Nov 11 2017

A couple of days ago I wrote that Hyatt cardmembers can now get 10,000 points for successfully referring friends to the card. I think it has a nice signup bonus, albeit arguably not as nice as when they offered 2 free nights at any property, and the annual free night with renewal is worth the card’s fee. And all reports are that it isn’t subject to 5/24 for getting approved.

But issuer restrictions on card approvals and signup bonuses that have been introduced over the last couple of years make us pickier about which cards to get, and more strategic.

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Nov 11 2017

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.

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Nov 11 2017

The passenger apparently ate what he wanted and decided he wanted to read without his meal tray in the way.

I think what impresses me most about this incident is that he dropped this on the ground but his cup of water is still full. It’s a miracle of modern physics.

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Nov 11 2017

18 year old Gabrielle Canales was filmed inside a New York Uber — many Uber drivers do film their rides — stealing all the money out of the driver’s tip jar.

Meanwhile a taxi driver headed from the Madrid airport into town snorts cocaine during the trip using “the permit taxi drivers require for their job” as the tray for the coke. That’s on video, too.

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Nov 11 2017

Over the summer United offered to sell miles for 1.88 cents apiece, I believe for the first time. What’s interesting is that selling miles cheap was the US Airways strategy that came over to American Airlines, and now that former US Airways and American President Scott Kirby is United’s President they’re doing it too.

He knows that the airline is in control of their cost of redemption, and that any miles sold above that cost generates profit.

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Nov 11 2017

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.

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Nov 10 2017

A lithium ion camera battery exploded in a suitcase before security at the Orlando airport Friday evening. Some passengers reported that it sounded like a gun shot, however it appears to have been an accident and not an attack of any kind.

The TSA ordered that all passengers who had cleared security had to evacuate the terminal and be re-screened. And all passengers that were onboard planes that had not yet taken off returned to their gates to get off, leave the terminal, and be re-screened.

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Nov 10 2017

Saudi Arabia commandeered the Ritz-Carlton Riyadh to use as a prison as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman moved against powerful senior princes and government leaders over this past weekend.

Now the Saudi government has taken over the Marriott Courtyard Riyadh Diplomatic Quarter, too.

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Nov 10 2017

While I was in Singapore for the unveiling of Singapore Airlines new cabin products I visited the carrier’s training facility.

I’ve had better crews on Singapore and some less good crews on Singapore but on average I find their service to the best in the industry — high level, precise, and mostly consistent. It doesn’t surprise that flight attendant training is the longest in the industry.

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Nov 10 2017

You won’t see this offer unless you’re logged into your American Express Membership Rewards account, but some people at least are targeted for a 20% transfer bonus to Aeroplan and I do not recall ever seeing an Aeroplan transfer bonus before though no doubt readers will correct me if my memory fails. I’m targeted myself.

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