May 25 2016

Regular readers of the blog know that I use Award Wallet to track my miles and points.

The free version of the service suffices for most. You enter your frequent flyer account numbers and passwords. Then you can update most of your account balances with a single click and see them on one page. You can log into your accounts with a single click.

When I first signed up I realized quickly I was happy to pay the minimum required for their premium membership that included expiration date tracking for many of my accounts.

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May 25 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.

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May 25 2016

I really like Silvercar. They have an all-Audi fleet and their all-inclusive model comes with free GPS, wifi, and satellite radio. You pay only actual tolls (no administrative charges) and can pay a flat $5 and they’ll refuel your car at market rate.

It doesn’t work for them everywhere, however. They used to have a Houston Hobby location but that’s closed. Now they’re closing down Dallas-Fort Worth.

Their website and app will not reserve cars past July 1 at DFW, and customer service confirms it’s because they are shutting down the location.

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May 25 2016

Russia is criticizing the US military for a spy plane over the Sea of Japan near Russia which came too close to two civilian jetliners.

The US military plane was reportedly flying at 36,000 feet and non-responsive to air traffic control. A KLM Boeing 777 “had to immediately change the flight path” and a Swiss aircraft reported “visual contact with a large four-engine aircraft, which was in direct proximity to their plane” leading to a change in altitude.

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May 25 2016

New York, Atlanta, Boston, Miami, Philadelphia, Toronto, or Washington DC – Tel Aviv roundtrip on British Airways “for about $2,000 round-trip in business class” which stacks with a $400 off and a 10% discount to get to an amazing fare for travel this summer — and that’s eligible for 25,000 bonus miles on top!

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May 25 2016

The TSA has literally only fired one executive in 5 years. It’s easier to get fired as a teacher in the New York City Public Schools system.

Of all the TSA executives who have left the agency in the last 5 years, only one was fired. That’s the same number of executives who died while still employed by the agency.

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May 24 2016

Delta introduced ‘basic economy’ fares to compete against Spirit Airlines where Spirit is offering super low fares on non-stop routes Delta is flying. They introduced fares that stripped out things like advance seat assignments and used those fares when matching Spirit’s prices. Customers could spend more to get more, or spend less and get something akin to Spirit but still with better legroom and free carry on bags.

United and American will follow suit this year while Delta spreads use of the fares beyond routes where they compete with ultra low cost carriers and into international markets even.

The Economist calls this “a class below economy and tries to tie it into issues of class divide. But there’s a ton of misinformation out there about these fares.

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May 24 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.

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May 24 2016

Marriott is out with their new global promotion. You have to log into your Marriott Rewards account to see it.

It is, as regular readers are familiar with the expression my grandfather used to use, “better than a hole in the head.” Here are what other chains are offering right now as well.

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May 24 2016

Whether or not you receive a tax statement for funds you receive doesn’t actually affect the tax you owe. It’s a big deal in frequent flyer circles that Citibank has in the past reported bank bonuses on a 1099. The IRS knows that value and so consumers have no choice but to report it on their taxes.

This is a big issue for on-demand platform companies like Uber and Lyft, and it’s one reason that some drivers prefer Lyft over Uber: less tax reporting.

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