Author: Shawn Gallagher

American Airlines and the Transportation Security Administration announced Wednesday that TSA PreCheck Touchless ID is available at all of American’s hub airports. Touchless ID is a biometric program utilizing facial recognition to verify identity at TSA checkpoints. Eligible passengers can use dedicated lanes and do not need to take out and hand an ID and a boarding pass to a security officer when going through a TSA checkpoint. Instead, a photo verifies the passenger’s identity. The photo uses advanced technology to compare the passenger with previous photos handed to the U.S. government, such as those from a passport, Global Entry,…

American Airlines is launching electronic boarding gates to develop a more seamless boarding process and smooth the final moments of a passenger’s airport experience. These new gates will first begin service at the airline’s Dallas Fort Worth hub in the summer, with plans to expand to other airports around the U.S. over time. The airline conducted a successful pilot program in November 2025 and received strong customer feedback. The gates will handle manual tasks for the airline’s gate agents, allowing them to allocate more time for customer service and other essential tasks that may arise during the process. Touchscreen instructions…

Delta Air Lines rolled out new business class seats for its Delta One product on Monday, which are set to enter service on its upcoming Airbus A350-1000 aircraft starting in 2027. The new Delta One suites will feature up-to-date amenities and accommodations, including privacy doors, wireless charging, and 24-inch in-flight entertainment screens with Bluetooth capabilities. Its bed will measure three inches longer than the current Delta One suites on the Airbus A350-900. The airline looks to continue pushing its premium products and reel in high-spending customers. The airline will also upgrade its Airbus A330-200/300 aircraft with new suites with privacy…

American Airlines on Thursday announced further restrictions for its Basic Economy fares, including for travelers with elite status and co-branded credit cards.  Previously, travelers with AAdvantage elite status or with a co-branded credit card were able to receive their benefits even when flying Basic Economy, like priority boarding and free seat selection. For Basic Economy tickets purchased on May 18 or later, such passengers can select a seat for a fee and will not be eligible for complimentary upgrades, such as Main Cabin Extra. Later this year, AAdvantage members without status will board in group 7, instead of group 6.…

Delta Air Lines will raise checked bag fees for domestic and short-haul international flights, the airline said on Tuesday. The move mirrors rival carriers JetBlue and United Airlines, both of which raised bag fees last week. These changes come as airlines face high jet fuel costs as conflict in the Middle East continues.  Passengers on Delta can expect to pay $45 for a first checked bag, $55 for a second, and $200 for a third. Like other airlines in the U.S., passengers with elite status and select co-branded credit cards will continue to receive checked baggage benefits. Fuel is the second-largest…

United Airlines unveiled segmented premium fares on Friday, unbundling its business class and creating a new, lower-priced base fare with fewer benefits. Similar to basic economy, its base fares for Polaris business class will include seat selections for a fee, one complimentary checked bag instead of two, and limitations on changes and cancellations. The base fare will also limit access to the airline’s high-end Polaris Lounges, but customers can still access United Club lounges. Passengers can find these new fare options on long-haul international, select transcontinental, and select Hawaii flights. There are no changes to fares on short-haul international and domestic…

United Airlines will add TSA wait time estimates to its app as part of a new pilot program, the airline announced on Wednesday. The new feature will allow passengers to organize their airport plans, and the carrier has begun rolling out the update. The security wait time estimates will update throughout the day and will include details for both regular lines and TSA PreCheck lines. TSA information will be available to passengers traveling through Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. “Our customers rely on our mobile app for all their travel needs, and this new…

JetBlue Airways is raising its checked-bag fees to offset rising fuel costs amid unrest in the Middle East. Bag fees will now cost $39 for the first bag and $59 for a second bag, an increase of $4 and $9, respectively. Fees during peak seasons have also increased; passengers can expect to pay $49 for the first bag and $69 for the second. The airline charges an additional $10 for paying bag fees less than 24 hours before departure. Fuel costs are an airline’s second-highest expense after labor. Data from Argus, published by the industry group Airlines for America, show that jet…

Air Canada Chief Executive Officer Michael Rousseau will step down after the third quarter, the airline said, following criticism over an English-language condolence video after a deadly collision at a LaGuardia runway in New York City. Rousseau delivered a video speech in English after the accident, but only made greetings in French at the beginning and end of the video. Canada is officially a bilingual country, and Air Canada is obligated to offer services in both languages. The video was criticized by Prime Minister Mark Carney, and the Quebec legislature voted 92 to zero in favor of Rousseau’s retirement. “I…

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said on Friday that TSA employees will begin receiving pay as early as Monday, March 30, after weeks of unpaid work and long airport security lines. “At the direction of President Trump and the Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, TSA has immediately begun the process of paying its workforce,” a DHS spokesperson stated. “TSA officers should begin seeing paychecks as early as Monday, March 30.” President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the White House will not wait for Congress to appropriate funds for the DHS and will take executive action to pay…