Ruminations from the Hauptbahnhof

On the road this weekend:

-It's the end of an era at the Park Hyatt Zurich: the Onyx bar is closed and part of a new renovation effort that includes the primary fine dining room.  Onyx has been a favorite over the years for drinks and local culture, and I hope they bring back a similar vibe for the new bar.

-Withdrawing currency from local ATMs is not as easy as it sounds.  I've been reading other blogger reports about how it's better to get currency from a local ATM instead of buying in advance (which is what I typically do).  I decided to try it and after multiple calls to Chase and several trips to local bancomats, I was finally able to get some money.  Lesson learned - make sure your withdrawal limit is sufficient for your location.

-EES at Zurich Airport is...unique.  I expected crazy lines for regular passport control (which was true), however, EES kiosks were completely empty.  I walked up, scanned my documents, and went to a window that only had five people.  Why wasn't everyone doing this??

Southwest Rapid Rewards Program Changes for 2027

Late last week Southwest shared news about major program updates that will take effect on January 1, 2027.  Sadly I'm not surprised by what is changing - Southwest continues to gut what made the program meaningful for travelers and will look a lot like the other airline frequent flyer programs.

Link: https://www.southwest.com/rapid-rewards/2027/

Most comments from flyers seem to be negative for these changes - curious whether this will change your travel pattern?

United Program Updates for 2027

United is making changes to MileagePlus for 2027 - they are described as a 'simplification' though in reality spending to gain status is greatly increasing.

Update link here: https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/mileageplus/whats-new.html

In addition to the number of PQP required for 1K, individuals will still receive Starter PQP at each level. Also of note, PQF's will no longer be part of the qualification process.  

It seems as though United believes individuals are spending more for flights.  I'll be curious whether other airlines make changes or if dedicated United flyers scale back.  Overall this update means making 1k for regular travelers (including myself) is nearly impossible.

Weekend trip to Ogunquit

We had an excellent trip to Ogunquit over the weekend.  Holidays tend to be busy in town, though overall it was fun to be back and the crowds weren't too crazy.  

Rather than deal with awful traffic, we decided to try the Amtrak Downeaster and overall it was very fast and easy!  Prices are reasonable and the timing allows for a fit around schedules.  

We also tried a new place this trip: https://www.thetridentinn.com/

I'd highly recommend this property as it sits very close to the town center and allows for easy walking.  Be prepared for a huff up the hill!

British Airways Fees

It would appear nothing has changed (test booking):

A $320 fare and $700 in taxes/fees is just silly...

Weekend Nor'Easter

The Northeast is bracing for a Nor'Easter this weekend!  Nearly all airlines have waivers in place - stay safe!

Hyatt to Partner with Delta

Wow that didn't take long!

Just after announcing the partnership with American is ending, Hyatt announces that they will be partnering with Delta. 

Announcement: https://newsroom.hyatt.com/DeltaAirLines

For me this is a negative.  Delta's miles and earning program is awful compared to other programs and redemption options are limited for comparable value.   

American and Hyatt to End Partnership

When American and Hyatt originally announced their partnership, I was excited to see the potential crossover.  The ability to earn in both programs was a nice addition.  However, this partnership is now ending:

To our valued AAdvantage® members: As we continue to build relationships that enhance the value of your AAdvantage® membership and reflect American’s commitment to our customers, we wanted you to be among the first to know that, after careful consideration, we have mutually decided to not continue our enhanced relationship in the coming months. Throughout this transition, we’re committed to preserving the benefits members of both programs can earn through the current status qualification year. If your AAdvantage® and World of Hyatt accounts are linked, no further action is required. If you haven’t already, be sure to link your loyalty accounts no later than Nov. 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CT. With this update, here’s what you can expect as an AAdvantage® member: You have until Feb. 28, 2027, to earn World of Hyatt rewards and can choose them as Loyalty Point Rewards through March 31, 2027. You’ll keep World of Hyatt status benefits through Feb. 29, 2028, if you selected them as a Loyalty Point Reward option for the 2026-2027 AAdvantage® program year. You can continue to earn miles on hotel stays with Hyatt in lieu of World of Hyatt points when you add your AAdvantage® number at check-in.

New Card in my Portfolio: Citi Strata Elite

I recently decided to add a new card to my wallet - the Citi Strata Elite

https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/citi-strata-elite-credit-card

I'm forward planning a bit for trips in 2028 and this card will certainly help with access to airlines such as Qatar Airways and BA.  The signup bonus right now is 75,000 points (not as great as the 100k when it first was offered but still good).

Some benefits I'm looking forward to:

• 6x points when you use CitiTravel for air bookings
• 6x points at restaurants on Sat/Sun 6pm-6am
• $200 splurge credit a year on AA
• Priority Pass lounge access

United Adds 10 International Destinations for 2027

United continues to expand international flight choices and announced this week they are adding 10 new destinations around the world.

Press Release: https://www.united.com/en/us/newsroom/announcements/cision-125479

Route	Start Date	Frequency	Aircraft
San Francisco (SFO) – Okinawa (OKA)*	Mar. 27	3x Weekly	Boeing 777-200ER
Newark (EWR) – Luxembourg (LUX)*	Apr. 2	Daily	Airbus A321XLR
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Toulouse (TLS)*	Apr. 26	Daily	Airbus A321XLR
Newark (EWR) – Ljubljana (LJU)*	May 12	4x Weekly	Boeing 767-400ER
Newark (EWR) – Olbia (OLB)	May 27	3x Weekly	Boeing 767-300ER
Newark (EWR) – Catania (CTA)	May 28	4x Weekly	Boeing 767-300ER
Newark (EWR) – Ibiza (IBZ)*	May 31	4x Weekly	Airbus A321XLR
Newark (EWR) – Valencia (VLC)*	Jun. 2	3x Weekly	Airbus A321XLR
Newark (EWR) – Marseille (MRS)*	Jun. 4	Daily	Airbus A321XLR
Newark (EWR) – Terceira (TER)*	Jun. 9	3x Weekly	Boeing 737 MAX 8
* United is the only U.S. airline to fly nonstop from the U.S. to this city.

I continue to be impressed by United's willingness to try new locations - American and Delta just don't seem to prioritize similar offerings (and may not be able to based on market, locations, and passenger demand).  

JetBlue Opens BlueHouse Lounge at Logan Airport

As reported yesterday, JetBlue will officially open its new lounge at Logan Airport called the BlueHouse Lounge on Thursday.

Official Press Release: https://www.news.jetblue.com/latest-news/press-release-details/2026/Welcome-Home-Boston-JetBlue-to-Open-Second-BlueHouse-Lounge-Adds-New-Access-for-Mint-Customers/default.aspx

For those passionate about flying JetBlue, this has been a topic of conversation for many months given the frequency of flights in Boston and lack of an official lounge compared to United or American.   Unfortunately, access for most will not be complimentary - Mint and Mint Flex will have priority and others may be able to access for a fee subject to space availability.

Access to BlueHouse:

Customers	Access Policy	Guest Policy
Mosaic 4 Members1	Complimentary	One complimentary guest $39 per additional guest
JetBlue Premier Cardmembers1	Complimentary	One complimentary guest $39 per additional guest
Mint Customers1 (NEW!)	Complimentary	$39 per guest

Eligible customers and guests may access BlueHouse up to three hours before their scheduled departure and must present a confirmed, same-day boarding pass for travel on a Mint, Mint Flex, EvenMore, EvenMore Flex, Main, or Main Flex fare. Mosaic 1-3 members and JetBlue Plus & Business cardmembers and eligible guests may access BlueHouse by purchasing a one-time pass in person at the BlueHouse check-in desk, pending space availability.

Customers	Access Policy	One-Time Pass Price
Mosaic 3 Members and Eligible Guests	Non-complimentary	$59 per-person
Mosaic 1-2 Members and Eligible Guests	Non-complimentary	$79 per-person
JetBlue Plus & Business Cardmembers Members and Eligible Guests	Non-complimentary	$79 per-person

Experience Using Chase Travel

It was on my list to try using Chase Travel more for flights since the benefit for purchases awards 5x points (since 2021).  My most recent itinerary had a cancelation where I was sent a partial refund, however, after several weeks the refund had not posted to my Chase card account.  I reached out to Chase with the information and was told I needed to contact JetBlue - when I called JetBlue I was told a refund was issued to a card ending in numbers that were not mine.  That's a problem.  

I found out that Chase Travel uses virtual numbers to complete transactions.  Even though I have a receipt showing the charge to my (correct) card number, Chase Travel used a virtual number to confirm the reservation.  My impression is this should be resolved internally by Chase Travel once the refund is issued back to the travel partner.  When I called, the nice agent confirmed they had received the refund but 'hadn't got around to it yet' to process the final.   This seems pretty dubious to me - how long does it actually take them to process these when received?  I asked the agent and was told that eventually they get to them but anyone can call sooner to complete the process.

My recommend: increase awareness when using 3rd party travel sites for both customer service and any reservation issues

JetBlue Changes EvenMore Upgrades

I received this update from JetBlue:

Starting today, you can select EvenMore® 12 hours earlier—beginning 36 hours before your flight's scheduled departure. That's more time to lock in more space, more speed and more service.

This update to your Mosaic 1 Signature Perks will be available for all eligible existing and future bookings—for you and up to 2 eligible travel companions.1

Thanks, as always, for being a Mosaic member. We look forward to seeing you on board soon.

Not a bad update!

30th Reunion Fun

I made it back home this last weekend for my 30th high school reunion - it was fun and I had a chance to catch up with so many friends.  There's never enough time and I hope there are opportunities to get together again soon.  Kudos to Kristie for planning a great evening!

My trip back home was not the best - two cancellations required a drive to O'hare just to get to my connecting plane.  United didn't do a great job for this trip.  Notifications and updates were poor at MSN and I even received a flight cancel 'retraction' which was a first.

JetBlue Selected to Continue EAS Service at PQI

The Department of Transportation has selected JetBlue to continue Essential Air Service to PQI Airport in Northern Maine.

Link: https://www.regulations.gov/document/DOT-OST-2000-8012-0371

Both American and JetBlue had submitted bids for the service; at the initial filing Jetblue's package was several million dollars more.  However, they were allowed to resubmit a proposal on June 2nd which turned out to be much less and comparable to AA's (revision).   By my initial search it doesn't appear that any media outlets reported this change.

The impression of favoritism set aside, it's disappointing that AA's bid wasn't taken more seriously given it would have increased flight frequencies to 12 a week from what will stay at 7.  While there has been a lot of passion in the local community for JetBlue, a more rational analysis would have been preferred.

JetBlue Introducing BlueFirst

JetBlue shared the following announcement today:

BlueFirst™

Arriving soon, our newest take on premium travel, on non-Mint flights.

More information: https://www.jetblue.com/flying-with-us/fares-simplified

MileagePlus Dining Offer for Extra Miles

I received the following offer today to earn an additional 2x bonus miles through Mileage Plus Dining:

Dine at participating restaurants through August 13, 2026 and review your experiences.

Did anyone else get it? 

Airbnb Adjusting Service Fee

Did anyone else receive this email update?

Today, hosts and guests both pay service fees. As a result, you set one price, but guests see a higher price that includes their service fee. Many hosts tell us this makes pricing difficult.

To simplify pricing, we’re combining both fees into a single 15.5% service fee on September 15. The 15.5% fee is based on Airbnb’s global average service fees.

End of OneWorld Sapphire Status

Back in October 2025 I wrote about an opportunity to confirm OneWorld Sapphire status with Royal Jordanian as a Gold Sparrow - this has been very helpful over the last months whenever I fly American Airlines as it gets me access to AA Flagship Lounges.  The lounge at O'hare has been a favorite stop!

Unfortunately my access and status ends this week.  It's been a good run and I'll miss the stopovers!

Qatar Airways Changes Awards Redemption Rules

Kudos to OneMileAtaTime for sharing information about a change implemented by Qatar Airways related to use of Avios.  It has been possible for individuals to book awards for others from their accounts - now Qatar Airways has introduced the following rules:

1. The member’s Privilege Club account must have been active for a minimum 30 days
2. The main member must have completed at least one qualifying activity;
   1. A flown flight accrual with Qatar Airways or any partner airline
   2. At least one eligible co-branded credit card accrual transaction

You can find more information and the article here: https://onemileatatime.com/news/qatar-airways-restricts-award-bookings-others-absurd-new-rule/

I'm disappointed since using Avios has been a great way to plan trips in business to the Middle East and Maldives.  I'll need to see whether it works to credit a flight and meet the requirement.