Hey {{first name | reader}},

Happy Friday!

Today we have two very different but very exciting travel stories. Dan's newest video is live and it captures a genuine aviation milestone: he flew Riyadh Air during its first week of public flights. And then we have a new luxury hotel opening in London that I think a lot of people will be watching very closely.

Here's what's inside today's post:

Dan’s newest video is live, and this one is a very fun one for anyone who is into aviation.

He flew Riyadh Air on its fourth day of public flights, and on its first route that was not London. The flight was from Riyadh to Jeddah, giving him the chance to try the airline right at the beginning of what could become one of the biggest airline launches of our generation.

Riyadh Air is not just another small startup airline trying to find its place. This is Saudi Arabia’s new global airline project, backed by serious money, built around Vision 2030, and led by Tony Douglas, the former CEO of Etihad.

The ambition is huge.

This airline has been marketed with words like glamour, design, digital-first, Maybach in the skies, and a new kind of premium airline experience. So naturally, the big question is: does it actually feel different?

Dan’s video is very much a first look rather than a full final judgment. The airline is only days into public operations, so it would be unfair to judge every detail too harshly. But that also makes the video interesting because you are watching the beginning of something in real time.

A few things stand out.

First, the branding is very polished. The purple check-in counters, the cabin mood lighting, the crew uniforms, the boarding music, the onboard design, and even the small details like lavender-colored towels all make Riyadh Air feel very intentional.

Second, the cabin looks much more premium than you might expect. I spoke to Dan about the cabin over the phone, and he told me it is one of the most stunning cabins he has seen recently. The seats are standard 787 economy in many ways, with 3-3-3 configuration, 31 inches of pitch, and 17.2 inches of width. But the design, mood lighting, entertainment screens, and meal presentation do make it feel elevated.

Dan was especially impressed by the entertainment system. The screens look smooth, modern, and high-quality. He compared the experience to something closer to using an iPad, which is exactly the sort of thing Riyadh Air needs if it wants to sell itself as digitally native.

The economy meal also looked very impressive for a 1 hour and 15 minute domestic flight. Metal cutlery, a proper presentation, branded touches, and a polished service flow. Will that remain standard forever? Who knows. Launch flights are often extra special. But for a first impression, it looked very good.

There were also some clear areas to improve.

The Wi-Fi speed seemed underwhelming. The economy recline looks generous for the person reclining, but pretty uncomfortable for the person behind. And some practical details, like the entertainment screen in the best economy seats, may need refinement.

But again, this is day four. The real question is not whether Riyadh Air is perfect right now. It is whether the bones are there. And from this first look, the answer seems to be yes.

The bigger story is what this airline could become. Riyadh Air has already started with London and Jeddah, and as I mentioned in previous posts, the route map is now expanding quickly, with destinations like Dubai, Cairo, Madrid, and Manchester being added. The long-term ambition is clearly to compete with the Gulf giants: Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad.

If Riyadh Air gets it right, this could become another major option for long-haul travel between Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and eventually beyond. More competition in premium travel is almost always good news for travelers.

I am especially curious to see the long-haul business class product in real operation. A short domestic flight tells us a lot about branding, service culture, and design, but the real test will be a proper long-haul flight. Let’s hope Dan tries that soon!

Now let’s switch from airlines to hotels. One of London’s most anticipated luxury hotel openings is finally bookable: Waldorf Astoria London – Admiralty Arch.

The hotel will be located inside Admiralty Arch, right at the end of The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, and St James’s Park. In terms of London landmarks, it does not get much better than this.

The building itself was commissioned by King Edward VII in memory of Queen Victoria, so this is not just another luxury hotel opening in a nice neighborhood. This is a conversion of one of London’s most recognizable historic buildings into a Waldorf Astoria.

The hotel is expected to open soon, with reservations currently available for stays from March 2027. It will have 114 rooms and suites, a spa, event spaces, and major dining concepts from Clare Smyth and Daniel Boulud. If the hotel delivers, this could become one of London’s most talked-about luxury openings.

Now, the price is not exactly modest. I am seeing rates around £800 per night, and other early availability appears to start in the high hundreds of pounds per night. That is a hefty price, even for London. If you decide to try it out, we can book it for you with the following benefits!

This is a historic landmark, in one of the most symbolic locations in the city, under one of Hilton’s top luxury brands. It was never going to be cheap.

The bigger question is service. Because in my experience, Waldorf Astoria can vary a lot by property.

The best example is the contrast between my stay at Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah, which was honestly not good, and my stay at Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam, which was superb.

Amsterdam felt polished, personal, elegant, and genuinely luxurious. It had that sense of place and service consistency that makes a hotel memorable. Dubai, on the other hand, did not deliver at the level I would expect from the brand.

That is why I am very curious to see how Waldorf Astoria London performs. The location and building are extraordinary. The dining should be excellent. The price will be high. But the service needs to match the setting.

If it does, this could become one of the most exciting Hilton luxury redemptions and cash stays in Europe.

If it does not, it could become another beautiful hotel where the hard product is better than the actual experience.

Let’s hope it is closer to Amsterdam than Dubai Palm.

That’s it for today.

Riyadh Air is finally flying, Waldorf Astoria is coming to one of London’s most iconic addresses, and the luxury travel world has two new things to watch closely.

More deals, news, and trip ideas coming your way on Monday.

Catch you in the clouds,

Tomi from Points Master