Best Of,Free First Class Next Month
The Current Big Picture with Miles and Points
March 30, 2015
Most of the posts on this site are minutia: a discount on awards to Brazil and Chile or a new Delta route with good award space to Europe. Such posts are only valuable once you understand the big picture and how the miles world works and fits together. Here's the current big picture.
How to Earn Big Miles
Now, more than ever, the way to earn big miles and points for free travel is through credit cards.
Easiest Places to Book with American Airlines Miles
January 7, 2015
Earlier today, I explained why American Airlines miles are not very good to go to Europe in Business Class (and what the best option is.) Every type of miles has strengths and weaknesses, and overall I consider American Airlines miles the most valuable miles.
Easiest Places to Book with American Airlines Miles
January 7, 2015
Earlier today, I explained why American Airlines miles are not very good to go to Europe in Business Class (and what the best option is.) Every type of miles has strengths and weaknesses, and overall I consider American Airlines miles the most valuable miles.
Best Posts of 2014
December 31, 2014
Here's a mix of some of my favorite and some of the most popular posts from 2014.
5 Easy Ways to Earn More Miles
December 15, 2014
How am I flying around the world in some of the world's nicest Business and First Classes? By earning loads of miles, of course. Here are five easy ways you can earn more miles.
1. Collect More Credit Card Sign Up Bonuses
This is the easiest one, and where the vast majority of my miles come from. There are so many 40,000, 50,000, and even larger sign up bonuses available.
Many people worry about what the effect of opening credit cards will be on their credit score.
Best Of,AAdvantage,Flying Blue
The Coolest Thing You Can Do with 60k Miles
September 7, 2014
Last week I urged people to be realistic with their miles and listed The Easiest Places to Get with Miles. Today I'm telling you to dream big and to look to do things with miles that you couldn't easily or cheaply do without miles.
For instance, for 60,000 miles, you can book yourself a "triangle trip" that lets you practice your Spanish in Chile and Spain.
Only Flying Blue Award Chart Online
August 27, 2014
Yesterday I wrote that Citi ThankYou Points had added Air France Flying Blue as a 1:1 transfer partner.
That's big news because there are some amazing high value uses for Flying Blue miles, and ThankYou Points are so easy to earn from the Citi ThankYou® Premier Card with its 40,000 point sign up bonus and 3x category bonus on travel and gas purchases.
When I was researching that post though, I couldn't find Flying Blue's complete award chart.
US Airways,Best Of,Reader Question,AAdvantage
There Is No Transitive Property of Miles
August 3, 2014
Let me clear up one of the most common types of questions I get from beginners.
There is no transitive property of miles.
Just because Airline A partners with Airline B and Airline B partners with Airline C does NOT mean Airlines A and C are partners.
For instance, in yesterday's post Fully Flat Business Class to Europe for 25,000 Miles, I wrote:
I searched award space on Aer Lingus' routes from Chicago, Boston, and New York to Dublin for one passenger next April through July.
I searched on united.com.
Best Of,Singapore,Award Booking
Roundtrip to South America, Two Free One Ways to Hawaii for 50,000 Miles
July 17, 2014
Recently, I posted about how we can get amazing value from the fact that the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer program considers Hawaii to be part of the same region as Central America. We can also use this sweet spot for great value on travel to South America too!
On the Singapore Airline's award chart, it costs fewer miles to fly between Hawaii and South America, routing through the continental United States, than it does to fly directly between the continental United States and South America.
Adding Honolulu to Houston lowers the price of Houston to Buenos Aires
Why Are Airline Miles the Key to Traveling More, Better, and Cheaper
July 12, 2014
I've collected and redeemed millions of frequent flyer miles over the last three years. By the end of 2014, I will have visited over 50 countries, often flying in First Class.