Travel Week in Review – December 8th, 2023

Alaska Airlines has agreed to acquire Hawaiian Airlines in a deal valued at $1.9 billion, including $18 per share in cash, the carriers announces Sunday. Each airline will retain its customer-facing brand, while integrating into a single operating platform “behind the curtain,” Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci said during a Sunday investor call. The acquisition is “something we have looked at for a while,” Minicucci added. “Simply put, we are acquiring a hub in a premium global leisure market that has the potential to…” Read More…

Some hotel companied plan changes to their loyalty programs in 2024, including Hyatt Hotels Corp. and Omni Hotels & Resorts, each company recently announced. Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, Hyatt will “expand” its World of Hyatt loyalty program with “reimagined” benefits, such as bonus points, free nights, experience credits and guest-of-honor gifts, some available at lower thresholds—as well as benefits for meetings and events professionals and corporates—the company announced Thursday. Read More…

International travel is expected to continue to be hot in 2024. Listed below is our top 10 international travel destinations (both regions and cities) for the year ahead. Three of the destinations I have identified as (Beat the heat) destinations for those looking for cooled summer vacation alternatives. 1. Greece — While Italy often takes the top spot for travel to Europe, Greece is where all the sizzle is in 2024. Greece is a timeless destination steeped in amazing history and culture and beckons travelers with its… Read More…

“We would like to begin boarding our flight at this time.” You are familiar with that friendly boarding announcement from the fate agent. Unfortunately, it means the next 45 minutes of your life will be messy. And airlines have made it chaotic by design — so people will pay to get an easier boarding process. First, passengers begin to crowd the gate queue, causing a bottleneck. Although you told yourself you would sit behind calmly in the waiting area at the airports until your zone was called, you can’t resist. Read More…

Average airfares are set to decrease globally in 2024 as the recovery loses “upward momentum,” according to a new BCD Travel forecast, which also project global hotel rates to increase from 2023 levels. It’s part of a 2024 global travel industry outlook that is “complex,” according to the travel management company’s Travel Market Report, released Thursday. According to BCD Travel, the broad “uncertainty” shrouding… Read More…