Here’s the latest miles, points, travel, and deals news:
Alaska Launches Business Travel Program
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines just rolled out Atmos for Business, a revamped small business travel program that replaces the old EasyBiz platform and now requires just $5,000 in annual travel spend to join.
Your company earns one Atmos Rewards point per dollar spent whenever employees fly Alaska or Hawaiian, and those points work across both carriers plus their 30+ global airline partners.
You’ll score a 10% bonus on status points when booking through the platform, which comes with features like team-based booking, a corporate wallet for canceled tickets, and dedicated support.
If you’re flying within Hawaii, you’ll get two free checked bags and complimentary same-day standby on earlier flights.
The program pairs with a new Atmos Rewards Visa Business card that earns 3x points on airline purchases and includes an annual $99 companion fare after meeting spending requirements.
10K Bonus Miles Deal
Air France and KLM are offering 10,000 bonus Flying Blue miles when you book new economy flights from the US to any destination that routes through Paris or Amsterdam, with bookings valid from September 23 through October 7, 2025.
This is an incredibly generous bonus since you’ll earn the 10,000 miles on top of regular flight earnings and your destination doesn’t have to be Paris or Amsterdam — just route through one of those hubs.
Avianca LifeMiles Award Sale
Avianca has launched its monthly award sale for LifeMiles members with US addresses, requiring bookings by September 29 for travel between September 24 and December 15, 2025.
The sale covers dozens of routes in both economy and business class, with economy options ranging from 1,910 LifeMiles for Miami to Barranquilla up to 25,390 LifeMiles for Miami to São Paulo, while business class awards span from 12,350 LifeMiles for Miami to Comayagua to 67,540 LifeMiles for Tampa to Buenos Aires.
Delta Cuts Geneva Route
Delta will end its seasonal New York to Geneva flights after October 20, 2025, scrapping the summer-only Boeing 767-400ER service that launched in 2023.
The move continues Delta’s retreat from Lufthansa Group hubs after cutting New York routes to Munich and Brussels, leaving SWISS to dominate the year-round business market.
Delta Tackles A320 Fume Problem
Following recent Wall Street Journal reporting on toxic fumes sickening airline crews and passengers, Delta has quietly been replacing auxiliary power units on more than 300 Airbus A320 jets — a previously undisclosed program that’s now 90% complete after starting in 2022.
These “fume events” occur when oil leaks into engine compression chambers and vaporizes into neurotoxins that have caused brain injuries, emergency diversions, and passengers vomiting, yet Airbus and manufacturers like Honeywell have been aware of the faulty seals causing these leaks for over two decades.
Air Canada Loses $430M to Strike
Air Canada disclosed a massive C$430 million revenue hit from the mid-August cabin crew strike that grounded 3,200 flights, with losses stemming from passenger refunds, compensation payments, and reduced bookings during the 10,000 flight attendants’ work stoppage.
The carrier pulled its full-year 2025 financial guidance and expects its July-September capacity growth to fall 2% short of projections, though operations rebounded quickly after the August 19 strike resolution with a tentative four-year contract agreement still pending member approval.
Park Hyatt Tokyo Reopens December
The legendary Park Hyatt Tokyo from “Lost in Translation” reopens December 9 after closing in May 2024, and you can finally book this iconic property with World of Hyatt points starting at 35,000 for off-peak nights (though most dates currently require 40,000-45,000 points).
Cash rates start around $700 for basic rooms and climb to $1,000+ for deluxe accommodations, making those point redemptions look incredibly attractive, especially since the hotel is now a Category 8 property with suites requiring 61,000-80,000 points per night.
Availability is extremely limited in December but opens up significantly in January and February, so you’ll want to book quickly since this is shaping up to be one of the best redemptions in the entire World of Hyatt program.
Marriott Sale: 20% Weekend Savings
Marriott Bonvoy members can save 20% on weekend stays between September 29 and October 19 using promo code QRI, while non-members still get 15% off through this Sunday’s booking deadline of September 28.
The sale covers participating properties across six continents including higher-end brands like Westin, Luxury Collection, and W hotels, though bookings require prepayment five days in advance and are non-refundable with most hotels restricting check-ins to Thursday through Sunday.
American Pays $11M Stroke Lawsuit
A California jury awarded $11 million to passenger Jesus Plasencia after American Airlines refused to divert a Miami-Madrid flight when he suffered two strokes in November 2021, despite repeated pleas from his wife.
The crew reportedly joked with the 67-year-old and continued to Spain, where he spent three weeks in critical condition before returning via air ambulance.
Plasencia permanently lost his ability to speak and write, with the jury concluding that an earlier diversion could have prevented much of the damage.
Ryanair Bans Paper Passes
Starting November 12, 2025, Ryanair will eliminate paper boarding passes entirely and require all passengers to download digital boarding passes through their mobile app, moving the original November 3 date to avoid mid-term school break chaos.
While 80% of passengers already use the app, the change raises concerns for elderly travelers or those without smartphones.
