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With 2025 coming to a close, I am once again taking a look back on my travel year. The Bulkhead Seat started in December 2022, so this was the third full year that the blog was in existence. I generally write five or more posts a day and am always curious as to what generates the most traffic. I write about my experiences with hotels, airlines, and lounges throughout the year. I also share news around loyalty programs, new routes, sales, promos, passengers behaving badly, and other stories that I find interesting.
Here are the top 10 posts from this past year:
10. Where to Find Seat Maps Now: SeatGuru Officially Shuts Down After 24 Years
Its a valid question and a shame that TripAdvisor shutdown SeatGuru in 2025. My thoughts here.
9. Delta Launches First-Ever Nonstop Service Between Salt Lake City and South America
Delta Air Lines launched its first-ever nonstop service from Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) to South America with flights to Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM). The seasonal route began on December 4th and will run until January 25th using Boeing 767-300ER aircraft.
8. Coming Soon: Marriott’s First Global Promotion of 2025 With Double Elite Nights
Readers were plenty excited about the first global promo that Marriott ran this past year. I took advantage and bumped up my elite nights quickly.
7. Allegiant Adds 30 Routes and Enters Four New Airports
Allegiant Air’s route additions made the list, but this article was only one of over 100 route announcements that I covered.
6. Hawaiian Airlines Suspends the Longest Domestic Flight in the US and Others This November
This year, Hawaiian Airlines bid farewell to its longest domestic route: Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) to/from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) (the route clocked in at 5,080 miles).
5. Confirmed: JetBlue and United Will Enter Into An Exclusive Partnership
JetBlue and United announced their new partnership this year. While it has not fully rolled out and United still has to wait some time before it gets gates at New York John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK), it seems like this is the start of something that could lead to United buying JetBlue.
4. EU Launches Long-Delayed Entry and Exit System: What Travelers Need to Know
After years of preparation and multiple delays, the European Union’s long-awaited Entry/Exit System (EES) officially went live on October 12th, marking a significant change for how non-EU citizens enter and leave the Schengen Area.
3. Leaked: The Name of the Combined Loyalty Program for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines is Out
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines combined loyalty programs into a unified one known as Atmos™ Rewards that launched on October 1st. The biggest news is that the program is actually pretty rewarding.
2. Airlines Scramble to Adjust Routes and Capacity As Demand From Canada Dries Up
The political situation between the United States and Canada was rather tense this year. Talk of making Canada the 51st state and steep tariffs have created issues with our neighbors to the north and flights reflected that.
1. A New Fee and No More Passport Stamps: EU Confirms EES and ETIAS Launch Dates
The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) was set to launch this year, but it has been pushed back to Q4 2026 (pending approval by the European Parliament). While the timeline is not yet finalized, EU authorities have confirmed that ETIAS will be implemented several months after EES is fully operational.
Anthony’s Take: This blog is a labor of love and I appreciate you all reading and commenting throughout the year. I have even more planned in 2026 as The Bulkhead Seat continues to grow and mature. Wishing you all a healthy and prosperous 2026!
(Image Credits: BrasilNut1 via iStock, ETIAS, United, JetBlue, Alaska, Hawaiian, Allegiant Air, Marriott, and TripAdvisor.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
