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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Southwest Airlines Begins Confiscating Passenger Carry-Ons At Gate—Despite Overhead Bins Staying Empty

Jun 18 2025

One of the most frustrating things for airline passengers is being forced to give up their carry-on bag at the gate. You’re supposed to be allowed a carry-on and a personal item when you fly on most airlines in the U.S. However, overhead bins fill up, and passengers getting on the plane last are often forced to ‘gate check’ their bags because the plane runs out of room.

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Sapphire Reserve Relaunch FAQ: What Chase Told Me About Deadlines, Bonus Rules, And Locking In The Old Deal

Jun 17 2025

It seemed worth pulling out separately things like ‘what happens to my existing Sapphire Reserve points?’ and ‘when does this change actually go into effect for existing customers?’ And perhaps even more importantly, ‘is there a brief window for me to choose whether I like the old or new product better?’

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