Here’s the latest miles, points, travel and deals news:
Mesa Card Shuts Down
The Mesa Homeowners Card abruptly closed all accounts on December 12, 2025, just over a year after launching in November 2024, leaving cardholders unable to make purchases or earn points.
The no-annual-fee card let you earn 1x points on linked mortgage payments (capped at 100,000 points annually) and 3x points on home and family expenses like home improvement, contractors, cable, streaming, insurance, property taxes, utilities, and daycare.
You can now only redeem remaining Mesa Points as a statement credit at 0.6 cents per point, since transfers to airline and hotel partners have been disabled.
There’s potential workaround to access transfer options: uninstall and reinstall the Mesa app, turn on airplane mode before opening it, wait for the auto-update to fail, then turn your internet back on and log in to see the old transfer interface.
Ritz Card Cuts Lounge Guests
Chase is ending unlimited guest access at Priority Pass lounges and Chase Sapphire Lounges for Ritz-Carlton cardholders effective January 15, 2026, replacing it with a limit of 2 complimentary guests per visit and a $27 fee for each additional person.
The change removes what made this card unique among premium offerings, especially since it’s no longer available to new applicants and can only be obtained through product changes from other Chase Marriott cards.
You’ll still get free authorized users who each receive their own Priority Pass membership with 2 free guests and unlimited Sapphire Lounge access, meaning couples with kids can bring up to 6 people total (primary cardholder plus 2 guests, authorized user plus 2 guests).
If you regularly travel with larger groups or colleagues and relied on unlimited guest access, you’ll want to evaluate whether the annual fee still makes sense after this devaluation.
Spirit Airlines Weekend Collapse Possible
Major U.S. airlines are preparing contingency plans for Spirit Airlines to potentially cease operations as soon as this weekend, according to The Air Current, with the carrier needing to access $100 million in financing to keep flying.
Spirit has flatly denied the shutdown rumors and insists flights are operating normally, but at least two major carriers are already planning additional flight schedules to accommodate thousands of passengers who could be stranded during the holiday travel season.
The ultra-low-cost carrier is currently in its second bankruptcy proceeding in just over a year and has been desperately trying to turn things around with major changes like adding first class seats, bundling fares, and slashing employee contracts.
If Spirit goes under, you’ll likely pay more for flights across the board since the airline’s rock-bottom fares have forced major carriers like American, Delta, and United to compete on price for over a decade.
Aer Lingus Expands To Pittsburgh
Aer Lingus will launch 4x weekly service between Dublin and Pittsburgh starting May 25, 2026, operating on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
You’ll fly on an Airbus A321LR/XLR configured with 16 business class seats and 168 economy seats, with the westbound flight departing Dublin at 4:10PM and landing in Pittsburgh at 7:10PM, while the return leaves at 8:40PM and arrives at 8:40AM the next day.
Pittsburgh currently only has British Airways offering year-round transatlantic service to London Heathrow, plus Icelandair’s summer seasonal flights to Keflavik, making this the airport’s second year-round European connection.
The route marks Aer Lingus’ second new 2026 destination after Raleigh-Durham launches in April, and Pittsburgh Airport has been offering substantial subsidies to attract transatlantic carriers, which likely played a role in securing this service.
La Première Expands in the US
Air France is bringing its ultra-exclusive La Première cabin to three new US cities in 2026: Atlanta launches March 29, Houston debuts July 6, and Boston follows on July 20.
These additions expand La Première service to eight total US destinations, joining existing routes to New York-JFK, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and Washington D.C., with daily Boeing 777-300ER flights featuring just four individual suites per aircraft.
By July 2026, you’ll find the redesigned suites on every New York and Los Angeles flight, with the entire La Première network completing the upgrade by year-end.
Air France Upgrades Heathrow Lounge
Air France will open a new flagship lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 4 in spring 2026, spanning approximately 8,000 square feet with seating for around 150 guests.
The lounge will feature French fine dining in dedicated restaurant-style areas, a full-service bar with curated French wines and Champagne, spa and relaxation zones, plus quiet corners for working between flights.
Access includes La Premiere first class, SkyTeam business class (excluding Business Light), and SkyTeam Elite Plus members—like Delta Gold Medallion and above or Virgin Atlantic Flying Club—when flying SkyTeam airlines from Terminal 4.
This marks a major upgrade from the current Plaza Premium contract lounge Air France uses, and it’s part of the airline’s broader lounge investment push that’s already delivered refreshed spaces at Paris Charles de Gaulle, Boston, and Chicago O’Hare in 2025.
