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 »

Maldives Launches ‘Border Miles’ Rewards Program

by Gary Leff

pier on beach
Sep 30 2020

The principles of loyalty marketing can be applied across industries, and the basics are very much the same: recognition (elite benefits) and reward (redemption). While the most successful programs have been in travel – airlines have turned their marketing programs from a cost center into a profit engine – loyalty marketing is important to anywhere consumers make repeated choices.

The Maldives is trying something new with a destination rewards program with three elite levels. Here’s hoping they offer status matches!

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Last Day For New Bask Savings Account Offer

by Gary Leff

Sep 29 2020

American Airlines has added partners that make their frequent flyer program more relevant to people in some of the largest cities in the country this year. American Airlines AAdvantage® miles with your savings account is an even better deal with low interest rates. And there’s the opportunity to earn an extra 25,000 referring friends for new accounts – that gets them a better offer than is publicly available, too – but that ends next month.

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American Airlines Will Roll Out Covid Testing For Hawaii and Caribbean

by Gary Leff

Sep 29 2020

Following announcements by United Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, offering airport testing for passengers on flights to Hawaii, American Airlines today announced they, too, will offer airport testing for Dallas Fort Worth – Honolulu and Maui, and also for Miami – Jamaica. They ‘expect’ to launch testing for Bahamas flights next month, and then expand the program for flights across the Caribbean.

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The Testing Wars Have Begun: Oakland Airport Wants To Attract Passengers With Free Rapid Covid Testing

by Gary Leff

Sep 29 2020

It was only Thursday that United Airlines announced they would offer rapid coronavirus testing at the airport in San Francisco for passengers taking its Hawaii flights. Testing would be available by appointment, with results available in 15 minutes, and the airline hoped the $250 price point would come down in the near future.

Since then Hawaiian Airlines also announced same day airport testing coming for its passengers for $150. The State of Hawaii plans to allow people to enter the state without 14 day quarantine starting October 15, provided they present a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours of arrival. United says the state will accept their Abbott rapid tests.

Now Oakland airport is announcing that its Hawaii passengers can get rapid tests for free starting October 15.

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United Airlines Plans To Return To New York JFK Next Year

by Gary Leff

united plane
Sep 29 2020

This is an early sign that even the airline retrenching the most during the pandemic is looking towards its competitive future, and that we’re likely to see more competition as airlines have to work hard to attract limited passengers as air travel begins to resume in a meaningful way after Covid-19.

And Newark isn’t New York — New York Mayor Fiorella LaGuardia once refused to get off a plane at Newark Airport, because his ticket promised he’d travel to New York.

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British Airways Says They Can Now Close Your Mileage Account If You Criticize Them

by Gary Leff

airplane first class
Sep 29 2020

In Thailand writing a bad review of a hotel can land you in jail. Defamation can be a criminal charge, and include opinions deemed to be unfair.

British Airways can’t get away with putting its critics in prison under U.K. law but they’ve updated their terms and conditions to say that they can close the mileage accounts of members who “statements..reflects unfavourably on the reputation of British Airways or any aspect of its business, brands, products or services.”

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