Tag: Southwest Airlines, Page 4

On the Saturday, March 15th, 2025 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, driverless taxis got almost 600 tickets in San Francisco last year; and in the big story this week, Southwest Airlines is changing its long time two bags free policy and charging for baggage starting in late May. When an airline offers a “Lifetime Benefit,” you would think that would be easy to define. Well, United Airlines is changing one of their “lifetime” policies, another reminder that those points and miles you earn do not really belong to you, they belong to the hotel or airline. It’s the topic of our Smarter Traveler segment. We talked with Chris Elliott this week about the controversial tariffs the president is proposing and how they might impact international travelers. He also weighs in on the Southwest changes and a new book he has written, The Unauthorized Travel Manual: Secrets For a Smarter Trip From a Nationally Syndicated Columnist and Consumer Advocate. We also took calls from listeners on the Southwest changes.

On the Saturday, March 8th, 2025 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Southwest makes massive cuts to earnings in its frequent flyer program (more on that subject later in the program); and a United airlines employee is busted in a huge bribery and payola scheme at the Newark Airport. The Smarter Traveler segment of the program addresses the value of taking the "first flight out in the morning." There are ups and downs of getting up before the chickens, and the guys explain why rising early is probably a smart move. Palm Springs is a popular destination for travelers from our area, and Mark shares a host of opinions on restaurants and attractions, plus tells you one hotel you might want to place on your "do not stay" list. Reward and loyalty programs for hotel chains and airlines are big business. But recently, the changes in the number of points needed for rooms and air tickets has been changing, and not in the favor of the traveler. Now Southwest is cutting the number of points you earn in its Rapid Rewards program on its most popular tickets. We'll update you on the state of rewards programs.

On the Saturday, December 28th, 2024 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, the FAA has the results of the Southwest Airlines safety audit, and wildlife is dying out on Catalina island…without any concern from local residents. The Canadian Transportation Agency, which regulates airlines, has a proposal to make airlines more responsible for delays north of the border. They are actually more expansive than EU Rule 261, which protect passengers in the event of long delays or cancellations. If something like that comes to Canada, is it possible protections for U.S. passengers could be coming? Mileage and Mattress runs have been around as Frequent Flyer Program have existed. What are they and exactly why are they top of mind for many road warriors this time of year? Our Odds and Ends bag includes a story on why some Americans are suddenly choosing less expensive hotel accommodations and what that might mean to the travel industry as a whole.

On the Saturday, December 21st, 2024 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, hear about the newest fad, flying "naked"....yes, it's called flying naked. We'll explain. And small towns around the planet are starting to organize against the cruise lines big ships calling in their communities. "Stop overwhelming us" is their message. In our Smarter Traveler segment, we explain what the new Federal Trade Commission rules on junk fees imposed by hotels and ticket sellers mean for you. Southwest Airlines is bringing reserved seats and other changes to the way they board their airplanes in 2026. Many of those changes will impact tickets you buy in 2025. We have an update from Southwest's CEO. Our Odds and Ends part of the show features a story about "seat squatters" on planes. Music City San Francisco is the name of a most unique musician rehearsal space, hostel, restaurant and even a place to catch music on a Saturday night. We'll tell you more about this unique "music accelerator" in The City.