About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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A Hotel Owner Tested Old Key Cards At Marriott, Hyatt, And Westin — Why They Still Opened Lounge, Gym And Elevators Months Later

Nov 27 2025

A longtime reader who owned a hotel decided to test something most properties assume never happens: what old key cards can still open long after checkout. Across Marriott, Hyatt, and Westin—at airport and city hotels alike—his months-old cards kept unlocking lounges, gyms, and even elevator access. The results say far more about how these systems are actually configured than hotels would ever admit.

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Hyatt Is Now on Rakuten — And You Can Earn 12× Points on Stays While Still Getting Full Points And Elite Credit

Nov 27 2025

Hyatt has quietly gone live on Rakuten, letting members earn 12× points or 12% back on stays while still receiving full Hyatt points, elite-night credit, and elite benefits. It’s one of the richest stacking opportunities Hyatt has ever had—and it pairs with Rakuten’s ability to convert earnings into Amex or Bilt points.

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Internal Email Shows New Pacific Airlines Has Finally Shut Down — Ending Years of Failed Route Plans and Constant Reinvention

Nov 26 2025

An internal email shared with employees indicates that New Pacific Airlines—formerly Northern Pacific—has now shut down for good. After failed Anchorage–Asia ambitions, multiple rebrands, short-lived domestic service, and the collapse of affiliated Ravn Alaska, the long-struggling startup appears to have reached the end of the line.

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Tara Reid Says Her Drink Was Spiked At The O’Hare DoubleTree — She Kept Falling From A Wheelchair, Then Woke Up In A Hospital With No Memory

Nov 26 2025

Tara Reid was in Chicago for a celebrity signing when she says a single drink at the O’Hare DoubleTree bar left her unable to stand, captured on lobby video repeatedly slipping from a wheelchair before paramedics rushed her to a hospital. She later woke up with no memory of the night and has now filed a police report saying her drink was spiked.

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