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Sunday Reader Question: Worth Doing a Mileage Run?

November 4, 2012

TPG reader Chris asks: “I am currently sitting at roughly 42,000 American Airlines miles for the year and am trying to figure out if it is worth it to make a mileage run to hit Platinum status. I did sign up earlier this year for the promo with AA that offered bonus miles or 500 [...]

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(Video) Sunday Reader Question: Should I Redeem Amex Points for Travelers Cheques?

October 28, 2012

This week TPG reader Steven asks for advice on how best to redeem his American Express Membership Rewards points: “I currently have about 110,000 points in Amex. I am deciding between paying for a trip to Orlando with points or getting Amex Travelers Cheques. What is the best option, or are their other options that [...]

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Finding The Best Flights With Routehappy

October 17, 2012

It wasn’t all about work for me this past weekend at the Chicago Seminars – I also got to meet and talk with other start ups, including a great new site called Routehappy, which rates and tracks airlines and specific flights based on user-generated reviews. When I want to know about an upcoming flight, I usually [...]

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(Video) Sunday Reader Question: Ways To Use The US Airways 100% Shared Miles Bonus

October 14, 2012

Today I’m answering two question from TPG readers Manav and Stratos who both asked about the US Airways 100% Share Miles Bonus. Manav asked: “As a Star Alliance Gold (United 1K) member, would I get access to the the same inventory when booking an award flight on a Star Alliance partner using US Airways Dividend miles through US [...]

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(Video) Sunday Reader Question: What is the Best Way to Maximize Earning Delta MQMs?

October 7, 2012

This week I decided to answer a question from fellow New Yorker, Kirk, who asks about maximizing Delta MQMs: “I fly JFK to SFO at least once a month and am looking for a way to maximize the MQM (Medallion Qualifying Miles) I earn. I will hit Gold Medallion status on the return leg of [...]

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(Video) Sunday Reader Question: Points and Friends- How to Handle Reimbursement

September 9, 2012

This week we have a question from an anonymous reader regarding proper reimbursement for sharing points with friends: “If you use points to book a flight for you and a friend or a hotel room that a friend shares, what do you think is the appropriate protocol for sharing the cost? For instance, if you [...]

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Video Sunday Reader Question: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Ink Bold

August 26, 2012

Today we have a question from TPG reader Rhoda who is debating whether to keep her Chase Sapphire Preferred or Ink Bold card open. “I have both the Sapphire Preferred and Ink Bold cards.  After the annual fee-free year is up, would it make more sense for me to keep only the Ink Bold and close [...]

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Sunday Reader Question: Which Wallet To Use For Travel

August 12, 2012

TPG reader Dani asks an interesting question regarding what wallet to use while traveling: “Considering you love to carry so many credit cards, what wallet do you use when you travel?  Do you just carry the bare minimum in cash when traveling since you use your cards so frequently?” I do have more credit cards than [...]

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Review: Lufthansa New First Class on the 747-400

August 6, 2012

I spent the past two weeks exploring the Baltic one fantastic city after another – Copenhagen, St. Petersburg, Helsinki and more. To get there and back, I had booked two one-way award tickets. The outbound was 62,500 American miles and $352 for British Airways First class from Miami to London. While fees are a little [...]

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Video Sunday Reader Question: What Are Your Top 3 Travel Credit Cards?

August 5, 2012

This question comes in from TPG reader Chris: “If you had to pick only 3 cards, with at least one of them being an American Express product, what would they be?” As always, the answer really depends on what you want to redeem your points for, and what you value – awards without blackout dates, [...]

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Video Sunday Reader Question: How to Maximize Credit Card Rewards for College Graduates

July 15, 2012

TPG reader Coleman writes a two part question: “Do credit card companies normally approve grads without much credit history? I opened a credit card a year ago and have paid the balance in full each month, as well as utility bills/rent/etc. on time as well too. But I just haven’t been doing it for very [...]

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Video Sunday Reader Question: American First Class or Cathay Business?

June 3, 2012

TPG reader Seth brings up an interesting question about how to choose which airline in an alliance to use your miles on. Especially when it means a difference in class of service. In this particular case, choosing between American Airlines and Cathay Pacific. Here’s his question: “A quick question for you: Flying from Bangkok to [...]

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(Video) Sunday Reader Question: What Are Stopovers and Open Jaws?

May 27, 2012

TPG reader Amy asks: “My husband and I have tried to accumulate miles so we can head to Europe next summer.  I am reading about ‘open jaw” flight and am clueless.  Could you possibly explain in an entry how to maximize miles on these flights?  We’re looking at booking on Delta; when I input our [...]

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(Video) Sunday Reader Question: What Is The Best Way To Redeem for Singapore Airlines First Class?

May 27, 2012

TPG reader Andrew asks: “In looking at the American Express Membership Rewards and Starwood transfer options, I noticed that Singapore Krisflyer was a transfer partner of both. I have never traveled in Singapore First Class, but would like to. With their 747 being retired, I do not believe they open any first class award seats [...]

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(Video) Sunday Reader Question: Pulling Rank With Elite Status Lines

May 13, 2012

TPG reader Brad writes: “I just checked into the Hyatt Regency O’Hare for my company’s annual training week. Obviously check-in was a nightmare with all of the people coming in. I have Hyatt elite status so I walked right up to the Platinum/Diamond line and waited behind the guy being checked in. Everyone else was [...]

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Video Sunday Reader Question: Is Paying to Redeposit Miles Worth It?

May 6, 2012

TPG reader Mike asks a great question about the costs of redepositing unused frequent flyer miles: “A few months ago my wife and I each redeemed 50,000 AAdvantage miles to book flights in June. Since then, for medical reasons, we’ve had to cancel our travel plans. American Airlines now gives us two choices: (1) we [...]

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Debating the Merits of Delta SkyMiles at Frequent Traveler University

April 30, 2012

This past weekend was Frequent Traveler University at the Sheraton Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ, just outside New York. I was asked to give one of the presentations, so on Saturday morning, I debated Gary Leff from View From The Wing about the relative merits of Delta SkyMiles. I, of course, took the “pro” position [...]

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Video Sunday Reader Question: Meeting Business Credit Card Spend Requirements

April 29, 2012

TPG reader Kevin asks: “I recently applied for an American Express small business credit card and I have to reach the $10,000 minimum spend in several months. I’ve read your post on clever ways to reach the minimum spend bonus, but I’m unclear on if the strategy differs on personal or small business cards. If [...]

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Video Sunday Reader Question: Using Amex For Cathay to Hong Kong

April 29, 2012

TPG reader Mike wants to use miles for one of my favorite purposes: helping a family member take charge of their points for a great travel redemption. Mike’s issue is that he’s in Hong Kong and his dad doesn’t have quite enough points or miles to get himself there in business class. Here’s his question: [...]

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Video Sunday Reader Question: What is the Minimum Credit Score Needed To Get Approved for the Best Credit Cards?

April 22, 2012

TPG reader Ben asks: “What is the minimum credit score needed to get approved for all these reward cards? What is the lowest credit score you have heard of getting approval for a premium Chase product like the Sapphire?” There is no one magic score that will automatically get you approved for any credit card. [...]

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Video Trip Report: Phnom Penh and the Khmer Rouge Killing Fields

April 10, 2012

This is an installment in my March 2012 Asia Trip Series which includes: A Birthday Present To Myself: Business Class on the World’s Longest Flight for $2.50, Help Me Plan My Asia Trip Starting With Singapore, Flight Review: Singapore Airlines All Business Class Flight From Newark To Singapore, Hotel Review: Intercontinental Singapore, Video Trip Report: Singapore, Hotel Review: Le Meridien Bangkok [...]

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Video Trip Report: Siem Reap Temples, Monkeys and Guns, Oh My

April 5, 2012

This is an installment in my March 2012 Asia Trip Series which includes: A Birthday Present To Myself: Business Class on the World’s Longest Flight for $2.50, Help Me Plan My Asia Trip Starting With Singapore, Flight Review: Singapore Airlines All Business Class Flight From Newark To Singapore, Hotel Review: Intercontinental Singapore, Video Trip Report: Singapore, Hotel Review: Le Meridien Bangkok [...]

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Video Trip Report: Bustling Bangkok

March 30, 2012

This is an installment in my March 2012 Asia Trip Series which includes: A Birthday Present To Myself: Business Class on the World’s Longest Flight for $2.50, Help Me Plan My Asia Trip Starting With Singapore, Flight Review: Singapore Airlines All Business Class Flight From Newark To Singapore, Hotel Review: Intercontinental Singapore, Video Trip Report: Singapore, Hotel Review: Le Meridien Bangkok [...]

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Video Trip Report: Two Days in Steamy Singapore

March 28, 2012

This is an installment in my March 2012 Asia Trip Series which includes: A Birthday Present To Myself: Business Class on the World’s Longest Flight for $2.50, Help Me Plan My Asia Trip Starting With Singapore, Flight Review: Singapore Airlines All Business Class Flight From Newark To Singapore, Hotel Review: Intercontinental Singapore, Video Trip Report: Singapore, Hotel Review: Le Meridien Bangkok [...]

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