Category: Travel

Port of Portland’s fixation on a flight to South Korea

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Port of Portland’s fixation on a flight to South Korea

There has not been a lot of reporting on this that I can find but I think it is worth a discussion. Last year there were whispers of the Port of Portland, who runs Portland International Airport, looking to get service to Seoul-Incheon and Tokyo. Then in March of this year during a presentation for PDX2045, David Zielke, General Manager Air Service Development at Port of Portland, shared a map of desired routes and answered questions about potential Asian destinations. You can read about it starting on page two of this PDF.

Around two months ago the Port gave an update and it sounded like service to Seoul was promising but not firm:

Seems like Seoul is the front runner now, but in the medium term im sure the Port would love to service to both Seoul and Tokyo bsky.app/profile/macc…

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— iain (@maccoinnich.bsky.social) August 14, 2025 at 3:18 PM

For me, this was a red flag. Korean Airlines, the carrier that would run the service, must have some reservations about the demand between Portland and Seoul, including onward connections. The Port of Portland has openly said that demand to Tokyo is stronger than Seoul and that they were looking for service there as well. If I was Korean Airlines that would give me pause. The other thing that may make Korean think twice is the lack of onward connections from PDX. Delta, Korean’s partner, serves a limited number of destinations.

The latest news is that the Governor of Oregon and Port of Portland leadership are headed to South Korea to build up trade and promote Oregon and lastly, meet with Korean Airlines and Delta Air Lines to bring back service to Asia.

Air Service Development: Governor Kotek will meet with Korean Air and Delta Air Lines to advocate for the return of nonstop passenger service between Portland and Asia, a top priority for both the business community and tourism opportunities.

I am confused about the Port’s fixation on Korean and Delta. Maybe concerned is a better word than confused. If you don’t remember, Delta basically tried to leverage their PDX to Tokyo-Narita flight to get more service into Haneda and then ended PDX-Tokyo service altogether. Delta also gave up their daily Portland-Amsterdam flight for a 4x/week KLM flight. Their track record of investing in PDX isn’t great, even with their long history here.

It seems that there is a bit of a nostalgic reminiscing coming from the Port of Portland. A desire to return to the old days when Delta ran a large international hub out of PDX. There is a possibility that they want to leverage Alaska Airlines’ partnership with Korean but that partnership seems week, especially with the two airlines being in separate alliances and recent announcements of other Alaska partnerships ending.

But not everything is bad news, there is an opportunity here. The Port of Portland could pursue the direct Oneworld Alliance partner of Alaska, Japan Airlines. Japan Airlines has smaller planes, Boeing 787-8s, that would be perfect to run service to Tokyo-Narita daily or 5-6x/week. The downside there is the lack of a joint-venture and revenue sharing between Alaska and Japan Airlines. The Port could approach Japan Airlines’ low-cost carrier, Zipair, for 5-6x/week service. Their low cost model would make the service more attractive to Portlanders headed to Japan and to Japanese headed to Portland. Or, the Port could go for something completely different, Starlux Airlines to Taipei. Starlux has a partnership with Alaska and is looking to join Oneworld, is expanding rapidly, and could carry a lot of cargo and onward connections to points in Southeast Asia.

The Port of Portland should really be considering the options that are best for Portlanders. Fixating on Korean Airlines or hoping that Delta is going to bring back a bunch of service feels irresponsible. Maybe I’m overthinking the Port’s actions but it definitely does not appear to be in Portland’s best interest to only focus on two carriers, especially in light of Delta’s recent actions around Portland and flights to Asia.

The lounge fallacy

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The lounge fallacy

After a recent trip, I am more convinced than ever that the necessity of airport lounge access, especially domestically, is a fallacy.

I have been an airport lounge user for years; For a time I was flying weekly to New York and would utilize the lounge on my return to get a bit more work done, maybe have a glass of wine with coworkers, and charge my different devices. Then around 2018 I noticed it becoming busier and busier in the lounges I frequented and some of this could be attributed to credit cards giving access to different lounges. The airlines had figured out a formula to get more people to sign up for their credit cards and different bloggers, travel content producers, and others were pushing those cards. New lounges even opened specifically for credit card customers (AMEX Centurion, Chase Sapphire Reserve lounges, and CapitalOne lounges).

A person complaining about the wait times for the AMEX Centurion Lounge
A person complaining about the wait times for the AMEX Centurion Lounge

Then Covid hit and lounge numbers fell along with the overall travel numbers. But that is definitely no longer the case. On my last trip, the United Club at PDX, which is usually fairly quiet, was completely full, not a seat to be found. Delta implemented rules to limit access to their lounges and other airlines have followed suit. They are responding to a problem that they created, giving more people access to the lounge via credit card products.

For me, it has become an airport feature that isn’t really worth it anymore. The lounges are too loud to get work done, there is food but it isn’t always the highest quality, and the overcrowding has made it difficult to find a seat or even get in. The lounges have become less of a place of quiet or somewhere to get work done and more of a bar/socializing area.

A lot of business class tickets come with lounge access and I still find value in that access because some of the lounges have dedicated restaurants, so I can grab a meal and skip it on the plane, and they have shower facilities so on arrival or connection I can take a shower. There is definitely some value in those items, I just struggle with the cost/benefit proposition domestically. In most airports I can get something to eat or drink and find a quiet gate for less than the per visit cost to the lounge and I would bet the same is true for most people.

What do you think, are U.S. domestic lounges still worth the cost?

Tuesday texts to read – 7

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Tuesday texts to read – 6

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Alaska Airlines asked for a 3-hour ground stop

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Alaska Airlines asked for a 3-hour ground stop

Yesterday, July 20, 2025, Alaska Airlines asked the FAA for a ground stop for all of their flights starting around 8pm Pacific. There were rumors of a hack, but the airlines has not confirmed or denied that claim. There was a report that the airline suffered a hack back in June but again, there is no information pointing to it being a cause of this latest issue. Whatever the cause, the ground stop lasted until 11pm Pacific and it’s clear the effects on operations will be felt by the airline for at least the next couple of days.

If you have a flight on Alaska over the next few days, be prepared for irritated customers and potential delays as the airline tries to get crews back into place and recover from the issue.

Tuesday texts to read – 4

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My favorite portable battery for travel

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I have carried portable batteries when traveling for a while, but back in 2020, just before Covid, I was trying to lighten my carry-on and it made me realize how heavy the Anker portable battery I had was. Sure, it could recharge my phone three times, but it also weighed a few pounds.

Fast forward to 2023 and I was starting to travel again and in the market for a lightweight battery. I came across the Nitecore NB10000 Gen 2. It is a super lightweight 10000mAh battery, smaller than my iPhone but still able to give me two full charges. The shell of the battery is carbon fiber so I don’t have to worry about it getting punctured or bent and damaging the battery.

Nitecore 10000

Nitecore now has a Gen 3 version of the battery that has two USB-C output ports instead of one USB-C and one USB-A.

*Disclaimer, the links above lead to Amazon and I receive compensation if you buy the product with that link. If you would like to purchase directly from Nitecore with no affiliate benefit to me, you can do that here.

Travel credit cards – what is the future strategy?

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Travel credit cards – what is the future strategy?

A bunch of credit cards have been “upgraded” recently and there are more cards rumored to be getting a similar treatment soon. Most of these changes revolve around the annual fee and benefits included with each of the cards. For example, United’s premier “Club” card is going up to $695/year and the access to lounges is reduced without high amounts of spend on the card, as is the number of guests you are allowed with the card, down from two to one.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve, arguably the gold standard in higher end travel cards, announced their fee increase today and a bunch of changes to earning and redeeming points. The fee goes to $795! An authorized user is $195/year. And for that increased fee you essentially get a coupon book of redemptions; Things like a $120/year in Peloton credits, $300 dining credit if you book via OpenTable, $300 in StubHub credit and a complimentary Apple Music and Apple TV+ (but not Apple One) subscription. Those things all sound nice, but are probably only useful for a subset of the population. Earning on direct travel will stay at 3x but only for hotels, airlines, and rental cars. Things like tolls or taxis appears to go to 1x, that’s a big ding for people who traveled a lot via car. They’ve boosted earning when booking via their portal to 8x, but for any kind of complicated flight bookings their tools always choke for me.

Chase also announced that eventually their 1.5x multiplier on points when redeeming via their travel portal will go away and be replaced by “preferred redemptions”. This was a huge reason for me to use the card and earn points on it, I could find the flights I wanted and get a bonus on my points redemption when booking via the Chase portal.

Overall the card changes are targeting a market that I am not part of. They downgraded the Priority Pass features last year and I could see them making some other changes around lounge access in general making it even less compelling for that. The travel insurance stays the same, and honestly, that’s a big feature but I don’t know that it’s worth the price increase when other cards have similar insurance.

It feels like Chase has hit a ceiling with new signups and they are looking for ways to increase revenue, so a higher fee and fewer points outside of their booking channels while making redemptions a little less enticing makes sense. Some of it feels like a joke, a premium card with features like top tier Southwest status and IHG (Hilton Garden Inn) status.

What to do?

I am dumping the United Club card, and for now I’ll likely downgrade the Chase Sapphire Reserve to a Preferred card and if the rumor is true that all cards see the 1.5x bonus for redemption end, I will likely dump Chase altogether.

Where does that leave us? The Venture X is a solid card, but there are rumors it will get a similar treatment to the Chase Sapphire Reserve at some point. They’ve already downgraded lounge access for guests (effective in 2026) so I could see them making more program changes next year. Amex is also rumored to be making big changes to their premium Amex Platinum card next year.

So, what is my plan? I am tempted to just move back to a cashback card with travel insurance. Or one that earns decent points per dollar spent across all categories. What card that is, I don’t know. I love the idea of a card that gives me lounge access but have found myself using lounges a bit less during my travels. If it’s included with my ticket, I’ll use it but I don’t go out of my way to enter a lounge. I have a United Club at my home airport that I have been to once in the last two years. Just this last week I tried to go into the Capitol One lounge in Dulles and it was a thirty minute wait. Instead I got a cup of coffee and walked the terminal and was perfectly content.

What are your thoughts on the announced Sapphire Reserve changes? Are you going to keep it in your wallet? Is there a value proposition I am missing?

SeaPort Airlines partaking in wacky-tobaccy

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SeaPort Airlines partaking in wacky-tobaccy

From The Seattle Times —

SeaPort Airlines — a regional carrier that went bankrupt in 2016 — will launch daily commuter flights between Seattle’s Boeing Field and Portland next week.

The flights, on a nine-seat Pilatus PC-12 aircraft, will take off every 45 minutes. CEO Kent Craford called the airline a “conveyor belt in the sky. … It’s going to be a life-changing service for people that travel between Seattle and Portland on a regular basis.”

And…

Prices for the Seattle-to-Portland route, taking off Tuesday, will start at $558 round-trip.

Craford hopes he’s just getting started. One day, he wants SeaPort to offer travel between the Northwest’s two central cities every 15 minutes.

I’m sorry, $558 round-trip?! You can buy a walk-up first class ticket on Alaska or Delta for that much round-trip Portland to Seattle. Boeing Field is around six miles closer to downtown Seattle than SeaTac but is that worth a huge premium? Also, the CEO stating that he sees a future where flights will take place every 15 minutes, I just don’t get it.

These flights will be on Pilatus PC-12s with seating for nine passengers and will run like charters or private flights so there will be no TSA checkpoint to navigate at Boeing Field nor at PDX, it will operate out of the FBO or general aviation area of both airports. So there is some time savings but again, I question the premium being charged over commercial flights. Flights start Tuesday, May 20 and look to be operated by Air Excursions.

SeaPort PC-12 circa 2008 by Andrew W. Sieber

It does speak to some of the issues at SeaTac, including overcrowding and the difficulty of getting into downtown Seattle, even on public transit. I’ve seen some comments where people think this service should be from downtown Portland to downtown Seattle via a seaplane. I’d get behind that from an airplane nerd perspective but I think the technical issues with all of the bridges near downtown Portland make it unlikely.

Covid bankrupted the first incarnation of SeaPort, maybe this new version has better luck. Only time will tell.

United’s new “Elevated” Polaris business class product is snazzy

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United’s new “Elevated” Polaris business class product is snazzy

At an event at the Brooklyn Navy Yard this past Tuesday, May 13, United Airlines announced a new version of their Polaris business class cabin for their Boeing 787s that they are calling “Elevated”. The new Elevated 787-9s will feature 64 business class suites with doors, 35 premium economy seats, and 123 economy seats. The old configuration of the 787-9 is 48 business class seats, 21 premium economy seats, and 188 economy seats. Eight of the new configuration’s business class seats, the bulkhead row in the front and rear business class cabins, will be dubbed “Polaris Studio” and feature more space, an ottoman for a guest to join you in the suite, champagne (Cuvee Rose) and a caviar service, and a special amenity kit, including a hooded sweatshirt pajama set. We don’t know what the exact upcharge will be for the Polaris Studio but in a survey that United sent out to frequent flyers in 2024 it was suggested that a surcharge of $300 to $650 on a $2500 business class ticket could be expected.

A few things stand out to me, the first being the sheer number of business class seats on these planes. 64 is a lot of premium seats and United will take possession of 100 787s with this configuration over the next few years. Sure, some of those will replace 777s and 767s but it’s still a lot of airplanes with a lot of expensive seats. The first routes announced for these planes will be San Francisco-Singapore and San Francisco-London. The Singapore route definitely has demand for business class but I am intrigued by London. I’m sure there is some demand but I am surprised there is enough premium demand to justify this new configuration on the route. I wouldn’t be surprised if, as United took delivery of more of these planes, we saw new longhaul routes open up or return, like Los Angeles-Singapore.

Another thing I noticed was that a lavatory was removed from the economy cabin and one was added to the business class cabins. I doubt premium economy customers will be allowed to use the business class lavatories so that will leave three lavatories for 158 passengers. On ultra long haul routes, like those to Singapore, that reduction in lavatories could lead to really unpleasant waits to use the restroom.

Current 787-9 Seat Map
New 787-9 High-J Configuration

One thing I didn’t mention about the Polaris Studio is that it comes with Global Services status for the day. A Polaris Studio passenger will be able to use the Global Services check-in desk, security, and pre-boarding, all nice perks when at busy airports. It’s also an area where I could see United falling short. The carrier has long struggled with soft product implementations and I don’t believe this product will be any different. Previously simple things like the sundae cart service would be completely inconsistent. The same is true for the offering of pajamas on ultra long hauls, sometimes flight attendants offer them, other times they can’t be bothered to find them when asked. The caviar service, the pajamas, etc. all take a bit more work for Polaris Studio. Done correctly, it could be a great feature. Done poorly and customers walk away disappointed or underwhelmed and unlikely to pay the premium for it again.

Champagne and caviar in Polaris Studio

Conclusion

Elevated Polaris looks like a great update to United’s business class product. The number of business class seats that they are installing on these planes is astonishing, especially when you consider they will have 100 of these planes by 2027. It’s a huge bet on the premium traffic market growing, or at least staying the same. Future markets I would expect to see these planes on: Houston-Sydney, Newark-Johannesburg, Newark-Cape Town, and Los Angeles-Sydney.

The implementation of the service for the eight Polaris Studio seats will be key in making the upsell successful. If United can’t get consistency in the service for those seats, I don’t see the concept being something that travelers will pay a premium for. United also hasn’t mentioned whether frequent flyers will be able to use PlusPoints, their currency for upgrades, for the Polaris Studio and what the premium would be. My guess is that United will debut the Polaris Studio with only a cash surcharge and see what the reception is like, then they will open it up to PlusPoints later.

Service flow and customer flow for things like lavatories are also open questions. 64 business class seats along with two extra rows of premium economy with a reduction in overall galley space means that service could be really slow. As you can see in the seatmaps above, the old configuration had two full galleys for 48 business class customers and 21 premium economy customers, the new configuration has 30 more people across both of those cabins being served by a smaller mid-cabin galley and the forward galley. The reduction in economy lavatories is also a little bit worrisome for passenger wait times.

Overall it’s neat to see United innovating and trying some new things. They are heavily invested in premium travel staying strong for at least the new few years and we’ll just have to wait and see if they made the right call.