Happy Wednesday. Here is your miles, points, deals, and travel news for September 2, 2026.
Southwest confirms airport lounges
Southwest Airlines today confirmed its first airport lounge network, another step toward a more traditional airline product after assigned seats, extra-legroom sections, and checked-bag fees. Construction is already underway at the first four sites, with guests expected in late 2027.
The opening four are Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), and Nashville International Airport (BNA). Southwest says at least seven more lounges will follow in high-demand business and leisure markets over the next several years, without naming those cities yet.
Access is tied to a new premium Southwest Rapid Rewards® Credit Card issued by Chase that is scheduled to launch in 2027. Southwest has not named existing Rapid Rewards cards as an access path, and it has not published an annual fee, guest policy, or day-pass.
Southwest is building the lounges with Chase and pointing to the Chase Sapphire Reserve Lounge Network℠ as the amenity model, including locally inspired dining. This is for Southwest flyers who will wait for the 2027 card details before deciding whether lounge access is worth another cobrand annual fee.
American ends Flagship First
American Airlines’ first retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER enters commercial service this evening on New York (JFK) to Buenos Aires (EZE), and it carries no Flagship First cabin. The jet now has 70 Flagship Suite business seats with doors (including eight Flagship Suite Preferred bulkheads), 44 premium economy seats, and 330 seats in total, up from 304.
That is 18 more business seats and 16 more premium economy seats than the old layout, which had eight Flagship First seats and 52 business seats. American plans to retrofit all 20 of its 777-300ERs by the end of 2027, with later flying expected on other 777-300ER routes such as London, Tokyo, São Paulo, and Sydney as more aircraft leave the shop.
Separately, American will stop selling Flagship First on 777-300ER long-haul flights for travel beginning November 19, 2026. Flagship First on premium transcontinental A321T flying ends for travel beginning March 28, 2027.
On aircraft that still physically have the old first-class seats after those dates, those seats will be sold and treated as business class, not as a separate first-class product. This is the end of the last true international-style first-class cabin on a U.S. airline, a win for upgrades and award seekers who need more lie-flat seats, and a loss for anyone who specifically wanted Flagship First on American’s biggest jet.
Alaska Global Getaways through Friday
Alaska Airlines Atmos™ Rewards opened September’s Global Getaways today, with Economy awards to six destinations at up to 50% off if you book by September 5. Official terms close the window on September 5, not September 6.
The useful one is London from 20,000 points each way. The same winter window, January 5 through February 28, 2027, also covers La Paz from 20,000, Athens from 25,000, Apia from 25,500, and Taipei from 30,000.
Tokyo is the only near-term option, from 20,000 points out of Honolulu and 27,500 from the rest of the U.S. Travel is September 2 through November 18, 2026.
- London: from 20,000, January 5–February 28, 2027
- La Paz: from 20,000, January 5–February 28, 2027
- Athens: from 25,000, January 5–February 28, 2027
- Apia: from 25,500, January 5–February 28, 2027
- Taipei: from 30,000, January 5–February 28, 2027
- Tokyo: from 20,000 Honolulu / 27,500 rest of U.S., September 2–November 18, 2026
Awards must originate or end in the United States, Economy only, on Alaska, Hawaiian, or partners. Partner itineraries can add more than $100 in taxes plus a $20 each-way booking fee.
This is for anyone who can travel in those windows and wants a cheap one-way across the Atlantic or Pacific before Friday.
Rove adds Copa at 40%
Rove now transfers 1:1 to Copa Airlines ConnectMiles, its 21st partner, with a 40% bonus through September 30 at 11:59 p.m. ET. During the window that is 1,400 ConnectMiles for every 1,000 Rove Miles.
ConnectMiles covers Copa’s Panama hub plus Star Alliance awards. This is for anyone sitting on Rove Miles who wants Copa or Star Alliance metal before the bonus ends.
Porter opens London, Ontario
Porter Airlines is launching its first flying from London International Airport (YXU) this winter, with four seasonal sun nonstops you can book now. Every flight is a 132-seat Embraer E195-E2 with no middle seats.
Fort Lauderdale is the useful one if you want the earliest start. The rest of the slate is Orlando, Cancun, and Montego Bay, and Porter says a year-round domestic network from London comes in summer 2027, with cities still unnamed.
- London (YXU)–Fort Lauderdale (FLL): November 18, 4x weekly (Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun)
- London (YXU)–Orlando (MCO): November 19, 3x weekly (Tue/Thu/Sat)
- London (YXU)–Cancun (CUN): December 17, 4x weekly (Tue/Thu/Sat/Sun)
- London (YXU)–Montego Bay (MBJ): December 18, 2x weekly (Mon/Fri)
This is for Southwestern Ontario travelers who currently drive to Toronto for Porter sun flights.
IHG discounts Points & Cash
Select IHG One Rewards members can take 15% off the cash portion of Points & Cash Reward Night bookings through September 28 for stays August 31 through October 12. You must be logged into an eligible IHG One Rewards account on an official IHG site when you book, and the discount is targeted rather than universal.
IHG Points & Cash is not a true split award. You redeem some points and buy the rest at booking, so a cancel returns everything as points, not cash.
Spot checks put the effective buy-in around 0.51 cents per point under this sale, near the bottom of recent IHG buy-points pricing. IHG’s separate 100% buy-points bonus closed September 1, so this Points & Cash window is the leftover path for people who already hit the calendar-year purchase cap or who need a specific stay priced now. Check your Offers tab before you assume you have it.
Korean Air rolls out free Starlink
Korean Air Group has started rolling out free Starlink in-flight Wi-Fi from early September, beginning on Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A350-900 aircraft used on long-haul routes to the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania. Korean Air had been charging about $20.95 for long-haul Wi-Fi and says the Starlink product will be free for mainline passengers.
The same program covers Asiana Airlines plus Jin Air, Air Busan, and Air Seoul, with a long fleetwide install still ahead. LCC pricing is less clear than the free mainline promise, so confirm cabin and carrier before you count on a free connection.
This is for anyone choosing Korean Air or Asiana metal on those long-haul types who wants usable streaming and video calls without the old paid plan. It will not be on every aircraft on day one.
