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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Free Domestic Lounge Access for United Gold Elites and Higher

by Gary Leff

storefront
Jan 24 2020

Most people think the United club exclusion means United Gold elites don’t get lounge access on domestic trips (unless they’re a United Club member). But that’s wrong. I don’t believe I’ve written about this in two years so it seems worth sharing.

The trick – that the initiated know but most do not – is that any Star Gold member can access any Star Alliance lounge in the U.S. other than United’s clubs provided they are flying on Star Alliance airlines out of that airport that day and can physically access the terminal where the lounge is located.

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New Study Ranks Airline Business And First Class Award Availability

by Gary Leff

Jan 22 2020

IdeaWorks made 3600 award searches for premium cabin awards across 18 airlines. They always searched for 2 seats at a time for travel between June and October. For each airline they looked at the 10 routes over 2500 miles with the most seats on offer.

United, Delta, and Scandinavian are the worst airlines at offering premium cabin award space on their own flights, according to Jay Sorenson’s new study. Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore, Emirates and Etihad are the best.

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Department of Transportation Plans To Ban Nearly All Emotional Support Animals

by Gary Leff

turkey in airline cabin
Jan 22 2020

If the Department of Transportation moves forward with a regulation that matches what is says is its current thinking, only dogs will be permitted as psychiatric service animals. They’ll have to be trained, have good behavior, and know how to potty. They’ll have to stay in a passenger’s foot area. But Delta’s blanket ban on pit bulls will be overturned.

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Why Do Foreign Carriers Re-check Your Boarding Pass When You Enter the Aircraft?

by Gary Leff

boardingpasscheck
Jan 22 2020

US airlines check your boarding pass before you enter the jet bridge, and that’s it — while many international airlines have flight attendants standing at the door of the aircraft who will look at your boarding pass again.

Flight attendants on most airlines around the world will see you’re on the right plane, direct you to the correct class of service, and tell you which side of the plane to proceed down in the case of a widebody. Although it’s common on single aisle aircraft as well.

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