✈️ American Pilots' Meal Standoff, Delta Poaches Southwest Elites, & Virgin's New LAX Lounge

Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of Miles & Points Daily Podcast! I'm your host Lucas, and I've got to say, I'm feeling particularly optimistic today—maybe it's because I found an award seat on Qatar Airways Qsuites, or maybe it's just the coffee. Either way, I'm excited to bring you the latest news from the world of miles, points, and travel. We've got a packed show today with everything from airline drama to luxury lounges, so let's dive right in! First up, we've got some interesting news from American Airlines. The pilots' union has instructed its members to delay flights if their crew meals aren't properly loaded. That's right—no food, no fly! According to View from the Wing, pilots are being told to leave the cockpit if their meals aren't provided as required. While this might sound a bit extreme, it's part of an ongoing labor dispute. So if you're flying American in the coming days, you might want to pack some extra patience—and maybe an extra sandwich to share with your captain! In other airline news, Delta Air Lines is taking full advantage of Southwest's recent brand overhaul by offering a status match specifically targeting Southwest's most loyal customers. As reported by both View from the Wing and The Points Guy, Delta is offering Southwest A-List members a match to Gold Medallion status, while A-List Preferred members can get Platinum Medallion status. This comes in the wake of Southwest announcing major changes to its business model, including the end of free checked bags, introducing basic economy fares, and devaluing its Rapid Rewards program. Speaking of which, Frequent Miler reports that Southwest's new variable award pricing is now live, with points values ranging from about 1.1 to 1.7 cents each—a significant change from their previous fixed-value system. Not to be outdone, American Airlines had already started recruiting Southwest's best customers before Delta jumped in. If you're a loyal Southwest flyer who's feeling a bit betrayed by these changes, now might be a good time to explore your options with other carriers. Boeing is facing some serious legal troubles, as they're heading to a June criminal trial related to defrauding the Federal Aviation Administration. This stems from the two fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people. According to View from the Wing, Boeing had previously confessed to the fraud, and now they're facing the consequences. This trial could have significant implications for the company's future and potentially for air travel as a whole. In more positive news, Virgin Atlantic has officially opened its newest Clubhouse lounge at Los Angeles International Airport. One Mile at a Time and The Points Guy both report that this stylish lounge in the Tom Bradley International Terminal is now welcoming passengers. While it's described as being on the smaller side, it maintains Virgin's signature stylish design. If you're flying Virgin Atlantic or one of their partners through LAX, this could be a nice spot to relax before your flight. Air France is enhancing its already excellent long-haul business class by adding Sofitel mattress pads, according to One Mile at a Time. This is a welcome upgrade, as bedding was one of the few areas where Air France's otherwise stellar business class had room for improvement. For anyone planning a trip to or through Paris, this makes Air France an even more attractive option. For Marriott Bonvoy elite members, there's frustrating news. One Mile at a Time reports that an increasing number of Marriott properties are finding excuses not to honor the company's breakfast benefit for elite members. This has been an ongoing issue, but it seems to be getting worse. If you're a Marriott elite, it might be worth contacting Marriott directly if you encounter this problem during a stay. Here's something interesting—the governor of Alaska may soon list the state's 10-bathroom Governor's Mansion on Airbnb. According to View from the Wing, this historic 14,400-square-foot colonial-style home costs 800,000 dollars a year to operate with a full-time staff of four. The current governor has only used it for 13 nights in the first two months of two thousand and twenty-four, so it seems they're looking for a way to offset some of those costs. Imagine booking that for your next vacation—it even comes with a private chef and ballroom! For credit card enthusiasts, there's news about the United Explorer Card. Both One Mile at a Time and The Points Guy feature reviews highlighting its rich benefits and current 80,000-mile bonus offer. This card offers a great value proposition for occasional United flyers, with benefits like free checked bags, priority boarding, and United Club passes, all for a relatively modest annual fee. In international news, Kyoto, Japan is increasing hotel taxes up to ten-fold to curb overtourism. One Mile at a Time reports that the city has passed an ordinance to significantly raise taxes on the most expensive hotels, and it now just needs approval from the internal affairs minister. If you're planning a trip to Kyoto, this could impact the cost of your stay, especially at luxury properties. For those interested in ultra-long-haul flights, One Mile at a Time has published a guide to the 20 longest nonstop flights in the world, with the longest stretching up to 9,537 miles! These marathon flights have become increasingly common over the past decade, with airlines finding new ways to make these ultra-long journeys more practical and comfortable. If you're planning to use miles for a trip to Australia, New Zealand, or the South Pacific, Frequent Miler has published a comprehensive guide to the best ways to get there using various airline miles. These destinations are often bucket-list trips for many travelers, and using miles can significantly offset the cost or allow you to fly more comfortably on these long journeys. Frequent Miler also reports an interesting development with Citi, suggesting that the bank may no longer be allowing product changes between American Airlines AAdvantage cards and ThankYou points cards. This could impact your strategy if you were planning to downgrade or switch between these card families. For those looking for a deal, Hilton Grand Vacations is offering a package that includes 3 or more nights of lodging plus 100,000 Hilton Honors points for as low as 149 dollars plus tax. According to Frequent Miler, the catch is that you'll need to attend a two-hour timeshare presentation. But for the right person, this could be a great value. And speaking of deals, if you're in need of some Swagbucks, Doctor of Credit reports that Revenue Universe is offering triple Swagbucks with numerous moneymakers available. There are also fee-free Visa Gift Cards available at Staples from March 30th through April 5th, with a limit of nine per customer per day. Lastly, if you're planning a Southwest flight for the holidays, the airline has extended its schedule through January 5th, two thousand and twenty-six. According to Doctor of Credit, given Southwest's flexible cancellation policy, it's often a good idea to book as soon as flights become available. Before we wrap up today's episode, I want to tell you about our sponsor. Looking for the best award flights? Use AwardTravelFinder.com to search availability across Qatar Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and more. Try it for free with our link in the shownotes. Well, that wraps up our news for today. Thank you so much for tuning in to the Miles & Points Daily Podcast. If you found this information useful, please subscribe on your favorite podcast platform or visit us at milesandpointsdaily.com for more travel tips and insights. Until next time, happy traveling and may your points be plentiful and your redemptions even better!