American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are no longer merely competing over schedules, hubs and loyalty programs. As the country’s largest legacy carriers approach, mark or move through their centennial eras, they are also using the moment to reset what premium flying in the United States is supposed to look like. The centennial symbolism is useful. These are airlines built in another age of travel, when “flagship” meant something literal, lounges were smoky rooms for the well-connected, and a long-haul cabin did not need a privacy door, Bluetooth pairing or a mattress pad to be considered aspirational.

Air India has taken yet another step forward in its transformation journey with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) approving the use of Electronic Technical Logbooks (ETL) as the primary technical document for its Boeing 787 fleet and authorising parallel implementation across the Boeing 777 fleet. This will boost Air India’s commitment to leveraging technology to strengthen operational performance, safety, reliability, and sustainability and position it as a technology-enabled, modern global airline. With this approval, Air India has now become one of the first airlines to adopt fleet-wide Electronic Technical Logbooks across its entire B787 widebody fleet, to achieve a complete fleet-wide ETL implementation.

After top legacy airlines unbundled their economy cabins to create basic economy, the industry expected a race to the absolute bottom of passenger discomfort. For the most part, that expectation has become a reality across the domestic aviation market, turning the simple act of boarding an aircraft into a host of gate-enforcement checks and surprise baggage penalties. A glaring anomaly persists at the nation's most profitable legacy airline even as the rest of the industry moves in the same direction. While its closest rivals have spent years using physical limitations at the boarding gate to squeeze incremental revenue from budget travelers...

Air France is introducing a new range of comfort kits for the summer season, across the La Première (first class), Business and Premium (premium economy) cabins on long-haul flights. Customers in the La Première suites will receive a leather box that swivels to reveal the contents: four products from Sisley, the French cosmetics brand, comprising a hand cream for hydrating skin and nails, an eye contour balm, a Hydra-Global hydration booster moisturising serum, and an All Day, All Year anti-ageing day cream. Customers can also experience these products in the Sisley treatment area at the La Première lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport, set up in partnership with Air France.

A General Electric GE9X, the only powerplant available on the Boeing 777X, has a list price of $40 million to $45 million. Carriers often pay less through multi-buy deals. This high cost is justified by the GE9X's complexity, performance, and more. Furthermore, General Electric does not have to compete with other engine manufacturers on the 777X, so it can price up even higher. When reading the astonishing price point and how General Electric justifies it, it is important to note that the purchase price represents only a fraction of an engine's total lifecycle cost. Manufacturers continue to make profits decades after selling an engine by offering maintenance support to airlines. 

Riyadh Air is considering placing an order for as many as 30 additional Boeing 787 Dreamliners as the Saudi startup airline begins expanding beyond its small launch fleet. The airline is studying an order for between 25 and 30 aircraft, according to industry sources cited by Reuters. An announcement could come as early as the Farnborough International Airshow, which begins July 20, 2026, although the sources cautioned that discussions were continuing. Riyadh Air and Boeing did not comment on the report.

Alaska Airlines will roll out a new-look business class on its Boeing 787-10 jets, along with forthcoming 787-9 deliveries, as the Seattle-based carrier expands its international network. “We’ll (soon) be announcing changes and tweaks that we’re going to make for future aircraft,” says Alex Judson, who heads Partnerships & International for Alaska Airlines. As part of a US$1.9bn acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines inherited Hawaiian’s order of a dozen Boeing 787-9s. Speaking with Executive Traveller on the sidelines of a media event in Honolulu marking Hawaiian Airlines’ entry into the Oneworld alliance, Judson promises the changes to Hawaiian’s original 787 business class will “take it to the next level.”

London Gatwick Airport has been boosted by the announcement of new routes to Zimbabwe and Moldova. The UK’s second busiest airport will welcome new Air Zimbabwe flights to Harare from 22 July – the first time the carrier has served the route for more than a decade. Air Zimbabwe will offer the route using Airbus A330-300 aircraft leased through an ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) deal with Spanish airline Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas. The aircraft will be configured with 302 seats across economy and business class cabins.

In the third quarter of 2026 (July to September), United Airlines' frames will be seen in 375 destinations globally. The Star Alliance member flies to more airports than any other carrier globally (although not as many countries). This data is based on exploring United's schedule submission to Cirium Diio. United's offering has jumped from 363 destinations in the same period last year. The airline has added 17 airports to its map, whether brand-new or simply returning, which is the subject of this article. However, while served in Q3 2025, flights no longer exist five places.