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 »

8 Business Class Award Seats in Both Economy and Business to Israel With United Miles

by Gary Leff

Feb 16 2017

There’s been a bit of buzz lately about how while the major US airlines are lobbying the US government to block Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar there’s another closer-to-home airline about to eat their lunch flying to Europe and beyond – Star Alliance member and United partner Air Canada. They’re building their long haul route network and offer connections through hubs like Montreal and Toronto from cities across America.

One new flight they’re launching is Montreal – Tel Aviv.

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WIDE OPEN AWARD SPACE 6 More Seats to Europe in First Class on American Airlines

by Gary Leff

Feb 16 2017

Between May 5 and July 4 there are six or more first class award seats available most dates from Miami to Milan on American Airlines.

This makes sense. American has made first class award space available in the months leading up to a change of aircraft away from an old configuration Boeing 777-200 (which offers first class) to either a reconfigured plane or another aircraft type with no first class cabin. American is switching this flight from a 777-200 to a Boeing 767-300.

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BUSINESS CLASS FARE ALERT: West Coast – Africa From $2146 Roundtrip

by Gary Leff

Feb 15 2017

Delta and partners KLM, Air France, and Kenya Airways can get you from Los Angeles to Kenya and back for a little over $2000 in business class.

This is a perfect opportunity to visit Africa comfortably. I get many requests for awards to Kilimanjaro and often times the best solution is to fly into Nairobi 145 miles away. And of course many safaris will use Nairobi as the jumping off point. As well it’s an African hub that can get you most anywhere else in the region.

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United’s Fleet Plans and Premium Economy

by Gary Leff

Feb 15 2017

United’s CFO Andrew Levy spoke at the Stifel Transportation & Logistics Conference and the biggest piece of news was the airline’s fleet plan. He laid out what’s on the table over the coming year, but suggested that everything after that is under review and that they’re actively looking in the used aircraft market.

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Delta Award Sale Book By Tomorrow If You Want These Discounts

by Gary Leff

Feb 14 2017

Delta puts a specific award on sale usually each month and this month it’s certain routes in economy out of Los Angeles. (They also advertise ‘Comfort+’ but that’s also economy.)

Delta pretends to no longer have award charts. The truth is they are just hidden. That’s why they can simultaneously claim there’s no ‘regular price’ (false) and that they’re running a ‘sale’ off regular price (sometimes true).

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Here’s What United’s New Polaris Seat and Service is Really Like

by Gary Leff

first class seats
Feb 14 2017

Yesterday I took a media flight from Chicago to San Francisco on United’s brand new Boeing 777-300ER, the first plane to actually offer the airline’s new Polaris business class seats.

Since December 1 United has offered their new soft product – meals, bedding, etc. – but no flight has had the new seats. This confuses many customers who see Polaris on their reservations and expect fully flat direct aisle access seating. That is coming, the first plane will fly its domestic inaugural this week before going into international service initially on San Francisco – Hong Kong.

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