December 23, 2025
In This Edition… recent news articles relating to airline flight service updates and news, security updates, hotel information, traveler tips, and much more!
Dans cette édition… de récents articles d’actualité présentant des mises à jour et des nouvelles sur les services de vol des compagnies aériennes, des mises à jour en matière de sécurité, des informations sur les hôtels, des conseils aux voyageurs, et bien plus encore.
Navigator Blog
The Top Business Travel Articles of 2025
Revisit the most popular business travel topics of 2025. Use these key takeaways to prepare your corporate travel program for 2026.
Podcast: Embracing Modern Travel Management
Top insights from episode 2 of the Altitude with Attitude podcast. Direct Travel & the Conrad Hilton Foundation explore how to modernize a travel program.
Airline & Flight Updates
Delta Sets Launch Date for Riyadh Route
Travel Weekly — Delta will begin flying from Atlanta to Riyadh on Oct. 23 as the first U.S. airline to operate nonstop service to Saudi Arabia.
American Airlines Ends Miles, Points for Basic Economy
NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth — The change affects customers who rely on miles for free tickets, upgrades and elite status within American's loyalty program.
United Airlines Updates App with Boarding-progress Feature
Travel Weekly — Virtual Gate shows how many people have boarded, eliminating the need to wait around the gate area.
Lufthansa Group Unveils New Brand Identity
Business Travel News Europe — The Lufthansa Group unveiled new branding to “unify” its expanded portfolio of airline brands. The aviation giant, which also owns Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Swiss, Eurowings and a minority stake in Italy’s ITA Airways, said the move will “strengthen” the group brand and make it “more visible”.
Lie-flat suites? Get a first look at American Airlines' new A321XLR
USA Today (subscription may be required) — American Airlines' new A321XLR opens the next chapter of premium narrowbody flights at the carrier.
Aer Lingus to Launch Dublin-Pittsburgh Service
Business Travel News — Aer Lingus on May 25, 2026, will introduce nonstop service between Dublin and Pittsburgh, the carrier announced.
Avianca, Aerolíneas Argentinas Agree to Codeshare
Business Travel News — Avianca parent Grupo Abra has agreed to a new codeshare partnership with Aerolíneas Argentinas, which will cover nine cities in Colombia and 12 in Argentina, pending regulatory approval.
Alaska Airlines Announces Launch Date for Seattle-London Service
Travel Weekly — Service will start May 21 and will operate daily and year-round.
Delta Now Has Free Wi-Fi on 1,000 Planes
The Points Guy — As of this week, three in four Delta jets now have free Wi-Fi available. The rest of the airline's fleet will be upgraded in 2026.
Safety & Security
TSA Prepares for Holiday Travel Season to Cap Record Year
Transportation Security Administration — 2025 marks significant year of improvements for traveler experience.
TSA to Charge $45 Fee for Travelers Without Real ID Starting Feb. 1
Travel Age West — Passengers without acceptable identification will be referred to a paid alternative verification system.
TSA PreCheck Touchless ID: The Fastest Way Through Security
Transportation Security Administration — Travelers from one of 15 participating airports can enjoy the fastest security experience yet. TSA PreCheck Touchless ID offers the same great TSA PreCheck benefits, plus the added convenience of simply using your face as your ID.
Government Travel Warnings
U.S. Department of State — Information on current government issued travel warnings and alerts.
Ground Transportation
UK Rail Network to Benefit From Increased Services
Business Travel News Europe — UK rail infrastructure manager Network Rail has introduced a major expansion of services on the East Coast Main Line, as part of a wider timetable shake-up.
Uber Will Add Kiosks to Airports
The Independent — The company will debut its first kiosk at LaGuardia Airport and plans to add more at hotels, ports and international airports to help travelers request rides without downloading the app.
Hotel News
InterContinental Returns to Prague
Travel Weekly — Expected to open in the first half of 2029, the InterContinental Prague will occupy an Old Town building that dates back to 1839.
4 Reasons It's Extremely Important to Request Daily Housekeeping in Hotels
Fodor’s Travel — Why is it a good idea to request daily housekeeping service? There are a number of reasons.
Grand Hyatt DFW Undergoes $34M Renovation
Meetings & Conventions — Scheduled for completion early next year, the Texas hotel, which is connected to DFW Airport's Terminal D, will offer 315 rooms and more than 20,000 square feet of event space.
The Best Hotels and Resorts in the World: The Gold List 2026
Condé Nast Traveler — Condé Nast Traveler editors share their favorite places to stay across the globe.
Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne Miami Reopens Following Renovation
Travel Weekly — The $100 million project revamped guestrooms, restaurants and the spa.
Traveler Tips, Trips & Convenience
Oregon Is the First Accessibility Verified State. What Does That Mean?
Afar Magazine — A writer whose son has multiple disabilities traveled to the Pacific Northwest to find out what kinds of advancements have been made and whether her son could benefit from them.
These Are the Best Airport Lounge Brands
TravelPulse — New research from JD Power identifies the top seven airport lounge brands in the U.S., according to frequent travelers themselves.
Airports Could Get Part of $1B for Fitness Gear, Nursing Rooms, More
USA Today (subscription may be required) — Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced $1 billion in grants to encourage airports to improve their family and health infrastructure.
Meetings & Events
2026 Incentive Travel Predictions
SITE Global — SITE's senior leadership team shares the top trends, activities and patterns on their radar for the year ahead.
Looking for assistance with your next convention, incentive, or special event? From designing memorable experiences to managing strategic meetings, Direct Travel is your trusted event partner! For details, please send a message to: [email protected].