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,...
How (Not) To Deal With a Travel Delay
In my world of frequent airline travel, now ongoing for nearly decade, it becomes easy to forget that most do not travel and many of those who do make only one or two holiday trips per year. Nevertheless, my...
Reflections and Predictions: Looking Forward to 2013
Each year I tell myself that I will be traveling less than the previous year, though inevitably I end up traveling more. So I won’t do that this year, though my travel plans for 2013 are not as ambitious....
Havana, Kabul, and 25 Countries: 2012 Year in Review
2012 has been an incredible year, filled with exotic travel and great adventure, though you’d hardly know it if you’re a regular reader of Live and Let’s Fly. Award Expert really hindered my blogging this year and as I...
Final Chance for Status Match + Points Transfer from bmi to British Airways
Come December 31st, now just two days away, the bmi Diamond Club will shut its doors for most of the world. If you’ve neglected transferring any destination miles from your bmi account to your British Airways Executive Club account,...
The Painful Yearend Mileage Run
I truly was looking forward to a week at home between the holidays. No travel, just catching up on a number of projects I have neglected, including Live and Let’s Fly. Then I noticed I ended the year with...
More Starnet Blocking by US Airways
Every savvy points aficionado has a love-hate relationship with US Airways Dividend Miles. After all, with essentially no routing rules, a very attractive award chart, and an abundance of cheap miles made available through perpetual 100% bonus offers, you...
An Afghan Christmas in 2012
Christmas is upon us and I realize that I have been conspicuously absent this month. An odd day to resurface, perhaps, but as you pause today to spend time with family and friends or at least enjoy a day...
New Interface for British Airways Avios Online Redemption
At 2am after working the last 16 hours with only a break to workout, I am too tired to go into detail right now, but I was pleasantly surprised tonight to find what appears to be a positive enhancement...
Chilling in the Kingdom
Visiting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been near the top of my travel list for years, though getting there is not easy. There is no such thing as a tourist visa in the KSA and even obtaining a...
Do You Pilfer from Airline Lounges?
On my way back to Philadelphia Sunday afternoon, I noticed a man with a large plastic bag walking toward the food in the United Club at LAX. With some amusement, I watched him stuff about 20 packaged cheese slices...
Protecting Your Upgrade on United Airlines
Tomorrow is a big day and I could really use a flat bed tonight to fly across the country. The problem: United’s international-config 757s have only 16 seats in BusinessFirst and 153 in economy class, a bad ratio for...
United Will Again Prioritize Meal Orders by Status for 1Ks
Back in the “good old days” legacy United FAs would sort meals orders by status, giving preference to full-fare passengers and top-tier elites. Continental FAs would simply move from front to back, without regard to OnePass status or fare...
