When You Fly American Airlines To New York JFK, Many Of You Can Get A Free Meal

by Gary Leff

May 07 2022

Bobby Van’s is one of the better airport restaurants in the Priority Pass program. While you’re supposed to have a same day boarding pass to enter, that still lets you eat there both on arrival in New York and on departure as well.

In my experience they don’t actually check boarding passes, just swipe your card. If I were an American Airlines crewmember based in New York I’d definitely get a credit card that offers unlimited Priority Pass visits (not from American Express, which doesn’t cover restaurant visits).

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There’s Huge Financial Risk Traveling Internationally As Pandemic Flexibility Policies End

by Gary Leff

May 06 2022

Consider that Airbnb no longer allows positive Covid test refunds, and United Airlines no longer runs APUs during boarding and deplaning. The travel industry is moving on from its pandemic policies. And that means travelers are increasingly on their own – especially if they test positive for the virus during travel and aren’t allowed to fly home.

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Citibank Credit Card Rebates Available On All Cards, Stack With SimplyMiles

by Gary Leff

May 06 2022

Citibank has a card-linked rebate program that’s like Amex Offers, but to date it’s only been available on a limited number of their cards. That’s changed. All of a sudden you’ll find it, for instance, on American Airlines cards and Citi Premier.

This is especially useful because Citi issues a number of Mastercards, which are eligible to be used with SimplyMiles, the American Airlines-Mastercard card-linked offers that award both AAdvantage miles and credit towards elite status.

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Delta Pilots Make A Bad Faith Case For Boarding Pay

by Gary Leff

May 05 2022

Pilots are one of the few unionized work groups at Delta. They’re complaining that Delta gave non-union flight attendants a raise by adding pay for boarding time (in addition to their pre-pandemic raise, post-pandemic raise, and special profit-sharing).

However Delta cannot unilaterally change the pay of their pilots. Their pilots literally agreed to – voted on – a contract that paid more for time flying the plane and didn’t calculate pay including boarding time. Not only haven’t pilots made boarding pay a priority, they’ve chosen the current arrangement because it benefits senior union members at the expense of junior ones.

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All AAdvantage Elites Now Eligible For Premium Economy Upgrades On Hawaii & Alaska Routes

by Gary Leff

airline seat
May 05 2022

Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro and Concierge Key members have received premium economy upgrades free when they are available (and when they aren’t being upgraded to business class).

For Alaska and Hawaii routes, these complimentary premium economy upgrades at the gate are now available to all elites. Gold and Platinum members are now eligible for complimentary premium economy upgrades when listed for an upgrade to business and not clearing.

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