{"id":214248,"date":"2026-01-01T20:00:19","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T20:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/01\/air-travel-storylines-well-be-watching-in-2026-the-points-guy\/"},"modified":"2026-01-01T20:00:19","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T20:00:19","slug":"air-travel-storylines-well-be-watching-in-2026-the-points-guy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/01\/air-travel-storylines-well-be-watching-in-2026-the-points-guy\/","title":{"rendered":"Air travel storylines we’ll be watching in 2026 – The Points Guy"},"content":{"rendered":"


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2025 was a busy, eventful \u2014 and, at times, sobering \u2014 year when it came to air travel.<\/p>\n

We saw 8 of the 10 busiest days ever at U.S. airports, including an all-time single-day record just after Thanksgiving, as consumers continued to invest their money (and points) in travel at a record pace.<\/p>\n

That was despite a roller-coaster year for economic sentiment \u2014 not to mention a barrage of concerning aviation headlines that included a deadly crash in January, mass delays in Newark in May and rampant air traffic control staffing shortages during the longest government shutdown in history.<\/p>\n

As all that unfolded, Southwest Airlines turned heads with the end of its long-standing \u201cbags fly free\u201d policy<\/a>. We saw Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines launch an all-new airline loyalty program<\/a>. Delta Air Lines again led the pack in TPG\u2019s Best Airlines Report.<\/p>\n

And one of America\u2019s best-known budget airlines remained in financial turmoil \u2014 a situation that tops our list of the biggest air travel storylines to watch in 2026.<\/p>\n

Best airlines report: Delta tops TPG’s rankings for 7th straight year<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

All eyes on Spirit Airlines<\/h2>\n

Spirit Airlines begins 2026 just as it began 2025<\/a>: in the midst of Chapter 11 bankruptcy.<\/p>\n

This time, though, the situation appears more serious.<\/p>\n

The Florida-based ultra-low-cost carrier, known for its big, bright-yellow planes, has been unable to climb out of a financial hole in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

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DAVID SLOTNICK\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Late last summer, Spirit executives raised doubts about the company\u2019s future,<\/a> and Wall Street analysts have done the same<\/a>.<\/p>\n

All eyes will be on the carrier in the coming weeks and months.<\/p>\n

Will it ultimately merge with top budget competitor Frontier Airlines<\/a>, after all? Will Spirit, as we know it, be around this time next year? Time will tell.<\/p>\n

But even travelers who never fly Spirit should be watching with concern. After all, the downward pressure the airline puts on fares ultimately affects the price all flyers pay when they book a flight.<\/p>\n

Spirit Airlines in bankruptcy: What consumers should know about booking flights<\/a>=<\/strong><\/p>\n

Related: The best times to book flights for the cheapest airfare<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Southwest\u2019s biggest changes yet come this month<\/h2>\n

We\u2019ve been talking for a good 18 months about the changes underway at Southwest, including its $35 checked bag fees<\/a> that launched last spring, drawing the ire of loyal customers.<\/p>\n

But its biggest change of all finally arrives this month<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On Jan. 27, the carrier will go live with its much-talked-about shift to assigned seating, ending its first-come, first-served policy that\u2019s been in place for a half-century.<\/p>\n

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SEAN CUDAHY\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The move will also spell the end of its single-file boarding process in favor of an eight-group setup that will look … well, like just about every other major carrier’s.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s also worth watching what else<\/i> Southwest does in 2026.<\/p>\n

The airline has played coy about adding other once-unthinkable products like first-class seats, long-haul flights and lounges (the latter seems to already be in the works.<\/a><\/p>\n

CEO Bob Jordan has framed these additions as a \u201c2026 question.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

And 2026 is now here.<\/p>\n

Read more: The true Southwest Airlines reboot is almost here \u2014 and it may be just the beginning<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The premium wave comes into focus<\/h2>\n

Over the last few years, airlines have pledged to go all-in on offering travelers high-end experiences \u2014 from the big legacy airlines to the budget carriers and in between.<\/p>\n

2026 will be the year we see many of those premium-focused products hit the market en masse.<\/p>\n

This year, United Airlines is expected to debut its all-new Polaris product<\/a> and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with an ultraluxe configuration.<\/p>\n

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ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After American Airlines launched its next-generation Flagship Suites on a handful of planes last year, the new business-class product will become a fixture on many more of the carrier’s jets<\/a> as it gets new planes and updates older ones.<\/p>\n

The carrier has also promised a \u201csteady stream\u201d<\/a> of airport lounge news.<\/p>\n

Also on tap this year:<\/p>\n

TPG’s 2026 Travel Trends Report: <\/strong>The gap between premium and budget experiences is widening<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

A big focus on the \u2018basics\u2019<\/h2>\n

I think we\u2019ll be talking about \u201cbasic\u201d a lot this year.<\/p>\n

American made an unfriendly-to-customers change<\/a> to its basic economy policy just before the holidays.<\/p>\n

Delta and United have dropped hints about adding a \u201cbasic business-class<\/a>\u201d fare. Heck, Delta\u2019s already started offering \u201cbasic\u201d versions of its extra-legroom “Comfort” tickets.<\/p>\n

Delta now sells ‘Comfort Basic’ tickets: What to know before you book<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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SEAN CUDAHY\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Don\u2019t be surprised if you see more airlines tighten up their basic economy ticket rules \u2014 or roll out new, unbundled fare options \u2014 in 2026.<\/p>\n

Exciting new routes coming<\/h2>\n

Here at TPG, we love to see exciting new airline routes and destinations, and there are plenty on tap for this year:<\/p>\n

United has stolen the show in recent years with flights to head-turning places like Mongolia<\/a> and Adelaide, Australia<\/a> \u2014 and, perhaps most of all, the epic flight to Greenland that I took in June<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Traveling to Greenland on United Airlines: What to expect, and what to do once you’re there<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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United Airlines pilots commemorate the carrier’s launch of service to Nuuk, Greenland. SEAN CUDAHY\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There\u2019s more on tap in 2026<\/a>, with a big focus on Europe: Bari, Italy; Split, Croatia; and Santiago de Compostela, Spain.<\/p>\n

Delta will launch service to Sardinia and Malta after letting its customers and employees vote<\/a> on its newest European destinations.<\/p>\n

American’s biggest splash will likely be the launch of transatlantic service<\/a> with its brand-new, premium-heavy Airbus A321XLR plane<\/a> \u2014 though the carrier will also begin flying to Budapest and Prague<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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SEAN CUDAHY\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Also worth mentioning: Alaska Airlines will make its debut in Europe<\/a>, and Southwest next month will fly to its first new city in five years<\/a> \u2014 a new Caribbean destination, at that.<\/p>\n

What will happen with airfare in 2026?<\/h2>\n

Whether airfare will rise or fall is always top of mind for consumers. And there’s plenty to watch on this front in 2026.<\/p>\n

Over the past couple of years, a glut of flights has ushered in historically low fares (adjusted for inflation) as carriers offered up discounts in an effort to fill seats on their planes.<\/p>\n

If you flew last year on a low-demand Tuesday in September, you may have found a steep discount.<\/p>\n

Will 2026 see fares climb?<\/p>\n

Late last year, numerous U.S. airlines slashed flights, hoping fewer departures would help them regain pricing power.<\/p>\n

But that doesn’t necessarily mean travelers will find sticker shock when booking a flight in the new year, said John Grant, industry analyst at aviation data firm OAG.<\/p>\n

\u201cI equally suspect that [consumer] demand will not be quite as strong,\u201d Grant said. \u201cAll of which leaves me sitting on the fence with a prediction of very little change” when it comes to fares.<\/p>\n

To find the best flight deals in 2026:<\/p>\n