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Emirates is doubling down on its strategy to redefine travel retail, hitting a key expansion milestone with the opening of its 10th flagship ‘Emirates World’ store in Abidjan, bringing the current store count to 10 Emirates World Stores and 9 travel retail outlets globally.  The airline has invested AED 174 million (USD$47.4 million) to expand its travel retail footprint and is building on this momentum with plans to introduce 29 more travel retail concepts in 2026, taking the total store count to 48 by the end of this year.

Premier Inn Middle East has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Equitativa Real Estate, an international holding company providing real estate funding and investment management capabilities, marking an important step in the brand’s next phase of growth across the GCC.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection sets a new benchmark in luxury hospitality, becoming the first cruise brand to earn a Five-Star rating from Forbes Travel Guide. Ilma, the company’s second ultra-luxury yacht, receives the milestone distinction in the newly unveiled 2026 Star Awards, announced today by Forbes Travel Guide, the only global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas and cruise ships. Ilma now joins a distinguished group of global honorees showcased on ForbesTravelGuide.com.

Drawing inspiration from sun-washed coastlines and resort escapes, the collaboration transforms the spirit of The Ritz-Carlton’s most iconic resorts into travel pieces designed to be carried, collected, and remembered.
Guided by a shared passion for travel and a deep sense of place, The Ritz-Carlton announces a new collaboration with Kilometre Paris, the luxury accessories brand renowned for its hand-embroidered, destination-driven designs. The limited-edition capsule translates four iconic coastal resorts – The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel; The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara; The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, and The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami – into a colorful assortment of beach totes, bucket bags, and bandanas perfect for leisure travel.

Emirates has announced a series of aircraft deployments and product upgrades across its network, extending the reach of Premium Economy and delivering a more consistent experience for customers.

As part of its ongoing retrofit programme, the airline is set to complete the upgrade of its first high-density, two-class A380 by mid-April. The aircraft will be reconfigured into a three-class layout featuring 76 Business Class seats, 56 Premium Economy seats, and 437 Economy Class seats.

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines are welcoming spring with the launch of new seasonal menus, bringing fresh flavors, thoughtful sourcing and chef-inspired dishes to guests.

EVA Air will start a new route from Taipei to Washington, D.C. on June 26 this year, offering four flights each week. With this new route, EVA Air’s North American network will grow to include 10 gateways, two of which will feature the new fourth-generation Premium Economy class and increase the total weekly flights to 98. This makes EVA Air the airline with the most destinations and the largest flight network from Taiwan to North America. Tickets are now available for booking at www.evaair.com.

Tickets for the 2026 Formula 1® Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix are now on sale, as Abu Dhabi prepares to host the F1 season finale — with Lewis Capaldi and Zara Larsson set to perform on the opening night.

The final race of the Formula 1 season returns to Yas Marina Circuit from December 3–6, closing out the championship in front of a global audience. Organisers Ethara, recently named F1 Promoter of the Year following the success of the 2025 event, have confirmed the first artists for the 2026 entertainment line-up.

AirAsiaX (AAX) Berhad celebrated a monumental milestone in the airline’s global expansion strategy with the announcement of two long-awaited international routes, connecting Kuala Lumpur to Bahrain and onwards to London Gatwick (KUL-BAH-LGW), at a press conference in Bahrain today.

Southwest Airlines Co. is taking inflight connectivity to new heights with Starlink. Engineered by SpaceX, Starlink will deliver next-generation WiFi across Southwest’s network of 11 countries, allowing Customers to stream, share, and scroll in the sky at lightning-fast speeds.