Ryanair, the largest low cost carrier in Europe, is a machine. It serves over 100 million customers annually and was the original model for a multitude of other budget airline. In the past, that machine has been known for vigorously strict policies as a means of cutting costs...all in the name of providing a cheaper plane ticket, of course.

I'd heard horror stories of being charged oodles of money because you did one thing slightly wrong, or because your bag was the tiniest bit overweight or oversized, totally negating any value of the cheap ticket.

American Airlines is offering up to 100,000 bonus miles + a 10% discount when you purchase American Airlines miles through June 30, 2017. If you buy the largest amount possible, you can get them for as little as 1.72 cents each. That’s the cheapest I’ve ever seen American Airlines miles for sale (we also saw them on sale for 1.72 cents each this time last year).

Bonus miles are tiered based on how many miles you purchase.

A few months ago I booked Iberia Business Class from São Paulo to Madrid with 42,500 Avios because of the great mileage price tag and the lack of fuel surcharges departing from Brazil where fuel surcharges are illegal. This left a hole in my itinerary between Buenos Aires and São Paulo.

Here’s an index to give my whole travel experience from Argentina to Spain some cohesion.

Until June 21, 2017, there is a 25% transfer bonus from American Express Membership Rewards to Hawaiian Miles.

The offers below have expired.

January 1, 2018, American Express and Hilton will begin an exclusive credit card agreement. That means only Amex Hilton cards will continue to exist and the Citi Hilton cards will not.

Iberia awards are now searchable and bookable on aa.com!

AA.com has been slowly increasing the number of partners bookable online. You can now search and book on aa.com:

Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
airberlin
British Airways
Finnair
Hawaiian Airlines
Iberia
Qantas
Royal Jordanian

Many other partners are not bookable on aa.com. They must be searched on ba.com or other places and booked by calling in.

American Airlines does collect fuel surcharges on Iberia flights, but they are much smaller than fuel surcharges on British Airways flights.

This year I flew Belavia--Belarus's flag carrier--from Nice, France to Minsk, Belarus, and from Minsk to Prague, Czechia.

(I spent five days in Belarus visa-free under the new policy that allows such visits. Here is my experience with the five-day visa free program.)

Flying Belavia was mostly like flying a normal airline with a few exceptions.
Check In
Check in in Nice started two hours before departure and was handled by non-Belavia employees.

Until July 5, 2017 the Platinum Delta credit card offers 70,000 bonus miles and the Gold Delta card offers 60,000 bonus miles.

Southwest is having its twice-yearly big fare sale now through Thursday for flights from August to December. Fares start at $49 and include two free checked bags.

Because Southwest points have a (nearly) fixed value, awards are also on sale starting from 2,300 points + $5.60.

This sale is a great deal for anyone who wants to travel in the US, Mexico, Costa Rica, or the Caribbean this Fall, especially anyone with Southwest points or the ridiculously-easy-to-get Southwest Companion Pass.
How to Find the Deals
Click the deals page and look for your home airport.

Lonely Planet just named Zagreb, Croatia #1 on its "Best in Europe" hot list for 2017. I've spent the last three months here, so here's my guide to Zagreb.
Overall
It's laughable for Lonely Planet to tout Zagreb as the #1 destination in Europe. It doesn't stack up against other destinations like Paris, London, or Prague for sights, things to do, food, or along other typical tourist dimensions. Nor is it an undiscovered gem.