Best Tip In All Of Travel? Book Yourself A Cheap Second Seat For Extra Room

by Gary Leff

airplane seats
Jan 10 2022

One of the best tips in travel is to why yourself a second seat when you’re flying coach. Each of the major airlines has a procedure to let you do this, and it can be a great value when fares are cheap. Do it yourself first class, or at least it can be extra room at a value price (and you’re not getting a great meal if you were flying real first class anyway).

The process to do this is different with every airline, but oddly it’s not something U.S. airlines advertise. One airline, though, just made it much easier.

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Several Marriotts Now Tack On An Unexplained ‘Sustainability Fee’

by Gary Leff

Jan 09 2022

Several hotels in Marriott’s Autograph Collection now hit guests with an extra $4.99 per night ‘sustainability fee’ that isn’t included in the room rate. The fee isn’t described on the hotels’ websites, either.

This appears to be a fee to sustain the hotel owner’s revenue since they do not even appear to be pretending that tacking on a non-optional fee – drip pricing – somehow benefits the environment.

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MGM’s New Elite Benefits May Extend To Hyatt Members, But Resort Fees Still Apply On Awards

by Gary Leff

Jan 09 2022

One sweet spot is that MGM Rewards grants Gold elite status to Hyatt Explorist and Globalist members. This now includes a waiver of resort fees, upgrade at check-in if available (view, high floor); dedicated line at restaurants; and complimentary valet parking.

However if you’ve gained your Gold status via Hyatt you will not receive the Gold level’s $100 tier achievement celebration dinner. And if you redeem Hyatt points for your stay you will not have your resort fee waived.

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If You’re Losing Your Hyatt Status, Here’s A Trick To Keep It

by Gary Leff

Jan 08 2022

Hyatt and MGM have a partnership that dates back to 2013. They each offer members in the other program status matches – not one time matches, but rather status in one program ‘equals’ status in the other.

And the status year in each program ends at a different time. This creates an opportunity to still have status with one program, after your status has ended in the other, and to use that to ‘match back’ to regain status – in perpetuity, or as long as this tactic has continued to last (and it’s lasted for years).

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