December 22, 2014

Making Bad Decisions with Stu in Auckland

Enjoying the Creation Wars! I have a new Playlist on YouTube that has links to all our Creation Wars shows. Check it out and you can watch all the shows! Daily Photo – Making Bad Decisions with Stu in Auckland My friend Stu has an awesome bach not too far from Auckland. It's up on […]



from Stuck in Customs http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2014/12/23/making-bad-decisions-with-stu-in-auckland/

Are US Airways’ promises worth anything anymore?





from Elliott http://elliott.org/is-this-enough-compensation/us-airways-promises-worth-anything-anymore/

3 Key Rewards Program Tools for Staying in Good Hotels at Very Little Cost

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 3 Key Rewards Program Tools for Staying in Good Hotels at Very Little Cost appeared first on View from the Wing.






from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/12/22/3-key-rewards-program-tools-staying-good-hotels-little-cost/

Targeting Marriott, Hyatt to set wifi free worldwide

Hyatt will offer free unlimited wireless internet at its properties worldwide starting in February. The goal is to draw travelers in to ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/targeting-marriott-hyatt-set-basic-wifi-free/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=targeting-marriott-hyatt-set-basic-wifi-free

How to Save a Bad Travel Day

Uh oh, Howie. You just got an email from British Airways that said our flight for tomorrow morning from Munich to London was cancelled. It was our last night on our trip to Germany and we were driving to the Sheraton Airport Munich. My wife Sara was using the GPS app Waze on my phone […]



from Frugal Travel Guy http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/12/how-to-save-a-bad-travel-day.html

Inbox by Gmail encroaches on travel brands’ turf

Google wants to make email easier to use on mobile devices, as is clear from Inbox–an interface for viewing existing Gmail accounts ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/inbox-gmails-effect-travel-brand-email-marketing/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=inbox-gmails-effect-travel-brand-email-marketing

Next Up: Gulf Air Business Class To Bahrain!

I'm slowly enroute to Colombo, as I'll be originating my Etihad A380 inaugural flight journey from there, thanks to the relatively cheap first class fares published out of Sri Lanka.


I had a bit of a detour to Toulouse this week for the Qatar Airways A350 delivery festivities, so now I'm trying to get from Toulouse to Colombo (or as the American AAdvantage I called said "huh?").


Taking a Middle Eastern carrier is a no brainer due to the geography involved, though I'm also always looking to try new products. I've flown tons of Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways flights, including:


The post Next Up: Gulf Air Business Class To Bahrain! appeared first on One Mile at a Time.






from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/12/22/next-gulf-air-business-class-bahrain/

In Transit Blog: Pint-Size Activities With an Adult Twist

Child-friendly activities are getting a slightly grown-up spin at hotels from Chicago to Saint Lucia.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/41b271ec/sc/10/l/0Lintransit0Bblogs0Bnytimes0N0C20A140C120C220Cpint0Esize0Eactivities0Ewith0Ean0Eadult0Etwist0C0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

Thirteen Misconceptions about Finding Low Airfares

USA Today recently published an article (via Airfarewatchdog.com) about the 13 biggest misconceptions about finding low airfares. These misconceptions are the following: 1. There’s a “magic” hour (like 3 p.m. on a Tuesday) to find the best prices. I have to agree with this one being absolutely number one. It drives me nuts whenever someone […]



from Frugal Travel Guy http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/12/13-misconceptions-about-finding-low-airfares.html

US Airways Pulls Its Elite Challenge (“Trial Preferred”) Offer

US Airways has long offered 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. Three months ago US Airways eliminated the ability to buy miles towards status, which used to be a great alternative to mileage […]


The post US Airways Pulls Its Elite Challenge (“Trial Preferred”) Offer appeared first on View from the Wing.






from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/12/22/us-airways-pulls-elite-challenge-trial-preferred-offer/

US Airways Discontinues Trial Preferred Program

I've previously written about the US Airways Trial Preferred program, which is hands down the best way to earn top tier status with US Airways (and now by connection, with the new American).


It’s one of the few “shortcuts” to top tier elite status, so understandably many people were interested in taking advantage of the status trial.


According to the US Airways website, the Trial Preferred program has been discontinued, effective immediately:


The post US Airways Discontinues Trial Preferred Program appeared first on One Mile at a Time.






from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/12/22/us-airways-discontinues-trial-preferred-program/

Travel Inspiration: Six Free Deals to Access Now

I’ve come across a few great free offers lately and wanted to pass them along to you. Enjoy! Free DVD Rentals Movies can inspire us to travel. I remember seeing a movie recently entitled Land Ho, about two older guys who go to Iceland. The movie was a bit weird, but the scenery was amazing […]



from Frugal Travel Guy http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/12/travel-inspiration-six-free-deals-to-access-now.html

Event-o-Rama: 5 Must-Dos in January

There are some amazing events on tap all over the world, all the time. Here’s a taste of what you can see and do in January.



from Intelligent Travel http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2014/12/22/event-o-rama-5-must-dos-in-january/

Hyatt To Offer Free WiFi For All Guests Starting February 2015

Free WiFi is fast becoming less of a benefit and more of a given for hotel guests around the world. Whereas even a year ago many of the major chains charged everyone but elites for using WiFi while smaller hotels enticed business travelers with the promise of free internet access, the larger hotel brands finally […]



from The Points Guy http://thepointsguy.com/2014/12/hyatt-to-offer-free-wifi-for-all-guests-starting-february-2015/

Pivotal moments in 2014 – when Hilton embraced mobile

Looking wistfully back at 2014, I’d say a pivotal moment in travel technology came when Hilton Worldwide became the first major hotel ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/pivotal-moments-2014-hilton-embraced-mobile/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pivotal-moments-2014-hilton-embraced-mobile

Travel bloggers go to Washington

Americans need more international experiences. And apparently, the government is starting to do something about it.



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/pulse/white-house-invited-travel-bloggers-global-citizenship-summit-heres-talked/

The Strangest Airline Policy Ever Has a Deceptively Simple Explanation

Airline policies can be cumbersome, arcane, even byzantine. One frequent flyer program who works for a major airline told me earlier this year that he finds himself in meetings with his colleagues, talking through how a change might work to the program, and he’ll find himself having to stop and have someone remind the group […]


The post The Strangest Airline Policy Ever Has a Deceptively Simple Explanation appeared first on View from the Wing.






from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/12/22/strangest-airline-policy-ever-deceptively-simple-explanation/

How to tell it's a Finland Christmas

Traffic jams outside the cemetery? Almonds in everyone's porridge? All signs it's the festive season in the land of Finns!



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/9-ways-know-christmas-time-finland/

Oh Bag, Where Art Thou?!

On Friday I shared the somewhat crazy story of how my plane side bag was simply left on the tarmac in Salt Lake City, and all the drama that followed. The "highlight" of the drama, no doubt, was when a supervisor threatened to call the cops on me for something I didn't do.


At the end of the last installment I discovered that my bag had been sitting on the tarmac in Salt Lake City all along. The previously hostile but now overly friendly supevisor, P, informed me that my bag would be placed on the next flight to Los Angeles. It was scheduled to land at 3:30PM. Apparently they couldn’t check the bag through to my final destination, but rather I’d have to pick it up at baggage claim.


My connection was at 4:45PM, so that could have worked... barely.


The post Oh Bag, Where Art Thou?! appeared first on One Mile at a Time.






from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/12/22/oh-bag-art-thou/

Special Report: Front Row Center: Performance Guide

A lineup of top opera, dance and orchestra performances taking place across the world in the winter months.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/41b0ee15/sc/10/l/0L0Snytimes0N0C20A140C120C230Carts0Cinternational0Cguide0Etop0Eopera0Edance0Eand0Eorchestra0Eperformances0Ethis0Ewinter0Bhtml0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

Golden opportunity: Upselling ups positive reviews and guest satisfaction

A recent report has found a direct link between front desk upselling and both positive reviews and guest satisfaction. The research was ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/upselling-ups-positive-reviews-guest-satisfaction/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=upselling-ups-positive-reviews-guest-satisfaction

Reshaping online travel – hurdles and opportunities

Over the past few years, I’ve read numerous articles from various industry pundits lamenting the lack of innovation in the online travel ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/reshaping-online-travel/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reshaping-online-travel

Mexico by Mexicans v Gringos

CancĂșn Mexicans: The Caribbean! Gringos: Mexico!



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/mexican-culture-viewed-mexicans-versus-gringos/

The Far Edge of Travel: Albania

Travelers have largely overlooked the Balkan region, which has long been shrouded by a troubled past. But its enigmatic nature may prove to be its most potent drawing card.



from Intelligent Travel http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2014/12/22/the-far-edge-of-travel-albania/

Hyatt To Offer Free Wifi Globally — No Strings Attached

This has been a year of innovation on the hotel front, both good and bad. On the bad side, we saw Hilton and Marriott both tighten up their global cancellation policies, requiring you to cancel flexible stays at least one day prior to arrival. That's a pretty customer unfriendly move, given that travelers were often already paying a premium for a flexible rate.


On the plus side, we've also seen IHG, Marriott, and Starwood add complimentary in-room wifi. The exact terms have varied, though in all three instances there have been "catches," like needing to be a member of their loyalty program and/or booking your reservation directly with the hotel (not that those are big hurdles).


Well, it looks like Hyatt is one-upping the other chains. Hyatt will be adding complimentary, unlimited no strings attached wifi at all properties globally as of February 2015. It doesn't matter if you're a member of Gold Passport, or if you booked directly through Hyatt. All guests will receive complimentary wifi.


The post Hyatt To Offer Free Wifi Globally — No Strings Attached appeared first on One Mile at a Time.






from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/12/22/hyatt-to-offer-free-wifi-globally-no-strings-attached/

Hyatt Announces Free Internet for All Guests: Leaves Hilton in the Cold, and Calls Attention to Sparse Gold Passport Platinum Status

Last Wednesday I wrote that Starwood is introducing free internet for all guests and that this follows Marriott and also IHG. At the time I wrote, It will be interesting to see how long Hyatt (which just extended its room type guarantee to all members) and Hilton can buck the trend, or whether they’ll lose […]


The post Hyatt Announces Free Internet for All Guests: Leaves Hilton in the Cold, and Calls Attention to Sparse Gold Passport Platinum Status appeared first on View from the Wing.






from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/12/22/hyatt-announces-free-internet-guests-leaves-hilton-cold-calls-attention-sparse-gold-passport-platinum-status/

Tech trend for 2015 and beyond: The hotel room as a computer

I don’t have to tell you because you already know: competition in the travel industry is high and choices are plentiful. Winning ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/tech-trend-hotel-room-as-computer/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tech-trend-2015-beyond-hotel-room-computer

Picturing London in blackout

Photographer Nicholas Buer shows us the beauty hidden beneath the glare of London's night time skies.





from CNN.com - Travel http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2014/12/22/pkg-blackout-london-skies.cnn.html

First Airbus A350 XWB delivered to Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways, the global launch customer of the A350 XWB, will put the high-tech plane to use on its Frankfurt route.





from CNN.com - Travel http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/22/travel/qatar-airways-a350-delivery/index.html

Why I Travel Alone

“Joe, did you book your ticket yet?” I asked. “No. I changed my mind. I’m not going to go.” “What? You aren’t going to Australia? We’ve been planning this vacation for months!” “Yeah, I don’t feel like it. We’ll go some other time.” Over the coming weeks, I attempted to get my friend to reconsider, but to no avail. When Joe changed his mind, he changed his mind. Our trip to Australia – our big post-college adventure – was off. […]


The post Why I Travel Alone appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.






from Nomadic Matt's Travel Site http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/why-solo-travel/

What made Canadians proud in 2014

From creating an adorable hitchhiking robot to intercepting a deadly asteroid, Canada did a ton of cool things this year!



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/pulse/11-moments-made-canadians-proud-2014/

Indian-Italian fusion – zomato.com buys Cipando

Priceline’s $2.6 billion acquisition of OpenTable is driving the demand for restaurant booking services, and India’s zomato.com is mounting a global challenge ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/Indian-Italian-fusion-zomato.com-Cipando/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=indian-italian-fusion-dish-zomato-buys-cipando

Lies you tell saving for travel

"I don’t need to hold myself over with side trips and parties: One of the worst things serious budget travelers do when they’re saving is that they hole up in their home and don’t do anything while they save." Staff Writer Matt Hershberger looks at the things we like to think our true about saving for travel.



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/life/4-lies-tell-saving-travel/

Hello From The Qatar Airways A350 Delivery Ceremony

As ya'll know, I'm kind of a Qatar Airways enthusiast. I was on the Qatar Airways A380 inaugural flight, and am booked on the Qatar Airways A350 inaugural commercial flight from Doha to Frankfurt in January.


Today is the day that Qatar Airways is taking delivery of their first A350, and there's a pretty big ceremony planned. Originally it was supposed to be a couple of weeks ago, but it ended up getting delayed.


A friend managed to get me an invite to the event, and I can't even begin to say how excited I am.


The post Hello From The Qatar Airways A350 Delivery Ceremony appeared first on One Mile at a Time.






from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/12/22/hello-from-the-qatar-airways-a350-delivery-ceremony/

Pivotal moments in 2014 – when Airbnb got in bed with Concur

Concur’s partnership with Airbnb, announced back in July, feels like a pivotal moment in 2014. It’s a sort of establishment meets disruptor. ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/pivotal-moments-2014-business-travel/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pivotal-moments-2014-3

Don’t Store Babies Inside Overhead Bins (Don’t Steal Their Nutella Either)

News and notes from around the interweb: Nutella jars seized from pregnant mother because they represented terror risk. (HT: Alan H.) The airport staff was ‘just following orders’ so I don’t blame them per se, although along the lines of questions that are rarely asked, if liquids are so dangerous, why are they tossed together […]


The post Don’t Store Babies Inside Overhead Bins (Don’t Steal Their Nutella Either) appeared first on View from the Wing.






from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/12/22/dont-store-babies-inside-overhead-bins-dont-steal-nutella-either/

What the dickens…

In a twist on the ghosts of Christmas past, booking.com is being haunted by the BBC after the broadcaster decided to re-run ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/articles/BBC-booking.com-fraud/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dickens

2014 Annual Review: Looking Forward to 2015 (Dun, dun dun…)

And… the Annual Review continues! Today’s post is all about the future. You’re welcome to share your lessons too, and—new bonus!—we’ll award a $100 Powell’s gift card to the person who leaves the best comment by the end of the week, as determined by our cats and biased judges. Right after Christmas, I’ll also share…



from The Art of Non-Conformity http://chrisguillebeau.com/2014-annual-review-looking-forward/

How well do you know these landmarks

How well do you know the world's great landmarks? Take our quiz and find out!



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/network/well-know-world-landmarks-quiz/

The perfect gift? Old 747 seats

What could be better than experiencing the comfort and reclining pleasure of an airline seat than replicating that experience in your own lounge room or office?





from CNN.com - Travel http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/22/travel/japan-ana-747-seats-sale/index.html

2015: The year ahead in aviation

It won't be a banner year for major aviation announcements, but there are still developments worth keeping an eye on.





from CNN.com - Travel http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/22/travel/aviation-in-2015/index.html

12 encounters on trains in Europe

One staple I remember from train travel in Europe are the Russians smoking cigarettes next to the "No smoking" sign. How many of these characters do you recognize?



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/12-characters-youll-meet-trains-europe/

Have You Won Airport Lounge Access?

On Thursday I ran a giveaway whereby three lucky winners would each receive $100 worth of LoungeBuddy credit. This was sponsored by LoungeBuddy, to celebrate their new functionality whereby you can purchase lounge access directly through their app.


Anyway, the giveaway ended on Saturday, and the winners have now been chosen.


The winners were selected by random.org, and are as follows:


The post Have You Won Airport Lounge Access? appeared first on One Mile at a Time.






from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/12/22/won-airport-lounge-access/

Why the smartest people travel

A study from the journal Intelligence highlights that there may be a distinct correlation between intellect and the compulsion to move.



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/notebook/modern-nomads-smartest-among-us-wander/

Moraine Lake in Banff National Park, Alberta





from Everything Everywhere Travel Blog http://everything-everywhere.com/2014/12/21/moraine-lake-banff-national-park-alberta-2/

Hugo Chavez and the US-Cuba deal

News analysis: It's going to be a bad year for Venezuela's leader Nicolas Maduro.



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/pulse/hugo-chavez-helped-bring-us-cuba-closer-together/

Pivotal moments in 2014 – when Alibaba launched Alitrip.com

When a business with global aspirations such as Alibaba, currently valued at more than $270 billion, launches a separate standalone travel business, ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/pivotal-moments-2014-Alibaba-alitrip/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pivotal-moments-2014-alibaba-launched-alitrip-com

A Time Machine Look at Early Travel Blogging

As another year draws to a conclusion, I’ve been remembering what travel blogging looked like when I started FrugalTravelGuy on October 27, 2007. There weren’t a lot of independent bloggers back then. The home of most of the travel blogging world was BoardingArea — nine bloggers on the main site and three more on a […]



from Frugal Travel Guy http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/12/a-time-machine-look-at-early-travel-blogging.html