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Breaking Down The Best In Travel Loyalty – My Thoughts On The Freddie Awards

May 7, 2022By Edward Pizzarello2 Comments

For the past decade I’ve helped organize the Freddie Awards, frequently referred to as the “People’s Choice Awards” for airlines and hotels. It’s been three years since we were able to gather in person to hand out the awards and I was on hand two weeks ago in New Orleans. Shortly after the award ceremony ended and I spent a bit of time catching up with old friends I was sprinting off an airline flight trying to get to a track meet in time to see my daughter run. From […]

Here Are The Best Airline And Hotel Loyalty Programs As Voted By You, Their Members

April 29, 2019By Edward Pizzarello9 Comments

Who are the best airline and hotel loyalty programs?

Massive Delta Changes To SkyMiles And Sky Club Access: Decision Time

Maybe you heard? Delta made some massive changes to their loyalty program and how travelers will access Sky Clubs in 2024 and beyond. If you already heard about that, skip down to my analysis of the changes and share your thoughts in the comments. If this is the first you’re hearing about the changes, grab a seat and a snack. We’ve got some ground to cover. Delta SkyMiles Elite Status Changes Delta is simplifying how you earn elite status while also making it much more difficult. Instead of tracking how […]

First Look: Capital One Lounge At Washington-Dulles Airport

Capital One has been making big strides in the travel space the past few years. They started with the Venture X card, a credit card with a higher annual fee than you might normally expect from Capital One ($395). I have to imagine they knew they needed to punch above their weight to contend with the likes of American Express and Chase. Capital One put together a pretty nice suite of benefits for the card, including a pretty easy to use $300 annual travel credit you can use on their […]

Pausing To Remember On 9/11

I’ve found myself on airplanes on many September 11ths over the past twenty years. As a road warrior, flying on 9/11 is (for me) equal parts recognition of those who gave and lost their lives that day and a small bit of assurance that as a society we can overcome past atrocities to grow and thrive. This year, I wasn’t on a plane today. I woke up this morning and had a laundry list of to-do items before rushing to an all-day conference. As the first half of the day […]

Reminder: Free Points Today And Massive 150% Transfer Bonus

I earn affiliate credit if you sign up for the Bilt Rewards Mastercard using links in this story. I appreciate your support! Don’t forget to login to the Bilt Rewards app for multiple shots at free Bilt points as well as the chance to have Bilt pay your rent this month! And, today is the only day to score that incredible Virgin Atlantic transfer bonus (up to 150% based on your status level). I’ve decided to transfer my entire Bilt Rewards balance to Virgin Atlantic. The only sad news there […]

Massive 150% Transfer Bonus. Bilt Rewards Status Wins The Day!

I earn affiliate credit if you sign up for the Bilt Rewards Mastercard using links in this story. I appreciate your support! Folks have heard me talk about Bilt pretty frequently since they launched and even more since they started ramping up their Rent Day promotions. This month elite status comes into play in a big way with a transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic of up to 150%. You don’t even need to have the Bilt Rewards Mastercard to qualify, though spending on the card definitely boosts elite status. I […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]