A Delta 747 airborne. The iconic Boeing jet is fading into the past as airlines replace it with more efficient models. Delta Air LinesSkift Take: An icon of the skies draws closer to retirement — Colin NagyWe’ve already lost the beautiful Concorde to excessive cost and tragedy, but now another one of world’s most iconic airline designs is due to follow. The Boeing 747, an icon that harkens back to another time of flying (think the Pan Am glory days), is set to fade away.

A rendering of guest room at a future Cambria hotels & suites property in Chicago. Hotel loyalty programs are becoming an increasingly vital part of hotel companies' strategies. Choice Hotels International Skift Take: We're calling 2017 as the year when loyalty becomes an even bigger focus for hotels, if it isn't already.

A United Express Bombardier Q200 on the ground in Buffalo. United has been flying this turboprop between two of its hubs — Newark and Washington Dulles. redlegsfan21 / FlickrSkift Take: It's nice to see United Airlines on the offensive again. Look for more flights on bigger jets in key business markets from United, which has fallen behind American and Delta in some important urban markets.

Skift Take: Think of them as tweeners. And that's the point: Travelers in their 50s, squeezed between Gen Xers and Baby Boomers, are breaking new ground in their global meanderings. Brands had better pay attention, although Fifties may be tricky to pigeon-hole. — Dennis SchaalDownload your copy of Skift Megatrends 2017 Last month we released our annual travel industry trends forecast, Skift Megatrends 2017.

Ian Schrager at the annual Americas Lodging Investment Summit conference in Los Angeles on January 25, 2017. Americas Lodging Investment ConferenceSkift Take: Schrager has a lot of strong opinions on the current state of the hotel industry and, given his track record of success, it's probably not a bad idea to listen to them.

The InterContinental New York Barclay. A number of hotel CEOs and industry analysts believe 2017 will see an increase in business travel after a rocky 2016. InterContinental Hotels GroupSkift Take: Even though every day with the new Trump administration seems unpredictable, early signs have convinced many in the hotel industry that this might just be the year that corporate travel rebounds from its 2016 slump.

A United Airlines customer uses an airport kiosk. The airline's CEO said United is doing what it can to improve its IT infrastructure. Associated PressSkift Take: Let's give some credit to United CEO Oscar Munoz for his honestly about problems with airline IT systems. Yes, he was speaking with employees, and not the public, but many CEOs aren't this candid when they meet with workers. Former United CEO Jeff Smisek certainly wasn't.

Skift Take: Compared to previous years we've done this survey, there's been an improvement. But really: a third of Americans say they didn't get a break in 2016, and that's not good. — Jason Clampet My fellow Americans (as well as readers from around the world who are interested in how Americans travel). We’ve looked at the habits of U.S. travelers for the past few years, either through stories or surveys, or other means.

Southwest, which has trademarked the made-up word, "Transfarency," argues its straight-forward pricing approach is a competitive advantage. Southwest AirlinesSkift Take: Yet again, Southwest is choosing not to copy United, American and Delta.

Skift Take: It takes patience and methodical planning to build a new market — and the cruise industry seems to be settling into China until that’s done, with whatever tweaks are necessary along the way. — Hannah SampsonDownload your copy of Skift Megatrends 2017 Earlier this month we released our annual travel industry trends forecast, Skift Megatrends 2017. You can read about each of the trends on Skift, or download a copy of our magazine here.