Traveling Blog: Weekend Review: Marriott-Starwood Points Mashup + Delta Trims Middle Seats

August 25, 2018

Editor's Note

It was back to the future for me this week when I attended my first American Society of Travel Agents conference, which took place in D.C., in about a dozen years. I knew something was up when my Uber driver told me her millennial kids had booked a Cancun vacation with a travel agent instead of doing it themselves online. The high point of the conference was a rebranding and the kickoff of a consumer-marketing campaign. Hey, the future of travel is all about change, and the smartest practitioners are adapting.

— Dennis Schaal, Executive Editor

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Marriott and Starwood Face Speed Bumps in Loyalty Merger

The planned integration of Starwood Preferred Guest and Marriott Rewards did not go entirely smoothly this weekend. Some members were not shy about expressing their unhappiness.

Delta Will Fly Newest Jets With Fewer Middle Seats on Key Business Routes

Who says airlines don't prioritize passenger comfort? As long as carriers calculate passengers are willing to pay for a better experience, they will provide it.

United's Revenue Architect Plans to Add New Fees for Slightly Better Seats

This is a tough call. In some ways, what United is doing with preferred seats is unfair. It may make it harder for families to sit together. But at the same time, most of United's competitors have similar fees.

Video: Why JetBlue Is Betting a Revolution Is Coming for Short-Haul Travel

JetBlue isn't the largest or strongest of the U.S. airlines. But it is betting its Silicon Valley venture firm will help catapult it past its stronger rivals. It's not a bad strategy.

Battle for Air Supremacy on Key Australian Route Heats Up

As the Air New Zealand-Virgin Australia alliance on services across the Tasman Sea comes to an end, Virgin will not take the snub from its Kiwi counterpart lying down. It is already flagging improved services and better frequent flyer rewards and trying to block rival Qantas from working with its former ally.

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Travel Advisor Focus

Skift has long covered travel management companies and business travel, and occasionally leisure agents, but we are enhancing our focus of travel advisors in the U.S. and abroad. Here's our initial foray.

Travel Agency Association Remakes Itself in New Consumer Marketing Campaign

There is something happening at the newly named American Society of Travel Advisors. It not only has a new name, but has a new energy and confidence about where it is headed as it reaches out directly to a new generation of travelers.

Travel Agents Get a Dose of the Sharing Economy Through Sabre Deal With Booking

This move signals Sabre's eagerness to remain a powerhouse for travel agents in a changing landscape where alternative lodging, driven by the popularity of Airbnb, takes off. Come 2019, Sabre aims to be more of a one-stop shop for agents. Some agents applaud the move; others couldn't care less.

7 Issues Confronting the American Society of Travel Agents

In its rebrand to the American Society of Travel Advisors, ASTA wanted to keep the acronym as is. But is "Society" really a gateway to the future? The success or failure of the move may hinge on the effectiveness of the organization's new marketing campaign. We can't wait to give it a look.

CNN's Jake Tapper Talks Trump, Marriott and Family Travel

The D.C. swamp is a little less swampy because Jake Tapper is there. Sometimes the interests of great journalism and the travel industry's desire to break down cultural barriers find themselves in harmony.

Editor's Picks

U.S. Airlines Once Considered China a Potential Gold Mine. Not Anymore.

For years, travel insiders have figured all brands, including airlines, would make big money in China. That is almost certain to happen someday. But it's not the case now, and with fuel prices rising, it makes sense that U.S. carriers are reevaluating their strategies.

National Geographic's Travel Arm Expands Ahead of Disney Takeover

We're eager to see what happens when two well-known brands join forces next year. Could we see a National Geographic Expeditions–Adventures by Disney mashup?

Evolve Raises $80 Million for Vacation Rental Management Tech

Vacation rental management is becoming professionalized, and the gold rush is on.

Retiring Visit Philadelphia CEO Reflects on 4 Decades on Tourism's Front Lines

Levitz uses her weaknesses as strengths and has remained a humble leader, despite the outsize impact she has had on Philadelphia's booming tourism industry during the past four decades. Every destination can learn something from her leadership.

What's Behind Blackstone's Deal for Events Tech Firm PSAV?

After a failed initial public offering, PSAV is now in the hands of Blackstone. Time will tell if the move ends up increasing costs for event professionals as PSAV inevitably looks to expand its scale in the marketplace. The competition between hotels selling their own offerings and companies like PSAV will be fascinating to watch.

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