Security and Safety Updates

Ongoing conflicts in Uyuni and upcoming October elections have led to blockades throughout Bolivia, causing disruption to road travel and difficulties accessing some towns and airports. Travelers are advised to seek local advice.

Tungurahua Volcano

Although authorities have restricted access around Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano in the town of Banos (south of Quito) due to renewed volcanic activity, the alert has been downgraded to yellow (from orange).

Following the July 7 earthquake in Guatemala, authorities have declared a 30-day "State of Public Calamity" as they coordinate rescue and relief efforts.

New Airline Routes and Route Changes

South America

Copa Airlines will reduce service between Bogotá and Caracas to seven (from eight) weekly flights and will cancel service between Medellin and Caracas as of August 1.

Iberia Airlines will resume service between Madrid and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, operating five flights per week between the two cities. The airline will also resume its Madrid-Montevideo, Uruguay route with four-day-a-week service.

Chile's Sky Airline will adjust the schedule of its Santiago de Chile-Buenos Aires Ezeiza route. Overnight departure from Santiago will move to mid-day and Buenos Aires' morning departure will move to late afternoon. Operations will temporarily reduce from 21 weekly flights to 18.

Low-cost Brazilian carrier Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes filed a request for new flights from Brazil's Viracopos-Campinas International airport, located northwest of São Paulo. If approved, on September 1, Gol will begin five daily flights from Viracopos to Santos Dumont, which serves Rio de Janeiro, and one to the capital of Brasília.

Cap-Haitien

Caribbean

American Airlines will launch daily service between Miami and Cap-Haïtien, Haiti on October 2.

International Connections

French airline La Compagnie launched all-business-class flights from New Jersey's Newark airport (New York City metro) to Paris Charles De Gaulle on a near-daily basis. Flights will depart Paris at 5:50 p.m. and arrive in Newark at 8:30 p.m., leaving to return to Paris 75 minutes later.

Azerbaijan Airlines will launch twice-weekly service between Baku, Azerbaijan's Heydar Aliyev International Airport and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport on September 24.

Virgin Australia will increase to daily service between Brisbane and Los Angeles as of October 26. At the same time, the airline will end service between Melbourne and Los Angeles.

American Airlines will introduce two-class service between Dallas and San Francisco as of September 3.

Other Airline News

Delta will begin offering free entertainment options on all domestic aircraft and two-cabin regional jets as of August 1. All passengers on flights longer than one and a half hours will have access to options at their seat or via laptops, mobile and tablet devices.

The FAA, along with European regulator EASA, have lifted restrictions on flights to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. United Airlines, US Airways, Delta and EasyJet have all resumed operations to Israel.

Airport News

The first location of Yum! Brands newest fast-food venture will open in Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The restaurant, Banh Shop, will focus on Vietnamese sandwiches - banh mi. 

Silvio Pettirossi International Airport

Flemingo International will begin operating departure and arrival stores in Silvio Pettirossi International Airport in Asuncion, Paraguay.

Loyalty Program News

Citi ThankYou points (from the company's ThankYou credit card) can now be converted 1:1 for miles in the loyalty programs of airlines Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Etihad, Garuda Indonesia, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways.

Starwood is offering award nights at specific resorts in the Maldives, Bora Bora, Thailand, Dubai and Portugal for 35% fewer Starpoints.

Kimpton Hotels re-launched its rewards program as Kimpton Karma Rewards. The new program offers four tiers of membership and perks such as a $30 in-room spa credit, late check out, welcome amenity and complimentary newspaper.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card discontinued its 7% annual bonus on all new card accounts. The card will now include primary collision damage waiver coverage on rental cars charged to the card, and $10,000 trip cancellation/interruption coverage.

Hotel News

Hospitality design company Hirsch Bedner Associates debuted a new look for Hilton Hotels & Resorts in the Hilton Santa Fe Mexico City. The 260-room hotel, located in the Santa Fe business district, includes a separate executive floor with concierge service and a lounge, as well as a restaurant, coffee and cocktail bars and rooftop outdoor pool and bar.

The 60-room Hotel Cacao is scheduled to open in September on Playa del Carmen, Mexico's Fifth Avenue, featuring a rooftop bar, central courtyard and upscale Mexican restaurant.

A 600-room Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos is scheduled to open in 2016. The hotel will offer family and adult sections and include six restaurants, a spa and live music venues.

Melia Hotels International plans to open the Melia Cartagena, an adults-only beachfront hotel, during the first quarter of 2017. The 154-room hotel will offer two restaurants, a bar, spa and beach club within close proximity to the 18-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed Karibana golf course.

Travel Services

TripAdvisor plans to acquire Viator, a San Francisco-based website focused on researching and booking travel activities around the world.

CheapTickets.com launched a CheapCash rewards program, which allows travelers to earn rewards and redeem them on the same trip. The site also introduced a feature that compares the site's hotel rates with those of up to four of its competitors.

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