United’s MileagePlus frequent flyer program is shaking up the way they track and award status in 2020 and it’s not all good news for loyalists. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click here. Both support...
American Airlines CEO Doug Parker’s Days Appear Numbered
I wrote earlier this year that I didn’t think American Airlines CEO, Doug Parker, would survive the summer. Now into October, it looks like that prediction may be true, depending on one’s definition of summer. If you are considering booking...
Hyatt’s New Hong Kong Centric Review
During a recent status run, I tried out a new property in one of my favorite cities in the world, Hong Kong. Here is my review of the Hyatt Centric Victoria Harbour Hong Kong. If you are considering booking travel or signing...
Why Don’t You Earn Points on Missed Non-Refundable Reservations
Prepaid and non-refundable hotel stays and flights don’t mind keeping your money when you can’t make the trip, but why do they withhold the points too? If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click here. Both...
Why Thomas Cook Won’t Happen In the US
Thomas Cook, a popular tourism provider based in the UK, has recently gone out of business and stranded some 600,000 passengers across the globe; that wouldn’t happen if it were a US company. If you are considering booking travel or signing...
United’s Plus Points Makes MileagePlus Best In the US?
United Airlines has changed their Regional Premier and Global Premier upgrade system, replacing them with Plus Points instead. And now it’s not just 1K flyers that benefit. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click...
Why Isn’t Cathay Pacific Leveraging US Credit Card Markets to Shore Up Losses?
Cathay Pacific has struggled financially prior to the disruptions in Hong Kong. Why doesn’t the airline turn to the US credit card market for liquidity? If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click here. Both support...
Did a Hilton Hotel Discriminate Against a Gay Interracial Couple?
The Hilton Canopy in Dallas Uptown walked guests last week, something that happens all the time. But the guests suspects discrimination, and the situation is odd to say the least. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new...
Wheelchair Assistance Abusers Are Terrible Humans
After another week of flights, I am done being polite with wheelchair assistance abusers in airports. I’m not talking about people who need wheelchairs – just the intentional few abusing a system enabled to help travellers that need it. ...
Why Do Airlines, Hotels Limit Top Spenders Earnings?
Delta, United and American limit mileage earning on very expensive tickets, hotels stop giving incentives to stay more nights with them. Is this oversight, protection, or stupidity? If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click...
Premium Award Seats Better For Balance Sheets
Airlines are happy to award more miles to customers who spend more money. But they sometimes forget that releasing premium award seats (business and first class) is better for the balance sheet too. If you are considering booking travel or signing up...
Who’s Excited About IHG Promotions? Nobody, Apparently
The purpose of offering a promotion is to gain interaction, drive incremental sales, and engage a customer base. But when your promotion is so bad that customers don’t respond, why run one at all? If you are considering booking travel or signing...
It’s Time For New Luggage – Recommendations Please
Usually, I am the one recommending luggage options for readers, but I have found myself at a crossroads and need some recommendations from our readership, please. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click here. Both...
Unpopular: Variably-Priced Awards Are Better For Most
By November of 2019, the three largest airlines in the world (American, Delta and United) will all have variably-priced award flights in one form or another. Frequent flyers lament them, but for most travellers, it’s good news. If you...
Naughty: Spirit Pushed Credit, Not Refund, For Cancelled Flights
Hurricane Dorian brought many flight cancellations, Florida-based carriers like Spirit were particularly hard hit. But when flights started to cancel, Spirit flight refunds were hard to come by. They pushed credit not refunds for passengers. If you are considering booking...
American Airlines Mechanic Goes Too Far, Hurts Cause
It was revealed this week that an American Airlines mechanic was charged with sabotaging a flight from Miami, then he was arrested. This kind of action hurts their cause. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit...
American Airlines Gives Apologies, Delta Gives Raises
American Airlines is in a never-ending war with their employees, so much so that they instructed how to apologize better while Delta gives their employees raises. A tale of two airlines. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a...
Tough Decisions In The Path of Hurricane Dorian
My family was spending time in South Florida during the development of Hurricane Dorian which lead to some new decision forks about what to do in the path of potential natural doom. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for...
Accused of Damaging My Rental Car
I rent cars an awful lot as part of my day job. Sometimes vehicles are damaged during a rental, sometimes before you even get in. Here’s what happened when I was accused of damaging my rental car. If you...
United.com Forced Me Into a Hidden-City Ticket
On a recent day trip to Houston (yes, these exist outside of mileage and status runs) United’s website broke their own ticketing rules and forced me into a Hidden-City ticket against my will. If you are considering booking travel or signing up...
