What to Know Now

Over at Conde Nast, Deputy Consumer News Editor Paul Brady points out that NOW is the time to start planning your holiday travel — after Labor Day, prices are only going to rise.

Wise words. My Thanksgiving tickets to South America have been booked for months, and the Christmas flights are already on the radar. Here in August, there are still a few award seats and cheap fares scattered across the network — lock in your schedule now and use the leftover money to buy Ostrich Pillows for your family.

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Top Story

Travel down under may soon be getting more expensive. Australia’s flag carrier Qantas is looking to cut $1B from its international business and continue restructuring in the face of massive losses. That means fewer flights from Australia to the US and Europe, lower capacity and higher prices. Our advice? Snag your mileage tickets now and watch from the sidelines. In the meantime, you can learn how to talk better Australians here.

Social Quote of the Day

Good idea. Contest to give disheveled @Trivago guy a makeover. http://ow.ly/Arium

@hbaskas | Harriet Baskas, Writer/radio producer happiest in an airport or unusual museum

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Airlines

What It Means For Airlines When a Celebrity Chef Prepares the Meals: Airlines from around the world have started hooking up with their hometowns’ hottest celebrity chefs in an attempt to create business- and first-class menu selections that passengers will look forward to eating. Read more at Skift

American Airlines Is 99% Finished With Settling Bankruptcy Claims: American Airlines resolved 99 percent of about 22,000 creditor claims filed in the Chapter 11 reorganization that concluded in November in a merger with US Airways to form American Airlines Group Inc. Read more at Skift

The Best Way to Get Good Sleep on a Plane, According to Science: “Sleeping on a plane is a great opportunity to reset your body clock so you arrive at your destination after a long flight, feeling refreshed and rested,” says Walsh. “The short transatlantic flights west give a great opportunity for naps that will refresh you for that long first evening in New York or LA.” Read more at Skift

Save 25% On JetBlue Award Tickets: JetBlue is running an award discount on flights booked today or tomorrow. The discount is 25% off award tickets and this makes for a great combination with the bonus on Membership Reward transfers. Read more at Running with Miles

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Airports

Kenya Hopeful Delta Will Be First U.S. Airline to Fly Direct to Nairobi: Delta Air Lines Inc. may become the first carrier to fly directly to Kenya from the U.S. as early as next year and Kenya Airways Ltd. plans to follow, said Michael Kamau, transport secretary for the East African nation. Read more at Skift

Montana National Park Reports Record Visitation Thanks to Local Airport Growth: It appears 2014 is shaping up to be an exciting benchmark year at Glacier Park International Airport, and the Flathead Valley only stands to benefit from it. Read more at Skift

 Southwest says goodbye to old gates at Love as flights shift to new terminal: On Jan. 13, 1974, Southwest Airlines moved into the old American Airlines terminal at Dallas Love Field and took possession of two gates. Eventually, its footprint grew to all 15 gates in that terminal.  But as of Friday, Southwest is permanently out, and what remains of the old terminal will soon be a pile of rubble. Read more at The Dallas Morning News

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Tech

New Mobile Passport Control App Being Piloted in Atlanta: U.S. Customs and Border Protection let travelers use its new mobile passport control app for the first time Wednesday at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, provided they were American or Canadian. Read more at Skift

The Skully Smart Motorcycle Helmet Sharpens Your Senses On The Road: The Skully AR-1 helmet started quite literally as a fever dream by founder and CEO Dr. Marcus Weller, who had been in multiple motorcycle accidents before. He dreamt of a helmet that could give him HUD directions and GPS, and even let him get a clearer view of what’s behind him. He woke up in the middle of the night and spent an hour looking for this helmet, certain that it must exist in the world. Read more at TechCrunch

Scientists Identify the Gene Responsible for Jetlag: No amount of pampering, pillow-fluffing, or photon-showering on airplanes has yet saved corporate jet-setters and global adventurists from the pain of jet lag. But new research published in eLife has sniffed out a potentially potent solution: a drug that would tamper with the master sleep cycle gene to help haggard fliers quickly adjust to time differences. Read more at Skift
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Hotels

Hotel Uses TED-Like Talks to Build Brand Loyalty with Clients: Omni Hotels knows that sometimes you have to give in order to get.  The 60-property brand recently announced the fourth year of its Be Collaborative roadshow, a professional development series for meetings planners, and potential clients, across the country. Read more at Skift

Grasshoppers = Bar Snacks? At the Four Seasons in Punta Mita They Are: There’s a new addition to the menu at the high-end Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita in Mexico.   Chapulines, more commonly known as grasshoppers and a delicacy in Mexico, are a result of the collaboration between Executive Chef Philippe Piel and his team of talented Mexican chefs. Read more at Yahoo Travel

Waldorf Astoria Hotels Gets Experiential With Ferrari Driving Tours: In partnership with US DXL, Waldorf Astoria properties in Park City, Utah; Palm Springs, California; Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona; Boca Raton, Florida, and New Orleans will offer the Waldorf Astoria Driving Experience at $999 per couple on select dates in late September through December 2014. Read more at Skift

Your Turn

Engadget’s Zach Honig had a fond farewell to Cathay Pacific’s 747 this past weekend. Enjoy the read here.

Tips and Comments

Can be sent to [email protected] and @grantkmartin. We publish the Business Newsletter twice a week on Monday and Thursday.

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Photo credit: A Qantas Airways Boeing 737-800 plane (top) and a Dash 8 aircraft move down the runway at Sydney Airport in this picture taken April 29, 2013. David Gray / Reuters

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