Review: Singapore Business Class 777-200 Hong Kong to Singapore

Sorry I’ve been so delinquent on publishing reviews from our SE Asian trip in September. I’ve just been super busy with work and with family-related matters, as I’m sure most of you can imagine. These are the relevant reports so far:   Review: United Business Class 757-200 JFK to San Francisco Review: United Business Class…

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So How Did 2014 Treat You?

Before all your mileage/ point counters reset tomorrow, let’s take a look at how everyone did.  I’ll review my plan vice results and ask you to chime in and compare. Airlines: Goal: United 1K Results: Only 62,046 EQM so no 1K for me for the first time in ten years.  Interestingly, I had $7,036 in spend…

TSA Pre-Check Now Open to Service Academy Students

The Service Academies (West Point, Naval Academy, Coast Guard Academy, and Air Force Academy) have their students get kind of caught in a Twilight Zone.  They are members of the military and get paid, but the time does not count for retirement, they have a rank, but not for UCMJ purposes, etc.  The same had been true…

Loungebuddy Adds Ability to Get Discount Same Day Lounge Passes

I’ve written several times about how the Loungebuddy app, here, here and here.  Loungebuddy is a neat little app that points out all the lounges available in whichever airport you find yourself in, including USO lounges.   It automatically knows which airport you are in and can be programmed with your flight info to let you know…

Help Tripit Raise One Million Miles for Make-a-Wish

“Tis the season for giving and a new cause (to me) for charity is Tripit’s effort to raise one million miles for the San Francisco Make-a-Wish Foundation.  Here is their webpage explaining the cause and how to donate.  Note that they only accept United, US Airways, and Delta miles.  Yeah, I know, weird that they…

Another consumer-unfriendly move from United

United has been trying very hard lately to disenfranchise it’s Mileageplus members. First, it mirrored Delta by adding PQDs in addition to PQMs or PQSs to achieve status with them (although some can still achieve status without PQDs). Then, it devalued it’s redemption rates on partner carriers.   I guess they figured in addition to…

Now Get 5% Off on All jetBlue Flights with Veterans Advantage

Over the three years of writing this blog, I have written more than a few times about Veterans Advantage and the discounts that veterans can get with their membership.  I evaluated the 5% off on United and Lufthansa flights, car rentals, and other discounts such as Ford vehicle discounts.  I also use the 20% CVS…

United Elite Status WITHOUT the PQD requirement

For those of you chasing United elite status, I’m sure the news of their PQD (premier qualifying dollars) requirement was disheartening. In addition to PQM (premier qualifying miles) or PQS (premier qualifying segments), you now must spend a minimum amount of money to reach a certain tier of status with them.   There are ways…