United Airlines Offers 4 Ways Elite Status Will Be Easier To Earn In 2021

by Gary Leff

airline seat with teddy bear
Nov 12 2020

Following American AAdvantage announcing reduced qualification levels for elite status earned in 2021 last month, United MileagePlus is out with its 2021 elite qualification rules and they’re layering on four different boosts towards status along with making it easier to earn confirmed upgrades for those continuing to fly beyond the 1K level.

Taken together lower status requirements, a hard start for current elites towards status, along with bonus qualifying spend for status in the first quarter, and a relaxed restriction on using credit card-earned elite qualifying spend towards top status United has laid out ways that status will be easier to earn than ever this year.

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Leaked Memo: Bali Plans Tourism Re-Opening December 1

by Gary Leff

shrine
Nov 11 2020

A leaked memo has detailed Bali’s tourism re-opening plans. On Friday, November 6th a government meeting took place at the Astor hotel between Bali’s airport authority, Director General of Indonesian Health, and Minister of Maritime Affairs. The memo details the plan for Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport to begin accepting international tourists on December 1. Bali’s Governor confirms the meeting.

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The Thai Hotel That Sent An American To Jail For Writing A Bad Review Now Has Special Warning

by Gary Leff

Nov 11 2020

In September a hotel guest was jailed for writing bad reviews of the Sea View Resort & Spa, Kah Change. American working in Thailand who wrote the review was arrested at his job and jailed over a defamation lawsuit filed by the property.

He spent a couple of nights in jail before being able to post a 100,000 Baht (~ US$3165) bail. He faced up to two years in prison if convicted.

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Why Furloughs Are Wreaking Havoc On The Lives Of Airline Employees Who Still Have Jobs

by Gary Leff

Nov 11 2020

Furloughs don’t just disrupt the lives of those who lose their jobs. They’re just the most obvious people affected.

Pilots get bumped down to flying smaller aircraft, and from captain to co-pilot. Flight attendants though are really displaced too. That’s because senior flight attendants, used to working the best trips, wind up back on reserve.

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Wide Open Qatar Airways Business Class Award Space For Four Passengers From Several U.S. Cities

by Gary Leff

first class beds
Nov 11 2020

Qatar has one of the best business class product in the world in its ‘QSuites’. These are revolutionary suites with doors and movable partitions that allow two and even four passengers to travel together in their own space. Right now there’s fantastic award availability booking for late summer and fall 2021 for Qatar’s QSuites product – out of several U.S. cities – with four business class seats available.

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Every Day From February 1 Onward United Has Tons Of Transcon Business Class Saver Award Space

by Gary Leff

first class seats
Nov 10 2020

Traditionally non-stop cross country flights in premium cabins are tough to get but that is a lot of premium cabin inventory at a time that business travelers aren’t flying. Or – perhaps this is an early mistake on United’s part that won’t last. But every single day between the February 1 start of service and the end of the airline schedule 11 months from now has numerous business class saver award seats open.

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