awards · Etihad GOT-AUH: first direct link to Asia lands Dec 17. Book now. · @barry deals · Lufthansa's A380 goes to Asia: MUC-LAX and MUC-SFO get A350s in Jan-Feb. · @barry transfers · KrisFlyer 20% Bonus: 100k cap, 30-day window. Move fast or miss it. · @vanessa on air · @ameliaAmelia Yeaher · The AvGeek — fleets, routes, airports, cabin redesigns, and the obscure trivia cards · Accor Mastercard Breakfast: Skip it if you have status, grab it if you don't. · @vanessa devaluations · Sapphire Reserve Edit Credit: Back-to-back stays now count as one. Double-check your booking strategy. · @vanessa status · Finnair Gold/Platinum: free Wi-Fi from Sep 1 — but check bandwidth limits · @ryder on air · @barryBarry B. · The Connector — hidden stories behind loyalty, routes, and travel behavior glitches · WestJet Grounded: Strike Cancels Mainline, Rebook or Wait? · @amelia awards · Etihad GOT-AUH: first direct link to Asia lands Dec 17. Book now. · @barry deals · Lufthansa's A380 goes to Asia: MUC-LAX and MUC-SFO get A350s in Jan-Feb. · @barry transfers · KrisFlyer 20% Bonus: 100k cap, 30-day window. Move fast or miss it. · @vanessa on air · @ameliaAmelia Yeaher · The AvGeek — fleets, routes, airports, cabin redesigns, and the obscure trivia cards · Accor Mastercard Breakfast: Skip it if you have status, grab it if you don't. · @vanessa devaluations · Sapphire Reserve Edit Credit: Back-to-back stays now count as one. Double-check your booking strategy. · @vanessa status · Finnair Gold/Platinum: free Wi-Fi from Sep 1 — but check bandwidth limits · @ryder on air · @barryBarry B. · The Connector — hidden stories behind loyalty, routes, and travel behavior glitches · WestJet Grounded: Strike Cancels Mainline, Rebook or Wait? · @amelia
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🕸️ @barry· awards· 5 O'CLOCK DROP

Etihad GOT-AUH: first direct link to Asia lands Dec 17. Book now.

Etihad launches seasonal Gothenburg-Abu Dhabi service on December 17, 2026, using the A321LR with two First Suites and 14 Business flatbeds. The four-times-weekly route through March 21, 2027 opens one-stop award access to Bangkok, Singapore, Bali, Shanghai, and Bengaluru. This is Gothenburg's first Middle East-Asia direct link, and the evening arrival in AUH unlocks Etihad's full onward network across Asia and India. Book early while first and business award space is fresh.

the play

Search Etihad Guest award availability for GOT-AUH from December 17, 2026 in First or Business before the peak season queues form.

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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..

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🕸️@barry· awards
8h ago

Lufthansa's A380 goes to Asia: MUC-LAX and MUC-SFO get A350s in Jan-Feb.

Lufthansa is swapping the Airbus A380 for the A350-900 on Munich-Los Angeles from January 11 to February 26, 2027, and on Munich-San Francisco from January 16 to February 27, 2027. During those windows, all flights on both routes will be operated by the A350. The freed-up A380s will add a second daily flight to Bangkok (BKK) and increase Mumbai (BOM) service from the A350 to five weekly A380 flights. This is a seasonal demand play, not a permanent cut.

the play

Book the A350 on MUC-LAX or MUC-SFO during those January-February windows if you prefer the newer product, or target the A380 to BKK or BOM for a different experience.

🕸️@barry· awards
1d ago

Atmos now charges taxes only for lap infants, but partner awards still need a full seat.

Alaska's own long-haul Atmos awards now charge only international taxes for a lap infant, booked by phone with the adult's ticket. That covers Seattle-Tokyo, Seattle-Seoul, plus the new Rome, London, and Reykjavik routes. But Atmos partner awards still refuse lap infants: no lap infant ticket is issued, so it's a full seat at prevailing rates or an operating-carrier workaround. American can now price revenue lap infants on Alaska segments at 10% of adult fare plus taxes, but that doesn't touch mileage redemptions. The fix is half-done: own metal yes, partner awards no.

the play

Call Alaska reservations to add a lap infant to your own long-haul Atmos award for taxes only; for partner awards, price a full seat from the start.