In honor of Father’s Day, and/or the issues fatherhood often brings up, the founders of The Journeymen Collective suggest that the best way to deal with and release the stressors in our lives—or to bond with your Dad?—may well be a luxury guided magic mushroom retreat in the mountains outside Vancouver.

Rob Grover and Gary Logan have hosted “entrepreneurs, CEOs, athletes, performers, couples, and small groups invested in the highest level of personal development and self-discovery,” they say, and have 60 years of experience in spiritual and metaphysical training, executive level mindset coaching, energetic healing modalities, and Alexander Technique lessons.

They offer online and support calls to prepare guests for programs that utilize psilocybin as a way to achieve self-growth in a trusted, safe, and luxurious setting.

For more information visit: https://www.thejourneymencollective.com/.

Lea Diele, CTIE, vice president of education for Travel Leaders Network, was named the 2024 recipient of The Travel Institute’s Educational Excellence Award. This annual award recognizes organizations and individuals demonstrating a significant, ongoing commitment to providing comprehensive education for travel professionals Read the rest of this entry »

Tourism is booming and the Olympics are looming—but travel to Paris is on shaky ground once again. The air traffic controllers are calling for a strike at Orly next week and Ryanair has been forced to cancel 100 flights today due to a last-minute action at Paris Beauvais, where it operates flights from Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Edinburgh and Belfast.

A Ryanair spokesperson said, “EU passengers are sick and tired of suffering unnecessary cancellations during ATC strikes. It is inexplicable that Ursula von der Leyen and the EU Commission have failed to take action to protect EU passengers’ Freedom of Movement during these repeated French ATC strikes.

A previous strike by French air traffic controllers saw almost 70% of flights canceled.

The threatened strike, called for  June 11-13, will affect more than just British travelers, though. It is expected to disrupt flights at Paris Orly and possibly Charles De Gaulle.

Don’t you just hate it when politics get in the way of travel?

As if it’s not bad enough that the war in the Middle East has closed the Red Sea to cruise traffic, now its repercussions are causing a kerfuffle in the Indian Ocean as well.

On Sunday, the Cabinet of the Maldives banned Israeli nationals from this predominantly Muslim archipelago, and said it will appoint a subcommittee to oversee the process. In addition, President Mohamed Muizu will appoint a special envoy to assess the Palestinian situation in Israel and launch a fundraising campaign.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry fired back, recommending that Israelis—including those who hold dual passports and those currently there—consider leaving immediately.

While the Times of Israel reports that only 11,000 Israelis visited the Maldives last year, just 0.6% of its tourists, the brouhaha already is making waves in the United States. Travel advisor Rebecca Alesia tells TRO she already has had two honeymoons of Jewish couples cancel out of sympathy for Israel. And travel advisor Marta Salonius says “I am so pissed and it’s such a complicated booking. I am not selling them, period.”

US lawmakers, meanwhile, are crafting legislation to stop the ban, Axios reports. A bill by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) would stop US aid to the Maldives if the ban goes into effect. The United States sent about $36 million to the Maldives between 2019 and 2023, to “strengthen democratic institutions, civil society, fiscal transparency, maritime security, counterterrorism, and law enforcement,” according to the US State Department.

AmaWaterways on Thursday announced it will grow its fleet by two for the 2026 season, adding one new ship in Asia and one in Europe.

The new AmaSofia will sail the Rhine and Danube Rivers beginning May 24, 2026, and AmaKaia will sail the Mekong River beginning August 3.

AmaSofia will begin the season with a 14-night Magnificent Europe itinerary, sailing down three rivers and through four countries, from Amsterdam to Budapest. During the rest of the season it will sail 31 departures on the Danube with multiple itineraries, including Melodies of the Danube, Romantic Danube, and Christmas Markets on the Danube.

AmaKaia‘s maiden voyage will follow a seven-night itinerary through Vietnam and Cambodia, with excursions including traditional “xe-loi” (trishaw) rides and a Buddhist Blessing Ceremony. After that, it will sail two seven-night itineraries, Charms of the Mekong and Riches of the Mekong, over 22 sailings in 2026 and 38 or more in 2027. Several land extensions are available, including Siem Reap, home of Angkor Wat.

In 2025, meanwhile, the company will launch the industry’s first river cruises to sail in Colombia, with the new AmaMagdalena on the Magdalena River in January and AmaMelodia in June.

Top of Form

For travel advisors, AmaWaterways For travel advisors, Ama in May announced special FAM rates for select June departures of the “Secrets of Egypt & The Nile” itinerary, starting at $2,850 per person for the 11-night cruise and land program, as well as hosted “Seminar on the River” cruises and other FAMs through November.

AA’s hard stance on pushing direct bookings, which included no longer offering frequent-flyer points to travelers who don’t book direct, apparently has backfired. AA cut its revenue and profit forecasts In its quarterly earnings call yesterday, and today watched its shares tumble 18%—the biggest fall since Covid.

As a result, American will be forced to cut its capacity growth for the rest of the year by about 8% and part ways with chief commercial officer Vasu Raja, who headed the strategy that encouraged travelers to bypass travel advisors and other third parties.

“We know we’ve dug ourselves a hole in this second quarter, and our operating earnings are going to be off by a couple of hundred million dollars. We’ve got a lot of work to do to recoup that,” said American CEO Robert Isom.

Indeed, ASTA in August filed an unfair trade complaint against American with the US Department of Transportation, accusing the carrier of causing “substantially higher air ticket prices for consumers and frustrated travel management companies” by pushing agencies to use AA’s NDC direct-booking technology.

The announcement comes just days after AA’s May 1 deadline, after which it said it would award AAdvantage miles and loyalty points only to customers of “preferred” agencies, meaning those that have a 2024 incentive agreement or American NDC channel, and use it for 3% of sales by April 21, 50% by October 31 and 70% by April 30, 2025.

Most visitors to the State of Israel this summer will be required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA-IL) before they leave home. The form will be required beginning August 1 for travelers from the United States, Canada and all other visa-exempt countries.

There will be a fee of 25 NIS (about US$7) per application. Responses will be sent out within 72 hours, or sometimes in as little as a few minutes.

The new rule does not apply to visitors from countries for which a visa is required, who still will have to obtain a visa, or to Israeli citizens or holders of an Israeli identity number.

The ETA-IL system will open for applications starting June 1, 2024, as a pilot program for holders of American and German passports only. During this pilot phase, submitting an application will be voluntary and there will be no fee. The system will open to holders of other passports on July 1, 2024 HERE.

Travelers can fill out the form any time prior to their departure, but it is recommended that they submit it at least 72 hours before making any other travel arrangements, such as airline tickets or hotel reservations.

The ETA-IL is valid for two years, for trips of 90 days or less within that period. Travelers expecting to stay longer than 90 days will have to request an extension.

A passport is also required for all visitors, but Israel does not require that the passport be good for at least six months (General information on tourist entry to Israel | Ministry of Tourism (www.gov.il).

Remember what the traffic was like in New York when LaGuardia was under construction? Things likely will be just as bad this summer, at the corner where a $19 billion renovation project at John F. Kennedy International Airport meets hordes of travelers heading on vacation.

“We apologize in advance,” said Rick Cotton, Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, about the summer travel season at New York’s busiest airport. “This summer we expect to set a record for summer travel through JFK and we expect to be absolutely at the peak of construction activity at the airport.”

And it’s not likely to be over quickly. The project at JFK—the largest that any US airport has ever undertaken—is not expected to be finished until 2030.

In the meantime, the Port Authority issued an “urgent appeal” to passengers to leave extra time, park in remote lots and consider public transportation, such as AirTrain at Jamaica Station or Howard Beach or the Long Island Rail Road to Jamaica station to the AirTrain. “We are pleading with people to access the airport by not coming into the close-in terminal area. That is what has the potential for the most congestion,” said executive director Rick Cotton.

There’s also the option of flying domestically out of LaGuardia, or internationally out of Newark Liberty International, which is about 30 miles from midtown Manhattan.

Oenophiles have two reasons to rejoice this week: May 25 is National Wine Day – and AmaWaterways is celebrating by rolling out a new French itinerary that includes visits to some of the country’s most distinguished wineries, plus the list of 70 hosted wine-themed departures that will make up its 2025 Celebration of Wine River Cruises portfolio.

The new Flavors of Burgundy will  be one of 21 itineraries in regions such as the Douro Valley in Portugal, the Wachau Valley in Austria and along the Moselle River in Germany. Sailing the Saône River between Lyon and Dijon, “France’s Culinary Capital,” on AmaCello and include wine tastings in Tournus, Mâcon and Lyon. Eight hosted itineraries will run in March, April, July, October and November of 2025.

Each hosted wine-themed cruise will include an expert – a vineyard owner, winemaker, certified sommelier or wine educator from North America or Europe – plus “enhanced epicurean experiences” and special wine-tasting events. North American Wine Hosts will bring their own wines on board to add a layer of diversity to the program.

“Delving into regional wine specialties throughout Europe enables our guests to gain a deeper appreciation for a country, its history, culture and people,” said AmaWaterways co-founder and executive vice president Kristin Karst.

AmaCello holds 140 passengers in 70 staterooms, most with a French balcony, and two single-occupancy staterooms that do not have single supplement fees. It launched in 2008.

I recently returned from a trip to Anchorage, and while I was there, I was struck by the local concern for the well-being of the indigenous community and local economies. I have seen those same concerns expressed to an even greater degree by native Hawaiian travel advocates. At a time when our planet and its cultures are as accessible as they are vulnerable, the importance of traveling responsibly has to be taken seriously. Read the rest of this entry »

Just nine months after the debut of Silver Nova, Silversea already has given her a new sister. 

The cruise line today celebrated the official handover of Silver Ray, its second Nova-class ship, which arrived two days early at the Meyer Werft shipyard.

The identical siblings share a unique asymmetrical design that promises “unparalleled openness to the world” and uninterrupted views through 4,000 square meters of glass, as well as “one of the most energy efficient ultra-luxury and expedition cruise ships ever built,” according to Royal Caribbean Group.

Bert Hernandez, Silversea’s new president as of last month, said the two ships “beautifully encompasses Royal Caribbean Group’s vision for the future of innovative ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel,” with pool decks that overlook the water and two outdoor venues, the Dusk Bar and the Marquee.

Among the most spacious cruise ships ever built, they both have space-to-guest ratios of 75 GRT-per-guest; crew-to-guest ratios of 1:1.3; a large selection of bars, restaurants, and lounges; Otium Roman-inspired wellness programs; and the Sea and Land Taste (S.A.L.T.) culinary program.

With a maximum of 728 guests, Silver Ray will sail her maiden season in the Mediterranean, departing Lisbon on June 15 (already sold out), and then Florida to South America beginning in December before returning to Europe in April 2025.

For more information about Silver Ray go to https://www.silversea.com/ships/silver-ray.html

It’s been five years since the federal government announced that it would require REAL IDs for travelers over 18. But in just a year from now, the regulation actually is likely to take effect.

Passed by Congress in 2005, the REAL ID Act was the result of a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission that the Federal Government “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses” before allowing people to board a commercial airplane. The Act establishes minimum security standards for driver’s licenses that are used as identification, and prohibits certain federal agencies—including the Transportation Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—from accepting IDs that do not meet the Act’s standards.

Delayed three times over the past five years, the requirement likely actually will take effect on May 7, 2025. Beginning on that date, a driver’s license will only be acceptable ID at the airport if it has a REAL ID seal.

While many travelers will need to get a new, compliant driver’s license even to fly domestically, many other forms of ID are also acceptable, including:

• A US passport book or card
• An enhanced driver’s license, available in Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington
• A DHS trusted traveler card (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
• A US Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
• A permanent resident card
• A border crossing card
• An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized, Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe
• An HSPD-12 PIV card
• A foreign government-issued passport
• A Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
• Transportation worker identification credentials
• A US Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
• A US Merchant Mariner Credential
• A Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)

Since driver’s licenses are issued by the states, each one has its own requirements for a REAL ID. But DHS requires as a minimum proof of your full legal name, date of birth, social security number, and two proofs of address of your principal residence.

Note that while these forms of ID will get you on a plane, they can’t be used to travel across any border, including Canada or Mexico, DHS points out.

For more details on REAL ID, go to REAL ID FAQs | Homeland Security (dhs.gov)

A new Marriott on Florida’s Gulf Coast is accepting reservations beginning June 2, offering a new option for individual travelers as well as meetings and conventions.

Overlooking the Manatee River, the Palmetto Marriott Resort & Spa is the largest hotel in the Bradenton Area, offering 252 guest rooms, each 375 square feet, as well as two resort-style pools and one lap pool, a waterfront with cabanas, beach volleyball and pickleball courts, a spa and two state-of-the-art fitness centers, and an event “epicenter” with a 40,000 square-foot outdoor lawn and a state-of-the-art amphitheater. Its design is meant to “celebrate its coastal surroundings,” with architectural and design elements reminiscent of a ship on land.

The property connects to the Bradenton Area Convention Center, which is currently undergoing a $48 million renovation and expansion that is scheduled to be completed in 2025. Together, the resort and the convention center will offer 140,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space.

The hotel is less than an hour from Sarasota-Bradenton International (SRQ), St. Pete-Clearwater International (PIE) and Tampa International (TPA) airports. On-site dining options include The Social and the Oyster River rooftop restaurants as well as a food truck and an M Club executive club lounge.

In its quarterly report on May 1, Marriott International said it has added 46,000 new rooms, for a total of 1.6 million.

For more information, visit Palmetto Marriott Resort & Spa.

More than 300 union members are on strike at London Heathrow, but local media reported few issues at the airport today.

UK Border Force workers have begun a four-day strike scheduled to run from April 29 to May 2, which they said would “disrupt passport checks for travelers coming into the UK at Heathrow airport.”

But The Independent, a British newspaper, reports that travelers so far have “identified no problems with passport control” at Terminals 3 and 5.

Still, said the airport, while “we have robust plans in place to minimize disruption where possible, we urge passengers to check the latest advice from operators before they travel. Gates will be open as usual, and most journeys should be unaffected. However, some longer queue times may be experienced.”

Two other planned strikes have been canceled, including one by aircraft refuelers over the May 4 Bank Holiday, which could have grounded 35 airlines, and a weeklong strike of firefighters planned for May 7 to May 13. But travelers taking the train from Heathrow to central London will be affected by a train drivers’ overtime ban that runs from May 6 to May 11, and a subsequent strike on May 8, when services will be reduced from 7:30 am and 7:00 pm.

Heathrow Airport today reported a record-breaking 18.5 million passengers in Q1 2024, more than it has ever seen before. The strong performance was in part driven by growth on key business routes like Delhi and Mumbai, strong North American traffic, and surging East Asian demand (up 40% over last year).

The Biden-Harris Administration yesterday announced a new US Department of Transportation (DOT) ruling that promises to speed up and simplify travelers’ refunds for canceled flights and lost luggage.

When a passenger cancels a flight after it is delayed more than three hours for a domestic flight or six for an international flight, or its arrival or departure airport is changed, the new ruling requires that airlines issue an automatic credit card refund for the fare and taxes within seven days, without any action required by the passenger. Passengers who pay in cash must be compensated within 20 days.

Also covered are refunds for cancellations due to passengers being downgraded to a lower class of service or put on a plane that is less accessible, or if they do not get the promised Wi-Fi, seat selection or inflight entertainment.

Passengers who file a mishandled baggage report, meanwhile, will be entitled to a refund of their checked bag fee if it is not delivered within 12 hours of their domestic flight arriving at the gate, or 15-30 hours of their international flight arriving at the gate, depending on the length of the flight.

Airlines must provide “prompt notifications to consumers affected by a cancelled or significantly changed flight of their right to a refund of the ticket and extra service fees, as well as any related policies.”

And in instances where consumers are restricted by a government or advised by a medical professional not to travel to, from, or within the United States due to a serious communicable disease, the rule requires airlines to provide transferrable travel credits or vouchers good for at least five years.

“Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them—without headaches or haggling,” said US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

All 10 major US airlines already guarantee free rebooking and meals, and nine guarantee hotel accommodations, when an airline issue causes a significant delay or cancellation. And while your flight might have been canceled, the flight cancellation rate in the United States hit a record low of 1.2% in 2023, the lowest rate in more than 10 years despite a record amount of air travel.

The Biden administration also is working on proposals to ban extra fees for family seating (already guaranteed by four airlines) and to expand the rights of passengers who use wheelchairs.

The final rule on refunds can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/latest-news and at regulations.gov, docket number DOT-OST-2022-0089. Information about airline passenger rights, as well as DOT’s rules, guidance and orders, can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer. And information on travelers rights is available at flightrights.gov.

Travel advisors, like the general public, soon will be able to own a piece of Viking Holdings Ltd. Headed to an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange, the company expects to soon be selling ordinary shares at $21-$25, for a total market capitalization of between $9.06 billion and $10.79 billion.

Viking will have 431.46 million shares outstanding after the IPO, including 303.68 million ordinary shares that carry one vote each, and 127.8 million special shares that have 10 votes each. They will trade under the ticker symbol “VIK.”

At the top price, the sale will bring in $825 million, and make Viking the third-largest NYSE-listed cruise company, behind Royal Caribbean ($33.7 billion) and Carnival Corp. ($17.7 billion), and ahead of Norwegian ($7.81 billion)

Viking founder and CEO Torstein Hagen will maintain a controlling stake in the company, with 52.5% of the shares outstanding and 87% of the voting power.

“The principal purposes of this offering are to increase our capitalization and financial flexibility and to create a public market for our ordinary shares,” the company said, and it does not plan to pay a dividend.

Hagen chose a good time to go public, with the cruise industry booming. In the past year, shares are up 100% at Royal Caribbean and more than 50% at Carnival Corp.

Why rent an Airbnb or go glamping when you can stay in a private pod of your own at the all-inclusive Hyatt Dreams Resort on Curaçao?

When it opens on June 1, the new adults-only section at Dreams will debut a whole new look in hospitality, with 52 private home-sized modular units. Hyatt promises that the units will offer more privacy than a hotel room, and each will open directly onto the beach.

The fiberglass rooms will be on the smaller end of the property’s accommodations, in two sizes measuring either 377 square feet or 436 square feet, vs. the 350 to 715 square feet of the other rooms. But each will have a king bed, a dual vanity bathroom, and a furnished terrace. Guests will have exclusive access to a new infinity pool, bar, and Mediterranean restaurant being built in Il Mare, the new adults-only area.

Guests also will still have access to the rest of the Dreams resort, including three complimentary eateries, three à la carte restaurants, three pools, four bars, tennis and kayaks.

But Hyatt will charge a premium for its foray into modular construction; the cabins start at more than $600 a night.

The modular hotel cabin is not a totally unique idea, though Hyatt is the first major hotel brand to give it a try. New York-based Moliving plans to launch its own modular resort in the Catskill Mountains, about two hours from Manhattan, this summer.

Dreams, meanwhile, is one of three all-inclusive Hyatt brands on Curaçao. Located on Piscadera Bay, it is about 10 minutes from Zoëtry and 20 from Sunscape. There also are two all-inclusive Hiltons.

Despite its long-standing reputation for inclusiveness and its focus on accommodating guests with disabilities—or perhaps because it has been so successful in promoting them—Disney is now revisiting its Accessibility Services program and adjusting the program’s qualifications, registration procedures, and length of validity. The goal, it says, is to make sure guests with legitimate special needs receive the accommodations they need.

The Accessibility Services websites for both Walt Disney World and Disneyland this week unveiled new resources, but also modifications to some of the services and options they offer. The goal is to cut down on the misuse of the program, as the number of guests using it tripled over the past few years.

“Disney is dedicated to providing a great experience for all Guests, including those with disabilities, which is why we are so committed to delivering a wide range of innovative support services aimed at helping our Guests with disabilities have a wonderful time when visiting our theme parks,” the company said.

Effective May 20 in Florida and June 18 in California, the Disability Access Service, which holds a place for guests with disabilities without making them stand in line, will be limited to those with autism or a similar developmental disability. And rather than accepting a doctor’s note or an Americans with Disabilities Act card, Disney now will be using a third-party service, Inspire Health Alliance, to evaluate guest eligibility. DAS parties also will be limited to immediate family members only, or a group of four if they are riding without family.

Guests are encouraged to enroll in the program in advance via a virtual video chat system, where they can talk to the Accessibility Services team about their individual needs and the services they might require. On-site options will remain available, however. At Disneyland, there will be designated windows at the esplanade between Disneyland and Disney California Adventure; at Walt Disney World, guests can make same-day arrangements on-site through a virtual chat.

“We see the future and we think this is the right focus—and obviously, we want to secure the spots before our competition does,” Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. president and CEO Harry Sommer told investors on a call announcing the biggest ship order in its history this morning.

Betting big on the next decade of big-ship cruising, NCLH announced orders for eight new ships across its Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, plus the construction of a multi-ship pier at Great Stirrup Cay. The new build order will add nearly 25,000 berths and new classes of ships for each brand over the next decade. Beginning in 2026, NCL will add four Prima-Plus class ships, each holding about 5,000 guests; Oceania Cruises will add two Allura Class ships holding 1,450 guests, and  Regent Seven Seas Cruises will add two Explorer Class ships, each holding 850.

By 2036, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. plans to grow its fleet by more than 40%, from the current 32 ships, with approximately 66,500 berths, to 45 ships with more than 100,000 berths.

“This strategic new-ship order across all three of our award-winning brands provides for the steady introduction of cutting-edge vessels into our fleet and solidifies our long-term growth. It also allows us to significantly leverage our operating scale, strengthen our commitment to innovation, and enhance our ability to offer our guests new products and experiences, all while providing opportunities to enhance the efficiency of our fleet,” Sommer said.

NCLH is “super-passionate about delivering a great guest experience; it’s something we talk about a lot internally. We have lots of ships, we know what guests enjoy, and we are super-focused on delivering on those.” With Breakaway Plus and Prima, “we think we can take the best of both and create something that’s really world-class.”

These are not jumbo ships or incredible jumps in size, he noted, but NCL thinks they will make it possible to focus on costs, increase efficiency and “give our guests a great product that they will enjoy.”

About $150 million worth of work on the pier at Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas will allow for two ships to park simultaneously. It is scheduled to begin this summer and be completed by late 2025. The new pier will be constructed to accommodate two large vessels of the company’s current and future ship classes. Only a small piece of the island currently is being used, Sommer noted on the investor’s call this morning, and guest counts to the island are expected to grow over 50% in the first 12 months. In a typical 12 months about 400K guests so about 600K starting in 2026.

NCLH CFO Mark A. Kempa said the ships are expected to “secure our growth trajectory, significantly boost our earnings profile, and enhance shareholder value well into the future. With a favorable payment structure that includes pre-delivery financing and modest initial installment payments for these ship orders, we still anticipate a strong Net Leverage reduction of 1.5 turns by the end of 2024, relative to 2023, and expect the Company to continue reducing Net Leverage each year for the foreseeable future.”

“We really want to build something special and there’s a tremendous advantage to designing things so many years ahead. We’re not going to settle; this product will be truly extraordinary, and we are going to take the time to deliver it right,” Sommer said.

In a major merger that underscores its faith in business travel, American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) is acquiring CWT in a $570 million deal.

Amex GBT is the world’s largest travel management company, with 20,000 global customers and about $2.5 billion in annual revenue from travel, expense, meetings and events software and services. Its longtime rival CWT is expected to generate about $850 million in revenue in 2024, for a combined revenue of more than $3 billion.

In an investor call, Amex GBT CEO Paul Abbott said that “global business travel spend represents a large under-penetrated opportunity of $1.4 trillion in 2024. So we see significant opportunity to continue to drive share gains and growth.”

CWT’s 4,000 clients will help Amex GBT penetrate industries like energy, media, entertainment and sports, life sciences, and defense and government, Abbott said, and grow its reach into small- and medium-sized companies, which make up about 35% of CWT business.

The company noted that CWT clients will gain access to Amex’s professional services, including travel and expense software, meetings and events services, consulting and sustainability solutions.

CWT CEO Patrick Andersen said joining forces with Amex GBT “helps accelerate our vision of a tech-enabled future for business travel, where people and technology combine to deliver an exceptional customer experience.”

This is Amex GBT’s third huge acquisition in five years. It acquired Hogg Robinson Group for $575 million in 2018, and Expedia’s corporate Egencia business in 2021.

CWT is a private company, majority owned by funds affiliated with Redwood Capital Management and Monarch Alternative Capital.

Amidst the hullabaloo over its use of Boeing jets, United Airlines this week is rolling out two programs that reach out to its customers.

If you are the kind of flyer who checks every day to see if a better seat is available for your upcoming flight, you’re going to love the first one: United’s app as of March 22 will do the work for you. On selected flights, when you book a seat, a pop-up will ask if you’d like them to keep searching for a better one—perhaps on the aisle or in an exit row—and if so, will notify you if one becomes available.

For now, the program is being tested on particularly full flights in which only a few middle and back-of-plane seats are available. But if it proves successful, United hopes to roll it out across most of the fleet.

There are apps available that will do something similar, but United is the first airline to offer it to customers.

And all those currently booked in middle seats are cheering them on.

Also new is a change to the MileagePlus frequent flyer program that allows groups of up to five people to share miles.

MileagePlus members age 18 or older can invite up to four other members of any age to contribute miles into a pool that can be used to purchase tickets. There is no limit to how many miles can be contributed to the pool.

“We’re always looking for new ways to provide the most value to all of our loyalty members,” said MileagePlus chief operating officer Luc Bondar. “MileagePlus miles pooling further reinforces United’s position as the leader in family and group travel and gives our members more flexibility to use their miles, while making it easier to connect to the destinations and moments that matter most, with the people that matter most.”