Latest Posts
Double Miles + 1,000 Bonus Miles for Booking Today Only from Rocket Miles
June 5, 2013
Rocketmiles is a hotel booking site where you earn thousands of bonus airline miles for booking hotel stays at the prevailing rate online. Today only, you can earn double miles on hotel bookings made…
Beware Phantom “Non-Space” on United.com or How to Get the Secret Dreamliner Space
June 5, 2013
A few months ago, Bill wrote a great piece titled Beware Phantom Award Availability at United.com. It's true that United.com occasionally lists Saver award space that just doesn't exist and that you…
How I Got Approved for the Lufthansa Miles & More Card After Two Calls to Reconsideration
June 4, 2013
Update 12/17/13: The 50k mile offer is dead.
One Perfect Week in Argentina Part 2
June 2, 2013
Part 1 focused on Buenos Aires. Part 2 will focus on three days in two other places: Iguazu Falls and Tigre. (Also check out a Trip Report on the Lake District of Patagonia.) Lots of photos after the…
One Perfect Week in Argentina
June 1, 2013
My sister recently visited me in Buenos Aires. She was here for eight days, arriving on a Saturday morning and leaving the following Saturday night--meaning she took one full week off from work.
What You Need to Know about United Award Holds
May 30, 2013
Update 3/6/14: This post is outdated. See Master Thread: Holds on United Awards You can get a free hold of up to three days on United Airlines awards.
Avios,Anatomy of an Award,AAdvantage
Anatomy of an Award: Saving 60k Miles by Combining Avios and American Airlines Miles
May 29, 2013
I recently saved a MileValue Award Booking Service client 60,000 miles on a trip to Israel by taking advantage of the best use of American Airlines miles and British Airways Avios on the same trip. A…
Travel Style,Trip Report,United,Rookie Alli
Trip Report: United BusinessFirst from Buenos Aires to Newark
May 27, 2013
Rookie Alli just flew her first international business class flight. I asked her to share the perspective of someone seeing the front of the plane for the first time. She flew United BusinessFirst,…
Recreating a Photo, Seven Years Later
May 26, 2013
In July of 2006, I went to Iguazu Falls, Argentina as an 18-year-old rookie traveler, traveling on my own for the first time. In May of 2013, I returned to Iguazu as a veteran of over thirty…
Antipodean Summer: Air New Zealand Sydney Lounge and Air New Zealand Business Class
May 25, 2013
Pre-departure services and the Global First Lounge United Global First Los Angeles to Sydney ---------------------------------------------------------------- I've included a brief report on Air New…
Rookie Alli Robbed in Buenos Aires and How to Keep Yourself Safe from Common Travel Scams
May 24, 2013
Rookie Alli had her phone stolen yesterday by some pickpockets near the Botanical Gardens in Buenos Aires. It was the common scam in which a gang works together to have one member surreptitiously…
Is It Too Late for Award Travel to Europe This Summer? Of Course Not
May 21, 2013
It's May 21, and you just realized you want to go to Europe this summer. You're not alone--that's probably the most common request my Award Booking Service is getting right now. The good news is that…
United,AAdvantage,onewolrd,US Airways,Star Alliance,Lufthansa,LAN
The Best Value Destination for Lie Flat Seats? Peru
May 20, 2013
The best value destination for people who want to use their miles to travel in flying beds is Peru. My favorite South American country is the perfect sweet spot of being far enough away for two…
How Adding a Stopover Can Increase Your Award Options
May 18, 2013
The four legacy carriers--United, Delta, US Airways, and American--all allow stopovers on award tickets (though stopover rules vary greatly.) Adding a stopover en route is a great way to add another…
Why You Shouldn’t Get the 75k Membership Rewards Business Gold Rewards Card (And Why You Should)
May 15, 2013
Update 2/24/14: Offer is dead! Last week, American Express (possibly accidentally) offered its Business Gold Rewards Card with a 75k Membership Rewards sign up bonus after only $5k in spending in the…
Qantas,British Airways,Cathay Pacific,Etihad,AAdvantage
The Five Best Values on the American Airlines Chart
May 14, 2013
Yesterday's post about the Coolest Thing to Do with 130k and 280k American Airlines Miles got me to look at the American Airlines' chart again for value. I found what I think are the Five Best Values…
Cathay Pacific,Explorer Award,AAdvantage,Finnair,Qantas
The Coolest Thing You Can Do with 130k American Airlines Miles (Soon) or 280k Now
May 13, 2013
A few weeks ago, I shared my thoughts on The Coolest Thing You Can Do with 57.5k United Miles and 10k Avios, which arose from daydreaming about booking myself more award trips. The last few days I've…
Free Giveaway Firday: Pair of United Club Passes
May 10, 2013
I am giving away a pair of United Club passes that I received by opening a United MileagePlus Explorer Card. United has lounges all over the world. The clubs are a pleasant place to relax in a…
Free Changes on United Awards within 21 Days of Departure
May 9, 2013
Disclaimer: I use the word "upgrade" a few times in the post. I am not referring to buying a cash ticket in economy and trying to use miles or cash to get it into business class. I am referring to…
Award Booking,Free Oneway,AAdvantage
Expanded Free Oneway Choice on American Airlines Awards Booked Online
May 8, 2013
Two months ago, thexfactor emailed me to tell me that he'd booked something online at aa.com that was against one of the rules I laid out in The Five Cardinal Rules of American Airlines Awards. His…
Miles & More Program Primer & Six Great Uses of the Lufthansa Miles
May 7, 2013
The Miles & More® Premier World MasterCard® comes with 20,000 bonus Lufthansa Miles & More miles after first purchase. The card comes with an annual companion ticket for paid economy class…
Best Of,AAdvantage,Free Oneway,Award Booking
Comprehensive Plan for A Roundtrip to Europe in Business Class with Two Free Oneways
May 6, 2013
Or: A Letter to a Friend's Mom My friend's mom wants to go from Los Angeles to London in early April with her American Airlines miles. This post contains all the information she needs to understand…
Bariloche Trip Report: Part 2 of 2
May 6, 2013
Read Part 1 First. In Part 2: Ruta de Siete Lagos, beer tour, and more Day 3—Sunday Sunday began with a hike to the top of Cerro Campanario, a spot with absolutely stunning views of the surrounding…
The Two Best Ways to Use the Lufthansa Miles & More Card’s 50k Mile Bonus
May 5, 2013
The cards mentioned in this post have had their links removed because the offers listed have expired. Click here for the top current credit card sign up bonuses. The 50k mile bonus offer is back on…
Bariloche Trip Report: Part 1 of 2
May 4, 2013
San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina is a mountain town in the Lake District of Patagoina, located about 50km from the Chilean border. It sits right on the edge of the Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi,…

