American Needs More Urgency

How are U.S. airports funded, and why can major projects be so expensive? Brett Snyder and Brian Sumers explain how airports rely on different funding structures and passenger fees, and how that influences which airlines fly where.Thanks to the Alaska-Hawaiian Airlines Pilots and Points, A Plusgrade Company for sponsoring this episode.

JetBlue's loyalty bonds plunged, bankruptcy fears spread, and the stock followed. Jon Ostrower and Brett Snyder look at how JetBlue got here – including the failed Spirit deal – and whether the panic is overblown.Thanks to this episode's sponsors: Alaska–Hawaiian pilots and Tulsa International Airport.

The FAA just certified Boeing's 737 MAX 10 after years of delays. It's the 17th and final 737 derivative, and Jon Ostrower tells Brian Sumers and Brett Snyder about the changes Boeing made along the way (including levered landing gear that took years to engineer), where airlines will fly it, and what its extra seats mean for capacity.Thanks to the Alaska-Hawaiian Airlines Pilots and Flex Pay by Upgrade for sponsoring this episode.

Brian Sumers and Brett Snyder explore the pressures reshaping Mexico’s aviation industry, from Mexico City’s airport constraints and the rise of Felipe Ángeles International Airport to escalating U.S. regulatory disputes. They explain how safety downgrades, slot and cargo restrictions, and the Delta-Aeroméxico partnership became entangled – and what the latest concessions could mean for airlines’ growth plans.Thanks to this episode's sponsors: Alaska–Hawaiian pilots, Plusgrade, and Tulsa International Airport.

American Airlines has the ambition to become “the premier global airline based in the U.S." Brian Sumers and Brett Snyder talk about how realistic (or unrealistic) that could be, and what that could mean for premium cabins, a stronger global network with trans-Pacific routes, and a renewed push at LAX.Thanks to this episode's sponsors: Alaska–Hawaiian pilots, Plusgrade, and  SkyGo.

Alaska Airlines recently announced its plan to join American’s immunized joint ventures over the North Pacific and over the Atlantic. Jon Ostrower, Brian Sumers, and Brett Snyder talk about the competitive and regulatory stakes, and how decades of airline policy, open-skies agreements, and consolidation shaped today’s global partnerships.Thanks to this episode's sponsors: Alaska–Hawaiian pilots, Plusgrade, and Tulsa International Airport.

Alaska Airlines President and CFO Shane Tackett joins Jon Ostrower, Brian Sumers, and Brett Snyder in front of a live audience in Seattle to talk about Alaska's media and investor day. They talk about the company's push into premium travel, its plans for 737 MAX 10 transcontinental service, free Starlink Wi-Fi, and more.Thanks to SkyGo and PlusGrade for sponsoring this week's episode.

Airline lounges have evolved from exclusive perks into a powerful revenue engine driven by memberships, premium tickets, and credit card partnerships. Jon Ostrower, Brian Sumers, and Brett Snyder unpack the increasingly complicated rules behind lounge access, the rise of premium card lounges, and why overcrowding is forcing airlines to rethink the airport experience.Thanks to Alaska-Hawaiian Airlines Pilots, SkyGo and PlusGrade for sponsoring this week's episode

Brian Sumers and Brett Snyder dissect the airlines’ plans for summer 2027, led by the rapid rollout of the Airbus A321XLR. It's supposed to be the game changer for longer, thinner routes, and they examine how United, American and Air Canada are each approaching the aircraft a little differently with routes to Europe and Asia.Thanks to the Alaska-Hawaiian Airlines Pilots and Flex Pay by Upgrade for sponsoring this episode.

Brian Sumers and Brett Snyder unpack American Airlines's latest course corrections to play catch-up with Delta and United, from adding more premium seats and bringing back screens to reshuffling senior leadership. It's good news, but is it happening quickly enough?Thanks to this week's sponsor Flex Pay by Upgrade.