Hey {{first name | reader}},
Happy Friday! Coffee's ready, the week's almost done. Three quick things on my radar today: a new Europe route that actually matters, a real-world way to think about hotel points, and a big (finally) cabin fix coming to the Lufthansa Airbus A380.
Here's what's inside today's post:
STARLUX Airlines is coming to Europe: Taipei ↔ Prague (August 2026)
"Do hotel points actually save money?" Yes — but the angle depends on the program
Lufthansa is finally fixing the A380 business class (retrofit starts now)
STARLUX Airlines is coming to Europe: Taipei ↔ Prague (August 2026)
If you like trying boutique airlines that punch way above their weight, this is a fun one: STARLUX Airlines plans to launch Taipei (TPE) ↔ Prague (PRG) flights starting August 1, 2026, initially 3x weekly and then ramping up to 4x weekly later in the season.
STARLUX Airlines A350-900
Why this is a bigger deal than it sounds:
It's their first Europe route (and Prague is a smart pick — strong leisure demand + decent connectivity).
The published schedule is very "Asia-to-Europe-connection-friendly," with an overnight departure from Taipei and a morning arrival into Prague.
I love seeing how STARLUX Airlines is serious about becoming a premium long-haul brand, not just a cool regional carrier.
The business class product: why people keep talking about it
STARLUX Airlines has built a reputation for a very polished hard product + soft product combo. They've been expanding widebody capacity (including Airbus A350-1000 additions with bigger premium cabins), which matters because it tends to mean more premium seats in the market.
Net: if you're connecting through Taipei, this becomes a legitimately appealing option to Europe versus the usual suspects.
And yes — the first class Dan reviewed
If you missed it, Dan did a deep-dive on STARLUX Airlines (super expensive and weird) first class a few months back. It's a great reference point for how hard this airline is leaning into premium.
"Do hotel points actually save money?" Yes — but the angle depends on the program
I've had a few readers ask a fair question:
"I look at award rates and I don't always see the savings."
That's normal. Two reasons:
Points are a weird currency (you can assign so many different values to them).
Each hotel program rewards a different strategy — and some are just more consistent than others.
Here's how I think about it in real life: (Disclosure: This is my way of thinking, I know there are many more valid thoughts out there)
Hilton Honors: save points for "cash is crazy" hotels
With Hilton, I usually don't burn points on random mid-tier stays where the cash rate is reasonable.
I save points for high-demand cities + high-end properties where cash rates can go from "pricey" to "are you kidding me?" in peak periods (think: the kind of nights that can cross into the four figures). That's when points can quietly become a cheat code.
Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal
Choice Privileges: underrated for expensive markets with modest hotels
Choice Privileges can be sneaky-good in places where:
Hotels are not luxury,
But cash pricing is still painful (hello, parts of Scandinavia).
That's where "budget-friendly brand + expensive city" can turn into real savings.
Marriott Bonvoy: harder mode, but absolutely doable
Marriott Bonvoy is dynamic pricing, which means the "sweet spots" are less predictable.
But you can still win — you just have to be disciplined about always comparing cash vs. points (and factoring in fees/taxes on cash rates). This one is about hunting, not autopilot.
The Ritz Carlton Maldives,
The universal rule: always compare cash rates
Before you use points, do a quick comparison:
Cash price (including taxes/fees)
Points price (+ any award fees)
And ask: "Would I pay that cash price today if points weren't an option?"
If the answer is "no way," that's often where points shine.
Small teaser: I'm working on an award stay right now that's a perfect example of how this math can swing wildly in your favor — I'll share the full breakdown once everything is confirmed.
Adventure outside the ordinary
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For T&Cs and to view the full collection of trips in 85+ destinations, visit rei.com/travel.
Lufthansa is finally fixing the A380 business class (retrofit starts now)
If you've flown Lufthansa's A380 in business, you know the pain: the current layout is dated, and not everyone gets direct aisle access.
That's changing.
Lufthansa A380 new business class seat rendering
Lufthansa has confirmed it will retrofit all eight of its A380 aircraft with new business class seats, and the work is being done at Elbe Flugzeugwerke (I love how German names sound) in Dresden.
What we know so far (the practical bits):
They're moving from 2-2-2 to 1-2-1, meaning every seat gets direct aisle access.
The cabin is expected to drop from 78 to 68 business seats as part of that change.
Features being highlighted: Bluetooth connectivity and flexible privacy partitions, plus generally more modern seat ergonomics.
Timeline: the first retrofitted aircraft is expected back in service around April 2026.
This is also a subtle admission that Lufthansa needs a stopgap while its newer-generation cabin rollout remains complicated on other aircraft types.
My take: this is a meaningful upgrade for anyone booking long-haul Lufthansa business on the A380. Even without doors or suite gimmicks, direct aisle access + better privacy is a big quality-of-life jump.
That's it for this week. Enjoy the weekend, and I'll see you Monday with more deals, routes, and strategies.
Catch you in the clouds,
Tomi