Citi and American Airlines have grown their partnership, which allows AA to be one of the card issuer’s transfer partners. This new arrangement allows travelers to transfer points and book award flights operated by American. In addition to the new transfer, Citi has created a new way to access Admirals Club Lounges. The Citi-American agreement should attract more flyers who value award travel using ThankYou points and casual American Airlines flyers that might be happy with lounge access.

In the coming months, American Airlines will not only begin flying Premium Economy on its transcontinental routes; they will be deploying widebody aircraft between New York and LAX for the first time in years.

Flying between London and New York is a very competitive route. And while British Airways offers the most daily flights between the two cities, Virgin Atlantic wants its travelers to know that they’re the best option. Both airlines offer a premium Business Class product across the pond, and I had the chance to try both Club World and Upper Class in the latter quarter of 2024. Continue reading to find out which airline came out on top!

A recent flight from San Francisco to New York in American Airlines Flagship Business Class was the perfect opportunity for me to visit the Admirals Club in SFO. It’s a slightly smaller Admirals Club Lounge, but still offers several amenities and feels cozy compared to the United Club in Terminal 3. If you have access to the club and are passing through Harvey Milk Terminal 1, where the lounge is located, then it might be worth stopping by to relax.

As the newest Club Lounge on the U.S. west coast, The Club SFO spans 12,000 square feet and offers its guests a comfortable experience. It features several amenities, a better food spread than most other domestic airport lounges in San Francisco, and an inspiring ambiance. With great seating and a gorgeous design, SFO’s The Club is a lounge in the Priority Pass network that you won’t want to miss out on.

It’s not every day that an airline will launch a Business Class product on a new aircraft. Not too long ago, Emirates took delivery of the Airbus A350-900 and has been flying them on various short and medium haul flights to Europe and Asia. The A350 features a modern and spacious Business Class cabin that I had the chance to put to the test on a recent flight from Ahmedabad to Dubai. Thanks to several in-seat features such as plentiful storage, plush padding, and large seat consoles, the A350 Business Class seat is the best Business Class product in the Emirates fleet. 

Hyatt’s award chart can be difficult to utilize because there are many room types you can book. The price changes during peak and off-peak times of the year, which can make booking your Hyatt stay even more complicated. I hope that the visibility of the charts brings some more clarity into any future Hyatt bookings.

The hotel scene in Paris is very luxurious, with several boutique hotels and major brands, an example of which is Hyatt. One of Hyatt’s nicest and most high-end properties is the Park Hyatt Paris/Vendome, with excellent service, luxurious amenities, and elegant rooms. On a trip to Paris at the end of last year, I couldn’t wait to stay at the Park Hyatt Vendome and see if it lived up to the hype. 

American Express Membership Rewards has made a major change with one of its transfer partners, and it’s for the worse. Points and miles enthusiasts will surely not be happy with this move being made by Amex. 

American Express joined the airport lounge industry in 2013 with its first outpost at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. Still today, the Centurion Lounge in LAS is among one of the issuer’s most busy lounges that is almost always operating on a waitlist. Finding an open seat in the lounge can be very difficult. Plus, it’s one of the smaller lounges in the Amex portfolio, making it even more crowded among cardholders during peak hours.

Delta Airlines has a large widebody fleet, with several aircraft types used for long international routes. Their flagship widebody jet is the Airbus A350-900, which operates the airline’s longest flights. Clocking in at 14 and a half hours, the route from Atlanta to Cape Town is Delta’s second longest flight. 

The Golden Age of Flying was a time of luxurious and glamorous air travel that lasted from the 1920s to the late 1960s. Among the many major airlines operating during this era was Trans World Airlines, more commonly known as TWA. New York’s JFK Airport served as the carrier’s primary transatlantic hub, with flights on aircraft such as the Boeing 747 and Lockheed Constellation. Despite being from the mid-1900s, JFK’s TWA terminal still exists, but has been converted into a hotel. If you’re looking for a place that offers a throwback to this incredible era of flying, then the TWA Hotel is the one to visit. 

When you think of a luxurious hotel, sustainability is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Many luxury hotels don’t even focus on being eco-friendly and prioritize comfort instead. However, there is a group of luxury hotels that value both sustainability and the guest experience. 1 Hotels have become increasingly popular, with many locations in North America. If you’re looking for a nice hotel in the Bay Area that’s also sustainable, then the 1 Hotel San Francisco is the perfect city getaway. 

Among airlines, Airbus’s A321 is a popular twin-jet narrowbody for short to medium haul flights. Most carriers choose to configure the A321 in a two-class layout, featuring Economy and Business (or First in the United States). By fleet size, the largest operator of the aircraft is American Airlines. In addition to the standard domestic fleet of A321s, AA has 16 other A321s that feature a premium-heavy layout of only 102 seats. These 16 special jets are known to American as the A321T (‘T’ as in transcontinental). 

A good Business Class experience includes a relaxing flight that allows passengers to arrive feeling refreshed. Among the U.S. Business Class products offering a relaxing experience is JetBlue Mint. Not only does the airline value its passengers and ensure they have a relaxing flight, but they also provide an excellent soft product that makes each passenger feel refreshed upon landing. 

Delta Air Lines operates a massive fleet of mainline narrowbody aircraft that are used on various short and medium haul routes. The airline’s narrowbody fleet mainly consists of A320 family and 737 aircraft. An example of one of Delta’s classic jets is the Boeing 737-900ER. On a recent flight, I had the opportunity to experience Delta’s 737-900s in First Class for the first time. 

It’s not everyday that a premium credit card is offering a high sign-up bonus, especially one that’s been the highest in the card’s history.

That’s exactly what Chase is doing with their Sapphire Reserve credit card ($795 annual fee, an increase from $550). Alongside a major card refresh, Chase has put its best-ever welcome bonus on the Sapphire Reserve.

Considered to be the world’s best Business Class, Qatar Airways Qsuites are very spacious, private, and comfortable. They’re found on the majority of the airline’s Boeing 777 and Airbus A350 aircraft. Qsuites were the first Business Class product to offer sliding doors and became a pioneer for privacy and comfort in the airline industry. With a hard and soft product that consistently excels, Qatar Qsuites is more than just a good Business Class. 

Delta Airlines is known for having an extensive Sky Club network in the United States, even at airports that aren’t Delta hubs. A perfect example of a Sky Club at a non-Delta hub is their location in Newark Liberty International Airport. The Delta Sky Club in Newark is gorgeous, however, it’s not as large as many of the airline’s other clubs. 

At 16 hours and 15 minutes, the route from Johannesburg, South Africa, to Newark, New Jersey, is United’s second longest flight. This flight sees the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which features Polaris Business Class, Premium Plus, and Economy. Polaris is United’s luxurious flagship Business Class product that offers its passengers a relaxing, premium experience. After 10 wonderful nights in South Africa, I headed back to the states from JNB, which was my most convenient flight option.