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 »

Chase Re-Ups Amazon: the High Water Mark for Co-Brand Credit Card Deals?

by Gary Leff

Feb 12 2016

The Wall Street Journal reports that Chase has re-signed Amazon.com as a co-brand partner.

Chase has issued the Amazon Visa since 2002. I believe it’s Chase’s largest co-brand card portfolio. Amazon is bigger product for Chase than United Explorer — even though in my view it’s not in my view a top rewards product with 3% cash back at Amazon, 2% at gas stations, drugstores and restaurants, and 1% everywhere else.

While the Journal reports that at least one other card issuer was interested in a deal with Amazon, the re-signing is a good reminder that big co-brand relationships are very very hard to dislodge.

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Don’t Read This If You’re Easily Offended: Man “Crammed His Junk Between 2 Airline Seats And…”

by Gary Leff

Feb 11 2016

Things can get super awkward in the sky when we’re all trapped inside a metal tube together — whether it’s Qantas offering on demand sex ed through its entertainment system, a celebrity’s child peeing on a brand new Vietnam Airlines Airbus A350, a child forced to pee on her seat on JetBlue (the airline apologized) or passengers urinating on each other inflight (also on JetBlue).

Nonetheless…

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If You’re Going to Drink Your Own Booze Onboard and Shout “We’re All Gonna Die,” Choose Alaska Airlines

by Gary Leff

Feb 11 2016

Back in November, a Southwest Airlines flight proved why you shouldn’t try to bring your own alcohol onboard.

You can bring mini-bottles of alcohol through security. But you cannot open them and drink them on a plane. You can buy alcohol post-security, such as at duty free. But you cannot open the bottles and drink them on a plane.

It is a violation of federal law to drink alcoholic beverage onboard an an aircraft unless served by the airline. Airlines have the option of serving you the alcohol you bring onboard yourself, but that’s entirely at their discretion (and the discretion of the flight attendants on any given flight).

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American’s New Award Availability Pattern for Premium Transcon Flights

by Gary Leff

Feb 10 2016

American has been making award space especially in premium cabins much more available and this is a new intentional approach on their part.

I’ve covered American loosening up availability on the Sydney route. And I covered the floodgates opening for award space on London routes. And how they opened up China flying. That was just the start.


American Airlines Boeing 787 Business Class

Improved availability hasn’t spread to domestic routes in the same way, although there are some predictable patterns such as with American’s New York JFK – Los Angeles and New York JFK – San Francisco routes. American has the most premium product on that route, with the only three-cabin service on all flights between those cities.

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Europe Awards on Sale for Just 12,250 Miles Each Way (and 30% Off Premium Economy)

by Gary Leff

Feb 10 2016

This doesn’t appear to be advertised on the Virgin Atlantic website yet but they appear to have their award semi-regular award sale pricing for economy and premium economy redemptions loaded.

In fact, the pricing seems to be up to 30% off, which is better than their usual sales (back in the fall they offered 20% off).

Awards are pricing with a discount originating in the US or the UK, even on one-way awards, and even for premium economy.

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