Do Annual Fees Count Toward Earning a Sign-up Bonus?

TPG reader Krysta tweeted me to ask @thepointsguy – “Does the $450 Amex Platinum annual fee count towards the $3,000 you need to spend within the first three months?” This is a great question that I’m asked frequently, and the answer is applicable to almost every credit card and annual fee out there. The Platinum...



from The Points Guy http://thepointsguy.com/2015/04/do-annual-fees-count-toward-earning-a-sign-up-bonus/

Review: Air France Business Class A321 Madrid to Paris

So, you guys, if there's one lesson I can impart to you in this trip report series, it is this:

Never fly with a hangover.

Madrid is a late night city. I figured that a 12:45pm departure would still allow me to go out on a Saturday night and wake up in plenty of time to make my flight. Of course, one bottle of wine becomes two, and you add some beers to the mix, and suddenly it's 5:00am when you're tucking yourself in and you've got to get up and pack by 9:30.

Luckily, I woke up feeling tired, but otherwise fine, and made my way to the airport with plenty of time to spare. Madrid is a funny place -- it's such a late night city that at 10:30am on a Sunday the entire city is in deep slumber even though the sun is out and birds are chirping. My drive to the airport felt post-apocalyptic in that I could count the number of pedestrians I saw on one hand, but the upside is I made it to Barajas in under 15 minutes.

The post Review: Air France Business Class A321 Madrid to Paris appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/04/19/review-air-france-business-class-a321-madrid-to-paris/

Is Southwest Considering Dumping their Chase Credit Card?

Southwest Airlines has hired an investment bank to help evaluate options for its co-brand credit card. Southwest Airlines is considering replacing JPMorgan Chase as the issuer of its credit card rewards program, according to two people familiar with the matter. One of those people said Southwest has hired investment bank First Annapolis as an adviser as it reviews the relationship with Chase. Who could Southwest rope into making a credible offer for their co-brand franchise? Does Citi have the juice to pick up a second Dallas-based airline, after shooting the moon on Costco? American Express can’t possibly make sense for an airline that pitches itself as discount, and of the people, even in a world where Amex co-brands with Walmart and Target. Barclaycard lost US Airways and clearly needs a prize airline. Southwest’s relationship would…

Continue reading Is Southwest Considering Dumping their Chase Credit Card?...

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2015/04/19/is-southwest-considering-dumping-their-chase-credit-card/

Reader Success Story: Points Redemption + Best Rate = HUGE Savings

Over the years, we’ve had many readers share their success stories with us. Folks for whom traveling domestically once a year was a luxury are now traveling the world with just a few credit card sign-up bonuses. And the best part? They are sharing their stories with us and others who benefit from knowing that […]



from Frugal Travel Guy http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2015/04/reader-success-story-points-redemption-best-rate-huge-savings.html

Driving in Hong Kong

Cosmos This is truly a great series, and I recommend you pick it up and enjoy it with the family. The kids here love it and Tina and I are always impressed at the production quality and the clever way in which they are able to easily explain complex concepts. Daily Photo – Driving in […]



from Stuck in Customs http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2015/04/19/driving-in-hong-kong/

Travelers find new opportunities to do good

from Elliott http://elliott.org/the-navigator/travelers-find-new-opportunities-to-do-good/

Organize Your Photos Live event!

Organize Your Photos Live event! (This video and the special deal will only last 1 more day!) I know some of you have enjoyed the “Organize Your Photos!” tutorial and even if you already have it, you’ll enjoy seeing this, as I’ve added a bit of stuff! Some of it has to do with merging […]



from Stuck in Customs http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2015/04/18/organize-your-photos-live-event/

American Airlines’ Goldilocks Problem: Boards too Early, Updates Delays Too Late. They Need to Be Just…

I love many things about American Airlines. First and foremost is the AAdvantage program, and especially that I’m well taken care of as an Executive Platinum member (100,000 mile flyer). Their lounge agents have been exceptionally good to me during irregular operations. I even like their revenue management, which doesn’t release all first class seats into upgrade a day before departure. When a flight irregularity happens, and I get put onto another flight, it’s even still possible to get an upgrade (and more frequently happens than not). If there were two things I would change about the operation, I would actually bundle them together and call them American’s Goldilocks Problem: they start boarding too early, before scheduled time, and they notify passengers of delays.. in creeping fashion.. usually only after a boarding or departure time…

Continue reading American Airlines’ Goldilocks Problem: Boards too Early, Updates Delays Too Late. They Need to Be Just…...

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2015/04/18/my-two-biggest-frustrations-with-american-airlines/

Weekly Review: April 18, 2015

Hello from Dallas!

I'm in Dallas for Frequent Traveler University this weekend, after spending the week recovering from my trip to the Maldives. You'd figure a trip from the Maldives wouldn't require recovering, but it's not an easy place to get to, and I did catch a cold while there.

Nonetheless it has been an exciting week for our hobby, so not a bad week for me to be typing on bed rest. ;)

The post Weekly Review: April 18, 2015 appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/04/18/weekly-review-april-18-2015/

My Hairbrained Scheme to ‘Commute’ Between Austin and Dallas, and the Two Key Lessons it Taught Me

I'm at Frequent Traveler University by the Dallas airport (at the Hyatt Regency DFW).

And since I'm living in Austin now I decided, why not just commute?

Flights go for as little as $64 each way as long as you're buying them in advance when flights aren't full and it isn't an event week(end). That meant I could fly from Austin to Dallas and back for less than the cost of a hotel night at the group rate...

Continue reading My Hairbrained Scheme to ‘Commute’ Between Austin and Dallas, and the Two Key Lessons it Taught Me...

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2015/04/18/my-hairbrained-scheme-to-commute-between-austin-and-dallas-and-the-two-key-lessons-it-taught-me/

Is Marriage The Solution To Pilot Suicide?

It looks like Turkish Airlines' CEO has a possible solution to pilot suicide, in the aftermath of Germanwings first offices Andreas Lubitz downing an A320 in the French Alps. Via CBS News:

"Turkish Airlines' CEO has one possible solution to avoid another case like last month's Germanwings crash: have pilots get married.

At an event Thursday, Temel Kotil told new Turkish Airlines pilots that the incident showed how critical their roles are."

The post Is Marriage The Solution To Pilot Suicide? appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/04/18/is-marriage-the-solution-to-pilot-suicide/

Getting excited about the big photoadventure here in Queenstown this week!

Upcoming Events I’m really looking forward to our big event that starts this week! It’s all sold out, but we do have some future ones coming, including a combo yoga/photography adventure here in New Zealand as well as an unannounced Venice one… but watch The Events Page here to see what is coming up soon! […]



from Stuck in Customs http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2015/04/18/getting-excited-about-the-big-photoadventure-here-in-queenstown-this-week/

Take a look at the other side – I dare you!

from Elliott http://elliott.org/blog/take-a-look-at-the-other-side-i-dare-you/

Has Southwest Figured Out the Perfect Way to Stick it to their Members?

Find out what the latest Southwest devaluation means for your points.

Continue reading Has Southwest Figured Out the Perfect Way to Stick it to their Members?...

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2015/04/18/has-southwest-figured-out-the-perfect-way-to-stick-it-to-their-members/

Apartments Vs. Hotels in Madrid (And Elsewhere)

While Ben, and many of his readers, are preparing for (in some cases, multiple) trips to Beijing from Washington in American Airlines business class thanks to that now-famous mistake fare, I suspect I'm not the only one among you who purchased tickets from LAX (or other West Coast gateways) to Madrid as a result of the great SkyTeam Fare War Sale of 2014.

I'd never been to Madrid before, so I was excited to spend a few days in a city known for its food, culture and history. I was traveling with a friend of mine, and when we initially looked into our hotel options, we noticed that some of the best options out there lacked rooms with two beds, and those hotels that did have twin beds (and I mean twin beds -- rooms with two queen beds in Europe are rarer than, say, taste and understatement are in Dubai) were disproportionately expensive.

The post Apartments Vs. Hotels in Madrid (And Elsewhere) appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/04/18/apartments-vs-hotels-in-madrid-and-elsewhere/