This is the thirteenth post in a monthlong series that started here. Each post will take about two minutes to read and may include an action item that takes the reader another two minutes to complete. I am writing this for an audience of people who know nothing about frequent flier miles, and my goal is that by the end, you know enough to fly for free anywhere you want to go.

Update: Congratulations to winners Matt and EGWG! The winners have been notified. Thank you to all for your submissions.

Today I'm giving away one travel essential for Argentina and one for Melbourne, Australia, and there will be two winners.

Argentina: Claro micro-SIM

Traveling with a cell phone makes life a lot easier.

A friend of mine was offered free Gold Status on American Airlines by email.

How did he get so lucky? Can you repeat it?

My friend has flown 3,500 paid miles over nine segments on American this year. But with his free instant Gold status, he'll have the same status as folks who have flown 25,000 miles this year on American.

His new status will last for about four months.

Some credit card offers in this post have expired, but they might come back. If they do they will appear --> Click here for the top current credit card sign up bonuses.

You can increase the value of all your miles by using them for their highest-value uses. You can get more out of this hobby by collecting the right miles for your goal trip.

The first truism is why I started the MileValue Award Booking Service. The second is why I offer Free Credit Card Consultations.

This is the eleventh post in a monthlong series that started here. Each post will take about two minutes to read and may include an action item that takes the reader another two minutes to complete. I am writing this for an audience of people who know nothing about frequent flier miles, and my goal is that by the end, you know enough to fly for free anywhere you want to go. Previously How to Meet Multiple Minimum Spending Requirements at Once.

There are six basic types of frequent flier miles.

Award seats are bookable when airlines load their schedules. And there are two relevant airlines that need to load their schedules: the operating carrier of the flight and the airline whose miles you want to use.

You can't book a flight until both of the relevant airlines are ready.

For instance, American Airlines allows its miles to be used to book flights 331 days before their departure. Qantas loads its flights' award space space 355 days before departure.

Hey! You're reading an outdated Free First Class Next Month series. To read the latest published series click here. 

This is the tenth post in a monthlong series that started here. Each post will take about two minutes to read and may include an action item that takes the reader another two minutes to complete. I am writing this for an audience of people who know nothing about frequent flier miles, and my goal is that by the end, you know enough to fly for free anywhere you want to go.

Cathay Pacific has initiated four-times-weekly flights from Hong Kong to the Maldives with an A330 aircraft with fully flat business class (but no first class.)

The route opens up an exciting ultra-luxury way for Americans to get to the Maldives with a combination of American Airlines miles and British Airways Avios on Cathay Pacific flights.

What's the optimal use of your miles on these flights?

Cathay Pacific is a Hong Kong-based member of the oneworld alliance, which flies to the US with what many people consider to be the world's best

Speculation is running rampant that US Airways will join oneworld November 1. The most recent fanning of the flames came from a post on FlyerTalk purporting to rely on an internal memo to US Airways employees.

Then View From the Wing pointed to this article quoting J.

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