Travel News
New Airline Routes and Route Changes
Mexico
In April, German-based airline Lufthansa will launch a new five-day-a week route linking its Munich hub and Mexico City.
Aeromexico plans to add a fourth weekly round-trip between Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City and Tokyo's Narita International Airport on April 18. Service from Mexico City operates via Tijuana; service from Tokyo is direct.
Volaris will add a new route connecting the Mexican city of Guadalajara, Jalisco with Ontario, California in the U.S., beginning April 12. The flight will run from Guadalajara to Ontario on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and from Ontario to Guadalajara on Thursdays and Sundays.
Volaris will also launch twice-weekly service between the Mexican cities of Monterrey and Puerto Vallarta on April 3.
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TAM Airlines
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South America
Beginning May 31, TAM Airlines will fly weekly between the Miami (U.S.) and Fortaleza, Brazil (capital of the northeastern state of Ceará).
Between April 2 and June 30, Copa Airlines will fly nonstop between Bogotá, Colombia and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, with four weekly flights.
Caribbean
Puerto Rico-based Seaborne Airlines began nonstop daily round-trip service between Luis Muńoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico and St. Maarten's The Princess Julianna International Airport.
International Connections
United Airlines will introduce new daily service between Houston, Texas (U.S.) and Munich, Germany on April 24.
Norwegian Long Haul will begin the first non-stop service between Los Angeles, California (U.S.) and Stockholm, Sweden's Arlanda airport on April 30. Service will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Spirit Airlines will end service between Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Latrobe, Pennsylvania (both in the U.S.) as of April 3.
Airline Alliance Updates
U.S.-based Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic Airways have aligned their services in a new joint venture flight schedule that will start in June. Also as part of the joint venture, Delta will move its London Heathrow arrival and departure terminal for key business markets to join Virgin Atlantic in Terminal 3, as of April 2. And, Delta plans to add a second daily service between London Heathrow and Detroit Metropolitan Airport on June 1. Read the details in Delta's press release on the changes.
Other Airline News
Avianca Holdings has put limits on ticket sales in Venezuelan bolivars because currency controls in that nation have left it unable to move some US$300 million of cash earned from such sales out of the country.
US-based JetBlue Airways is offering its GoPack bulk airline flight packages for purchase through March 31. GoPacks range in price from US$739 for six one-way flights within the U.S. state of California to US$1,669 for 10 one-way flights between U.S. cities in New York and Florida. Flyers purchase the bulk package and receive codes they then use to pay for flights through June 17 (with the exception of April 11-28, which are blackout dates).
American Airlines (based in the U.S.) ended its policy of offering special "bereavement fares" to those who must buy last-minute airline tickets due to a family member's death.
Recent reports revealed that US-based carrier Southwest Airlines offers a free cocktail onboard on a handful of U.S. holidays: St. Patrick's Day (March 17), Mother's Day (May 11), Memorial Day (May 26), Father's Day (June 15), Southwest's birthday of June 18, U.S. Independence Day (July 4), Chase Customer Appreciation Day (August 11), Halloween (October 31) and Thanksgiving Day (November 27).
Loyalty Program Updates
Beginning next year, Delta Air Lines will use a new, spending-based, formula to award frequent flier miles in its SkyMiles loyalty program. The more a flier pays for a ticket, the more miles he or she will earn; the formula also takes into account the flier's elite status. The airline's formula for earning elite status is unchanged. Under the new formula, a non-elite flier will earn five miles per U.S. dollar spent. Those with Silver status will earn seven miles per dollar spent, Gold status members will earn eight miles per dollar, Platinum members will earn nine miles per dollar and Diamond members will earn 11 miles per dollar spent. Purchasing a flight with the Delta American Express card earns an extra two miles per dollar spent. In addition, the airline will change its awards-travel structure to a five-tier system, with the SkyMiles Saver Awards level continuing to be 25,000 miles for Economy Class. Delta will also introduce new one-way award tickets, which will start at 12,500 SkyMiles. Click to read Delta's press release.
US Airways raised the prices for purchasing elite status in its Dividend Miles program, more than doubling the cost of purchasing entry-level elite status (24,999 elite-qualifying miles) to US$2,499, from US$989. The airline will also limit the number of miles members can purchase to qualify.
The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group's Club Carlson rewards program will see several changes as of March 15: several pricing changes for awards bookings, awards points can be used for room upgrades, hotel stays booked with awards points will count towards elite status with the program, food and beverages purchased during those stays will earn awards points and members will no longer receive a bonus for booking online. In addition, Carlson reduced the number of bonus points that elite members will earn: Silver members will earn a 15% bonus and Gold members a 35% bonus.
Starwood Preferred Guest unveiled its annual award-price changes, which will see around 20% of its hotels move either up or down in awards-pricing category.
Hotel News
Mexico
The Hilton Garden Inn Boca del Rio/Veracruz opened in Boca del Rio, Veracruz, Mexico. The 108-room property, which is owned by Promotora Platinum and managed by Optima Hoteles, includes complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, a 24-hour business center, a fitness center and a restaurant, as well as a 24-hour market. The hotel also has four meeting rooms with more than 4,400 square feet (409 square meters) of space.
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| Holiday Inn Monterrey Valle |
The Holiday Inn Monterrey Valle hotel opened in Monterrey, Mexico's San Pedro Garza García business district. The InterContinental Hotels Group property's 198 rooms include ergonomic workstations and sitting areas. Owned and managed by Fibra Inn, it offers five meeting rooms with capacity for up to 80 people, a heated swimming pool, fitness center and restaurant.
The Villa Rolandi Isla Mujeres near Isla Mujeres, Mexico will join the AMResorts group on June 1; it will be rebranded Zoetry Villa Rolandi Isla Mujeres Cancun on December 15.
Caribbean
Ritz-Carlton (a Marriott International brand) began offering kosher catering at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman and Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Dorado, Puerto Rico, as well as at six properties in Florida, the Ritz-Carlton Battery Park in New York and two hotels in Atlanta, Georgia.
U.S.
Row NYC, formerly the Milford Plaza, relaunched in New York City after a US$140-million renovation.
TAM Airlines by airlines470; Holiday Inn Monterrey Valle, courtesy of Holiday Inn
