Weekly Review: August 22, 2020

Weekly Review: August 22, 2020

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Hello from Miami, where it has been a surprisingly pleasant August, with very little rain (though perhaps that will be changing in the next couple of days).

On the points & travel front, this week Virgin Atlantic announced plans to award elite credits on Virgin Atlantic flights, Eastern Airlines started selling tickets on its new New York to Cabo flight, Delta extended and scaled back its seat blocking policy, and more.

With that out of the way, here’s a recap of this week on the blog:

Featured Stories

Wow: Virgin Atlantic Will Award Tier Points On Reward Tickets

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club has today announced some positive updates, including one new industry-first permanent feature that I’m very excited about.

Let’s start with the most exciting development. As of September 1, 2020, Virgin Atlantic will award tier points even for award flights. Tier points are Virgin Atlantic’s version of elite qualifying miles, and the number of tier points you earn determines your elite status.

My Chase Credit Card Strategy (2020)

There are lots of aspects to maximizing your credit card rewards, including taking advantage of the best welcome bonuses, spending categories, and card perks.

Sometimes I think it’s interesting to break down credit card strategies by card issuer, so in this post I wanted to share my Chase card strategy, in particular in light of the current pandemic, which has caused many people to reconsider their credit card strategies. Which cards do I have, which do I spend money on, and which perks do I value most?


Is Hilton Honors Diamond Status Worth It?

Hilton is one of the largest hotel groups in the world, and Diamond status is the top tier status in the Hilton Honors program. What makes Diamond status unique is that it’s also the easiest top tier status to earn with any US-issued credit cards.

In this post, I wanted to take a closer look at the benefits of Hilton Honors Diamond status, including the easiest ways to earn it.


One Week at a Time

TIPS: Earning Miles & Promos

Alaska Mileage Plan Improves Bonus On Buying Miles
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card Review (2020)
World of Hyatt Credit Card Review (2020)
Emirates Selling Skywards Miles For 35% Off
Today Only: Earn 5x Airline Miles On Apple Purchases
Delta Amex Cards: Limited Time Spending Bonuses
Chase Marriott Bonvoy Card Limited Time Offers
My Chase Credit Card Strategy (2020)
Amex Platinum $200 Amex Travel Credit: How Does It Work?
Chase Freedom Unlimited Offer: 20K Bonus Points, 5x Points On Groceries
Save $50 At Hyatt With Amex Offers (Targeted)
Showdown: Hilton Aspire Vs. Hilton Surpass
Great Deal: $30 Bonus For New Rakuten Members
How To Fly On A Private Jet (For Cheap!)
Marriott Offering Free Night After Two Stays For New Members
Finnair Plus Selling Points At A Discount

TRICKS: Redeeming Miles

Singapore Airlines Blocking Partner Awards
Best Ways To Redeem British Airways Avios Without Huge Fees (2020)
Transfer Citi Points To LifeMiles With 25% Bonus
LifeMiles 125% Mileage Transfer Bonus
Guide To Hyatt Anniversary Free Night Awards
Wow: Virgin Atlantic Will Award Tier Points On Reward Tickets
How To Combine Hyatt Points Between Accounts

REVIEWS & Trip Reports

Is Hilton Honors Diamond Status Worth It?
Review Of Pan Am: The Board Game
Review: The Bodrum EDITION Hotel

NEWS & Updates

Oh My: Air India Flights Operated By Laid Off Pilots
Cute: Delta Pilot Couple Retires On Same Flight
Huh: Alitalia May Buy 787s In Order To Simplify Fleet
Eastern Airlines Launching New York To Cabo Flights
Koh Samui’s Incredibly Restrictive Tourism Plan
This Ethiopian Airlines Repatriation Flight To Nigeria Sounds Awful
Ouch: Qatar Airways Laying Off Senior Pilots
The Faroe Islands Is Getting A Hilton!
Food Returns To American Airlines First Class
Impact Of Coronavirus On Nonstop Flights, Hubs?
Alaska Wants To Become A Global Airline Hub
Could Transatlantic Travel Return With Coronavirus Testing?
Boeing Officially(ish) Rebrands The 737 MAX
Will Delta Ban The Man Who Killed Bin Laden?
Costa Rica Reopening To Some Americans In September
Russian Opposition Leader Poisoned At Airport, Causes Flight Diversion
American Airlines Cutting Flights To 15 Small Cities
Delta Pilots Angry Their Jobs Are Being Outsourced
Hilarious Video: “Travel Influencers Be Like…”
Delta Extends & Scales Back Seat Blocking Policy
Could Accor & IHG Merge, Form World’s Largest Hotel Group?
Kudos: Delta Just Banned Mr. “I’m Not A P*ssy”
American Airlines Cracking Down On Hidden City Ticketing?
ANA Trials Coronavirus Airplane Bathroom Innovation


I hope everyone has a great rest of the weekend!

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  1. Real Alpha Male Guest

    Lucky, do you miss Turkey?
    Why not returning and testing some Bonvoy and Hilton top brands?
    They literally have a dozen in Istanbul.
    As a truly enjoyable bonus, that would piss off the snowflakes commenting on why it is irresponsible to fly for leisure these days.

    Love thinking about how these losers are upset/jealous at not being able to fly.

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

Real Alpha Male Guest

Lucky, do you miss Turkey? Why not returning and testing some Bonvoy and Hilton top brands? They literally have a dozen in Istanbul. As a truly enjoyable bonus, that would piss off the snowflakes commenting on why it is irresponsible to fly for leisure these days. Love thinking about how these losers are upset/jealous at not being able to fly.

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