What Points Should You Earn, and How Many Points Are Too Many?

Reader Rob P asked for, [a] post on your “earn and burn” philosophy would be helpful. How do I know if I’m hoarding too many UR points and not spending them enough? I explained ten years ago why points programs devalue. They’re private currencies without any binding constraints. The Supreme Court even limited your right […]

The post What Points Should You Earn, and How Many Points Are Too Many? appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/11/24/points-earn-many-points-many/

In Transit Blog: Walkabout: Albania Opens Cold War Bunker; Swiss Museum Accepts Bequest of Nazi-Era Art

A weekly capsule of travel news curated by our writers and editors.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/40cc4e26/sc/38/l/0Lintransit0Bblogs0Bnytimes0N0C20A140C110C240Cwalkabout0Ealbania0Eopens0Ecold0Ewar0Ebunker0Eswiss0Emuseum0Eaccepts0Ebequest0Eof0Enazi0Eera0Eart0C0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

T Magazine: Just in Time for Art Basel, a First Look at Miami’s Newest Hotel

Ian Schrager, the hotelier who co-founded New York’s Studio 54, returned to his old stomping grounds to open The Miami Beach Edition in what was the Seville Hotel.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/40cc4e29/sc/38/l/0Ltmagazine0Bblogs0Bnytimes0N0C20A140C110C240Cmiami0Enewest0Ehotel0Eart0Ebasel0Eian0Eschrager0C0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

53 ways to annoy your bartender

"Ask us to hook you up with our pot dealer / Ask us to bum a smoke from the kitchen." Find out all 53 ways to annoy your bartender.



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/nights/53-things-youre-totally-annoy-bartender/

Frequent Flier: Handling a Thief in Business Class

Morgan Downey is chief executive of Money.Net, a financial start-up. On one flight, he awoke to find a seatmate taking food off his plate.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/40cc65dc/sc/36/l/0L0Snytimes0N0C20A140C110C250Cbusiness0Chandling0Ea0Ethief0Ein0Ebusiness0Eclass0Bhtml0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

On the Road: Defying Trend, Virgin Hotels Resists Extra Fees

As other hotels seek to increase revenue by adding fees and surcharges, Virgin is adopting no-fees and liberal cancellation policies.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/40cc65df/sc/36/l/0L0Snytimes0N0C20A140C110C250Cbusiness0Cdefying0Etrend0Evirgin0Ehotels0Eresists0Eextra0Efees0Bhtml0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

British Airways Ate My Award Seats!

As part of what I like to call my "award chronicles" over at PointsPros, I had a small mishap with a booking last week. I figure if for no other reason than entertainment, there's a good takeaway here that can protect you from the same fate.

A family of four was planning a trip to Europe using Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Traveling from New York, the award itinerary they preferred was on British Airways.

As y'all likely know by now, BA imposes offensive fuel surcharges on award tickets. I really appreciated Ben's post questioning why airlines aren't lowering fuel surcharges from last week, because I'm over in the corner asking the same thing.

Yup, on a simple round-trip from New York to London in first class, you'll be using 120,000 Avios (or 125,000 AAdvantage miles) + $1,180.40 in taxes and "carrier-imposed fees."

The post British Airways Ate My Award Seats! appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/11/24/british-airways-ate-award-seats/

Here’s My Elite Status Program and Plan

Reader Denis asks about my elite status, and since I write about what I think people ought to do what I actually do is fair game. How are you planning status (airlines) for year end? Do you need to MR? Lifetime status? I’ve re-qualified for American’s Executive Platinum (100,000 mile) status already. I should end […]

The post Here’s My Elite Status Program and Plan appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/11/24/heres-elite-status-program-plan/

Hunting the White Whale: A Mistake Fare

Occasionally, airlines or online booking sites experience snafus when loading airfares. These errors may result in inaccurate pricing for a particular fare. Taxes or fees may be dropped, a zero or two is left off the final price, or some other unexplained anomaly creates a bookable fare that is a real deal — and thus, […]



from Frugal Travel Guy http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/11/the-mistake-fare-good-deal-or-not.html

10 ways to survive holiday travel

Forget the annual Thanksgiving debate over your mother's turkey-roasting method or your uncle's political sideswiping. With a storm threatening the East Coast during the busiest travel time of the year, travelers are starting to wonder whether they'll get to the dinner table on time.

from CNN.com - Travel http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/24/travel/thanksgiving-travel-tips-2014/index.html

Remember to Earn Miles for Everyday Purchases (“AKA Shopping Online While At the Apple Store”)

I went to the Apple Store to buy a new computer. I had already done my research and knew what I wanted. I just needed to verify a few things in person, which I did with the helpful associate. “OK, I’m ready,” I said—and then I logged on to a website from the in-store computer…



from The Art of Non-Conformity http://chrisguillebeau.com/shopping-online-at-the-apple-store/

Limited Time Offer: Children Travel “Free” LA to Tahiti

If you are considering a trip to Tahiti with your family and have children under the age of 15, then the time to do so is now! Air Tahiti Nui is running a limited-time promotion in which children 15 or under only pay taxes and fees (estimated to be about $65 each way) on Air […]



from Frugal Travel Guy http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/11/limited-time-offer-children-travel-free-la-to-tahiti.html

Why Don’t Airlines Make Empty Seats Available as Award Space?

Reader Jered asked, Why don’t airlines open all remaining international premium cabin seats for awards for day-of travel? Surely getting something for them is better than having them go empty? Here’s Jered’s question — if a seat is going to go empty, an airline is getting literally nothing in exchange for that seat. They get […]

The post Why Don’t Airlines Make Empty Seats Available as Award Space? appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/11/24/dont-airlines-make-empty-seats-available-award-space/

Ssshhh – five secret ingredients for a successful hackathon

Our team started participating in hackathons in an exploratory fashion. But over the past four years we have been continuously refining what ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/hackathon-five-secret-ingredients/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ssshhh-five-secret-ingredients-successful-hackathon

Airberlin Inflight Wifi Coming Fleetwide

Inflight wifi is something that's becoming increasingly important to business travelers, and it's interesting to see the different approaches airlines take towards it. In particular, it's interesting how differently airlines seem to perceive the elasticity of demand for the service among passengers.

On one end of the spectrum you have Emirates, which is now basically offering free wifi -- the first 10MB is free, and the next 600MB is just $1. They view inflight wifi as part of their core product offering rather than a profit center, which I think is brilliant.

Then on the other end of the spectrum you have Singapore Airlines, which charges $1,200 for inflight wifi. Clearly they view it as a profit center and not a core product offering. ;)

The post Airberlin Inflight Wifi Coming Fleetwide appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/11/24/airberlin-inflight-wifi-coming-fleetwide/