Data Shows What Credit Score You Need to Be Approved for the Best Rewards Card

I receive compensation for many links on this blog. You don’t have to use these links, but I am grateful to you if you do. American Express, Citibank, Chase, and other banks are advertising partners of this site. I do not write about all credit cards that are available — instead focusing on miles, points, […]

The post Data Shows What Credit Score You Need to Be Approved for the Best Rewards Card appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2015/02/06/data-shows-credit-score-need-approved-best-rewards-card/

In Transit Blog: Observing a Matterhorn Milestone

Zermatt, Switzerland, will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first ascent of the Matterhorn in July; a play about the climb will be performed in three languages

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/4321bcef/sc/13/l/0Lintransit0Bblogs0Bnytimes0N0C20A150C0A20C0A60Cobserving0Ea0Ematterhorn0Emilestone0C0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

Will PodShare be the next big hostel/hotel brand?

Clearly the only constant in hospitality is that the sands are always shifting. New concepts emerge, technology disrupts and new entrants to ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/will-podshare-next-big-hotel-brand/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=will-podshare-next-big-hotel-brand

Road Trip Remedy: Backseat Bickering

National Geographic Traveler columnist Heather Greenwood Davis is the magazine’s family travel advocate, guru, and soothsayer. Here’s her latest advice.



from Intelligent Travel http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2015/02/06/road-trip-remedy-backseat-bickering/

Sail and kayak odyssey [vid]

This "project" (I guess that's what we're calling badass adventures now), called Sail 2 Surf, follows a group of paddlers as they cruise the gorgeous island chains of Washington, US and British Columbia, Canada in search of waves and adventure.



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/tv/guys-surf-fun-water-features-way-reach-them-amazing/

How American Airlines’ Incompetent Customer Service Finally Made Me Crack

I probably spend between five and ten hours a week booking awards on the phone with airlines. After a while, you kind of become immune to anything the airline’s customer service representatives can throw at you. Nonetheless, yesterday I completely lost it on a call with American Airlines. I would usually rank American’s agents as […]



from Frugal Travel Guy http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2015/02/how-american-airlines-incompetent-customer-service-finally-made-me-crack.html

United Launches Partner Award Redemption Sale

Earlier this week, we wrote about how United Partner Awards Were Pricing at Lower Levels on Some Routes, and how we thought it was a glitch. However, it turns out they are actually having a sale on partner award redemptions, which they just announced for tickets booked now through the end of February. Here’s a...



from The Points Guy http://thepointsguy.com/2015/02/united-launches-partner-award-redemption-sale/

Travel Lens: DJ Spooky’s World

DJ Spooky's genre-pushing work and surprising collaborations—with everyone from punk pioneer Patti Smith to eccentric rapper Kool Keith—have taken the multimedia artist, writer, and composer to all seven continents and landed him a gig as a Nat Geo Emerging Explorer. Here's a look at the world through his unique lens.



from Intelligent Travel http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2015/02/06/travel-lens-dj-spooky/

New Hotel Booking Site Kaligo Offering First-Time Booking Bonus of 11,000 Miles

Kaligo – 1000 Extra Bonus American Miles With Your First Booking Kaligo – 1000 Extra Bonus United Miles With Your First Booking Regular readers of this blog are familiar with PointsHound and Rocketmiles. These are hotel booking sites that reward you with miles for your reservation. Basically they’re rebating commission to you in the form […]

The post New Hotel Booking Site Kaligo Offering First-Time Booking Bonus of 11,000 Miles appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2015/02/06/new-hotel-booking-site-kaligo-offering-first-time-booking-bonus-11000-miles/

How to travel the world for life

Benny Lewis shows us how it's done in the ultimate guide to making a career out of traveling.



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/life/how-to-travel-the-world-for-life-and-work-while-you-travel/

Two Good Reasons: The Trinity Church Cemetery in Washington Heights Holds Plenty of History

Four former New York mayors, including Edward I. Koch, are among those buried in the Washington Heights graveyard that sits in the shadow of the Church of the Intercession.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/4321655b/sc/8/l/0L0Snytimes0N0C20A150C0A20C0A80Cnyregion0Cthe0Etrinity0Echurch0Ecemetery0Ein0Ewashington0Eheights0Eholds0Eplenty0Eof0Ehistory0Bhtml0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

Update: Concerns Over Safety of Air Travel in Asia

Fatal crashes of five planes in the past year have raised questions about the security of Asian carriers.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/43216552/sc/8/l/0L0Snytimes0N0C20A150C0A20C0A60Ctravel0Cconcerns0Eover0Esafety0Eof0Eair0Etravel0Ein0Easia0Bhtml0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

Mardi Gras Parades Start

Family Gras, a free street festival with parades and a food court of its own, is also scheduled for this weekend near New Orleans.



from Travel Feedly http://www.ibtimes.com/mardi-gras-parade-schedule-2015-when-where-watch-first-weekend-celebrations-new-1808190

Where Have Delta’s Award Charts Gone?

I might live and breathe miles and points, but I draw the line at memorizing award charts.

Sure, there are sweet spots to every program, and I know those from frequent use, but keeping track of how many miles American requires for award travel between Madagascar and Kazakhstan just doesn't come up very often. And if I go directly to the airline website, rather than trusting my memory, I'm less likely to make a mistake. So it's a good habit regardless.

Fortunately, airlines publish their award charts, which is great for everyone involved! Consumers can see how many miles an award should cost, that encourages loyalty and involvement, and all the rest. Ben has written about this a lot -- a transparent program has more engaged members.

Delta SkyMiles definitely has tendencies towards sneakiness. In the past they've changed award prices overnight (and claimed that it was illegal to notify consumers of price changes in advance), so they're hardly on my list of trustworthy programs.

Today, however, takes the cake.

The post Where Have Delta’s Award Charts Gone? appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/02/06/deltas-award-charts-gone/

'Hunger Games' tour launches in Atlanta

Atlanta is known as the home of "The Walking Dead," but it also stood in for Katniss Everdeen's dystopian world.

from CNN.com - Travel http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/06/travel/hunger-games-tourism-feat/index.html

What your bartender wants to say

Patron: "What do you like to make?" Bartender: "Tips. All bartenders like to make tips. Now, what would you like to drink?"



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/nights/18-things-bartender-wants-say-back-really-cant/

Review: United BusinessFirst Buenos Aires To Houston

Argentina and, to a lesser extent, the beaches of Uruguay have been covered relatively in-depth by this blog and many others, which is why I’m glossing over much of my time on the ground in order to give you perspectives you might not otherwise find on the BoardingArea blogs.

One of the common threads on this blog and others is how atrocious Aerolineas Argentinas is supposed to be. While I won’t go into a full-length trip report on Aerolineas (and all of the photos I took of the flights were on my phone, which my United BusinessFirst seat ate, as you’ll read shortly), I will say that all of our expectations were exceeded by a country mile.

We flew Aerolineas from Buenos Aires’ downtown Aeroparque airport to Montevideo, where we rented a car (an adventure in and of itself, but not worth delving into here) and drove to the beach towns of Maldonado province, and we flew Aerolineas back directly from the Punta del Este airport to Aeroparque a few days later.

The post Review: United BusinessFirst Buenos Aires To Houston appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/02/06/review-united-businessfirst-buenos-aires-to-houston/

US Airways MasterCard Referral Bonus Miles Have Posted

Back in December, the US Airways Premier World MasterCard from Barclaycard offered targeted cardholders referral bonuses of between 5,000-10,000 miles for each person they referred to sign up for the card who applied successfully. The promotion period ended January 18, and it looks like the miles have just started posting to cardholders’ accounts. So if...



from The Points Guy http://thepointsguy.com/2015/02/us-airways-mastercard-referral-bonus-miles-have-posted/

How well do you know global booze?

How well do you know your global booze trivia? Take our quiz and find out!



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/life/how-much-do-you-know-about-drinking-around-the-world-quiz/

You Keep Using the Word ‘Paradise’ — I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means…

Fort Lauderdale airport’s terminal 3 isn’t my favorite experience. There’s no airport lounge and the best food option I’ve found is the Chili’s. Nonetheless, there are those that would call is paradise. That’s the excuse given for plenty of third world facilities in the Caribbean. Several hotels were sold out nearby the other night, and […]

The post You Keep Using the Word ‘Paradise’ — I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means… appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2015/02/06/keep-using-word-paradise-not-think-means-think-means/

7 habits I lost moving to UK from US

"I stopped saying, 'It's 5 o'clock somewhere.' There is literally no reason to wait until 5 to start drinking."



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/life/7-american-habits-lost-moving-england/

10 ways to boost chances of surviving a plane crash

Survival and rescue stories from the deadly crash of TransAsia Airways Flight 235 in Taiwan are inspiring as well as intriguing. They raise the question: Why do some passengers survive plane crashes and others tragically don't?

from CNN.com - Travel http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/06/travel/plane-crash-survival-tips-feat/index.html

7 Winter Adventures in Massachusetts (That Don’t Involve a Ski Lift)

Join Vagabondish on Twitter and Facebook.

Here in Massachusetts, it’s been a winter to remember. We’ve received more snowfall in the last two weeks than in any other two-week period in history. Ever. But don’t be that classic New Englander who’s content to gripe about how awful the weather is. Get outside and enjoy it! Here are seven wintry things to […]

The post 7 Winter Adventures in Massachusetts (That Don’t Involve a Ski Lift) appeared first on Vagabondish.

from Vagabondish http://www.vagabondish.com/winter-things-to-do-massachusetts/

Your Shot Photo of the Month: Light-Trail Norway

Photographing landscapes well is harder than one might think. National Geographic Your Shot community member Christoph Schaarschmidt solved this by waiting patiently to get this time-lapse shot of Trollstigen Mountain Road in Norway.



from Intelligent Travel http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2015/02/06/your-shot-photo-of-the-month-light-trail-norway/

Lucky’s Lucky 7th: Favorite Posts

Checking this morning I’ve written over 8,000 blog posts in the past seven years.

That’s an average of three posts per day, and well over 12 million words. We won’t even talk about the comments and emails, but, yeah, my life outside this blog is every bit as exciting as you'd expect based on those numbers. ;)

If I had to pick a favorite post, I’m not sure I could. I have some favorite memories, and some days that were especially fun. but it’s somewhat like picking a favorite child.

The post Lucky’s Lucky 7th: Favorite Posts appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/02/06/luckys-lucky-7th-favorite-posts/

Aliens or Atlantis? Who made Costa Rica's stone spheres?

The stone spheres of Costa Rica are one of the strangest mysteries in archaeology. CNN's Jonathan Mann reports.

from CNN.com - Travel http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2015/02/05/spc-gt-pkg-mann-costa-rica-stone-spheres.cnn.html

How to drink like an American

We Americans take our drinking seriously. Here's how you can fit in.



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/nights/drink-like-american/

Move over Watson: Phil is here to field our travel questions

At first, this seemed a bit like a joke: a cloned chat agent named Phil the Voyager is ready to help travelers ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/move-watson-phil-field-travel-questions/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=move-watson-phil-field-travel-questions

Hints About American’s 787, the Benefits of the New $950 Merrill Lynch Card, and Six Month Expiry Miles!

News and notes from around the interweb: Frontier Airlines miles will expire after just six months instead of the customary 18 months starting in March. They’re inching closer and closer to Spirit Air (their private equity ownership and their President come over with Spirit backgrounds). Hints about the first routes for American’s 787. The @USAirways […]

The post Hints About American’s 787, the Benefits of the New $950 Merrill Lynch Card, and Six Month Expiry Miles! appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2015/02/06/hints-americans-787-benefits-new-950-merrill-lynch-card-six-month-expiry-miles/

What happens when moving to Chile

"As a woman, you’ll master your 'resting bitch face' when out and about -- any other expression being a clear invitation to elope and/or fornicate with male passersby."



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/9-things-happen-move-chile/

United States Airlines Are Challenging Open-Skies Agreements

United States air carriers see growing rivals in the Persian Gulf and Europe as a threat.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/431e69c1/sc/1/l/0L0Snytimes0N0C20A150C0A20C0A70Cbusiness0Cus0Eairlines0Echallenge0Eopen0Eskies0Eagreements0Bhtml0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

Morocco, From Coast to Desert

A seven-day journey turns up a kaleidoscope of centuries-old souks, dusty colonial-era outposts, livestock markets and luxury restaurants.





from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/431ee093/sc/10/l/0L0Snytimes0N0C20A150C0A20C0A80Ctravel0Cmorocco0Efrom0Ecoast0Eto0Edesert0Bhtml0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

If You Go: Four Stops Across Morocco

Planning a seven-day journey across Morocco, from Atlantic shores to Saharan dunes, can be an odyssey. Here’s how to do it.





from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/431ee096/sc/10/l/0L0Snytimes0N0C20A150C0A20C0A80Ctravel0Cfour0Estops0Eacross0Emorocco0Bhtml0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

Rite Aid Fabuary Free Flight Promo Going South?

A few days ago I wrote about Rite Aid's Fab-uary promotion whereby you can earn a free domestic flight for $250 in spend on participating products. This February promotion follows on the heels of January's Happy You Year promotion which offered a 2-night Hyatt stay. Theoretically, you can now get a free flight to go with your free hotel stays.

Here are my previous posts on the Rite Aid promotions:

2 Free Hyatt Nights For $250 Spend at RiteAid (Promotion Over)

4 Predictions For The Rite Aid Free Hyatt Night Promo (Promotion Over)

Free Domestic Flight For $250 Spend At Rite Aid

Both of these promotions are being run by TRCo Marketing, sister company to TLC Marketing which was the fulfillment company for the ill-fated Dockers / JC Penney promotion back in 2008. That one also offered a free flight or free hotel stay. It generally did not go well and ended in a class action law suit.

The post Rite Aid Fabuary Free Flight Promo Going South? appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/02/06/rite-aid-fabuary-free-flight-promo-going-south/

Sampson Peak and Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park, Alberta

from Everything Everywhere Travel Blog http://everything-everywhere.com/2015/02/05/sampson-peak-maligne-lake-jasper-national-park-alberta/

What does the online travel startup scene need – more women

When Jen O’Neal, a founder of Tripping, a vacation rentals metasearch platform, first considered starting a travel company, friends warned her that ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/women-travel-startup/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=eyefortravel-sc-women

Selfies responsible for plane crash

"There's an appropriate time for everything in life, and taking pictures of yourself while flying an airplane is a dangerous idea."



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/life/believe-not-selfie-now-caused-plane-crash/

Updated Offer: 70,000 Points + Additional Free Stay from IHG Hotels

Link: 70,000 IHG Hotel Points An updated travel hacking offer has just landed. All of a sudden, anyone who likes to stay in hotels free has an all-new option: the IHG® Rewards Club Select card. IHG brands range from the upscale Intercontinental (very nice) to the mid-range Crowne Plaza (depends on the property) to the…



from The Art of Non-Conformity http://chrisguillebeau.com/updated-offer-70000-points-additional-free-stay-from-ihg-hotels/

Pursuits: In Key West, a Taste of Cuban Coffee Culture

The Florida Straits island offers the next best cafe con leche beyond Havana.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/431dcde5/sc/10/l/0L0Snytimes0N0C20A150C0A20C0A80Ctravel0Cin0Ekey0Ewest0Ea0Etaste0Eof0Ecuban0Ecoffee0Eculture0Bhtml0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm