Free Stars

Starbucks Is Giving Away Gold Status Again!

December 5, 2017By Edward Pizzarello0 Comments

For caffeine junkies, Starbucks Gold status is probably a way of life. For the occasional Starbuckian, free Gold status can definitely come in handy.

Free Starbucks! Easy Way To Score 300 Stars For A Few Free Drinks

November 15, 2017By Edward Pizzarello3 Comments

Free Starbucks! You’ve got a few days to take advantage of this easy way to score a few free drinks by loading money onto your Starbucks account.

Win Free Coffee And Stars In The Starbucks Summer Game

August 11, 2017By Edward Pizzarello26 Comments

Starbucks has rolled out a summer game again this year to win free prizes. I’ve only been playing for a couple of days, but it seems worthwhile.

It’s Business, American Airlines

A recent status challenge I considered with American Airlines reminds me how much has changed over the years.

Amex Offers: Save Money In Vegas And At Marriott

A handful of really good Amex offers right now for MGM Resorts, Caesars Resorts and the complete portfolio of Marriott properties.

Southwest Raises The Price Of Their Valuable Companion Pass!

This morning, Southwest Airlines has announced that your miles no longer come with an expiration date. Unfortunately, though, if you’re in the market for their valuable companion pass, it’s going to cost you just a little bit more.

New Marriott Promotion Misses The Mark

Marriott’s new promotion comes down to whether you think they’ll have a big deal for you in the future. If you think they’re in a generous mood, Marriott might be worth looking at. If not, you should look elsewhere, at least beyond your second stay.

Talking Travel With Summer Hull And Richard Kerr!

Summer Hull and Richard Kerr are two of my favorite people in travel. They’re both family travelers, like me. But, they’re also wickedly smart about so much in the world of travel. And, they both said they had some time to podcast this week. That usually means comedy, great advice and trouble all rolled into one. This episode was no exception! There’s talk about year-end status runs, both in airline and hotels. And, there’s all the normal travel craziness to discuss, including a hotel program you’re probably not paying attention […]

I Flew Frontier, Saved $400 And Didn’t Die. My Frontier Airlines Review

Those low-cost carriers always have very appetizing fare sales. Who wouldn’t want to pay $20 to fly somewhere? But, what does $20 really buy you? I found out exactly what Frontier does (and doesn’t) offer customers on my first flight with them recently.

How To Use New Metro Silver Line To Get Between Dulles and Reagan National Airports

People talk about how bad the traffic is in places like Los Angeles with plenty of adjectives. And, it is quite bad. But, the traffic in DC is what I refer to as “stealthy bad”. It doesn’t get the same press that LA traffic does, but a trip that normally takes an hour can easily turn into a 3-hour ordeal. With visiting dignitaries, protests and construction as variables, weather can also wreak havoc on a system that consistently backs up during rush hour. For those of us that live in […]

A Summary Of United Airlines Global Services Benefits

As travel has gotten more stressful the benefits of elite status are even more valuable. In some cases, what used to be free for everyone is now only free for those customers that fly most frequently. I value my American Airlines Executive Platinum status more highly than any status I’ve earned, including 1K service with United Airlines. However, Global Services is another matter. For those not aware, Global Services is an invitation-only status level that United bestows on their best customers. What defines a best customer? Well, United doesn’t list […]

Update: American Airlines Variable Choice Plus Pricing A Feature, Not A Bug

I have to admit, I was pretty pleased with the original announcement that American Airlines was creating bundled pricing that included change fees at a lower apparent cost. Things got a little better when American also announced they were expanding the timeframe you could request a same day change to your flight. And, then things started to get a bit screwy. It started with just one flight I couldn’t get to price right with Choice Plus as an add-on. But, then I did a bit more digging and found out […]

Is Foursquare Dead?

Venture Beat doesn’t think so, and I’m not 100% sure they’re wrong. But, before I discuss the article, a little background on why someone allergic to social media like me became a Foursquare nut. A few years ago, a company called TopGuest came up with this concept where you could earn airline miles and hotel points for checking in at various places on Foursquare. I can’t say I thought it was a terribly good business model, but they convinced a bunch of hotel chains to hand out miles for this. […]

Edward Pizzarello - October 21, 2019:
Nick, as a Denver passenger, how have upgrades been on United flights?

Edward Pizzarello - October 21, 2019:
Mika, I'd rate Delta highest amongst the Big Three. I've had good [...]

Nick Boylan (@RandomSegments) - October 21, 2019:
My flights on American have been to Phoenix and Dallas, taking advantage [...]

Mika Pyyhkala (@pyyhkala) - October 21, 2019:
Ed, How did you find the elite recognition at AA, especially compared [...]

Edward Pizzarello - October 21, 2019:
Liberty, those high enplanement fees are due to the DCA funding debacle [...]