Jul 29 2016

Here’s some interesting data on cost of living and quality of life by a variety of measures for cities around the world.

You can search just on cost of living, best cities if you’re a single guy (or girl), cheapest, safest (for women), and where you can make the most on Airbnb.

I like their list of best cities to work from home which they call their digital nomad list based on “internet speed, cost of living, weather and fun.” The neat thing is you can filter by your own criteria like beach or snow, cold or hot, and how friendly a city is to same sex couples.

Continue Reading »

Jul 29 2016

Expedia says that efforts by chains like Hilton, Marriott, IHG, and Hyatt to offer lower rates on their own websites than through online travel agency signs isn’t hurting them.

Continue Reading »

Jul 29 2016

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.

Continue Reading »

Jul 29 2016

Nearly every unfortunate incident in aviation happens in Denver.

But something good has happened there, too. They’ve just completed installing 10,000 power outlets across their 3 concourses. They’ve also spent $2.5 million to upgrade their public wifi.

Continue Reading »

Jul 28 2016

Fares across the Atlantic have been low for a variety of reasons: too much capacity from the major airlines, low fuel prices that support this, and increased competition from low cost airlines like Norwegian and Wow Air.

Today you can book either Los Angeles or New York JFK – Paris for less than $400 roundtrip. There’s a trick to how.

Continue Reading »

Jul 28 2016

Following on my last report, flying all 3 big gulf carriers in first class on their Airbus A380s in a single trip where I visited Bangkok and finally got to see the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, I redeemed miles for another fairly over-the-top adventure.

This trip involved using American Airlines miles for Etihad’s First Apartment roundtrip, Hyatt Gold Passport points for 5 nights at the Park Hyatt Hadahaa Maldives, and 117,000 Starwood points for 3 nights at Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa. I also had the chance to fly business class on China Eastern and flydubai.

Continue Reading »

Jul 28 2016

United has operated a hub at Washington Dulles for 30 years. It began as a primarily domestic operation. They wouldn’t introduce their first international flight from DC for four years. However the airport grew into United’s primary transatlantic gateway.

It was also United’s primary connecting city up and down the East Coast and for Northeast and Mid-Atlantic traffic which didn’t make sense to route through Chicago.

Continue Reading »

Jul 28 2016

American has sold upgrades at check-in to non-elites when they expected all elites requesting upgrades to receive them and they’d still have first class seats left. This has been known as “Load Factor Based Upgrades” (LFBUs).

As part of American’s plan to extract incremental revenue from existing passengers, they’re changing their approach somewhat to selling first class upgrades to non-elite frequent flyers.

Continue Reading »

Jul 28 2016

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.

Continue Reading »

Jul 27 2016

Boeing provided a financial update for the 747 in an SEC form 10-Q filing today.

They noted that demand for both the passenger plane and freighter has been less than they’ve projected. Boeing is going to keep production levels at just one aircraft every other month. They have completed, unsold aircraft in inventory and their schedule anticipates producing 32 aircraft through 2019 that they do not yet have plans to deliver.

Continue Reading »