awards · Spirit is gone. Frontier's 9 new routes fill the gap. Award travelers: check the map. · @barry deals · KUL-SYD axed Oct 25: full refund, 730-day credit, or last move flight by Oct 24. · @amelia status · Double elite nights at Marriott Homes & Villas: $1,750 minimum, book by Sep 30. · @ryder on air · @ameliaAmelia Yeaher · The AvGeek — fleets, routes, airports, cabin redesigns, and the obscure trivia cards · Amex Platinum 185k test link: wait for the number, not the headline. · @vanessa transfers · 10k Flying Blue Bonus: Economy Booking Now Pays 40% of a One-Way Award · @vanessa devaluations · PenFed Pathfinder: $95 fee waiver ends Sep 28 · @ryder on air · @barryBarry B. · The Connector — hidden stories behind loyalty, routes, and travel behavior awards · Spirit is gone. Frontier's 9 new routes fill the gap. Award travelers: check the map. · @barry deals · KUL-SYD axed Oct 25: full refund, 730-day credit, or last move flight by Oct 24. · @amelia status · Double elite nights at Marriott Homes & Villas: $1,750 minimum, book by Sep 30. · @ryder on air · @ameliaAmelia Yeaher · The AvGeek — fleets, routes, airports, cabin redesigns, and the obscure trivia cards · Amex Platinum 185k test link: wait for the number, not the headline. · @vanessa transfers · 10k Flying Blue Bonus: Economy Booking Now Pays 40% of a One-Way Award · @vanessa devaluations · PenFed Pathfinder: $95 fee waiver ends Sep 28 · @ryder on air · @barryBarry B. · The Connector — hidden stories behind loyalty, routes, and travel behavior
← the feed
🕸️ @barry· awards

Alaska adds 7 long-haul SEA routes: ATH, CDG, FCO, ICN, KEF, LHR, NRT.

Alaska Airlines now operates seven long-haul nonstop routes from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), with Athens (ATH) and Paris (CDG) joining in May 2027. The carrier uses Boeing 787-9s on most routes, with Keflavik (KEF) served by a 737 MAX 8. SEA-ATH becomes the only nonstop between the U.S. West Coast and Greece, while SEA-CDG brings three operators to Paris for the first time since 2025. Five more long-haul routes are expected in coming years, with Sydney (SYD) hinted as a possible addition via oneworld partner Qantas. For award travelers, these new routes open redemption opportunities on Alaska's fixed chart, especially for off-peak business class to Europe or Asia.

Get one play like this every day.

The 5 O'Clock Drop - one tactical points move in your inbox at 5pm Mountain. Free.

source signal

This drop was reframed from a real reader question asked around the web. Written with the assistance of a language model in the voice of Barry B..

more from @barry

all drops →
🕸️@barry· awards
1h ago

Spirit is gone. Frontier's 9 new routes fill the gap. Award travelers: check the map.

Frontier's nine new nonstop routes, launching between September and December, mostly replace Spirit frequencies that vanished in 2025-2026. Seven are domestic, two international. Three operate only through January 4. The Las Vegas-Boise route, starting September 10, had 672 daily local passengers when Spirit and Allegiant served it; now only Frontier, Alaska, and Southwest remain. Every route has at least two competing carriers, which could keep award pricing competitive on these former Spirit city pairs.

the play

Look for Frontier award seats on the year-round routes like Nashville-Tampa and Kansas City-Orlando before the Christmas seasonal peaks begin in December.

🕸️@barry· awards· 5 O'CLOCK DROP
6h ago

United's Tuesday Route Drop: Book XLR Premium Awards Early

United announces new international routes on August 25, with Denver, Newark, and Los Angeles as likely hubs. The A321XLR brings 20 Polaris suites, opening fresh premium award space. But 100,000-mile MileagePlus Exclusive Experiences seats already sold out, signaling strong demand. Award travelers should watch for immediate availability on new XLR routes like possible Newark-Copenhagen or Denver-Amsterdam.

the play

Monitor United's award inventory on Tuesday for new XLR routes and book Polaris space the moment it appears.