On the Go – May 16, 2024

Industry News – Click on the title to read the full article. Many of the sources below require a free registration to gain access to the article. If a paid registration is required, the individual source will be noted.

Airlines

U.S. Airlines Expect Record Number Of Summer Travelers (Source: TravelPulse)
As people in the United States prepare for the Memorial Day holiday travel period, Airlines for America (A4A) expects that carriers will transport an estimated 271 million passengers around the world this summer.  The A4A estimate for the period between June 1 and August 31 represents a 6.3 percent increase from last summer and would surpass the previous record of 255 million customers transported.

Flight Cancellations Down, On-Time Performance Is Up (Source: Business Travel News)
Fewer than 1% of flights were canceled in February, compared with 1.8% a year earlier and 3.2% in pre-pandemic February 2019, the US Department of Transportation reported, and 83.7% of flights on top airlines arrived on time, up from 79.5% in 2023. Airlines improved their on-time performance, even as they operated 4.35% more flights than they did a year ago.

Airports

Sea-Tac Airport Undergoing $5B Revamp (Source: The Seattle Times)
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which expects pre-pandemic levels of travelers this summer, has embarked on a $5 billion multi-year renovation project. The upgrades are designed to enhance the passenger experience by improving flow and reducing security lines, which have previously extended into the parking garage, garnering national attention.

Miami International Airport To Add A New $621 Million Concourse (Source: TravelPulse)
File this under the category of bigger is better.  Miami International Airport, already one of the largest in the country, is about to get even larger.  Miami Dade-County Aviation is going ahead with plans to expand an existing terminal at the airport with another concourse.  Concourse K will be created and added to the South Terminal in what is estimated as a $621 million project at the airport. A public notice was issued last week for design services.

Hotels

New Convention Hotel Secured For Detroit Riverfront (Source: MeetingsNet)
The 600-room property, expected to open in 2027, will be attached to Huntington Place via skybridge.  Pieces are falling into place for a 2024 groundbreaking on a new hotel on the Detroit riverfront next door to Huntington Place convention center.  In April, the Detroit City Council approved $142 million in tax breaks for Hotel Water Square, a $400 million project being developed by Sterling Group.

The World’s Best Airport Hotels (Source: Forbes)
A stay at an airport hotel is usually booked with convenience in mind. You’ve got an early morning flight and want to be close to your departure gate or you’ve got a layover that’s too long to wait out in the lounge, yet too short to venture deep into a city. But some airport hotels go above and beyond with their amenities and design, and, Skytrax, a London-based air transport ratings organization, rates airport hotels each year.

SoCal Meeting Hotel Completes Major Renovation (Source: MeetingsNet)
Hyatt Regency Irvine, formerly Hotel Irvine, will put the finishing touches on a $55 million upgrade next month.  After Hotel Irvine closed in 2020 amid coronavirus lockdowns, it didn’t open again until fall 2023. That was after Hyatt had bought the 516-room Orange County, Calif., property for $135 million and completed the first phase of an extensive $55 million renovation.

Ground Transportation

Uber to Launch Airport Shuttle Service In U.S. (Source: Business Travel News)
Uber this summer will launch in the United States its Uber Shuttle service, which offers transportation to events and airports, the company announced in New York City.  The service currently is available in Egypt and India, according to Uber.

Leisure Travel

The Mirage Hotel & Casino Will Close For Good On July 17 (Source: Travel Weekly)
The Mirage Hotel & Casino will close on July 17 to begin the property’s transformation into the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas.  Hard Rock took control of the Mirage on Dec. 19, 2022, after closing on its $1.1 billion acquisition from MGM Resorts International. The hotel has continued to operate as the Mirage since then.

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