Truth in travel. Your mission statement. Always.
I read your emails everyday. It’s helped in so many trips, taken us around the world twice. We’ve had more first and business class trips because I got those ideas from you.
I get asked frequently how I plan these trips with miles and points. I give them OMAAT.com.
Good luck with the new changes. I’m sure any changes will be very thoroughly thought through.
Bon Chance!
"certain miles & points site does everything from reviews of Taco Bell’s loyalty program, to content about how skincare is like miles & points"
To copy what so many airlines bull$h*t about.
That site is positioning itself as a "lifestyle" brand.
The problem is with the 'self manufactured' gen Z of wanting a unique 'identity'.
The market would end up with 2 billion 'unique' lifestyles. Mostly would be a unique trash. But that's what Gen Z is defining themselves. That's why taco skincare would fit in just fine with airline status.
I thought that was a joke. Nope. August 19, 2026. "Gen Z is right. Taco Bell Rewards is pretty fantastic — here's why"... and I see they may have brought back comments. Wuttt.
Perhaps if this goes well, it'll provide a chance to move away from the regularly scheduled programming of 6 credit card adverts, followed by 1 post complaining about points devaluation?
It's always hard to apeace everyone. To be honest, the advertising was so bad, that I only read the side with the Safari reader mode, but I get the importance of adds for you, especially for one-time visitors. So this is definitely something understandable!
Regarding monatization, my understanding is, that many youtubers have sponsored content, here the video is usually not about the product but it is only a 30s advertisement in the video that can be skipped and is clearly presented as sponsored. Actually having something similar could be fun for you as well, i.e. getting sponsored travel accessories to take with you and writing about. Just an idea here.
Thank you for loving travel and sharing your tips with us for so many years! I've been reading your blog since early 2010. I feel your passion and the need to evolve your business. I appreciate you are candid about it. I just signed up for your daily newsletter and google thing. Hope your business and readership continue to grow!
Thanks for the opportunity to contribute
I've been reading your blog daily for more than 10 years now
I cannot express how much you brought me professionally. Thanks to your insights I can be sharp in my work life, always up to date and engaged in what I do.
I'm very happy to finally be able to give back to you via a subscription. For me this is exactly the right move.
I'm aware that you are taking a risk, and I hope you won't be too disappointed by the volume of contributions.
You deserve to make a good living, and I'm more than happy to pay my share to help you secure your independence, which I value a lot.
Speaking of AI, I'm still waiting for data centers to have their very own Bastille moment.
Thoughtful update.
Sponsored content is also a reality nowadays, I guess the declarations around it just need to be clear. The same goes for (shared) business interests.
Monetizing content just seems to get harder, with the insane amount of copycats and also content-fatigue, since everyone does the same thing all the time (there are hundreds of flight review channels now on YouTube...).
young ppl have been, in many instances, absolutely beaten into submission. they have willingly become nothing but a product to be milked by companies.
look at how media platforms are trying to claim that users know that if they press a 'buy' button for something, that they dont really own it, theyre just getting a license that can be revoked at will.
theyre the first generation that have grown up knowing nothing else, so theres no pushback or fight against it anymore.
Ben is a lifestyle brand. It's the human touch that makes this site attractive. It's an organic phenomenon. Follow your instincts and heart to remain ahead of the pack. UBU
The whole AI thing is changing how we search for & receive information, but for me I want more details like you provide including date of review and photos. Keep doing what you do Ben and I'll keep reading!
Monetization of any medium is nothing new. In the early days of TV, there was:
- Texaco Star Theater
- Philco Television Playhouse
- Phillip Morris & I Love Lucy (actual commercial where Desi & Lucy smoking cigarettes)
- Chesterfield Cigarettes & 1950’s Dragnet (Jack Webb smoking cigarettes on air as well)
The above was the same for radio when it developed in the 1920’s and grew thru the 1950’s.
Now, the internet is the “new” medium and advertising and endorsement have fallen into the picture. It’s virtually impossible to watch a YouTube video without an embedded endorsement or sponsor; let alone commercials with the count down clock in the bottom right. And if you look at network news, it’s reduced itself to rehashing Twitter (X) and TikTok videos between 60 second commercials.
Ben, I understand the gravity of sponsors and the financial rewards. We are all trying to keep a roof over our head and food on the table. However, please don’t allow sponsors to control the entire message. If so, the audience will move to those who are clueless; can’t think; and looking for pure entertainment. Unfortunately, a lot of the web has already moved in that direction.
This place is unique (in my experience) in that there's a lively Comments section (here), plus a normal forum section just added in Community area too. Which one thrives long-term will be interesting to see.
YT creators complain and rightfully so all the time that the monetization is all over the map, can be changed at any minute and often the process is opaque. You get what you get and no one will explain why. AI will also change content creation. If will make it easier and cheaper to produce.
There are hundreds of really great content creators on YT and Rumble but the field is too crowd to gain traction. The few really good ones like AsmondGold got in early and draw millions. There are only so many hours in a day to take in content and few can financially support more than handful of creators. So the moral of the story is a blog or channel isn't a realistic way of obtaining financial success.
Ben if you have the ability to sell this website for a decent price you should. The competition is only going to increase. You have to remain in a perpetual state of working 365 to put out content that will by nature have a limited audience. Better to have a nest egg and be a contributor or something else in life.
"Just sell your website" says the guy who claims to be a Concierge Key, plans to retire soon, and frequently promotes neo-lib talking points on here, but won't even register an account.
(Anyway, yeah, sure. Zack Hoyt, born 1990, I might add... he sure "made it," didn't he, all just by 'getting in early,' not innovating along the way, or working tirelessly to maintain an audience.)
Low IQ moron. I said if the price is right. If Ben got an offer that would make him comfortable in the medium term why not? He can always supplement that nest egg by doing contribution pieces.
I have no idea what his website might fetch. But if it means no longer working 365, spending more time with family, not pressed constantly for engagement and wondering if tomorrow his sponsor are going to screw him (just listen to other content creators) why wouldn't he. Or maybe he should just keep slaving away. After all you apparently think people being financially set are awful, except for yourself.
Some people get wise with age. Not the case here.
George Nathan Romey, 'have you no sense of decency, sir!'
Ah, yes, nothing screams "wise with age" quite like flying into a rage because someone dared to scrutinize your armchair-CEO financial advice.
My point is that reducing a thriving, independent publishing business to a fire-sale just because you think a daily content schedule is "slaving away" forgets why people actually build things. Not everyone wants to cash out at the first sign of a market shift just to become a freelance "contributor" somewhere else.
Now, I know you're busy with the retirement planning, but do you require a step-by-step tutorial to register an account, or do you have that covered?
Ben, I think you lost the bandwagon on following the social media trends. And thank god for that because it would not feel natural, or you, in a way. I've seem the ways in which you tried throughout the years in YouTube, but in a land of Josh Cahill, PointsGuys , JebBrooks and even guys who would review food and started reviewing airline food to seats, where would you fit in? The problem for me is that maybe it is not possible to translate the feeling of reading your texts here into watching a video of you, for instance.
One creator that I've lost interest in is Sam Chui. I used to devour his reviews on Airliners. Every single word. It was magical. Then he went all in on YouTube and it felt weird, not natural. I did not get the same excited feeling that I used to have by watching him. So I drooped instantly. Now, at least for me, I just not watch YouTube content as much as I used to. Tiktok is the way to go. And I get the same feeling by watching some YT creators trying to succeed in Tiktok and not having as much views and attention as in the golden days of YouTube.
For me, OMAAT is about your writing your experiences and perspectives about the trips you take. And we get to read it. It is one of the blogs / websites that I always remember to visit (on a daily basis). I don't even go to BoardingArea anymore.
The question I'd like to ask is: shouldn't OMAAT be more like a great hobby to you? In a way that maybe in your current state in life you don't need to make money out of it? Or am I being too ingenious?
"TikTok is the way to go." (That's what Xi said.)
You seem genuine, other "George," but you spent three paragraphs lamenting how unnatural it is for old-school blog writers to force themselves into awkward new video formats, only to conclude that Ben should shove himself onto the short-form CCP algorithm meat-grinder? Oof.
New member "Kreative" was in here pushing that too, but let's be honest—they just want to see Ben do a dance trend... (I'm not opposed. We all should probably dance a little more.)
Are you the new "Tim", 1990?
I think Ben should continue to write his review the way he writes because this is what I think most people who follow him are attracted and attached to. Going to other types of media may not feel natural and capture new audiences.
I bet there are a dozen twink travel influencers doing dances in TikTok and Reels right while pitching some Chase card down there lol There cater to younger and (maybe older?) people.
Hey Ben, been coming to OMAAT daily for the past 3 years and I’m totally hooked! I get 100% of my aviation news here ! You have to earn a living some way or another, so I totally support these changes.
Ben, really appreciate your post here. It’s obvious you painstakingly and thoughtfully deliberated which direction to go for quite some time. Sharing this with openness and frankness with your readers is so refreshing (and pleasantly surprising) in this world we live in today - and this ‘hanging it out there’ attitude comes out in each and every article you write - and a main reason I read your Blog with earnest every day. Thank you!
Ben, can’t tell you how much I appreciate your thoughtful article and hanging it out there - it’s clear you have and are going through painstaking process and taking all aspects into consideration. Being completely open and candid and sharing that with your readers is why I earnestly read your Blog every day - this philosophy comes through in ALL your articles and is such a breath of fresh air in this world we live in today. Thank you for all that you do!
the funny thing about the AI search thing is I specifically have to search things like "when do airline points expire omaat" so that i get your results first, instead of garbage other posts (I think making you a preferred source helps with this, but i've been doing this for years lol)
If looking for other ways to monetize, I know I (and others) would pay for an in-person meet-up of some type. I had a blast geeking out with ppl at a TPG Super Bowl happy hour event in 2020.
I know you’re an introvert, but could have guest speakers or just make it more of a community happy hour where you barely have to talk.