Let me tell you about my day yesterday. It started when my alarm went off at 4:00a and I hit snooze every five minutes until 4:25a, rolling out of bed with a sigh and doubts over what I was...
Reserve Your Entrée Before You Fly on American Airlines? No.
After a stressful couple days of standby travel on United, it was time for my girlfriend and me to fly to Los Angeles. I opted for a confirmed ticket on American Airlines and secured an upgrade to first class for...
Your Driver’s License is not an ID Card!
ID Card (noun) – a card bearing identifying data (as age or organizational membership) about the individual whose name appears thereon. Betcha thought this was going to be a post about the TSA. It’s not. It’s about Budget Rent-A-Car. And...
TSA Will Remove Some Nude Scanners
Chalk this up as a small victory in the war on common sense. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) confirmed today that it will remove some airport body scanners that produce a naked image of travelers by June. These are the large...
American Airlines’ New Livery Looks Familiar!
American Airlines rolled out a new logo and aircraft livery today. No one asked me for my opinion, but I’ll weigh in just the same. First, you know I prefer the status quo when it comes to many things,...
Review: Park Hyatt Hamburg
When my brother and I decided to drive up to Hamburg for a weekend, there were many considerations that shaped our travel plans. Hamburg, Germany’s second largest city, is a nice change of pace from Frankfurt and it was...
No Solution When a Trip Falls Apart
Sometimes even the most diligent planning and scrupulous attention to detail cannot save an ill-fated trip from self-destruction. Take this recent lurid account of mitchmu regarding a United ticket from San Francisco to Panama City via Houston. Keep in...
United Airlines First Class San Francisco to New York JFK
Note what is not in the title—p.s.—the “premium service” designation given to the Los Angeles/San Francisco-New York Kennedy routes in 2005 by United in an effort to distinguish itself from American Airlines (and later Delta Air Lines and Virgin...
United Airlines Global First Lounge at SFO – Tour + Pictures
When I arrived in SFO, without even thinking it has become so rote, I headed right for the domestic United Club. Suddenly, I stopped in my tracks and looked down at my boarding pass. It did say “first class”...
First Class Downgrade = First Class Upgrade on United
When does a first class downgrade equal a first class upgrade? Read on to find out. Sunday, I was scheduled to fly from Burbank to New York JFK via San Francisco. “Premium Service” transcon flights feature three-cabins of service...
The Perfect End to a LAX Mileage Run
I mentioned last week that I had to take a last-minute year-end mileage run from LA to Boston on December 30th in order to secure the 5K miles necessary to push me over the 150K EQM mark. The trip...
Megabus Wins Again
A quick update on my perpetual struggle of choosing between the value of Megabus or the comfort and convenience of Amtrak to get between Philadelphia and Washington. Yesterday, I found I needed to get to Washington as soon as...
Great Fares to Istanbul on Turkish, Delta and United Airlines (under $400!)
Quite frankly, I have no idea how Turkish Airlines makes any money. The carrier constantly runs fares sales to destinations around the world, including to a number of U.S. cities, at price levels that bely rationality and prevailing market...
Air France/KLM Flying Blue Lives in the Stone Age
Somewhere between the Stone Age and the Twilight Zone sits the Air France Flying Blue North American call center. Ontario, Canada? Please…It pains me to even recall this story, but it will be instructive. Here’s the quick summary—don’t ever...
American Express Platinum Card: 100,000 Membership Rewards Sign-Up Bonus
Update: Offer expired. Per Ben, sign up for the American Express Platinum Card and receive 100,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend $3,000 in three months. UPDATE: Noon ET — deal is dead. Congrats to all got in on...
Review: Hyatt Regency Resort Thessaloniki
When planning my Balkan adventure over the summer, I saw that Macedonia spilled out into northern Greece and there happened to be a Hyatt Regency near the airport in the city of Thessaloniki, where I could catch a non-stop...
Non-Rev Adventures on United Airlines, Part III
If you missed it, Part I and Part II New York was fine. We did about half of what I wanted to accomplish, but my friend did find a new pair of UGG boots for about 40% less than...
Non-Rev Adventures on United Airlines, Part II
Check out Part I here. Decisions, decisions. New York via Chicago or a non-stop flight to Washington and skip New York? I had a room booked for two nights at the Millenium Hilton that could not be cancelled, but...
Non-Rev Adventures on United Airlines, Part I
While it pains me to even tell you this story, I trust you can enjoy a chuckle at my expense (maybe one day I will too…) and avoid a very carless mistake. A couple weeks ago, I had a...
Review: Hyatt Andaz Liverpool Street London
Let’s face it: there are not enough days of the year for me to review every hotel in London. Does that mean, however, that I cannot authoritatively recommend one even while others have yet to be reviewed? Certainly not,...
