Joe Brancatelli created The Tactical Traveler in 1998 for the now-defunct Biztravel.com. The column was conceived as a series of items that would make frequent business travelers more productive on the road. There was also a heaping helping of Joe's trademark cynicism about the travel industry and its practices. After the 9/11 terrorism attacks, however, Joe recreated Tactical Traveler as the news and analysis column for JoeSentMe. There's still plenty of skepticism, of course, because life on the road makes us a wary lot.

DECEMBER 22 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: Alaska Airlines begins remaking the combined network with Hawaiian Airlines. It also offers elite status matches to flyers of both carriers. United adds two interesting new international routes. JetBlue will fly to Madrid and Edinburgh from Boston/Logan. Delta opens new airport lounges in Charlotte and Boston. Southwest makes Orlando an intra-Florida hub. Air Canada elites will get free in-flight WiFi next year. And much more.

DECEMBER 8 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: U.S. travel is surging on the rails and in the skies. The Brits, however, are shutting down their rail networks over the holidays. Citi will be American AAdvantage's sole credit card issuer in 2026. Frontier will add a first class section. JetBlue continues to slash its network. Etihad will fly to Atlanta, EVA Air will fly to DFW and TAP Air Portugal will add LAX. And more.

DECEMBER 1 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: Chase and Capital One open new airport lounges. Starting next month, Britain will require U.S. and Canadian travelers to acquire electronic authorizations before flying to or through the United Kingdom. Austin gains new flights to Vancouver but loses its Honolulu service. The Justice Department bars airport searches by the Drug Enforcement Agency. Trump nominates Sean Duffy as Transportation Secretary. Amtrak opens new waiting area at Washington's Union Station. Three major London rail stations will close during Christmas. And more.

NOVEMBER 17 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: Air Canada and WestJet launch new flights to U.S. destinations. A Southwest jet at Dallas/Love Field is fired on after three U.S. aircraft were hit this week in Haiti. KLM will add a nonstop to San Diego from Amsterdam. British Airways exits Dallas/Fort Worth. Private BermudAir adds three more U.S. cities. Already plagued by long lines, Denver is closing one of its security checkpoints. Euro plunges to $1.05 against the greenback. JoeSentMe contributors move to Bluesky from Twitter/X.

NOVEMBER 10 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: American, JetBlue, Frontier and Spirit airlines may reconsider their alliances in the Trump Administration. Air Canada adds more Europe service next year. No one knows who will be the next Transportation Secretary--but they're alarmed about a candidate to run Homeland Security. Delta says it will upgrade its fleet with new colors and memory foam. SkyTeam's newest member? The Italian train system. Trump's election sparked surge in Americans googling "exit visas." A new "Velcro hotel" in Washington. And more.

NOVEMBER 3 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: The airlines add lots more transatlantic flights next year. Marriott will bring City Express hotels north of the border. Southwest surrenders, gives six board seats to hedge-fund stalker. Five new "beyond perimeter" longer-haul flights awards at Washington/National. United adds another Africa route. Delta revives Buenos Aires flights from JFK. Fast London-Amsterdam direct trains resume in February. The DOT slaps American and Lufthansa with big fines. Hyatt adds another all-inclusive brand. And more.

OCTOBER 6 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: Passport renewals now available online. Delta will add flights at Austin and Italy, but will dump some German service. SAS returns to Sea-Tac after 16 years. Cathay Pacific will launch service to Dallas/Fort Worth. United will fly to Dominica in the Caribbean. Alaska Air offers a Flight Pass for travel around four Western states. The Blue Ridge Parkway is closed after Hurricane Helene damage. Delta will code-share with Saudia after all. And more.

SEPTEMBER 15 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: American Airlines surrenders in Austin and cuts more routes. The rental firm once known as Silvercar is no more. Air Canada avoids a pilot walkout and American Airlines flight attendants approve their contract. But Boeing mechanics go on strike. United will install Starlink Internet on flights starting next year. A dicey week to fly with three scary airport events. And more.

SEPTEMBER 8 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia avoids foreclosure for now. Fiji Airways will fly nonstop to Dallas/Fort Worth. JetBlue brings Mint to Montana. United cancels its flights to Amman, Jordan, and American pushes its return to Tel Aviv back to March. Bilt Rewards now awards points for Walgreens purchases. The new COVID vaccine is ready. And much more.

AUGUST 25 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: U.S. carriers delay their return to Tel Aviv while El Al prospers. The new main terminal wows in Portland, Oregon. Wilmington, Delaware, gets new "flights" from American Airlines. JetBlue is offering elite status matches. Hyatt buys the Standard and Bunkhouse hotels brands. Delta adds free high-speed WiFi on international flights. Free, at-home Covid tests return next month. The Alaska and Hawaiian airlines merger gets a pass from the Justice Department. And much more.

AUGUST 11 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: We'll never be rid of the carry-on liquids rules now that expensive scanning machines are failing. Hotel workers in five cities may strike this week. Money-losing Spirit Airlines introduces bundled airfares. Do you know what a dollar buys in soup dumplings around the world? The DOT publishes its family-travel rules. United Airlines kills its in-flight magazine. And more.

JULY 28 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: Southwest Airlines will dump the cattle car for assigned seats and add extra-legroom coach, too. United's huge gamble Down Under is going south and routes are being slashed. JetBlue drops seven cities from its route map. Washington/National gets an Amex Centurion Lounge. Covid still is a global travel problem. Bilt Rewards drastically downgrades its double-points bonus for first-of-the-month purchases. And much more.

JULY 21 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: Southwest Airlines will release dreary second-quarter numbers and face pressure from a hedge fund hoping to turn it into a clone of other carriers. Airline caterers may strike by the end of the month. There's now an easier airport if you want to reach Italy's Amalfi Coast. Paris Olympics are having a disastrous effect on Paris' economy. Alaska Airlines will add first class and premium economy seats on its Boeing 737s. Emirates Airline is finally scrapping middle seats in business class on Boeing 777s. And more.

JULY 14 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: JetBlue improves basic economy fares, but removes doors from Mint business class seats. Small Luxury Hotels now available in Hilton Honors program. Turtle Bay in Hawaii will become a Ritz-Carlton. Airlines add more Mexico flights. American Airlines cuts London/Heathrow runs. Airports in Milan and Montreal fight over their names. Delta will add Premium Economy to some JFK-LAX flights. AAdvantage miles can now be used to claim seats at concerts and sporting events. TSA PreCheck is now available via four more important international airlines.

MAY 19 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: JetBlue Airways is a financial wreck and operational disaster and management is desperately remaking the airline's route map. United and Delta won't resume Tel Aviv flights until next month. American launching new Caribbean flights from Charlotte, New York and Philadelphia. After its 2022 meltdown, Southwest agrees to issue $75 vouchers for future cancelled and long-delayed flights. Montana's busiest airport will go part-time next spring. Qantas will pay up for booking travelers on already-cancelled "ghost flights." Bilt points now transfer to Hilton Honors, but don't do it. The pipe dream of seamless ground connections. Record travel expected over Memorial Day. And much more.

APRIL 28 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: Ted Cruz won't get private airport screening for politicians. Southwest Airlines dumps four airports and slashes service in Chicago and Atlanta. SAS joins SkyTeam on September 1. Delta returns to Lagos, Nigeria. Lakeland, Florida, gets commercial flights for the first time in more than 35 years. Pasco, Washington, finally gets flights to LAX. Mr & Mrs Smith hotels are now live at Hyatt. And much more.

APRIL 14 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: Delta scraps "branded" boarding and returns to a numbered zone system. TSA adds eight more airlines to PreCheck. Fees for three customs-bypass plans--Global Entry, SENTRI and NEXUS--will rise. Turkish Airlines adds another U.S. gateway. Norse adds Las Vegas-London/Gatwick nonstop. The yen is crashing against the U.S. dollar. Middle East travel is scrambled again after Iran's attack on Israel. And much more.

MARCH 24 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: The FAA comes knocking at United's door looking for safety lapses. JetBlue cuts route network at Los Angeles and in South America. In an attempt to reduce delays in New York, the FAA moves Newark to Pennsylvania (sort of). South African Airways is on the brink again as a sale falls through. China Airlines will launch Seattle-Taipei flights. Hertz chief executive quits after EV debacle. Another extension to Japan's high-speed rail network opens. And much more.

MARCH 17 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: Frontier Airlines will sell an "upgraded" product with empty middle seats. Delta will return to Tel Aviv in June, but is dropping its year-old LAX-Heathrow flights. Hilton buys Graduate Hotels, which aims at college towns. Amex Platinum will no longer rebate SiriusXM subscription fees. The airport in Bangor, Maine, will close several days a week this spring for repairs. And much more.

MARCH 10 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: Wells Fargo introduces impressive (and inexpensive) travel rewards card with a new points-transfer option. Hyatt raises award prices on many hotels. Three new routes to Asia from London may appeal to U.S. flyers looking for good connections. The TSA is testing self-service security screening. Delta raises checked-bag fees. And more.

FEBRUARY 25 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: United Airlines resumes flights to Tel Aviv next week and KLM returns to Israel next month. Joining three U.S. airlines, Air Canada adds bus routes from a key hub. U.S. carriers are paid millions to add nonstop flights to Brisbane, Australia. Lynx Air goes under. American Airlines lowers price of transferring miles between AAdvantage accounts. How Britain's new high-speed rail network became a costly debacle. The "stew" who ended employment discrimination. And more.

FEBRUARY 18 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: American Express opens a huge airport lounge in Atlanta and Delta Air Lines promises three business-class-only clubs this year. Hilton steals Small Luxury Hotels from Hyatt. British Airways resumes Tel Aviv flights in April, but American Airlines delays its return again. Carl Icahn takes a 9.91% stake in JetBlue and immediately receives two board seats. United grounded five jets this week because of an obsolete FAA regulation. Would Cary Grant or Humphrey Bogart use rolling luggage? And more.

FEBRUARY 3 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: Air France and Austrian Airlines launch intriguing new U.S. routes. United will trim SFO flights in late spring. American launches flights to Brisbane, Australia, and will begin a New York-Tokyo route. Start-up BermudAir will begin flying to Baltimore/Washington and Orlando. Ted Cruz wants politicians to get escorts and private airport security screening. Eurostar will continue direct trains between London and Amsterdam after all. And more.

JANUARY 21 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: JetBlue and Spirit are shocked--shocked!--that their proposed merger has been blocked. New transborder routes will make travel between the United States and Canada easier. SAS will fly to Atlanta as it transitions to the SkyTeam Alliance. The newest Las Vegas destination casino may be a bad bet. Hotel room rates soared in 2023. Chase opens a Sapphire Lounge at New York's LaGuardia Airport. And more.

JANUARY 15 BRIEFING FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
The briefing in brief: No one knows when the grounded Boeing 737MAX-9s will be back in the air for Alaska and United airlines. Barry Sternlicht, who created Starwood Hotels, purchases ten properties in London. Southwest drops five routes to Hawaii. Japan Airlines will launch its newest first class later this month on New York-Tokyo route. Caribbean carrier LIAT is folding. And more.