It’s time to start calling out the mainstream media on fake upgrade and premium cabin stories. Several days ago a friend at United Airlines forwarded me an internal communication heralding the high ranking of United Polaris from Harper’s Bazaar. I...
Why You Should NEVER Argue with Airline Phone Agents
Even seasoned travelers need a reminder once in awhile that it simply does not pay to argue with an airline agent. I’ll admit it. I argued with an airline call center employee yesterday. It happens to the best of...
Why You Should Always Book Directly with the Airline
This week we learned about a sad case, a tragedy really, involving a woman who was denied boarding enroute to her mother’s deathbed due to a ticketing snafu. It’s a reminder to always book directly with the airline, when...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: January 28, 2018
I’m back in California after a whirlwind trip around the world that included stops in Asia, the Middle East, and seven countries in Europe. I’ll be on the ground for awhile…at least that is the plan. This coming week...
How to Tell What Hotel you are Getting on Hotwire BEFORE Paying
Those shopping for great quality and a great value often turn to Hotwire for cut-rate prices at fine hotels. Now you can know exactly which hotel you’ll receive before making your blind purchase…at least in some cities. Hotwire offers...
Airport Pharmacy in Doha Saves the Day
I keep my vitamins and the one prescription drug I take each day in the kitchen of my house. Three trips in the last year, including my current trip, I have forgotten them. One time I was only gone...
My Experience Booking a Complimentary Transit Hotel in Doha
Qatar Airways has extended its complimentary transit hotel program until at least April 2018. I had the opportunity to test it out on my trip through Doha this week. About a week before travel I visited the website. Economy...
Traveling with an Infant in International First Class
Few travel issues evoke more controversy than the matter of children in premium cabins, especially in international first class. I’m not here to debate that, directly. Instead, I want to help guide parents who are considering whether to bring...
How the East Coast Storm Ruined My Weekend in Sunny LA
A horrific storm pummeled the East Coast last week, bringing commercial aviation to a standstill. As airlines continue to dig themselves out of the backlog, let me tell you about my weekend. At Award Expert, we don’t just book...
Why You Should Always Compare Economy v. First Class Prices
I know this goes without saying for travel pros, but I was reminded again today that it always pays to check the price of a premium fare. One of the things we do at Award Expert is ensure that...
How I Tried (and Failed) to Enter Turkey
Despite a good rest on the flight over, I had no desire to spend last night sitting up in the Turkish CIP Lounge. Here’s how I tried (but ultimately failed) to obtain a visa on arrival and enter Turkey....
A Guide to Ethiopian Airlines’ Free Transit Hotel
If your layover in Addis Ababa is between 8-24 hours, chances are you can score a free hotel room courtesy of Ethiopian Airlines during your long layover. Not everyone with a transit between 8-24 hours will receive a free...
Addis Ababa (ADD) Transit Guide
Addis Ababa may not have the most beautiful airport and the lack of gates is annoying, but transit is fairly easy. Here’s a handy guide to help make your transit easy. I landed from Toronto at a remote gate,...
Free Tickets on Delta – A Facebook Scam
Online scams are nothing new…but one keeps rearing its ugly head. No, Delta is not giving away free tickets. If you see an advertisement on Facebook that looks too good to be true…it is. Although this has been going...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: November 26, 2017
Greetings from a beautifully blustery autumn day in Carmel, CA. I’ll have details tomorrow about the wonderful way I’ve spent my long holiday weekend. It was a fairly quiet week on the blog and in the aviation industry, which...
How to Survive 14 Hours in Economy Class
Last week I found myself in the rear coach cabin for a 14-hour journey from Hong Kong to Chicago. Here are seven tips for how to survive long flights in economy class. 1. Drink Gallons of Water Staying hydrated...
Can You Cancel Basic Economy Fares Within 24 Hours?
American, Delta, and United all have some form of a 24-hour courtesy cancellation policy. But does this apply to no-frills “Basic Economy” tickets, which are explicitly non-changeable and non-refundable? In short, yes. But there are limits. Let’s review each...
How I Nearly Ruined My Qatar QSuite Trip
As if the yellow fever snafu was not enough, I had a visa issue as well in Bangkok and had to pay dearly for a solution. Yesterday, I had to get from Bangkok (where my cheap Ethiopian Airlines Business...
Yellow Fever Vaccination Bites Me Again
What is it with me and yellow fever vaccinations? First Nigeria, then Zambia, then Zanzibar. And now Thailand…I just can’t seem to learn my lesson. I believe I made this recommendation three years ago and never followed it, but...
