Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you’re short on miles but paying for travel isn’t an option? Perhaps you’ve focused on collecting miles that have been devalued or there is no award availability. Maybe you have a last minute trip coming up and just don’t have enough […]
Tag: travel hacking
How to decide when to redeem miles vs. pay for travel
One thing I get asked about most often by newbies is how I decide when to redeem miles and when to pay for travel. After all, points and miles are precious. Whether you’re earning them from credit card sign-up bonuses or via manufactured spending, you’re giving up something (credit score […]
4 cheap ways to fly business class from New York to Dubai using miles
Reader Khalid is new to this hobby and wants to book a business class ticket from New York to Dubai using airline miles. His preference is to fly one of the big three Middle Eastern carriers (Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways). Furthermore, he wants to know the cheapest way to book this […]
Earning points and elite night credit for multiple hotel rooms
What’s great about hotel loyalty programs is that unlike airlines, they allow you to earn points for other people’s bookings. Whether your friends or family members are tagging along with you or heading off on their own trips, you can often earn points by booking their hotel stays under your […]
The world won’t end if you can’t fly first class anymore
I have an undeserved reputation in some circles as someone who “kills deals“. To my knowledge, no travel or manufactured spending hack has ever been shut down because of the limited exposure on this blog. I’m aware of hacks that got shut down after mass media exposure or after prominent bloggers shared […]
Combating the herd mentality in this hobby
There is a tendency in this community to follow the herd. That’s normal in any group . People look towards each other for advice and in this case, that pertains to how we earn and redeem our miles. There’s nothing innately wrong with that, but sometimes I wonder whether this herd mentality […]
Registration Open for the Ann Arbor DO on July 22 – 23, 2017
The Ann Arbor Art Fair DO is a long-running event where a lot old-timers gather to talk about points and miles, see a bit of the city, and have fun. This year, the Ann Arbor Do takes place on July 22 – 23. I’ve been invited by the event’s organizer, […]
How to book Umrah travel with points and miles
Back in December, I booked a trip to Mecca and Medina to perform Umrah with my family. For those who are unfamiliar with the concept, Umrah is the “lesser” pilgrimage Muslims make to Mecca. It’s much less rigorous and there are fewer restrictions around when it can be performed. This information […]
Rewards program changes coming in 2017
The new year is off to a shaky start, with many upcoming changes in the points and miles world. Some of them are good, while others you really have to put your rose-colored glasses on to see in a positive light. If you’ve been out of the loop for the […]
Funding long-term travel with points, miles and manufactured spending
A few weeks ago I asked what you’re saving your points and miles for and probably the number one item on my travel list is going back to Calais and staying there for at least a month. In case you missed it, back in July, I traveled briefly to Thessaloniki […]