Marriott’s new Bonvoy program has not been the success CEO Arne Sorenson has suggested it is. Bonvoy’s award redemption nights don’t just deceive members, they also frustrate and annoy them. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a...
Evaluating Inspirato, a Luxury Travel Subscription
A few readers have asked what I thought of Inspirato, a luxury travel subscription service. I did some investigating and found that for a very narrow audience it may present value but most won’t. If you are considering booking travel or signing...
Hertz is Worse Than Spirit, RyanAir
I am fairly loyal to National Car Rental for a few reasons but until I had to rent from Hertz, I had no idea just how good I had it. By comparison, Hertz is worse than Spirit and RyanAir....
Bonvoyed: SPG Members Leaving Marriott, Data Suggests
Marriott Hotels purchased Starwood and replacing the beloved Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) with a new combined program, Bonvoy. Three data points suggest that SPG members haven’t stayed with the new Bonvoy program. If you are considering booking travel or signing up...
Employee Groups Wage Proxy Boeing Fight for Southwest
The Boeing 737 MAX is a very delicate issue. Airlines are owed for down time but getting passengers back on the planes may be tough. Southwest employee groups are effectively fighting Boeing for Southwest by proxy. If you are...
Lifetime Status: My Pursuits and Results
After traveling for an extended period of time, annual qualifications become a forgone conclusion, but lifetime status overtakes the annual goal. Here are my hotel and airline lifetime progressions and why I seek them. If you are considering booking...
American Airlines Flight Attendants Refuse to Fly the 737 MAX, Southwest Pilots Sue Because They Can’t
Boeing’s 737 MAX has been a divisive issue amongst airlines employees and the traveling public. American Airlines flight attendants refuse to fly it while Southwest pilots sue Boeing because they can’t. What?!? If you are considering booking travel or signing up...
CIBO OTG Taking Over Airport Hubs
If you’ve traversed many of the nation’s largest airports, you’ve encountered been inundated by CIBO or OTG food vendors and restaurants. Increasingly, it seems every restaurant in the airport is one or the other – how did this happen? If...
Review: Chicago Athletic Association (Hyatt Unbound)
The Chicago Athletic Association is a new hotel to the Hyatt family but not a new property in downtown Chicago. Since joining Hyatt, this was our first chance to try the property and we loved it – with one...
Recreating Breakfast at Tiffany’s for our Daughter
Our little Lucy is a huge Audrey Hepburn fan. This year we have set out to recreate some of Hepburn’s iconic moments and the first on the list was Breakfast at Tiffany’s. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for...
Could the 737 MAX Grounding Bury Boeing?
Boeing’s 737-MAX has been grounded for the better part of a year with no end in sight. But with clearance out of their control, is the aircraft manufacturer helpless against mounting losses? If you are considering booking travel or signing up for...
US Bank Lets Me Down Again, and Again, and Again
I have had a mixed relationship with US Bank over the last few years but they have proven time and again, they are simply not a good partner in our banking relationship. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for...
Counterpoint: United Changes Better For Flyers
United Airlines announced some unpopular changes to their frequent flyer program, Mileage Plus. While most met the changes with criticism and contempt, it may actually be better for flyers. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit...
United, Delta Short-Haul Aircraft Better Than American Mainline
As Delta further invests in the customer experience of smaller jets and United rolls out CRJ550s they have surpassed the American mainline fleet. When will management learn? If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click...
What An Airport Auction Is Like
Pittsburgh International Airport announced their annual auction and I have always wanted to attend. This is what an airport auction is really like. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click here. Both support LiveAndLetsFly.com. If...
American Airlines Management Shuffle, The Emperor Has No Clothes
American Airlines announced a handful of senior leadership changes this week ahead of quarterly earnings reports at the end of the month. But few left or even changed departments, does Emperor Parker have new clothes? If you are considering booking...
Is the Great American Airlines Elite Evacuation Underway?
Signs from United and Delta, combined with performance issues with American point to a possibility that elites are starting to leave American Airlines after the summer of discontent. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please...
Review: Brand New Park Hyatt Shenzhen – Suite
The brand new Park Hyatt Shenzhen perfects luxury high above southeastern China’s Silicon Valley. When given the opportunity to review the property, I couldn’t pass it up. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click...
United MileagePlus Announces 2020 Qualification Requirements
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...
