When a company's pilots vote no confidence in management and the board's response is to send them right back to those same executives... that's not a good sign. American Airlines just hit a new low in its ongoing operational crisis.

Which airline just announced plans to retrofit its entire Boeing 787 fleet with new business class seats?

The answer is waiting for you near the bottom... keep scrolling.👇

The Allied Pilots Association representing American Airlines pilots did something extraordinary last week: they declared no confidence in the airline's management and requested a direct meeting with the board of directors.

The board's response? Thanks, but no thanks. They declined the meeting and sent the pilots right back to the executives they just criticized.

This isn't just typical labor-management tension. American has been struggling with operational chaos for weeks - mass flight cancellations, scheduling disasters, and a profit outlook that trails competitors by a significant margin.

The pilots' letter to the board demanded "decisive change" from management, pointing to financial underperformance and operational failures that have become impossible to ignore.

If you're sitting on AAdvantage miles or planning American award bookings, internal turmoil like this often precedes service disruptions. We've covered American's recent struggles extensively, and this latest development suggests things aren't getting better anytime soon.

The good news? Partner redemptions on Qatar, Japan Airlines, and other oneworld carriers remain solid options that avoid American metal entirely.

Boeing just revealed that Japan Airlines is planning to retrofit its entire Boeing 787 fleet with an all-new business class product. The catch? We don't know which seat they're installing.

This is huge news for anyone who redeems miles on JAL. The carrier currently operates dozens of 787s on routes throughout Asia, North America, and beyond - and every single one is apparently getting the upgrade treatment.

JAL's current 787 business class is good but not exceptional. The new product could go one of several directions:

They could adopt the same seats from their newer A350 and 777 fleets (the well-regarded JAL Sky Suite III), which would bring consistency across the fleet. Or they might introduce something entirely new that we haven't seen before.

Boeing's announcement mentions that the project has already started, but didn't provide timeline details for completion. That means if you're booking JAL 787 flights in the coming months, you're likely getting the old product.

JAL is bookable with American AAdvantage miles (their oneworld partner), Alaska Mileage Plan, and others. The carrier is known for releasing solid business class availability, especially on U.S. routes.

Once these retrofits start rolling out, expect Award Travel Finder to track which aircraft are flying with the new seats so you can target specific flights for your redemptions.

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This isn't a lottery - it's a direct purchase opportunity, though expect market pricing rather than face value deals.

You'll need to hold one of these Chase cards to access the ticket window:

Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business, or the J.P. Morgan Reserve.

If you don't have a Sapphire card yet and want access to perks like this, the Reserve remains one of the strongest premium cards for travelers. We track all Chase credit card offers including current Sapphire bonuses.

The 2026 World Cup will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with 11 U.S. cities hosting matches. This Chase window only covers U.S. host city games.

Host cities include Miami, New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, Seattle, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Boston, Houston, and Kansas City. If you're planning to attend and have flexible travel dates, this could be worth jumping on when the window opens Tuesday morning.

71% of United Airlines flight attendants voted to reject their latest contract offer, and now the airline is coming back with a controversial demand that could fundamentally change how trips are assigned.

United is now pushing for Preferential Bidding System (PBS) scheduling - a computerized system that would replace the current seniority-based line bidding process.

PBS scheduling gives the airline more control over trip assignments and could affect the consistency of crews you see on frequent routes. Flight attendants argue it reduces their control over schedules and quality of life.

For United flyers, this is another sign of labor tensions that could eventually affect service quality if negotiations drag on. The airline is trying to avoid the operational chaos we've seen at American, but rejecting a contract by a 71% margin suggests there's significant distance between management and labor.

The answer: 🇯🇵 Japan Airlines is retrofitting its entire Boeing 787 fleet with new business class seats. Boeing announced the project has already begun, though we still don't know which specific seat product JAL has selected. This is a massive undertaking that will affect dozens of aircraft flying throughout Asia, North America, and beyond.

That's all for today - see you tomorrow with more miles and points news!

Looking to redeem your points? Here's what's available right now:

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