There's an exciting new vaccination timeline in the US, so what does that mean for travel? I'll share my take, noting of course that I'm not a doctor, scientist, or anything other than a guy who likes planes and travel. President Biden has yesterday…
Advice
I can't think of another industry that has contracts with customers that are as one-sided as we see in the airline industry... but that's also how it has been for a long time. Reader Vincent sent me an email about a frustrating experience he had with…
I like to tell everyone who will listen about the huge value they can get by maximizing credit cards and using them responsibly. There are so many great credit cards out there, and those who are using debit cards or paying cash are basically throwing…
While I ideally like staying at hotels with robust loyalty programs, the reality is that there are lots of charming independent hotels out there that don't have a loyalty program. Often there's a tradeoff for staying at these properties, though -- you…
There's huge value to be had with booking through Virtuoso, which typically requires booking through a qualifying travel advisor. What many people don't realize is that you can actually make Virtuoso bookings online as well, so in this post I wanted…
Reader Stefan poses a question I hadn't previously put much thought into: Why are you (and others) referring to enclosed first class seats as ”suites”? A suite is a succession of something, like two or more rooms forming a suite in a hotel, or a certain…
I have a confession to make -- over the years I've gone from being an "always aisle seat" guy to an "always window seat" guy on planes. It has no doubt been a gradual transition -- first I'd select aisle seats no matter what, then I'd select window seats…
The Platinum Card® from American Express (review) and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (review) are among the most popular premium cards out there. Both of these cards are offering great bonuses for new members at the moment, and in…
There have been rumors in the past few weeks of Four Seasons introducing a new loyalty program. While that's not happening, the luxury hotel group has just announced some improvements to its existing invitation-only status. While Four Seasons is known…
Four Seasons is considered by some to be the Holy Grail of hotels and resorts (just look at their properties in Hawaii, Bora Bora, Paris, Surfside, Costa Rica, and Los Cabos). Others may say they are overpriced and overrated, although I think it's fair…
As we see airlines continue to retire four engine planes, it's pretty clear that the future of long haul aviation involves planes with two engines. In that sense, the two planes that are really revolutionizing air travel are the Airbus A350 and Boeing…
"The captain is the judge and the jury." "Right, wrong, or indifferent, what they say and demand is to be followed." "It's the captain's plane." "The captain is NOT required to explain the rules." "Like the captain of a ship, the buck stops there." These…
I've had some comments from readers lately along the lines of: "Miles & points just aren't worth it anymore" "Things have changed, why are you still bothering with loyalty programs?" "tRaVeL iS dEaD" I wanted to share my take on this, and why I strongly…
One of the longest standing annual miles & points “events” is the Chicago Seminars, which has been held at the Holiday Inn in Elk Grove, Illinois (nearish to the Chicago O’Hare Airport) for the past ten years. Ten years. I'm getting old. Ben and I actually…
We all have to eat, whether that comes in the form of eating at restaurants or at home. I’ve written in the past about the best credit cards for dining out, and in this post wanted to write about the best credit cards for grocery store and supermarket…
Currently travel between the United States and the European Union is restricted for most passengers, due to the travel bans in place. One common question has been when people will be able to freely travel across the Atlantic again. Most major airlines…
Since the pandemic started, I've seen a lot of speculation about how airline route networks will change. When it comes to this, the most common speculation that I've seen is "well I bet airlines will operate more nonstop flights, because people don't…
We all have different things we're looking for in credit cards, and over time those things sometimes change, especially in the coronavirus era. Maybe our spending patterns change, maybe the perks we value change, and in some cases maybe card issuers…
Before I talk specifically about our time in Bodrum (which I'll start doing in the next installment), in this post I wanted to talk more about the general logistical challenges and risks of international travel at the moment. Let me first clarify that…
I frequently write about promotions for purchasing airline miles and hotel points, as this can represent an excellent value. While I generally don't recommend buying points without a particular use in mind, in some cases you can get outsized value, particularly…
Not to be morbid, but this is a question I get all the time. Miles and points are confusing enough, and when you add in the stress surrounding an unexpected (or even expected) death it can be difficult to understand options and make decisions. I first…
Ah, tax season. As many Americans are starting to procrastinate finalize their tax returns, questions about earning points for making those payments always come up. That's particularly relevant this year, and individuals and businesses may be paying…
One of the best ways to rack up rewards points is with credit cards. The problem for many of us is that there are only so many things we can pay by credit card. That's where Plastiq comes into play. This is a service that I've used for years, and have…
Partly because I started spending so much time on planes at such a young age, I've never learned how to cook. And my one foray into the world of cooking left me committed to making reservations rather than meals at home whenever possible. Ford has started…
