• Southwest's expanded-legroom seats will debut May 1

    **Travel Weekly by Northstar**

    Southwest plans to put its first aircraft with extra-legroom seats into service on May 1.

    Planes reconfigured with extra-legroom seats will be added steadily through the end of the year as Southwest prepares to begin selling assigned and extra-legroom seats.

    Southwest's seat map for retrofitted Boeing 737-800 and 737 Max aircraft shows that five rows at the front of planes will have extra legroom. Behind those, seven-and-a-half rows will be merchandised as preferred seats, e.g. standard seats that are closer to the front of the plane. Behind those, three more rows, including the exit rows, will also have extra legroom.

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  • Bags will no longer fly free on Southwest Airlines

    By Robert Silk

    |

    Mar 11, 2025

    Southwest Airlines is doing away with free checked bags, a move that will largely align its business model with competitors. Currently, all Southwest flyers get two free checked bags.

    Bag fees will take effect for flights booked beginning May 28. The carrier has yet to reveal the amount of the charge.

    Like its largest U.S. competitors, Southwest will continue to allow one free checked bag to holders of its co-branded credit cards. Flyers with Rapid Rewards A-List status will also get one free checked bag.

    Customers with A-List preferred status and those who purchase Southwest's priciest Business Select fare will get two free checked bags.

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  • US-Mexico Bid for 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup Gets Clearer Path

    Two new women's international events also announced

    Posted On : March 6, 2025 By : Justin Shaw

    A planned joint bid for the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup from the United States and Mexico will be the front-runner as it would only face a rival bid from Africa, with FIFA on Wednesday excluding Europe from the contest.

    The U.S. and Mexico bid has been favored to win 2031 Women’s World Cup hosting rights since last year, when the two federations pulled out of bidding for the 2027 edition. That tournament will be played in Brazil, which beat a European co-hosting bid from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

  • INDUSTRY UPDATE

    Spring break travel, airfare up slightly from 2024

    As spring break gets underway, CoStar reports that consumer uncertainty is driving travelers to book later and boosting the popularity of cruises. Airlines expect to carry 173 million passengers from March 1 to April 30, up 4% from last year, and airfares are also up 4% compared with 2024. Meanwhile, Miami Beach has a security plan in place that includes curfews and steep parking fees for non-residents.

  • SUNWING BACK ON TRACK: Resumes regular operations

    Sunwing reported late last week that it has resumed regular operations following the severe disruptions it suffered due to major snowstorms earlier in February. The carrier further issued claims information for passengers who were affected by the extreme weather events.

    “We understand how frustrating the past couple weeks have been for many of our customers, those whose southbound travel was impacted and those delayed in destination awaiting their return home. We sincerely thank our customers for their patience as our teams worked tirelessly to restore regular operations,” Sunwing wrote on its web site.

  • ITB BERLIN OPENS WITH OPTIMISM

    Just one year shy of 60 years old, the world’s largest travel trade show kicked off today (Tuesday) at ITB Berlin 2025 amidst discernible industry optimism about the future. According to the latest World Travel Monitor findings of IPK International, global outbound travel in 2024 increased by 13%, regaining the pre-pandemic levels of 2019.

    The optimistic mood in the industry, which comes despite a generally “gloomy” consumer outlook, is reflected in both higher booking levels in the industry and a 5% increase in numbers at ITB, where more than 5,800 exhibitors from 170 countries – including Canada, which returns with a bigger stand than last year – have gathered in the German capital, stated Dr. Mario Tobias, CEO of Messe Berlin GmbH.

    Attendance is expected to reach 100,000 through Thursday.

  • Top stories of the weekby Emily Thompson, Credit Cards Editor

    Happy Sunday! Wherever you are, I hope you’re soaking up some first hints of spring sunshine as we roll into a new month.

    As always, it was a busy week of travel and credit card news. If you haven’t had time to keep up with everything, we’ve got you covered.

    In the world of airline news, American Airlines announced a new boarding process that it hopes will speed things up, and a United Airlines lounge executive shared some major updates we can expect this year — including options for travelers in a hurry.

    It was a sad week for Hyatt loyalists, thanks to an announcement of category changes that mean 118 properties are getting more expensive. But those of us who are looking to cross a safari off our bucket lists got some good news: Two new safari camps are opening in Kenya — and they’re bookable on points.

    And if you’re looking to maximize your points and miles, don’t miss the latest transfer bonuses — including a bonus for first-time Capital One transfers to JetBlue.

    Here are a few other stories you may have missed last week:

  • American Airlines To Begin Boarding Earlier To Improve Passenger Experience

    In an effort to streamline the boarding process and minimize the number of last-minute carry-on bag checks, American Airlines is making more modifications to its boarding process. Starting May 1, the airline will begin boarding flights five minutes earlier than before.

    While five minutes might seem like a small adjustment, the airline believes it will make a significant difference in passenger experience. American Airlines spokesperson Rachel Warner told USA Today, "This extra time will deliver a smoother boarding experience for customers by allowing for pauses between boarding groups, relieving congestion on the jet bridge, and allowing customers to stow their bags and get settled before departure."

  • Turks & Caicos Reports Record-Number of Tourism Arrivals in 2024

    Turks & Caicos set a new annual visitor total record in 2024, welcoming nearly two million travelers by both air and sea.

    The country’s tourism authority, Experience Turks and Caicos, unveiled its annual tourism statistics this week, recognizing the 1.959 million arrivals last year, 1.2 million of which were cruise passengers, an increase of over 30 percent year-over-year. Turks & Caicos welcomed over 311 cruise ships at Grand Turk Cruise Center, a 19 percent increase from 2023.

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