Capitalize on Alaska-Hawaiian merger: Potential strategies to maximize your miles, elite status and more

It’s a whole new world (of savings)for guests planning a 2025 vacation to Orlando's Walt Disney World.

Delta Air Lines is on a roll in Austin with plans to add five new routes next year.

October is here and so are these great points and miles deals, and the latest in credit card perks—all of which come in handy for leaf-peeping trips, spooky getaways for Halloween, and last-minute journeys to chase some autumn sun. (Need some ideas? Check out this list of the best places to visit in October to get the travel inspiration going.) And for the aviation geeks: Here’s a rundown of the latest loyalty industry news and perks, so you don’t have to scour the internet to find them. Register for these points and miles deals to boost your account balances, and then start planning where you want to go next. We've got all the best points and miles deals for October, below.

Southwest Airlines is on the move with new routes, while trimming others.

There's been a major development in the merger of Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines, as the two carriers just launched the ability to transfer miles between their respective loyalty programs. While post-merger plans call for a single, combined loyalty program, this is an important first step — and opens up a lucrative new avenue for those with American Express Membership Rewards points.

Southwest Airlines is extending its flight schedule into early next summer and introducing new destinations from its Nashville hub. The airline, which usually releases its schedule eight months in advance, has just released its booking calendar through June 4, 2025, announced Wednesday. With the schedule update, the carrier has announced several key updates across its network. For starters, the carrier will expand significantly out of Nashville International Airport (BNA), which has been one of Southwest's fastest-growing hubs and newest crew bases.  Starting April 8, 2025, the carrier will begin daily service from Nashville to Albuquerque, Jackson, and Tulsa; as well as up to 6x weekly flights to Providence and up to 5x weekly flights to Albany. In addition, the airline will offer “intra-Tennessee service for the first time” with its brand-new, once-daily service from Nashville to Memphis.  “The new flights will boost Southwest’s scheduled presence in Nashville to an all-time high of 174 Sunday departures in April and May 2025,” the airline wrote in a statement. The new route announcement comes as the airline is undergoing notable changes, as Southwest will introduce its first-ever overnight flights to its network next February. With today’s announcement, the airline shared a few more routes that will see redeye service — flights from Honolulu to Las Vegas and Phoenix, Kona to Las Vegas, and Maui to Las Vegas and Phoenix will be offered as red-eyes starting April 8, 2025.

Luxury hospitality company Four Seasons is wowing travelers with a brand-new around-the-world private jet trip from California back to Canada, touching on three different continents.

The best thing about August isn’t the searing heat – it’s the fact that summer has matured and there’s been (hopefully) plenty of time to get out and test new gear. Matador’s editors tested everything from socks and underwear to luggage to mountain bike gloves this month, and below is the stuff we loved most. The editor who recommended each is listed, so if you have beef – or a competing product – you know who to contact. Preference was given, as it should be, to brands working towards more sustainable production methods.

JetBlue made a major splash last week when it revealed that it will open its first-ever airport lounges in New York and Boston, a move that will bolster the allure of top-tier elite status in its TrueBlue loyalty program.

Attention, American Airlines members: If you're chasing elite status with the carrier, you should check your American Airlines AAdvantage account, as you may be targeted for an end-of-the-year promotion. A few TPG staff members were targeted with a new American Airlines promotion to earn Loyalty Points on award flights.

Alaska Airlines’ merger with Hawaiian Airlines was finalized on Wednesday with both carriers maintaining their brand identity.

The Department of Transportation said Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines can proceed with their $1.9 billion merger after it secured a set of consumer protections from the two carriers.