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. I know the personal version of the card is especially popular at the moment, given the…
Advice
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…
We know that a lot of airlines have been playing games when it comes to issuing refunds for cancelled flights and significant schedule changes. Here in the US, the Department of Transportation is the governing body that oversees that. In early April…
Like all aspects of the travel industry, ski resorts were impacted by COVID-19 in an unprecedented way. Ski resorts across North America were shuttered mid-March, causing an abrupt end to the popular spring season. A mass exodus of seasonal employees…
With many airlines struggling to stay alive, one common question has revolved around what happens to your frequent flyer miles in the event of airline bankruptcy. Unfortunately there's no one size fits all answer to this, though let me address this on…
Over the past several weeks I've repeatedly been asked by readers whether credit card companies would be discounting annual fees or offering other perks in light of the current situation. I wanted to share my take on that. I view earning points as a…
It doesn't really bring me any joy to write this post, but I feel like someone needs to say this? Let me note upfront that this is addressed to a very small percentage of people in our little "world," and it's not intended to be personal. Rather it's…
Obviously all kinds of companies are in a terrible situation right now, though I can't help but feel like many travel brands are leaving some easy(ish) money on the table... While revenue here at OMAAT is obviously way down at the moment, we're lucky…
There's no doubt that COVID-19 has impacted travel plans globally. One particularly hard-hit has been the ski industry, which relies largely on spring skiing sales as a major form of revenue. For skiers, the refund process has been a roller coaster (mogul-coaster?)…
Ever since Congress passed the CARES Act on March 27th, it seems like it's been dominating the news cycles as much as COVID-19 itself. As small business owners, we've all been trying to wrap our heads around it, and when the topic came up with Ben and…
The situation is changing by the hour, and while there will be worldwide social and economic fallout from this pandemic, the impacts on the travel industry are far-reaching. If you're looking for information and updates on the virus itself, please check…
