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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Business Class to Asia With American Miles Wide Open, No Fuel Surcharges

Sep 12 2015

Japan Airlines is launching 4 times weekly service (Sunday/Monday/Wednesday/Friday in both directions) between Dallas and Tokyo on November 30.

I was not aware that there was business class space available. I usually use the British Airways website for searching Japan Airlines award space, and that space is not showing up on BA.com. (The American and Qantas websites do not show JAL space at all.)

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One-Way United Awards for $104 or 7500 Miles, and Other Great Redemption Values If You Act Fast

Sep 12 2015

Usually when airlines run award redemption sales, you’re limited to their own flights. But through Tuesday September 15, Star Alliance program Avianca LifeMile is offering redemption discounts on partner flights!

And usually when airlines run award redemption sales, you’re limited to economy flights. This LifeMiles sale even includes business and international first class.

It pairs with a big discount on purchased miles at just 1.4 cents apiece.

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Why Delta Thinks They’re Too Good to Have an Interline Agreement With American

Sep 12 2015

Seventeen years ago I used to credit Delta flights to United Mileage Plus. You could do that back then, although it was a pain because the miles almost never automatically posted. Partnerships change.

But it’s striking that even the most basic level of partnership — the interline agreement, that nearly all major airlines have with each other — is ending for American and Delta. And now we know why.

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JetBlue Just Rented Itself a Quality Frequent Flyer Program, and Made the Airline More Attractive

Sep 10 2015

JetBlue and Singapore Airlines have introduced reciprocal mileage-earning. This relationship makes a lot of sense for both airlines, and it makes a lot of sense for passengers. There are good, strategic reasons to select one earning option or the other for your flying.

In fact this relationship makes flying JetBlue a lot more attractive for me, since the biggest drawback in my mind (besides having their “Mint” first class product on only a limited number of routes) was the TrueBlue frequent flyer program. Now they’re essentially ‘renting’ a quality frequent flyer marketing product.

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