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 »

Review: American’s New Boeing 777-200 Business Class Seat

by Gary Leff

Jun 27 2015

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the inexpensive flight where everyone could confirm an upgrade to business class for free.

Historically when American flies 3-cabin equipment domestically but sells the flights as 2-cabin (anything except for New York – Los Angeles/San Francisco and Miami – Los Angeles) elites and passengers on full fare tickets have been able to assign themselves seats in the business class cabin. That’s business class seating but economy service. Then upgrades are to international first class (with domestic first service).

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Review: Park Hyatt Sydney Opera Deluxe Room

by Gary Leff

Jun 27 2015

I stayed at the Park Hyatt Sydney back over Thanksgiving, having reserved the hotel before it went up to category 7. I had a decidedly mixed stay, largely colored by an insistence that if I wanted an Opera View room upgrade (not even an Opera Deluxe, let alone a suite) I would have to pay a $100 per night upcharge as a Gold Passport Diamond member.

That was all sorted at the end of the stay, and I was happy to return and give the hotel another shot. I was in Sydney for my cousin’s wedding, and the location of the hotel is actually perfect for me since it’s right by the ferries that take me out to the suburbs where they live.

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Hyatt Speaks Out on Hotels Playing Games With Reward Space and Confirmed Upgrades

by Gary Leff

Jun 27 2015

This week I wrote about two significant challenges with the Hyatt Gold Passport program.

Yesterday I spoke with Jeff Zidell, Hyatt’s Senior Vice President for the Gold Passport program, about these issues.

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Challenges Upgrading a Family of Four on an International Trip

by Gary Leff

Jun 27 2015

American AAdvantage gives (8) confirmed systemwide upgrades each year to their 100,000 mile flyers (Executive Platinum members). In addition, four systemwide upgrades are awarded upon achieving lifetime Platinum status (2 million miles) and at each subsequent million mile threshold.

These can be used to upgrade one direction of flying on American flights on just about any fare.

Reader S. asked about using his American systemwide upgrades for a family of four traveling together on American Airlines.

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ACT QUICKLY: United’s Premium Newark-Los Angeles/San Francisco Flat Bed Awards Are Wide Open

by Gary Leff

Jun 26 2015

United is ending service at New York JFK October 24 and increasing the number of flights they operate to San Francisco and Los Angeles from Newark.

They’ve loaded those additional flights into the schedule. All are operated by internationally-configured Boeing 757s with lie flat beds in business class.

And award space is wide open.

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