I’ve been blogging for over 17 years now, and there’s no denying that the internet has changed a lot in that time period. The reason I’ve been able to “work” 365 days per year is really because this industry is my hobby and passion, so it never feels like work. But ultimately, this blog is also a business (even though it was never the goal when I started writing it), and the way the internet functions has changed massively over the years.
I’m terrible at business and self promotion, because I’d rather spend my time focused on what I love, rather than running some enterprise that maximizes profits at all costs. It’s one of the reasons that I never even entertained selling this site, because I don’t want to have to report to anyone as to what I can write about.
Once in a while, I think it’s also important to discuss things honestly, look at the big picture, and get feedback. After all, it’s thanks to all of you that I’ve been able to make my passion a career.
The truth is that with my mom’s unpredictable six plus year cancer battle, I put off making decisions and having tough conversations, instead spending any extra time that I had with her. But with her having now passed, I also have a bit more time, and am trying to look at things more big picture… which brings me to this post!
In this post:
Making money on the internet keeps getting tougher
It goes without saying that the internet has evolved a lot in the past (nearly) two decades. This is true big picture, in terms of the increasing shift from written content to video content, but it’s also specifically true for people who write content like I do.
A while back, I wrote about the honest state of travel and points blogging, and as I explained:
- As anyone who publishes content online can attest to, search traffic has decreased greatly, due to Google’s AI Mode (and other similar features), which summarizes answers to questions, rather than linking to actual content
- Speaking of AI, nowadays over half of the content produced online is from AI, so the sheer volume of content one is competing with online has increased massively (and the AI content doesn’t involve the same time investment)
- The way that people consume media has evolved, especially with younger generations getting news via short form video on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, etc.
- We’ve seen multiple travel blogs sold, including to huge media companies, venture capital firms, etc.; there’s nothing wrong with that, but their goals are almost always focused around revenue rather than profit, meaning they might spend millions per year buying online ads
- We’ve seen mainstream media news sites get into the travel story and credit card rewards space, as this just has much broader appeal than it used to
- When it comes to affiliate marketing, the space has become much more fragmented, so it’s not nearly as lucrative as many people assume
- We’ve seen all kinds of sites pop up that are so clearly exclusively about SEO, making it hard to compete on that front
To be clear, none of this is specific to OMAAT, but it’s true (basically) across the board for the internet. It’s also why you’ve seen so many sites change their monetization models.
You have more websites than ever before switching to a subscription model, introducing Patreons, etc. Then you have other sites just switching to pure clickbait garbage, since at least that generates page views, which generates revenue. And then you have other sites that are pushing the bounds in terms of the type of sponsored content they’ll produce (no shade, but TPG has sponsored content about how skincare is like miles & points, sponsored by a skincare company, which… is creative).
That brings us to the OMAAT monetization discussion
I’d like to share some things I’ve been thinking about, though before I do, let me say that I appreciate everyone who reads, and I absolutely don’t want to put things behind a paywall, require people to join an email newsletter in order to read posts, etc. My goal is genuinely to make the experience better or more flexible for users, and not worse. Period.
And let me also say that OMAAT is still dong fine financially, and you’re going to be stuck with me for years to come, as long as I’m healthy and able to write. The truth is that while this isn’t as lucrative as it may have been a decade ago, I love what I do, and the volume of content I create helps me make a good living. However, there are some general things I’d like to invest in to grow the site, but I need to be able to justify that, and actually have a plan.
So I’d like to have an open discussion, and I don’t want to just totally fall behind the times due to my own stubbornness. For example, take a look at how airline monetization in the US has evolved over the years. You don’t want to end up like JetBlue or Southwest, stuck in their ways for too long and not following consumer trends, and then having to catch up in a huge hurry.
With that in mind, let me share some things I’ve been thinking about, and I of course welcome feedback. And if that feedback is “just keep things the same way” or “shut up, you’re irrelevant,” that’s perfectly fine too! In no particular order…
Considering some sort of a paid membership
Like I said, I absolutely don’t want to put content behind a paywall, but I’m wondering if there would be merit to some sort of a paid OMAAT membership. I know many people are annoyed by the ads on the site — I totally get it — so that would definitely offer an ad-free experience.
Of course I’d also like to throw in other things, and I’m curious what people would enjoy. We did virtual happy hours back during the start of the pandemic, so would that or anything else interest people?
Look, I don’t want to make the membership sound like one of those hotel “destination fees,” where I add 20 features to the list, with 19 being total BS. But I’m truly open here, and would like to figure out the best way to add value in a way that people would appreciate.
Just to be 100% clear, I don’t want anyone to part with a dime of their hard earned money out of guilt or anything else — I appreciate you reading regardless! I’m just trying to explore if there’s anything people might value.
Taking a new approach to advertising monetization
Currently, you’ll find virtually no sponsored content on OMAAT, and that’s by design. Meanwhile display ad space is sold through BoardingArea, typically as part of larger network campaigns, and they do a great job, within those limitations.
That being said, I do think it’s time to focus a little more on how this can be improved, and the quality of ads displayed (in other words, I feel like there are more efficient monetization opportunities than ads for foot fungus cream, or something).
I don’t know the best way to say this modestly, but OMAAT has a pretty great and highly engaged community. The primary focus of this blog is premium travel. Of course it’s a diverse community, and you have people who read for all kinds of different reasons.
But a high percentage of readers are those who spend a lot on travel, and want to make the most of it. The primary focus of OMAAT isn’t “gaming,” or “traveling for free” (I detest that term in general, since it makes such a great headline, but always leads to disappointment). For example, I’m always amazed how many people comment who book cash Air France La Premiere first class tickets. I hate the concept of thinking of readers as the “product,” which is part of the reason that I suck at monetizing this site in the first place, because I cringe thinking of things that way.
Perhaps it’s time to have more targeted efforts there. And maybe I’m just totally putting myself out there more than I should, but hey, maybe it’s time to throw out the idea of some travel brand that would like to exclusively sponsor the site or buy out the ad space for some amount of time. I mean, travel brands love to sponsor stadiums and advertise in airports, so is it stupid to think of a similar concept for a website?
To be clear, my hope is that this would all improve the reader experience, by having fewer and higher quality ads. So if anyone is a decision maker at a travel company (or whatever) and is generally interested, you can reach out to [email protected] to discuss.
Dabbling with a unique angle on video content
Admittedly we’ve seen a shift from written content to video content. While I’m not saying I think that’s temporary, I also don’t think that video is the “final frontier” of internet content consumption. And just as blogging was cutting edge 20 years ago, and video was cutting edge several years ago, there will also be the next thing.
Furthermore, I think on some level things go through cycles, and there’s also a generational angle to this. Yes, many younger generations don’t understand the concept of actually reading stuff online, and get all their content via video. But many older people are the opposite, and detest video content.
Personally, I’m not someone who tries to be a “jack of all trades,” and while I’m working on getting back onto social media, I sure as heck am not going to abandon blogging for video content. And the truth is that it’s really hard to get good still pictures and video when reviewing a flight, so I’m not looking to shift in that way.
That being said, I did have an idea that I’m genuinely passionate about. One of the things that makes the airline industry so interesting to me is the characters in it. The airline industry attracts some of the quirkiest and most passionate people you’ll find anywhere. Yet a vast majority of people who follow the industry never really appreciate who these characters are, as they’re hidden behind their brands.
I don’t know how realistic this is, but I’d love to do some sort of a happy hour-style interview series with executives and other characters from the industry. It would be about getting to know their fascinating personalities and perspectives on things, rather than just them reciting their typical talking points.
The point wouldn’t be to get them in any sort of “gotcha” situations, but generally just to have a chat to get to know them. I’m not sure how realistic that is, though:
- I know a lot of people in the industry, and while there are things they’ll absolutely say off the record, getting them to agree to talk on the record in a casual way may be challenging
- I’m sure on a corporate level, the concept of this would face a lot of scrutiny, as they’d probably see more downside to upside
Is it worth giving a try, and am I the only one who thinks this would be interesting? Hey, if industry people aren’t willing to talk to me, maybe some of the more prolific OMAAT commenters could join me for a discussion, so we can get to know them too. 😉
Bottom line
I must admit, writing this post took about as much mental energy as writing 10 other blog posts, because I hate discussing “business” things, and this is way out of my comfort zone. Nonetheless, once in a while I have to put a little bit of thought into this stuff.
I’d really appreciate any feedback that people have. It could be on any of the ideas I brought up, or it could even be other ideas I haven’t thought of.
Let me emphasize that my goal is to not actually change anything about the core of the site. My hope is that through more thoughtful and efficient monetization, I can focus more on producing the content that people enjoy, and less on the content that I feel I have to write to “pay the bills.”
The world changes, and just because something worked for the past decade, doesn’t mean it’ll work for the next decade. Maybe my conclusion from all of this will just be to keep things the way they are, but I’d at least like to feel like I tried to think about it, rather than just wondering.
More than anything, thank you so much to everyone for reading and for the support!
Videos are so slow at providing information!
I always seek written text (and still pictures) that I can ingest much quicker.
Podcasts are even worse!
First of all, thanks for your great work Ben!
I would be interested in Interviews / Discussions between you and other AvPersons. I'm not sure how well you perform in front of a camera (you give the impression of beeing shy), but if this would be something you are comfortable with it could become a hit on youtube (and on the business side be a funnel into OMAAT). Though those interviews *should* be face-to-face (maybe...
First of all, thanks for your great work Ben!
I would be interested in Interviews / Discussions between you and other AvPersons. I'm not sure how well you perform in front of a camera (you give the impression of beeing shy), but if this would be something you are comfortable with it could become a hit on youtube (and on the business side be a funnel into OMAAT). Though those interviews *should* be face-to-face (maybe at Airport Lounges etc.) as having them in a video call format would detract a lot from it.
I would pay a reasonable fee to have access to your site. Currently you run the best blog in the world on this but I think you could set up a subscription model for flight alerts, points strategy and consulting. One thing Dennis Bunnik does very well is behind the scenes content which doesn't have to be video but it can gauge an interesting perspective. Also I think you could do a monthly podcast with an airline leader. I think it would be fantastic.
I’d pay for a subscription model if you ban certain accounts from commenting. No further explanation on who those may be.
Happy to pay for human written content like yours. It’s well written, interesting, informative and engaging. It’s a must read every day for me (albeit via an RSS reader app).
I’m willing and ready to pay, but please keep an rss option (member feed for rss like The Verge has)
I highly, highly value OMAAT, and even if it was on the honour system I'd make an annual contribution. If you do go with a subscription plan, please allow for an annual option as I hate monthly subscriptions. I enjoyed the pandemic livestreams, so having that as a "premium" benefit would be great.
I have been reading your blog regularly for half my lifetime now, and continue to enjoy your content.
That said, if you were to put up a paywall, I would not read your blog anymore. Not because I do not enjoy your content, but because I am in a financial situation where I am very sensitive to cost increases. I live in a very expensive city and try to save as much as possible towards...
I have been reading your blog regularly for half my lifetime now, and continue to enjoy your content.
That said, if you were to put up a paywall, I would not read your blog anymore. Not because I do not enjoy your content, but because I am in a financial situation where I am very sensitive to cost increases. I live in a very expensive city and try to save as much as possible towards a down-payment for buying my first house, a dream that has become extraordinary difficult without parental help, even though I make "good" money for my area and am able to increase my savings each month. Every time I spend money on anything, my brain battles to justify it. I enjoy reading OMAAT for unique, honest, insightful content. I support your decision to do what is best for your blog and business, but if reading articles requires a membership, I'll have to cut you just like I cut Disney+.
Although the miles and points world often advertises "travel for free," the truth is that those who travel are privileged. I live in a city that often has great J availability on AF (and also has frequent promo awards for J), but I only occasionally redeem for J, because I am sensitive to the higher fees on AF premium cabin awards. I really enjoy travel and the power of using miles and points, and sometimes I will splurge on one aspect of travel, and be stingy on another. For example, I redeemed miles for Air Mauritius business class earlier this year (I loved that product!), but then couchsurfed with strangers when I arrived at my destination to save on accommodation.
From time to time I travel internationally for work in business class. When work is paying, I am thankful for your reviews to help me select which airline and product to take.
I also read your blog for other reasons besides trip reviews (though I love those too!). I enjoy your takes on airline labour disputes, trends in the industry, and experiences passing through airlines. It's my own fault for having a miserable experience connecting in Manila airport from one terminal to another because your blog warned me it would be horrible!
That said, I understand that you need to make a living. Here are some suggestions:
1) I remember meeting you briefly at FTU Seattle. You threw a Singapore Airlines amenity kit into the crowd, and I caught it! Back then, registration to FTU cost only $50 to attend. I couldn't afford it, despite the fact that like you, I was living in Seattle at the time. I managed to get a free ticket from someone on Flyertalk who was giving theirs away. Now FTU costs $250 with D-list bloggers who seem to care more about peddling their affiliate links than sharing their passion for travel. If you were to organize a Miles and Points meetup, I know a lot of people would pay a lot to meet you.
2) I think offering readers the option to pay for additional features on the site could work, depending on the features. Ad removal seems like an easy first step.
I would be careful about sponsored content. There are some travel blogs that I used to read, but no longer do, because many of the trip reviews did not feel authentic: they felt like ads, which was a turn off.
As someone who followed you around for a long time. I'm giving my opinion as a friend or a fan.
Now your the boss, I'm a fan and you can do as you want.
Once you take my money, I'm your boss and you work for me.
When this dynamic changes there will be no going back.
Like you said this is your hobby and the internet has it's cycle.
You're here...
As someone who followed you around for a long time. I'm giving my opinion as a friend or a fan.
Now your the boss, I'm a fan and you can do as you want.
Once you take my money, I'm your boss and you work for me.
When this dynamic changes there will be no going back.
Like you said this is your hobby and the internet has it's cycle.
You're here because you are true to yourself and treat it as a hobby not a business.
You're here today because your hobby is in the cycle that makes money.
Good times are almost over. Like all those under 100k F redemptions from decades ago.
Now you either keep your hobby and find a new business or run/sell your business and find a new hobby.
It would be sad to see you retire, but I'd rather remember you at your peak than the sellout who was forced to moved on.
Let me remind you, you have a family now, not the ones on the internet anymore. But the ones you're responsible physically and financially.
Do what's best for them, if it means losing your lifelong hobby or selling out, because that's family sacrifice.
Very perceptive about the boss dynamic.
I’ve been enjoying OMAAT content for free for more than 10 years now, I’d happily pay to keep the blog moving forwards, especially if it removes the ads!
You've given me so much value over the past decade, I'd love to be able to monetarily contribute any way I can. So far, that's been by using your affiliate CC signup links. If in the future you open a Patreon or have an ad-free subscription, sign me up!
I'd be happy to pay for a subscription--I really enjoy this blog! I dont have time to watch a video or listen to a podcast, but would skim a transcript.
I'm not interested in what you describe.
I don't care about industry details.
The last thing I need is more videos to watch.
Since the same content is available everywhere, the only thing that would make me pay would be personalized help.
If you ask a question in a blog about something we're confused about, you answer it.
You'd provide alerts to good deals to us alone, or us first.
...
I'm not interested in what you describe.
I don't care about industry details.
The last thing I need is more videos to watch.
Since the same content is available everywhere, the only thing that would make me pay would be personalized help.
If you ask a question in a blog about something we're confused about, you answer it.
You'd provide alerts to good deals to us alone, or us first.
I'd like to be able to put in search terms and get notifications of blog posts on those without having to read all the crap about bad passenger behavior on planes, near miss crashes, etc. i.e I have a stash of Qantas and Virgin Atlantic points, so I could put alerts on those and get notifications of articles about them specifically.
Apologies if this has been said by someone else but being that we’re 110 comments in, I’m gonna throw out an idea / tweak to the above. I’m one of the old farts who doesn’t want video, but what I would absolutely subscribe and pay $ for is a like weekly podcast on some of those deep dives into industry characters. No offense but wouldn’t do it for YouTube or video or tik tok whatever,...
Apologies if this has been said by someone else but being that we’re 110 comments in, I’m gonna throw out an idea / tweak to the above. I’m one of the old farts who doesn’t want video, but what I would absolutely subscribe and pay $ for is a like weekly podcast on some of those deep dives into industry characters. No offense but wouldn’t do it for YouTube or video or tik tok whatever, but give me an hour of Ben telling me why e.g., Boom is vaporware?! Shut up and take my $10 Patreon!
Ben,
Speaking as a longtime reader and a former journalist that’s now in the business world:
We would be totally fine with sponsored content. If framed carefully, I think you could do a better job of it than most. A good example is how Monocle does this. Tons of airlines and tourism boards will gladly pay for content that I’m also happy to consume as a reader.
I also think your rankings (as a...
Ben,
Speaking as a longtime reader and a former journalist that’s now in the business world:
We would be totally fine with sponsored content. If framed carefully, I think you could do a better job of it than most. A good example is how Monocle does this. Tons of airlines and tourism boards will gladly pay for content that I’m also happy to consume as a reader.
I also think your rankings (as a true authority) is under promoted. That’s a major opportunity for sponsorship as well, just like how San Pellegrino sponsors the World’s 50 Best restaurants, and that sponsorship doesn’t compromise the content in any way. I’m sure there’s a bank or credit card company that would jump at this opportunity. I think those are major assets of OMAAT that are not properly monetized, and should be due to your sheer authority on the matter in this industry.
One idea would be for you to have something like weekly or monthly "office hours" where people could talk with you on Zoom for an hour about points advice or just generally about the industry and travel. This would probably have to be open only to people who subscribe to a higher subscription tier beyond just the no ads tier (assuming you were to do that). I don't think I personally could afford it, but...
One idea would be for you to have something like weekly or monthly "office hours" where people could talk with you on Zoom for an hour about points advice or just generally about the industry and travel. This would probably have to be open only to people who subscribe to a higher subscription tier beyond just the no ads tier (assuming you were to do that). I don't think I personally could afford it, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were to be a number of readers who could and would pay a lot for that.
I personally love the idea of some sort of video/podcast interview content (similar to Scott McCartney's podcast but maybe a little more informal, like you described) with people in the industry, but I'm not sure how much money it would bring in.
I'm really just not sure how well the OMAAT content would translate to short form video content given the amount of viewers you'd need to make enough money to really justify the time. I don't really use TikTok but just looking into it, TPG has almost 800,000 followers there but it seems like the videos that get the most views are the airplane cabin tours and not the tips and tricks videos, so I'm not sure how well OMAAT content would translate.
I am sure you use google analytics and your host server for specific demographics, so as a non US visitor I only engage with things like your trip reviews and relevant news articles, the credit card and those types of subjects are not relevant as they are mostly targeted at your home country audience and I assume that’s where your income really comes from. I doubt overseas visitors would pay to get hints and tips...
I am sure you use google analytics and your host server for specific demographics, so as a non US visitor I only engage with things like your trip reviews and relevant news articles, the credit card and those types of subjects are not relevant as they are mostly targeted at your home country audience and I assume that’s where your income really comes from. I doubt overseas visitors would pay to get hints and tips on the points and credit card front. Dip your toe in the water and see how things go and make tweaks as needed.
Lucky - I think you’re onto something with the video series. Instead of industry executives though, you should interview villains from OMAAT lore. An Egyptian government official perhaps? The flight crew from TAAG Angola? Tim Dunn?!
But seriously though, as readers of the blog for 10+ years I want to support you however I can. If $10 a month means you can keep doing what you do for years to come and never have to...
Lucky - I think you’re onto something with the video series. Instead of industry executives though, you should interview villains from OMAAT lore. An Egyptian government official perhaps? The flight crew from TAAG Angola? Tim Dunn?!
But seriously though, as readers of the blog for 10+ years I want to support you however I can. If $10 a month means you can keep doing what you do for years to come and never have to post stupid clickbait articles again then I’m 100% behind that.
if you go for a paid option, make sure the Amex digital entertainment credit can be used to pay it!
also, keep the platform in mind… you don’t have the tech team to upgrade this clunky Boarding Area backend so maybe move the paid stuff to something more feature-rich
Okay, just skinmed through the comments and gotta write a second comment myself.
Paid is iffy. You gotta get out some free content even if you subscriptions so that you get heard. And there are gonna be tons of sites that are gonna store and redistribute free click-through links you provide on Twitter or wherever.
Yeah, some news/blog/podcast sites get the freemium (free/reg walked/paywalled) model to work but it is hard. I think going in...
Okay, just skinmed through the comments and gotta write a second comment myself.
Paid is iffy. You gotta get out some free content even if you subscriptions so that you get heard. And there are gonna be tons of sites that are gonna store and redistribute free click-through links you provide on Twitter or wherever.
Yeah, some news/blog/podcast sites get the freemium (free/reg walked/paywalled) model to work but it is hard. I think going in the other direction: stay free, but relevant. Try to keep the classic ad business going. Try very carefully to do selective sponsored stuff if you can stay 100% behind it and don't lose credibility through it.
But people posting they're gonna pay for OMAAT and people actually paying for OMAAT are teo different things ;) Talk is cheap.
And just to add.
Not only talk is cheap.
Talk is not forever.
Cheap is forever.
Hypocrisy is forever.
Just look at all those people using ad blockers.
Amazon and Netflix is almost pricing itself out of my wallet and soon will follow what was once my cable TV.
I’d pay a couple bucks a month to support the blog with minimal extras, for sure no ads as they sometimes still creep past my blocker. I’d love to listen to a podcast style interview with industry execs and I think it’s something you could pull off.
I've been reading this blog for a long, long time. It's part of my morning routine! So I would be willing to pay a reasonable fee to access the website with no ads.
I want to also agree with others that the band of horrible trolls that have co-opted the comment space has gotten out of hand in the past few years. It ruins my experience and my desire to engage. I would gladly kick in money to keep them off this site.
Your blog is your full time job/income. Most of your peers who do work similar to you have full time jobs on top of the blog - Gary, Matt come to mind. Personally I do not enjoy their content nearly as much as yours and honestly completely stopped reading Matt when his TDS started getting the best of him.
If you want to be 100% self employed and still bring in the income you...
Your blog is your full time job/income. Most of your peers who do work similar to you have full time jobs on top of the blog - Gary, Matt come to mind. Personally I do not enjoy their content nearly as much as yours and honestly completely stopped reading Matt when his TDS started getting the best of him.
If you want to be 100% self employed and still bring in the income you used to you need to think about your whole career differently, a paid subscrption isn't changing the game. I don't have the answer for what that is, but maybe think of the blog as just a part of your career instead of everything and see where it takes you.
I would pay a subscription just to support the site. A way to block certain commenters would be nice.
Have some reservations about sponsorships. Once you get that going there will be things you’re afraid to say just to not offend sponsors.
Interviews would be nice if you can get them to agree. Even if they just read off a script and are a total train wreck, it can still be entertaining (like that Woody Harrelson ama on Reddit).
I am thrilled to have you around "for as long as you can write". Would I pay to subscribe ? Oh Yes. I would ! Your style and content and personality is so much better and far more pleasing to me than the other guys. I look forward every day to 1700 hrs when you arrive in my in box.
Just this week, I saw the FT (or FT Alphaville) referencing you. People and media value your opinion.
Going forward, it will become more important that AI rates your opinion highly. I understand you have business expertise and have surely written articles partially with SEO in mind. You have a structured approach. Honestly, I feel you have more to offer to AI than many YouTubers and Tiktokers. Sharing your knowledge in a structured, digestible way,...
Just this week, I saw the FT (or FT Alphaville) referencing you. People and media value your opinion.
Going forward, it will become more important that AI rates your opinion highly. I understand you have business expertise and have surely written articles partially with SEO in mind. You have a structured approach. Honestly, I feel you have more to offer to AI than many YouTubers and Tiktokers. Sharing your knowledge in a structured, digestible way, that is interesting to AI.
Not having business ideas. Just saying, I would not be so concerned about delivery. You know, video and Insta may be more immediate, funnier, quirkier, cooler, more entertaining, whatever. But your voice being heard by AI is gonna matter. And perhaps the more conservative voices will be more credible to AI.
The gist of it is: I think aggressive influencers may face some challenges soon as AI doesn't get much out of them.
After scrolling through the comments, the answer is now obvious: provide an ad-free paid subscription that's exactly the same as the version that gets ads.
You might, however, have to resort one of those annoying "turn off your ad blocker or subscribe, you cheap MF!" pop-ups.
Firstly, let me thank you for everything you do! I am an avid reader of your site and have gotten a ton of value from it (and thoroughly enjoyed reading it!). I would happily pay for an expanded site. I am also Miami based and have found many of your recommendations very insightful!
A couple of my thoughts:
The adds actually dont bother me ( i would not pay just to remove the...
Firstly, let me thank you for everything you do! I am an avid reader of your site and have gotten a ton of value from it (and thoroughly enjoyed reading it!). I would happily pay for an expanded site. I am also Miami based and have found many of your recommendations very insightful!
A couple of my thoughts:
The adds actually dont bother me ( i would not pay just to remove the adds)
I would love more in depth content (specifically reviews) instead of general news.
Given that you really are “in the details”, I would love to hear about great deals you find (whether it be flights or hotels). I realize there is a fine balance between spamming subscribers all day with “deals” and genuinely worthwhile finds.
In summary, i love the wesbite as is! These are just some ideas.
I would pay to go ad-free in a heartbeat.
I love your posts and would happily pay to access your content. I find you to be a thoughtful person who has a passion for what you do. Very refreshing.
Ben, I think partnering with sponsors who you agree with would be a good first step. I'm not saying partner with any skin care company or credit card company that offers you money... but there are plenty of award search sites, airlines, and travel sites that are actually really good. If you limited your partners to products/sites/companies you liked, I think most people would be okay with that. Obviously it's a slippery slope once the money starts coming in though.
I'm against paid content because as much as I love your content Lucky, most of it can be read for free on other sites. The points and miles game have been diluted. There are hard any "sweet" spots that have not been overblown. Try getting a first class seat in JAL and see how many seats are there available in the next 365 years. There are a million youtubers and instagram accounts boasting about you...
I'm against paid content because as much as I love your content Lucky, most of it can be read for free on other sites. The points and miles game have been diluted. There are hard any "sweet" spots that have not been overblown. Try getting a first class seat in JAL and see how many seats are there available in the next 365 years. There are a million youtubers and instagram accounts boasting about you can fly Virgin Atlantic for "free" over the pond. They have lots of followers and engagement and their content sucks but they get the views.
You are way classier so what I would suggest is a Patreon with podcasts. Can be a 30-60 minutes weekly podcast in which you can go and talk about the state of affairs of the airline industry, provide insights and share your knowledge. Keep it in your patreon for a week or 2 then post it in Youtube. You can monetize it two ways: first via patreon and then on youtube.
I wouldn't be paying. There is too much tabloid stuff, too much of the credit card stuff which has zippo interest to those of us are not Americans and do not live in the USA, and you need to get to the point when you write. You go round and round and this article is a case in point.
Love the site itis my favorite site for airline info. I would not mind at all a paid site, think it would narrow your readership down a bit but thhose left would be far more vaulable to maybe getting a potential "spoinsor" for the site. Good luck and happy to hear you will be sticking around
Hey Ben --
Been reading your blog for years and don't miss a post. I would absolutely pay for some kind of subscription service. Keep up the great work!
I love your work, and read every day! I agree: a paid membership will attract loyalists like me, so do it! And the video fireside chats are a great idea too. I am a journalist and know that a long format interview (like a lunch) produces gems when people get relaxed. And I reckon the high profile people WILL agree to do it. Why? Because it will be in front of an audience of peers. So go with all your ideas, Ben!
Fellow blogger here! Happy to discuss this with you offline if you want to reach out, but have you compared your RPMs with Boarding Area to other premium ad networks like Raptive and Mediavine?
Facing the same pressures as you with declining SEO traffic, I'm expanding into podcasting to see if that provides another avenue to grow/maintain an audience.
I find your content extremely valuable and it's my favorite source of travel information on the internet. Although I don't really mind ads, I'd be willing to pay a monthly fee to access your content as it provides a lot of value. Although videos can be nice, I like how you do things now where it's written blog posts. Keep up the great work.
My vote would be patreon type stuff. Not generally a fan of video content - I (genX) come here for information not usually entertainment
Ben, The Verge is something you should look in to. Years of great work, high standards, then switch to a pay model—in a very decent way.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/12/3/24306571/verge-subscription-launch-fewer-ads-unlimited-access-full-text-rss
Interestingly, no real change of format. Mostly articles, a low-tech podcast and the odd video, This is probably the most important tech outlet around.
You have a similar standing. You can.
(I’ll pay. Just promise to get rid of the crappy pop up video ads I keep...
Ben, The Verge is something you should look in to. Years of great work, high standards, then switch to a pay model—in a very decent way.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/12/3/24306571/verge-subscription-launch-fewer-ads-unlimited-access-full-text-rss
Interestingly, no real change of format. Mostly articles, a low-tech podcast and the odd video, This is probably the most important tech outlet around.
You have a similar standing. You can.
(I’ll pay. Just promise to get rid of the crappy pop up video ads I keep clicking by accident )
Create a Patreon / Substack / whatever. $9.99/month or $99/year. Ad-free access to the site. Members chat that you participate in from time to time (and/or at set times). Members early access to "thought posts" (like this one). Maybe members get a 15-30 minute "headstart" on other posts... so they can get their comments in first! You don't have to have the complete business plan from there to get started.
Yes, you could do a...
Create a Patreon / Substack / whatever. $9.99/month or $99/year. Ad-free access to the site. Members chat that you participate in from time to time (and/or at set times). Members early access to "thought posts" (like this one). Maybe members get a 15-30 minute "headstart" on other posts... so they can get their comments in first! You don't have to have the complete business plan from there to get started.
Yes, you could do a podcast, some short form videos, etc. but my guess is 90% of your current community wants to consume the content that you already create in the form that you create it. No reason not to monetize that first and go from there.
There seems to be a lot of enthusiasm for paid subscriptions-now. Keeping those subscriptions long term is the hard part. And constantly writing content worthy of payment will become very difficult and eventually exhausting if you try to do it all yourself.
Bingo. I've always avoided paying for online content and don't intend to stop avoiding it now, as much as I like this blog.
100% agree. I don’t pay for Substack or any other paid platform. There are way too many ways to get the information you need nowadays and with AI it will be easier. I don’t mind ads. Yes it is annoying and I just never pay attention to them until I can access the content. I don’t think I would pay to read the blog.
I’ve been reading your site since 2009. I’d pay a subscription for the content, particularly if it was ad free
Ben, I’m grateful for your open engagement with readers on this. I am happy to pay a reasonable amount for access so long as you switch to a comment platform that allows readers to block Timmy and the trolls. The comments here have become a s***show and detract from the value proposition.
I am not keen on having you add video content.
Ben - of all the subscriptions out there, I wouldn’t blink twice at paying for OMAAT if it meant keeping the content and community going and viable for you in the long-run. I would suggest if you adopt that model and have the bandwidth to do so partnering with ID.me or some equivalent to verify students and have a discount program for them (sadly I’m many years past that, but I started following you back...
Ben - of all the subscriptions out there, I wouldn’t blink twice at paying for OMAAT if it meant keeping the content and community going and viable for you in the long-run. I would suggest if you adopt that model and have the bandwidth to do so partnering with ID.me or some equivalent to verify students and have a discount program for them (sadly I’m many years past that, but I started following you back when I was a broke college guy too!).
I do think there’s also an opportunity for monetizing via partnerships with premium travel brands. I would bet your community is likely 1) more affluent and 2) more travel ready and 3) more discerning in taste relative to TPG and other major “points blogs”. I wonder if partnering first with an analytics firm to actually prove this would help.
Lucky. You are an expert traveler. It is time to do something greater. You can start your own hotel chain or airline. Or at least work as an executive. Imagine if you took over JetBlue airlines. Not not revive it, but it could become one of the biggest airlines eventually buying out United and rebrand it as Lucky airline. You will no longer by banned on United. You can do it.
You obviously have an engaged readership. We are comfortable with the writing-dominant blogs. That said, are there any travel video/photo content creators with whom you are comfortable? Could you create cross-referrals from which you both might benefit while perhaps growing your own video/photo content?
In all honesty, I read this blog weekly and I would pay to access this content. It's worth an annual fee.
I don’t pay to subscribe to any media (Amazon prime includes streaming, doesn’t really count). There is no information being published online that I am willing to pay for. Even it if is useful info, it will eventually end up online for free.
However, I will provide an email account to access sites for free that u can monetize. That’s all i can do.
PS. Forget video content imbedded in this site. I often...
I don’t pay to subscribe to any media (Amazon prime includes streaming, doesn’t really count). There is no information being published online that I am willing to pay for. Even it if is useful info, it will eventually end up online for free.
However, I will provide an email account to access sites for free that u can monetize. That’s all i can do.
PS. Forget video content imbedded in this site. I often visits sites like this while at work or while traveling, so video doesn’t mesh wheel. You should probably look into a YT channel though.
Monthly subscriptions with tiers starting at $9.99 per month and up. Also a daily newsletter free containing the bottom line of all articles from that day.
Interview some executives in German. There are auto generated CC subtitles nowadays anyways.
Ive been following for 15 of those years. Do whatever you need to do and i will
Support it. Your content has helped me travel and do points thanks to it.
tasteful nudes of ford in the posts
Hope you get your food fungus resolved soon, Lucky! I would guess your readers would click on more travel-related ads. I’m always surprised that the only travel ones I can recall seeing on here are for Celebrity. (And that’s because they were impossible to click the X and get it to go down on mobile.)
I would strongly advise against sponsored content. You’ve seen how some readers get turned off when it becomes clear you’ve...
Hope you get your food fungus resolved soon, Lucky! I would guess your readers would click on more travel-related ads. I’m always surprised that the only travel ones I can recall seeing on here are for Celebrity. (And that’s because they were impossible to click the X and get it to go down on mobile.)
I would strongly advise against sponsored content. You’ve seen how some readers get turned off when it becomes clear you’ve got a hotel stay that is on an agent rate and they know who you are. I suspect the rebellion would be much higher among usual loyal readers if you blur that line more with sponsored content, even if you disclose it. It suddenly puts your objectivity into question on everything. Sam Chui-style. But it might bring you more entry-level readers. Just depends if you want readers who want reviews of hotels in Orlando or TAAG Angola.
Honestly, I think some readers would pay good money to have lunch/coffee/drinks with you or something similar. Doesn’t that sound like fun? ;-)
Is there a collab with The Air Show in the future??
Your content is unique due to depth, comparison through experience and being text. Do not do video. Interviews get no clicks either. No.
Paid collab, while marketed as sponsored content, for brands you respect. Be very selective when starting, slow. I honestly wouldn't mind you adding more topics on travel related items - luggage, skin care, etc. So long it has your passion and details. Some of that could be from a sponsor. Tight...
Your content is unique due to depth, comparison through experience and being text. Do not do video. Interviews get no clicks either. No.
Paid collab, while marketed as sponsored content, for brands you respect. Be very selective when starting, slow. I honestly wouldn't mind you adding more topics on travel related items - luggage, skin care, etc. So long it has your passion and details. Some of that could be from a sponsor. Tight line with author freedom but its worth exploring. Get a manager to do it for you!
Cloudflare crawler pay - AI crawlers are only getting bigger. Again, your content is unique, so start monetizing that traffic. Its in beta and they are first, but its a good invest of time to get going.
Involve Ford's business. I certainly have driven >50k in hotel booking over last 3 years through Ford. And will do so again. Partially because of your reviews I discover properties. I don't involve any other agent, self-book or through Ford only. I can't be the only one. Add that aspect of it more, assuming you both agree.
Ads - I haven't seen a single ad in years due to dns blockers - plenty of cheap dns providers with protection - and browser ad blockers. So you must have a lot of user-traffic which is not monetized at all, like me.
Subscription - meh. I can't imagine an extra worth paying. I dont mind paying but paywalls are hard to implement well and will drive viewers and AI crawlers away. I imagine a lot of new users come because you have a unique angle and true luxury portfolio. Noone has your depth of first cabins, that can be compared to. Paywalls will drive such users away. Sub only to support - maybe some are so weird. And your current blog posts aren't suited for paywalls, unless you hide everything.
Find the niche and benefit. Videos aren't it, you will burn out very quickly. To me, your niche are 1-5k/night hotels and first and non-US (F that crap) carriers. Little focus on US except for credit cards. Your passion and detail, able to compare. And huge catalogue of past articles. Maybe again a 2nd writer, that lady few years back had a great, fresh angle.
I would really appreciate more content on how to maximize the use of miles/points. The whole world of reward saver seats or whatever they are called and how to most effectively use points to be incredibly complicated and difficult to understand. More focus on how to best use the rewards we all have from the credit cards that are a large focus of this site would be amazing and something I would definitely consider paying for.
Sorry Ben, I do not support paid subscription.
I think you need to engage differently.
Having said that, you should consider launching a podcast where you can generate revenue thru ads & sponsorship.
You can invite industry guests from airlines, hotels, lounge operators to credit card issuers, even longtime blog readers who also share your passion for all things travel.
People could also submit questions.
hey ben, count me as someone who would happily pay somewhere between $5-8/month (or $50-80 annually) to subscribe. candidly, i use an ad blocker so ads don't bother me. but removing ads without the blocker, access to a membership community, and general support of OMAAT would be enough for me.
I'm in favor of all of your ideas. I would pay for a paid subscription to both support you and to get rid of ads. If it had a few members only perks that would be icing on the cake.
I'm indifferent if you have a paid sponsorship for the website; if it's better for you, great.
I like the idea of interviews. I would prefer a podcast format. I don't like video. Also, a podcast in general would be cool.
As long as it's affordable, removes the ads, and allows access to maybe a subscribers only area I'd pay a membership fee.
I'm not likely to watch videos, but I'd probably listen to a podcast while driving.
Ben, longtime reader here and a bit younger than the average omaat reader - I'm in my mid twenties (started reading you in middle school!) and I just wanted to say while i really enjoy scrolling on tiktok, I LOVE reading the blog specifically - so I really support your decision to stay blog-based. Sometimes, being able to digest / find content is much easier over print than video. For example, I can read your...
Ben, longtime reader here and a bit younger than the average omaat reader - I'm in my mid twenties (started reading you in middle school!) and I just wanted to say while i really enjoy scrolling on tiktok, I LOVE reading the blog specifically - so I really support your decision to stay blog-based. Sometimes, being able to digest / find content is much easier over print than video. For example, I can read your articles at work (when i can't be on my phone) or when im on the subway to work, signal won't support watching a video but i can pull up omaat. Some of us Gen Z still love to read now and then :)
Like many other longtime readers, I fully support a subscription service. Your flight reviews have fueled my passion for travel since my early teens and the content you put out is leagues above the rest of the industry. Would be happy to support however possible
I agree that a paid membership with some type of moderated 'coupon connection' would be most valuable and monetizable.
Paid subscription/community would be awesome. Especially with early access to reviews/deal alerts/etc. and a good community of fellow OMAATers. Would def pay for that.
cicle.io is a cool took I've fiddled around with for building communities.
As a 10+ year reader/contributor, the pop up ads have gotten really bad in the last year with video, multiple windows, etc .to the point that I actually visit less frequently. Especially on mobile.
Ben,
Just wanted to throw my two cents in regarding the potential subscription model or video series: whatever you decide, you have my full support.
Your content is genuine, well-structured, drama-free, and incredibly valuable. True fans will follow you anywhere.
I found your site accidentally a decade ago, shortly after moving to the US, and I've read it almost every single day since. I started reading for premium travel tips, but your...
Ben,
Just wanted to throw my two cents in regarding the potential subscription model or video series: whatever you decide, you have my full support.
Your content is genuine, well-structured, drama-free, and incredibly valuable. True fans will follow you anywhere.
I found your site accidentally a decade ago, shortly after moving to the US, and I've read it almost every single day since. I started reading for premium travel tips, but your work has had a profound, unexpected impact on my life as a new father to a 5-year-old autistic son.
Travel is my favorite stress buster, and navigating travel with a special needs child would be so much harder without the goldmine of information you provide. You truly impact people's lives in ways you don't even realize.
More power to you, and thanks for everything!
One of my favorite car culture sites (www.theautopian.com) is completely self-driven and funded through subscriptions. They have a free option and paid options. They did this to maintain editorial independence unlike other sites that have been bought be hedge funds, larger conglomerates, etc. Although they're much larger with several paid writers on staff, they pride themselves on having no AI-based content. Something you can maybe look into?
BTW, what happens to PointsPros?
I don't have the answers, Ben, but just FYI:
1. Video is useless to me. I have no patience for it. And I don't think it's as engaging as it's made out to be. People watch 10, 20 or 30 s clips; anything more and they click away. But many of your articles take a bit longer to digest. And if I'm not mistaken, the efficiency of information transfer is much lower for video than...
I don't have the answers, Ben, but just FYI:
1. Video is useless to me. I have no patience for it. And I don't think it's as engaging as it's made out to be. People watch 10, 20 or 30 s clips; anything more and they click away. But many of your articles take a bit longer to digest. And if I'm not mistaken, the efficiency of information transfer is much lower for video than for print. That is, compared to reading something, if someone watches a video that conveys the same point, they're a lot less likely to actually get the point, and more likely to be mistaken or confused.
2. Video interviews with industry "characters" are a good idea, but are unlikely to be of as much interest to a majority of your readers as your blog content. I'd watch occasionally if you promoted it in your blog and gave me a good reason to be intrigued.
3. I don't see how adding video in any form is going to monetize the blog. If anything, it's going to cost you more to produce, and if it doesn't succeed, that money's gone. I have my doubts that it's going to somehow be more lucrative for you.
4. If you went to some sort of paywall model, it would be supremely ironic: the best and most knowledgeable points blogger on the internet now wants to charge *money* to view his content?? Seriously, Ben: find a way to make people feel like they're getting a good value by not spending cash for your content, just like we do when we earn and use points for business class tickets. If advertising no longer cuts it, you're gonna have to be creative - but make it consistent with the whole point of the blog, which is "here's an honest take on how you, too, can maximize points."
I would 100% pay for a subscription service if it meant no ads!
Would you 100% use a completely free ad blocker if it meant no ads? 'Cause I don't think I've seen an ad on OMAAT in about 15 years.
Ben, I've religiously read your blog for 15 years and its tracked alongside beginning my airline career, leaving airlines, and now in management at a different airline. I'm still reading and still appreciate your perspective and tone. I would happily pay for your content.
Ben, don’t discount feeding Ford. You so lightly speak about him as a booking agent. I would be happy to see you tie in with him a bit stronger. That reminds me, I need to email him…
+1, to show support how great idea this is. Assumig Ford is onboard.
A potential benefit you can include part of a paid subscription is an invite only chat for OMAAT readers, where people can share award ticket sweet spots, tips, and other things. That group chat would also be useful if someone was about to cancel an award ticket for a sought after seat (such as JAL F on the A35K), they can post it on that chat so someone else from the group can take up...
A potential benefit you can include part of a paid subscription is an invite only chat for OMAAT readers, where people can share award ticket sweet spots, tips, and other things. That group chat would also be useful if someone was about to cancel an award ticket for a sought after seat (such as JAL F on the A35K), they can post it on that chat so someone else from the group can take up that award seat. Just an idea I had.
Also, just to put it out there, I don't think requiring payment for all readers is a good idea, because that will limit the amount of new readers you get in the future. Rather, I think paying to get rid of ads would be a good idea.
Start an OMAAT credit card with a high annual fee to help your bottom line. Provide a meager welcome bonus for all new signups, then offer multiple statement credits (eg, $1 for every 25 articles read, divided into $0.25 reimbursement per quarter, up to a maximum of $1.25, but only for articles published on the third Tuesday of every month) to offset the annual fee. Watch as readers come running to score this amazing deal!
Back in the day, when you had many whirlwind trips around the world, I was basically living through your blog!
My health was very poor, and so were my finances — you gave me a nice escape from my grim reality.
I'm pretty sure others had similar feelings.
More trip reports would probably motivate more people to use your affiliate links as a way to thank you.
As I won’t be...
Back in the day, when you had many whirlwind trips around the world, I was basically living through your blog!
My health was very poor, and so were my finances — you gave me a nice escape from my grim reality.
I'm pretty sure others had similar feelings.
More trip reports would probably motivate more people to use your affiliate links as a way to thank you.
As I won’t be around for much longer to witness the course of the blog, I wish you all the best and much success!
I think paywalls are a pretty bad idea in general because they shrink your user base, rather than growing it.
You said video isn't your wheelhouse, but a lot of Tiktoks are just a floating head narrating over a series of screenshots. You could very easily turn your amazing trip reviews into Tiktoks - those are directly monetizable in some cases, or you could "push the limits" by using affiliate links to drive more revenue.
...I think paywalls are a pretty bad idea in general because they shrink your user base, rather than growing it.
You said video isn't your wheelhouse, but a lot of Tiktoks are just a floating head narrating over a series of screenshots. You could very easily turn your amazing trip reviews into Tiktoks - those are directly monetizable in some cases, or you could "push the limits" by using affiliate links to drive more revenue.
Tiktoks might not even take up all that much of your time - you've already done the research, taken the photos, written a whole script... you're just narrating it on camera and posting!
Even if Tiktok itself doesn't drive $ directly, it can push new viewers to the website.
Something to think about!
Would you consider adding an advice service to your website ala LALF? Would love help travel booking (and know a few people who could just use an experienced hand in setting up mileage transfers, boosts, etc).
Longtime reader here — would definitely agree that a paid tier would be something I’d chip in for. And since you produce so much content, would be ok for some of it to be “bonus” for subscribers.
Exclusive ads are ok but please don’t do sponsored written content. One idea might be to do a collaboration on a physical product (travel or electronics?) that you actually use and recommend. Food writers I follow like Deb...
Longtime reader here — would definitely agree that a paid tier would be something I’d chip in for. And since you produce so much content, would be ok for some of it to be “bonus” for subscribers.
Exclusive ads are ok but please don’t do sponsored written content. One idea might be to do a collaboration on a physical product (travel or electronics?) that you actually use and recommend. Food writers I follow like Deb Perelman have done this (in her case, collab on a Staub braising pan) and seem to be successful.
i would definitely sign up for a paid subscription.
also agree that even though the travel blogosphere skews more affluent generally, OMAAT seems to skew that way substantially more than the average travel blog, so this is a consumer segment that could conceivably be more lucrative for higher-end brands rather than run-of-the-mill Boarding Area ads.
don't necessarily love the idea of an exclusive brand sponsor of the site (even if temporary/seasonal), as it risks the...
i would definitely sign up for a paid subscription.
also agree that even though the travel blogosphere skews more affluent generally, OMAAT seems to skew that way substantially more than the average travel blog, so this is a consumer segment that could conceivably be more lucrative for higher-end brands rather than run-of-the-mill Boarding Area ads.
don't necessarily love the idea of an exclusive brand sponsor of the site (even if temporary/seasonal), as it risks the appearance of bias and could damage the site's credibility.
podcast/video interview series does seem interesting.
Your blog has become something of a rarity: (Almost) no clickbait, no videos I have to endure, just text and photos and information - very old school.
I really value that and my guess is, thats one of the reasons you have so many "seasoned" travelers who fly in premium cabins and visit your blog.
I hope you can continue with that format, even though it may seem outdated. And even though the money...
Your blog has become something of a rarity: (Almost) no clickbait, no videos I have to endure, just text and photos and information - very old school.
I really value that and my guess is, thats one of the reasons you have so many "seasoned" travelers who fly in premium cabins and visit your blog.
I hope you can continue with that format, even though it may seem outdated. And even though the money isn't there anymore.
As for future ideas: I actually enjoy reading sponsored posts sometimes. They have to be clearly marked and be relevant and true to your site - but as long as they are, I think you should lean more into that.
A paid membership should only ever come as something extra.
Ben,
Actually I support a subscription service. One of my most favorite airline themed subscriptions was to PlaneBusiness Banter hosted by the great Holly Hegeman. She had a daily Banter blog which I believe was free, but then had a subscription based weekly newsletter which I looked forward to every week. She wrote in a humorous, irreverent style similar to you which I found enjoyable to read. I’m not sure if that formula would...
Ben,
Actually I support a subscription service. One of my most favorite airline themed subscriptions was to PlaneBusiness Banter hosted by the great Holly Hegeman. She had a daily Banter blog which I believe was free, but then had a subscription based weekly newsletter which I looked forward to every week. She wrote in a humorous, irreverent style similar to you which I found enjoyable to read. I’m not sure if that formula would be successful for you but it’s something I think you should explore. A paid site may also make it easier for you to feature additional contributors; I really miss Tiffany, Andrew and the others! It could really allow you to branch out. It’s obvious you love what you do, but you’re getting older, you’ve got a family now, and you need to find ways to keep doing what you love, while growing with the ones you love.
Ive been reading you ever since I turned 16, back then as a young kid, now as someone who is averaging around 130-160 sectors per year. I love the blog the way it is. And you reviews are - by far - industry leading.
Nowadays I dont even bother reading anything else anymore...
How about cutting a deal with all credits cards that sponsor you and add free access to your blog as a perk? For example, when you pay for an Amex Platinum annual membership and get a bunch of stuff I rarely use, maybe having that card included access to paid content on your site? It might be a long shot but who knows? Paying to read your blog? Not, sure, it will depend. I love...
How about cutting a deal with all credits cards that sponsor you and add free access to your blog as a perk? For example, when you pay for an Amex Platinum annual membership and get a bunch of stuff I rarely use, maybe having that card included access to paid content on your site? It might be a long shot but who knows? Paying to read your blog? Not, sure, it will depend. I love reading it, sometimes I comment on it, but different than 20 years ago when I came here to learn about your experiences because I was flying the same airlines, at this point of my life I rarely fly much for work so reading your blog is more of a hobby than a need. Just the other day I thought about how many things I subscribe that I don't even know and are automatically charged to my cards. That model is a nightmare if you don't pay close attention to it.
Agree . (By the way , no preening videos .)
AMA! Video content can potentially take up a lot of your time and energy, but a monthly/bi-weekly AMA where you do very little prep would be very easy. Record it via video and podcast. Grow the viewing and listening audience and ad revenue might amount to something. Or include AMAs in the paid membership, maybe adding occasional meet-ups (or virtual happy hours as you mentioned) to the paid membership. AMA is an easy foot in...
AMA! Video content can potentially take up a lot of your time and energy, but a monthly/bi-weekly AMA where you do very little prep would be very easy. Record it via video and podcast. Grow the viewing and listening audience and ad revenue might amount to something. Or include AMAs in the paid membership, maybe adding occasional meet-ups (or virtual happy hours as you mentioned) to the paid membership. AMA is an easy foot in the door to video/audio content. Once you have an audience, you can potentially expand content.
Interviews with airline execs and/or others (with a different perspective than you) in the points/miles/luxury travel space could be interesting. Conduct interviews virtually to keep cost down and anything you release in video, also release in podcast form. Instead of a website sponsor, you might find a video/podcast single sponsor after you build a bit of an audience.
To increase membership, you could regularly give away (to a lucky paying member) a trip or opportunity to meet you.
Release short videos (also release in podcast format) of card reviews - either newly released/refreshed cards and/or your favorite cards, which will drive affiliate $$. Just do it in a way that you can legit be excited about discussing the card, regardless of what it's earning you.
Consider a very part-time business manager or partner who aligns with your vision but has a better perspective on monetization than you do.
Regardless of platform/format, you might grow your audience with more family-travel-focused content. I understand why you do most of your review trips solo, but you have a great opportunity to tap into family travel content. You might hire a part-time writer focused on this - gear, how to book suites both via points/miles and via travel agent (Ford), more focus on long-haul economy for 3+ people, etc.
Unlikely - but find a bank interested in your audience and release a OMAAT travel credit card that contains every feature you want, and hype the heck out of it :)
Best of luck, love the content!
PS - if you're interviewing airline execs, the most useful content for your audience is info about recent and upcoming changes. As you say, they may not want to talk about that. So find topics that would interest them and the audience. How did they get into the industry? What have been their favorite trips? Favorite seat on their favorite plane?
They may also be eager to put you in touch with some of...
PS - if you're interviewing airline execs, the most useful content for your audience is info about recent and upcoming changes. As you say, they may not want to talk about that. So find topics that would interest them and the audience. How did they get into the industry? What have been their favorite trips? Favorite seat on their favorite plane?
They may also be eager to put you in touch with some of their most loyal customers - IE interview a lady who flies a million miles a year on Air France, etc.
Longtime reader and ditto what others said - your longevity, passion, and independence are what make it such a solid blog that I check out daily. I've probably learned the majority of what I know in the miles and points world due your writings. When I do a google search for something in the space, I often include "OMAAT" to see if you've written about it already (and often I knew you had and just...
Longtime reader and ditto what others said - your longevity, passion, and independence are what make it such a solid blog that I check out daily. I've probably learned the majority of what I know in the miles and points world due your writings. When I do a google search for something in the space, I often include "OMAAT" to see if you've written about it already (and often I knew you had and just need to find it again).
Anyway, like the others, I'd be happy to "join" a membership, Patreon, etc. Some ideas...
Ad-free seems like an obvious part of it
Your video idea I like, but I could even see them being blog posts.
Maybe behind the scenes posts, bonus posts of review trips, etc.?
Some other new content that only members get?
Member Q&A periods?
You could create special badges for comments who also support the site. Maybe it's time to have a devaluation of member tiers and introduce a premium level above Platinum :)
You have a connection with Point.me, right? Discounted subscription if you're an OMAAT member?
Chance to win going on a review trip with you? (Maybe that's your worst nightmare...)
Out of curiosity, will Tiffany or other past writers make an appearance in the future, too?
This is going to be harsh, but you would definitely need to uplevel your content significantly in order to get a paying subscriber base.
Today's landscape has dozens upon dozens of points and travel blogs. A lot of your content has now become cookie-cutter, copy-paste content, reusing the same article over and over with minimal editorialization when it comes to news, deals, and credit cards.
At any given time close to half of your home...
This is going to be harsh, but you would definitely need to uplevel your content significantly in order to get a paying subscriber base.
Today's landscape has dozens upon dozens of points and travel blogs. A lot of your content has now become cookie-cutter, copy-paste content, reusing the same article over and over with minimal editorialization when it comes to news, deals, and credit cards.
At any given time close to half of your home page is exactly that, just re-printed articles of the latest CC SUBs, miles sales, how to use a credit on a card, etc.
You would need to do some more deep research and analysis on lesser known programs to provide value to incentivize memberships. For example, instead of talking about how Lufthansa is "creatively selling miles" every other month, you need to actually go in, examine their award system, analyze availability, fees, etc. for that to be useful content.
In other words, be more like Frequent Miler.
But the cant stop talking and pitching credit cards...
Yes, this is absolutely right.
While I think that this blog is the absolute best in the world when it comes to the niche category of detailed reviews of the more obscure business class products out there, the depth of industry analysis isn't what it could be given the amount of stuff you know (or can find out relatively easily). Moreover, the blog seems to have settled on certain opinions/assumptions which shouldn't be framed...
Yes, this is absolutely right.
While I think that this blog is the absolute best in the world when it comes to the niche category of detailed reviews of the more obscure business class products out there, the depth of industry analysis isn't what it could be given the amount of stuff you know (or can find out relatively easily). Moreover, the blog seems to have settled on certain opinions/assumptions which shouldn't be framed as static or universal (e.g. my personal favourites being the tropes 'elite status just isn't valuable anymore' or 'Skyteam really isn't as good as the other two alliances'). The hotels featured either are extremely high end (I don't have a problem with anyone paying €1600 a night for a 24sq.m. room in the 8th arrondissement or whatever, but it's not something that I would ever do) or belong to specific chains which are almost always overpriced for the level of service they provide (after all, who wouldn't pay extra to stay at a JW Marriott over a Sofitel?). Major FFPs are either mentioned very occasionally or completely ignored because of the blog's preference for 'transferrable points currencies' whose coverage is also far from universal- which in itself is understandable as different markets and different geographies work differently.
I still visit quite frequently, but it's more because of inertia and the occasional interesting discussion in the comments. There's absolutely no way I would pay a subscription for this type of content.
I think that more sophisticated ad targeting is the way forward, while a Patreon account or/and a 'buy me a coffee' can help out too, but paywalls and the like are unlikely to be productive.
My gut is that although a paid membership would work, long-term, an interview podcast format would be more lucrative. You interviewing industry people interested in like travel subjects. My guess is you would be rough (to listen to) in the beginning, but would quickly improve after a year or so. When I go back and listen to some of my favorite podcasts in the early years it's pretty bad, but then they get running legs...
My gut is that although a paid membership would work, long-term, an interview podcast format would be more lucrative. You interviewing industry people interested in like travel subjects. My guess is you would be rough (to listen to) in the beginning, but would quickly improve after a year or so. When I go back and listen to some of my favorite podcasts in the early years it's pretty bad, but then they get running legs and the quality really goes up. No one IMHO is really covering the space you cover in this type of format and it could be an opportunity. For context I check your blog 3 or 4 times a day, and read at least a couple articles. Looking forward to see what you do Ben.
I’ll pay, but you have to change the comment section. Login required to post (no guests), ability to block/hide posters if we choose and a proper quote function please.
I second this!
I do think some sort of audio/video venture would serve you well, as that is how many people prefer to consume content now. A paid newsletter with exclusive content could also work. Perhaps those venues are where you consider some sort of sponsorship, while keeping the site mostly the same. I always think it's better to create new things rather than trying to change the more established channel.
Long time reader who really values OMAAT in an exceedingly noisy and race to the bottom space. +1 to a paid membership and I would offer two ideas:
1. Low cost to just eliminate ads. Some of the pop ups and banner ads really drive me nuts on small screens and I'd be happy to spend < $5/mo to eliminate them for good. This might even been an interesting play at the BoardingArea level to...
Long time reader who really values OMAAT in an exceedingly noisy and race to the bottom space. +1 to a paid membership and I would offer two ideas:
1. Low cost to just eliminate ads. Some of the pop ups and banner ads really drive me nuts on small screens and I'd be happy to spend < $5/mo to eliminate them for good. This might even been an interesting play at the BoardingArea level to introduce a paid ad-free tier across all their blogs.
2. Medium cost to introduce some type of community review concept. Say $5-10/mo gives me ad-free + the ability to contribute my own review of something OMAAT has reviewed and also view other community reviews. The value add here is that OMAAT reviews serve as the foundation with community reviews building on it to provide more recent data points. This enables reviews to stay more relevant without needing for OMAAT to make another trip. Keeping the community reviews (not OMAAT reviews) behind the membership for viewing and contributing would provide an incentive to subscribe.
First: I'd sub to a Patreon for you even if it didn't come with any perks. I subscribe to ~3 creators through Patreon and almost never engage with the Patreon platform itself or any subscriber perks. The way I see it is that they provide at least $60 a year of entertainment to me ($5 / month), and I want to enable the continuity of that. I am realistic towards the state of the online...
First: I'd sub to a Patreon for you even if it didn't come with any perks. I subscribe to ~3 creators through Patreon and almost never engage with the Patreon platform itself or any subscriber perks. The way I see it is that they provide at least $60 a year of entertainment to me ($5 / month), and I want to enable the continuity of that. I am realistic towards the state of the online content industry and understand that right now its either sell out in some format, become obnoxious, or struggle to stay afloat. Your independence is one of the greatest strengths of this site.
A good example of a creator who threads the needle of sponsorships and impartiality is the cooking youtube creator Internet Shaquille - who is one of my few Patreon subs. He only puts ads at the end of videos after all of his content is finished and always opens with "[company] has paid to be mentioned in this video"
Second point: I know (think?) you and Brian Sumers hold eachother in high regard and I feel like he has mastered monetizing niche industry journalism. Admittedly he has a different angle than you (and after doing one review of La Premier was talked out of doing a subsequent Cathay first one - even stating that was the domain of OMAAT), but I feel like a hybrid between his premium content and your accessible content is a natural fit for your 'fireside chat' idea.
I actually don't see any issues with some sort of focused ads. For example, in the past you've mentioned the type of carry-on you use and why you like it, and I wouldn't see any issue with a brand like that sponsoring your site for 1 week or so. It'd be more annoying if suddenly you start liking all kind of random stuff (e.g., nonstick pans, skincare, yoga pants, etc., you get the idea) just...
I actually don't see any issues with some sort of focused ads. For example, in the past you've mentioned the type of carry-on you use and why you like it, and I wouldn't see any issue with a brand like that sponsoring your site for 1 week or so. It'd be more annoying if suddenly you start liking all kind of random stuff (e.g., nonstick pans, skincare, yoga pants, etc., you get the idea) just for the sake of plastering your site with ads.
The video idea sounds quite cool! I mean, I'd love to see you chatting with industry people, pilots, etc. If you happen to have the connections, you'd become the Oprah of the aviation world. Importantly, you have the credibility that so many others lack (we have fresh evidence of this). So we all know you wouldn't be asking your 'PA' to send angry emails to others, asking them to meet in 'neutral places,' etc., etc. You say you're shy and everything, but YouTube desperately needs someone who's NOT screaming and whining and saying 'OMG' in 100 different poses and from 100 different camera angles.
BTW, @Ben, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease think of creating something which you can use to let us actually know what you think of the so many places you're able to visit. I'm not thinking of the already saturated market of '10 reasons why you should visit Tokyo ASAP!!!!!!!!!!' but instead your own takes about cities, hotels, restaurants. You know SO MUCH of the world and it'd be nice to sort of travel 'with' you and your family.
I love your content, and have been a daily reader for the last 7-8 years. Id be open to a paywall if I was getting some next-level content. Maybe some consults or award booking help or alerts or something.
Doing exclusive, paid online interviews with industry folks would be a pretty big value add if you want to keep the audience small. Stream on YouTube and Twitch if you are OK with a larger audience and want "super chat" style tips.,
Since you want to avoid the more business-y ways to monetize this blog that include seeing readers as the product despite that being lucrative, I would say dig into those traditional tried and true approaches of creating products that really fit you that you maybe haven't been doing. Digital products and videos that you could sell and even monetize through other platforms if you're that kind of person. With your angle and approach, I feel...
Since you want to avoid the more business-y ways to monetize this blog that include seeing readers as the product despite that being lucrative, I would say dig into those traditional tried and true approaches of creating products that really fit you that you maybe haven't been doing. Digital products and videos that you could sell and even monetize through other platforms if you're that kind of person. With your angle and approach, I feel like short courses would actually do a lot better than many other blogs that try to do the same thing. That's just a bad example but the point is that I would just dig into the different types of products one at a time alongside the paid membership or whatever. Your quality comes out in your product and I would just leverage that.
Absolutely yes to videos! They’ll keep you ahead of the curve, reaching longtime readers with blog posts while connecting with a whole new generation.
I’d also love to see more of you in the content. The times your blog has sparked real-life conversations for me were when you shared personal stories. Be it about your mom, your kids, Egypt chasing you like you chase Shawn Mendes. You’re every bit the travel personality as any airline...
Absolutely yes to videos! They’ll keep you ahead of the curve, reaching longtime readers with blog posts while connecting with a whole new generation.
I’d also love to see more of you in the content. The times your blog has sparked real-life conversations for me were when you shared personal stories. Be it about your mom, your kids, Egypt chasing you like you chase Shawn Mendes. You’re every bit the travel personality as any airline exec, and it’d be amazing to see more of your life: parenting in Miami, your favorite restaurants, those behind-the-scenes moments.
That’s the kind of authentic, bonus content I’d gladly pay for!
I think having targeted sponsored ads makes a lot of sense. I also believe you've avoided having airlines and hotels sponsor trips (as you don't want it to affect your reviews), but I think as long as you're clear with airlines/hotels that you won't guarantee a good or bad review and you put a disclaimer that the trip was sponsored, that'd be absolutely fine in my book. I definitely trust you to give honest feedback...
I think having targeted sponsored ads makes a lot of sense. I also believe you've avoided having airlines and hotels sponsor trips (as you don't want it to affect your reviews), but I think as long as you're clear with airlines/hotels that you won't guarantee a good or bad review and you put a disclaimer that the trip was sponsored, that'd be absolutely fine in my book. I definitely trust you to give honest feedback of your reviews regardless of whether or not you got paid for them.
Agree. However I'd recommend a business manager to handle just that and keep the noise and negotiations away from Ben.
Thanks for writing this post, Ben! Long time reader.
I agree with JF's post above. I value OMAAT above all other travel blogs because of its candour and honesty, and ability to write about topics that us av- and travel-geeks appreciate but under a monetisation-first system would likely get scrapped. I think the way it is currently structured works well and I don't find the ads structure or content distracting. I personally wouldn't be tempted...
Thanks for writing this post, Ben! Long time reader.
I agree with JF's post above. I value OMAAT above all other travel blogs because of its candour and honesty, and ability to write about topics that us av- and travel-geeks appreciate but under a monetisation-first system would likely get scrapped. I think the way it is currently structured works well and I don't find the ads structure or content distracting. I personally wouldn't be tempted by a subscription service - I read almost all articles but I can't think of a subset I'd be willing to pay for for access at this time. I think leveraging more video content is a great idea - people tend to like that (especially for flight / hotel reviews) and you can monetise them more with ad breaks.
I used to be a huge fan of The Points Guy and I've been dismayed by how much they've sold out over the years - it's generic content now that is neutered of having any real opinion and caveats everything so heavily that I never read it. Thanks for doing what you do, I've found such value and nerdy camaraderie in OMAAT!
- Jake from London, via SF
start a fake airline scheme, then funnel investor money into the blog. Next question please
I would not mind paying a small fee for content. Please make it a simple annual fee - one and done. I hate monthly charges.
Keep up the good work. Still watching for a stats update at the bottom of the OMATT page.....
Meet Ben Schlappig, OMAAT Founder
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I would absolutely pay for a subscription, particularly if i reduced the ads.
One concept is that you have a very defined audience. On one hand, they are incredibly valuable because the common thread is, obviously, the love of travel. This would certainly appeal to airlines/hotels/luggage brands, etc...
On the other hand, your audience is also drawn by the concept of maximizng ROI, not exactly great for the margins in the aforementioned verticals.
The middle...
I would absolutely pay for a subscription, particularly if i reduced the ads.
One concept is that you have a very defined audience. On one hand, they are incredibly valuable because the common thread is, obviously, the love of travel. This would certainly appeal to airlines/hotels/luggage brands, etc...
On the other hand, your audience is also drawn by the concept of maximizng ROI, not exactly great for the margins in the aforementioned verticals.
The middle ground might be to offer an "OMAAT Platinum" membership, where travel providers would either give minor benefits (points, promos) or discounts in exchange for the exposure. You could then charge your readers who choose to opt in who would get the benefits provided by the travel-focused companies and see reduced ads.
I am among what I'm sure is a significant group of long-time OMAAT readers who has received immense knowledge, value, and enjoyment from the site, I would much rather pay directly, even with few additional benefits, than see low quality paid content mixed in the mix. While convincing "customers" to pay for something they're used to receiving for free is among the scarier business pivots, here the product is best-in-class, and a loyal readership will...
I am among what I'm sure is a significant group of long-time OMAAT readers who has received immense knowledge, value, and enjoyment from the site, I would much rather pay directly, even with few additional benefits, than see low quality paid content mixed in the mix. While convincing "customers" to pay for something they're used to receiving for free is among the scarier business pivots, here the product is best-in-class, and a loyal readership will stick with the site through change.
I can't imagine a world where I would pay for content related to points and miles but to each his own. With that said: I have learned a great deal from this blog and I appreciate what you do.
Long time reader here. What makes OMAAT great is that Ben isn't owned by anyone. We get unfiltered, honest takes. I can't say the same for the vast majority of travel bloggers and content creators. Going the sponsored content route may impinge upon this. I know Ben would give us disclaimers and warnings as he always has, but there's still a subconscious pressure to not lose any revenue. I'd be happy to pay for access...
Long time reader here. What makes OMAAT great is that Ben isn't owned by anyone. We get unfiltered, honest takes. I can't say the same for the vast majority of travel bloggers and content creators. Going the sponsored content route may impinge upon this. I know Ben would give us disclaimers and warnings as he always has, but there's still a subconscious pressure to not lose any revenue. I'd be happy to pay for access if it meant not seeing Ben knot himself in a pretzel to avoid angering subscribers with honest product reviews or controversial news. As for the video content idea for interviews with industry leaders, I would love to see this. Even a podcast format would be great too.
While I certainly would be happy to make a montly Patreon contribution for access, I think the problem is that so many people wouldn't that the volume of comments on stories would drop dramatically - and reading the comment is at least half the fun. Besides fun reading lots of comments, once in a great while someone with greater knowledge pipes in and give real insight. It could be a pilot, FA, ATC employee and...
While I certainly would be happy to make a montly Patreon contribution for access, I think the problem is that so many people wouldn't that the volume of comments on stories would drop dramatically - and reading the comment is at least half the fun. Besides fun reading lots of comments, once in a great while someone with greater knowledge pipes in and give real insight. It could be a pilot, FA, ATC employee and more. Small changes can have unintended consequences. I was a member of a hobby blog starting about 15 years ago and the operators, a Canadian for profit, changed software and broke the password system. Overnight, half the posters lost access and never returned.
As someone who visits your blog multiple times per day, I'm already in. And I really like the idea of you interviewing people in the industry. You have the type of credibility that might lend itself to these leaders realizing they can take those risks. Many interviews are conducted by good journalists who aren't experts in a particular field, and that can sometimes lead to awkwardness, whereas you are an expert in the field and...
As someone who visits your blog multiple times per day, I'm already in. And I really like the idea of you interviewing people in the industry. You have the type of credibility that might lend itself to these leaders realizing they can take those risks. Many interviews are conducted by good journalists who aren't experts in a particular field, and that can sometimes lead to awkwardness, whereas you are an expert in the field and seem to approach situations like a level-headed columnist. I think it could work well.
I would easily pay $9-10 a month to read this. I read every article a day on this site and have been doing so for the last 10 years
I think there’s a balance on a sort of membership. I for one would happily contribute to support your endeavors. Others may not be able to, so as long as there’s a way to balance things I don’t think you put yourself at too much risk.
Hi Ben, I've been reading for many years and have rarely if ever commented. My advice would be to provide white glove advising services. Helping people manage and organize their miles, proving booking advice on a per-case basis, tailored itineraries for destinations based on a quick interview with the traveler. Basically, leverage your deep well of knowledge.
The other idea is to run your own LLM on site as a "OMAATGPT" where anyone can...
Hi Ben, I've been reading for many years and have rarely if ever commented. My advice would be to provide white glove advising services. Helping people manage and organize their miles, proving booking advice on a per-case basis, tailored itineraries for destinations based on a quick interview with the traveler. Basically, leverage your deep well of knowledge.
The other idea is to run your own LLM on site as a "OMAATGPT" where anyone can query and ask questions and your LLM answers based on the site archive and history. This again leverages your asset of years of blog posts.
Im happy to assist you in setting these ideas up, as an unpaid volunteer. There ate other readers of yours, I am certain, who are much more qualified than I am to assist.
Maybe Ford could help with booking advice (and actually do the booking too).
Possibly bring back concierge travel with PointPros? Helping your readers actually use the points they earn and find the sweet spots is a real value they'd pay for
I would pay for a (reasonably priced) subscription lol. Something that would be great as part of that would be to take reader questions - you reply in the comments occasionally but a true mailbag type article once or twice per month would add real value I think
Hi Ben, I read this blog daily and would be happy to pay a modest subscription fee to keep content and editorial standards similar to what they are today.
I love reading your content and have since the FT days! I would much rather pay you directly and have an ad free experience.
On other topics I am a member of podcasts paid discord/Patreon feeds and would also be interested in a OMAAT version.
Always appreciate your transparency!
I would pay for a subscription. I have been reading this blog for about half my life and not a day goes by without me checking your take on the latest news, or airline reviews, etc. I’m glad things have stayed pretty consistent over the years, but I don’t mind some evolution, as long as it’s nothing too radical.
I wouldn’t mind paying for a membership, something like YouTube channel members. I want to read your blog, not watch videos. Reading helps me staying focused, it’s a welcomed distraction from reality, and it is part of the OMAAT-charme.
I agree. I really do not want videos. And the amount of written work Ben creates each day is definitely worth the escape from life and politics.
Yes to paid membership and yes to video interview with execs that would be super interesting. Otherwise keep up the great work
A good approach would be to create video shorts of each blog piece and put it out on monetization platforms and link them in your blog.
It gets to people who dont normally blog or have lost the ability to read a long post.
You will get broader distribution from the monetization platforms. You can point to the blog for greater details.
Assuming you dont have a problem creating videos of yourself!
I love your reviews Ben. I'm not sure how much you make through credit card sign-up referrals but imagine that is a decent source of revenue that would get tough if everything goes behind a paywall. I do think you have the best flight reviews in the business. Maybe some short videos about your premium cabin experience could be good. A bigger video opportunity in my mind is hotels - especially for expensive hotels &...
I love your reviews Ben. I'm not sure how much you make through credit card sign-up referrals but imagine that is a decent source of revenue that would get tough if everything goes behind a paywall. I do think you have the best flight reviews in the business. Maybe some short videos about your premium cabin experience could be good. A bigger video opportunity in my mind is hotels - especially for expensive hotels & resorts. Having a longer 10-20 min video tour would be great to watch on Youtube and some others do this today, but obviously you have the community here and know what travelers like us are looking for. Having the ability to read your hotel review but then also watch a video (thinking of lux resorts) would be quite nice. I'd be down to watch some interviews to your point as well (would pay PPV $ for you and Tim D...).
Speaking of money (and this goes to anyone), but I suggest you go to missingmoney.com as you (may) have some unclaimed money lying around.
I would pay for a subscription. I value your work and sometimes disagree truly appreciate all the content you create. You provide so many posts per day and give me a break from politics lol.