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 »

HUGE: Frontier Airlines Will Status Match Almost All Airline OR Hotel Elite Members – Up To Top Tier

by Gary Leff

frontier plane docked
Dec 01 2021

Do you have elite status with an airline – or even a hotel chain? You might even have this just from having a credit card. Frontier Airlines wants to match your status and depending on your current elite level will even give you top tier in their program.

Frontier offers super cheap airfare with a lot of add-on fees. But Frontier’s top level waives all fees and even makes tickets refundable. Basically their incredible 2020 offer is back but they’re willing to match against a lot more programs this time.

Continue Reading »

Virgin’s Loyalty Currency Officially Launches In The U.S.

by Gary Leff

Nov 30 2021

During the pandemic Virgin Atlantic’s frequent flyer program broadened out to become a coalition loyalty program called Virgin Red. That means more points-earning options and more points-redemption options, most of which haven’t been super appealing (although some people do like using their points for sausage rolls).

Now Virgin Red itself has officially launched in the U.S. and its app is now available.

Continue Reading »

Passengers Arrested For Selling Food On Flight. Government Goes After Crew Who Let Them

by Gary Leff

Nov 29 2021

Passengers on a Uganda Airlines flight from Entebbe to Dubai have been arrested for turning the trip into a bazaar on Friday, charged with ‘common nuisance.’ Two individuals, who normally hawk cell phone accessories, brought grasshoppers on board to sell to other passengers to eat (“Nsenene”). They were up in the aisles of the Airbus A330, and apparently found some willing buyers.

The grasshoppers were allowed onto the aircraft because they were fried. However the airline has said if the two passengers Mubiru Paul and Kiggundu Habib do it again they’ll be banned from the state-owned carrier. And the airline itself has now gotten the idea to offer the grasshoppers as part of inflight meals themselves. Competition works.

Continue Reading »

Woman Detained By Fellow Passenger And Zip Tied During Flight, Yells At Police To Shoot Her

by Gary Leff

Nov 29 2021

A passenger on board a Spirit Airlines flight departing South Florida on Saturday evening seemed to have more than one too many to drink prior to departure, according to others on the aircraft. She attacked two members of the cabin crew and then when she was arrested on arrival in Nashville yelled at police officers to shoot her.

Continue Reading »

African American Woman Made To Feel She Didn’t Belong In First Class, Kicked Off Over Bubble Guppies

by Gary Leff

Nov 29 2021

A Florida-based attorney flying American Airlines says her two year old was watching Bubble Guppies quietly, but without headphones. The aircraft was taxiing out, turned around and her family was kicked off the aircraft. She says she was told several times she ‘was in first class’ and felt, as a black woman, that she was being told she didn’t belong.

Continue Reading »