Category Archives for Commentary.
While 83% of loyalty program owners believe members feel valued, only 56% agree—and 74% quiet quit within two months. Starbucks’ worst-value reward becoming its most popular shows how brands mistake defensive cash-outs for loyalty, engagement and success.
After 24 years writing about airlines, hotels, and loyalty programs, the same themes keep coming up: be honest with customers, deliver what you promise, sweat the small details, stop hiding behind fake excuses, and respect shared spaces. Those principles explain why I get frustrated by resort fees, broken benefits, no-notice devaluations, bad service recovery, upgrade games, and travel brands that make loyalty feel like work.
Miles and points are not just about getting yourself a better seat. The most meaningful redemptions are often the ones that let you take care of people you love: sending a grandmother to see family in first class, giving kids memories without raising them to feel entitled, or extending loyalty benefits to someone else. That is where travel programs create the deepest loyalty.
DOT is proposing to weaken airfare advertising rules by allowing taxes, fees, and fare components to appear as prominently as the total price, instead of requiring the all-in fare to stand out most. The agency is also asking whether it should repeal the full fare rule entirely, a change airlines have long wanted but one that could make airfare shopping more confusing for consumers.
An Instagram reel promises “billionaire” travel secrets, but its advice about luggage, flying commercial, and hotel upgrades sounds more like status theater than luxury travel.
The State Department is preparing a limited-run U.S. passport variant with Donald Trump’s portrait and gold signature inside, tied to America’s 250th birthday. It appears to be available through the Washington Passport Agency around July 4.
The Trump administration is considering an unprecedented plan to force banks to verify and collect proof of citizenship from every single customer—even those who’ve had accounts for years. If enacted, this proposal would create a logistical nightmare, potentially freezing millions of bank accounts for Americans unable to promptly produce passports or other citizenship documents.
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.
Senator Elizabeth Warren argues that rising premium-cabin travel shows growing inequality, but the data tells a very different story. Airlines have expanded premium seating and cut upgrade prices, making those products more accessible than ever—even as Warren herself regularly flies on private jets.
A reader thought AAdvantage Dining had started charging for earning miles after seeing an “Advantage Program Fee” on their restaurant receipt. It turns out the fee comes from the restaurant’s point-of-sale system — a credit-card surcharge disguised with a confusing name.
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 »
