It is Friday, that special day of the week reserved for dumping bad news. At around midnight CT, United Airlines posted the following on Twitter– A very ambiguous message, so it will do little good now to speculate about...
Delta Agent: No Connections Allowed on Award Flights
While I technically provide a *research and consultation service* to help people effectively use their miles and points, I do offer to book tickets as an incidental complimentary service in correlation with the research and most take me up...
50,000 Point Sign Up Offer for American Express Business Gold Rewards Card
UPDATE: Offer has expired. The American Express 50,000 point sign-up bonus with no annual fee during the first year has returned from hiatus. Earn three points per dollar on airfare and double points on gas purchases (in the USA)....
Pay-to-Play VIP Treatment on Delta and American, but not United
Scott Mayerowitz has a piece out today on how three of the legacies are offering extra special VIP treatment for select guests, namely “true” VIPs and those willing to slap down some cash. American Airlines built a private check-in lobby in Los Angeles...
How to Obtain a Saudi Arabian Transit Visa
11/2013 UPDATE: Numerous reports suggest that Saudi Arabia has suspended the issue of transit visas in the United States. Contact your nearest Saudi consulate or the Saudi Embassy in Washington if you are in need of one. Case-by-case exceptions...
Book One-Way Award Travel on American Airlines with Alaska Mileage Plan
Lucky reports that one-way travel at half the round-trip price is now available online for Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members. Rumors of this change in policy begin swirling last month but have not been confirmed up until this point...
Book Alitalia Award Space on Delta.com
Booking Alitalia award space just got a lot easier using Delta Skymiles with the rollout of online booking at delta.com. Even yesterday I had to call Delta to book an Alitalia award and let me tell you–it was never...
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...
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....
Adding an Infant Ticket to a Virgin Australia Delta SkyMiles Award
Now that I have lost most of you with such a boring title, let me tell you a little about my day. Days actually. It has taken two weeks to get an infant ticket issued for a client and...
A Recap of the 2012 Freddie Awards
I had a wonderful time at the Freddie Awards in New York City last night, mingling with a number of bloggers, journalists, industry folk, and even some of my readers! A big thanks to Gary Leff for the invite and...
An Amazing Delta TV Ad
Airline television ads are one of my favorite topics on Live and Let’s Fly. I’ve raved about United Airlines ads, been awestruck by British Airways not once, but twice, and been wowed by Virgin Atlantic. But I may have...
The Delta Online SkyMiles Award Search Tool is Broken (Really Broken)
For those that have ever tried to redeem Delta SkyMiles at delta.com, you know how difficult that can be. The system is broken and has been for years now. But now it’s really broken, to the point of total...
Delta Shows the Grass is Greener on the Other Side, at least in North America
My travels took me to Bermuda last weekend, thanks to a very low Delta Air Lines fare from Newark. Despite holding Delta Platinum status for a year (I have no status anymore with Delta), it was also my first...
Spirit Airlines Bickers Over the Return of All-In Pricing
A refreshing change has hit U.S. airline websites this morning: the return of all-in pricing. Under a new directive by the Department of Transportation, airlines must now display all-in pricing initially and at all junctures of your flight search–not...
Bigoted Delta Pilot Throws Muslims Off Flight
How would you feel if you were searched by the TSA, then “randomly” searched and questioned again prior to boarding, then required by the airline gate agent to show your identification while other passengers were not, then pulled off...
Man Sues Delta for $2MN for Hearing Loss on Loud Flight
I have seen dozens of petty airline-related lawsuits over the years, but this one takes the cake. An Oregon man is suing Delta Air Lines for $2MN, claiming he suffered permanent hearing loss on a fight from Minneapolis to...
Delta Air Lines Hijacker Captured in Portugal
Remember the days when people who hijacked airplanes just wanted money or to make a point without physcailly hurting anyone? A convicted killer who escaped a New Jersey prison in 1970, then hijacked a U.S. airliner two years later,...
The Legality and Ethics of Terminating a Frequent Flyer Account
Random Segments writes a well-reasoned and provocative piece on the case of Rabbi S. Binyomin Ginsberg, the Minneapolis man who found his elite status revoked and mileage account closed after complaining too much to Northwest Airlines. Ginsberg is suing,...
Wi-Fi Arrives on Delta Regional Jets
Delta is already one of the leading U.S. carriers when it comes to in-flight internet access and now has become the first U.S. carrier to offer wireless internet access on its regional fleet: Delta Air Lines announced Wednesday that...