News in Brief

Committed to rewarding loyalty at every stage of the travel journey, today Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced exciting changes to its award-winning Hilton Honors loyalty program. Debuting this January, Hilton will introduce its most elite tier yet - Diamond Reserve – with new elevated benefits, including a Confirmable Upgrade Reward that can be instantly redeemed at the time of booking, guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout, and exclusive customer service support. What’s more, Hilton Hon

UTRECHT, The Netherlands, November 20, 2025  – BCD Travel has released its next Travel Market Report dedicated to a 2026 Outlook on key risks and solutions, updates on the state of air travel pricing, hotel room rates and car rentals, and a summary of important sustainability trends. Key highlights from the report for corporate travel programs to consider include: Risks and mitigation strategies In 2026, as the global effects of tariffs continue to unfold, Oxford Economics b

Marriott International has reached a new development benchmark in Saudi Arabia, announcing a combined total of 100 open and pipeline hotels across the kingdom following the just-announced signing of a 1,100-room Courtyard by Marriott in Makkah. The agreement was signed with a fund managed by SEDCO Capital. Set within Masar, a major urban development led by Umm Al Qura for Development and Construction, the new Courtyard by Marriott hotel is expected to open in 2030. The hotel

Emirates' retrofit programme enters its next phase, with 60 A380s and 51 Boeing 777s lined up to receive the airline’s latest cabin innovations. Starting from August 2026, the airline will introduce a host of new onboard products, alongside a next-generation, fully immersive in-flight entertainment system and upgraded Wi-Fi connectivity with Starlink on these aircraft as part of its extensive fleet modernisation efforts. Emirates Engineering, working with partners Airbus, Saf

Business at Flight Centre Travel Group's corporate brands was "strong" in the first quarter of its fiscal year, which ran through to 30 September. In its annual general meeting on Wednesday, Flight Centre Travel Group CEO Graham Turner said total transaction value for the group's corporate business was up 7 per cent year over year, as FCM is "securing a pipeline of account wins totalling almost A$400 million [€226 million]" and "Asia [is] returning to modest profitability." S

Starting from November 2025, all Economy Class fares on UAE-based carrier flydubai will now include complimentary meals and inflight entertainment. The change marks a significant step in the airline’s ongoing investment in enhancing the customer experience. The update represents a major evolution in flydubai’s business model, which is aimed at offering passengers greater comfort and convenience across every flight. The airline’s recent investments have extended beyond onboard

American Express Global Business Travel is investing more in its ambitions in the small and midsize client segment. The company last week launched Toolbox, a digital platform that puts a "freemium"-model consulting service in the hands of SME travel buyers.  It’s targeted to companies in which the person who manages travel may have a broad remit and is not fully focused on the category. “A lot of times, travel is a small component of what they do,” said Amex GBT VP of consult

Hong Kong - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) launched the Integrated Sustainability Program (ISP)  at the IATA World Sustainability Symposium (WSS) in Hong Kong. ISP is a certification program offering airlines a comprehensive sustainability management and assessment framework. It is designed specifically for airlines and built upon the successful IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) . Along with certification, the program includes training, consulting, ass

Etihad Airways accelerates growth with new routes to Addis Ababa, Medan, Phnom Penh and Zanzibar, strengthening Abu Dhabi’s hub connectivity

Riyadh, October 08, 2025, SPA -- Riyadh Air, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier and a Public Investment Fund company, today announced the launch of its first daily flights to London Heathrow Airport, commencing on October 26. The milestone marks a major step toward achieving full operational readiness and delivering world-class travel experiences. According to a press release issued by Riyadh Air today, the airline also unveiled its innovative loyalty program,

SOUTHLAKE, Texas – 23 September – Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), a leading global travel technology company, today announced its first agentic solutions for travel – building on the expansive reach and richness of its industry-leading travel data cloud to power a new era of AI-driven retailing. Central to the upcoming launch are agentic-ready APIs made possible by a new, proprietary Model Context Protocol (MCP) server – which acts as a universal translator, making the com

DALLAS/FORT WORTH, TX, September 17, 2025  – one world alliance and member airlines, in partnership with Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV), today announced the launch of a new investment fund designed to address the limited availability and high cost of today’s Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). The fund, led by cornerstone investors Alaska Airlines and American Airlines, seeks to accelerate the global development of long-term aviation fuel solutions that are cost effective,

Today, Priority Pass has announced the launch of Priority Pass Private, a new luxury full-service airport experience tailored for the most discerning and typically high-net-worth travellers. Priority Pass Private redefines the airport experience by delivering the rarest of luxuries: time. With expedited private check-in, security, VIP terminals and discreet boarding direct to the aircraft, it ensures a seamless passage through the airport, bringing an experience typically res

Dubai, UAE – 8 September 2025: Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, has announced that its A380 services to New York JFK will all feature four cabin classes, including the award-winning Premium Economy cabin. The direct flights EK201/202, which serve the daily Dubai/ New York JFK service, are scheduled to operate with Premium Economy from 1 December.  In addition, Emirates’ other daily services via Milan, operating as EK205/206, will feature the signature Pre