Happy Monday, Extra Mile users! Kyle dug into a year of flight data to find the 20 long-haul international routes most likely to have empty seats … and a few of the results genuinely surprised us. Also today: every card in Hilton’s Amex lineup just rolled out a beefed-up welcome offer, and Southwest’s “Wow!” sale is knocking up to 40% off fares this fall and winter.
💺 Want More Space? The Best Long-Haul Routes for Empty Seats
Call it “a row to yourself in economy” or “poor man’s business class” or “Y-flat” (all credit to my co-worker Nick for that gem), but we all dream of more space to stretch out on long-haul flights. At least if business class isn’t in the cards, anyway.
But we all know how full planes are these days. Airlines have gotten frustratingly adept at filling every seat … but not everywhere. Surely some international routes have more empty seats than the average, right?
Right. By downloading and analyzing a year and a change of data from the aviation firm Cirium, I put together this list of the top 20 long-haul routes most likely to have empty seats.
And there were some serious surprises.
Read the full story for a bigger chart, insights & the next 30 emptiest routes!
Before some thoughts on what stands out here, a quick disclaimer: This data is rock-solid … but not perfect. Most importantly, the latest month for which these load factors (airline speak for “percentage of seats filled”) are available is May 2026. That feels like a lifetime ago, so routes that topped the list this spring could easily be much fuller this summer and fall.
With that important caveat out of the way…
- New routes are a goldmine for empty seats! “But Kyle,” you might say, “why even include routes that only operated for a month? That’s unfair.” I disagree: I kept Alaska’s trio of European routes, a handful of United’s newest transatlantic ventures as well as its new flight to Adelaide (ADL) in Australia, and others in because there are so many of them, it’s clear: booking a seat on a long-haul route in the first month could be the safest bet you could make.
- I’m extremely interested in Emirates’ Miami-to-Bogota route. I’m also extremely interested in returning to Colombia, so this is a win-win for your second or third favorite newsletter editor. I’m betting Emirates is carrying tons of cargo in the belly of the planes it uses on this wonky fifth-freedom route.
OK, that’s enough for now. You’ll have to read the full story for more – there are tons of additional takeaways and even more interesting routes once you get past the top 20.
– Kyle Potter, executive editor
🤝 Deal of the Day: 40% Off Southwest Flights
Heat scale (out of 3): 🔥
Why we love it: Southwest is running its “Wow!” sale, offering up to 40% off flights this fall and winter. Use this sale to book (or re-book) your flights for a better price!
Sale period (including some holiday blackouts) runs through Mar. 3. Book by Thursday to snag these fares!
Tip: Check your existing flights (on Southwest or other airlines) to see if fares drop this week!
Book with Southwest for the best fares.
– Gunnar Olson, Thrifty Traveler Premium deal analyst
💰 Hilton’s Amex Cards Just Got a Lot More Interesting
Every card in Hilton’s Amex lineup just rolled out a beefed-up welcome offer – and for a change, the free night reward is the real story, not the points.
Even the no-annual-fee Hilton Honors American Express Card comes with a free night certificate this round. That’s basically unheard of on a card with no yearly cost.
At the top of the stack, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is offering a best-ever 200,000 points, plus its usual, uncapped free night award every single year, starting shortly after you open the account.
All information about the Hilton Honors American Express Cards has been collected independently by Thrifty Traveler and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
Why the free night matters more than the points
Unlike its competitors at IHG, Marriott, and Hyatt, Hilton doesn’t cap the value of these certificates. Use one at a $100-per-night Hilton Garden Inn in Dubuque, Iowa, or drop it at a five-star all-inclusive resort running $2,500-plus a night, and they work all the same.
A few of our favorite ways to burn one:
- Calala Island (Nicaragua): a private-island all-inclusive that normally runs $4,000-plus per night, bookable at 240,000 points (standard rate) when award space opens up
- Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal: cash rates of $1,500–$3,000 per night, with standard award nights going for 220,000–250,000 points
- Hermitage Bay (Antigua): a ~$3,000 per night Caribbean all-inclusive, bookable through Hilton’s SLH partnership for 230,000 points
- Grand Hotel Victoria (Lake Como): 170,000 points a night against cash rates up to $1,400 per night
What are Hilton Points worth?
Not all points are created equal, and hotel points especially. Hilton has quietly pushed award rates higher at its best properties over the past couple of years, and some rooms now run as high as 250,000 points a night for a standard award. But there’s still real, outsized value here – especially at the SLH, Waldorf Astoria, and Conrad properties where a free night certificate can wipe out a four-figure cash rate.
These cards are keepers, not just sign-up bait
The new welcome offers get the headlines, but the ongoing perks are why we’d keep one of these cards long after the bonus is long gone. Depending on which card you pick, you’re looking at automatic Hilton Honors elite status, recurring statement credits toward Hilton stays, and the ability to earn additional free night certificates.
And with the lineup running from no-annual-fee up to the pricey Aspire, there’s a suitable option here whether you stay at Hiltons a few times a year or a few times a month.
Between the free night certificates, six-figure point bonuses, and elite status that sticks around all year, Hilton’s Amex lineup is worth a look right now.
Read the full story on these cards and new offers!
– Jackson Newman, senior editor
🎙️ On the Pod: The 10 Best Redemptions in Points & Miles
⏲️ Some deals are just too good to last. That’s why the guys are shining the light on some of the best deals in all of points and miles – the ones you should book ASAP before they disappear.
Watch it now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And stay tuned for the next installment next week!
🧳 Come Work With Us: We’re Hiring a Hotel Expert!
Are you a diehard traveler and bona fide “sicko” (that’s a term of endearment around here) when it comes to hotels and award travel?
Do you love nothing more than scouring for the next great hotel redemption? Want to help others do the same? Loathe the prospect of another devaluation but relish the thought of breaking that news?
We don’t just want you. We need you.
Here at TT HQ, we’re hiring again – this time for a dedicated hotel deal analyst & reporter. It’s a hybrid role, split between the two worlds of what we do here at Thrifty Traveler:
- You’ll spearhead and even expand the hotel deal alerts that make our Thrifty Traveler Premium+ service so special, and
- Help us cover the news and must-knows of all things hotels on our site, social media, and in this very newsletter!
Not the right fit but know someone who could be? Send them our way – if we hire them, we’ll give you a $500 airline gift card to an airline of your choice!
There’s tons of additional details, responsibilities, qualifications, and basics about the job on our site, but here’s a big one: We’re specifically looking for someone who can join us in our Minneapolis office.
Fit the bill? Be sure to apply by the Sept. 27 deadline!
… and see you soon in the office?
– Kyle Potter, executive editor
✈️ Other Travel Tidbits
- 🎤 Nashville International Airport (BNA) is being renamed in honor of Dolly Parton, after the airport authority voted unanimously to begin the process. More details are expected in the coming months. (Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority)
- 🇰🇷 Korean Air is launching free Starlink Wi-Fi starting tomorrow, becoming the first full-service airline in East Asia to offer it. The rollout starts on four widebody jets, with the full fleet expected to have it by the end of 2027. (Korean Air)
- 🍎 Today only, you can earn up to 4x bonus miles on Apple purchases through select airline shopping portals. (One Mile at a Time)
