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This post was originally published on this site There’s no denying that airport lounges can be the best part of the on-ground experience when flying. You’ll find desirable amenities, such as complimentary food and drink, shower facilities and seating areas to kick back and relax before your flight takes off. But with more ways than ever to gain lounge access, the lounges can get pretty crowded. All of these lounge access methods can also create confusion regarding who can enter and how many guests you can (or can’t) bring into the lounge with your credit card perks. Let’s look at credit cards that offer lounge access and the guest policies of each card, so you can avoid surprises when entering a lounge before your next flight. Alaska Lounges Most people gain access to Alaska lounges by having elite status with Mileage Plan or a Oneworld partner loyalty program. Access Guest policy Alaska Airlines lounge member Immediate family (partner and children under the age of 21) or two guests; additional guests $35 each. American Airlines Admirals Club member when departing or arriving on flights with American Airlines or Alaska Airlines Immediate family (partner and children under the age of 21) or

This post was originally published on this site American Airlines’ top executive had harsh words about competitors using artificial intelligence on airfare pricing. “I don’t think it’s appropriate,” AA CEO Robert Isom said Thursday, in what was an unusually pointed remark. The comment seemed to be aimed at Delta Air Lines, which earlier this month revealed it’s using AI to price about 3% of its domestic network through a partnership with tech firm Fetcherr. On July 10, Delta said it hoped to have AI involved in pricing as much as 20% of its domestic network by the end of the year, while noting AI use in its revenue management practices was still in the experimental phase. A Delta Air Lines aircraft at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY It begged the question: Are other airlines also using AI with pricing tactics? Not American, it seems. “I quite frankly think that some of the things I’ve heard are just not good,” Isom said while speaking Thursday on American’s second-quarter earnings call. “Consumers need to know that they can trust American, ok? This is not about bait and switch. This is not about tricking,” Isom added. “And certainly, from

This post was originally published on this site It’s the dawn of a new era for Etihad Airways’ medium-haul network. The United Arab Emirates carrier is taking delivery of its hotly anticipated Airbus A321LR, or “long-range,” which is designed to seriously upgrade the travel experience for medium-haul flights to and from its Abu Dhabi hub at Zayed International Airport (AUH). ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY The A321LR is the first single-aisle jet in Etihad’s fleet to feature a proper first-class product and lie-flat pods in the business-class cabin. This plane ushers in several other upgrades that flyers will undoubtedly enjoy during their journeys onboard the A321LR. Better yet, the A321LR allows Etihad to expand to several new destinations that it couldn’t reach with smaller planes or that didn’t have enough demand to fill a much-larger twin-aisle jet. ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY In anticipation of the jet’s inaugural flight on Aug. 1, I traveled to Airbus’ manufacturing facility in Hamburg, Germany, to get a first look at this jet (and to join the delivery flight to Abu Dhabi). Here’s everything you need to know about Etihad’s A321LR — and why it’s such a big deal for the airline. Etihad Airbus A321LR first