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☆ How Delta made itself America's luxury airline — and what United wants to do about it
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-25 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +16 min

Rival United Airlines — second to Delta in net profit margins — is circling. Delta plans to open Delta One lounges in Boston and Los Angeles later this year, and is studying airports where it could open others. Like other airlines, Delta accepted billions in federal aid to weather the pandemic. Luxury air travel and the United States didn't go together for many years — and might not still, if you ask well-heeled globetrotters. And at Delta and other airlines, many of the perks for luxury flyers come through lounges.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, Ed Bastian's, Bastian, Ed Bastian, John F, Raymond James, Savanthi Syth, Andrew Nocella, Patrick Quayle, Quayle, Richard Anderson, Anderson, Delta, Barack Obama's, They're, Shai Weiss, Claude Roussel, Joe Biden, United States didn't, Henry Harteveldt, Scott Kirby Organizations: Airbus, Delta Air Lines, Reuters Delta Air Lines, Transportation Department, Rival United Airlines —, CNBC, Delta Air Lines Inc, Bloomberg, Getty, American Express, Kennedy International Airport, United, Boeing, U.S, Labor, Southwest Airlines, U.S ., JetBlue Airways, Delta, Corporate, Northwest Airlines, Endeavor, Virgin, American, Sky Club, New, LaGuardia, Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines, Atmosphere Research, Airlines, Sky Clubs, Los Angeles International Airport, JFK, American Airlines, JPMorgan, Consumer Electronics, Starbucks Locations: punctuality, New York, Delta, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Dubrovnik, Croatia, Amman, Jordan, Cape Town , South Africa, Atlanta, U.S, Queens, N.Y, United, Tokyo, York, United States, Las Vegas

☆ Richard Branson says this decision helped build his $2.5B net worth: 'I don't think I would have gone to space' otherwise
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

He's referring to selling record label Virgin Records to Thorn EMI for nearly $1 billion in 1992. Branson needed the money to focus on a newer venture, Virgin Atlantic. CNBC Make It: How did you make the decision to sell Virgin Records? What I decided was: If I sold Virgin Records, all the people's jobs would be secure. I could then use that money to build and protect Virgin Atlantic.

Persons: Richard Branson, He's, —, Branson, Richard, Virgin, We'd, Janet Jackson Organizations: CNBC, Virgin Records, Thorn EMI, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Virgin Group, Forbes, Virgin Locations: London, Branson

☆ My family and I upgraded to business-class flights by bidding. We saved over $1,700.
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Noor Anand Chawla | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

After having a great experience, we hoped to once again score upper-class tickets on the same route. For our return flight, the minimum bid was 47,000 rupees ($560) per ticket. Adding 1,000 rupees ($12) to the minimum bid each way, my husband decided to give it a shot. AdvertisementForty-eight hours before our scheduled departure, Virgin Atlantic emailed us that our bid for upper-class tickets had been accepted. However, since there's no guarantee of winning the bid, we'll always look for a good deal on business-class tickets first.

Persons: —, Noor Anand Chawla, Anand Chawla, aloo, we'll Organizations: Service, Virgin, Virgin Atlantic's, Virgin Atlantic, Somerset Locations: New Delhi, London

It follows the successful transatlantic crossing by a Gulfstream G600 business jet using the same fuel last week. SAF is key toward reducing those emissions, but it is costly and accounts for less than 0.1% of total global jet fuel in use today. The fuel used to power Tuesday's flight is mostly made from used cooking oil and waste animal fat mixed with a small amount of synthetic aromatic kerosene made from waste corn, Virgin Atlantic said. Yet the 2030 target looks challenging given SAF's small volumes and its high cost, right now about three to five times as much as regular jet fuel. Virgin said the engines on the flight would be drained of SAF and tested before it returns to service using regular fuel.

Persons: Virgin, Richard Branson, Shai Weiss, Mark Harper, John F, Magdalena Heuwieser, Sarah Young, Joanna Plucinska, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Boeing, Royce, Trent, Gulfstream G600, London Heathrow, Kennedy International Airport, Virgin, SAF, Boeing, BP, Aviation, British Airways, Air France, Union, Thomson Locations: London, New York, Dubai

☆ First long-haul flight fully powered by sustainable aviation fuel takes off
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Flight100, Virgin Atlantic's world first 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) transatlantic flight by a commercial airline is fuelled ahead of its take off from London Heathrow to New York JFK on Tuesday 28 November 2023. LONDON — The first trans-Atlantic flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel departed London for New York on Tuesday as the industry seeks to prove the viability of greener air travel. Sustainable aviation fuel — also known as SAF — is an umbrella term for non-fossil-derived fuels, including biofuels derived from plant or animal materials, municipal waste and agricultural residues. It still produces emissions, but proponents argue the overall "lifecycle emissions" from the fuel are significantly lower than from regular petroleum-based fuel. There are relatively few SAF production plants or companies transporting it globally, with incentives for producers hampered by low margins.

Persons: Shai Weiss Organizations: Aviation Fuel, SAF, New York JFK, LONDON, New York, Virgin Atlantic's Boeing, AirBP, Virgin, U.K, Civil Aviation Authority, Royal Society, Virgin Atlantic, Government Locations: London Heathrow, New York, London, New

☆ Virgin Atlantic suspends its route from London to Austin because it says the city's tech boom is over
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Virgin Atlantic said on Friday that it would end its route between Austin and London in January. When Virgin Atlantic launched its nonstop London route, it offered four flights from Austin each week. AdvertisementAdvertisementAustin airport officials, in a statement, thanked Virgin Atlantic and indicated that they hoped to see the airline return in the future. "AUS is grateful to the incredible Virgin Atlantic team for launching this ambitious route," the statement read. Virgin Atlantic may be axing its London route from Austin, but British Airways remains, connecting the two cities with nonstop flights.

Persons: —, Virgin Atlantic, Juha Järvinen Organizations: Virgin, Service, Virgin Atlantic, Heathrow Airport, Austin, Bergstrom International Airport, Washington Post, British Airways Locations: Austin, London, Texas, United States, Miami

Economy seats account for 79.3% of seats between the U.S. and Europe, down from nearly 81.9% in 2018, before the pandemic, according to aviation data firm Cirium. Business-class seats' share of seats sold has grown slightly, from 12.9% to 13.5% though premium economy's share has increased even more, making up 6.4% of seats sold, up from 4.2% five years ago, while first class seats' share fell. Delta, JetBlue Airways , United Airlines , American Airlines , Finnair and Lufthansa are among the carriers that have recently announced upgraded first-class seats, suites with sliding doors or premium economy cabins. On rival United Airlines , a similar itinerary was nearly $1,850 in premium economy and $912 in standard coach. Business class easily tops $5,000 for that route.

Persons: DAL, Natalie Rasmussen, I'm, Rasmussen, Leslie Josephs, Edward Dryden, Delta Organizations: Airline, Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic's, Virgin, U.S, JetBlue Airways, United Airlines, American Airlines, Finnair, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, CNBC, Collins Aerospace, Delta, Suites Locations: Europe, San Jose , California, London, Germany, Czech Republic, Delta, Emirates, New York, Paris

☆ Branson, Virgin Group reputations at centre of $250 mln London court clash
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) - British billionaire Richard Branson severely damaged Virgin Group's reputation by residing in a tax haven while UK-based airline Virgin Atlantic sought a government bailout during the pandemic, according to internal Virgin emails cited in a $250 million London lawsuit on Monday. The emails were cited by lawyers for U.S. train operator Brightline, which is being sued by the Virgin Group after cancelling a deal to use the Virgin brand in 2020, just over 18 months after it was signed. Under the deal Brightline operated a rail line in Florida using the name Virgin Trains USA. Brightline's lawyers cited internal Virgin Group emails describing group founder Branson being based in the British Virgin Islands for tax purposes as "a reputation killer", while one email from an external public relations adviser said: "Richard needs to show he's not a ruthless, tax-evading billionaire." In an April 2020 email, Virgin Group CEO Josh Bayliss referred to Branson's tax residency in relation to the request for a bailout, saying: "Richard cannot escape the criticism.

Persons: Richard Branson, Brightline, Branson, Richard, Josh Bayliss, Daniel Toledano, Virgin Atlantic's, Brightline's, Nigel Tozzi, Sam Tobin, Susan Fenton Organizations: Virgin Atlantic, U.S, Virgin Group, Virgin, Virgin Trains, British Virgin Islands, Real Madrid, Thomson Locations: Florida, British Virgin, Britain, United States, Barcelona, Bay

Joseph HostetlerThe Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card comes with 40,000 miles after spending $1,000 on purchases within three months from account opening. There are many fun things you can do with the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card bonus — from free flights to free hotel stays and more. There are two reasons Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is the best offer we've ever seen on a no-annual-fee credit card. With the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card bonus, you could transfer 36,000 Capital One miles to British Airways for two round-trip tickets and have a Caribbean getaway with your travel buddy. What you need to know about the Capital One VentureOne bonusThe 40,000-mile bonus that comes with the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is worth $400 in travel at the very least.

☆ The best ways to book domestic flights using Amex Membership Rewards points
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Jason Stauffer | Benji Stawski | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +18 min

Below, CNBC Select details the best ways to redeem Amex points to fly for free (or nearly free) across the U.S. Best Amex cards for earning Membership Rewards pointsAmerican Express has a strong lineup of both personal and business cards that earn transferrable Membership Rewards points. How to use Amex points for domestic flightsYou can only transfer Amex points to two U.S.-based airline programs: Delta SkyMiles and JetBlue TrueBlue. Booking United flights with Amex points Amex Membership Rewards points don't transfer to United MileagePlus, but you can book United award flights through United's Star Alliance partners, such as Avianca LifeMiles and Air Canada Aeroplan. By strategically transferring Amex points to partner airlines, you can use Amex points to book flights with United Airlines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and others.

☆ Virgin Atlantic adopts gender-neutral uniform policy
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Matt Lavietes | Matt Lavietes Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Virgin Atlantic passengers have always been able to choose what to wear on flights. “At Virgin Atlantic, we believe that everyone can take on the world, no matter who they are. Virgin Atlantic is just the latest to break this mold. And last year, the Ukrainian budget airline SkyUp stopped requiring its female cabin crew staff to wear high heels. Virgin Atlantic's policy announcement was coupled with a flashy photoshoot, featuring longstanding “RuPaul’s Drag Race” judge and gay icon Michelle Visage.

Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Rewards Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Intro Offer Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. $0 Rewards Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. $95 Rewards Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

☆ I redeemed 47,000 Amex points for a phenomenal first-class flight to Asia worth $14,000, and it was one of the best in-air experiences of my life
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-16 | by ( Chris Dong | Read More | Read Less | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +20 min

Here's how I booked it using credit card points — and a rundown of the flight itself. Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. More Information Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Bottom lineOne of the best things about transferable credit card points, such as Amex Membership Rewards, is the incredible flexibility that they offer.

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