Hilton is quietly rewriting its rules on parking fees. From January, the company will change its Brand Standards so that select-service brands — think Hampton Inn, Home2 Suites and similar mid-market properties — can charge guests for overnight parking without needing a special waiver. That could mean a Hampton Inn in a small town with a huge, empty car park starts tacking on a nightly fee, something previously reserved for big-city properties where parking is genuinely scarce. The practical takeaway: budget a little extra for your hotel stay and check the fee schedule before booking, because 'free parking' is no longer a safe assumption at these brands.
It's one of several changes shaking up the loyalty and hotel landscape. Hyatt has formally objected to Hilton's trademark application for its new 'Select by Hilton' brand, arguing travellers might confuse it with Hyatt Select — though some observers think Hilton's own branding team has more reason to worry. Meanwhile, Best Western is retiring its long-running Best Western Rewards programme in favour of a new scheme called WorldHotel Rewards, so members should watch for details on how points and status will carry over.
On the airline side, Alaska Airlines is bringing back full-size soda cans. From mid-November it will pour drinks from regular cans again instead of handing out mini cans, a change rolling fully into 2027. Flight attendants reportedly aren't thrilled — pouring drinks in the aisle slows service and blocks lavatory access — and a few short flights that currently get full beverage service may be downgraded to a juice-or-water-only offering.
There are a couple of genuine deals in the mix, too. Private charter broker TLC Jet is offering 100,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles to first-time customers who book a qualifying private jet charter between 28 October and 31 December 2026; you need to be an AAdvantage member, and the standard earning rate is one mile and one Loyalty Point per dollar spent on base flight charges. It's a generous sweetener if a charter was already on your list. And for anyone flying the Spanish carrier Volotea, reviews of its economy-class butter chicken have been surprisingly enthusiastic — proof that airline food isn't universally grim.
One caution from the airport side: travellers passing through Burbank, California's new terminal have been sharing photos of eye-watering retail prices, complete with a 5% sustainability fee added on top. The lesson travels well — eat before security or pack snacks, because airport premiums aren't getting any gentler.
Why does any of this matter if you're planning a trip? Because small policy shifts like these add up. Parking fees that weren't there last year, loyalty programmes mid-migration, and beverage service changes all affect what your stay and flight actually cost and feel like. If you hold Hilton, Hyatt or Best Western points, or you fly Alaska regularly, it's worth a quick check of the fine print before your next booking.
