Trip Report: Introduction to Thanksgiving in Bora Bora on Miles and Points

Dec 07 2019

My wife and I were thinking of going back to the Maldives for Thanksgiving. We’ve cancelled stays at the St. Regis there several times. I’ve still only stayed (5 times) at the Park Hyatt. We even had a redemption stay booked at the St. Regis at the old 60,000 point level, and Etihad First Apartment awards – although at the time there was a problem booking infant tickets in conjunction with AAdvantage redemptions on Etihad that’s since been fixed.

The idea, though, of traveling all the way to the Maldives with our daughter was daunting. At three months we took her to Paris. At five months we took her to Sydney. She’s a great traveler but she’d be over a year old come Thanksgiving and wanted something a bit easier to manage. That’s when business class awards on Air Tahiti Nui popped up and I booked those to give us another option. We were meeting friends for Thanksgiving and had to coordinate those plans as well.

Here’s a brief synopsis of what to expect, with reports coming describing each leg of the journey from booking and cost to the actual experience.

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New Restaurant Serves Airplane Food on the Ground

Dec 07 2019

Did you ever think that your airline meal was so good you wished you had it at home? In 2014 Air Food One attempted home delivery of LSG Sky Chefs meals. They were delivering leftover airline food throughout Germany. That effort didn’t make it.

Now there’s a new attempt – a real restaurant that serves an airline’s meals on the ground.

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Why the Hyatt Visa is the Only Hotel Rewards Card I Want to Spend Money On

outside hotel patio
Dec 07 2019

In general hotel rewards cards are good for their initial bonus offer, for status they give you just for having the card, and for an annual free night that’s worth more than the annual fee — making the card worth keeping.

That’s how I think about most hotel credit cards, but I go out of my way to spend on the World Of Hyatt Credit Card for 3 reasons.

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Some Hyatt Globalists Being Given American Airlines Executive Platinum Status

Dec 06 2019

American Airlines ConciergeKey members receive Hyatt Globalist status. It seems like Hyatt is extending a similar reciprocal benefit to some of their top tier Globalist members. Surprisingly, these Globalists – rather than rarified Courtesy Card members – are being given American Airlines Executive Platinum for 2020 (expires January 2021).

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Southwest Is Surveying Names For Basic Economy

Dec 06 2019

Basic Economy holds less potential for Southwest Airlines than it does for major carriers, at least while they lack pre-assigned seating.

The value in basic economy is less the $20 each way buy up they might charge leisure travelers, and more the way it is used to segment business travelers to keep them buying higher fares.

In order to get value out of basic economy Southwest would have to assign such customers the last boarding position, so that basic economy customers get the worst seats, otherwise there’ll be little reason not to buy the fares and pay for more expensive fares instead.

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