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We're officially in September, which means this week has been full of travel news. In the past few days, we've covered a ton of breaking news: Rove adding Copa Airlines as a transfer partner, Carnival Cruise Line launching a new
Amongst all this exciting news, you might've missed other developments from the week. Here's everything you should know, from new partnerships to retired aircraft and everything in between.
Emirates Announces New Premium Economy Seat
On September 3, Emirates unveiled its brand-new premium economy seat, and we're impressed. According to the airline, it will be the world's first electrically powered premium economy seat with a full-height adjustable privacy screen between each seat.
The new seats will debut on Emirates' new A350s, and will be configured in a 2-3-2 pattern with 28 seats in the cabin. While that means there will still be a middle seat, the privacy screens should help mitigate that annoyance as much as possible.
Seats will be 20 inches wide with up to 39 inches of pitch. And perhaps the most exciting feature is that the seats will recline into a cradle position without impacting the row behind. This makes working, sleeping, or watching a movie a lot more comfortable.
The seats will also feature the U-Dream headrest for additional neck and head support, a footrest, wireless charging (in addition to USB-C charging), a tray table with an integrated phone holder, 13.3-inch 4K HDR screens with enhanced aircraft camera views, and more.
IHG / Air India Launch Partnership
Under this partnership, you'll also be able to convert 1,000 IHG One Rewards points into 200 Maharaja points. However, we don't recommend doing so. A 5:1 transfer ratio is generally not the best way to get value from your hotel
Earn 100,000 Bonus Aeroplan Points With Starbucks
How would you like to win 100,000 bonus Air Canada Aeroplan points? Unfortunately, this promotion is limited to our friends in Canada. However, if you are a Canadian resident, you can participate in the Starbucks and Air Canada Sip-Tember to Remember promotion.
First, link your Starbucks and Aeroplan accounts to join the promotion. If you don't already have a Starbucks account, you can create one while linking to earn 500 bonus Aeroplan points after your first purchase within seven days.
Then, each week of September, you can complete tasks to earn bonus Aeroplan points and an entry into the sweepstakes:
- Week 1 (September 1-7): Purchase a cold coffee to earn 15 points and an entry (up to two times)
- Week 2 (September 8-14): Purchase a beverage and bakery item to earn 20 points and an entry (up to two times)
- Week 3 (September 15-21): Make a $12+ afternoon purchase and earn 25 points and an entry (up to two times)
- Week 4 (September 22-28): Convert Aeroplan points and get a 25% bonus in Starbucks Stars and an entry.
If you complete all four weeks, you can earn a 100-point bonus. That means you can earn up to 220 Aeroplan points (plus 500 points for new members) by maximizing each week.
The grand prize winner will win 100,000 Aeroplan points and will be selected on or around October 20, 2026.
United Upgrades App
United announced an exciting app update on September 1, 2026. Now, if you experience a travel disruption and are rebooked to a later flight, you can stand by for up to three earlier flights. United will automatically monitor availability and notify you when a seat becomes available. You'll keep your existing confirmed reservation until you confirm the earlier flight.
This might seem like a pretty small update, but when you're experiencing a travel nightmare, it's nice not to have to wait on the phone to speak with an agent. Rebooking, standby, meal and hotel vouchers, and checked baggage are all monitored in the background without you having to lift a finger.
Qantas Adds Condor Redemptions, Retires A380 Fleet
Qantas announced a new partnership with German carrier Condor on August 31. Condor is clearly making a big push to reach the international market. It partnered with Southwest in December 2025, and Etihad added Condor redemptions just a few weeks ago.
However, redemptions aren't fantastic. Qantas provided the following examples for classic flight rewards on Condor-operated flights.
- Bangkok to Frankfurt in premium economy for 85,000 Qantas points
- Frankfurt to Cancun in economy for 43,5000 Qantas points
- Los Angeles to Frankfurt in economy for 51,800 Qantas points
- Frankfurt to London Gatwick in business for 21,000 Qantas points
- Frankfurt to Ibiza in economy for 16,100 Qantas points
Meanwhile, you can book these same Condor flights for much cheaper through its long-standing partnership with Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards:
- Bangkok to Frankfurt in premium economy for 75,000 Atmos Rewards points
- Frankfurt to Cancun in economy for 35,000 Atmos Rewards points
- Los Angeles to Frankfurt in economy for 35,000 Atmos Rewards points
- Frankfurt to Ibiza in economy for 7,500 Atmos Rewards points
That said, it's generally easier to earn Qantas points than Atmos Rewards points, so this could be a worthwhile partnership in a pinch.
In addition, Qantas has announced that it will begin phasing out its A380s in 2028 — four years earlier than originally planned. This won't have a big impact on most people, but if you're an AV Geek, you know how special it is to fly on an A380. If you want to fly on Qantas' A380, you'll need to act fast.
Air Canada and Alaska Announce New Routes
This is the time of year when airlines announce new routes for the following summer. In the past few weeks, we've heard about 13 new United routes and seven new
Here are the routes debuting in summer 2027:
- Vancouver (YVR) to Guangzhou, China (CAN)
- Toronto (YYZ) to Oslo, Norway (OSL)
- Toronto (YYZ) to Shannon, Ireland (SNN)
- Toronto (YYZ) to Nice, France (NCE)
- Montreal (YUL) to Basel, Switzerland (BSL)
- Montreal (YUL) to Dubrovnik, Croatia (DBV)
Some of these routes will be seasonal, while others will be year-round.
Several other routes, including Toronto to London Heathrow (LHR), Shanghai (PBG), and Guatemala City (GUA), and Montreal to Tenerife (TFS), Lima (LIM), and Guatemala City (GUA), are getting additional frequency or transitioning from seasonal to year-round.
Additionally, Alaska Airlines is celebrating 40 years of operating flights from San Diego (SAN) by launching its 50th nonstop destination from the Southern California hub: Loreto, Mexico (LTO). Flights will start on December 19 and are bookable now.
Alaska still operates more flights out of San Diego than any other airport, and to help celebrate its anniversary, it's launching a guest appreciation campaign. Under the campaign, 40 winners will receive Atmos Rewards Gold status for 40 years, and a grand-prize winner will receive 1 million Atmos Rewards points. Alaska has indicated that there will be even more giveaways and celebrations in San Diego throughout the year, so keep an eye out.
Bottom Line
Another busy week in the books. Luckily, apart from the Starbucks promotion for Aeroplan members in Canada, nothing requires immediate action. However, if you want to book Emirates' new premium economy seat, fly the Qantas A380 before it retires, or explore Air Canada's new routes, you'll need to plan ahead.
Don't forget to read the travel news roundups from the past few weeks for any other news you might've missed:
- Week of August 29: Targeted Status Match, New Lounge and Routes, 1 Million Point Sweepstakes, and More
- Week of August 22: New European Business Class, Instant Elite Status Opportunity, and More
- Week of August 17: Fake Wi-Fi Leads to Loyalty Account Lockdowns, New Entrant to Airline Lounges, and More
