American recently started merging the frequent flyer accounts of the two carriers into a single AAdvantage program, but it still has to combine the two airlines’ reservations systems — a big job that has caused problems for some earlier airline mergers.

Popular: Heyo paleo travelers– check this out

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Have you checked out Personal Capital yet? A powerful new tool from the former CEO of PayPay and Intuit (Quicken) to help busy people manage finances– some say it’s a better tool for wealth management than Mint.com. If you, like many business travelers, have a tough time keeping up with your investments, you should check it out today and help support TravelSkills!

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New routes: Southwest, Delta, JetBlue. Southwest Airlines last week kicked off the latest expansion of its growing network out of Dallas Love Field, adding daily non-stop service to Columbus, Indianapolis, Memphis, Milwaukee, Panama City Beach (Fla.), Portland, Sacramento, San Jose and Seattle. On April 11, Southwest will add Saturday-only service from DAL to Charleston, S.C. Southwest also started new daily service last week between Kansas City and New York LaGuardia … Delta said it will add two new South American spokes from its Atlanta hub on December 19, including daily service to Medellin, Colombia and three flights a week to Cartagena, Colombia … JetBlue plans a December 10 start for new flights from Albany, N.Y. to Ft. Lauderdale and Orlando, with one daily roundtrip in each market.

SAS using Google's Street View technology to show off it's new cabins (SAS)

SAS using Google’s Street View technology to show off it’s new cabins (SAS)

SAS ‘Street View’. SAS is using Google Street View’s technology to give customers a look at the interiors of its newly upgraded long-haul A330/340 aircraft. Users can navigate their way through the plane to look at the features of SAS Go, Plus and Business classes, checking out the entertainment systems, the seats and even the bathrooms. You can try it out here. But it will be a while before you can actually sit in the new seats. A spokesperson told TravelSkills, “We are upgrading a total of four 340s and the upgrade is should commence just after the summer.”

In Case You Missed It…


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$64,000 roundtrip + Bevy of new flights + Southwest bag fee + Lufthansa update + Kimpton nightcap

The big bed in Etihad's 3-room Residence aboard its A380 flying to New York in December (Photo: Etihad)

The big bed in Etihad’s 3-room Residence aboard its A380 flying to New York in December (Photo: Etihad)

The $64,000 question. Etihad Airways said it will put an Airbus A380 onto its New York JFK-Abu Dhabi route starting December 1, giving ultra-affluent air travelers a chance to try out the carrier’s posh cabins that it calls “The Residence by Etihad.” The 125-square-foot cabins have a living room, en-suite shower and a bedroom with a double bed, and come with white-gloved, Savoy-trained butler services. The roundtrip fare for the Residence between New York and Abu Dhabi? A mere $64,000. Which begs the question: Who in the world would pay that? Well, somebody out there already has! Etihad issued a press release on the day after the product announcement stating that it sold the Residence on the inaugural flight “within hours.”  What’s it like onboard? Check out Etihad’s video below. 

Screen Shot 2015-03-07 at 9.19.27 AM

Clever comment of the week. Last week’s TravelSkills post US airlines vs Emirates, Etihad & Qatar sure struck a chord with readers, with the majority sounding off against US airline whining (see above).

Routes: American, Alaska et al. American Airlines last week kicked off new daily service between Miami and Austin … Alaska Airlines has started flying between San Diego and Kona on Hawaii’s Big Island three times a week … Air China will boost frequencies between Los Angeles and Beijing on May 2 when it adds a third flight four days a week, increasing to three daily roundtrips July 1; also on July 1, Air China will move from Terminal 2 at LAX to the Tom Bradley International Terminal … Lufthansa has put a new 364-seat 747-8 Intercontinental into service between Newark and Frankfurt.

 Southwest reassures on bag fees. Southwest Airlines is still under lots of pressure from Wall Street to start charging fees for checked bags — especially since JetBlue caved on that policy recently and will soon issue a new fare structure that eliminates a free checked bag for the lowest prices. But Southwest’s CFO told an aviation conference last week that the airline still has no plans to change its policy, which currently allows passengers two free checked bags.

Southwest heads south. This week, Southwest launched new nonstops to international destinations south of the border: San Jose, Costa Rica (from Baltimore) and Aruba (from Houston). Each of the new routes is longer than 2,000 miles each-way. San Jose service marks a milestone for the carrier by establishing a presence in a new country (not preceded by AirTran) and by connecting Central America to the Southwest network.

Inflight wi-fi fee hits a new high

All doors open during a behind-the-scenes tour of Lufthansa's hangar in Frankfurt (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

All doors open during a behind-the-scenes tour of Lufthansa’s hangar in Frankfurt (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Lufthansa updates in-flight experience, fares. Now that Lufthansa has almost finished refitting all its long-haul cabins with new seats –a job that should end by the third quarter, including expansion of premium economy seating from the current 30 planes to all 106 long-haul aircraft — the carrier plans to roll out some service enhancements. That includes “Business Class Restaurant Service” on long-haul flights starting this summer, with tables set individually, meals served from the galley instead of a cart, and more flight attendants in the business cabin; and the expansion of its FlyNet in-flight Wi-Fi service to all intercontinental flights. Lufthansa will also introduce new economy fares on intra-European flights next fall, with three levels: Light (no checked bags, rebooking or refunds), Classic (one bag, advance seat selection and rebooking for a fee) and Flex, with the most options included. Have you flown Lufthansa recently? What did you think? 

Food critic Elliott Mackle is back! Anyone who has lived in Atlanta for a while probably remembers food critic Elliott Mackle’s zingers in the AJC or Creative Loafing when it came to the Atlanta food scene. He’s a long-time TravelSkills reader and provides us with his take on Delta’s business class cuisine onboard a recent roundtrip between Atlanta and Buenos Aires. Here’s his Reader Report.

AmEx adds Gold Card benefits. Holders of American Express’ Premier Rewards Gold Card will see some additional benefits starting June 1, the company said, including double Membership Rewards points for purchases at U.S. restaurants, a $100 credit for incidental airline fees like checked bag charges, elimination of foreign transaction fees on trips abroad, and a personalized travel service. Oh, one more thing: The annual fee for the card will go up from $175 to $195 on the same date.

Don’t buy Gogo onboard + Virgin to Hawaii? + Clever Delta ad + LaGuardia slots

HOTELS

Kimpton’s free booze. The latest perk for guests at Kimpton Hotels — now a division of InterContinental Hotels Group — is the “Nightcap Program.” Guests at 17 Kimptons will get a free “small pour of a nighttime libation” and a paired snack each evening — things like scotch and shortbread, port and blue cheese, etc. It’s available at 17 Kimptons now, with more to be added through the year. Add this to the long list of “little things” that Kimpton always gets right– it’s one of my favorite hotel chains.

Mock up of the brand new Loews Chicago hotel

Mock up of the brand new Loews Chicago hotel

Openings, rebrandings: Chicago, Philadelphia, etc. Just weeks after announcing it was taking over San Francisco’s Mandarin Oriental, Loews Hotels has cut the ribbon on the 400-room Loews Chicago Hotel, two blocks east of Michigan Avenue just north of the Chicago River. It’s in the lower 14 stories of a 52-story tower … The former Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing is now the 348-room Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing … InterContinental Hotel Group’s new Kimpton Hotels subsidiary has taken over management of the Shorebreak Hotel in Huntington Beach, Calif., close to the city’s famous pier … Melia Hotels this month opens the 369-room Melia Paris La Defense in the district of the same name — the largest four-star hotel to debut in Paris in 10 years … Dubai has its fifth Hyatt-branded hotel with the opening of the Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights; its 464 rooms occupy a pair of 538-foot towers … Got business in Haiti? Marriott opened the doors of its newly-built Marriott Port-au-Prince … Starwood has added a new Luxury Collection property in Mexico City: Las Alcobas, a gorgeous 35-room boutique-style property in the upscale Polanco district.

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

Weekend Edition

Did you missed yesterday’s issue of TravelSkills Weekend edition? No probs! Here ’tis:

Don’t buy Gogo onboard + Virgin to Hawaii? + Clever Delta ad + LaGuardia slots


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Don’t buy Gogo onboard + Virgin to Hawaii? + Clever Delta ad + LaGuardia slots

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Gogo’s prices when purchased onboard. Do you follow Chris on Twitter? @cjmcginnis CLICK!

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: 

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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 Weekend Editionclear 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.

scough

The new Scough could help you avoid colds & flu. Or hide from your enemies (Photo: Scough)

‘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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Bloodbath for airlines a boon for travelers

Frontier freshened it's look last year

Frontier freshened its look last year- but kept the cute animal tails (Image: Frontier Airlines)

Atlanta is turning into the newest test market for the hottest trend in the airline business — the ultra-low-cost carrier. Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines are both planning significant expansion at ATL: Spirit said last week that it is adding nine new routes there this coming spring and summer, and Frontier announced today that it will fly nonstop to 10 more cities from ATL, for a total of 16. 

On April 30, Frontier will launch a daily nonstop between Atlanta and:  Cincinnati, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York LaGuardia, New Orleans and Minneapolis/St. Paul. To celebrate, the airline is offering one-way fares as low as $19 between ATL and New Orleans or Orlando. It should not go unnoticed that nearly every one of these cities is a key Delta hub or focus city, so it’s clear that low-frills Frontier has Delta in its crosshairs (Southwest, too).

A Frontier spokesperson told TravelSkills, “Frontier is going from six destinations to 16 from ATL by April 30.  We will be ATL’s third largest carrier in terms of departures this summer. Denver is still our largest hub, followed by Chicago O’Hare, then Atlanta.”

Just last week, Delta and Southwest faced another significant threat by another “ultra low cost” carrier. As we reported on TravelSkills, Spirit Airlines announced nine new nonstop routes from ATL, giving it a total of 15 destinations out of Atlanta.

Frontier previously announced that it will launch nonstops from ATL to Austin, Indianapolis, Miami and Philadelphia in March.

It will be interesting to see how the established players respond. Equally interesting will be to see how these two ultra-low cost entrants will fight since many of these new routes overlap. In either case, it likely means lower fares in Atlanta and elsewhere. But stay tuned… both carriers have a history of moving in and out of markets very quickly. 

Highly restricted, but quite a good deal if you can get one

Highly restricted, but quite a good deal if you can get one, and avoid all the extra fees. But will you?

Let’s compare these two ultra-low cost contenders:

The two airlines have some strategic similarities. With their focus on keeping basic fares to an absolute minimum, they charge more kinds of ancillary fees than other airlines (most notoriously for carry-on bags that go in the overhead bin). They also tend to have limited schedules, rarely more than one flight a day in a given market, and often only a few flights a week — hardly ideal for business travelers who value schedule frequency above all else. That’s because these airlines are going after extremely price-sensitive customers, nibbling around the edges of the larger market.

Why you should change the credit cards you carry

And from a bottom-line standpoint, it’s a formula that works: Spirit has become a darling of Wall Street, with better profit margins than its larger competitors and ambitious growth plans. Spirit’s total capacity rose by 18 percent last year, and is expected to increase an amazing 30 percent in 2015, making it — in percentage terms, at least — the fastest-growing airline in the country. But Spirit, which has been flying scheduled passenger service since 1992, is also the only U.S. carrier to hold a lowly two-star rating from Skytrax, the big airline quality monitor.

Frontier has been around even longer if you count the original Denver-based carrier that started up in 1950 but went bust after the airline deregulation wars. The modern incarnation of Frontier dates back to 2001, and it was acquired — after it went bankrupt — by Republic Airlines Holdings, an operator of regional carriers, in 2009. After a few years of trying, Republic couldn’t make Frontier work in a highly competitive Denver market (where United was dominant and Southwest was moving in fast), or in the other various markets where it tried to establish a niche, so in 2013 it sold Frontier to new investors — the private equity firm Indigo Partners, which turned Frontier into an ultra-low-cost carrier. That wasn’t really a surprise, since the man who runs Indigo Partners — William Franke — pioneered the concept when he ran Spirit Airlines.

Spirit Airlines A320s offer a tight 28 inches of space between each seat- the tightest in the industry (Photo: Bernal Saborio / Flickr)

Spirit Airlines’ A320s offer a tight 28 inches of space between each seat- the tightest in the industry (Photo: Bernal Saborio / Flickr)

So how do these two ATL interlopers stack up against each other? Both rely on one-class, single-aisle Airbus planes. The standard seats on Spirit’s A319s, A320s and A321s have a knee-crunching 28-inch pitch and seats that are less than 18 inches wide (“We’re a cozy airline,” Spirit admits on its website). The planes also offer a few better seats (four on A320/321s; 10 on A319s) called “Big Front,” with 36-inch pitch and 20-inch width, and of course they’ll cost you extra. At Frontier, standard seats have a more generous (by ultra-low-cost carrier standards) 30-31 inch pitch and seat width of 18 inches. Frontier’s planes also offer 30 (on A319s) or 36 (A320s) “Stretch” seats at an extra cost, with 36-38 inch pitch and 18-inch width.

Fares on Spirit are transportation-only, or as Spirit calls them, “fully unbundled.” If you want anything more than a seat and storage under the seat for a small personal item, you’ll pay more. At Spirit, that even includes water. If you don’t print your boarding pass at home, Spirit charges you $10 to do it at the airport. At Spirit, the cost for a carry-on bag ranges from $26 (if you pay online when you book) to $100 (if you wait until you’re at the gate to pay).

Business travelers may want to consider Frontier's "Stretch seats" which offer more legroom (Image: Frontier Airlines)

Business travelers may want to consider Frontier’s “Stretch seats” which offer more legroom (Image: Frontier Airlines)

And checked bags carry fees as well, ranging from $21 to $100 for the first one. Want to select your seat before check-in? That’ll cost you from $1 to $50 for standard seats, or $12 to $199 for Big Front seats.

At Frontier, the fee for a carry-on bag ranges from $30 to $50 depending on when you pay, although Frontier does offer bundled fares that cost more but include some services. So for those who buy these Classic Plus fares (which allow full refundability, same-day standbys and no change fees) there’s no extra charge for a carry-on (nor is there one if you’re a Summit or Ascent-level member of Frontier’s Early Returns loyalty program). A checked bag costs $25-$30, again with exemptions for Classic Plus buyers and loyalty elites. Extra-legroom Stretch seats on Frontier are available free to Classic Plus fare buyers and to Summit and Ascent-level loyalty members; other passengers can upgrade for fees that start at $15. (Frontier also offers “Select” seats for fees starting at $5. These are just regular coach seats that happen to be closer to the front of the plane than the others.)

Both airlines also have loyalty programs that are pretty basic. Spirit’s is called Free Spirit and Frontier’s is EarlyReturns. Free Spirit is quite limited in its partner companies — just one hotel group, for instance (Choice Hotels International). Frontier’s plan is more traditional in that it offers tier levels that carry fee-waiving benefits, starting with Ascent level at 15,000 miles or 20 segments a year; Summit is 25,000 miles/30 segments.

So, frequent traveler… what do you think? Would you venture to fly on an “ultra-low cost carrier?” How do you think Delta will respond in Atlanta, or other legacies will respond in other cities? Please leave your comments below. 

Did you miss Saturday’s issue of our Weekend Edition? No probs! Here’s the link:

United changes + SFO Sky Club + Southwest devalues + New Virgin route + Beijing bird!

In Case You Missed It…

>Should airports restrict the sale of alcohol to passengers?

>Fortune magazine designates “most admired” travel-related companies.

>San Francisco’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel will change hands next month.

>Planespotting: The 757 vs. 767.

Have you been following our super popular Planespotting 101 series? Check out our first three installments here: 

Planespotting 101: Boeing 757, 767 (latest)

Planespotting 101: Boeing 737 vs Airbus A320

Planespotting 101: MD-80/90 & Boeing 717

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>>Take a peek at what you may have missed on TravelSkills.com this week! <<
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Fortune’s 10 most admired (travel-related) companies

Apple's iPhone, seen here in leather, has become a frequent travel essential (Photo: Omar Jordan Fawahl / Flickr)

Apple’s iPhone, seen here in leather, has become a frequent travel essential (Photo: Omar Jordan Fawahl / Flickr)

This week FORTUNE magazine churned out its annual list of “most admired” companies.

While most of the top 10 are not specifically travel-related companies, they all have a profound impact on our daily lives as frequent travelers. Here’s what I mean.

1) Apple. Think about how Apple has transformed the travel experience with the iPhone and iPad. These days 48% of TravelSkills readers access the blog from mobile devices and we have Apple to thank for that. And Apple has been pumping soothing music into our ears for years helping us to forget about cramped cabins and screaming babies, right?

Related: 6 tips for taking better iPhone pics

2) Google. I can’t think of a company that has altered the travel experience more in the last decade than Google. Most helpful for me as a frequent driver is its new Waze map app— a wizard at showing me short cuts around traffic, and keeping me alerted to speed traps. Then there’s flight status. Did you know that you can enter “Delta 134” in the Google search bar and get immediate flight status? Or enter “SFO JFK” and get an immediate “ballpark” figure on flight price. Oh, and then there’s ITA Matrix, the best airfare research tool out there. The list goes on and on…

3) Berkshire Hathaway. In addition to owning NetJets, which is perhaps the best known provider of private jet services, Berkshire Hathaway is a big provider of travel insurance, most recently rolling out an innovative new protection product called Aircare that pays you up to $1,000 for things like missed connections or long tarmac delays.

4) Amazon. Let’s face it, frequent travelers rarely have time to shop. With Amazon at our fingertips, we can order nearly anything online from the plane or hotel room and have what we need at home when we get there. Sorry SkyMall! Related: SkyMall bankruptcy no surprise

Starbucks in Dubai? (Photo: Joi Ito / Flikr)

Starbucks in Dubai? (Photo: Joi Ito / Flikr)

5) Starbucks. We just wrote about how frequent travelers should strive to soak up local culture by drinking coffee like locals do. But do we always do so? Or is the most frequently phrase we use overseas, “Where’s the nearest Starbucks?” In addition, Starbucks and Delta just partnered and will serve a whopping 68 million cups of coffee this year on Delta flights.

Related: Coffee 5 ways in 5 cities…or Starbucks?

6) Walt Disney. Walt Disney not only touches us when we are on vacation with the kids, but when we are standing in line at TSA, which took its queue control technology from Mickey.

7) Southwest. Despite the fact that it’s not always the lowest fare option any more, Southwest’s no-nonsense business practices around boarding planes and not charging penalties for itinerary changes resonate with frequent travelers. I just wish they still had an AirTran-like business class section for those long flights…but that would probably just complicate things.

Check in at the new American Express Centurion lounge at SFO (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Check in at the new American Express Centurion lounge at SFO (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

8) American Express. Were it not for a large cash infusion and long term support from American Express, Delta Air Lines would likely not be around these days. Frequent travelers also love AMEX for its new Centurion clubs and highly regarded Membership Rewards program.

Related: First look Centurion Club at SFO

9) General Electric. It’s not just lightbulbs. The GE conglomerate is one of the largest jet engine manufacturers in the world.

"I'll just have a diet Coke." (Photo: Jellidonut / Flickr)

“I’ll just have a diet Coke.” (Photo: Jellidonut / Flickr)

10) Coca Cola. The other most frequently used phrase by frequent travelers? “I’ll just have a diet Coke.” Or a “Coke light” when overseas. Right?

Other travel companies near the top of the most-admired list?

19) Singapore Airlines

27) Boeing

37) Marriott International

39) Delta Air Lines

Here’s the full list of 2015’s most admired companies from FORTUNE.

–Chris McGinnis

Have you been following our super popular Planespotting 101 series? Check out our first two installments here: 

Planespotting 101: Boeing 757, 767 (latest)

Planespotting 101: Boeing 737 vs Airbus A320

Planespotting 101: MD-80/90 & Boeing 717

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>>Take a peek at what you may have missed on TravelSkills.com this week! <<
Like what you just read? Then say so! Scroll back up to the top and LIKE the post on Facebook, post it on Linked In and/or tweet it!

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New SFO competition + Delta fights for Love + United Wi-Fi + Air China’s 747-8s + Bag woes at Denver

The new terminal at Dallas Love Field feels a lot like SFO's Terminal 2- light, airy, modern with a broad selection of dining & shopping options. Were impressed! (Photo: Chris McGinnis(

The new terminal at Dallas Love Field feels a lot like SFO’s Terminal 2- light, airy, modern with a broad selection of dining & shopping options. We’re impressed! (Photo: Chris McGinnis(


AIRLINES

New SFO routes for Southwest, JetBlue. Virgin America got some new competition on a couple of key routes last week as Southwest kicked off new daily service between San Francisco and Dallas Love Field, and JetBlue started two daily flights between SFO and Las Vegas. Southwest also added daily flights between Love Field and Oakland, completing its initial expansion at the close-in Dallas airport following the end of Wright Amendment restrictions last fall. That rule basically restricted service out of Love Field to states bordering Texas, and when it ended Virgin America moved its Dallas operations from DFW to Love Field. As a result of all this, November 2014 passenger traffic at Love Field jumped by 37 percent over the same month a year earlier. Meanwhile, Delta executives last week were in talks with Dallas airport officials trying to find a way to maintain the airline’s presence at Love Field for its DAL-Atlanta flights. As of this weekend, Delta negotiated a deal allowing it to stick around Love Field for the next 180 days. Have you flown into Love Field yet? Thoughts? On a recent stopover there, we were very impressed (See photo above).

American will cluster DFW schedules. In a few months, American Airlines plans to overhaul schedules at its Dallas/Ft. Worth hub, bringing groups of arrivals and departures closer together into clusters or “banks” instead of spreading them out evenly over the course of the day. The change will mean shorter connecting times for many travelers. AA did the same thing at its Miami hub last year, and plans a similar change at Chicago O’Hare in 2015.

WeekendEdition

Wi-Fi launched in United regional jets. United announced that it has started to roll out in-flight Wi-Fi in its United Express fleet. The project, slated for completion by the middle of this year, will bring Internet service to more than 200 United Express E175s, E170s and CRJ700s, using Gogo’s ATG-4 air-to-ground technology. “Additionally, the company will begin providing Personal Device Entertainment on regional jets this year, offering customers hundreds of complimentary movies and television shows to view on their Wi-Fi-enabled iOS and Android devices using United’s mobile app, as well as on laptop computers,” the company said. Interesting: United has chosen to use Gogo for these aircraft instead of its own United Wi-fi system rolling out on larger aircraft. Which system to you think is better? Please leave your comments below. 

Carriers battle for Tokyo Haneda. American Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines last week filed for new rights to fly to Tokyo’s close-in Haneda Airport (HND), as the Transportation Department studies whether Delta should forfeit its existing route authority in the Seattle-Haneda market. The U.S. only has access to four daily slots at HND; the others are used by United from San Francisco, Hawaiian from Honolulu and Delta from Los Angeles. American, which wants to use the slot for daily LAX-Haneda service, is arguing that Delta is underutilizing the Seattle authority, operating just a handful of flights through the slow winter season. Delta maintains it will resume regular service in March when business picks up. Hawaiian wants the slot for Kona-Tokyo service.

Air China brings 747-8s to New York, San Francisco (Photo: Air China

Air China brings 747-8s to New York, San Francisco (Photo: Air China)

Route news: Air China, Delta, JetBlue, etc. Star Alliance member Air China is bringing new four-class (including premium economy) 747-8 Intercontinentals to its non-stop Beijing-New York JFK and Beijing-San Francisco routes. Last week, the airline put a 747-8 onto one of its two daily JFK flights, replacing a 777-300ER; the SFO service starts May 1 … Delta will revive seasonal summer service between Pittsburgh and Paris CDG May 10 with five flights a week, increasing to daily in June …… JetBlue will expand at Ft. Lauderdale April 30, adding daily flights to Cleveland and Detroit; JetBlue also announced plans to fly from Portland, Oregon to Anchorage from June 18 to September 8 … On April 16, Spirit Airlines will launch regular daily flights from Boston to Las Vegas, and seasonal service from BOS to Detroit and Cleveland … Effective March 13, Frontier Airlines will add new daily service from Philadelphia to Atlanta, Charlotte and Chicago O’Hare.

denverairport

United’s having baggage problems at its Denver International hub (Photo: Jim Glab)


AIRPORTS

Baggage woes at Denver. United Airlines last month brought in a new company at its Denver International Airport hub to handle baggage on United Express flights, and the changeover has been traumatic. According to the Denver Post, United and its passengers at Denver in the past few weeks have been facing problems of “lost luggage, delayed flights and a chaotic baggage claim area, with bags tossed everywhere.” Some travelers have waited up to two hours to see their bags on the belt, only to be told to go home and wait for delivery, the newspaper reported. The problems extend not only to arriving DEN travelers, but to bag transfers onto connecting flights. Readers: What’s the longest you’ve ever had to wait to get your checked bag back? Do you believe bag delivery problems are worse at some airlines/airports than others? Which ones?

Carmel

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Airport lounge app debuts in U.S. LoungeBuddy, a smartphone app that lets users find and buy access to airport lounges, has expanded to the U.S. Previously available only in the U.K., the app is initially working with Alaska Airlines Board Room lounges as well as Minute Suites. “No memberships, elite statuses or premium seat purchases are required,” the company said. “As of today, instant lounge access will be available in 16 of the busiest airports throughout the world, including major hubs in the United States like Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Atlanta (ATL), Seattle (SEA), Philadelphia (PHL) and Los Angeles (LAX). LoungeBuddy will continue to roll this functionality out to more partner lounges within the US, Europe, Canada, Asia and Australia.” Download the free app here.

maseratighibli

Avis adds the 2015 Maserati Ghibli to its fleet (Photo: Maserati)

CARS

Avis’ hot new car. If you think an expensive, sporty vehicle will really impress your clients and colleagues, Avis has a new option for you. The rental giant has added the 2015 Maserati Ghibli to its Avis Signature Series; it’s available at locations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Orlando, Las Vegas, Phoenix and south Florida. The car’s 3.0 litre twin-turbo V6 engine cranks out 345 horsepower. What’s the rental rate? If you have to ask… Other Avis Signature Series cars include the Chevrolet Corvette, Lincoln Navigator, Infiniti QX60, Mercedes GL450, BMW X5, the BMW 3 Series Sedan and the BMW 5 Series Sedan.

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Faster Virgin Wi-Fi + Hertz status for SkyMiles + Kimpton purchase + Free Internet at Starwood

VirginAmericaWiFiservice

Virgin America Wi-Fi service (Photo: Virgin America)

 AIRLINES

Virgin speeds up in-flight Wi-Fi. Flyers on Virgin America who use in-flight Wi-Fi should notice an improvement in download speeds now that the airline has completed the deployment of Gogo’s ATG-4 Wi-Fi service on all 53 of its Airbus A320s. With speeds topping out at 9.8 Mbps, the ATG-4 service is more than three times faster than the first generation of in-flight Internet. To promote the enhancement, Virgin and Gogo are offering a chance to win roundtrip flights, a new iPad or free Wi-Fi service for a year to persons who “share their best ‘office in the sky’ moment on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #OfficeInTheSky.” Readers, what’s your experience with in-flight Wi-Fi? Too slow? Too expensive? Or just right? Post comments below.

Gogo Wi-Fi Tip: Did you know that you can buy Gogo day passes online before your flight for just $16 vs the $35+ fee you’ll pay for connecting on the plane? This saves the most money for longer transcon flights. Get your passes ahead of time here: Gogo $16 day pass

SkyMiles offers Hertz status. Delta has bolstered its partnership with Hertz by offering SkyMiles Medallion members elite status in the car rental company’s Gold Plus Rewards program, which will give them expedited service and car upgrade eligibility. Gold Medallions can join Hertz’s Five Star Program, while Platinums and Diamonds are eligible for the Gold Plus Rewards President’s Circle. Delta set up a web page with a link to the registration process for Hertz status enrollment. Medallions can also scan Hertz’s summary of benefits for the Gold Plus Rewards status levels.

Alaska debuts new in-flight perks. Streaming in-flight entertainment to personal electronic devices is just one of the perks Alaska Airlines is rolling out as part of its new “Alaska Beyond” in-flight improvements. The company said entertainment streaming — currently available on 50 of its 737s, and coming on the rest by April — will be free through January 31; after that, movies and TV shows start at $1.99. The improvements also include new Recaro leather seats with power outlets and USB ports at every seat (currently on 95 percent of its aircraft) and new in-flight service that offers “locally-sourced, artisan food and beverage from iconic Northwest brands.” Later in 2015, Alaska is due to begin installing new overhead bins that provide 48 percent more storage space.

WeekendEdition

Routes: Southwest, JetBlue, AA. Southwest will add new service next year on several routes: On June 7, it will begin twice-daily Los Angeles-Portland, Ore. flights as well as new daily service between LAX-Indianapolis, Oakland-Nashville and Oakland-New Orleans. On June 28, it will add twice-daily Indianapolis-Boston flights and daily service between Austin-St. Louis and Austin-Orange County, Calif. … JetBlue last week inaugurated three new Florida routes from Washington Reagan National, including twice-daily service to Jacksonville and daily flights to Ft. Myers and West Palm Beach … American Airlines has filed for government approval to start code-sharing with Mexican carrier Interjet, with plans to put the AA code onto Interjet flights from Mexico City to Huatulco, Villahermosa, Merida, Tuxla Gutierrez and Oaxaca.

China connections: United, Virgin. United Airlines plans to boost seasonal capacity from San Francisco to China in 2015. The carrier said that from May 6 to October 24, it will double its SFO-Shanghai service to two flights a day, and from June 4 to September 1 it will increase SFO-Chengdu frequencies from three a week to daily. Meanwhile, Virgin America said that starting in 2015, it will offer members of its Elevate program reciprocal benefits with China Eastern, so they can earn and burn miles on the Chinese carrier’s flights. Virgin will also add the Shanghai-based airline’s code to a number of its U.S. routes. 

AIRPORTS

qantasloungelax

Qantas First lounge at LAX (Photo: Qantas)

New Qantas First lounge at LAX. Qantas has cut the ribbon on a new Qantas First lounge at Los Angeles International Airport that’s more than three times the size of its predecessor. The new Qantas First facility — open to first class customers, Qantas Platinum and Platinum One frequent flyers, and Oneworld Emerald and international first class flyers — can seat more than 200 guests. It has a 74-seat restaurant with cuisine from Australian celebrity chef Neil Perry, as well as enhanced services like faster Wi-Fi, wireless printing, cable TV, a pair of private work suites and seven shower suites. Meanwhile, Qantas last week increased service on it s LAX-Melbourne route from seven flights a week to 10.

HOTELS

Guest room at Kimpton's Hotel Monaco Philadelphia (Photo: Kimpton)

Guest room at Kimpton’s Hotel Monaco Philadelphia (Photo: Kimpton)

InterContinental to acquire Kimpton Hotels. The popular and fast-growing boutique chain Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, with 62 U.S. properties and 16 more in the works, is being acquired by InterContinental Hotels Group for $430 million. Noting that the boutique hotel business is “the fastest growing segment in the industry,” IHG said that Kimpton, with its distinctive designs and decors, will be “highly complementary with IHG’s Hotel Indigo and EVEN Hotels brands.” The purchaser said it would speed up the growth of Kimpton in the U.S. and introduce the brand in foreign destinations, citing a “significant opportunity” for expansion in Europe and Asia. There will be no immediate impact on customers; Kimpton told members of its Karma Rewards plan in an email that its program and the IHG Rewards Club “will continue to run as separate loyalty programs” for the time being.

Starwood expands free Wi-Fi. On the heels of a similar announcement by Marriott two months ago, Starwood Hotels & Resorts said that effective February 2, 2015, members of its Starwood Preferred Guest program who book their rooms directly through a Starwood digital channel including websites and mobile apps will get free standard in-room Wi-Fi access at all the company’s brands. Starwood already offers free Internet at its Aloft, Element, and Four Points by Sheraton brands in North America, and to SPG Platinum members. Starwood’s other brands include St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin, Le Meridien and Sheraton.

Hilton digital check-in goes live. Hilton Worldwide announced last week that guests who use its Hilton HHonors app can now check in digitally at more than 4,100 of its properties worldwide in 11 brands, using their own smartphones, tablets or desktops. They can also use the app to select a specific room for their stay. Next year, Hilton said, it will expand the app’s functionality so guests can unlock their room doors with their smartphones, starting with its Conrad, Hilton, Waldorf Astoria and Canopy by Hilton brands. Have you tried digital check-in with any hotels yet? Any problems?

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A new way to get to New York – La Guardia

Virgin America get a ceremonial squirt with its inaugural flight from Dallas to New York La Guardia (Photo: Virgin America)

Virgin America get a ceremonial squirt with its inaugural flight from Dallas to New York La Guardia (Photo: Virgin America)

Virgin America’s first flights into New York’s close in LaGuardia Airport arrived yesterday. The new nonstops originate from Virgin’s new mini-hub at Dallas Love Field (DAL) and are currently on sale for just $89 each way. Virgin now offers four daily roundtrips on the important business route. Southwest Airlines offers three daily roundtrips.

The new service provides an additional one-stop transcon option for travelers who might prefer to skip the traffic and hassles of JFK or Newark for the close-in ease of LaGuardia, even though total flight time is longer.

For example, Virgin’s one-stop (same plane) flight from SFO via DAL departs at 7:20 am and arrives LGA at 5:35 pm and takes about 7 hours. Southwest’s one stop flights are routed through Denver or Chicago Midway and take about the same amount of time.

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LaGuardia Airport is the closest airport to Manhattan

LaGuardia Airport is the closest airport to Manhattan

From LGA, the trip to Manhattan via cab or car is about 25 minutes vs 45-60 minutes from JFK. (Cost is $30-35 plus tip and toll from LGA and a flat $52 plus tip and toll from JFK.)

Virgin’s return flight from LaGuardia to SFO via Dallas Love takes 8.5 hours, departing LGA at 3:45 pm and arriving SFO at 9:10 pm.

By comparison, Virgin’s nonstop SFO>JFK takes 5-6 hours (depending on winds), departing SFO at 7:00am and arriving JFK at 3:35pm. Return flights take about 6.5 hours due to winds.

TIP: In the market for a new credit card? With the holidays coming up, apply now and you’ll likely meet the spending requirement for BIG bonuses! How about $500 in free travel?

Screen Shot 2014-10-29 at 8.10.54 AM

At LaGuardia, Virgin and Southwest both use the main “Central Terminal B.” This week the Central Terminal celebrates the opening of a the first batch of nearly 60 new food and specialty stores which are part of an $18 million re-do of the aging terminal. Long term, LaGuardia could get a multi-billion dollar makeover.

Maybe one day there will be nonstop flights between west coast cities and La Guardia (click here to read more about that). But in the meantime…Would you fly Virgin via Dallas Love to get to NYC or vice versa? Leave your comments below.

TIP: In the market for a new credit card? With the holidays coming up, apply now and you’ll likely meet the spending requirement for BIG bonuses! How about $500 in free travel?
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Virgin America’s designs on Dallas Love (photos)

Virgin America's lounge for first class and elevate Gold members is a partitioned area in adjacent to its ticket counters (Virgin America)

Virgin America’s check in space for first class and elevate Gold members is a partitioned area adjacent to its ticket counters (Virgin America)

On Monday, Virgin America kicked off new flights at Love Field in Dallas and brought along its design sense for ticket counters and gate areas. 

Its new, private first class VIP check-in area is located adjacent to its new Love Field ticket counters, and will give first class passengers and Elevate Gold members a place to chill out while they check in for their flights with the help of a dedicated Virgin America VIP concierge.   

Virgin's first class lounge is located next to it's check in area at Dallas Love, picture here.

Virgin’s first class check in space is located next to it’s check in area at Dallas Love, pictured here. (Virgin America)

Virgin says the space extends its colorful cabin experience into the airport with design elements that include modern furniture pieces selected in collaboration with the Dallas-based design group Corgan – including Cassina Tre Pezzi lounge chairs, an Eames chair and ottoman and Foscaraini “Twiggy” floor lighting.  The check-in area is separated from the rest of the terminal by a billowy, LED-lit divider wall by Molo Design.

Note that the space is located pre-security next to ticket counters, not in the gate area, where it would likely be more useful. A Virgin spokesperson made it clear that this is not a lounge like its Loft at LAX, but instead a “dedicated space for First Class check-in.”  

Virgin America’s new gates also got the “Virgin” treatment, highlighting the carrier’s British roots with a classic red London phone booth and art photography from various moments in Virgin brand history – from Virgin Records to Virgin Galactic. 

Here's another image of Virgin's lounge at Dallas Love

Here’s another image of Virgin’s lounge at Dallas Love (Virgin America)

Interview: The Dallas Morning New offers an excellent interview w Virgin America CEO David Cush about its newest destination

Virgin America has added some Brit-pop touches to its gate area, like a replica of a London hotel booth

Virgin America has added some Brit-pop touches to its gate area, like a replica of a London hotel booth (Virgin America)

Related: A bright spot in LAX’s drab Terminal 3

The red and white exterior of the modern new terminal at Dallas Love looks as if it was designed with Virgin America in mind...dontcha think?

The red and white exterior of the modern new terminal at Dallas Love looks as if it was designed with Virgin America in mind…don’tcha think? (Image: Virgin America)

-Chris McGinnis

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Nationwide fare sale for winter trips

A Southwest Airlines 738 in new livery takes of from Midland, Texas (Photo: Felipe Garcia / Flickr)

A Southwest Airlines 737 in new livery takes of from Midland, Texas (Photo: Felipe Garcia / Flickr)

Today Southwest Airlines kicked off a significant sale for winter trips with some seriously good deals. As usual, we expect other carriers to begin matching this sale later today. (See below for updates.)

Round trip fares for trips in December, January and early February drop to as low as $99 round trip for short haul trips and then increase in four steps: $198, $248, and $298. (Peak holiday season is not included)

If you have winter travel plans, now’s the time to book…this sale lasts only three days: starting today, Tuesday, October 14 and running through Thursday, October 16, 11:59 p.m. for the respective time zone of the originating city.

This sale brings transcon (coast to coast) roundtrip fares below $300 for the first time we’ve seen in a while. For those in the Northeast, fares to Florida are below $200 round trip. Most intra-California roundtrips are $99. Fares from across the country to Denver are nice a cheap if you are interested in a winter ski vacation.

Some examples of the low roundtrip all-in fares on offer:

  • Atlanta- Washington National or New York LGA: $198
  • San Francisco-Atlanta: $298
  • Las Vegas-Oakland/San Francisco/LAX: $99
  • Baltimore/Washington – San Diego: $298
  • Oakland/San Francisco-Denver: $198
  • Chicago/New York: $198
  • Phoenix-Oakland/San Francisco $198
  • Seattle-San Diego: $198

For a full list of these special fares, visit www.southwest.com.

These low fares are good for flights December 3 through December 17, 2014 and then January 6 through February 11. They are good for travel every day of the week except Fridays and Sundays. As usual, there are only a few seats on each flight at the lowest fares. Early bird gets the worm!

This sale is good for flights during what’s known in the biz as the “dead weeks” when travel demand plummets to annual lows– this means that hotel and car rental costs are also at annual lows, so it’s a great time to take a cheap trip. It’s also a good time to get home and see the family if peak holiday season fares have priced you out of the market.

New: Sign up for a new credit card and you could get a FREE trip home for the holidays… 

For business travelers who have not been able to get out and see clients due to this year’s extraordinarily high fares, this is a great opportunity save by traveling when most folks are staying at home. You can take off for a quick visit just before Christmas or drop by during the cold dark months of January and February.

As usual, other airlines will likely match this Southwest sale, so keep an eye on their websites over the next 24 hours as fares are loaded. We’ll monitor fare matching over the next 48 hours and post results here on TravelSkills.

Updates:

>JetBlue is matching fares for November & December trips only

>United is now matching most of these fares

>American launched a sale good for flights through Mar 6, but fares are not as low

>Delta has matched some of these fares

–-Chris McGinnis

Here’s the fine print from Southwest:

Purchase from Oct. 14-16, 2014, 11:59 p.m. for the respective time zone of the originating city. Travel December 3 through December 17, 2014 and January 6 through February 11, 2015. Travel to/from San Juan, Puerto Rico valid Dec. 3-11, 2014 and Jan. 13 through Feb. 11, 2015. Travel valid every day except Fridays and Sundays. Travel to Florida or Nevada is valid Sunday through Wednesday only.  Additionally, travel from Florida or Nevada is valid Tuesday through Fridayonly. Travel between Nevada and Florida is valid on Tuesdays and Wednesdays only. Some flights operated by AirTran® Airways. Fares valid on nonstop service only. Displayed prices include all U.S. and international government taxes and fees. Seats are limited. Fares may vary by destination, flight, and day of week and won’t be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods. Travel is available for one-way Wanna Get Away Fares. Fares may be combined with other Southwest Airlines combinable fares. If combining with other fares, the most restrictive fare’s rules apply. Sale fares may be available on other days of week, but not guaranteed. Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines, so long as you cancel your reservations at least ten minutes prior to the scheduled departure of your flight. Failure to cancel prior to departure will result in forfeiture of remaining funds on the reservation.  Any change in itinerary may result in an increase in fare. Standby travel requires an upgrade to the Anytime Fare. Fares are subject to change until ticketed.  Offer applies to published, scheduled service only.

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Southwest Airlines reveals new look

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines revealed its new blue look in Dallas today (Photo: Ian Livingston)

Southwest Airlines revealed a modern new look and logo today at an event in Dallas. (And TravelSkills is there!) By the end of 2014, Southwest expects to have at least 60 aircraft (0f about 550total ) with the new livery, with more coming in coming years.

“With so much of Southwest’s focus firmly set on the future, it was a natural time to look at our visual identity,” says Bob Jordan, Southwest’s Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. The task given to Lippincott, a brand strategy and design consultancy, was monumental: distill more than 40 years into one modern, impactful look that represents the exciting future of a one-of-a-kind airline.

Southwest

No more Southwest “redbellies” but the tail will keep some of the red (and yellow) from previous color schemes (Photo: Ian Livingston)

Southwest says that more than 100 people have been working on the project for the last 15 months designing, holding focus groups with customers and employees, and analyzing data. “Little by little,” Southwest said, “a new look emerged, centered around something that has defined the company since day one: Heart.”

“We explored numerous options and always came back to the vibrant, iconic Heart as the only symbol that sums up our unique brand,” says Vanessa Peace, Manager of Brand Identity at Southwest. “Southwest employees are humble, and they carry that humility in everything they do,” explains Rodney Abbott, senior partner of design at Lippincott. “We were careful to retain the humbleness of the heart in the logo, yet go bold with it on the aircraft belly.”

Related: Take a look at Southwest Airlines’ current and previous liveries (or paint jobs)

photo3

Southwest’s Gary Kelly and Kevin Krone christen the new bluebird today in Dallas (Photo: Ian Livingston)

Southwest says that customers will soon begin noticing an entirely new visual experience, all the way down to the packaging of Southwest’s famous complimentary snacks. “Southwest’s iconic colors have even evolved, and the airline commissioned a custom typeface. Eventually, everything will be given a voice and a look that reflects the refreshed brand, from the planes themselves to the website, billboards, TV commercials, and more,” it said.

In related news, Frontier Airlines is expected to reveal a new livery later this week, too.

Recent: CLEAR opens unusual security lane at SF Giants AT&T Park

Southwest Airlines

Here’s the new look. (Photo: Southwest Airlines)

So what do you think? Please leave your comments  below.

–Chris McGinnis

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SFO runways reopen + Fewer amateurs in PreCheck + Coach cocktails now $8 + United’s cool passport scan app

SFO's new EMAS runaway plane lane is finished! All 4 runways now open (Photo: SFO)

SFO’s new, federally mandated, EMAS crushable concrete “runaway plane lane” is finished! All 4 runways now open (Photo: SFO)

SFO runways reopen early. Good news for Bay Area travelers: San Francisco International goes from two operational runways to four effective today (August 10) as a major construction project wrapped up a month ahead of schedule. The two runways had been closed since May 17 to install federally-mandated Runway Safety Areas (designed to catch and slow down runaway planes), requiring airlines to adjust their summer flight schedules. (More photos here) Luckily, the project had minimal impact on SFO flight operations.

Fewer amateurs in TSA PreCheck lanes? Now this sounds hopeful: “We’ll start pulling back on the number of people who we include on a random, managed-inclusion basis, because we want to, frankly, cater to those who have actually signed up, and who we have the highest confidence in because we know the most about them,” John Pistole, TSA Administrator told the New York Times when asked about overcrowding in TSA PreCheck lanes. This is music to the ears of the 440,000 people who have actually paid for the service, and who have been complaining loudly about the increasing number of “random” travelers chosen to pass through the speedy lanes. Have you noticed any improvements?

More kiosks speed re-entry. The latest expansion of Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry kiosks is at Mineta San Jose International Airport, where two of the self-service devices are now in place for program members. Meanwhile, Detroit Metro Airport has installed 30 Automated Passport Control self-service kiosks for inbound international passengers who aren’t part of Global Entry, and Minneapolis-St. Paul now has 10 of the kiosks in its Lindbergh Terminal. (Have you noticed any change in immigrations and customs processing in the US lately? Are the kiosks helping? Please leave your comments below.)

Are you going to try flying into Dallas Love Field starting in Oct? Let us know! (Photo: Justin Terveen)

Are you going to try flying into Dallas Love Field starting in Oct? Let us know! (Photo: Justin Terveen)

No surprise: Southwest adds DAL-SFO/OAK. Southwest’s big expansion of service at Dallas’ close-in Love Field later this year is adding two more business destinations: San Francisco and Oakland. Starting January 6, the carrier will initially operate only one daily roundtrip in each market, but that’s still enough to give some competition to Virgin America Airlines, which plans to launch its own DAL-SFO service on October 13 with three flights a day — and three classes of service, something Southwest lacks. Will you start to fly into Dallas Love (DAL) or stick with DFW? Leave your comments below, please.

United app will scan passports. A big hitch in checking in for international flights with an app has been the need for a passport scan. But now United has come up with a solution: It’s testing an upgrade to its mobile app (for both iOS and Android) so customers can do just that. “After initiating the app’s check-in feature, customers will have the option of verifying their existing stored passport data or scanning their passport. The app uses the mobile device’s camera feature to capture travelers’ passports, similar to a mobile banking deposit,” United said.

In-flight service squeeze at DL, AA. Flying on Delta during the cocktail hour? Be prepared to shell out $8 for that mixed drink in coach, up from $7, the airline confirms … Starting next month, American Airlines will discontinue serving meals to first class passengers on most flights under two hours 45 minutes, replacing them with snacks (exception: some of the most popular routes, like ORD-LGA).

Emirates arrives at Chicago ORD (Photo: Emirates)

Emirates arrives at Chicago ORD- that’s the Chicago city flag (Photo: Emirates)

Emirates to Chicago ORD; AA juggles Brazil service. Emirates last week started new daily 777-200LR non-stops between Chicago O’Hare and Dubai … American will discontinue Charlotte-Sao Paulo service Oct. 1, but will add new routes in December from JFK and MIA to Viracopo Airport in Campinas, Brazil; on October 25, AA will start seasonal suspensions of JFK-Dublin, ORD-Dusseldorf and PHL-Zurich flights … Air France now offers international first class travelers onward connections by four-seat private jets at Paris CDG. (Trivia Question: What do the four stars on Chicago’s city flag represent? Answer here.)

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CARS

Uber continues to disrupt ground transport with a new carpool sharing option (Photo: Uber)

Uber continues to disrupt ground transport with a new carpool sharing option (Photo: Uber)

Uber, Lyft try ride-sharing. Popular ride-finding service Uber is adding a new feature for users: Share your ride and both customers can save money. Called Uberpool, the feature is currently in beta; Uber still promises a ride in five minutes if you opt for Uberpool, and if it can’t find a ride share, it will give you a discount anyway. Competing ride-finder Lyft introduced a similar service called Lyft Line, initially available only in San Francisco and only via iOS devices. Meanwhile, an app called TaxiMagic — used to summon licensed taxicabs — is changing its name to Curb and upgrading its service to include higher-priced black car and limo rides. How do you get around on the ground? Leave your comments below. And if you’ve not tried Uber, do so from our links and you’ll get $30 off your first ride!

In Case You Missed It…

>Should JetBlue and Virgin America merge? How about Lyft and Uber? (Reader comments are great here!)

>Here’s what’s new and cool in the Los Angeles hotel scene.

>Think it’s impossible to sneak onto a flight? Think again.

–Jim Glab & Chris McGinnis

Like what you just read? Then say so! Scroll back up to the top and  LIKE the post on Facebook, post it on Linked In and/or tweet it! 

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Check out these popular recent TravelSkills posts:

Mergers that make sense

Serial stowaway finally gets her free flight

3 brand new Los Angeles hotels (& 3 facelifts)

Free inflight entertainment + Delta dumping 747s + United hub reshuffle + 50K United bonus + Uber for business

The 50,000 mile bonus is back

How to get on earlier flight without paying fee

Trip Report: ANA’s 787 Dreamliner to Tokyo

20 different biz class seats in 1 room- PHOTOS

Southwest pads schedules + 70K Marriott points + New airline for SFO + Chris at GBTA + Salt Lake makeover 

Frequent travelers love Chick-fil-a

Kicked off flight for a tweet? Southwest responds

Are you in the market for a new credit card? Looking for a fat points or mileage bonus to sweeten your balance? Then check out our BEST CREDIT CARDS FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS and scoop up the deals!

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Southwest pads schedules + New airline for SFO + Chris at GBTA + Salt Lake makeover +

Turkish Airlines's exotic business class lounge at IST (Photo: Turkish Airlines)

Turkish Airlines’s exotic business class lounge at IST– soon to connect nonstop to SFO (Photo: Turkish Airlines)

AIRLINES

Southwest’s on-time strategy. Southwest Airlines has seen its on-time performance suffer in recent months, dropping from 83 percent to 70. So it will turn to a favorite airline strategy for dealing with the problem: Starting next month, it will revise its schedules to allow for longer travel times—i.e. it will “pad its schedule.”

Turkish comes to SFO. Rapidly expanding Turkish Airlines will start San Francisco-Istanbul non-stops on April 13, 2015. Introductory fares for the 16-hour flight are already on sale for $699 in economy. Business class is running $4,000-$6,000. Turkish Flight 80 will depart SFO at  6:10PM and arrive in Istanbul at 5:05PM the next day. Flight 79 departs IST at 1:15 PM and arrives SFO at 4:25 PM on the same day. Turkish will use a Boeing 777-300ER on the 13-hour flight with business class in a 2-3-2 configuration and coach in a 3-3-3 configuration and no first class. Turkish Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance. Do you think of Turkish Airlines as “exotic?” I do and that’s how I described it on SFgate last week– but many readers felt that description was wrong. What do you think? Leave your comments below! 

JetBlue weighs a bag fee. JetBlue and Southwest are the only two major airlines that don’t charge a fee for a passenger’s first checked bag (Southwest allows two checked bags free).  But JetBlue officials, concerned about all that lost revenue,  are hinting that they might reconsider their policy and start charging for that first bag. If they do, can Southwest holdout on its own?

US Airways shuffles partnerships. US Airways has started code-sharing with Finnair, a member of sister company American Airlines’ transatlantic joint venture. US Airways’ code goes onto Finnair flights to Helsinki and beyond, from JFK and Toronto, and members of the two carriers’ frequent flyer programs now have mutual benefits. Meanwhile, Dividend Miles will end its partnerships with Singapore Airlines and Turkish Airlines effective August 1. They were holdovers from US Airways’ former Star Alliance membership.

Briefs: Like British Airways, Swiss has started charging fees for advance seat reservations; on long-haul flights, fees are $32 for a “standard seat,” $54 for a “preferred-zone” seat, and $109 for an extra-legroom seat. Unreserved seats can be selected for free within 23 hours of departure … Virgin Australia will end its Los Angeles-Melbourne service in late October, but will boost LAX-Brisbane from four flights a week to daily (and in SF we still waiting for Virgin Australia to link with Virgin America and bring some much need competition on SFO-Australia routes)… Qantas will replace the 747 on its Dallas/Ft. Worth-Sydney route with an A380 in September.

GBTA CONVENTION:

TravelSkills editor Chris McGinnis is attending the big Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) convention in Los Angeles this week. The giant expo attracts about 7,000 travel industry professionals for educational sessions, speeches and panels with the likes of United’s Jeff Smisek or Delta’s Richard Anderson. It also offers an outstanding exposition where travel suppliers display and boast their latest, greatest products and services for business travelers– to me, the coolest part is the ability to check out about 20 business and first class seats in one place! Stay tuned to my Twitter feed to see what I’m seeing and hearing. Find me say HEY if you are there, too!

AIRPORTS

A mock up of the new terminal at Salt Lake City International

A mock up of SLC’s brand new terminal provided by Salt Lake City International

Salt Lake City starts massive reconstruction. Work started last week on a $1.8 billion, years-long overhaul of Salt Lake City International Airport that will replace its existing three terminals with a single extra-large one. One level of the three-story facility will be reserved for international travel and Customs. The existing airport opened 50 years ago — well before Delta started using it as a hub. The first half of the new SLC airport is due to open in 2019 and the second in 2022. Delta announced this week that it will add SLC-Amsterdam nonstops using a B767 starting next May.

CBP boosts staffing at five airports. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it has forged partnerships with five major airports that will mean increased CBP staffing for processing international arrivals, leading to reduced waiting time. The new pacts are with SFO, LAX, MCO, LAS and DEN. The agency said similar arrangements that it has in place with DFW, IAH and MIA — combined with the new Automated Passport Control kiosks — have reduced line time at those airports by 30 percent. Have you noticed?

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Atlanta Airport gets another PreCheck center. The TSA has opened a second PreCheck application center at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, located pre-security in the main terminal so the general public can access it without having a boarding pass. The new TSA facility is in Terminal South near Delta’s ticket counters. (The earlier facility is at Gate A19.)

Possible LAX mess. This item appeared on TravelSkills two weeks ago, but it bears repeating: This weekend, July 25-28 in Los Angeles, is being dubbed the “Century Crunch”, when Century Blvd. — a main road into LAX, used by one-third of all passengers — will close for demolition of an old railroad bridge. Officials advise everyone to avoid the area. 

sfo cab

(photo: Alfonso Jimenez)

Taxi app starts airport bookings. An app called Flywheel — which lets users hail a cab electronically, track its position, and pay with a smartphone — has started taking advance bookings for taxi rides to San Francisco-area airports, including SFO, OAK and SJC. By the end of this month, the company said, the app will provide the same service in Seattle and Los Angeles, with more locations to be added “in the coming weeks.” Interesting to watch cab companies add technology to help them compete with the likes of Uber and Lyft (which by the way are two ride-sharing companies we’ve heard are feeling the urge to merge. Stay tuned to TravelSkills for more on that as we investigate!) Don’t forget that you get $30 off your first ride if you sign up for Uber via TravelSkills links. Just do it! 

TSA seeks queue tips. The TSA is shifting so many passengers to PreCheck lanes that it is getting concerned about how fast the lines move. So the agency has turned to Innocentive.com, a “global innovation marketplace,” to offer $15,000 in prizes to persons who can come up with the best ways to overhaul TSA’s airport lines. “The concept will be used to develop a model to be applied in decision analysis and to take in considerations of site specific requirements, peak and non-peak hours, flight schedules and TSA staffing schedules,” TSA said.

In Case You Missed It…

>Delta is building a new Sky Club at San Francisco International.

>New studies determine the best and worst airports and hotels for Wi-Fi.

>”I cringe when I hear people talk about the so-called golden age of travel.” Check this InsideFlyer Q&A with Chris about his career and the travel biz. A good read!

>A leading business hotel in London will join the Hilton family in September

>New report shows where business travelers spend money. Would you believe Chick-fil-a? (Check out the controversy this post elicited in the comments!)

–Jim Glab & Chris McGinnis


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Check out these popular recent TravelSkills posts:

Frequent travelers love Chick-fil-a

Kicked off flight for a tweet? Southwest responds

Conrad snags posh new London hotel

Best & worst hotels, airports for Wi-Fi

How I watched the #MH17 tragedy unfold

Unusual ways to earn hotel rewards points

Should I renew my CLEAR card?

New global carrier for SFO with an Indian twist

Bigger bins + Check-in not required + Beware LAX traffic mess + New low fare O’Hare flights + Big new build hotel LA Live +

Are you in the market for a new credit card? Looking for a fat points or mileage bonus to sweeten your balance? Then check out our BEST CREDIT CARDS FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS and scoop up the deals!

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Kicked off flight for a tweet? Southwest responds

Boarding a Southwest Airlines flight (Judy Baxter / Flickr)

Boarding a Southwest Airlines flight (Judy Baxter / Flickr)

Everyone loves a good airline customer service drama during the hot, sweaty and tempestuous peak summer travel season. It’s the time of year when we all love to hate the airlines.

That’s why the story about a Southwest Airlines passenger who claims that a negative tweet got him kicked off a plane spread like wildfire today.

Let’s take a look at what happened.

According to an interview with passenger Duff Watson in the New York Daily News,

The trouble started on Sunday afternoon, when Watson and his two children, age 6 and 9, attempted to board their flight  [from Denver to Minneapolis] early. Watson is part of Southwest Airlines’ ‘A-List’ program, which rewards frequently flying customers with extra perks, such as priority boarding privileges. Watson has reportedly been an A-lister for three years. Even though his children aren’t A-Listers, Watson said that he’s usually able to board early with his kids in tow. But the agent behind the podium wouldn’t let them board before the rest.

So what it sounds like to me is that Watson was asking a harried gate agent to bend the rules and let he and his kids board early, ahead of other families waiting for the family boarding call. The gate agent would not bend the rules and the two got into a heated exchange at the gate. (We’ve all been there, right?)

Watson and his kids then boarded with the rest of the families traveling together.

When Watson got on board the plane he tweeted the gate agent’s name, gate number and something about her being “the rudest agent at Southwest.”

Once everyone was on the plane, an announcement was made asking Watson and his family to get off the plane with their belongings.

Here’s what Watson told the Daily News that happened when they got off:

“We met the gate agent who was very worked up and she says because I’m using her name in social media, that I am a threat. And that’s why I’m being asked to leave,” Watson said. “Then she said, ‘You need to delete that tweet or I’m calling the cops.’

Watson said he deleted the tweet and got back on the plane and flew home with his family (and likely fumed about it the whole way).

Now lets look at Southwest’s side of the story. This afternoon, the carrier issued the following statement about the incident:

Southwest Airlines appreciates and is active in social media and it is not our intent to stifle Customer feedback. We find social media to be a very valuable avenue for engaging with our Customers.

On Sunday, July 20, a Southwest Airlines Employee and Customer were having a conversation about the airline’s family boarding procedures that escalated. The Customer was briefly removed from flight #2347 from DEN to MSP to resolve the conversation outside of the aircraft and away from the other passengers. Following a successful resolution, the Customer and his family were able to continue on the flight to Minneapolis. We are thoroughly investigating the situation. We have reached out to the Customer and offered vouchers as a gesture of goodwill.

I can see both sides of the story here.

Keep-calm-and-carry-on-scanWatson was asking the agent to bend the rules and allow him to board first with his kids. I would imagine there were probably other A-listers with families waiting for the family boarding call. Allowing Watson and his family to board early would not have been fair, and could have ended up pissing off someone else. This reeks of the whole “don’t you know who I am” (DYKWIA) attitude many elite level members are regrettably known for.

Now, when it comes to forcing the passenger to delete the tweet before allowing him to board, and stating that she felt the tweet was “threat” I think the gate agent was wrong. And it was improper of her to de-board the passenger and escalate the situation to that level.

This is likely one of many hot-headed incidents that are happening every day during the heat of the summer season. I think we all need to focus on stepping back and taking it down a notch when faced with travel hassles.

Here’s an interview with Watson on CBS Minneapolis

What do YOU think about this situation? How would you have felt if you were Watson…or the gate agent…or someone else watching all this happen? Please leave your comments below.

–Chris McGinnis

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Hilton’s Conrad snags posh new London hotel

Best & worst hotels, airports for Wi-Fi

How I watched the #MH17 tragedy unfold

Unusual ways to earn hotel rewards points

Should I renew my CLEAR card?

New global carrier for SFO with an Indian twist

Bigger bins + Check-in not required + Beware LAX traffic mess + New low fare O’Hare flights + Big new build hotel LA Live +

Are you in the market for a new credit card? Looking for a fat points or mileage bonus to sweeten your balance? Then check out our BEST CREDIT CARDS FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS and scoop up the deals!

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Anticipating T3E + Google Int’l + New Virgin Visa + More Southwest nonstops

It’s been a while since we did a big catch up on Bay Area Travel News. So here goes! Our next three posts will be dedicated to just catching up!

Entering the new Boarding Area E at SFO's Terminal 3

Entering the new Boarding Area E at SFO’s Terminal 3 opens Jan 28!

NEW T3E TERMINAL OPENING. Anticipation is building for the opening of United’s new T3E terminal at SFO on Tues, Jan 28. TravelSkills will post photos shortly after the media preview this Friday (24th). BAT Editor Chris McGinnis will attend the community day on Saturday (25th), so come out, crawl all over the gorgeous new terminal,  and say HEY in person! (Look for that mug to the right>>) Community Day is free, but you must register here first and get tickets. We are still trying to find out what will be United’s first arrival and/or departure on the 28th…but it has not revealed that yet…

The Google 767 will soon move home base from Moffett Field to Google Int'l (Photo: Aero Icarus)

The Google 767 pictured here will soon move home base from Moffett Field to Google Int’l (Photo: Aero Icarus)

GOOGLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. A private airport terminal for Google at San Jose International Airport is set to break ground in February and be complete by late 2015. According to this CNBC story, Google’s top three execs, Sergey Brin, Larry Page and Eric Schmidt are paying for the $82 million facility with their own money—not Google’s. The airport will be able to accommodate up to 60 aircraft (including the Boeing 767 owned by Brin and Page pictured above). Until now, Google has operated its private fleet from Moffett Field under a special agreement with NASA.

BLACKFISH OSCAR SNUB. Remember our recent post about the documentary Blackfish and its controversial ties to Southwest? Well, it appears SeaWorld dodged a bullet last week when the film was NOT selected as a finalist for best documentary by the Academy.

Virgin-base-card-bigNEW VIRGIN CREDIT CARD. This month Virgin America introduced two cool-looking new Visa Signature cards with some nice bennies. The regular card ($49/year) offers a free first checked bag to you and a travel companion, a $150 discount on one companion ticket per year and 20% off all inflight food and bev purchases. It also provides three Elevate points per dollar spent on Virgin America, and one point for everything else. Spend $1000 in 90 days and you get 10K points. The Premium card ($149/year) includes all the above plus it waives all change and cancellation fees on Virgin flights booked with the card. (However you still must pay any difference in fare, a la Southwest Airlines) Plus, you get 15,000 bonus points if you spend $1000 on the card in the first 90 days. The card also offers up to 15K status points when you hit certain spending tiers each year. That unique benefit of waiving change/cancel fees sounds very nice; however, getting out of the fees is an overly convoluted process according the George Hobica over at AirFareWatchDog.

FREE TV ON SOUTHWEST. Southwest and Dish will continue to offer free inflight TV through the end of 2014. Southwest’s TV is different from other airlines in that you must watch it on your own device—it’s not embedded in the seatback. And we hear varying reports about the quality of the signal. Have you watched TV on Southwest? How’d that go for you?

NEW SOUTHWEST NONSTOPS. Southwest Airlines is adding new nonstop flights between Oakland and Baltimore Washington airport (BWI)  starting June 8. Its also adding a second daily nonstop to/from Kansas City on the same date.

PLEASE, RECRUIT YOUR FRIENDS. If you like TravelSkills, would you please tell your friends and colleagues about it? The ONLY way we grow is via word of mouth from happy readers. Like every online publication, we need more eyeballs and appreciate your support.  Here’s something you can copy and paste into an email TODAY!

Have you ever heard about TravelSkills—TravelSkills– for frequent travelers? It’s a free local travel blog that I subscribe to. It’s full of helpful news and advice for frequent travelers who live in the Bay Area…just like us.  I think it’s definitely something you could use. See “Subscribe” in the upper right margin of the blog, or just sign up right here. Thanks! [ADD: *Your signature*]

— Chris McGinnis

And just in case you missed it, here’s what else you need to know about Bay Area Travel over the last month:

Southwest: Blackfish backlash

United: T3E & UA500 & 49ers-Seahawks Game fares

What to do if pulled over by the police [Infographic]

What winter storm?

12 wishes for better Bay Area travel in 2014

*How to earn a quick 40,000 United miles*

Are you a “data traveler?”

Virgin SFO-LaGuardia + AA’s newest jet + Global Entry delays + more

New terminal at SFO: hard hat tour (photos)

16 brand new, must see NYC hotels

Update: United p.s. fleet SFO-JFK

***

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Asia on sale + PreCheck newbies + United wi-fi + Free airport parking + Nancy Pelosi

The stunning interior courtyard of the Capella Singapore hotel (Chris McGinnis)

The stunning interior courtyard of the Capella Singapore hotel (Chris McGinnis)

SINGAPORE AIR PUTS ASIA ON SALE. Singapore Airlines offered up some remarkable deals to warm winter destinations throughout Asia this week, but you need to act by Dec 2, or before they sell out. From SFO, fly to Seoul, Hong Kong or Singapore, then connect to over 30 cities in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia or Korea. All inclusive economy fares start as low as $694 (Seoul)… but most are in the $1000 range. That’s a great deal! The window of opportunity for travel is quite large, too, extending from January 15 through May 15. Details/booking here.

(Photo: Jaxworld)

(Photo: Jaxworld)

WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? Have you ever been in the PreCheck line along with someone who has no idea why they are there? Ive noticed is a lot lately. And I’ve heard from TravelSkills reader who wonder the same thing. How could someone in the PreCheck line NOT know what it is, or that they don’t have to remove shoes, belts or laptops when they go through? Turns out it’s because the TSA has vetted them, allowing them to use the PreCheck lane to relieve the pressure on the regular lanes. Here’s what TSA spokesperson Nico Melendez told TravelSkills: “Currently, TSA’s Secure Flight system uses information provided when making a flight reservation – such as name, date of birth, and gender – to identify and prevent known or suspected terrorists or other individuals from gaining access to airplanes or secure areas of airports. TSA will now use that information to identify passengers who present a lower risk to aviation security and offer those passengers expedited screening. This initiative will occur on a flight-by-flight basis and will not require passengers to enroll in a DHS Trusted Traveler program. If a passenger is eligible for expedited screening for a particular flight, a TSA Pre✓™ indicator will be embedded in the barcode of the boarding pass so that when scanned at the checkpoint, the passenger may be referred to a TSA Pre✓™ lane….This process will allow TSA to maintain its high security standards and create greater efficiency while offering more travelers the benefit of expedited screening through TSA PreCheck lanes.”

Eva Air's Hello Kitty themed plane landed at SFO today! (SFO Facebook page)

Eva Air’s Hello Kitty themed plane landed at SFO today! (SFO Facebook page)

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iPad rentals on Southwest Airlines (Photo: Dave Zatz)

iPad rentals on Southwest Airlines (Photo: Dave Zatz)

SOUTHWEST RENTS IPADS ON THREE ROUTES…Southwest is taking a page from the legacy airlines exploring new ways of offering inflight entertainment. Now it allows travelers to borrow iPad2 devices on flights between Chicago Midway, Denver, and Oakland. Checkout stations in the terminals of these airports will allow travelers to swipe a credit card to borrow a device and return it at their destination. Once on board, Southwest’s partnership with DishTV allows iPad users to stream live TV free of charge to the iPad (or any personal device if you already have one of your own). This unique promotion is available aboard all of Southwest’s wi-fi-equipped aircraft, which by the way, can now offer true gate-to-gate connectivity using its satellite-based Row 44 wi-fi system. Gogo, used by Virgin, Delta and many other carriers does not operate below 10,ooo feet.

FLY BA MUCH? Get the new British Airways Visa Signature® Card and earn a tidy 50,000 Avios points.

UNITED BEATS DELTA TO INTERNATIONAL WIFI CONTEST…United now offers more international, long-haul flights with wi-fi capability than any other North American carrier. Delta had announced its intention to outfit aircraft beginning this year, but snags with certification have caused a slight delay. United, however, already offers the capability aboard 13 of its Boeing 747-400 aircraft flying long-haul routes, mostly from SFO and LAX. More than half of United’s Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft operating domestically feature the same satellite wi-fi system. United still uses the Gogo air-to-ground system on the Boeing 757 transcontinental p.s.  aircraft, flying between JFK and Los Angeles and San Francisco. Overall, there are 100 United aircraft with wifi currently and the number is growing. Have you tried it? How speedy is it?

Oakland's new 236-ft , $33 million control tower is officially dedicated this week (Oakland Int'l Airport)

Oakland’s new 236-ft , $33 million control tower is officially dedicated this week (Oakland Int’l Airport)

FREE HOLIDAY PARKING PROMO AT OAKLAND RETURNS…Between Nov. 28 and Dec. 19, flyers can park free for up to three days in the daily lot at Oakland airport. The only stipulation is that their flight must depart midweek on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. To get a free parking coupon, if you qualify, visit: http://t.co/SayyNzzk81.

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Diane Feinstein flying home from DCA with the Giants last winter (Twitter)

Diane Feinstein flying home from DCA with the Giants last winter (Twitter)

NANCY PELOSI LOVES VIRGIN?…We’ve heard from several TravelSkills reader that Bay Area US rep Nancy Pelosi is now a regular on Virgin America’s daily roundtrip between SFO and Washington-Reagan National Airport. Even more interesting: she flies in coach! Can anyone else verify? And apparently, Diane Feinstein fancies Virgin America, too, but from this photo, it appears the Senator sits up front.

NEW BUY ONBOARD MENU FOR UNITED…Economy travelers have new options on United now that a refreshed Choice menu has been unveiled. No one ever said airplane food is glamorous, but this is as good as it gets in coach these days. The “Bistro on Board” concept will be available on board flights of 3.5 hours or longer within North and Central America. Breakfast menu items include a ham and Swiss baguette; a sweet cheese pastry; and a morning energy selection of a hard-cooked egg, cheese, grapes, a wheat roll and almond butter. The lunch and dinner menu offers  a caprese baguette; a bacon, lettuce and tomato wrap; and a roast beef and cheddar baguette, as well as an Asian-style noodle salad and artisan cheese selection. (Menus change with the seasons) Have you tried it yet? Please leave your comments below. 

+++

—Chris McGinnis 

And just in case you missed it, here’s what else you need to know about Bay Area Travel over the last month:

Virgin first class sale + Hilton HHonors downgrade + Chase Sapphire w chip + United dumps ExpertFlyer

More A380s + Cathay discounts biz class + SJC courts Asia + Double Elevate pts

>Southwest FINALLY joins PreCheck

>United to allow handhelds below 10K feet

>Travel advice fit for a Queen (Latifah!)

>New landing procedure at SFO should help w delays! Hallelujah!

>Big, bad United MileagePlus surprise 

>Virgin’s new Safety Dance

>Riding the Red Carpet Route to London! 

>Double Miles on United & Southwest

>$100 hotels in NYC 

>Two posh new lounges coming to SFO 

***

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More A380s + Cathay discounts biz class + SJC courts Asia + Double Elevate pts

The first Air France A380 arrived at SFO in June 2011 (Chris McGinnis)

The first Air France A380 was here during summer of 2011…now it’s coming back again! (Chris McGinnis)

NOTE: We’ll spend this week catching up on several snippets of Bay Area travel news that have been accumulating in our inbox….

HERE COME THE A380s…Lufthansa has suspended its Airbus A380 operations from SFO to FRA for the season, but plans to return the double-decker aircraft to the route April 8, 2014. The bigger story is that Air France will deploy a 516-seat A380 on its SFO-Paris nonstops effective March 31, 2014. Last time Air France flew the A380 to SFO was the summer of 2011 when it switched the A380 reserved for the Paris-Tokyo run to SFO due to the earthquake/tsunami/radioactive disaster in Japan.  Now we are hearing rumors about yet another A380 lumbering into SFO in the next year…any guesses?

VIRGIN AMERICA LAUNCHES DOUBLE POINTS…In line with other airlines this fall, Virgin America is jumping on the double points bandwagon offering twice as many Elevate points per flight between now and the end of the year. All cabins and fares are eligible. Elevate members who’ve registered for the “Feel the Earn” offer can also get a boost of up to 25,000 bonus points based on their total qualifying points earned for Virgin America flights in all cabins during that time.  Plus, to make the deal even sweeter, all the bonus points earned will count towards reaching or renewing Elevate Silver or Elevate Gold Status on Virgin America. Full details.

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Cathay Pacific's new business class seat on its B777's (Chris McGinnis)

Cathay Pacific’s new business class seat on its B777’s (Chris McGinnis)

CATHAY PACIFIC DISCOUNTS BIZ CLASS TO HONG KONG…Fancy a trip to Hong Kong over the holidays? Well, Cathay Pacific just gave you a present. By booking before Dec 1, you can save up to $1,500 off the cost of a roundtrip business class ticket for travel during the heart of the holiday season– between Dec 23 and New Year’s Day– a period when most business travelers stay home. The roundtrip cost is $4,689 (all in)  and is valid from SFO and other US gateways to HKG.  If you prefer Cathay’s jumbo 747 from SFO to Hong Kong, remember that it’s only around for one more year. Starting in Oct 2014, Cathay will run only B777s on SFO-HKG. Here’s a previous BAT post on the pros and cons of Cathay’s 747 and 777. 

SAN JOSE HINTS AT NEW ASIA FLIGHT…The new director of aviation at San Jose Norman Mineta International, Kim Aguirre, announced that the airport is expanding its international terminal from two to four gates. She also noted that the ANA Dreamliner flight to Tokyo Narita is spurring interest from other Asian carriers, and that a new flight to Asia could be announced within the next 12 months. Wanna make any guesses as to what that city or airline that may be?

SOUTHWEST BOOSTS SJC FLIGHTS…What is no secret, however, is that Southwest is planning bulk up its schedules from San Jose beginning April 8, 2014. One new nonstop to Denver, Orange County, San Diego, and Seattle will be added. Southwest currently owns about 50% of all flights to/from SJC.

—Chris McGinnis 

And just in case you missed it, here’s what else you need to know about Bay Area Travel over the last month:

>Southwest FINALLY joins PreCheck

>United to allow handhelds below 10K feet

>Travel advice fit for a Queen (Latifah!)

>New landing procedure at SFO should help w delays! Hallelujah!

>Big, bad United MileagePlus surprise 

>Virgin’s new Safety Dance

>Riding the Red Carpet Route to London! 

>Double Miles on United & Southwest

>$100 hotels in NYC 

>Two posh new lounges coming to SFO 

***

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Southwest (but not AirTran) joins PreCheck

TSA PreCheck lanes (Chris McGinnis)

TSA PreCheck lanes (Chris McGinnis)

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today announced the expansion of TSA PreCheck to Southwest Airlines, Atlanta’s second largest carrier.  

Important: This does NOT apply to flights on AirTran Airways, which Southwest Airlines purchased in 2011. Why? A Southwest spokesperson told The TICKET: “It’s a function of technology. We are on two different reservations systems. With AirTran flights decreasing each schedule release, the technology was only enabled on Southwest.”

Today’s announcement makes a total of eight domestic carriers including: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways and Virgin America. 

As most frequent travelers know, PreCheck allows pre-approved travelers to leave on their shoes, light outerwear and belt, keep their laptop in its case and their 3-1-1 compliant liquids/gels bag in a carry-on in select screening lanes at 100 airports nationwide.

Passengers who are eligible for TSA PreCheck include U.S. citizens of frequent traveler programs — including Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards — invited by participating airlines. Additionally, U.S. citizens who are members of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Trusted Traveler program and Canadian citizens who are members of CBP’s NEXUS program qualify to participate. Later this year TSA will launch an application program, allowing more U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to enroll in TSA PreCheck.

tsa_precheck_boardingIf a Southwest Airlines passenger is eligible for expedited screening, a TSA PreCheck indicator will be embedded in the barcode of the boarding pass so that when scanned at the checkpoint, the you’ll be granted access to a TSA PreCheck lane. Southwest Airlines will also print a TSA PreCheck indicator directly on the boarding pass so passengers will know in advance that they have been cleared for expedited screening. But remember, the TSA warns that is will always incorporate random and unpredictable security measures throughout the airport, and no individual will be guaranteed expedited screening. (which is why I still carry a CLEAR card, which works at both SFO and San Jose)

Here’s how it works:

Elite level Rapid Rewards members will receive notification that he/she is eligible to opt-in to the program and chooses to participate or a passenger includes a Known Traveler Number within a reservation, Southwest Airlines will share certain information with the TSA Secure Flight System.

Note: Only reservations booked after opting-in are eligible for TSA PreCheck.

Global Entry or Trusted Traveler participants will need to provide their CBP-assigned PASS ID number in the “Known Traveler #” field during the booking process at southwest.com andswabiz.com. The passenger’s Trusted Traveler information will be submitted along with reservation information to TSA’s Secure Flight system. Trusted Traveler program members should also remember to enter their full name, date of birth, and PASS ID exactly as it appears on their membership card.

tsa_precheck_whosflying

IMPORTANT: Global Entry and CBP Trusted Traveler participants can add their PASS ID number to their Southwest Rapid Rewards Member profile to have the number automatically sent to TSA when booking reservations. 

For more information, see www.southwest.com/TSAprecheck.

—Chris McGinnis 

*****

In case you missed it:

ATL ranks last + more Delta devaluations + 747 refurb complete + loaded guns

Holiday travel advice fit for a Queen

New rules about using electronics onboard

ATL Valet Parking + IHOP + SkyMiles downgrade + 717 delay + Double miles + Hot Nuts

8 things to like about Delta’s new California Shuttle

****

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Southwest Airlines (finally) joins PreCheck

(Photo: Chris McGinnis)

(Photo: Chris McGinnis)

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today announced the expansion of TSA PreCheck to Southwest Airlines, which operates from all three Bay Area Airports. (This does NOT apply to AirTran Airways, which Southwest Airlines purchased in 2012.) 

Today’s announcement makes a total of eight domestic carriers including: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways and Virgin America. 

As most frequent travelers know, PreCheck allows pre-approved travelers to leave on their shoes, light outerwear and belt, keep their laptop in its case and their 3-1-1 compliant liquids/gels bag in a carry-on in select screening lanes.

The lanes are available at 100 airports nationwide, but not at all terminals leading to Southwest Airlines flights….yet. I touched base with each Bay Area airport this morning for a status on PreCheck lanes leading to Southwest Airlines flights:

  • SAN JOSE: “Yes, it’s our understanding that TSA is working to open Pre-check lanes for Southwest Airlines’ customers in SJC’s Terminal B as early as today. Pre-check lanes have been open in Terminal A since October. Remember that we also offer CLEAR in both of our terminals,” said spokesperson Rosemary Barnes. Southwest operates about half of all flights at SJC.
  • OAKLAND: “Yes, there are PreCheck lanes at the Terminal 2 security checkpoints leading to Southwest gates operating now,” reports spokesperson Kim Domerofski.
  • SAN FRANCISCO: According to the TSA site, there are now PreCheck lanes operating at Terminal 1, boarding area B, which lead to Southwest, US Airways, United and Alaska Air flights.
Passengers who are eligible for TSA PreCheck include U.S. citizens of frequent traveler programs — including Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards — invited by participating airlines. Additionally, U.S. citizens who are members of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Trusted Traveler program and Canadian citizens who are members of CBP’s NEXUS program qualify to participate. Later this year TSA will launch an application program, allowing more U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to enroll in TSA PreCheck.

tsa_precheck_boardingIf a Southwest Airlines passenger is eligible for expedited screening, a TSA PreCheck indicator will be embedded in the barcode of the boarding pass so that when scanned at the checkpoint, the you’ll be granted access to a TSA PreCheck lane. Southwest Airlines will also print a TSA PreCheck indicator directly on the boarding pass so passengers will know in advance that they have been cleared for expedited screening. But remember, the TSA warns that is will always incorporate random and unpredictable security measures throughout the airport, and no individual will be guaranteed expedited screening. (which is why I still carry a CLEAR card, which works at both SFO and San Jose)

Here’s how it works:

Elite level Rapid Rewards members will receive notification that he/she is eligible to opt-in to the program and chooses to participate or a passenger includes a Known Traveler Number within a reservation, Southwest Airlines will share certain information with the TSA Secure Flight System.

Note: Only reservations booked after opting-in are eligible for TSA PreCheck.

Trusted Traveler participants will need to provide their CBP-assigned PASS ID number in the “Known Traveler #” field during the booking process at southwest.com® andswabiz.com. The passenger’s Trusted Traveler information will be submitted along with reservation information to TSA’s Secure Flight system. Trusted Traveler program members should also remember to enter their full name, date of birth, and PASS ID exactly as it appears on their membership card.

tsa_precheck_whosflying

Additionally, CBP Trusted Traveler participants can add their PASS ID number to their Rapid Rewards Member profile to have the number automatically sent to TSA when booking reservations. Remember, you must be logged into your Rapid Rewards account when booking a reservation for the information to prepopulate.

For more information, see www.southwest.com/TSAprecheck.

—Chris McGinnis 

And just in case you missed it, here’s what else you need to know about Bay Area Travel over the last month:

>United to allow handhelds below 10K feet

>Travel advice fit for a Queen (Latifah!)

>New landing procedure at SFO should help w delays! Hallelujah!

>Big, bad United MileagePlus surprise 

>Virgin’s new Safety Dance

>Riding the Red Carpet Route to London! 

>Double Miles on United & Southwest

>$100 hotels in NYC 

>Two posh new lounges coming to SFO 

***

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Two minutes with Southwest CEO re: Atlanta [video]

This week Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly took a few minutes to chat with The TICKET about the arrival of those red bellies at ATL in February.

In this interview, Kelly talks about fares and fees, pointing out that Atlantans will soon have access to Southwest’s vast low-fare network.

He also shows no shame in discussing Southwest’s boarding process (which some refer to as the “cattle call”), no assigned seating, or the fact that Southwest plans to eliminate AirTran’s popular business class. He stresses that Southwest offers a different product than what we might be used to, but he’s clearly confident that Atlanta travelers are going to appreciate those differences.

It’s a great interview and we are very flattered that Mr Kelly took the time to talk to The TICKET! Take a look!

Please post your comments and questions about Southwest below.

*****

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Big changes for AirTran A+ Rewards members

Attention AirTran A+ Rewards members: Your frequent flyer program is going to change. Big time.

This week Southwest Airlines announced a complete revamp of Rapid Rewards, its frequent flyer program. With the impending takeover of AirTran by Southwest, we’ll all be Rapid Rewards members late this year or in early 2012.

Let’s take a look at some key components of the new Rapid Rewards program and compare them to the current A+ Rewards plan and speculate a bit on how the transition from A-Plus to Rapid Rewards might play out.

On March 1, Rapid Rewards is changing from a flight-credit based program very similar to that of AirTran to a points-based program. Points earned are based more on how much you spend than how often or far you fly.

The new program is more appealing to business travelers, who typically pay more for less restrictive fares. It’s less appealing to those who typically fly on very low discounted fares.

So if you are a frequent business traveler who tends to fly more at the last minute and pays higher fares, you will probably like Rapid Rewards. If you are a bargain-hunter and stick to the lowest fare categories, the new Rapid Rewards program is probably going to have less appeal than AirTran’s A+ Rewards.

>EARNING. With AirTran’s A+, members earn one flight credit per segment no matter how much it costs. 16 segments equal one free roundtrip. With the new Rapid Rewards, members earn points based on fare paid. For example, on a Southwest deeply discounted $100 “Wanna Get Away” one-way fare you’ll earn 600 points– six points per dollar. If you choose to pay the $200 “Anytime” fare, you’ll earn 2000 points– 10 points per dollar. And if you choose the most expensive “Business Select” fare of $220, you’ll earn 2,640 points– 12 points per dollar.

>REDEEMING. With AirTran’s A+, you redeem your credits for an award certificate. When you book your award flight using that certificate, you are subject to availability and blackout dates. With the new Rapid Rewards program, you use your points like currency to “buy” any available seat listed on Southwest.com—there are no blackouts or availability issues. So if you find and book the least expensive “Wanna Get Away” one-way fare that normally sells for $100, it will cost 6000 points. The less restrictive $200 “Anytime” fare will cost 20,000 points. Business Select fares ($220) would cost 26,400 points. TIP: AirTran members should go ahead and redeem credits for long-distance and/or business class awards this year while the going is good.

>EXPIRATION. One of the most frustrating features of AirTran’s A+ program is the short shelf life of flight credits— one year for regular members or two years for elites and those holding the A+ Visa card. With the new Rapid Rewards program, points expire only if you don’t have any earning activity within a 24-month time period.

>INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS. Just like AirTran’s A+ Rewards program, Southwest has teamed up with a third party travel agent allowing members to use their points to “buy” tickets on other carriers. (Details are somewhat sketchy here, but if the program is similar to that of AirTran, tickets for international flights will require a hefty redemption of points . . . but at least it’s an option for members who’ve banked lots of points.) The option differs from AirTran’s by requiring those who want to take advantage of it to hold a $59/year Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card.

>ELITE LEVELS. AirTran offers just one level of elite status to those who earn at least 25 flight credits in a rolling calendar year or 10 credits in a 90-day window. To maintain elite status, A+ members only have to earn 12 credits in a rolling 12 month period. The new Southwest program will offer two elite levels: A-List, A-List Preferred, plus the popular Companion Pass. Members have to fly 25 one-way segments or earn 35,000 “tier qualifying points” to qualify for the A-List. For the A-List Preferred tier, you must fly 50 one-way segments or earn 70,000 tier qualifying points. To help build point banks faster, A-List members get a 25 percent booking bonus; Preferred members get a 100 percent bonus. (AirTran does not offer any flight credit bonuses to elite members.) Members who fly at last 100 one-way segments or earn 110,000 points (even if they are just standard points from Southwest credit card purchases, not the “tier qualifying” points needed for A-List or Preferred) get a “Companion Pass,” allowing one designated person to fly free with the member for a year.

>UPGRADES. AirTran A+ Elite members can use their credits and status to upgrade to business class. Southwest has stated that it will replace AirTran’s business class with its all coach product. While Rapid Rewards elites won’t be able to upgrade to a big business class seat, they do get other perks such as access to special lines at check-in and airport security, early boarding and standby priority.

>FREE WI-FI. With the new Rapid Reward program, those near top of the heap, A-List Preferred and Companion Pass members, will get free Wi-Fi access on all Southwest flights. Currently Southwest has close to 100 planes with Wi-Fi with plans to have it fleet wide within two years. As TICKET reader know, all of AirTran’s planes are equipped with Wi-Fi, but with a different system (Gogo) than the one Southwest has chosen. Time will tell how that part of the transition works!

>TRANSITION. Southwest is hesitant to address transition to the new program until the transaction to buy AirTran closes. I assume that it will offer AirTran A+ members the same deal it’s offering Rapid Rewards members: current banked flight credits will retain their value until they are used or expire. If you don’t have enough credits for a free flight, you’ll be able to “buy” them for 1200 points. Fair enough. I also assume that Southwest will honor AirTran elite status, but the jury’s out on how it will determine which level of Rapid Rewards elite they’ll get.

For a peek and more details of the NEW Rapid Rewards program, check out the new site here: www.newrapidrewards.com

So, what do you think? Is this good or bad news for A+ Reward members?


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Southwest Airlines revamps Rapid Rewards

Hoping to appeal more to frequent business travelers, Southwest Airlines announced a major re-do of Rapid Rewards, its frequent flyer program, today. The program is switching from a flight-credit based program to a points-based program. Points earned are based on how much money you spend.

The new program is remarkably similar to that of San Francisco-based Virgin America and it’s part of a trend among all airlines to programs that are more based on how much members spend than how far they fly. Southwest’s new program also picked up a unique component from AirTran, which will allow members to “buy” tickets on other airlines to destinations not served by Southwest.

Here are some highlights from a news conference I attended yesterday where Southwest CEO Gary Kelly and program mastermind Ryan Green rolled out the new program:

>EFFECTIVE DATE: New program goes into effect on March 1, 2011.

>EARNING: Members earn points based on fare paid. For example, on a deeply discounted $100 “Wanna Get Away” fare between say, SFO and Denver, you’ll earn 600 points– six points per dollar. If you choose to pay the $200 “Anytime” fare, you’ll earn 2000 points– 10 points per dollar. And if you choose the most expensive “Business Select” fare of $220, you’ll earn 2,640 points– 12 points per dollar.

>REDEEMING: When booking a flight, you will be given the choice of paying with dollars or with points. Using Denver as the example again, if you book the least expensive “Wanna Get Away” fare that normally sells for $100, it will cost 6000 points. The less restrictive $200 “Anytime” fare will cost 20,000 points. Business Select fares ($220) would cost 26,400 points.

>FEWER RESTRICTIONS: Unlike programs offered by legacy carriers where seat availability is murky at best, Rapid Rewards members will be able to redeem their points for every seat on every flight with no blackout dates or seat restrictions. Points expire only if you don’t have earning activity within a 24-month time period.

>TRANSITION: Current credits and awards will maintain their value until they are used or expire. Members’ accounts will automatically be transferred to the new program on March 1, so you can keep your Rapid Rewards number and there’s no need to re-enroll.

>INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS: One of Southwest’s biggest challenges with its old program was that it only offered award flights to Southwest-served destinations in the continental U.S. while competing airline programs offer flights to more attractive far-flung international destinations. With the new program, members can redeem points for flights to over 800 new destinations served by other carriers. Similar to some credit card loyalty plans and AirTran, Southwest has teamed up with a third party travel agent where members can use their points to “buy” tickets on other carriers. (Details are somewhat sketchy here, but if the program is similar to that of AirTran, tickets for international flights will require a hefty redemption of points. . . but at least it’s an option for members who’ve banked lots of points.) In order to take advantage of this option, you must hold the $59/year Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card.

>ELITE LEVELS. Those near top of the heap, A-List Preferred members, will get free Wi-Fi access on all Southwest flights (currently it has close to 100 planes with Wi-Fi with plans to have it fleet wide within two years.) Also, with the new program, members only have to fly 25 one-way segments (down from 32) or earn 35,000 qualifying points to qualify for the A-List. For the new A-List Preferred tier, you must fly 50 one-way segments or earn 70,000 qualifying points. To help build point banks faster, A-List members get a 25 percent booking bonus; Preferred members get a 100 percent bonus. Members who fly at last 100 one-way segments or earn 110,000 points get a Companion Pass, allowing one designated person to fly free with the member for a year.

For a peek and more details, check out the new site here: www.newrapidrewards.com


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Top 10 predictions for frequent travelers in 2011


Happy Holidays! It’s that time of year again…when travel pundits and prognosticators do their best to gaze into the future and predict what may or may not happen in the big wide world of travel in the coming year.

Here are The TICKET’s top ten predictions for frequent travelers in 2011:

1-RISING PRICES. Business travel prices will continue to rise, but not enough to dampen renewed demand.

2-AIRFARE. Fares will continue to rise sharply, especially for flights between cities where only one or two legacy carriers operate. From Atlanta, all you have to do is follow the route map of AirTran (and soon, Southwest) to know where the deals are (or aren’t). We do not expect much change in AirTran operations in 2011– 2012 will be the big year for full integration with Southwest. Also, prepare for more fuel surcharges as oil nears $100 per barrel– it’s currently about $89 and rising.

3-TRAVEL DEALS. In terms of travel deals, there will be a wider gap between peak season and off-season prices. Those with flexibility to travel outside the peak travel dates will continue to find good deals and more short-term “flash” type sales. (Think Jetsetter or Sniqueaway) Those who must travel during peak periods will face sticker shock. (Peak periods generally run when school is out: Holidays, long weekends, July and August.)

4-HOTEL RATES. Due to continued overcapacity, hotel rates should remain about the same or slightly up, on average, over the next year. Hotel rates in New York City will rise, but a steady supply of new hotels opening there should keep rate inflation to acceptable levels, especially among mid-tier properties.

5-FREE WI-FI. More upscale hotel chains will join their midscale counterparts to offer free in-room Wi-Fi. We’ll also see hoteliers pay more attention to bandwidth issues on their existing systems. What good is free Wi-Fi if it doesn’t work? In-flight Wi-Fi prices could moderate as Southwest’s $5 flat fee for inflight Wi-Fi expands to more flights.

(Like what you are reading? Then or TWITTER)

6-LONGER STAYS. Hotel chains will offer more loyalty program promotions designed to get travelers to increase the duration of their stays. (Such as “buy two nights, get the third free.”)

7-DRIVING VS. FLYING. Due to recent changes in security screening, the airport hassle factor could return, and more frequent travelers will consider driving instead of flying. The “five hour rule” might change to the “six hour rule.”

8-MOBILE DEVICES. We’ll see more focus on business travelers’ smart phones, which will soon be used to open hotel room doors and will be accepted as payment instead of credit cards. There will be more promotions designed to encourage the use of mobile devices to book and manage travel reservations

Old school Airfone

9-IN-FLIGHT PHONING. In-flight phone calling, now available on several non-U.S. airlines will become more prevalent and might even be considered by a domestic carrier. High per-call rates and peer pressure should keep abuse in check– remember those pricey GTE Airfones that no one ever used because they were too expensive? I expect the same with in-flight cell phone use.

10-MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS. More of us will attend large annual trade shows and conventions this year as pent up demand is released. Many companies banned non-essential travel over the last two years and business travelers are eager to get out of the office and re-establish face-to-face contact with customers and colleagues. However, I think small and medium-sized meetings will face more competition from virtual alternatives.

(ONE EXTRA PREDICTION: 11- Better airline coverage in The TICKET! We’ve brought on a new airline correspondent, Ramsey Qubein! Ramsey,  a Diamond Medallion on Delta, has been enhancing our airline coverage with great insider news and tips over the last month. Stay tuned for more from him and The TICKET in 2011.)


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