Hainan Airlines' Beijing - Boston service resumes on November 26th

With nearly 40 million people slated to fly during the holidays this year, airlines are preparing for what could be one of the busiest holiday travel seasons on record. 

From lost baggage to late refunds, passenger complaints against airlines skyrocketed earlier this year. 

Flight attendants at Southwest Airlines overwhelmingly rejected a new contract over the weekend. The move is the latest in the mounting tensions between cabin crew and U.S. airline management that could result in the industry’s first labor action in more than a decade.

Alaska Airlines’ proposed $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, announced earlier this week, has the potential to alter the existing U.S. air travel landscape significantly. Whether that would prove to be for better or worse remains to be seen, but plenty of experts are already weighing in with predictions.

American Airlines will fly as many as 40 daily routes to Cancun and the Riviera Maya this winter, perfect for travelers plotting their winter escape.

President Joe Biden is a self-described train fan, commuting between Washington, D.C. and Delaware on Amtrak for decades as a Senator. Now to beef up U.S. passenger rail, his administration is doling out more than $8 billion, including funds for two high-speed trains in California and Nevada.

December brings frigid temperatures and howling winds to the city of Boston, but fortunately, the holiday season serves as a major silver lining for winter residents. Clad in twinkling lights and a towering Christmas tree gifted from Nova Scotia, the city takes on a particularly charming ambiance that makes it well worth visiting in spite of the weather—and as an added bonus, Boston’s hottest hotels, bars and restaurants are all joining in on the festivities. As you plan your next foray into New England’s most dazzling city, don’t miss out on these holiday-themed promotions and events.

Turkish Airlines flies to 345 destinations in more different nations than any other carrier in the world, with one of the newest and most acclaimed airports as its hub. It also consistently ranks among the very best airlines and just won–again–Best Airline in Europe in the 2023 Skytrax World Airline Awards, the industry’s most influential, beating out the likes of Air France, Swiss, Lufthansa, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. It also took home four other Number Ones in the awards, including Best Economy Class Seat in Europe and Best Business Class Cuisine worldwide. (I recently wrote in detail here at Forbes about another award-winning carrier, Qatar Airways, which has won World’s Best Airline and World’s Best Business Class among other titles).

Gazing at the exterior of Boston Logan Airport’s new Terminal E building is like taking a trip back in time to an era when going to the airport held the promise of glamor and whimsy. The building, which fully opened to the public earlier this fall, has the type of bold curve-and-swoop design that’s reminiscent of the Jet Age’s swankiest terminal: the old TWA building at New York-JFK.

Smaller airlines that operate in the shadow of the nation’s four dominant air carriers are increasingly feeling pressure to merge with each other to gain access to more planes and airport gates.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, December 5. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Expands fifth largest U.S. airline to a fleet of 365 narrow and wide body airplanes enabling guests to reach 138 destinations through our combined networks and more than 1,200 destinations through the oneworld Alliance.