Happy Weekend! I'm back in Tampa this weekend after spending the week in San Francisco and New York. It was a travel heavy week and I'm happy to have a lowkey weekend. In travel news, this week was all about new routes from Allegiant, Condor, Royal Air Maroc, JetBlue, Frontier, Spirit, Delta, and more. In other news, a few promos launched, some air traffic controllers got bonuses, Hilton confirmed a new top-tier status, and dozens of abandoned cars were auctioned off in Boston.

Royal Air Maroc has officially filed a request with the Department of Transportation (DOT)… The post LAX Will Soon Offer Nonstop Flights to Six Continents appeared first on The Bulkhead Seat.

Royal Air Maroc has officially filed a request with the Department of Transportation (DOT) to launch service between Casablanca's Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). This will be the airline’s fourth US destination and its first on the West Coast. The carrier intends to begin regularly scheduled flights in June 2026 and plans to begin marketing and selling the route as soon as regulatory approval is granted.

A China Airlines Airbus A350-900 operating flight CI6 from Taipei's Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) experienced an engine issue yesterday after the aircraft’s left engine ingested foreign objects shortly after pushback. The incident occurred as the aircraft was being maneuvered away from the gate. Ground personnel noticed debris being pulled into the engine as it spooled up during the pushback sequence.

Back in April, I wrote about Marriott International acquiring the lifestyle hotel brand known as citizenM. The hotelier’s global portfolio has properties across more than 20 cities spanning the United States, Europe, and Asia Pacific. This represents 8,789 rooms. That acquisition was completed in July. Now, Marriott has officially completed the integration of citizenM into the Marriott Bonvoy® program. As part of the celebration, Marriott is rolling out a limited-time offer that gives travelers up to 15% off stays at all 35 citizenM hotels worldwide.

Air traffic controllers across the United States are voicing deep frustration over a recently announced $10,000 retention bonus. They argue that the payment falls far short of addressing the urgent challenges facing their profession. For many controllers, it also highlights long-standing systemic issues within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rather than solving them. The retention bonus was introduced for those with perfect attendance as part of an effort to stabilize the workforce and retain experienced controllers, but the reaction from the field has been overwhelmingly critical.

Condor is preparing to expand its European footprint with a significant addition to its route network. Beginning in April 2026, the airline will launch 3x daily service between Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and London Gatwick Airport (LGW). This will mark the first time the British capital is included in Condor’s schedule. The new connection brings one of Europe’s most influential business and cultural centers into reach for Condor customers.

The Thanksgiving travel period is officially underway tomorrow, and US airlines are preparing for the busiest holiday season on record. From November 21st through December 1st, more than 31 million passengers are expected take to the skies according to projections from Airlines for America (A4A). Throughout the holiday travel period, A4A anticipates that US carriers will serve an average of 2.8 million passengers each day.

I had to be in Atlanta for a dinner and the Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead was the perfect location (just down the street). There are tons of hotels in the area. I've stayed at the St. Regis before, but for this trip I wanted to check out the Grand Hyatt. Anthony's Take: The Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead is a great choice.

An unusual trend in Massachusetts saw dozens of abandoned vehicles left for more than a year at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). These were all cleared out and auctioned off this week. While most people sell, trade, or recycle their aging cars, a surprising number of owners continue to simply walk away from their vehicles at the airport’s parking garages and never return.

Greetings from Tampa! I'm home this weekend after being in Toronto and Chicago this week. In travel news, BermudAir dropped Hartford, LOT added San Francisco, Hilton confirmed a new elite tier, and the government shutdown thankfully ended and restored some normalcy to air travel. Airlines oneworld® revealed the top spots for Round the World tickets, LOT added San Francisco, a YouTuber caused some drama, and more in airline news this week.

Maybe the airlines have oversaturated the transatlantic market. Delta has cited some sluggishness and now United is reducing frequencies on several routes to/from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) for summer 2026. These cuts come only weeks after United announced a wave of new transatlantic routes. According to recent schedule updates flagged by Aeroroutes, United will reduce or cancel several planned frequencies next summer to/from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) has reached a pivotal milestone in its largest terminal expansion in decades. Officials issuED foundation and initial crane permits for the new Concourse D this week. The approvals move the long-anticipated project from early site preparation into full construction and mark a major step forward for the airport’s sweeping ORDNext redevelopment program. The concourse has spent years in planning and been delayed multiple times since first being announced in 2018.

The outlook for air travel is improving as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) eased flight restrictions at the nation’s busiest airports following weeks of disruption tied to the recently ended government shutdown. Yesterday, the FAA announced it would reduce mandatory flight cancellations from 6% to 3% at 40 major US airports beginning this morning. The cut is significant compared to the 10% reduction that would have remained in place had the shutdown continued.

MGM Grand Hotel & Casino just completed a $300 million transformation of its main tower. The project delivers 3,969 newly redesigned rooms and suites that bring together luxury with the bold, energetic spirit of the disco era to reinforce the resort’s identity as one of Las Vegas’ enduring entertainment landmarks. The refresh was envisioned by global design firm Gensler in collaboration with MGM Resorts Design & Development.

Hilton recently announced some changes to its Hilton Honors loyalty program. These included some new awards as well as the introduction of a new, top-tier status known as Diamond Reserve. Along with these positive changes, Hilton Honors has made another round of changes to its loyalty program and this time the adjustments will directly affect how many points members earn at some brands.

I had the opportunity to visit American's Admirals Club® while flying from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) yesterday. I have been in Air Canada's lounges in Toronto many times, but this was my first trip to the small one that American Airlines runs here. The lounge is located one floor up from the gates. There is an elevator to take you there.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will issue one-time $10,000 payments to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers who demonstrated what the agency calls "exemplary service" during the 43-day federal government shutdown (the longest in US history). The move is intended to recognize these frontline workers who continued screening passengers without pay as airports nationwide faced staffing shortages and delays.

The oneworld® alliance has released its list of the 10 most-searched destinations for Round the World travel in 2026. The alliance’s data underscores strong interest in long-haul, multi-stop itineraries as travelers increasingly look to explore multiple regions in a single journey. The list reflects oneworld’s global footprint, with major hubs across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, North America, and Oceania dominating traveler interest.

LOT Polish Airlines is continuing its rapid North American expansion with the launch of nonstop service between Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The new route will debut on May 6th and will operate 4x weekly during the summer season. The route connects to United's largest West Coast hub and flyers will see the opportunity to take tons of connection through LOT's Star Alliance partner.

Apple recently introduced Digital ID. This feature allows users to create a digital identification card in Apple Wallet using information from their US passports. The new technology enables travelers to verify their identity securely and privately with their iPhone or Apple Watch. At launch, Digital ID will roll out in beta at more than 250 TSA checkpoints across US airports. This will allow it to be used for in-person identity verification during domestic travel.

I had to be in Toronto last night and found the Air Canada flight between Tampa International Airport (TPA) and Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to be the perfect time for my needs. The flight was operated under Air Canada's leisure-focused subsidiary. I find that there is virtually no difference in Business Class when comparing Rouge to Air Canada. My passport had not been scanned in advance and I had to check-in at the airport, but I found no line and was able to do so quickly.

In June, I wrote about how Alaska Airlines was adding its first European nonstop route with seasonal flights to Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) beginning in May 2026. The new flights were set to run 4x weekly using Boeing 787-9 aircraft with 34 First Class and 266 Main Cabin seats. Alaska says that it's seeing strong demand and has…

Back in June, I wrote about how Netflix has been upping its experiential game. Earlier this year, it opened NETFLIX BITES at the MGM Grand. The Netflix-themed restaurant offers cuisine inspired by popular Netflix shows. At the time, it announced plans to launch two massive, 100,000-square-foot installations in Philadelphia at King of Prussia Mall and in Dallas at Galleria Dallas. The first location…

Trading cards have been a fun memento on Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and other carriers for some time. Now, Hawaiian Airlines is getting in the game with a new collection of inflight collectibles. Starting today, passengers can request one of four exclusive pilot trading cards, participate in an industry-first digital aircraft card program, or pick up a special pair of Keiki Wings for young flyers.