Commentary

Category Archives for Commentary.

Your Unused United Miles Can Reunite Families Facing Death—You Have Until June 22 to Help Them Say Goodbye

Jun 16 2025

Your spare points can buy someone time that money can’t. Give A Mile is a lean, volunteer‑driven nonprofit that converts donated frequent flyer miles into “flights of compassion,” reuniting families when every hour matters. Their mission statement is brutally simple: “The cost of a plane ticket should never be the reason someone dies alone.”

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The 11 Most Overrated/Underrated Things in Travel

first class seats
May 28 2025

Underrated doesn’t mean something is the best, just that it’s better than commonly appreciated. Overrated doesn’t mean it’s not good — or even great — just that it isn’t as good as people in general seem to think.

Overrated or underrated is about lowering or raising the status of things. It’s about whether you think people in general regard it too highly, or not highly enough, relative to its actual worth.

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Uncover The 13 Greatest Travel Anthems Ever: Is Your Favorite On The List?

May 27 2025

This isn’t a ‘play list for the road’ it’s about borrowing someone else’s poetry to describe the travel experience. There’s no question that George Gershwin didn’t write Rhapsody in Blue to be about travel, but it’s equally clear that the 1924 composition has become inextricably linked with United Airlines.

What songs most evoke travel for you and are missing from my list? Which ones here are new to you?

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AI Makes Travel More Important Than Ever—Teaches What AI Can’t And Gives You An Edge Over ChatGPT

Mar 16 2025

The AI knows everything that isn’t secret. Your knowledge of public information will approach zero value. What isn’t published, then, becomes relatively more unique and valuable. Trading secrets’ – getting out and having discussions with people, trading off-the-record information and gossip becomes more valuable.

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‘Not Well-Liked at Delta, United, or Marriott’: What 23 Years of Travel Blogging Taught Me About VIP Perks (Or Lack Thereof)

Jan 25 2025

And, generally speaking, I don’t get better treatment because of this blog when I travel. Indeed, it’s obvious by the frequency with which I have problematic stays and flights, that even if executives somewhere wanted to treat me better the execution on the ground just isn’t there. I have only been recognized for the blog on-property at hotels 3 times in the 23 years I’ve been writing it. Oddly all of those were in 2016 and I don’t believe it’s happened in the last 8+ years.

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‘You’re Valuable Only If You Don’t Pay Attention’: CFPB Sues Capital One For $2 Billion In Savings Interest Losses

Jan 16 2025

The consumer regulatory agency wants consumers not to have to pay attention, though it’s not clear that what Capital One did was illegal, in fact it’s almost obligatory. In most contexts, consumers do have to pay attention to get the best deal, and their counterparties are not fiduciaries on their behalf.

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