Is my credit card payment really “late”?

from Elliott http://elliott.org/problem-solved/credit-card-payment-really-late/

Air New Zealand, Behind the Scenes

Want to see the Behind-the-Scenes video? I did a fun photoshoot with Air New Zealand, and some of the photos are just now starting to come out. We also made a cool behind-the-scenes video there, which we will release for free to newsletter subscribers (which is also free!) The Most Beautiful Newsletter Ever! Here’s one […]



from Stuck in Customs http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2014/10/30/air-new-zealand-behind-the-scenes/

Who Wins — and Who Loses — With the American-US Airways Mileage Program Integration That’s Just Been Announced?

On net I think the details of how American AAdvantage 2015 plans to combine with US Airways Dividend Miles in the second quarter of 2015 is the best possible outcome we could reasonably have expected. I did expect that the combined program would have 4 elite tiers (as US Airways has today, and as both […]

The post Who Wins — and Who Loses — With the American-US Airways Mileage Program Integration That’s Just Been Announced? appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/10/29/wins-loses-american-us-airways-mileage-program-integration-thats-just-announced/

Should US Airways Elites Be Upset With The New AAdvantage Program?

Yesterday American announced the details of their 2015 AAdvantage program. This is the next step of the US Airways and American Airlines integration, whereby next year they'll be merging the Dividend Miles program into the AAdvantage program.

A vast majority of people are thrilled with the changes. And they should be -- when you look at what Delta SkyMiles and United MileagePlus have done over the past couple of years, American's program mostly staying the same is great news. From my perspective the program even improved, as American added complimentary same day changes for Executive Platinum members, a benefit which is long overdue in my book.

But that hasn't stopped some US Airways flyers from expressing their disappointment. One of the most vocal is Carolina Travel Girl, who isn't happy with the changes at all:

The post Should US Airways Elites Be Upset With The New AAdvantage Program? appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/10/29/should-us-airways-elites-be-upset-with-the-new-aadvantage-program/

Dissatisfied with Air Travel? Properly Complain to Airlines Via Twitter

I have to admit that I am not a big fan of social media, as evidenced by my Facebook profile picture — the same one since January 2009. But for business, I consider social media a necessary evil (hence PMM Travel Consulting’s Facebook and Twitter accounts). However, I fully recognize that social media, particularly Twitter, […]



from Frugal Travel Guy http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/10/dissatisfied-with-air-travel-properly-complain-to-airlines-via-twitter.html

Europe’s Loveliest Cemeteries

Not just the province of the dead and those who mourn them, cemeteries can be celebrated for all they offer the living. Europe boasts some of the most interesting and elaborate cemeteries in the world. Here are five of the most striking, all of which happen to be located in capital cities.



from Intelligent Travel http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2014/10/29/europes-loveliest-cemeteries/

Yahoo Travel’s Bizarre Singapore Suites Class Story

Late last month a Singapore Airlines Suites Class trip report went viral, whereby a guy redeemed miles to fly from Singapore to Frankfurt to New York, which the guy claimed retailed for $23,000.

It's amazing how viral the trip report went, and equally amazing how few people grasp the concept of miles. I seem to mostly hang around people that understand at least something about miles, but shortly after that report was published I heard from so many acquaintances I hadn't spoken to in a long time, and they all just didn't seem to "get it."

After that trip report went viral I wrote a post outlining just how easily you can earn enough miles to redeem for Singapore Airlines Suites Class.

In trying to keep the momentum going, it seems like premium cabin "wowzers look at this" style reviews have been more mainstream lately.

The post Yahoo Travel’s Bizarre Singapore Suites Class Story appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/10/29/yahoo-travels-bizarre-singapore-suites-class-story/

Cool New Offer on the Best No Annual Fee Card and the Fastest Amex Points-Earning Card

I receive compensation for many links on this blog. I do not write about all credit cards that are available — instead focusing on miles, points, and cash back (and currencies that can be converted into the same). Back in March I spoke with David Rabkin, American Express Senior Vice President of consumer lending, about […]

The post Cool New Offer on the Best No Annual Fee Card and the Fastest Amex Points-Earning Card appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/10/29/limited-time-offer-best-annual-fee-card-fastest-amex-points-earning-card/

Travel Challenge: Germany Christmas Villages

In this travel challenge, I want to show you how my wife Sara and I are making it to Germany in December with our family. A combination of purchasing points and credit cards with specific benefits fit the bill for keeping our costs managed. The trip isn’t a totally free one for us, but we’re […]



from Frugal Travel Guy http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/10/travel-challenge-germany-christmas-villages.html

Taylor Swift as NYC ambassador? Meh.

Taylor Swift will be welcoming you to New York for the next year as its official ambassador, but many of the city's residents are already wishing the megastar had stayed home in Nashville. We have our own nominees for that most prestigious of posts.

from CNN.com - Travel http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/29/travel/taylor-swift-new-york-welcome-ambassador/index.html

Green Guide to Stockholm

Although a cosmopolitan city, Stockholm and its locales are inspired by the simplicity of the Swedish countryside and are committed to keeping their environment healthy.



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/notebook/green-guide-to-stockholm/

Aeroplan Drops The Hammer, Makes Award Booking Harder With New Restrictions

Aeroplan may seem like the kind of thing only our friendly neighbors to the North care about, but it’s actually one of the most useful American Express Membership Rewards transfer partners. Aeroplan has access to the same awards that United does thanks to the Star Alliance. Their award chart is reasonable for many destinations. And […]

The post Aeroplan Drops The Hammer, Makes Award Booking Harder With New Restrictions appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/10/29/american-express-transfer-partner-star-alliance-member-aeroplan-makes-award-booking-harder/

eBags Launches Revamped EXO Version 2.0: Our Favorite Luggage Series Just Got Even Awesomer

Join Vagabondish on Twitter and Facebook.

In May 2012, I wrote about the eBags EXO Hardside 24″ Spinner, concluding: Between the extremely durable polycarbonate shell, the lifetime warranty and a price-point at just under $180 USD, the EXO Spinner 24? is a steal. Frankly, it’d be worth it at twice the price. Back then, I called it “near bulletproof”. Two and […]

The post eBags Launches Revamped EXO Version 2.0: Our Favorite Luggage Series Just Got Even Awesomer appeared first on Vagabondish.

from Vagabondish http://www.vagabondish.com/ebags-exo-20-hardside-luggage-collection-review/

Qatar Airways Adjusts A380 Schedules

Qatar Airways has come across as remarkably organized lately when it comes to their A380 operations, which almost seemed too good to be true.

However, it looks like Qatar Airways will be changing up their A380 schedule to all three destinations they're scheduled to fly the whale jet. It's only to keep us on our toes, of course.

Last week Qatar Airways announced they would start flying the A380 between Doha and Bangkok as of January 5, 2015. That kind of surprised me. While Bangkok is no doubt a popular destination, it's not historically a very high yield destination.

They're now moving up the date they start daily A380 flights to Bangkok to December 1, 2014. The schedule will be as follows:

The post Qatar Airways Adjusts A380 Schedules appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/10/29/qatar-airways-adjusts-a380-schedules/

T Magazine: Laure Heriard Dubrueil Designs a Hotel Cabana

The tastemaker behind the Miami retail emporium the Webster has outfitted a poolside space at the St. Regis Bal Harbour in true South Beach style.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/3ff58418/sc/10/l/0Ltmagazine0Bblogs0Bnytimes0N0C20A140C10A0C290Cwebster0Ecabana0Est0Eregis0Ebal0Eharbour0C0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

Cha-Ching! Earn Extra Miles and Save on Holiday Shopping

The holiday shopping season is close, which means many folks will be spending an average of $1,000 on gifts alone. Factor in massive retail sales, Thanksgiving and winter vacations, incidental costs associated with the holidays (dining, groceries, and shopping up a storm thanks to amazing sales), and we’re in for a major credit card bill […]



from Frugal Travel Guy http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/10/cha-ching-earn-extra-miles-and-save-on-holiday-shopping.html

36 Hours in Hanoi

During a weekend in Vietnam’s capital, go on a street food crawl, browse the art scene and explore the city’s history.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/3ff543b6/sc/10/l/0L0Snytimes0N0C20A140C110C0A20Ctravel0Cthings0Eto0Edo0Ein0E360Ehours0Ein0Ehanoi0Bhtml0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

Canada’s Supreme Court Rules Against the French and Fast Track to Top Tier Hotel Elite!

News and notes from around the interweb: Don’t miss my giveaway for hotel stays and Frequent Traveler University tickets. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone at Frequent Traveler University December 3-5 in DC! Canada’s Supreme Court ruled against allowing damages for the couple who wasn’t able to order an inflight 7-Up in French. Free parking […]

The post Canada’s Supreme Court Rules Against the French and Fast Track to Top Tier Hotel Elite! appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/10/29/canadas-supreme-court-rules-french-new-availability-tool-data-source-fast-track-top-tier-hotel-elite/

20% Bonus When Converting Hotel Points To MileagePlus

United MileagePlus is offering up to a 25% bonus when you convert hotel points into MileagePlus miles by November 30, 2014 and they post to your MileagePlus account by December 5, 2014.

Through this promotion you earn 20% bonus miles on all transfers worth 5,000 or more miles, up to a total of 25,000 bonus miles (meaning you can earn the bonus on at most 125,000 miles). Registration is required by December 5, 2014. The bonus miles will post to eligible MileagePlus accounts by January 31, 2015.

MileagePlus has eight eligible hotel partners, including:

The post 20% Bonus When Converting Hotel Points To MileagePlus appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/10/29/20-bonus-when-converting-hotel-points-to-mileageplus/

T Magazine: 12 Accidental Landscapes

Postcards with randomly overlaid images — byproducts of the printing process that are usually discarded — purchased at newsstands in Europe.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/3ff4a796/sc/21/l/0Ltmagazine0Bblogs0Bnytimes0N0C20A140C10A0C290C120Eaccidental0Elandscapes0Epostcards0Efrom0Eeurope0C0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

T Magazine: Going Dutch in Cape Town

Chic organic farms, cowsheds serving fresh-picked herbs and tables made from old electric cable spools. Move over, Brooklyn: the South African city’s artisanal charms are enough to make any New Yorker fall in love.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/3ff40ee7/sc/10/l/0Ltmagazine0Bblogs0Bnytimes0N0C20A140C10A0C290Csouth0Eafrica0Ecape0Edutch0Etravel0C0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

The Knee Defender Is Not A “Necessary Deterrent”

I know the whole Knee Defender controversy is totes last month, but I just have to chime in now. For those of you not familiar with the Knee Defender, it sparked a national controversy over seat recline, after an August 24 flight was diverted when two passengers got in an altercation over seat recline.

The Knee Defender is a product that prevents the seat in front of you from being able to recline by basically locking it into place.

My good pal Chris Elliott, consumer advocate extraordinaire, is having his annual fundraiser. In order to take his fundraiser "up a notch," he was giving away one Knee Defender every hour yesterday. I don't get how any self-proclaimed consumer advocate could be in favor of the Knee Defender. And for that matter I don't get why anyone would actively be trying to piss people off during a "fundraiser," but that's a whole different story...

Almost four years ago I wrote a post entitled "Is Reclining Your Seat On An Airplane A Right Or A Privilege?"

The post The Knee Defender Is Not A “Necessary Deterrent” appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/10/29/knee-defender-necessary-deterrent/

Earn 5000 Bonus Miles on Your Next Delta Flight!

Next year Delta is only going to award miles based on the cost of a ticket. Right now though you can earn the actual miles flown on Delta plus 5000 miles for your next flight. The only catch is you have to credit the flight to Delta’s Skyteam partner Alitalia, registering for your new Alitalia […]

The post Earn 5000 Bonus Miles on Your Next Delta Flight! appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/10/29/earn-5000-bonus-miles-next-delta-flight/

#NGTRadar: Travel Lately

Travel Lately—a roundup of the best new dispatches from the travel blogosphere—is a regular feature on Intelligent Travel every other Wednesday. You can play, too. Follow us on Twitter @NatGeoTravel and tag your favorite travel stories #NGTRadar to help us find the crème de la crème on the Web. Here are our latest picks.



from Intelligent Travel http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2014/10/29/ngtradar-travel-lately-39/

T Magazine: Italian Modern: The Gallerist Nina Yashar

By championing the work of midcentury masters alongside unusual antiques and cutting-edge pieces, the Milan-based dealer has redefined the experience of design.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/3ff38647/sc/4/l/0Ltmagazine0Bblogs0Bnytimes0N0C20A140C10A0C290Cnina0Eyashar0Enilufar0Egallery0Ehome0C0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

Delta.com No Longer Showing Alaska Award Space

It has been an exciting couple of days as far as SkyMiles and delta.com go.

First, Delta stopped pricing stopovers on award tickets, both through delta.com and through their reservations center.

Their response? Basically "oh yeah, it was part of a website update, but you can still book those stopovers through our excellent reservations center... if you specifically ask for it... and find an agent that knows that the 'glitch' exists... and find a supervisor that's willing to manually price it." Oh well, on the plus side, at least Delta is finally admitting they're overcharging for awards. ;)

Then Delta also recently stopped displaying Virgin Australia award space on delta.com. That one I gave them the benefit of the doubt on, as the space can still easily be booked through the reservations center. And I might even be a little happy about that, since in theory it means there's less competition for those Virgin Australia award seats.

The post Delta.com No Longer Showing Alaska Award Space appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/10/29/delta-com-no-longer-showing-alaska-award-space/

Startup pitch: HotelPower touts hotel discounts if you join its club

Imagine getting a room at San Francisco’s Parc 55 Wyndham in Union Square for $387 a night — 24% off the $510 ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/startup-pitch-hotelpower-hotel-discount-consumer-website-launch/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=startup-pitch-hotelpower-hotel-discount-consumer-website-launch

Study abroad that makes a difference

For those who are looking to truly change the world, study abroad is practically a prerequisite. You can’t save the world without understanding it first.



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/change/15-study-abroad-programs-travelers-want-make-difference/

Air New Zealand’s Hilarious 787-9 Promotional Video

Air New Zealand is the launch customer for the Boeing 787-9, which began operating between Auckland and Perth as of October 15, 2014. By next month it will also be flying to Tokyo Narita and Shanghai. I'd argue Air New Zealand's 787-9 is also the sexiest plane out there.

Anyway, Air New Zealand released a hilarious video entitled "the happiest place in the sky," which showcases all four cabins on their new 787-9. Check it out.

Air New Zealand does a heck of a job with marketing, and clearly it goes beyond their safety videos.

The post Air New Zealand’s Hilarious 787-9 Promotional Video appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/10/29/air-new-zealands-hilarious-787-9-promotional-video/

Delta Will Eliminate Stopovers on Awards in January

This is my best read and advice, not something that Delta has officially confirmed, just something I believe they have tipped their hand on. Delta rolled out IT changes that caused stopovers not to price correctly a couple of days ago. Adding a stopover in Europe on a business class award cost 50,000 miles more […]

The post Delta Will Eliminate Stopovers on Awards in January appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/10/29/delta-will-eliminate-stopovers-awards-january/

The Abode of Chaos in Saint-Romain-au-Mont-d'Or, France

Thierry Ehrmann was perhaps an unlikely candidate for scandal when he created a museum in 1999. Founder and CEO of the Serveur Group, a large company with over 400 employees and 70 billion Euros of annual revenue, and Artprice, ensuring Ehrmann spent many years deeply entrenched in the art world. But Ehrmann now finds himself embroiled in a legal battle that, at its core, questions whether art is more important then history.

In 1999, Ehrmann moved back to Lyon, his ancestral home, and began transforming his 17th-century house into a radical piece of ever-changing art. The home/museum was intended to reflect chaos, as its name "The Abode of Chaos" in English suggests. The installations reflect the political turmoil of the world: burned cars in the parking lot, a sculpture of the fallen World Trade Center towers, rubble walls, and falling cables. Ehrmann also plans to build walls that mimic the Berlin Wall and the separation barrier between Israel and the West Bank. The house is still being transformed by artists invited to work in situ at the abode.

But the city of Lyon has not been happy with the transformation of a prized architectural home into an "Abode of Chaos." Ehrmann has been fined for illegal construction, and his legal battle has made it up to the French Supreme Court. Whether the court will appreciate Ehrmann's vision for the "The Abode of Chaos" remains to be seen.

from Atlas Obscura http://atlasobscura.com.feedsportal.com/c/35387/f/665719/s/3ff2d8ef/sc/1/l/0L0Satlasobscura0N0Cplaces0Cthe0Eabode0Eof0Echaos/story01.htm

Dragon Escalator in Beijing, China

Situated roughly 85km to the north of Beijing, Longqing Gorge is a pleasant change of pace from the crowded streets of China's capital. Home to China's largest dam, the otherwise tranquil surroundings are slashed by a gigantic dragon escalator that takes visitors to the top of the dam.

Seemingly out of place against the cliffs in the background, the bright yellow behemoth rises 258 meters and is the world's largest outdoor escalator. Once at the top of the gorge you can engage in even more adventures, including a ride in a cable car or a boat trip on the artificial lake. If a boat ride sounds too slow for you, you can always bungee jump in the gorge as well.

As if the chance of plummeting into the gorge is not frightening enough, the top of the peak also has a fantastic display of fake animals in scary poses, adding a cheesy element to the adventure.

You can ride the giant escalator as much as you want, but unfortunately, the escalator only goes up. To come down you can choose to take the stairs, or pay a little extra to ride the toboggan down.

from Atlas Obscura http://atlasobscura.com.feedsportal.com/c/35387/f/665719/s/3ff2d8f7/sc/10/l/0L0Satlasobscura0N0Cplaces0Cdragon0Eescalator/story01.htm

Swiss Alps from the air [video]

I brought my quad-copter to Switzerland for two weeks of Alps exploration. It is always a challenge finding a new location that nobody has photographed.



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/tv/swiss-alps-air/

Review: Etihad Airways Business Class Lounge Abu Dhabi Airport AUH

Even though I've transited Abu Dhabi Airport a handful of times, I've always flown out of Terminal 3. While it's not quite as blingy as some other terminals in the Middle East, it is a solid terminal... well, except for the US pre-clearance facility.

My flight to Cairo, however, was departing out of Terminal 1. That was a new experience for me. I followed the signage towards Terminal 1, which led me down to a seemingly never-ending series of corridors.

After about 15 minutes of walking I found myself in Terminal 1, which felt much older than Terminal 3.

I followed the signage towards the Etihad Lounge, which was located one level up from the concourse.

The post Review: Etihad Airways Business Class Lounge Abu Dhabi Airport AUH appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/10/29/review-etihad-airways-business-class-lounge-abu-dhabi-airport-auh/

Lean IT thinking enters the Amadeus vernacular

Amadeus’ desire to position itself as a thought leader for the travel technology sector sees the release of its latest discussion document, ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/lean-IT-thinking-Amadeus/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=lean-thinking-enters-amadeus-vernacular

Signs you were born in Philadelphia

2. You’ve been mocked for your accent. No matter where you go, the way certain words come out of a Philadelphian’s mouth seems to grab people’s attention.



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/life/15-signs-born-raised-philadelphia/

ACT NOW If You Want to Take Advantage of a US Airways Trial Preferred Challenge

US Airways offers a paid status challenge program where you get temporary status for 90 days and then have an opportunity to fly to keep that status on an accelerated basis. At the beginning of the month US Airways eliminated the ability to buy miles towards status, which used to be a great alternative to […]

The post ACT NOW If You Want to Take Advantage of a US Airways Trial Preferred Challenge appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/10/29/act-now-want-take-advantage-us-airways-trial-preferred-challenge/

13 dead giveaways you’re from Vancouver

#5) 5. You’re pretty sure you still own a bedraggled Cowichan sweater.



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/life/13-dead-giveaways-youre-vancouver/

12 phrases only Spaniards understand

"Llevarse el gato al agua" means, "To take the cat to the water." Not an easy task, right? This phrase means someone managed to do something very difficult.



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/12-phrases-spaniards-understand/

Photos that defy perspective

Did she really kiss the Great Sphinx of Egypt? Forced perspective uses optical illusion to make objects appear closer or farther than the really are. The resulting pictures will blow your mind.

from CNN.com - Travel http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/29/travel/forced-perspective-photography-irpt/index.html