Welcome to The Morning Shave for Tuesday, August 26, 2025. For a limited time, you can earn the Southwest Companion pass for taking just one flight, Southwest is adding a third international partner airline, and United Airlines is reopening a newly redesigned lounge in Denver. Visit BaldThoughts.com/tms to read all the stories.
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The Morning Shave
Book a Round-Trip Flight and Earn a Promotional Southwest Companion Pass.
The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the most valuable airline benefits available. While Southwest doesn’t offer first class, you can save thousands per year with its unlimited companion pass perk. For a limited time, if you complete one round-trip flight, your companion pass will be good from January 6 to March 6, 2026. To take advantage of this promo, register AND book a trip using cash or points by August 28th, then complete your flight by November 15th.
Southwest Reveals Third Interline Partner, EVA Air.
Under this newest partnership, Southwest Rapid Rewards members and other passengers can book transpacific itineraries with EVA through an initial four gateways: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Chicago. Adding EVA Air is now a third option, along with Icelandair and Taiwanese flag carrier China Airlines. And it seems like even more partnerships are expected based on these comments – A “progression” of its partnerships may be ahead, as those relationships “can become more comprehensive over time,” CFO Tom Doxey noted during a June TD Cowen conference.
Airlines See Changes to Bookings Amid U.S. Immigration Crackdown.
According to international carriers, fewer travelers are booking flights to and from the U.S. based on immigration policies. Data points indicate a rise in detentions, interrogations, and even deportations involving both international visitors and U.S. visa holders at the border. And new visa restrictions are discouraging travel among international students who normally come to the U.S. for our well-regarded universities. Have your international travel plans changed this year?
A Supersized United Lounge Just Opened at Denver Airport—and We Took a Look Around.
Airport lounges make everything better when flying (as long as the lounge isn’t full). United is taking away that worry with a massive renovation to its Denver Airport lounge that has been closed since 2023. The lounge is now two stories and 33,000-square-foot. It almost makes me want to book a Business or First Class award ticket so I can access it. And a Polaris Lounge is also in the works for Denver, so great things are happening in the Mile High city.
Report: Spirit Airlines explores second bankruptcy restructuring.
Although Spirit Airlines only emerged from bankruptcy in March 2025, a cash crunch is making the beleaguered airline consider filing for a second time. The airline is trying to bolster liquidity through the sale of real estate, aircraft and excess gate capacity. Since June 30th, it has already sold 14 of its 32 spare engines to raise $250 million and it recently tapped a $275 million revolving loan agreement to boost its cash reserves. I think the airline missed its chance to sell to JetBlue due to regulatory concerns about reducing competition, and now it may go under completely.
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