For the first time in a quarter century, Alaska Airlines is refreshing its brand image in a major way, with changes coming to everything from credit cards to aircraft livery. Why the change now? Isn’t one of Alaska’s best...
My Incredible Amtrak Guest Rewards Redemption
Amtrak is devaluing its Guest Rewards program tomorrow, so if you are sitting on any sizable quantity of Amtrak points and thinking about a long-distance journey in the next year, you need to call Guest Rewards at 1-800-307-5000 before midnight ET...
UberX Finally Available at LAX
After months of behind-the-scenes negotiations with recalcitrant regulators, UberX will finally be allowed to pick up passengers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) starting today, January 20, 2016, at 8am PT. Uber has suffered a string of setbacks in...
United Global Services and 1K Members Now Get Free Food in Economy Class
Rumors have been swirling over the last few days that United Airlines’ top-tier elite members would receive complimentary food in addition to complimentary alcoholic beverages when flying in economy class. I reached out to United for confirmation on Monday...
Amal Clooney Cautions Against Visiting Maldives
Human Rights lawyer Amal Clooney was on Meet the Press on Sunday to discuss the Maldives…not a usual topic for the Sunday morning talk shows. I found the segment fascinating and encourage you to watch it in its entirety–...
LifeMiles Mixed Cabin Redemptions Now Possible
In a surprising move that suddenly makes Avianca LifeMiles much more valuable, mixed cabin awards are now bookable! First, business, and economy class can now be mixed on a single itinerary, with the highest cabin establishing the price of...
Full Hot Meal on a 1hr Economy Class Flight
Hop on an 11.5hr flight from Newark to Honolulu on United Airlines in economy class and you’ll be given the choice to buy a meal or snackbox onboard. Don’t want to spend anything? Coffee, tea, or soft drinks (and...
In the Maldives, When They Say No Alcohol, They Mean No Alcohol
The Maldives is not the only nation that take a hard-line stance against alcohol, but it certainly is one of the more paradoxical examples. While the nation maintains a strict Islamic façade, it looks the other way as dozens...
When is a Vacation Too Long?
I’m back from a very long trip…the longest trip I’ve ever taken. I realize some of you will snicker when I reveal my vacation was only 3.5 weeks, but for someone who is used to taking 2-3 day trips,...
"You can’t get in a long tube with a bunch of demons…it’s deadly!"
If you’ve ever wondered why some preachers need a private jet, you’re not alone. Thankfully the answer is now a little clearer. You may just want to skip my commentary and go right to the video at the...
United CEO Oscar Munoz Receives Heart Transplant!
United CEO Oscar Munoz, who suffered a heartback and was forced to temproraily step down just weeks into his tenure, recevied a heart transplant on Wednesday. United isssued the following statement: Our president and CEO, Oscar Munoz, underwent a...
New "Economy Plus Essentials" and "Economy Plus Enhanced" Bundles on United
Airlines are in the business of profiting from ancillary fees and both Delta and American have already introduced bundled packages for economy class passengers that include perks like extra legroom, lounge access, checked baggage, and priority security and boarding....
New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner at Park Hyatt Goa
As I mentioned yesterday, my wife and I rang in the new year in Goa at the Park Hyatt, a lush resort complex nestled in a very picturesque part of India. As is the case with many resorts over...
A Premature Evaluation of 2015
It is the last day of 2015 but I think it is still too premature to evaluate the year. Award Expert and this blog continue to grow, I appeared on TV three times, was quoted in several publications, spoke at...
Are the Etihad First Class A380 Apartments Worthwhile?
Etihad has released a generous amount of first class award space on its A380 Abu Dhabi to New York Kennedy flight. Etihad’s trend-setting “First Apartments” on this flight certainly set a standard for spaciousness in a first class seat....
2015 Airline Christmas Videos
Merry Christmas from Germany! I am spending my first ever Christmas away from Los Angeles with my wife’s family. There is something magical about being in Germany for Christmas and I am looking forward to relaxing and recharging for...
LAX TSA Chorus Sings Christmas Carols
A volunteer cadre of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents at Los Angeles International Airport has assembled into a singing group, called the LAX TSA Chorus. And they’re not bad either…not too bad… I took the videos below five years ago...
Last Day to Purchase Discounted Alaska Miles
We’ve seen a renaissance of attractive mileage sales this season and one of the leaders in hawking points has been Alaska Airlines, which has a great loyalty program with attractive redemption partners like Emirates and Cathay Pacific. The current...
American Airlines Won’t Proactively Waive Telephone Booking Fee
American Airlines has a number of award partners that are not bookable on aa.com. A call to AA Reservations is necessary to book this space and reservations made over the phone carry a $40 booking fee. This fee was...
Refusing to Transport Israelis, Kuwait Airways Suspends New York to London Flight
Politics is the oddest of sports and the decades-long conflict in the Middle East is manifested in strange ways — like some nations not recognizing Israel while simultaneously vowing to eliminate it. Kuwait is one of those nations and...
