From flying to Lapland for no additional Avios, to using them to pay for ski passes once there, IAG Loyalty – the organisation behind global reward currency Avios – and Finnair, have revealed some of the lesser-known ways UK travellers can make their Avios go further with the national carrier of Finland.

Day 1 of the World Aviation Festival 2026 opened today in Lisbon, with airlines, airports and technology companies sharing how artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are being used to speed up aircraft turnarounds, improve ground operations and make journeys easier for passengers.  Exhibitors also released new industry research and announced airline partnerships at and ahead of the festival. The festival brings together more than 4,500 attendees and 600 speakers over three days at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL), from Oct. 13 to Oct. 15.  New for 2026 are a dedicated Airport & Airline Collaboration Track and the Ancillary Arena, a pitch competition for new ancillary revenue ideas.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (WSHA) have agreed to strengthen alignment on sustainability between the airline and hospitality sectors. The agreement, signed at the World Sustainability Symposium, will have an initial focus on the procurement of hotel services by airlines. Airlines and hotels face many similar environmental, social, and governance challenges. These include responsible procurement, environmental management, social responsibility, supply chain performance, and increasingly complex sustainability measurement and reporting expectations.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), Airbus and Accenture released a SAF Environmental Attribute Certificate (EAc) Market study which estimates that corporate purchases could support between 1.0 million and 1.9 million tonnes of SAF by 2030, up from an estimated 323,000 tonnes in 2024. This is a strong demand signal for more SAF production, provided factors limiting corporate participation, such as unclear accounting rules, high prices, and purchasing complexity, are addressed.

Brazil has achieved its best-ever result in the Blue Flag programme, one of the world’s most respected sustainability certifications: 75 beaches and marinas have been certified for the 2026/2027 season, a 25% increase from the 60 locations recognised in the previous edition. The achievement reinforces Brazil’s leadership in South America and its second-place position across the Americas. For travellers dreaming of idyllic beaches, the expanded network offers more destinations where enjoying nature goes hand in hand with protecting it.

Air Canada have announced the launch of Air Canada Embarq, a new self-serve travel management platform designed specifically to help Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises and non-profit organizations take control of their business travel needs. Part of Air Canada for Business, Air Canada Embarq brings travel management, tracking and rewards together in one centralized platform, giving Canadian businesses a simpler way to manage travel, optimize budgets and support employees on the road. Travellers book directly through aircanada.com, with eligible travel automatically recognized and attributed to their company.

How airline distribution, multi-carrier itineraries and AI assistants are reshaping the way travellers find cheap flights, and what it means for the industry.