She got an Amex Platinum because she’d heard airport lounges were where you “network with rich people”—then walked into a room full of travelers eating, scrolling, and napping. Her verdict: “0 connections were made,” a neat reminder that credit-card lounge access isn’t exclusivity, and most people behind that door are just trying to kill time before boarding.
Bali’s governor is pushing a “quality tourism” plan that would require visitors to show three months of bank statements before being allowed to enter. There may be no fixed minimum balance—just officials judging whether your finances fit your itinerary—which is exactly why I wouldn’t visit if this becomes policy: it invites arbitrary enforcement and turns private financial data into a security risk.
There are a lot of things that are unpleasant as an airline passenger. One is how little legroom your ticket buys, though there are options to pay more money to get more space. There is a right way and a wrong way to take matters into your own hands if you’re frustrated by a reclining passenger.
Delta has power outlets at most seats, but that doesn’t mean every device belongs in use at 35,000 feet. A TikTok video shows a Comfort+ passenger curling her hair with a hot iron mid-flight—sparking arguments over whether curling irons are “banned.”
I showed up for the wrong flight, booked a hotel for the wrong month, and even drove to the wrong hotel out of pure habit—so here are five travel mistakes I’ve made while on auto-pilot (and why they still worked out). Along the way: the Sydney–L.A. departure I missed after a schedule change, the time I “snuck” into a United Club despite having access, the Novotel booking that was off by a month, the wrong Hyatt in Miami, and the AAdvantage miles I let expire.
I hate tipping because of the frictions. You don’t know what you’re supposed to tip, it’s ambiguous. You’re supposed to have cash? It’s so much better when employees are compensated by their employers and listed prices are the amounts you actually pay.
If tipping is supposed to ensure better service, why is it such a bad customer experience?
A share in my social feed reminded me of this incredible story that links Chicago O’Hare and Al Capone. It’s really two stories, but stay with me until the end.
One of baseball’s greatest hitters of all time was Wee Willie Keeler, who introduced the ‘hit and run’ play to the game when he was a member of the Baltimore Orioles. It was his 44-game hitting streak that Joe DiMaggio broke. It was his record of 8 consecutive seasons with 200 hits or more than Ichiro Suzuki broke.
And his batting advice is exactly how you maximize your chances of an upgrade for both airlines and hotels.
A single scene from the forgotten 1984 film Over the Brooklyn Bridge shaped how I think about negotiation, arbitrage, and frequent flyer miles. It’s a reminder that small efforts, when the stakes are right, can yield the biggest rewards — and that sometimes, the squeeze really is worth the juice.
A man was arrested at Orlando International after mentioning a “pipe bomb” at a TSA checkpoint—then claimed he was talking about a toy for his kids. Plus: a fresh Bilt 2.0 rumor says one card could let you choose 3x on dining or groceries (and switch the category each year), along with a $250 Capital One checking bonus, REAL ID skepticism, and Biscoff’s global push.
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 »
