Tag: Fees & Policies

How Emirates Skywards My Family Works — Including the Major Limitations You Need to Know

How Emirates Skywards My Family Works — Including the Major Limitations You Need to Know

August 14, 2025 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. Contributors can decide whether to pool all or none of their miles at any time.

Carissa Rawson & Ashley Onadele

Reviewed by Allie Johnson

Delta Selling Unbundled Travel Experiences for Travel Starting in October — Here’s What This Means for You

Delta Selling Unbundled Travel Experiences for Travel Starting in October — Here’s What This Means for You

August 13, 2025 0

Delta's new unbundled fare structure (which it's calling "Travel Experiences") is now live for flights departing on or after October 1, 2025. With 11 different options to choose from, it can easily become overwhelming. Here's everything to know about the new fare structure, and how to know which one is best for your next trip.

Harrison Pierce

How To Turn Off Amex Pay Over Time (And Why It's a Good Idea)

How To Turn Off Amex Pay Over Time (And Why It's a Good Idea)

July 31, 2025 4

Pay Over Time from American Express gives cardmembers more options and flexibility when it comes to paying off their balance, but it comes with a price. Here's how and why you should turn off this feature to avoid accidental interest charges and to make sure you are eligible for future offers.

Kennedy Miller & Cameron Laufer

Reviewed by Allie Johnson

Delta Basic Economy: A Complete Guide to Delta's Lowest Fares

Delta Basic Economy: A Complete Guide to Delta's Lowest Fares

July 26, 2025 0

Delta Main Basic is the basic economy product offered by Delta Air Lines. Although it comes with low fares, it also comes with numerous restrictions. When you book a Delta Main Basic ticket, you are the last to board, you won't earn miles, and you can't change or cancel your flight for free.

Harrison Pierce

Reviewed by Erik Paquet

How to Pool Points and Miles Across Major Loyalty Programs — and Which Ones Let You Do It Free

How to Pool Points and Miles Across Major Loyalty Programs — and Which Ones Let You Do It Free

July 23, 2025 113

There is a ton of information covering techniques to earn and burn points and miles. There's also advice about which cards to add to your wallet, but it's hard to come by reliable information on programs that let you share (or pool) your points and miles with others — and how to do so for free. We've got you covered.

Ajay Jain & Kennedy Miller

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

How to Maximize Bank of America Credit Card Approvals (and Avoid Common Pitfalls)

How to Maximize Bank of America Credit Card Approvals (and Avoid Common Pitfalls)

July 6, 2025 4

Bank of America has a solid portfolio of cash-back and miles-earning credit cards. For those looking to earn significant rewards, there is great value to be had. But, can you just dive right in and quickly open every card the bank offers to get all the welcome bonuses? Unfortunately, the answer is no. So what are the rules for getting Bank of America credit cards? Let us show you.

Ryan Flanigan

Reviewed by Carissa Rawson

American Airlines Reverses Same-Day Standby Policy — What It Means for You

American Airlines Reverses Same-Day Standby Policy — What It Means for You

July 3, 2025 0

American Airlines has reversed its restrictive same-day standby policy. Now, same-day standby is available to all flyers regardless of status, cabin class, or even AAdvantage membership. Here's how to add yourself to the standby list.

Sam Helmy

Delta Expands Basic Economy Restrictions with New Fees and Even Blackout Dates

Delta Expands Basic Economy Restrictions with New Fees and Even Blackout Dates

June 27, 2025 0

As if they couldn’t get any more restrictive or expensive to change and cancel, Delta’s Basic Economy tickets just did. The airline quietly added new or increased region-specific change and cancellation fees on its most no-frills tickets. And Delta even introduced blackout dates when you can’t change or cancel certain tickets at all. Here's the latest.

Tyler Glatt

Reviewed by JT Genter

A Complete Guide to American Airlines Award Travel Rules

A Complete Guide to American Airlines Award Travel Rules

June 15, 2025 68

American Airlines AAdvantage miles can offer huge value if you know how and when to use them. If you learn the rules for booking awards, you’ll spend fewer miles, avoid unnecessary fees, and save valuable time planning your next trip. Here’s everything you need to know about booking award tickets with AAdvantage miles.

Tyler Glatt & Carissa Rawson

Reviewed by JT Genter

Southwest Airlines Checked Bag Fees: What You’ll Pay — and How to Avoid Them

Southwest Airlines Checked Bag Fees: What You’ll Pay — and How to Avoid Them

May 28, 2025 2

You’ve probably heard the saying "nobody rides for free." That sentiment used to go against everything Southwest stood for when it came to checked bags, but those days are long gone. Here’s what you can expect to pay the next time you check bags with Southwest and how to avoid those fees altogether.

Tyler Glatt

Reviewed by JT Genter

Here’s When You Will and Won’t Pay Resort Fees on Award Stays

Here’s When You Will and Won’t Pay Resort Fees on Award Stays

May 27, 2025 3

Resort fees are never fun to pay, but they are even more frustrating when they are implemented on your free nights and award stays. Here are all of the hotel brands that waive resort fees on award nights — as well as the ones that don't. This should help you know what to expect during your next hotel stay.

Toni Southam & Ben Nickel-D'Andrea

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

Can You Transfer Miles Between Frequent Flyer Programs?

Can You Transfer Miles Between Frequent Flyer Programs?

November 3, 2025 66

Can you transfer points and miles between frequent flyer programs? Sadly, the answer is "no" in most cases. However, there are a few options for moving points from one program to another. Besides, you may not need to transfer points between programs after all! Here's everything you need to know about transferring points between programs.

Sam Helmy

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

A Beginner's Guide to Building a Credit Card Application Strategy

A Beginner's Guide to Building a Credit Card Application Strategy

May 25, 2025 14

U.S banks play a huge role in the travel rewards ecosystem. Learning about credit card application rules won’t be the most exciting part of your points-and-miles education, but it’s hard to overstate the importance of building a healthy relationship with the banks for your credit card application strategy. In this post, we explain how to build a sustainable, long-term strategy.

Erik Paquet & Mark Jackson

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

Spirit Just Increased Its Online Booking Fee — Here's How You Can Avoid It

Spirit Just Increased Its Online Booking Fee — Here's How You Can Avoid It

May 22, 2025 2

Spirit Airlines just increased the fee it charges for booking flights online — a cost that now adds up to $27.99 per segment. Here's why Spirit is making this move — and how you can still avoid the fee (if you're willing to make the effort).

JT Genter

American Airlines Slashes Award Ticket Hold Window — Here’s Why That Matters

American Airlines Slashes Award Ticket Hold Window — Here’s Why That Matters

April 30, 2025 1

American Airlines is reining in the amount of time you can hold an AAdvantage award ticket. And for anyone who’s relied on this feature in the past, it’s a frustrating change. Here’s what to know and why it matters.

Tyler Glatt

Qatar Airways Promises a Qsuite Guarantee — Here’s When It Applies (and Doesn’t)

Qatar Airways Promises a Qsuite Guarantee — Here’s When It Applies (and Doesn’t)

April 8, 2025 0

Not many airlines offer a guarantee to protect your bookings against aircraft changes, but Qatar Airways does whether it is a revenue or award booking for flights with their exceptional Qsuite business class product. This is how the Qatar Qsuite Guarantee works.

Ben Nickel-D'Andrea

Reviewed by JT Genter

United Overhauls Card Portfolio to Add Perks, Increase Annual Fees

United Overhauls Card Portfolio to Add Perks, Increase Annual Fees

March 24, 2025 3

Chase and United have decided to take a page out of the American Express playbook with a massive overhaul of the United card portfolio, adding a long list of new statement credits and perks in exchange for higher fees. Here's a breakdown of the changes.

JT Genter

Alaska Airlines’ 20-Minute Baggage Guarantee: How to Claim 2,500 Miles or a $25 Credit

Alaska Airlines’ 20-Minute Baggage Guarantee: How to Claim 2,500 Miles or a $25 Credit

March 21, 2025 2

Alaska Airlines’ baggage guarantee promises checked bags at the carousel within 20 minutes of arrival. If not, you’ll get 2,500 Mileage Plan miles or a $25 discount code for a future flight. Here's how to claim your compensation if your bags are delayed.

Tyler Glatt & Brie Bash

Reviewed by JT Genter

The Ultimate Guide to Delta Sky Club Access: What’s Changed & How to Get In Now

The Ultimate Guide to Delta Sky Club Access: What’s Changed & How to Get In Now

February 8, 2025 2

Want to access Delta Sky Club before or after your next flight? You have options! From credit cards to elite status and from flying in the right seat to buying a membership, this post has all of the info you need for getting inside these lounges after new restrictions went into effect.

Jenna Hansen & Andrew Kunesh

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

Bad Flight or Subpar Stay? Here’s How To Get Fair Compensation From Airlines and Hotels

Bad Flight or Subpar Stay? Here’s How To Get Fair Compensation From Airlines and Hotels

December 27, 2024 26

Exploring the beauty of a foreign country, flying to exotic locales in luxury, sampling outlandish foods, and opening yourself up to new experiences are the best parts of travel. However, reality can sometimes fall short of our expectations, and there are valid situations when travelers need reimbursement. If you've wondered how to get fair compensation for a bad hotel stay or a problematic flight, follow these nine steps.

Skye Class & Jess Farley

Reviewed by Ryan Smith

Family Points Pooling: Combine Miles for Faster Free Travel

Family Points Pooling: Combine Miles for Faster Free Travel

December 26, 2024 1

Family pooling lets you combine miles into one account, making it easier for families (and sometimes friends) to reach award redemptions faster. Many airlines and hotel programs offer this for free, helping groups travel together using shared points. Here’s how pooling miles can bring your family closer to their next trip.

Jenna Hansen & Kennedy Miller

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

How Far in Advance Can You Book Airline Award Tickets? Our Full Guide With Data Points for 50 Airlines.

How Far in Advance Can You Book Airline Award Tickets? Our Full Guide With Data Points for 50 Airlines.

December 23, 2024 54

Finding award availability can be a challenge on its own, but knowing how far in advance award space becomes available and which miles can book at what time can make things even more confusing. We address all that here, including strategies to maximize the likelihood of snagging the seat you want. We provide the booking window for all major carriers' loyalty programs as a great reference.

Ian Snyder

Reviewed by JT Genter

My Experience Using the Ethiopian Airlines Stopover Program for a Free Hotel and Meals

My Experience Using the Ethiopian Airlines Stopover Program for a Free Hotel and Meals

November 23, 2024 2

Ethiopian Airlines currently offers the only stopover program in Africa. Travelers with a layover between eight and 24 hours can get a free hotel and meals. Here's an overview of the Ethiopian Airlines stopover program and my experience utilizing it.

Lauren Wynn

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

The Unwritten Restriction on American Airlines Companion Upgrades to Beware Of

The Unwritten Restriction on American Airlines Companion Upgrades to Beware Of

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.

JT Genter

No-Annual-Fee Cards Are Not No-Fee Cards. Here's Why.

No-Annual-Fee Cards Are Not No-Fee Cards. Here's Why.

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.

Ryan Smith & Scott Sikes

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

Airline Award Ticket Change and Cancellation Policies

Airline Award Ticket Change and Cancellation Policies

October 13, 2024 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.

Ian Snyder

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

The U.S. DOT Announces Investigation Into Frequent Flyer Programs. Here’s What That Means for You.

The U.S. DOT Announces Investigation Into Frequent Flyer Programs. Here’s What That Means for You.

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.

Tyler Glatt

Reviewed by JT Genter

JetBlue's Blue Basic Just Got a Bit Less Restrictive — Is It Worth the Savings Now?

JetBlue's Blue Basic Just Got a Bit Less Restrictive — Is It Worth the Savings Now?

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.

Sam Helmy

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

Fly Without the Fees: Airline Programs That Don't Add Fuel Surcharges to Award Flights

Fly Without the Fees: Airline Programs That Don't Add Fuel Surcharges to Award Flights

October 20, 2025 1

Nothing ruins a great award redemption faster than surprise taxes and fees at checkout. Some programs add hundreds of dollars to what’s supposed to be a “free flight.” This post highlights the loyalty programs that skip those extra charges, helping you stretch your miles and book nearly free flights.

Mark Jackson

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

Save Your Wallet by Booking Flights From These Countries That Limit Fuel Surcharges

Save Your Wallet by Booking Flights From These Countries That Limit Fuel Surcharges

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.

Mark Jackson & Ian Snyder

Reviewed by Tyler Glatt

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