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57,000 Miles Business Class Roundtrip to Europe – 40% Off Virgin Atlantic Miami Awards, Any Class of Service

by Gary Leff on February 10, 2018

miami to london promo

Feb 10 2018

Virgin Atlantic is a transfer partner of Chase, American Express, and Citibank. So Virgin Atlantic miles are really easy to get. In general I don’t value their miles as much as many other currencies but there are strategic uses like 120,000 miles roundtrip for first class from the East Coast on their partner ANA.

Another strategic use is when they discount their own flights. Virgin adds fuel surcharges to awards, but when the mileage cost is low enough even that makes sense.

All the Ways to Earn Miles You May Be Missing Out On

by Gary Leff on February 9, 2018

woman using ATM

Feb 09 2018

There are many great ways to earn miles, and many of those are neglected by the average frequent flyer. While the greatest miles and points deals ever are long gone, that’s how these things work. The best deals don’t last. Which is why it pays to stay alert, and not leave miles on the table.

American’s Front Line Employees Think Getting Rid of Seat Back Entertainment is a Very Bad Idea

by Gary Leff on February 9, 2018

back of airlplane seat

Feb 09 2018

Yesterday I wrote about American’s “Tell Me Why” podcast with Senior Vice President Kurt Stache. He laid out the airline’s plans for satellite internet and explained why the airline is getting rid of seat back video screens.

American employees comment internally on these discussions. It always amazes me how frank they are. Union protections and management promises notwithstanding I don’t think I’d be so forceful in my criticisms of management as American’s employees often are in these forums.

The Best Rewards Credit Cards in a Nutshell

by Gary Leff on February 9, 2018

people playing music with piano and singing

Feb 09 2018

We often delve into the extreme detail and minutiae of rewards cards, there are tons of benefits and features and lots of details but it’s easy to lose the forest from the trees.

I thought I’d try to keep it simple, with just a single statement to encapsulate the key value proposition offered by several of the best rewards cards. See if you agree with my cutting to the chase on each.

Why Male Uber Drivers Make More and Pilot Pleads Guilty to Flying Drunk

by Gary Leff on February 9, 2018

phone with uber on it

Feb 09 2018

A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.

United Eliminating Bloody Mary and Mimosa Carts and Wine Carts from Polaris Business Class

by Gary Leff on February 9, 2018

flight attendant pushing cart

Feb 09 2018

United is eliminating their mimosa/bloody mary carts and wine carts from Polaris business class effective May 1.

That should speed up service, which is great. It should also reduce consumption, which is great for United’s costs.

Airline Forces College Student to Flush Her Emotional Support Hamster Down Toilet

by Gary Leff on February 8, 2018

hamster

Feb 08 2018

A college student says that Spirit Airlines told her when she made her flight reservation that she could bring her emotional support hamster named Pebbles onboard the plane. She bought Pebbles after a golf ball-sized lump developed on her neck and led to a cancer scare.

She traveled to have the growth removed, and brought her hamster with her. Spirit acknowledges that their agent told the woman this would be ok. …

Marriott Increasing Points Prices of Over 1000 Hotels Should Strike Fear in the Hearts of SPG Members

by Gary Leff on February 8, 2018

outside marriott hotel

Feb 08 2018

Devaluation just seems to be in their bones on the Marriott side, and the Starwood merger and Starwood Preferred Guest leadership appear not to have changed that. While they announced a reasonable set of category changes for Starwood the changes at Marriott are absolutely brutal: 21% of hotels are going up in category while just 5% are going down in category. The number of points required to redeem for a free Marriott hotel night is going up at over 1000 hotels effective March 6th.

Did Southwest Steal $25,000 in Donations From a Mechanic They Fired?

by Gary Leff on February 8, 2018

airline cabin

Feb 08 2018

An arbitrator ordered that a Southwest Airlines maintenance worker be re-instated and given back pay — minus funds he received during the time he wasn’t employed by Southwest.

That means his income from a job with an aviation school credits against the wages he would have earned. And it includes $25,000 donated to him via a GoFundme page.

Orlando’s Airport Considers Kicking Out the TSA

by Gary Leff on February 8, 2018

tsa

Feb 08 2018

Efficiency arguments aside we need this for accountability. It’s important to separate safety regulation from screening. The TSA shouldn’t be supervising itself. They should be focused on setting standards and monitoring compliance, and shouldn’t be certifying and monitoring themselves. TSA as its own regulator creates conflict and it creates poor performance.