As the year comes to a close, I thought it would be fun to look back at the past year on the blog, and highlight the most popular posts. While this site gets a lot of traffic, I spend a surprisingly limited amount of time focused on analytics.
Sure, I try to do basic things that are good for SEO, but if you asked me how much traffic the site got in a particular month, I wouldn’t know. I’ll take it a step further — I actually don’t have the log-in details for our Google Analytics page (which I just realized, because when I sat down to write this post I tried to log in for the first time in 2019, and realized my credentials didn’t work, so Tiffany got this info for me instead).
The reason I don’t focus much on this stuff is because I prefer to focus on writing, and in particular focus on writing about what I enjoy. I write 50+ posts per week, week after week, and I’d be burned out by now if I weren’t writing about the things that I enjoy.
The Most Read OMAAT Posts Of 2019
With the above out of the way, the most read posts aren’t necessarily the ones that I would consider the most useful. I’m often surprised by the things that others find interesting, because sometimes the things that end up being most popular are the posts that I don’t think much of.
With that in mind, below are the 19 posts that were read the most in 2019, in order of traffic. One of these posts was written in previous years, so next to each post I’ll put the year in which the post was published. In order of the amount of traffic received:
- Delta’s Shocking Warning Letter To A Frequent Flyer (2019)
- Help Me Understand The Uber Cancelation Scam? (2019)
- American Airlines To Make Huge Announcement: Here Are Some Clues (2019)
- An American Airlines Flight’s Terrifying JFK Takeoff (2019)
- UK Bans Emirates First Class Shower Attendants (2019)
- Why I Can No Longer Recommend Google Fi (2019)
- Uber Now Lets You Pay In Cash In Some Cities (2016)
- American Lied To Me About Why My Flight Was Canceled (2019)
- American Mechanics Intentionally Delayed My Flight (2019)
- American’s Embarrassing International First Class Service (2019)
- United Flight Canceled Because Both Pilots Drank Too Much (2019)
- I’m Not Sure American Airlines Is At Fault Here (For Once)? (2019)
- Chase Forgiving All Credit Card Debt In Canada (2019)
- The World’s 9 Best Business Class Seats (2019)
- This Flight Attendant’s Defense Of Bad Service Explains Everything (2019)
- Rough Landing Seriously Damages Delta 757 (2019)
- United Airlines Threatens To Stop Selling Flights Through Expedia (2019)
- Guy Turned Down $1,500 To Switch Economy Seats (2019)
- Ouch: British Airways Pilots Lose Flight Benefits After Strike (2019)
My Takeaway From This Info
My main takeaway is that the things that I enjoy writing about (trip reports, ways to earn and redeem miles, etc.) aren’t necessarily the things that the internet at large enjoys reading about. That won’t change the approach I take, though.
For example, the top trip report post of this year only ranked in the 50th spot when it came to page views.
Bottom Line
I always find it interesting to look at the most read posts of the year, not because the data changes what I’ll write about, but rather because it’s just interesting what ends up going sort of viral.
As always, thank you guys so much for reading. I’m incredibly fortunate to be able to do what I love every day and call it a job, even if it doesn’t feel like it. I owe that all to you guys.
Here’s to a great 2020 filled with big credit welcome bonuses, mistake fares that are honored, and lots of great promotions.
None of these are in my reading, which makes me worry that content will change to match what traffic demands...
i'm a regular reader ... but hardly ever read trip reviews ...
and i thought i was abnormal ... until now !
@Lucky, I would count #10 as a trip report, in a sense that it is your first-hand account of air travel. And your first-hand impressions are what keeps me coming back to this blog. Please keep the flight and lounge reviews coming - you are the best! If I feel the need to see click-bait second-hand stories, there is always CNN.
I don't often comment - but based on the article - wanted to say how much I enjoy this site and appreciate the fact that you don't change your style. Thank you!
Ever since Ben moved to Miami 70% of articles are about American :>
Yeah man. Let's hope for some mistake fares in 2020 involving SWISS or Air France first class.
Because you write so many posts yourself, your blog has a unique “voice,” which I truly enjoy. The writing is top notch. I believe beginners to award travel are hungry for “how to” content, which can be found at OMAAT as well as many other sites. But for long-time aficionados, you’re the best.
Ben, the trip reports aren’t actually less popular. It’s just that many of the articles in that list are the kind that someone might find by googling stuff about getting scammed by Uber, having their flight cancelled by American, etc, so you’ve got a strong but relatively constant base of readers who really enjoy your reviews and trip reports (I’m one of them), and then a whole bunch of other people who find less ‘interest-specific’...
Ben, the trip reports aren’t actually less popular. It’s just that many of the articles in that list are the kind that someone might find by googling stuff about getting scammed by Uber, having their flight cancelled by American, etc, so you’ve got a strong but relatively constant base of readers who really enjoy your reviews and trip reports (I’m one of them), and then a whole bunch of other people who find less ‘interest-specific’ posts of yours through google searches. Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with that. Keep doing what you’re doing!
I see AA dominated this year on OMAAT, the year Ben said would be his last with AA. You gotta love the irony :)
Agree the trip reports at the best! Don’t stop.
Thanks to you Ben, I have been inspired to travel to the Faroe Islands and NYC this year.
Keep up the good work.
Happy New Year to you.
Don’t be fooled by data, Ben.
I read your blogs because I like your trip reports.
But I am clicking more other articles than your trip reports.
This could be explained by I am following the aviation news daily.
But I am reading your reports by searching only when I am considering to buy a ticket
Ben, you should do a OMAAT version of Spotify Wrapped and show us what post had the most comments, which trip report was the most viewed, etc etc.
Btw, you're the king of trip reports, keep 'em coming, your Africa this year was one of my favorites!!! Happy 2020 to all of us!
Agree completely with @Jonathan. Your trip reports and redemptions are entertaining and valuable. Special mention for Tiffany, for her detailed Vietnam trip report this year too!
The trip reports are great, but I don’t read every one. Rather I focus on the destinations and airlines I am most likely to visit. So mainstream airlines like the US 3, main European and Asian carriers etc. As a woman I never travel on the mid eastern carriers as I don’t want to support the regimes that own them, but that is a personal decision, and I am sure many readers don’t care about that. Keep up the reviews and also analysis of how to maximize points!
I’m not surprised those are the most read articles. If you look at contents on fox, cnn, nyt, they thrive on reporting dramas because people love reading them. Remember nyt was loosing readers left and right until Trump came alone? Not that their reporting on him was necessarily wrong but their management can tell what sells: Trump drama. You know they will miss the cash cow when he leaves next year or in four more...
I’m not surprised those are the most read articles. If you look at contents on fox, cnn, nyt, they thrive on reporting dramas because people love reading them. Remember nyt was loosing readers left and right until Trump came alone? Not that their reporting on him was necessarily wrong but their management can tell what sells: Trump drama. You know they will miss the cash cow when he leaves next year or in four more years. Same can be applied to your articles. Nothing rev your readers up more than hating on domestic airlines’ ever shrinking loyalty program benefits! But I believe your core readers enjoy reading about none drama stuff as well. If you concentrate on drama, then your core readers will move on. I think what you have now is a great balance imo: regular stuff with a dash of drama.
Hi Ben, I think you may find that many of your regulars like me are interested more in the trip reviews and up to date travel news so don't give yourself over to the clickbait and more "viral gossip" style blogs completely. As an international reader who practically lives on a plane, I didn't even click on most of those blogs. Its your (& Tiffany) first hand experiences that are the most interesting and useful...
Hi Ben, I think you may find that many of your regulars like me are interested more in the trip reviews and up to date travel news so don't give yourself over to the clickbait and more "viral gossip" style blogs completely. As an international reader who practically lives on a plane, I didn't even click on most of those blogs. Its your (& Tiffany) first hand experiences that are the most interesting and useful content & the main reason to subscribe! Keep at it and thank you!
Ben, not only do I want to echo what everyone else is saying (For the love of the points gods and goddesses, keep doing the reviews!!!), something that you might ask Tiffany to look at (unless you have your own log in by now :) ) is to look at most viewed over the past four or five years, I just finished reading a Cathay Pacific first class review you did in like 2014, and I have found myself coming back at your reviews time after time, literally year after year
Thanks for the reports in 2019. I read everything you write. You’re the best!! Happy New Year to you and the family. Keep it up in 2020.
I come here for the trip reports and flight reviews. Keep up the good work on these! A lot of those headlines are more just random, exciting sounding (kinda) travel news.
Agree with @gary
Your travel reviews are my favorite part of the blog. Amazing work in 2019! Looking forward to 2020.
It's interesting. Virtually every single most viewed post here related to some sort of drama or controversy. Explains a great deal about our world today.
It would be interesting to know which posts received the most comments during the year.
Interesting stuff, but I agree with Gary. I love this blog (and have been a daily reader for more than a decade!), and it’s the trip reports and related content that keeps me coming back. This is the best place on the Internet for that content; and nobody else comes close to your writing style and level of detail/passion. So please keep it up - I love it!
Best wishes for 2020, to you, Ford and your parents (and especially your Mum).
Your trip reports are the best! Thanks so much! Keep them coming!
Looking forward to following more of your adventures in 2020! (And I hope your Mom is doing well.)
What were the top ranked trip reports?
Well, I think such „news“, which attract top page views, are doing so because of search algorithms. Words like „warning“, „ban“, „strike“ or „serious damage“ score high and will be selected by people with no interest in air travel as such. This is basically also how voters are directed populist webpages, as we have learned ...
Most read aren't the most read by your regular readers. There are stories that go viral far beyond your core audience and those are going to be different than the content that brings people back day in and day out. Keep on keepin' on.
Don’t stop writing trip reports! You truly are the best
Your trip reports and redemption write ups are the thing that sets you apart from every other blogger. They provide inspiration for our own travels and are a pleasure to read. You can tell in your writing that they are your passion as well. Cheers to the new year!