Update On My Award Booking Service

by Gary Leff

Aug 06 2022

I started helping readers book their award travel with an award booking service, Book Your Award, in 2009. Ten years ago Steve Belkin came on as my partner. Steve literally wrote the book on large scale mileage exploits. He’s been famous in mileage circles for 30 years, we’ve known each other for 20 years, and for a decade now he’s helped redeem billions of miles.

I can’t do it all myself. There’s too much at stake. And there are very few people that I trust to deliver at the level I’m committed to. Steve, my partner and friend, has decided to step back from award booking after 10 years.

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With Passenger’s Bare Feet In The Air, American Airlines Says “Everyone’s Trying To Stay Comfy”

by Gary Leff

Aug 06 2022

On Thursday’s American Airlines flight 754 from Philadelphia to Paris a passenger snapped a photo of a man on board in economy, shoes off and feet in the air, draped over the seat in front of him.

Bare feet on a plane is such an awful thing to do to the rest of the passengers in the cabin that a passenger with smelly feet once drove another so nuts that he got stabbed on arrival in the parking lot. American Airlines, though, appeared to condone it.

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20% Transfer Bonuses From Capital One To Air France & British Airways Through 8/31/22

by Gary Leff

Aug 06 2022

Ultimately I’m thrilled to see these offers even though I’m not going to take advantage of them now. I often don’t know when I’ll need it, and I check each of my transferable points accounts for a bonus before choosing which one to transfer from. I’ve recently redeemed Flying Blue points for a Paris – Chicago flight, and just last week redeemed something intra-Europe (since, while Virgin Atlantic was cheaper for the same award, the Virgin site kept erroring and a telephone agent was not helpful).

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Traffic Into Cancun Airport Is So Bad Tourists Are Getting Out Of Cabs And Walking

by Gary Leff

Aug 05 2022

Cancun airport is reporting a record-breaking summer. And at the same time, work is proceeding to grow infrastructure around the airport. Colosio boulevard, which enters Cancun International Airport, is seeing two hour delays at peak times (6 a.m. – 10 a.m. into the airport and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. departing it).

Tourists can be seen abandoning taxis and walking into the facility.

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This Has To Be The Nicest “Limited Service” Hotel In The World?

by Gary Leff

Aug 05 2022

There’s both a Hyatt Place and Hyatt House in the same building, the Hyatt Place Allentown / Lehigh Valley and Hyatt House Allentown / Lehigh Valley. They just opened last fall, and Hyatt.com even uses the Hyatt Place exterior for both properties.

They share amenities like gym, pool, and bar (there’s an indoor pool). Unless you need the long-term stay kitchen stuff of a Hyatt House, pick whichever one is cheaper. You’ll note that the property can even be a good use of Hyatt points, here’s a nice ~ 3 cent per point redemption scenario.

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Operator Of Austin Airport’s South Terminal Sues Over The Most Insane Eminent Domain Case Ever

by Gary Leff

Aug 05 2022

Part of how the Austin airport has handled growth is opening a separate, privately-funded terminal for low cost carriers. They gave a 40 year lease to a company to build it, that company has invested tens of millions of dollars, and Allegiant and Frontier currently operate out of the terminal.

The South Terminal has only been open 5 years and the Austin airport has changed its mind. They want the land back .

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You Don’t Need To Worry About Monkeypox When You Travel

by Gary Leff

Aug 05 2022

Here’s how to think about monkeypox. If you have it you should isolate. Take precautions if engaging in close contact within high risk groups and absolutely get vaccinated if you can. But if you don’t have monkeypox and aren’t engaging in high risk activities with people who might have monkeypox then you don’t have to think much about it. That could change, it could cross over into other communities, and if that happens you should update your priors.

Right now I am taking zero precautions against monkeypox. I hope that doesn’t change. But any change that I make will be based on scientific evidence.

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