Chase Will Double Your Points Into IHG. Mostly Don't.
A 100% transfer bonus sounds like free money. But a huge bonus on a weak currency is still a weak currency — here's when to bite and when to walk.
The Archive
Everything, in order
24 pieces on miles, points and the seats worth chasing. Filter the board, or dig through the lot.
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American Is Selling Miles at the Year's Best Price. Should You Bite?
AAdvantage miles are up to 50% off through July 22 — the cheapest they've been all year. That's the right question to ask, and mostly the wrong reason to buy.
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Capital One Is Padding EVA Air Transfers by 30% Until July 31
EVA's business class is one of my favorite ways across the Pacific. Until the end of the month, the miles to book it just got 30% cheaper to come by.
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45,000 Miles to Europe in Business Class — Flying Blue's Sale Ends July 31
Flying Blue's monthly Promo Rewards are usually a shrug. This month there's a lie-flat to Europe hiding in the fine print — and nearly every points balance can reach it.
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Aeroplan Just Got More Expensive. It’s a Devaluation, But Not a Massacre.
Air Canada refreshed the Aeroplan award chart this summer, and if you’ve been sitting on a pile of points waiting for the “right moment,” I have some mildly annoying news: the right moment was probably a few months ago.
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Delta Invented Basic Economy for Business Class. Of Course It Did.
Delta has launched “Basic Business,” and I want you to sit with that phrase for a second, because it is doing a lot of work.
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Your Points Are Worth 30% More to Virgin Atlantic Right Now. Do Something.
There is a transfer bonus running that you should probably care about, and depending on when you’re reading this, you may need to move quickly.
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Delta SkyMiles Are Bad… Until You Leave America
Delta SkyMiles have a pretty terrible reputation among points people, and honestly, that reputation is mostly deserved.
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I Got Thousands of Dollars in Flights From Chase Points. Here’s How.
I think Chase Ultimate Rewards points are some of the most valuable points somebody can have.
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What Is Etihad Doing?
There was a time when Etihad Airways looked like it belonged in the same sentence as Emirates without any qualification.
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KLM’s New 787-10 Business Class to Los Angeles: Charming, Comfortable, and Very Dutch
KLM is not usually the airline people fantasize about when they think of long-haul business class.
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Why Taipei Is the Perfect Layover City
For many travelers, layovers are something to minimize. The goal is usually to find the shortest connection possible, get through the airport quickly, and move on.
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How I Beat Jet Lag on Transpacific Flights
Jet lag is one of those things people talk about as if it were either completely unavoidable or easily solved with a miracle hack. In reality, it’s neither.
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How to Book Etihad First Class Apartments for Under $100
Etihad’s A380 First Class Apartments are one of the most absurd luxury products in commercial aviation: a private suite with a separate bed, elevated dining, and access to onboard shower facilities.
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The Cheapest Way To Fly In Business Class Between North America And Europe (For Cheaper Than An Economy Class Ticket)
Let’s pretend you’re in some imaginary hypothetical where you’re just curious what the easiest possible way to sit in a lie-flat seat crossing the Atlantic is.
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Al Safwa Review: My Favorite Airport Lounge
Airline lounges come in many shapes and sizes. In the United States, most travelers are familiar with airline-operated lounges tied to the three legacy carriers, each of which runs a two-tier system.
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Qatar’s A380 Business Class from Paris to Doha
Among premium airlines, few carry the reputation for refinement that Qatar Airways does. This A380 flight from Paris to Doha was no exception.
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3 Days in Shanghai: The Best of the Magic City
Shanghai is not subtle. It is loud, vertical, hyper-modern, and unapologetically theatrical.
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Traveling China… Without a Visa
The first time I traveled to China, I was alone, I had no visa, and it was a logistical nightmare.
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ANA Business Class from Tokyo to Brussels: The Long Way from Asia to Europe
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian airspace was closed to most international carriers.
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The Five Best Aeroplan Sweet Spots
The single biggest piece of advice with Aeroplan is simple: unless you absolutely have to, do not redeem Aeroplan points on Air Canada-operated flights.
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EVA’s superb Short-Haul Business Class from Taipei to Shanghai
In my last post, I explained why EVA Air’s business class remains my favorite way to cross the Pacific. But another area where EVA truly excels is its short-haul and regional flying.
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Thai Airways First Class from Tokyo to Bangkok - Exceptional
As most airlines continue to scale back or eliminate first class altogether, citing high costs and limited profitability, a small number still buck the trend. Thai Airways is one of them.
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LA–Taipei on EVA: Where the Food Shines
EVA Air’s business class has long been my favorite way to cross the Pacific, even if the nonstop from Los Angeles to Taipei is noticeably longer than similar routes from airports like Tokyo Haneda, Tokyo Narita, or Seoul Incheon.
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