Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Every credit card in your wallet that carries an annual fee should merit a yearly question: Is the annual fee worth it to keep the card for another year?
The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card packs a decent number of benefits into an annual fee of $125 (see rates and fees), but that doesn’t mean this card is a slam dunk for everyone. In fact, it may lack some of the perks you’re looking for in a hotel credit card. But to be fair, hotel credit cards typically aren’t the best card in your wallet for maximizing your spending beyond purchases at that hotel chain.
So can the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex find a happy middle ground between super-luxury perks and no perks at all — and do so in a way that justifies its $125 annual fee? Let’s take a look.
Welcome bonus
You can earn five free night awards — each valued up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for a total of up to 250,000 points — after you use your new card to make $8,000 in eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership. Per TPG valuations, that means this welcome bonus is worth $2,100. Note that certain hotels have resort fees. This offer ends March 20, 2024.
You may wonder whether you qualify for a business credit card — if you’ve determined that you’re eligible for one, perhaps you’re considering the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex.
That said, due to the dynamic pricing mentioned earlier, you’ll want to do a calendar search for flexible dates to find nights that cost 35,000 points or less. It can be especially difficult to use your free night awards on or near holidays since award prices on those dates also tend to be higher.
With minimal effort, you should be able to redeem this free night award for $125 in value — but likely double that amount. Thus, this perk alone can be worth the card’s annual fee.
At this level, you can expect benefits like upgrades to preferred rooms (but not suites), late checkout and a welcome gift of bonus points at check-in.
CHRIS DONG/THE POINTS GUY
Cardholders also receive 15 elite night credits in their Marriott Bonvoy account each year. You need these to reach higher levels of status, and they can be stacked if you also hold a personal credit card from Marriott.
For example, if you hold the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card from Chase, this card will give you another 15 elite night credits — meaning you start the year with 30 elite night credits automatically. The Boundless card has a $95 annual fee, for reference.
Cardholders get access to a 7% discount off standard rates for reservations of standard guest rooms at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program when booking directly through Marriott. Terms and conditions apply.
However, we tested this benefit, and it’s not as good as it sounds. You’ll typically receive 2%-5% off the member’s rate but can often do even better using other discounts — rather than the one offered by this cardmember perk.
6 Marriott points per dollar of eligible purchases when spending at Marriott Bonvoy participating properties
4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide
4 points per dollar at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping
2 points per dollar on other purchases.
Based on TPG’s valuations, that’s essentially a return of 5.04% on Marriott purchases; 3.36% at restaurants and U.S. gas stations and on select phone and shipping purchases; and 1.68% on everyday spending. Those rates aren’t jaw-dropping but aren’t bad for a cobranded card.
Cardmembers also gain access to Amex Offers, which can provide targeted discounts or bonus points on eligible purchases, as well as extended warranty and purchase protection.
Note: Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex isn’t a flashy card offering perks like lounge access or top-tier elite status. However, it offers a valuable mid-tier status — with no effort required — within a hotel program with a massive worldwide footprint.
It also can help you achieve higher status when you pair your business card with a Marriott personal credit card, thanks to the elite night credits you’ll receive on your account.
That, and an annual free night that you can redeem for over $200 in value with very little effort, should justify the cost of keeping this card in your wallet. However, that’s dependent on you actually making sure you take advantage of the perks each year.
Apply here: Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card — Earn five free night awards after you use your new card to make $8,000 in eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership. Offer ends March 20, 2024.
For rates and fees of the Bonvoy Business Amex, click here.
If you’re a fan of unique art, neoclassical buildings and tequila, visiting San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, should be high on your list of travel destinations. A great new deal on airfare makes a trip to the charming town in Central Mexico even more appealing.
American Airlines and United Airlines both have a number of big discounts on flights to San Miguel de Allende for travel in the spring and even into the start of summer. San Miguel de Allende is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the architecture and colorful streets in its main town square. Once in danger of being abandoned, San Miguel de Allende became a haven for artists in the 20th century. It has since become a desired place for retirees to settle in to enjoy their golden years, thanks to its quality of life and relatively affordable nature.
Most of the fares in this deal are for flights between March and June of this year, departing from cities like Chicago, Dallas and Houston. A few routes are even on sale from August until January 2025, with Thanksgiving included. These are economy fares, so checking bags will cost extra.
Note that for most flights, you’ll be flying into Queretaro International Airport (QRO); the airport is in Santiago de Queretaro, the capital city of the state of Queretaro. From there, it’s about 41 miles to San Miguel de Allende. Some routes involve flying into Guanajuato International Airport (BJX) in Leon — a city in the Mexican state of Guanajuato, which is about 90 minutes from San Miguel de Allende.
American’s fares come with a free carry-on. If you want that privilege on United, you can upgrade to economy class for $30 to $35 each way. That also gets you seat selection and the ability to change your reservation for free.
Deal basics
Airline: American (Oneworld), United (Star Alliance)
Routes: Chicago, Dallas and Houston to San Miguel de Allende
How to book: Browse Google Flights, then book directly with the airline
Travel dates: Mainly for flights between March and June 2024, with some routes available from August 2024 through January 2025 (Thanksgiving included)
This deal was originally sent out by Going. Sign up for Going to get up to 90% off select flights via its Premium membership, which users can try for free for 14 days and then $69 per year. You can also upgrade to the Elite tier for $199 per year for all the Premium deals, plus premium economy, business-class and first-class alerts.
The main square in San Miguel de Allende. TERRY-WARD.COM
We found lots of sub-$300 fares out of Chicago in this deal. You can fly round-trip from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to QRO for $299 in March. Remember, this is a basic economy ticket, but since it’s an American flight, you get a free carry-on.
GOOGLE FLIGHTS
United has itineraries from Chicago to Queretaro in April for $299 round trip as well. According to Google Flights, that’s almost $500 less than you would normally pay for this ticket.
GOOGLE FLIGHTS
For all three cities in this sale, ee found the best availability and the best prices during April. For example, you can book a flight from Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) for only $238 round trip. Keep in mind that with United’s basic tier, you’ll have to pay to check a bag.
GOOGLE FLIGHTS
We also found lots of $238 round-trip fares on United out of Houston in May. That fare is less than half what it usually costs.
GOOGLE FLIGHTS
We found some absolute steals out of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), too. You can book a nonstop American flight from Dallas to Leon for just $234 round trip in April. That price is about as low as you’ll find for this route at this time of year. We found several available flight options at this great price.
GOOGLE FLIGHTS
We found a good one in December as well: You can fly nonstop from Dallas to Leon for $434 round trip in December — a perfect time to make an escape to Mexico. That price, according to Google Flights, is $700 cheaper than that itinerary usually costs.
GOOGLE FLIGHTS
Maximize your purchase
When you book this deal or any flights, be sure to use a credit card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, such as:
American Express® Gold Card: 3 points per dollar spent on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through amextravel.com
The Platinum Card® from American Express: 5 points per dollar spent on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 of these purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar)
Take this opportunity to visit a unique Mexican city during 2024. There is widespread availability and the tickets are massively discounted from their normal prices. Just keep in mind that if you choose a United flight, the basic economy fare won’t include a carry-on bag. And, as always, remember the golden rule for getting the best possible fare price: Be flexible with your travel plans.
Tip: If you’re a fan of tequila, pay a visit to La Casa Dragones, the home of the popular tequila company. It’s a small, intimate experience that offers tastings and even mixology classes.
If you’re in the market for a warm-weather destination in the final weeks of winter or plotting a spring break trip, you may want to check your stash of JetBlue TrueBlue points.
JetBlue is offering some pretty intriguing late winter and early spring deals to places like Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America.
In some cases, you may be able to find a one-way flight to a destination like Cancun, Mexico, or Aruba for as little as 4,000 TrueBlue points.
You may need to act quickly: Some of the best award availability — at least at this price point — falls over the next couple of weeks.
In fact, if your weekend plans this weekend are free, you may be able to snag a last-minute ticket to somewhere warm … and near the ocean.
Sunset on the beach in Turks and Caicos. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
Deal basics
Airline: JetBlue
Routes: New York to various destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America
Travel dates: February through March, April or May, depending on the route
How to book: Directly with the airline
Advice for this deal
In keeping with the nature of dynamic pricing, JetBlue’s award pricing fluctuates from one day to the next and from one route to the next.
However, what we found are TrueBlue prices that are generally trending in the 4,000- to 7,000-point range one-way.
Most of the availability is for the New York City area, though if you live in New England or South Florida, you may want to plug in some destinations out of JetBlue hubs Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) or Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and see what you can find.
Specifically, in New York, the best deals seemed to be out of John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), so if you’re open to flying from either, just put “New York City” as your origin instead of a specific airport.
Finally, because this deal is fairly widespread, we recommend casting a wide net and plugging in various destinations JetBlue serves in Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America to see what appeals to you.
Sample flights
Here’s an example of a round-trip flight from JFK to Cancun International Airport (CUN) in early March that’s currently available. It’s priced at 4,100 TrueBlue points in each direction.
TPG values TrueBlue points at 1.4 cents per point, so the value of that 8,200-point round-trip itinerary is around $114.
JETBLUEJETBLUE
Considering Jamaica? Here’s one-way pricing out of EWR to Sangster International Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay starting at 5,800 points.
JETBLUEJETBLUE
That comes to 11,600 points round trip.
You can also score a one-way flight from JFK to Providenciales International Airport (PLS) in Turks and Caicos for only 7,500 points.
JETBLUE
And for 6,100 points, you could fly nonstop from EWR to Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA) in Aruba.
JETBLUE
Keep in mind that with JetBlue, the prices for the outbound and return trips are priced separately, so you may find the award pricing is higher on the return trip or vice versa.
Deals to Europe and in Mint
In addition to warm-weather, spring break-type destinations, you may want to run some searches for JetBlue’s slate of transatlantic flights.
Here’s a one-way option from JFK to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) for next month for 23,700 points. Comparatively impressive is the 93,700-point one-way pricing in JetBlue’s lie-flat Mint cabin.
JETBLUE
Again, be sure to check the pricing in both directions before you get your hopes up too high.
Maximize your purchase
Though you’ll pay for the bulk of your purchase with TrueBlue points, you will have to pay the taxes and fees.
If you book this deal, use a card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases. Frequent JetBlue flyers can use the JetBlue Plus Card for 6 points per dollar spent on eligible JetBlue purchases, the JetBlue Card for 3 points per dollar spent on eligible JetBlue purchases or the JetBlue Business Card for 6 points per dollar spent on eligible JetBlue purchases.
Otherwise, try The Platinum Card® from American Express (5 points per dollar spent on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar), the Citi Premier® Card (3 points per dollar spent on air travel; see rates and fees), the Chase Sapphire Reserve (3 points per dollar spent on airfare), the American Express® Gold Card (3 points per dollar spent on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through amextravel.com) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2 points per dollar spent on travel).
The information for the JetBlue Plus Card, JetBlue Card and JetBlue Business Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bottom line
Jamaica. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
If you’re itching to plan a late winter or early spring getaway and have been waiting for the right opportunity to use some TrueBlue points, now may be your opportunity.
Hop on the airline’s booking site, and run a few searches for February, March or even April and May to some destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America you’ve been hoping to visit. You may be able to find a redemption for just a few thousand points each way.
Startup carrier Avelo Airlines said Thursday that it was profitable in the fourth quarter of 2023, a significant milestone as the new airline continues to grow and begins to look towards its next phase.
Avelo managed to eke the pre-tax profit for the quarter despite higher-than-expected fuel prices, the airline said, crediting its low-cost business model and cost structures.
Although the airline still operated at a loss for the full year — typical for new companies as they launch and grow scale — the carrier said it brought in $265 million in revenue for the year, up by 74% compared to 2022.
The airline is on track to be profitable for the full year in 2024, CEO Andrew Levy said.
“Achieving our first profitable quarter is an exciting and significant milestone in Avelo’s journey,” Levy said in a statement. “As we approach Avelo’s third anniversary, I am very bullish about our future and the substantial opportunities ahead of us.”
The airline operates 16 Boeing 737 jets and expects to take delivery of five more this year. All of the aircraft are previously owned, and with about 1,000 employees, the airline maintains a ratio of roughly 63 employees per aircraft, significantly lower than mainline airlines (although higher than Frontier and Allegiant, which have roughly 53 and 48 employees per airplane, respectively, according to public information).
The quarterly profit contrasts with Breeze, the other ultra-low-cost startup airline that began flying in 2021.
Breeze appears to have lost hundreds of millions of dollars, according to filings with the Department of Transportation, as it’s rapidly expanded to more than 145 routes and purchased a fleet of brand-new Airbus A220-300 jets.
“The transition line happened later than we anticipated,” Neeleman added. “We didn’t get as efficient as we could have, soon enough, but we’re getting to that point now and so we’re really pleased with the business.”
When I decided I was ready to add my first travel rewards card to my wallet, I had to consider more than just budgeting for an annual fee and adding another monthly bill to my roster.
As a moderate spender, one of my biggest concerns was figuring out how I could comfortably meet the spending requirement to earn a lucrative welcome bonus on a new card.
I selected the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card to start collecting valuable Ultimate Rewards points for a reasonable annual fee. The real value for a brand-new points collector like myself was packed in the card’s welcome offer — 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 within the first three months from account opening.
TPG’s valuation pegs this welcome offer at $1,230 when you leverage transfer partners or $750 if you redeem through the Chase travel portal at 1.25 cents per point, which was an enticing deal for a newcomer.
I found in my research that spending $4,000 within three months to meet a welcome bonus seemed to be pretty standard across Chase credit cards, so I decided the best way to kick off my rewards journey was to earn 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points upfront.
When I first got the Chase Sapphire Preferred last November, the clock started ticking.
As someone who probably wouldn’t have spent $4,000 on purchases in three months with my typical spending habits, I made some small adjustments and reached my goal with a few weeks to spare.
Here are five of the methods I used to earn the Sapphire Preferred’s welcome bonus as a moderate spender.
Whether it was for date night, midday lunch or dinner with the girls, I started picking up everyone’s tab on one check at restaurants.
Aside from helping me meet my spending goal, this was especially advantageous on the Sapphire Preferred card since it earns 3 points per dollar on dining, including:
Delivery services
Takeout
Eating at restaurants
I’d pay the bill in full, and my friends would pay me back for their portion of the check.
This way, each purchase helped me get closer to the required spending minimum needed to collect the points, and my credit card bill would get paid off in full without incurring a ton of additional expenses.
Paying to attend an event with the Chase Sapphire Preferred
This is where the points game started to get fun.
More than half of my close friends here in Charlotte, North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina, and I’d been hearing about how exciting the men’s basketball games were in Chapel Hill for months.
I paid for tickets to a UNC men’s basketball game with my Sapphire Preferred. AUGUSTA STONE/THE POINTS GUY
We had discussed buying tickets for a less expensive home game for a while, and since I was making a push to spend more on my new Sapphire Preferred Card, I offered to buy seven tickets for a Monday night game between the Tar Heels and Wake Forest.
Once I purchased the tickets, I was $327 closer to that $4,000 spending minimum. After my friends paid me back and I paid my balance down, I received every dollar back on this purchase as Ultimate Rewards points.
Even though the tickets didn’t automatically trigger a bonus category on my Sapphire Preferred, I activated a limited-time 5% cash-back offer from SeatGeek through an in-app offer before making the purchases.
Thanks to this cash-back promo, my account was also credited some money from the ticket purchase.
Most of my friends who came to the UNC basketball game with me live in and around Charlotte. Since Chapel Hill is about two hours away from us, we decided to make a weekend trip out of it.
Anytime you’re away from your home base, you’re naturally going to spend more money. Even though this was only a two-night trip (and we were graciously offered free lodging at a friend’s house), nights out and meals purchased were all additional spending toward earning my welcome bonus.
I didn’t have to splurge on a longer-term trip or even book a hotel night to spend more than I would’ve if I had stuck around Charlotte that weekend.
I found that making a couple of extra $20-$40 transactions eventually added up across the three months I worked to meet my welcome bonus spending requirement.
Trips like the one to Chapel Hill helped me realize that $4,000 doesn’t have to be as intimidating a threshold to reach as I’d thought it would be.
Holiday spending with the Chase Sapphire Preferred
I was also intentional with the timing of everything here.
When I applied for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, my first rewards credit card that came with a spending-dependent welcome bonus, it was around the middle of November.
WESTEND61/GETTY IMAGES
As it was for many others, this was at the very start of a spending-heavy season for me. Between traveling home to see my family in Georgia and finding the perfect gifts for my loved ones, I had already budgeted for some extra spending.
That naturally made it easier to spend more money and meet the welcome offer’s spending requirement.
That all brings me to my last point, which is perhaps the most intuitive and certainly the most important: I did as much of my spending as I could with my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card until I met my spending goal.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred became the best card in my wallet thanks to its generous earning structure and high-value Ultimate Rewards points.
I’ll also use this strategy in the future when I open new credit cards that feature solid welcome offers and manageable minimum spending requirements.
I created a spending strategy that aligned with my budget before applying for my Sapphire Preferred card in order to earn the welcome offer.
Within my personal budget, I don’t typically spend $4,000 across three months (excluding my rent).
However, remaining mindful of my budget while maximizing the benefits of my new credit card helped me responsibly earn 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points fairly easily.
Some of my spending strategy was oriented around taking on larger payments for a group of people and being paid back by them later. I found a way to spend enough money without going over my personal budget because paying off my statement monthly is a priority for me.
Optimal timing was another part of my application strategy, which is why I applied for the card around the holiday season. I did this knowing that I had made room in my budget to spend a little bit extra from November to January for gifts and travel-related expenses.
Additionally, I made sure to avoid accruing interest on my new credit card by paying the balance off in full come each statement.
Carrying a monthly balance can negatively affect your credit score and counteract any rewards you earn from your spending. This is why I prioritized spending within my budget while working to meet the welcome bonus requirements for the Sapphire Preferred.
Now, I have a collection of Ultimate Rewards points to build off of for future redemptions, and I’m excited to continue to add points while making everyday purchases with my Sapphire Preferred Card.
Air Canada flyers will have two new Toronto-area destinations to choose from come May. That’s when Landline, the flight-on-a-bus operator that partners with the likes of American Airlines and United Airlines, will launch new “flights” connecting Hamilton and Kitchener in Ontario to Air Canada’s hub at Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ).
Landline will offer six daily round trips for Air Canada between YYZ and both John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM) and Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF) in Kitchener from May 1. Both are new destinations for the Star Alliance carrier. The airports are currently served by other airlines, including Lynx Air and WestJet at YHM and Flair Airlines at YKF, according to Cirium Diio schedules.
Buses will operate with Air Canada flight numbers, similar to Air Canada Express flights, with seat assignments and checked bags included. One-way trips between YYZ and both YHM and YKF are estimated at one hour to one hour and 10 minutes.
As an added perk, passengers can expect free “inflight” Wi-Fi.
“Air Canada is focused on improving regional services,” said Alexandre Lefèvre, vice president of network planning for North America at Air Canada. “Through this innovative partnership with The Landline Company, we are connecting communities and extending our network by offering customers a convenient, stress-free multimodal option.”
The network additions come as airlines around the world pull back on regional flying. These cuts come as airline costs have risen following the coronavirus pandemic, various staffing shortages that have hindered operations and climate considerations taking a newfound prominence. The net result is that smaller cities have less air service today than they did before the pandemic.
Air Canada has cut 10 smaller Canadian cities from its map since 2019, Cirium Diio schedules show. They include Kingston and Sarnia in Ontario, Penticton in British Columbia and Val d’Or in Quebec.
A landside bus connection at Toronto’s airport
The big question for travelers riding Air Canada’s Landline buses: Do they, like the flights they emulate, arrive “airside” — or inside security — for connections at YYZ? No, at least, not yet, said David Sunde, co-founder and CEO of Landline.
“We need to prove that [our model] works in Canada, and show that we can drive a lot of volume,” he said. Air Canada is Landline’s first partner outside the U.S.
Air Canada buses will arrive and depart outside security from the terminal curb — or “landside” in airline parlance — at all three airports. Bags, however, will be transferred directly from flights to buses and vice versa at YYZ, saving travelers a stop at either the ticket counter or baggage claim.
At YHM and YKF, travelers will check in and drop their bags at an Air Canada counter in the airport terminal. They will then board buses at the curb for the trip to YYZ where, after arriving, they can proceed directly to security and on to their connecting flights.
Landline buses only arrive airside at one airport, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), with partner American. Riders clear security at their departure airport and can bypass the checkpoint at PHL. Buses at Denver International Airport (DEN) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) that partner with United depart the airports from a gate like a flight would, but the return trips arrive at the curb at both hubs.
A ‘perfect market’ for Landline
Landline executives do not see any issues with the landside connections at YYZ. The company’s partnership with Sun Country Airlines operates similarly to how the Air Canada pact will and is viewed as a success.
“Canada is a perfect market for Landline,” said Nick Johnson, the head of revenue at Landline who worked on the Air Canada tie-up. “Big hub airports and a lot of small, mid-sized cities within our strike zone of one to three hours from the hub.”
A quick glance at the map of Toronto’s regional rail operator, Go, shows several large suburbs at the end of its lines. Hamilton and Kitchener are two of these, and others include Barrie, Oshawa and Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Farther afield is the small city of Kingston where Air Canada suspended flights during the pandemic. The drive from the airport to YYZ is about two hours and 45 minutes.
“We will look to further expand our regional network in Canada through our Landline partnership,” Lefèvre said when commenting on future expansion possibilities.
However, Johnson’s comment also referred to the greater willingness of Canadians than Americans to embrace multimodal journeys. Canadian cities typically see higher transit ridership than their U.S. counterparts despite similar car-centric development patterns. Toronto, for example, has the largest streetcar network in North America, plus subway and regional rail systems.
“One of the challenges that Landline has faced since its inception in the U.S. is just overcoming the perception of long-haul bus travel. Or, when you’re not on the East Coast, just bus travel in general,” Sunde said. In Canada, he added, Landline does not anticipate a similar need to “convince” travelers of the quality of its buses in order to drive usage.
A premium economy product
Riding on a Landline bus, as Johnson sees it, is equivalent to an international premium economy experience on the ground. Buses are configured with 36 seats in a spacious 1-2 configuration and 35 inches of pitch. Every seat has a tray table and power outlets.
Travelers, however, will not receive food or drinks during their rides. This is comparable to Landline’s offerings with American and United, Johnson added.
Travelers on the new YHM and YKF services will be able to earn Air Canada Aeroplan points on their trips. Similarly, members of any Star Alliance airline loyalty program will be able to earn points on Landline-operated buses as they would on any Air Canada flight.
Travelers like more frequent buses-as-flights options
Air Canada may be Landline’s newest partner, but the company is growing elsewhere as well. It recently added its 15th daily bus between Northern Colorado Regional Airport (FNL) in Fort Collins and DEN with United. The service began in 2021 with just four daily buses.
The expanded schedule is driving increased ridership and improved load factors for Landline’s service at FNL, Sunde said. “If you ask a driver what’s going to get them out of their car using a Landline in partnership with an airline, probably the most important part of that is schedule frequency.”
Conversely, Landline suspended its buses between Denver and Breckenridge, Colorado, after finding that one or two daily trips were not enough to woo travelers out of their cars or away from other forms of transportation.
Sunde declined to provide any details about Landline’s future expansion plans. The company has demonstrated steady growth since its debut with Sun Country in 2019 and subsequent additions of Air Canada, American and United as partners in the five years since.
The same industry dynamics that are making regional flying less attractive to airlines — higher costs and systemic industry constraints — only strengthen the case for multimodal ground options at hub airports.
“Our footprint in the U.S. is a testament to the fact that our model works,” Sunde said.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.
Marriott Bonvoy is the loyalty program for over 30 Marriott brands. These brands offer almost 8,700 properties in 139 countries and territories. And if you have Marriott elite status, you’ll enjoy benefits across the entire Marriott portfolio.
Marriott elite status can be extremely valuable to frequent travelers. So, here’s what you should know about Marriott Bonvoy status, including its best perks and how to earn it.
What is Marriott elite status?
Marriott elite status gives you extra perks when staying at Marriott properties. Once you join Marriott Bonvoy, you’ll be a member. But Marriott also offers five elite status tiers that you can earn via nights — and for top tier status, spending with Marriott Bonvoy — within a calendar year.
You’ll have the entire calendar year to earn elite night credits — and accrue qualifying dollars if you’re going for top-tier Marriott Bonvoy status. Once you earn a specific Marriott Bonvoy elite status, you’ll keep your status through the end of the following February. You’ll also earn Marriott Annual Choice Benefits once you accrue 50 and 75 elite night credits during a calendar year.
Marriott Bonvoy has five elite status tiers that you can earn as follows:
Silver Elite: 10 elite night credits per calendar year
Gold Elite: 25 elite night credits per calendar year
Platinum Elite: 50 elite night credits per calendar year
Titanium Elite: 75 elite night credits per calendar year
Ambassador Elite: 100 elite night credits per calendar year and at least $23,000 in qualified spending per calendar year
In addition to these tiers, you can also earn lifetime elite status with Marriott Bonvoy. It’s no longer possible to earn lifetime Titanium Elite status, but you can earn other lifetime Marriott statuses as follows:
Lifetime Silver Elite: 250 nights and five years as Silver Elite or higher
Lifetime Gold Elite: 400 nights and seven years as Gold Elite or higher
Lifetime Platinum Elite: 600 nights and 10 years as Platinum Elite or higher
Although it takes a while — and many nights with Marriott — to earn lifetime status, doing so will let you continue to enjoy benefits on stays even if you don’t stay frequently enough to continue earning Marriott elite status each calendar year.
You can earn Marriott elite status by accruing elite night credits — and, in the case of Ambassador Elite, qualifying spending — during each calendar year. However, your elite night credits and spending reset to zero at the end of each calendar year.
Elite night credits
Here’s how stays at Marriott properties earn elite night credits toward elite status:
Protea Hotels, City Express, Four Points Express and Fairfield by Marriott Copenhagen Nordhavn: One elite night credit per every two qualifying nights stayed per stay
Marriott Executive Apartments: One elite night credit per every three qualifying nights stayed per stay
Most other Marriott properties: One elite night credit per qualifying night stayed
In the case of the brands and properties for which you only earn an elite night credit after you stay two or three qualifying nights, you won’t earn partial elite night credits. As such, two three-night qualifying stays at Protea Hotels locations would only net you two total elite night credits since each stay would earn just one elite night credit.
You can also earn elite night credits if you hold a qualifying event at a participating Marriott Bonvoy property. Specifically, you’ll earn one elite night credit for every 20 room nights booked and stayed, up to 20 elite night credits per event contract.
Sometimes, Marriott promotions offer double elite night credits on paid stays. You can also earn elite night credits through Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, which we’ll discuss later.
Petra Marriott Hotel in Jordan. RYAN SMITH/THE POINTS GUY
Qualifying spending for Ambassador Elite status
The top Marriott Bonvoy status, Ambassador Elite, is the only tier with a qualifying spending requirement. To earn Ambassador Elite status, you must accrue 100 elite night credits per calendar year and at least $23,000 in qualified spending per calendar year.
Fewer expenses than you might expect count as qualifying spending. Based on the Marriott Bonvoy terms and conditions, qualifying spending only consists of qualifying charges from stays completed within the qualifying period. As such, you can’t boost your qualifying spending by prepaying stays for future qualifying years, incurring on-property charges without a stay, spending on cobranded Marriott Bonvoy cards, buying Marriott gift cards and other similar activities.
Now that you know how to earn Marriott elite status, let’s look at the best benefits of status. For each of the best benefits we discuss in this section, we’ll detail the benefit and how it varies by tier.
Bonus points
Marriott Bonvoy members earn 10 base points per dollar spent on qualifying charges at most Marriott brands, although you’ll only earn 5 or 2.5 base points per dollar at some brands. Then, members with Marriott elite status earn bonus points on the base points as follows:
As a Gold Elite member, you’ll get a welcome gift of points once per stay at participating Marriott brands. You’ll get 500 points per stay at most brands, although you won’t get a welcome gift of points at City Express, and you’ll only get 250 points per stay at Courtyard, Four Points, SpringHill Suites, Protea Hotels, Fairfield, AC Hotels, Aloft, Moxy, Four Points Express, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites and Element.
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite members and above also get a welcome gift at participating Marriott brands, excluding City Express properties that aren’t City Centro locations. However, Platinum Elite members and above get a choice of welcome gift at most brands. The choices depend on the brand and region but may include food and beverage credit, breakfast, points and special amenities. It’s best to look at the table in Section 4.3.c.iii of the Marriott Bonvoy terms and conditions to see your welcome gift options before you arrive at the check-in desk.
Gold Elite members and above are eligible for complimentary room upgrades subject to availability and as identified by participating Marriott properties upon arrival.
Gold Elite members are eligible for enhanced rooms, which may include rooms on higher floors, rooms with desirable reviews, corner rooms and rooms on Executive floors. However, Gold Elite members aren’t eligible for upgrades to rooms with direct Club lounge access at The Ritz-Carlton.
In addition to the complimentary upgrade types available to Gold Elite members, Platinum Elite members and above may also get suites — although at The Ritz-Carlton, suites are only offered to Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite members.
Regardless of your Marriott Bonvoy status, know that Marriott Vacation Club; Marriott Grand Residence Club; Sheraton Vacation Club; Westin Vacation Club; The Phoenician Residences, a Luxury Collection Residence Club, Scottsdale; and Ritz-Carlton Reserve don’t participate in the complimentary room upgrades part of the Marriott Bonvoy program.
Platinum Elite members and above can enjoy lounge access with one guest staying in the same room at JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels, Sheraton, Delta Hotels, Le Meridien, Westin, Autograph Collection and Renaissance Hotels that have a lounge (although you’ll only get lounge access at resort properties for Sheraton, Le Meridien and Westin). You can also get lounge access at Courtyard properties outside the U.S. and Canada if the property has a lounge.
Lounge at the JW Marriott Hotel Bogota in Colombia. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
Late checkout
You may be eligible for complimentary late checkout if you have Marriott elite status. However, some brands don’t participate in this benefit, including Marriott Vacation Club; Marriott Grand Residence Club; Sheraton Vacation Club; Westin Vacation Club; The Phoenician Residences, a Luxury Collection Residence Club, Scottsdale; and Ritz-Carlton Reserve.
Silver Elite members may get priority late checkout at participating Marriott brands if they call the front desk on the morning of checkout. Meanwhile, Gold Elite members can request a 2 p.m. late checkout at participating Marriott brands by calling the front desk on the morning of checkout. However, Silver Elite and Gold Elite members only get late checkout based on availability.
Platinum Elite members and above can check out as late as 4 p.m. at participating properties if they request to do so during booking, check-in or anytime during their stay. Late checkout is only guaranteed until 2 p.m. at Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy for Platinum Elite members and above, although you can request a 4 p.m. checkout based on availability. Four p.m. late checkout is based on availability for Platinum Elite members and above at resort and convention hotels and Design Hotels, but is guaranteed at other participating properties.
Your24
Ambassador Elite members can access a unique perk via Your24: the ability to request a specific check-in time and then check out at that same time. The request must be made at least two days before arrival and approved by the hotel.
If you get an approved check-in time between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., you can request the Platinum Elite and above late checkout benefit to extend your checkout time to 4 p.m. The room you booked might not be available at check-in, so the property may temporarily place you in another room and then move you to your booked room type once it’s available.
However, Marriott Vacation Club, Marriott Grand Residence Club, Sheraton Vacation Club, Westin Vacation Club and Design Hotels don’t participate in Your24. Likewise, The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach; The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas; Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas; and The Phoenician Residences, a Luxury Collection Residence Club, Scottsdale also don’t participate in Your24.
Partner perks
At select Marriott Bonvoy status tiers, members can enroll in perks with partner programs as follows:
Emirates and Marriott partnership: Gold Elite and above members earn 3 points per dollar on eligible Emirates flights (in addition to Skywards miles); Platinum Elite and above members can enjoy priority check-in and priority boarding when flying Emirates.
Singapore Airlines and Marriott partnership: Gold Elite members can enroll in a fast track to KrisFlyer Silver status; Platinum Elite and above members can get KrisFlyer Silver for 12 months and a fast track to Gold status.
Hertz and Marriott partnership: Platinum Elite members can enroll in a fast track to Hertz Five Star status, Titanium Elite members can match to complimentary Five Star status and Ambassador Elite members can match to President’s Circle status.
Can a credit card help earn Marriott elite status?
Credit cards can help you earn Marriott elite status. You can enroll in complimentary Marriott Bonvoy status as a perk of the following cards (terms apply):
You can also upgrade to Marriott Gold Elite status by spending $35,000 on purchases each calendar year on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card.
DRAGANA991/GETTY IMAGES
Even if you want to earn Marriott elite status through elite night credits, having one or more Marriott Bonvoy credit cards can still help. Most consumer Marriott Bonvoy credit cards offer 15 elite night credits per calendar year, although the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex offers 25. You can only earn 15 (or 25 if you have the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex) elite night credits from consumer cards each calendar year, but you can also get 15 elite night credits if you have the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex.
Marriott elite status offers valuable perks to frequent guests. When deciding whether Marriott elite status is worth pursuing, consider how often you stay with Marriott (or would stay with Marriott) and how much value the perks would provide. If you don’t stay frequently, it’s likely not worth actively pursuing status outside of the complimentary Gold Elite status you can get if you have the Amex Platinum Card or the Amex Business Platinum Card.
But, whether Marriott elite status is worth it becomes more complex if you tend to accrue at least 20 elite night credits organically through stays each year. In this case, it could be worth focusing your stays on Marriott and getting one or more Marriott Bonvoy credit cards to get more elite night credits and earn at least Platinum Elite status.
I stay with Marriott frequently enough that it makes sense to have the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card and Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex and then stay at least 20 nights for Platinum Elite or 45 nights for Titanium Elite each calendar year. I strive to earn at least Platinum Elite status each year because the most valuable perks — such as complimentary breakfast as a welcome gift option at some brands, lounge access at some brands, 4 p.m. guaranteed late checkout at most properties and space-available upgrades up to suites — start at this tier.
Marriott elite status offers valuable perks, especially at the higher tiers. And if you’re eligible for Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, you can obtain complimentary Marriott Platinum Elite status as a perk of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex. But, since you can earn elite night credits through most Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, you can earn Marriott Bonvoy status even if you don’t earn all your elite night credits through stays.
Compared to other hotel loyalty programs, Marriott lifetime status may also be more attainable for some travelers since it only requires you to meet thresholds for elite night credits and years with the status. For example, you could earn lifetime Platinum Elite status after 600 nights with Marriott and 10 years as Platinum Elite or higher.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
With over 30,000 locations and millions of rewards members, Starbucks is, without question, a worldwide phenomenon. So what’s the best credit card for your next cup of joe, tea, Refresher (or even pup cup)?
Whether you want a cold brew or a morning snack, here’s how to get the most bang for your next Starbucks purchase by using one of these credit cards and maximizing the Starbucks Stars program.
How to earn and use Starbucks Stars
No matter what credit card (or gift card) you use to pay for Starbucks, if you load that money into your Starbucks app or pay from within the app, you earn 2 Starbucks Stars per dollar when you pay for most Starbucks menu items.
Since that is a constant at participating Starbucks, we’re going to largely ignore those earnings here, but be sure and earn those Stars, as they are worth about 4-5 cents each, depending on how you use them.
We’ll value them at 4 cents per point for our purposes to stay on the conservative side, but know that you can sometimes get a bit more value than that.
25 Stars: Drink modifications (such as an extra shot)
100 Stars: Brewed hot or iced coffee or tea, bakery item, packaged snack and more
200 Stars: Handcrafted drink or hot breakfast
300 Stars: Lunch sandwiches, protein box or a brew-at-home coffee
400 Stars: Select Starbucks merchandise item (up to $20)
Keep in mind that Starbucks Stars expire six months after they are earned, on the first day of that month. Make sure you use them or you’ll lose them.
How to earn credit card rewards at Starbucks
Your first thought when deciding which credit card to use at Starbucks might have been the one that gives you the best bonus on dining, and that’s not a bad approach. However, it is not the only path to maximizing value at Starbucks.
Since you can reload your Starbucks balance from the mobile app (or even use a mobile wallet payment option like Apple Pay or Chase Pay to pay in the store), credit cards that give a mobile wallet bonus can work out well, too.
For example, the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card awards 3 points per dollar for mobile wallet purchases.
The information for the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
For example, you could earn 5% cash back (or 5 points per dollar spent) by picking up a Starbucks gift card at an office supply store with your Ink Business Cash® Credit Card. It may take a little extra effort, but you’ll earn rewards that you can put toward statement credits and other purchases.
The Starbucks Visa card is no longer available
If you’re thinking, “Wait, isn’t there a Starbucks Visa and shouldn’t it be the best card for Starbucks?” Well, yes, there was a Starbucks Visa but it’s no longer available — and it actually wasn’t the most rewarding credit card for Starbucks purchases anyway.
Accurately narrowing down the best way to pay for your Starbucks order is complicated since there are so many options, but we’ll highlight the best of the best to get you on the right track.
$750 bonus cash back (75,000 points) after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening
5 points per dollar spent on first $25,000 in combined purchases at office supply stores, cellular phone, landline, internet and cable TV services each account year
6% back at U.S. supermarkets; up to $6,000; then 1% (you can purchase Starbucks gift cards there). Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for statement credits
2 cents
12 cents
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then,$95 (see rates and fees, )
Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first six months of card membership
6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000 per year; then 1%. Terms apply
$300 cash bonus after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months
Any Bank of America credit or debit card
2% cash back on qualifying Starbucks in-app purchases
1 cent
2 cents
Varies
Varies
Value of rewards based on TPG valuations, not the card issuers.
The information for the Hilton Aspire card, Starbucks Visa, Citi Prestige and the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
STARBUCKS
As you can see, the American Express Gold Card is great if you want to directly load up your Starbucks account in the app or pay in a Starbucks store. The Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred cards are also solid options thanks to their earning power of 3 points per dollar on dining purchases.
You may also want to factor in any relevant Amex Offers or Chase Offers and a whole host of other stacking opportunities that can lead to savings if you’re a Starbucks regular.
The best card for Starbucks can change over time
The best card in your wallet for Starbucks purchases will probably change as offers and special promos from various sources come into play. For example, TPG staffers have previously seen a Chase promotion that awarded up to 10 points per dollar at Starbucks across a variety of credit cards.
Additionally, if you have a card such as the Chase Freedom (no longer open to new applicants) or Chase Freedom Flex℠ where the bonus categories rotate, that card may sometimes take the top slot as it rotates in a mobile wallet depending on the current cash back promotional offer.
Bottom line
Are you on your second cup of coffee yet? We know this was a long answer to a simple question.
There isn’t a straightforward answer to which credit card is the best to use at Starbucks because there are several cards that can earn you solid rewards — in the form of Stars and/or cash back. The good news is that this gives you plenty of opportunities to maximize your earning power with every Starbucks purchase you make.
Unless you receive a promo offer that earns more than 4 points per dollar, we recommend using the Amex Gold Card for your Starbucks fix. You can also buy Starbucks gift cards to enjoy bonus rewards. Otherwise, the 3 points per dollar you can earn using the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred or Bilt Mastercard provides a good alternative option.
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold Card, click here. For rates and fees of the Hilton Aspire Card, click here. For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred Card, click here. For rates and fees of the Bilt Mastercard, click here.
For rewards and benefits of the Bilt Mastercard, click here.
Forget about seatback screens, tablets or smartphones.
A new generation of inflight entertainment is about to take flight on Beond. That’s because this Dubai-based carrier — a self-proclaimed “premium leisure airline” — will officially become the world’s first to offer Apple’s Vision Pro headset to its passengers.
Beginning in July, Beond will stock its jets with Apple’s new headset for inflight entertainment. These devices will be loaded with the airline’s existing onboard content of movies and TV shows, and Beond is also creating a custom experience that it says will transform your surroundings into a fully immersive backdrop of what you can expect in the Maldives (the airline’s main base).
The airline is working with resorts in the Maldives to capture footage that’ll be converted into this immersive environment and displayed once you put on the Vision Pro headset.
MATHEEN FAIZ/BEOND
At the outset, Beond will only offer Vision Pro headsets to select passengers for the duration of the flight. The airline isn’t buying enough devices for the entire plane; rather, they’ll only be available (at launch) to those that pay for the highest fare class, the so-called Opulence class.
After all, at $3,499, Vision Pros don’t come cheap, even for an airline that exclusively offers pricey business-class seating on its entire fleet.
“Offering the Apple Vision Pro is another step in our vision of delivering a premium travel experience to our customers, from the start to finish of their journey. We’re proud to be the first airline to deploy the technology,” Beond’s Chairman and CEO, Tero Taskila, said in a statement.
Beond commenced operations late last year, offering service to the Maldives from various destinations in the Middle East and Europe. The airline operates Airbus A320 family aircraft, and the jets are exclusively configured with business-class lie-flat pods.
Beond’s business model caters to deep-pocketed travelers looking to arrive to their Maldivian vacation in style. So, it’s little surprise that this carrier would be the first to invest in Apple’s Vision Pro headset to upgrade its inflight entertainment experience.
Ever since the device’s unveiling last year, it’s pretty clear that Apple designed the Vision Pro with travel in mind. Aside from the device appearing in an airplane cabin in Apple’s first ads, the headset has a built-in travel mode that automatically adjusts the sensors to compensate for aircraft movement.
APPLE
To date, I’ve seen a handful of early adopters bring the device with them during travel. While the device has received mixed reception since its launch on Feb. 2, the overwhelming number of travelers I’ve spoken to have enjoyed using the device during flights.
Once you put it on, you can fully immerse yourself in your content and block out all distractions, such as seat neighbors, crowded aisles and loud passengers.
Personally, I demoed the device — and shared my thoughts — before its launch. While the use case for travel is undoubtedly appealing, the cost and size might not make it a must-have right now.
That said, I did just pick one up for some real-world use, and I’m looking forward to reporting back about my experiences.
Americans have become increasingly frustrated with airlines and air travel. Since taking office, Buttigieg has been visible at the forefront of various Biden administration initiatives and has pushed for passenger rights, limits on “junk fees” and better operational performance among the airlines, while working through a decadeslong air traffic controller shortage that’s reached a critical level. Holding the airlines to account is an easy populist win.
But another part of it is that Buttigieg is a frequent flyer for work and an overall travel buff and AvGeek.
“Air travel is a miracle,” Buttigieg told TPG during an interview Thursday following a press conference at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). “The fact that I’m reading memos in a seat in the sky as part of how I start my Monday morning.”
“There’s a magic to that, even 100 years into the aviation age, that I hope we never lose track of,” he added.
It’s an energizing perspective for someone who travels for work at least once a week, almost entirely on whatever flight he can grab (like most high-ranking officials, Buttigieg has occasionally flown on government aircraft when commercial options weren’t viable for various reasons).
And while those trips are all for a purpose — for meetings with stakeholders, events, for the chance to see the real-world impact of various policies — the flights themselves, and the chance to visit various parts of the air travel system firsthand, are useful to him as the industry’s chief regulator, he said.
“You see patterns,” he said. “It’s one thing to see one air traffic control tower; it’s another thing to be in 10 of them.”
But for Buttigieg, travel has always been about more than the infrastructure and logistics, he said.
As have points and miles.
Buttigieg’s father immigrated to the U.S. from Malta while pursuing his doctorate degree. He often flew to Italy in the course of his research, Buttigieg said, which meant accumulating a decent stash of miles over the years.
“He would save up those miles and points and every couple of years, it meant we could go to Malta to see my family,” he said. In the classic tradition of award travel, sometimes that could mean taking a wild routing to score seats at a lower tier on the award chart — like flying from South Bend, Indiana, to Chicago to London to Rome before finally flying on to Malta.
“It took two or three days, but it meant that I got to see my grandmother and all my aunts and uncles and cousins, and as a kid, it was just such magic,” Buttigieg said, remembering that his father used to keep a log of every single flight he’d taken — something many travel aficionados still do today, with digital services like Flightradar24’s flight log or the Flighty app.
“I’m concerned about some of the arbitrary devaluations of points, or these fees that get attached to everything,” he said.
Buttigieg, meanwhile, collects plenty of miles during his work travel, just like any other passenger, though he said he pays less attention to his status — he prefers to decline upgrades to avoid any false appearance of impropriety.
“I don’t want to be photographed in first class,” he said.
He tends to use miles these days for a variety of trips, whenever it makes the most sense, rather than saving them all up.
“We’ll figure out whether we’re better off using airline miles, credit card points, or money,” he said.
Despite any romantic notions of what travel can be, Buttigieg noted that there are inherent challenges and unpleasantries involved, especially for people who aren’t frequent business travelers but might fly once every couple of years for the holidays.
“The worst is when you really need to be somewhere and there’s a disruption, right?” he asked. “That’s a constant headache that I think about both as a traveler and as a policymaker.”
“I think everybody gets that weather happens, things happen,” he added. But when there are chronic or ongoing issues within the airline’s control, things that airlines “could and should do differently, that’s when I think we’ve got to lean in.”
For instance, late last year, the DOT fined Southwest Airlines a record-breaking $140 million over its operational collapse during the 2022 holiday season, which left 2 million Americans stranded all across the country as the airline struggled to regain its footing following a winter storm.
Of course, some delays — like the congested airspace surrounding the Northeast and much of Florida — can be linked to the DOT and the Federal Aviation Administration’s shortage of air traffic controllers. That’s also been a priority for the administration, with Buttigieg telling TPG in January that the hiring of new controllers had finally accelerated.
“I’m encouraged by that, but I’m also very concerned because we need to pick up the pace on that hiring to make sure it stays ahead of retirements and departures,” he said at the time.
Aside from the frustrations of dealing with delays, Buttigieg said that opaque and unfair fare structures, particularly for less frequent travelers, are one of the more frustrating things he’s observed through his time in the air and on the ground.
“If you aren’t getting the value you thought you were getting,” he said. “That’s something that can be a consistent headache too.”
“In any other market, you know what the price of something is and then you make your decision on whose product to buy, and that can be a little fuzzier,” he added.
But still, to Buttigieg, the frustrations are an aside to the joys of air travel.
“There’s something deeply human about marveling at flight, because it kicks off at such a young age. Our son’s vocabulary had 10 words in it and one of them was ‘airplane.’ Our daughter, too.”
“When they see an airplane, when we’re traveling, when we take them to a museum and we look at airplanes and everything that surrounds them, there’s just a magic to it.”
And from the perspective of a policymaker and regulator, the achievements that have been made in safety in air travel are something to admire, Buttigieg said, even as the FAA continues to work to improve safety measures in light of several recent incidents.
“I’m trying to get an area like roadway safety to catch up to that culture,” he said, “because we tolerate a level of heartbreak in roadway crashes that we never would in aviation.”
But on the theme of the day — infrastructure — Buttigieg said that the key focus is on making sure that the country’s air travel system is up to date and ready to serve.
“Every time I come to an airport,” Buttigieg said, “I find myself wondering what people are on their way to.”
“What we know,” he added, “is that no matter what brings you to the airport, so much depends on the airport being ready to meet your needs.”
