Barstool Sports Founder Brags To Rite Aid Cashier About His 44 Million Amex Points

by Gary Leff

Nov 16 2022

The founder of Barstool Sports, David Portnoy, flexed on social media showing himself buying a pack of gum with a Black Card for $1.59 – and the terminal displays his available Membership Rewards balance of 44,403,931 points.

Sure, you can use Amex points at Rite Aid. It’s a poor value, but it’s an opportunity to show the balance in an ironic setting. The employee comments “you probably could go on a trip” and Portnoy boasts “I’ve gotta be a league leader with points.”

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Marriott Raises Spend Requirement For Ambassador Status, Will Bring Back Personal Ambassadors

by Gary Leff

Nov 16 2022

Marriott has the most exclusive top elite tier with published earning criteria. The Ambassador level requires not just 100 nights in hotels but also a minimum of $20,000 in spend, nearly impossible to achieve in many parts of the world with low hotel rates. Marriott is keeping the 100-night level, but increasing the spend requirement to $23,000 for 2023.

With that they are bringing back dedicated Ambassadors.

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New Recursive Merchant Funded Offer From Chase And Lyft

by Gary Leff

chasebank
Nov 15 2022

We’ve seen American Express load up on merchant-funded offers to show substantial cash value to cardmembers, while raising annual fees. We’ve seen Chase do the same – think DoorDash and Lyft right before the pandemic, while announcing a fee increase on the Sapphire Reserve card.

These offers can be hard to make last. Eventually the brand reaches as many customers as they are likely to reach, and no longer benefits from offering continued discounts. So issuers need a funnel of new offers to replace the ones they lose.

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Should You Donate Frequent Flyer Miles To Charity?

by Gary Leff

Nov 14 2022

It’s been several years since I’ve shared thoughts on effective philanthropy and donating miles. It certainly seems like we have more crises, more often, and more needs top of mind for help than ever before. I suspect that might not be correct in absolute terms, but the breadth of speed of information flow brings needs to the forefront constantly. And for many people, especially readers of this blog, miles may be an underexploited resource to help.

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Southwest Pilot Dangles Out The Cockpit, Arms Stretched, Trying To Reach Passenger’s Phone

by Gary Leff

Nov 14 2022

A Southwest Airlines passenger had left their phone behind in the gate area. They’d already boarded their flight, and the plane had pushed back. A gate agent worked to get the phone down to the ramp. A ramp worker brought it out to the aircraft. They weren’t going to open the aircraft door. Instead, the pilot opened the cockpit window and leaned out. Stretched as far as he could out the window, the ramper jumped as high as he could to pass off the phone.

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30 Years Ago the Sole Survivor of a Vietnam Airlines Crash Lived 8 Days in the Jungle

by Gary Leff

Nov 14 2022

On November 14, 1992 Vietnam Airlines flight 474 crashed during a tropical cyclone as it approached Nha Trang. The Yakovlev Yak-40 aircraft was carrying 25 passengers and six crew. Only one person, a passenger, survived.

The sixteen year old Soviet-built aircraft had departed Ho Chi Minh City. As it neared Nha Trang Airport, it descended below its expected altitude. It hit trees and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed.

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