u/JetsetTraveler

I went down a bit of a rabbit hole recently and figured I’d share this because it might help someone squeeze out an award that isn’t showing up online.

Over the past few years, there have been a handful of brand-new international airports that opened with entirely new IATA codes. In some cases, they replaced older airports nearby, and in others they just added capacity to a metro area. The catch is that a lot of airline award search engines still don’t seem fully synced with these newer codes, especially on partner bookings.

What I’ve noticed is that some partner sites will only recognize or prioritize the older airport code when you’re doing a search. So routes that absolutely exist and are bookable may show zero availability, even though the operating airline is flying them and selling seats.

A good example of how this can play out: you might find a flight directly on an airline like Vietnam Airlines that clearly has seats for sale, but when you try to search the same route through Delta or Virgin, nothing comes up. In those cases, if you call in and feed the agent the exact flight number, date, and routing, they can often see and price it out even though it never appeared online.

The reason this matters is pretty simple. If the search engines aren’t surfacing those routes properly, fewer people are looking for them. That can mean better availability than you’d expect, especially on newer routes tied to these newer airports.

Here are a few of the newer airport code situations I’ve been tracking that seem most relevant for this:

Siem Reap moved from REP to SAI
Phnom Penh is transitioning toward the new airport KTI (replacing PNH over time)
Goa added GOX alongside the older GOI airport
Rajkot moved from RAJ to HSR
Luanda is shifting from LAD to NBJ

There are others, but these are the ones where I’ve seen the most disconnect so far.

The takeaway is pretty straightforward. If you’re not finding what you expect on partner award searches, it’s worth checking whether a newer airport code might be involved. Search the operating airline directly, and if you find something that looks promising, call the partner program and have them look it up manually.

It’s a little extra work, but this is exactly the kind of edge that still works in award travel.

Curious if anyone else has run into this or has other airport/code mismatches that have worked in their favor.

My Top 10 List for airports opened since 2022.
Felipe Ángeles International Airport — Mexico City, Mexico Old code: N/A New code: NLU
Manohar International Airport — Goa (Mopa), India Old code: GOI New code: GOX
Techo International Airport — Phnom Penh, Cambodia Old code: PNH New code: KTI
Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport — Siem Reap, Cambodia Old code: REP New code: SAI
Tulum International Airport — Tulum, Mexico Old code: N/A New code: TQO
Maharishi Valmiki International Airport — Ayodhya, India Old code: N/A New code: AYJ
Rajkot International Airport — Rajkot, India Old code: RAJ New code: HSR
Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport — Luanda, Angola Old code: LAD New code: NBJ
Brașov-Ghimbav International Airport — Brașov, Romania Old code: N/A New code: GHV
Dhoho Airport — Kediri, Indonesia Old code: N/A New code: DHX

Just got back from a six-night stay at the Thompson Palm Springs and wanted to share a detailed review for anyone considering it. This was our second visit, and it absolutely reinforced how much we like this property.

We stayed in early April for a birthday trip. The first night was booked using a Category 1–7 free night certificate, followed by five nights on points, and we applied a Suite Upgrade Award for the 5 nights booked with points.

First off, the location is hard to beat. You’re right in downtown Palm Springs, and we didn’t rent a car at all. Everything is walkable—restaurants, bars, coffee shops, the Palm Springs Art Museum, and even some great architectural stops like the Frey House tour. That convenience alone adds a lot of value to the stay.

Service has been consistently excellent for us across both visits. Before arrival, we reached out to the hotel noting it was a birthday trip, and they recognized us as returning guests. Verne (concierge) was especially helpful—he proactively walked us through room options given the mixed booking (FNA + points + SUA) and asked whether we wanted to stay in one room or experience different room types. We opted to move after the first night so we could try a specific king room category.

For the first night, we stayed in room 453 (king view room overlooking the main pool). This is one of the rooms I had specifically hoped to try, and it delivered. Great west-facing mountain views, a large balcony, and a lively outlook over the main pool. The room itself is beautifully done—modern, clean, and very well maintained. The pool area does get active, so if you’re sensitive to noise, this may not be the best choice. I always sleep with earplugs and had no issues, and my partner wasn’t bothered either. If you want quieter surroundings, the courtyard-facing rooms are noticeably calmer.

For the remainder of the stay, we moved to a suite in the Upper Stories section (room 278). This area feels almost like a separate hotel—much quieter, more low-key, and I believe adults-only. The suite itself was excellent: large living room and bedroom, two big TVs, a spacious bathroom, and two separate outdoor spaces (one with chaise lounges, one with a table and chairs). It’s a great setup if you want space and a more relaxed environment.

We spent one full day at the Upper Stories pool, which was perfect for reading and unwinding after time at the main pool. It’s definitely a lower-energy vibe. One tradeoff is that poolside service is more limited—you generally need to call for service, and it can take a bit longer. That said, they do offer complimentary touches like sparkling wine, non-alcoholic drinks, bottled water, and a small selection of snacks (including yogurt and Poppy sodas), which is a nice perk.

Dining on property is strong. As a Globalist, breakfast at Lola Rose was consistently excellent—great service, a solid menu, and the flexibility to sit indoors or outdoors. We also had dinner there one night and it was just as good.

We ate at Bar Issi one evening and highly recommend booking in advance (we used Resy). It’s a popular spot and fills up quickly. We were able to use Amex Platinum dining credits, which effectively covered most of the meal—always a nice bonus if you have that benefit.

Another underrated perk is the house car. They’ll drop you off within about a two-mile radius—we used it twice for dinner reservations that were a bit farther out, then walked back. The vehicle is a large electric Cadillac Escalade and makes for a very comfortable ride.

Off-property dining is one of the highlights of staying here given the walkability. We went back to Johannes (on Indian Canyon/Arenas), which has been a favorite of ours since 1999—great California/Austrian-inspired menu and an excellent schnitzel selection. Bar Cecil is another standout if you can snag a reservation (book right when they open slots—usually two weeks out).

Overall, this property hits a really nice balance. It’s not a massive resort, but it has enough scale and amenities to feel full-service. At the same time, it retains a boutique feel with consistently strong service and well-designed spaces.

Between the location, the quality of the rooms, the service, and the ability to leverage Hyatt points, free night certificates, and suite upgrades, this is one of our favorite go-to properties in the U.S.

Happy to answer any specific questions, but in short—highly recommended.

Interesting quirk with new airport codes and award searches (advanced award nerd info)

Thompson Palm Springs Review