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The MileIntel Blog

Points of Departure

Airline miles intelligence, loyalty program strategy, and the sharpest thinking in travel rewards.

News
12 articles
Boats and colorful buildings surround the turquoise water.01News

BermudAir's 14 New Routes Look Like Skybus 2007. Here's What Happened Then.

BermudAir just announced 14 new winter routes on 4 aircraft with zero loyalty program — and a recent airport-fee lawsuit settled via payment plan. The math deserves scrutiny.

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MileIntel
10 minJun 6
aerial view of city buildings near body of water during daytime02News

Alaska Mileage Plan: 85,000 Miles for a Recliner to Reykjavik

Alaska's new Seattle-Reykjavik route spans 3,622 miles on a domestic-configured 737 MAX 8. First class starts at 85,000 miles — for a recliner seat on an 8-hour flight.

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MileIntel
9 minJun 2
British Airways aircraft wing over clouds03News

The BA Amex Companion Voucher Now Works on Avios Holidays

On May 20, 2026, BA and Amex made the Companion Voucher usable on British Airways Holidays packages paid with Avios, returning 25% of the Avios spent. It sidesteps the voucher's biggest problem: scarce reward seats.

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MileIntel
4 minMay 28
A united airlines plane flying in the sky04News

United's 737 MAX Transatlantic Move Looks Like Its Azores Play. Here's What Happened Then.

United launches EWR-Santiago de Compostela on a 737 MAX 8 starting May 27, 2026. Economy saver awards start at 40,000 MileagePlus miles. Here's the full breakdown.

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MileIntel
6 minMay 26
A southwest airlines jet flying over a city05News

Why Southwest's 20 New June Routes Miss the Real Story

Southwest launches 20 new routes on June 4 and June 6, 2026 — but overall capacity falls 1% YoY, 11 international routes are cut simultaneously, and dynamic pricing means award costs will exceed the 1.3¢ baseline on high-demand new routes.

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MileIntel
9 minMay 22
flat lay photography of person holding pen in front of world map06News

Expedia Paid $279M for Tiqets While Airbnb Pocketed $70M

Expedia paid $279M for Tiqets B2B infrastructure while Airbnb collected a $70M gain exiting the same asset. Here's what it means for loyalty travelers.

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MileIntel
8 minMay 14
A large jetliner flying through a blue sky07News

United's 737 MAX to Glasgow: Premium Plus in Name Only

United launched its first-ever 737 MAX nonstop to the UK on May 8, 2026. The 'Premium Plus' cabin is a domestic recliner—not lie-flat—on a 7-hour red-eye.

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MileIntel
10 minMay 12
An emirates airbus a380 airplane takes off.08News

Emirates A380's 14 First Class Seats: The Real Trade-Offs

Emirates packs 14 First Class suites onto its A380, but elite-only restrictions since May 2025 and devalued transfer ratios make this award harder than ever to book.

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MileIntel
7 minMay 7
Airport sign showing flight information and bag tracking09News

Southwest's Boarding Rewrite: Seat Anxiety Became Bin Chaos

Southwest rewrote its 8-group boarding system twice in 90 days after assigned seating launched Jan. 27, 2026—replacing gate anxiety with a worse overhead bin crisis.

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MileIntel
10 minMay 4
A large passenger jet flying over a runway10News

Qantas Flight Reward Finder: Full Breakdown and Hidden Gaps

Qantas's free Flight Reward Finder is useful but hides critical gaps: QF metal is only 8.8% of results, there's no carrier filter, and Emirates surcharges can top $720.

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MileIntel
8 minMar 27
Airport departure board showing flight destinations and times11News

United MileagePlus Just Changed Award Pricing: Here's What It Means for Your Miles

United quietly shifted MileagePlus award pricing on premium cabin routes. Here's exactly what changed, which routes are affected, and how to protect your redemption strategy.

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MileIntel
3 minMar 21
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