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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New Pyongyang Airport Terminal is Absolute Perfection! Built in Harmony With Modern Aesthetic Taste and National Character!

kim jong ung looking over balcony
Jun 26 2015

Earlier this week, Kim Jong Un visited the new domestic terminal of Pyongyang International Airport.

The terminal was ordered built in July 2012 because the existing domestic terminal was seen as too run down compared to what countries around the world had. Last November much of the work was ordered torn down and redone because the project didn’t “reflect North Korea’s “Juche” (self-reliance) philosophy and national identity.” (The official in charge was purged.)

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A Nose Under the Tent that Could Help Bring Competition to the US Airline Market

Jun 25 2015

European discount carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle has both lower costs than their US and European counterparts and lower fares. They fly to the US, and are awaiting approval for their even lower-cost Irish subsidiary to do so. US airlines (and labor groups) want to stop Norwegian also because of the airline’s lower costs.

Today’s big airline news is that Norwegian has announced that they will separately take advantage of Europe-US Open Skies agreements by flying from French Caribbean islands to the US using new Boeing 737s.

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American Airlines Actually Sells International First Class Seats to Hong Kong

Jun 25 2015

Remarks by American Airlines’ Doug Parker and Andrew Nocella in Hong Kong celebrating the first anniversary of service there shed some light on the carrier’s current direction.

Making a big deal of a Hong Kong service anniversary — such that they sent the CEO and the Chief Marketing Officer — signal strongly that American values the Hong Kong route, and their Asia Pacific expansion.

They share thoughts on international first class, Tokyo Haneda, and the dispute with the Mideast carriers.

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No, Hyatt’s Confirmed Suite Upgrades Aren’t Capacity Controlled. Why Do You Ask?

Jun 24 2015

There’s been some confusion online about Hyatt’s suite upgrades, and especially about whether and how certain discounted rates can get into suites. There’s an incorrect notion out there, for instance, that capacity controls apply to Diamond Suite Upgrades when used in conjunction with cash and points awards.

But to correct the misunderstanding, I first need to walk through Hyatt’s suite upgrade options, how confirming upgrades work at a hotel level, and how cash and points awards work. Then it may make more sense why — as I have confirmed with Hyatt — there aren’t any capacity controls on confirmed suites with Hyatt.

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A Sneaky Way Hotels Can Keep You From Booking Reward Nights: the Hyatt Regency San Francisco

Jun 24 2015

Most hotel chain loyalty programs offer rooms on points whenever a ‘standard room’ is available for sale.

The trick, though, is what a hotel defines as a standard room. Most members think of it as the ‘most common room’. Some hotels have played games with this. There might be just a couple of suboptimal rooms, that may not even be sold, but that could be called award rooms by a hotel looking to limit the number of guests staying on points.

Or they could try what it appears the Hyatt Regency San Francisco is doing…

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