The Unwritten Restriction on American Airlines Companion Upgrades to Beware Of by JT Genter November 22, 2024 1 American Airlines AAdvantage elite status members are eligible for first-class upgrades on domestic and certain short-haul international flights. And each status member can nominate one companion to upgrade with them. At least that's how it's supposed to work. Here's what to know about American Airlines companion upgrades -- and one unwritten restriction on these upgrades that I found from experience.
No-Annual-Fee Cards Are Not No-Fee Cards. Here’s Why. by Ryan Smith and Scott Sikes October 13, 2024 1 No one likes paying extra fees; it feels like extra fees are everywhere. That means many people try to avoid them. And maybe you don't want to pay annual fees on credit cards. Here's why you should be careful of discussions about "no fee" credit cards.
Airline Award Ticket Change and Cancellation Policies by Ian Snyder July 30, 2025 44 It’s often necessary to book award flights months in advance to secure your seat. With such a long period between the date you book and the date you fly, it’s easy for your plans to change. In case you need to adjust your ticket, here's a list of award ticket change and cancellation policies and the fees you can expect to pay.
The U.S. DOT Announces Investigation Into Frequent Flyer Programs. Here’s What That Means for You. by Tyler Glatt September 9, 2024 0 The U.S. Department of Transportation is investigating some of the most prominent U.S.-based frequent flyer programs. The goal? To uncover whether or not practices behind dynamic pricing, devaluations, and management borders on being unfair, anticompetitive, or deceptive. Here's what we know so far and what this means for you.
JetBlue’s Blue Basic Just Got a Bit Less Restrictive — Is It Worth the Savings Now? by Sam Helmy September 8, 2024 0 Sometimes, you just need to get from Point A to Point B and don't require anything beyond a seat on a flight. That is where basic economy fares can be very useful and economical. Like several other airlines, JetBlue offers a low-cost fare bucket for those simply looking for a seat and a bare minimum level of service. But before you book a JetBlue Blue Basic fare, there are some things you'll want to know. Here's our guide to JetBlue's cheapest fare.
Fly Without the Fees: Airline Programs That Don’t Add Fuel Surcharges to Award Flights by Mark Jackson August 10, 2024 1 The last thing you want is to pay a ton of cash on top of the miles and points you're using to book award flights, but some programs add heavy fees and surcharges when trying to book a "free flight." Here's a look at the programs that don't add these fees so you can save money on your upcoming reservations.
Save Your Wallet by Booking Flights From These Countries That Limit Fuel Surcharges by Mark Jackson and Ian Snyder August 8, 2024 0 Many air carriers like to levy "carrier-imposed surcharges," often referred to as "fuel surcharges" or "YQ" as a shorthand. These are extra fees that add up quickly when you book a flight using your miles. However, a handful of countries limit fuel surcharges on flights, and you can use this to your advantage.
United Slightly Improves Basic Economy. Here’s How the Still-Punitive Fare Works. by Tyler Glatt April 18, 2025 1 For the instances when you just need to book a seat from A to B, United's basic economy option is usually available at a compelling price point. But one thing is for sure: United basic economy is "basic" for a reason. Here's everything you need to know about United Airlines basic economy, how to navigate the restrictions, and a change this week that makes United basic economy slightly less punitive.
How To Share Capital One Venture and Spark Miles with Anyone by Ashley Onadele and Jenna Hansen July 31, 2024 45 Capital One is changing the transferrable points status quo by allowing cardholders to share their points with anyone that has a miles-earning Capital One card. This no-limit, no-fee sharing creates new ways to collaborate with your travel companions to earn the miles needed for your next big trip.
Hotel Programs That Allow You to Gift an Award Stay by Jenna Hansen November 24, 2024 0 Free hotel nights are a perk that everyone loves to enjoy. Even better, most large hotels brands allow you to gift this to a friend or family member. In this post, we'll go over the policies for each hotel and how you can gift an award stay to a friend or loved one.
Southwest Ditches Open Seating Policy, Schedules First-Ever Redeye Flights by Sam Helmy July 25, 2024 2 Southwest Airlines announced in a press release that it will be making major changes to its operating model. The changes include introducing redeye flights and, surprisingly, abandoning its long-running and unique open seating model. Here's what Southwest flyers need to know.
What Happens to Your Hotel Points and Credit Card Rewards When You Die? by Jess Farley and Kennedy Miller July 24, 2024 14 Certain people have a lot of miles and points, but how do you access them if that person dies? Many airlines and hotels have different policies about what to do when this happens. But in this article, we’ll discuss what happens to your hotel points and credit card rewards when you die.
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Program Changes: The Good and the Ugly by Sam Helmy July 17, 2024 2 Hertz Gold Plus Rewards just announced a slew of program changes for this year — some positive and some negative. The most negative change includes a new fixed-date points expiration policy. Here's what you need to know about the changes to the Hertz Gold Plus rewards program.
Charles Schwab Amex Platinum 1.1% Cashout Rate to be Limited to 1 Million Points per Year by Sam Helmy July 15, 2024 0 One of the defining features of the American Express Platinum Card® by Charles Schwab is the ability to cashout American Express Membership Rewards points for an account deposit at a rate of 1.1 cents per point. But soon, Amex is capping this preferential redemption rate at 1 million points per year. Here's what to know about these changes.
Cover Buy Now, Pay Later Installments With a Chase Card? This Policy Change Will Affect What Card You Can Use. by Sam Helmy October 11, 2024 1 Chase has added language to many of its credit card statements announcing that it will no longer support third-party buy now, pay later platforms. Fortunately, Chase has given ample notice about the impending changes, so members who use these programs have ample time to adjust payment methods. Here's what Chase cardholders need to know about this policy change.
Beginners Guide: What is a Stopover & What is an Open-Jaw? by Dan Miller July 7, 2024 72 Stopovers and open-jaw flights enhance the value of any frequent flyer program by allowing you to add destinations to your travel, in many cases, with no additional miles required! Here's our beginner's guide to how to book one for your next trip.
How to Transfer Marriott Bonvoy Points to Another Account by Ian Snyder June 22, 2024 114 Marriott Bonvoy has an excellent points transfer policy between members. You can send up to 100,000 points per calendar year and receive up to 500,000. This makes it easy to move points between friends and family for specific redemption opportunities. Even better, Marriott has launched an online points transfer tool that is much better than calling them to transfer points.
[Bug Fixed] LifeMiles Now Charging $1,000+ In Fuel Surcharges on Some Routes by JT Genter June 21, 2024 2 LifeMiles is one of our favorite mileage currencies due to excellent award rates, plentiful LifeMiles transfer partners, and no fuel surcharges... at least historically. We found that LifeMiles is charging exceptionally high taxes and fees on some routes. You'll have to pay over $1,000 in taxes/fees on some routes — even in United economy!
How Can I Receive Welcome Offers From Multiple Delta Amex Cards? by Kennedy Miller February 6, 2025 83 With so many Delta co-branded credit cards available, one of the most common questions we field on the blog and in our Award Travel 101 Facebook community is, "Can I hold multiple Delta Amex cards?" In the past, the answer was a resounding "yes!" However, that answer has changed to a muddy "maybe." Here's what you need to know about earning welcome bonuses on multiple SkyMiles cards — and why it's worth carrying more than one Delta Amex card.
How Far in Advance Can You Book Hotel Reservations? by Kennedy Miller and Tyler Glatt May 29, 2024 58 How far out you can book a hotel? And does making reservations at the far side of the booking window provides any tangible benefit? Each hotel chain handles reservations differently, with the booking windows of major hotel chains ranging from 11 months through to a massive two years. On some points bookings, however, the window can drop to as little as 100 days. Here are the various policies.
Hotel Free Night Award Change and Cancellation Policies by Samantha Holland May 28, 2024 42 We’ve rounded up free night award change and cancellation policies for the major hotel programs, and thrown in an example to show when you need to cancel to receive a full refund of your points. Make sure you know the policies of your favorite programs so you don't get caught at the last minute and lose your points.
Delta Boarding Order Explained: How New Boarding Zones Work by Mark Jackson July 30, 2025 0 On May 1, 2024, Delta is changing how its boarding process works. Now, flyers will board by "zones," and most of the changes affect flyers boarding the plane first. See how the changes affect your next flight in this post.
U.S. Department of Transportation Cracks Down on Junk and Hidden Airline Fees by Tyler Glatt April 24, 2024 1 In a couple of final rulings announced this morning by the U.S. Department of Transportation, significant changes are coming through increased passenger protections, transparency, and eliminating airline junk fees. Here's what this regulation means for you and when it's expected to go into effect.
You Shouldn’t Cancel a Credit Card Within Your First Year of Membership. Here’s Why. by Tyler Glatt April 8, 2024 2 Credit card issuers want your business. And to get it, they'll offer you big welcome bonuses complete with points, miles, or cash back. But what happens when you're ready to move on from your card? Of all the things you could do, you shouldn't cancel your credit card within the first year of membership. Here's why you'd be wise to avoid canceling a credit card less than a year after opening it.
Application Fee Is Going up for Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI, Kids Will Be Free by Tyler Glatt October 4, 2024 0 If you're in the market for Global Entry or other trusted traveler credentials like NEXUS or SENTRI, you'll want to complete an application before October 1, 2024. This fall, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is harmonizing the application fees for all three programs. In other words, it'll soon cost more to apply.
What Is Chase Pay Over Time and How Does It Work? by Tyler Glatt and Ryan Smith April 1, 2024 0 Chase Pay Over Time is a fixed payments option with Chase that can allow you to pay off larger credit card purchases over time. Today, we'll take a look at what this is, how it works, and the pros and cons. That way, you can make the right decision on whether or not to use it on your credit cards.
What Happens to Frequent Flyer Miles When You Die? by Senitra Horbrook March 27, 2024 28 Have you ever wondered what happens to your credit card points and frequent flyer miles when you die? If you have a lot of them, it matters. Some programs allow you to gift these to others in your will; other programs immediately close your account if they're notified of your death. Here are the policies.
Pool Your Skywards Miles With an Emirates My Family Account by Ashley Onadele and Sam Helmy March 23, 2024 47 Emirates offers family pooling of Skywards miles. With a My Family account, up to eight members can be in a family group and pool their award miles. Members can choose whether to share all the miles they earn or just a percentage.
United Miles Pooling: A Great Option with Downsides You Don’t Want to Overlook by Carissa Rawson March 21, 2024 2 United Airlines has announced the implementation of free miles pooling, allowing United MileagePlus members to combine their rewards together for redemptions. This is great news, especially for families and elite members who'd like to share their benefits.
Watch Out for Fees: Discover To Classify Online Gambling as a Cash Advance by Tyler Glatt March 8, 2024 1 Online gambling has taken the internet by storm. And for those who use online gambling as a chance to earn points or cash back on bets, Discover has announced that it'll soon come with an added cost in the form of cash advance fees. Here's what you need to know about Discover's latest announcement to its cardholders.
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