Airline Weekly

12/04/2025

U.S. airlines have been going all-in on premium travel this year, adding more perks for top-tier flyers, expanding premium seating, and launching premium credit cards.

United Airlines is no exception, with plans to roll out new premium cabins on its 787 Dreamliners for international flights. But that doesn’t mean it wants to alienate its economy passengers, according to one executive.

“We’re not going to let that happen, because those are the majority of our customers,” said United Chief Customer Officer and Senior Vice President of Airport Operations David Kinzelman. “We can’t be profitable running an empty plane with a full first class.”

U.S. airlines are going all in on premium travel this year, but a United exec said it can't alienate economy passengers.

12/02/2025

Delta Air Lines said Tuesday that it is making changes to some of the perks offered through its program for travelers with top-tier status.

The program, called Choice Benefits, allows Delta SkyMiles members with Diamond or Platinum Medallion status to choose a set of perks for their travel needs. Some of the perks include Delta Sky Club passes, gifting status, travel vouchers, and American Express credits.

Delta said it made the changes because it “saw an opportunity to shift value toward options that ensure we are appealing to a wider group of Members and reflect how they are engaging with the program.”

Delta said it changed some of the perks in its Choice Benefits program to appeal to a wider group with top-tier Delta SkyMiles status.

12/01/2025

New Issue Preview: Music in the Air: The Spectacular Rise of Nashville

Nashville is a city best known for its music. Airlines know it for something else: Spectacular growth. Of America’s 75 busiest airports, none are growing faster than the Tennessee capital's international gateway. In this week’s feature story we examine the factors driving its recent success.

https://hubs.li/Q03Wf6Ph0

11/30/2025

Imagine this scenario: You have a death in the family and airlines know from scraping your emails that you’ll be flying to the funeral with no time to shop around.

Your fare? Double what everyone else is paying for the same flight.

That’s not happening today, but it’s the danger former Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan warned about on a podcast in July.

In 2025, airlines are eager to tout how they are using AI for customer service and to manage disruptions.

But AI and pricing? That’s become a third rail.

Airline pricing systems are complex, and AI may make them more so. The fear is "surveillance pricing” and you'll be hearing more about it.

11/28/2025

Ryanair has pulled the plug on its “Ryanair Prime” membership program just eight months after launch, ending the carrier’s most ambitious experiment in paid loyalty.

According to Ryanair CMO Dara Brady, the program generated roughly €4.4 million in subscription revenue during the trial but delivered more than €6 million in fare discounts.

“This trial has cost more money than it generates,” Brady said in a statement.

Ryanair has shut down its Prime membership program after 8 months, citing poor economics and limited uptake among its 200 million passengers.

11/28/2025

Airbus has issued an urgent alert after identifying a major safety issue in its best-selling aircraft. In a statement, the company said “intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls” on some A320 jets.

Airbus said the issue raises safety concerns across a “significant number” of aircraft currently flying worldwide. Roughly 3,000 A320 Family aircraft were airborne as of Friday afternoon

The fixes and inspections will trigger knock-on flight delays, cancellations, and scheduling challenges for carriers. Airbus apologized for the disruption but emphasized that safety remains its “number one and overriding priority.”

Airbus issues urgent safety alert for A320 jets after solar radiation risk discovered, forcing airlines to scramble with fleet updates and potential flight disruptions.

11/25/2025

The UK government has endorsed Heathrow Airport’s $43 billion plan for a third runway, but with a significant caveat: The project will only proceed if it aligns with the country’s legally binding climate goals.

“The Government has been clear expansion plans must meet the UK’s legally binding climate obligations alongside balancing delivering economic growth as well as air quality and noise obligations,” the Department for Transport said.

Heathrow’s third runway has backing from the UK government, but net-zero obligations could still block it.

11/25/2025

When Jay Shabat and Gordon Smith say the industry needs to be in the room — they mean it.

Get a preview of what’s in store at Skift Aviation Forum next week on December 3 and make sure you’re part of the ideas shaping the future of aviation. Reserve your spot now 👉 https://hubs.li/Q03VQYRY0

11/23/2025

Flying from Australia to London is nothing new: In 1947, Qantas launched its first service linking Sydney with the British capital. The catch? It involved six stops and 55 hours of flying across five days. The multi-hop journey was coined “the Kangaroo Route,” paying homage to Australia’s unofficial ambassador.

Fast forward to 2025, and Qantas will soon take delivery of a new aircraft that promises to “overcome the tyranny of distance.” It will fly from Sydney to London and New York nonstop, cutting out the middlemen in Dubai, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

The airline’s marketing materials describe it as “the final frontier of aviation.”

But what does it mean for the business of travel?

https://hubs.li/Q03VwJz60

11/22/2025

[JUST ADDED] Start Your Day with Jay: A Review of the U.S. Airline Industry

We’re excited to announce a new addition to the Skift Aviation Forum agenda, available to all event attendees on a first come basis but with 20 seats reserved exclusively for Airline Weekly subscribers.

Join Jay Shabat, Airline Weekly analyst, on December 3 in Fort Worth, TX for an interactive, insider look at the forces reshaping U.S. airlines, including economic pressures, regional dynamics, fleet strategies, and emerging trends.

Get your ticket and then reserve your spot at Jay's session 👉 https://hubs.li/Q03VvTQ00

11/22/2025

As the airline industry looks toward 2026, one thing is clear from our recent Airline Weekly webinar: the story is far more complicated than a simple boom or bust narrative.

But it’s not complicated to listen to. This week’s Airline Weekly Lounge breaks it down quite easily.

In this special episode, we bring you the full recording from our recent LinkedIn Live webinar (Click here for the video version). Titled ‘Airlines in

11/20/2025

Emirates president Sir Tim Clark is using this week’s Dubai Airshow to reaffirm the airline’s commitment to both Airbus and Boeing while suggesting the global aircraft duopoly may not be permanent – with China’s Comac positioned to become a credible challenger once it solves key technology gaps.

“The Chinese are here today. I think this is an interesting thing,” Clark said at a media briefing attended by Skift.

He insisted that while Emirates is not considering Comac aircraft for now, the situation was being monitored: “They’re an amazingly resourceful nation, and if they grit their teeth with regard to what they want to do with their own aerospace sector, I think, they will [make it].”

Emirates pressures Boeing on 777X delays, monitors Airbus innovation, and keeps a close watch on China’s rising aerospace player, Comac.