Why resort fees are insidious and misleading — and what to do about them

from Elliott http://elliott.org/blog/why-resort-fees-are-insidious-and-misleading-and-what-to-do-about-them/

How to piss off a Jamaican

Do poor imitations of our accents:



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/life/piss-off-jamaican/

Discounted Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas Hotel Stays With Daily Getaways

As I first posted about several weeks ago, Daily Getaways is back earlier than normal this year, and is a great opportunity to purchase hotel points and travel packages at a discount. It’s sponsored by the US Travel Association, and every weekday for five weeks they’re offering discounted travel packages.

So far I’ve posted mostly about the opportunities to buy hotel points at a discount:

-- Purchase IHG Rewards Club points for ~0.58-0.6 cents each

-- Purchase Club Carlson points for ~0.45 cents each

-- Purchase Hilton HHonors points for ~0.5 cents each

-- Purchase Best Western Rewards points for ~0.55 cents each

-- Purchase Choice Privileges points for ~0.4 cents each

-- Purchase Hyatt Gold Passport points for ~1.1 cents each

However, we've also seen some great opportunities to purchase discounted hotel packages:

The post Discounted Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas Hotel Stays With Daily Getaways appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/04/14/discounted-caesars-entertainment-las-vegas-hotel-stays-with-daily-getaways/

How Denver’s TSA Manipulated the Nude-o-Scope So They Could Get to Fondle Attractive Passengers

Don't think those enhanced pat downs are excuses for the TSA to get their jollies? At Denver they were.

Continue reading How Denver’s TSA Manipulated the Nude-o-Scope So They Could Get to Fondle Attractive Passengers...

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2015/04/14/how-denvers-tsa-manipulated-the-nude-o-scope-so-they-could-get-to-fondle-attractive-passengers/

Amazing Deal: Free $20 Amazon Spend With Amex Offers

Amex Offers is a great way to get additional value out of your American Express cards. If you log into your online account and scroll to the bottom of your card summary you'll see a section titled "Amex Offers For You."

There are often dozens of offers available at a time, though not everyone is going to find all of them useful. But then there are some no brainers. For example, last November Amex paid $150 of my AT&T bill thanks to an Amex Offers promotion.

There's now an Amex Offers promotion which is possibly the most widely useful one ever -- you can receive $20 back when you spend $20 or more through Amazon by June 6, 2015. That's right, that's basically like $20 of "free" spend at Amazon.

The post Amazing Deal: Free $20 Amazon Spend With Amex Offers appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/04/14/free-20-amazon-spend-with-amex-offers/

Travel to Cuba before it looks like everywhere else

To some outsiders, Cuba looks firmly stuck in the '50s -- but that's part of its charm. Will increased tourist numbers ruin it?

from CNN.com - Travel http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/13/travel/cuba-travel-us-sanctions/index.html

Chernobyl now a tourist zone

Ukraine's radioactive disaster scene once sent people fleeing in panic. Then it began pulling in the crowds.

from CNN.com - Travel http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/14/travel/chernobyl-tourism/index.html

Emergency landing as ramp agent falls asleep in cargo hold

from CNN.com - Travel http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/14/travel/alaska-airlines-ramp-agent/index.html

What Costa Rica can teach Canada

Repeat to self: "Thou shalt practice yoga on a palm-tree-lined beach, not in a strip mall."



from Matador Network » Matador Network http://matadornetwork.com/notebook/9-things-canadians-learn-costa-rica/

Commeasure takes $1 million to ramp up hotel distribution and marketing services

India and Singapore-based Commeasure has secured its first external round of funding – $1 million from Jungle Ventures. The company (TLabs here) ...



from Tnooz http://www.tnooz.com/article/commeasure-takes-1-million-to-ramp-up-hotel-distribution-and-marketing-services/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=commeasure-takes-1-million-to-ramp-up-hotel-distribution-and-marketing-services

United Airlines gets it dead wrong (but it’s still right)

from Elliott http://elliott.org/case-dismissed-2/united-airlines-gets-it-dead-wrong-but-its-still-right/

To Cross the Railroad Tracks, Go Against Everything You’ve Been Told

One time, long ago, I had a hard year while living in Memphis, Tennessee. Ever since then, especially when I’ve been at events throughout the south, I’ve met a lot of people who also lived in Memphis for a time. When the subject comes up, once in a while I mention something about my hard year there, and I always add a disclaimer: “Probably it was just me.” There are good people everywhere, and you never want to insult someone’s city. More than once, though, they’ve said “I had a hard year in Memphis too!”As the song says, maybe it was Memphis, but maybe it was just me. Whatever it was, it wasn’t only a hard year: it was actually a terrible year where I felt very alone and afraid.



from The Art of Non-Conformity http://chrisguillebeau.com/railroad-tracks/

Southwest Airlines Announcing New Seats Tomorrow (and Maybe Something More Interesting)

Southwest tweeted a tease about a big announcement tomorrow, and it looks like new seats. Reading between the lines, though, there appears to be more to the announcement.

Continue reading Southwest Airlines Announcing New Seats Tomorrow (and Maybe Something More Interesting)...

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2015/04/13/southwest-airlines-announcing-new-seats-tomorrow-and-maybe-something-more-interesting/

IHG Rewards Club Program Changes

IHG Rewards Club has announced some changes to their program. Naturally I'm skeptical when I hear about loyalty program changes, since they're rarely positive nowadays.

Here's how IHG Rewards Club describes the changes:

"It’s time to enjoy a loyalty programme that’s more centred on you and everything you love about travel. Take a fresh look at an even better IHG® Rewards Club — we think you’ll like what you see."

While I was initially pessimistic, and while the above sounds exciting, the reality is somewhere in the middle.

The post IHG Rewards Club Program Changes appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/04/13/ihg-rewards-club-program-changes/

IHG Rewards Club Points Will Expire, and They’re Promising a New Elite Program

IHG Rewards Club - the loyalty program for Intercontinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, and related brands - will be introducing new elite benefits this summer. We know some of those now, and I'll explain those.

They're also introducing expiring points. Their points haven't expired, now they'll expire after 12 months of inactivity. Elite members get a longer expiration, though.

I go over the holes in the program, what they could do to fill those, and what we know they're planning so far.

Continue reading IHG Rewards Club Points Will Expire, and They’re Promising a New Elite Program...

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2015/04/13/ihg-rewards-club-points-will-expire-and-theyre-promising-a-new-elite-program/