Traffic Alert: Delta Plans $1.9 Billion LAX Relocation

Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week.

There’s a storm brewing in the rarefied air occupied by the priciest of the travel-rewards cards.

Could Spirit, the airline everybody loves to hate, become a bit less hateful? If the company’s new CEO has his way, it will do just that.

Update, September 18: The FAA has issued updated guidance regarding usage of Samsung Galaxy 7 phones in flight, stating “passengers may not turn on or charge the devices when they carry them on board a plane. Passengers must also protect the devices from accidental activation, including disabling any features that may turn on the device, such as alarm clocks, and must not pack them in checked luggage.” The statement does not mention if any penalties are associated with failure to comply with this guidance. Read the full statement here.

Ever since Delta began ramping up operations in Seattle, Alaska Airlines’ hometown and main flight hub, the relationship between the two airlines has been disintegrating. And there was plenty to disintegrate. The carriers were long-time partners in each other’s frequent-flyer programs, and they code-shared on a host of flights. They were, in the industry vernacular, preferred marketing partners.

By traditional measures, Alaska Airlines is a carrier of decidedly modest size, even after its acquisition of Virgin America. Its own flight network is small, compared to those of American, Delta, and United. And it’s not a member of one of the three global airline alliances.

U.S. commuters wasted 8 billion hours sitting in traffic last year.

Headed Down Under? Delta has announced a new bonus-mile promotion for Australia flights. But it’s not the only option.

Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week.

Overall, Delta’s SkyMiles program has established itself as one of the industry’s least generous loyalty schemes. To play, you’ll pay. But with this limited-time award sale, you can at least pay less.

Want to fly Virgin America as an elite member of the airline’s Elevate program? If you’ve already earned elite status with American, Delta, Southwest, or United, Virgin America will match that status, for three months.

For years, Southwest, which already flies more domestic passengers than American, Delta, or United, has been known to have aspirations to fly to Hawaii. Last night, the company made those intentions official.