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 »

More articles by Gary Leff »

No American Airlines 30 Inch Pitch and Bring Your Own Entertainment Isn’t All Passengers Need

by Gary Leff

back of airlplane seat
Nov 30 2017

American’s new coach seat isn’t worse than the worst coach seat out there now. But the worst coach seat out there now is a problem. Take away the seat back TV from many existing American Airlines aircraft, shrink the lavatory, and reduce the room offered even in Main Cabin Extra and first class and you have an across-the-board reduction in customer value.

Telling passengers that they should get a new job if they can’t pay American Airlines more money seems strange when the passenger can keep their current job and fly the largest domestic passenger airline instead.

Continue Reading »

The Value of Airbus Aircraft Orders is About to Get Cut in Half

by Gary Leff

airline cabin
Nov 29 2017

When you see new plane orders they’re usually announced with the list prices for aircraft that no one actually pays. Roughly you should divide that number in half.

Aircraft manufacturers try to keep secret actual purchase prices, because they don’t want to broadcast to all potential buyers how much of a discount they’ll really give. Plus big numbers make for great press releases. At the same time it’s hardly a secret that no one pays list.

Continue Reading »

Boeing 737 MAX Inaugural Flight: What American’s New ‘No Legroom’ Plane Is Really Like

by Gary Leff

Nov 29 2017

I booked myself onto American’s inaugural Boeing 737 MAX 8 this morning from Miami to New York LaGuardia to see what American’s new tighter seating was like up close and personal.

It turns out the seats themselves are no worse than American’s current coach product. The power and overhead bin situation is an improvement. The problem was the lavatories.

Continue Reading »

Korean Air’s Super Unremarkable First Class Lounge Seoul

by Gary Leff

Nov 29 2017

The lounge is bright with fantastic views, which is really the only great thing you can say about it. There aren’t any servers to assist you, though plenty of staff are around to bus tables. And there aren’t any ‘plus’ features to speak of either.

The lounge was fine for what it was, a nice bright atmosphere to catch up between flights and a place for a shower. But it’s really more of a business class lounge that’s not too crowded than a first class lounge.

Continue Reading »

Review: Korean Air First Class Kosmo Suites Chicago – Seoul

by Gary Leff

first class cabin
Nov 28 2017

Earlier in the month I needed to be in Singapore. I booked Korean Air first class Houston – Seoul – Singapore for 95,000 points that I had transferred over from Chase.

Unfortunately Korean cancelled their Houston – Seoul flight. They were super accommodating though, and offered to buy me a flight out of Houston to connect to their Chicago flight. Even better I got them to buy me American Airlines first class Austin – Chicago.

Continue Reading »

Air Canada Reveals The Best Business Class Dining Lounge in the World

by Gary Leff

lounge desk
Nov 28 2017

Air Canada today announced what can reasonably be called a revolutionary lounge product for paid business class passengers: the Air Canada Signature Suite in Toronto. Last night I had the opportunity to tour the suite.

In order to come up with comparisons I have to talk about Qantas first class lounge, Etihad and Emirates first class sit down dining in their hubs. Those are first class experiences, and this is business class.

Continue Reading »