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Marriott Desert Springs Villas I review (a Marriott Vacation Club property)

a golf course with a pond and palm trees
A few weeks ago, on a trip to the Coachella valley, I stayed in a 1-bedroom unit/villa (complete with a kitchen, living area and dining area) at the Marriott Desert Springs Villas I resort in Palm Desert. This is what that unit and the resort are like.

Delta has changed some of its plans for its European routes in summer 2025

a close up of a plane
Delta is in the spotlight today as it has pushed through several changes to its European route plans for the summer 2025 season. Some changes appear positive, while others may disappoint, so if you're planning to cross the pond with Delta next year, now would be the time to check your bookings.

American Airlines A321 domestic First Class review (DFW-PSP)

a row of seats in an airplane
American Airlines operates several variants of the Airbus A321 and as far as I can tell, it offers these aircraft in at least four different cabin layouts. The A321 that I flew on between Dallas/Ft. Worth and Palm Springs was a 23 year old aircraft that once flew in US Airlines livery.

Earn 1,000 bonus Avios with Uber in the UK

a sign on a wall
Right now, Uber and British Airways are shining a light on their partnership by launching a new short-term promotion in which eligible bookings made through the Uber app will earn Executive Club members up to 1,000 Avios.

Breaking down the cost of a trip and the miles & points I earned from it

a stone statue of a man with a beard
To give you an insight into how much one of my trips can cost, what my earnings from the flights, hotels, and the credit cards I use can look like, and how I work out the net cost of my travels, this article breaks down a trip I took earlier in the year which saw me traveling between Europe and Bangkok.

Hyatt has picked up a new property in Belize (this could be good)

a pool with white buildings and palm trees
Hyatt has confirmed that the Placencia Resort in Belize has joined its portfolio as an affiliated hotel and said that following what sounds like a major makeover, the property will become part of the Destination by Hyatt brand and join the World of Hyatt next year.

How to transfer Amex points to partner loyalty programs

a group of straw umbrellas on a beach
This is our simple step-by-step guide showing how to transfer American Express Membership Rewards Points to Amex's numerous transfer partners like Singapore Airlines, Emirates, and Delta (amongst others).

The European Union will reintroduce the 100ml carry-on liquid restriction (I don’t understand this)

a row of chairs in an airport
Following the introduction of ultra-modern scanners at various airports across the EU and the UK, the past 12 months saw the archaic liquid restrictions on the volume of liquid passengers could analyse liquids in vessels of up to 2 litres and that the were so sophisticated, most regular sized liquid-containing vessels could remain inside a passenger's carry-on bags. Things were looking good ... until they weren't.

Texas has got a new upscale hotel – the InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk

a room with a bed and a desk
With the opening of the InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk on 1 August 2024, Texas finds itself with a new high-end property at which miles & points enthusiasts can put their elite status to good use (especially if they hold Ambassador status) and where they can use their hard-earned points.

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express Review (2025) – A “must have” card

a blue credit card with a picture of a man
There aren’t many credit cards that we consider to be “must-have” cards for any serious miles and points fan, but The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is one of them. This card comes with a $0 annual fee and is one of the more rewarding cards you’ll find for spending in non-bonused categories.

American Airlines Flagship Lounge at Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) review

a close up of a sign
The Flagship Lounges are the best lounges American Airlines operates and are found in just four US airports. One lounge location is in Dallas/Fort Worth and on a recent trip, a long stop over offered me the chance to take a look at what the DFW Flagship Lounge has to offer.

Two Hyatt promotions that you can still register for (double elite nights + bonus points)

Hyatt Regency Aruba
There has been quite a lot of email activity from Hyatt in the past few weeks as the hotelier promotes discounts for stays in various parts of the world (check your spam/junk folders if you haven't been getting these), so I'm using this article to highlight a couple of good Hyatt promotions that may have got missed in all the noise.

Where to credit JetBlue transatlantic flights if you don’t use TrueBlue

a group of airplanes on a runway
Historically, most people outside of the US didn't really have much use for JetBlue. It was an airline focused mainly on the northeast of the United States and aside from a few routes to Mexico and the Caribbean from the East Coast, it didn't have an international presence. Today, the airline's routes are still mostly centered around the northeast of the US, but because it now also operates flights across the Atlantic, it has found a broader audience.

Comparing the three IHG Rewards credit cards (2026)

Harrods with a boat on the water
There are currently three credit cards linked to the IHG One Rewards program and in this article you'll find a comparison of the annual fees, the earning rates, and the key benefits that these cards offer in what is (hopefully) an easily digestible format to make it easier to see which card would work best for you.

The World of Hyatt now has a property in a ‘country’ where no other chain has a presence

a pool with chairs and umbrellas in front of a building
Generally speaking, the big name brands of the hospitality industry shun locations that can be seen as controversial or where international law has very little influence, so you may be surprised to find that the World of Hyatt now has a property in a country that isn't really a country.

American Airlines 777-300ER Business Class review (transatlantic)

an airplane parked at an airport
A few months ago, I realised that I hadn't flown long-haul with American Airlines since early 2021, and considering I once used American up to ten times a year for my transatlantic travel, that's a long break from the airline's longer flights. The lengthy break wasn't accidental or a coincidence. It was a deliberately taken break. But, as I found myself with a few transatlantic trips that I needed to book and as I was interested to see what things were like at the airline now, I took the plunge and booked some flights. This is a review of the first of those flights.

An illogical free night certificate rule Marriott Bonvoy needs to change

a sign on a building
I recently booked a stay at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square and leaving aside the fact that I wasn't particularly impressed with the property (reviewed here), there was something else about the booking that stood out for me - Marriott as has an illogical (some may say ridiculous) rule when it comes to booking rooms with a Free Night Certificate.

Hotel loyalty programs can still make me do ‘irrational’ things

a pool with lounge chairs and umbrellas
I've been playing around with loyalty programs for a long, long time, so it would be nice to think that after all these years I've grown impervious to the ways in which some programs can make one do things that, to an outsider looking in, look completely irrational and a little mad. Sadly, that imperviousness still eludes me.

Hilton London Canary Wharf review

a glass entrance to a building
Continuing our recent run of London hotel reviews, today's review takes a look at the Hilton London Canary Wharf which sits in a eastern area of the city and in one of London's two financial centers.

A look inside the Marriott Bonvoy suite at London’s O2 arena

a sign on a wall
Marriott Bonvoy Moments is the successor to SPG Moments and is a program that allows Marriott Bonvoy members to spend their points on sports, concerts, and experiences at various arenas around the world and, in some circumstances, these can offer Bonvoy members a good alternative use for their points.

Remember to be patient when redeeming these two Hyatt Milestone Awards

a sign on a wall
At the beginning of the year, we a saw Hyatt push through a few changes to the World of Hyatt program and most of these centered around its Milestone Rewards. Mostly, the news was positive (even if not all the changes went far enough) and two of the changes that were introduced means that it can now pay to be patient when it comes to redeeming a couple of Hyatt's Milestone awards.

London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square review

a building with flags and a fence
As I was considering how best to use an expiring Marriott Free Night Certificate without incurring any unnecessary costs (i.e. I was looking to book somewhere I could reach with relative ease from Los Angeles or London), I realised that the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square was one of the few London Marriotts at which I had never stayed.

Great Scotland Yard Hotel London review (Hyatt Unbound Collection)

a building with flags on the front
Recently, I read a review of the Great Scotland Yard Hotel in which the writer called it the best Hyatt in London so, as I've always considered the Churchill to be London's best Hyatt and as my only experience of the Great Scotland Yard Hotel was 'enjoyed' during the Covid pandemic, I decided it was time to pay this property another visit.

Deal: Rakuten is offering 15% – 20% cash back at a wide variety of retailers (15 – 20 Amex points/dollar)

a toy dinosaur with a party hat
Today sees the return of "Big Give Week" on Rakuten, which sees the cashback site offering up to 20% back (or 20 Membership Rewards Points per dollar) at hundreds of participating stores and retailers. Better still, this promotion sees the return of some great cash back travel offers with the likes of Radisson and Viator.

Hilton’s second global promotion for 2024 is now live

a sign on a wall
Hilton's first major promotion of 2024 ended yesterday and in true Hilton fashion, its second global promotion of the year went live earlier today. This latest promotion runs to 2 September 2024 and, thankfully, is noticeably better than the one it is replacing.

IHG One Rewards is targeting select members for a 2x elite night promotion (check your spam filters!)

a close up of cards
Ok, I'm very late with this news but blame email spam filters and not me - IHG One Rewards is emailing select members with an offer of double elite nights on their next two stays. The maximum bonus nights that you can earn is 14, but if you're chasing IHG status or IHG milestones and have been targeted, that's still a very nice boost to be given.

Mr & Mrs Smith properties are now being added to the World of Hyatt, but the benefits are underwhelming

a house in the snow
As we were promised a few months ago (following Hyatt's purchase of the Mr & Mrs Smith booking platform), Hyatt is now adding Mr & Mrs Smith properties to the World of Hyatt, and we finally know what these properties will offer members when they stay. Frankly, I'm underwhelmed.

Delta will return to flying ex-LATAM A350s on its Los Angeles – Auckland route (good news & bad news)

a white airplane in the sky
Since the launch of its LA - Auckland route, Delta has been using the A350-900s that it acquired from LATAM to fly between Los Angeles and Auckland but up until recently, the schedules showed Delta's original A350s taking over the route from 20 May and continuing to operate the route through the summer and through the next winter season. This is no longer the case.

Deal: Save up to 20% on Hyatt stays in the Asia Pacific region

a bridge over water with buildings and trees
As well as releasing at least 18 targeted offers (which we discussed earlier), Hyatt has also launched a new sale for stays in the 'Asia Pacific' region which covers properties in 224 locations across 20 countries.

Have you been targeted for one of Hyatt’s new promotions? (check these links)

a room with a large wall with colorful furniture
Hyatt has brought back a series of targeted deals that we last saw published at the beginning of 2023. There seem to be slightly fewer targeted deals in this iteration of the promotion (18 deals in 2024 v 23 deals in 2023) and it looks like the target audience may be narrower in 2024 than it was in 2023, but some of the offers still look good so it will be worth checking to see if Hyatt lists you among the chosen few.

A strange British Airways advert on Instagram

a row of seats in an airplane
Following a recent flight, I had some spare time on my hands thanks to the fact that someone at Heathrow doesn't appear to understand that scheduled flights require someone to meet them and to operate their assigned jetbridge, so I pulled out my phone and started scrolling through Instagram.

British Airways free inflight messaging is rolling out at a (seemingly) good pace

a group of airplanes at an airport
At the beginning of March, British Airways confirmed that as part of its £7bn transformation plan, it would begin to roll out free inflight messaging for its Executive Club members (of all tiers) from 3 April and that all its wifi enabled aircraft would offer this service within 2 weeks of the rollout starting.

Heathrow T5 First Wing security has reopened (liquid restrictions lifted)

a sign on a wall
In the first week of January, the First Wing security lanes at Heathrow T5 were closed to allow the airport to upgrade the scanners in line with the UK government's requirements and, at the time, it was believed that the upgrades would take 3 to 4 months. Amazingly, however, a little over 10 weeks after the security lanes were closed they're now up and running again complete with all the shiny new equipment that should make life a lot easier for passengers fortunate enough to have access to the First Wing.

Delta adds more flights to Shanghai from Detroit

a white airplane in the sky
A little over a weeks ago we had United Airlines announcing that it would be re-launching its route between Los Angeles and Shanghai and increasing capacity to Hong Kong and now, in a recent schedule update, Delta has added more flights to Shanghai out of Detroit.

Air France news: More US flights & more US routes to get new Business Class

a seat in a plane
Air France has issued a reminder of its network plans and things are looking good for transatlantic flyers. We have a new route, a restarted route and more flights on the way (all previously announced), and the airline is promising to roll out its newest Business Class product on more North American routes this summer.

How American Airlines & Alaska Airlines reciprocal upgrades work (includes details of a new change)

a collage of airplanes in the sky
Reciprocal upgrades have been available to American Airlines AAdvantage and Alaska Mileage Plan elites since 2021, and as a very recent change to the upgrade rules has improved the upgrade benefit for Alaska's flyers, this seems like a good time to recap how these upgrades work.

Comparing the five Marriott Bonvoy consumer credit cards (2025)

a door with a wreath on it
Since Amex and Chase both launched new mid-tier Marriott Bonvoy credit cards back in 2022, the number of Bonvoy consumer cards open to new applicants has stood at five. This article compares the annual fees, the earning rates, and the key benefits that these five cards offer in what is an easily digestible format to make it easier to see which Bonvoy card will work best for you.

6 of the best credit cards for dining, takeout & delivery services

a table and chairs outside with a red umbrella
A wide variety of cards offer bonuses or cash back for spending on dining, takeouts, and food delivery services, so I've pulled together a selection of five cards that I think offer some of the best returns available on dining expenditure. With no-annual-fee cards sharing this list with ultra-Premium cards, there should be a card that fits most people's wallets in this selection.

Delta confirms that it will restart its New York – Tel Aviv route (albeit later than planned)

a plane flying through a window
All three of the major US carriers suspended their routes Tel Aviv following the horrendous incidents we saw in Israel in October last year, but now these routes are starting to come back.

IHG will soon offer EV charging at all its properties in the US & Canada

a car charging station with green and white text
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8 best credit cards for supermarket & grocery spending

a grocery store with shelves of food and drinks
This article takes a look at 8 of the best mainstream credit cards you can hold if you're looking to maximize your return every time you go to your local supermarket or neighborhood grocery store.

Air New Zealand ‘pauses’ its Chicago flights from the end of March

a plane parked in front of a building
Throughout the winter 2023/24 season, Air New Zealand has been flying between Auckland and Chicago three times per week, and the same thrice weekly service was expected to be offered though the Northern Hemisphere summer. That plan has just gone out of the window.

Big Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan award chart changes now in progress

a white airplane on a runway
Last week, we covered the changes that Alaska Airlines has made (and is still to make) to how Mileage Plan elite status is earned and the benefits that elite status offers, but the really big changes that the airline is making to its frequent flyer program come in the form of the changes to its partner award charts.

United brings back Los Angeles – Shanghai & boosts Los Angeles – Hong Kong

a plane parked at an airport
The main route news out of United Airlines yesterday was the announcement that the airline would launch new services to Marrakesh, Cebu, and Medellin, but there was other promising route news too as the airline confirmed its plans to bring back its route between LA and Shanghai and told us that it would boost capacity on its route between LA and Hong Kong.

Emirates has opened its refreshed Hong Kong lounge

a room with chairs and tables in front of a large window with Rookery Building in the background
Some links to products and travel providers on this website will earn Traveling For Miles a commission that helps contribute to the running of...

Marriott will get a new hotel in Hong Kong next year (and Accor will lose one)

a room with a bed and a desk and chair
Marriott has today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Victoria Park Hotels to bring the Autograph Collection brand to Hong Kong in 2025 and if I'm reading things right, this move will see an Accor hotel rebranded as a Marriott Autograph Collection property at some point next year.

United Airlines launches new routes to Africa, South America & Asia Pacific

a plane on the tarmac
Yesterday, United Airlines used its various social media accounts to tease its audiences about three new routes that the airline is launching in 2023 and in the past hour, we've finally had confirmation of what those new routes will be. 

Why does my iPhone lie to me? (a genuine question)

a cell phone with apps on the screen
How were the pyramids built so accurately? Did the city of Atlantis really ever exist? Are we alone in the universe? Who killed JFK? Why do intelligent people watch 'reality' TV? These are just some of the great mysteries that have puzzled scholars, scientists, and academics for years, but they all pale into insignificance compared to the biggest mystery that faces me.

British Airways will return to Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok

looking up view of two tall buildings with Petronas Towers in the background
British Airways has still not quite restored all of the routes it operated before the pandemic (primarily because it still hasn't replaced all of the 747s that it retired), but a recent update from the airline has told us that two of its Asia routes will be returning before the end of the year.

Something I just learned: New aircraft don’t always come fully equipped with what an airline wants

a blue sky with white clouds
I've never really paid any attention to what an aircraft has or doesn't have when it's first delivered to an airline as, frankly, I don't really care. As long as it has whatever cabins we've been promised and is airworthy (sadly, not something that's always guaranteed if it has been made by Boeing), that has been good enough for me, and that's probably why the aircraft on one of my more recent flights caught me by surprise.

United Airlines adds two minor (but useful) benefits for Silver Elite members

a plane on the tarmac
Today, United has announced a couple of very minor extra status benefits for those of us who sit towards the bottom of the MileagePlus food chain, and if you have Silver status and fly with a few of United's Star Alliance partners, these may turn out to be benefits that have genuine value.

Delta has scheduled its new Los Angeles – Brisbane route

a plane taking off from a runway
United Airlines serves Brisbane from San Francisco, American Airlines has announced a new route to Brisbane that will launch in October, and now we know that Delta will start giving Brisbane a little more attention by launching a new seasonal route between the West Coast and the capital of Queensland.

The Rio Hotel & Casino Las Vegas joins the World of Hyatt

a room with a bed and a bathtub
Hyatt has now confirmed that effective 1 March 2024, the Rio Hotel & Casino Las Vegas has joined the World of Hyatt while it's still in the middle of its renovations, and it has been added to the program as a Category 3 property costing 9,000/12,000/15,000 points per night on off-peak/standard/peak dates.

Why I think Hyatt is publishing weak promotions (and why I think it can get away with it)

a pool with a view of a city
The latest World of Hyatt promotion goes live tomorrow and as promotions go, this one is weak. Very weak. And this appears to be the continuation of a recent Hyatt trend. Prior to last year, Hyatt had been known for offering promotions that offered real value (yes, even before the pandemic forced hotel chains to be nicer to everyone), but in the past twelve months, things seem to have gone noticeably downhill. 

Delta is bringing back its 3rd daily flight between Atlanta and London

a bridge over a river with a city in the background
As things stand, Delta offers a double daily service between Atlanta and London using its Boeing 767-400 aircraft, but once the summer season rolls along, not only will one of these flights be upgraded to a larger aircraft, the route will get back its 3rd daily flight that hasn't operated in seven years.

British Airways says it’s bringing Texas BBQ to its Austin route (for a month)

two men standing in front of a sign
Come Sunday (3 March), British Airways will have operated its Heathrow to Austin route for 10 years (with the occasional break for a pandemic) and to celebrate the occasion, the airline has adapted the menu on the Austin route for the month of March and has partnered with a famous Texas barbecue institution to produce limited edition bottles of their BBQ sauce.

The IHG European spring sale is now live (up to 20% off)

a man and woman walking in a garden
The IHG spring sale (for bookings at the chain's participating European properties) is now live and runs through to 5 March for stays into 2025. The sale is in two parts. For most IHG properties the sale is offering IHG One Rewards members up to 20% off a property's best flexible rate, while the Iberostar Beachfront Resorts have their own deal with savings of up to 15%.

The World of Hyatt 2024 devaluation (key category movers & a few statistics)

a pool with palm trees and a building in the background
As is usual this time of year (pandemics aside), the World Hyatt has now announced its hotel category changes for 2024 and once again, it's not great reading if you're a Hyatt fan. Yes, the announcement that came yesterday could have been a lot worse, but even so, there isn't much to be happy about with the changes that are on the way.

The Etihad Guest program devaluation in summary

a large white airplane with gold lettering on it
Etihad has announced a number of significant changes to its Etihad Guest loyalty program and on the whole, the news is bad. Most of the changes that have been announced will kick in later this year and these include things like adjustments to mileage expiry rules, increased award booking cancellation fees, and a devaluation in the lounge access benefit for elite members.

Hyatt’s new Bonus Journeys promotion is now open for registration

a building with a green door
As was first rumored two weeks ago, Hyatt has today formally announced its latest Bonus Journeys promotion and not only is registration for the promotion now open, but it looks like all the details that were accidentally leaked towards the beginning of the month were correct, so don't expect fireworks!

New York gets a new route to the heart of Tokyo with American Airlines [Updated for schedule information]

Kabukichō, Tokyo street with many colorful signs
Back in November, both United and American applied to the Department of Transport for the right to use the slot at Tokyo's Haneda Airport that had become vacant after Delta decided that its proposed Portland - Haneda route wasn't viable after all, and after a couple of months of lobbying, American Airlines has won the day.

Is the Ritz-Carlton™ credit card going to make a surprising return

a white house with trees and plants
The Ritz-Carlton™ credit card has been unavailable to new applicants for almost six years and a general rule says that no major credit card that has been removed from circulation reappears in a similar guise a few years down the line. But could the Ritz-Carlton™ credit card become the exception to that rule?

United Airlines to resume Tel Aviv service next month

a seat in a plane
Following the horrific incidents in October of last year, the three major US carriers as well as most European carriers took the decision to suspend their services to Israel. Since then, we've started to see some European carriers resume their Tel Aviv operations, but up until now, we haven't had any solid indication as to when the US carriers will follow suit.

Hyatt has opened a new all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean [Updated with new WoH Information]

a room with white furniture and wicker chandeliers
Hyatt has announced the opening of Secrets Playa Blanca Costa Mujeres making it the latest resort to join the World of Hyatt's 'Inclusive Collection'. The adults only all-inclusive property sits on the northeast corner of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula and is being opened across three phases.

Qatar Airways 777-300ER Qsuites Business Class review (BKK-DOH)

a seat on an airplane
Having experienced the newest Qatar Airways Business Class product followed by the oldest Qatar Airways Business Class product just a few days before, I was interested to use this flight between Bangkok and Doha to reacquaint myself with the most famous Qatar Airways Business Class cabin - the Qsuite cabin.

How I may use the upcoming Hyatt promotion to help me retain top-tier Globalist status

a bed with a chair and a desk
Officially, Hyatt isn't currently running a global promotion and no global Hyatt promotion has been announced, but thanks to what appears to have been an unintentional leak, we think we know what will be announced in the coming days, and I may be able to use this promotion to my advantage.

The Global Entry app can make international arrivals feel like a domestic arrival (almost!)

a red and white rectangular sign with a blue star and a red circle
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) unveiled a new app in September of last year that, we were told, is designed to 'enhance security while further improving the travel experience for CBP’s trusted travelers'. Recently, I finally remembered to give the app a try and discovered that it made my arrival into LAX on an international flight feel as close to a domestic arrival as I think it will ever get.

Review: Miracle First & Business Class Lounge concourse G Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport

a group of brown chairs and tables in a room
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport is home to a number of lounges branded with the 'Miracle' name, and as well as being lounges that you can pay pay to access just by walking in, they are also lounges that can be accessed by members of various lounge programs (e.g. Priority Pass), and they are lounges that some airlines send their passengers to if they don't have their own branded lounge at the airport.

The latest Qantas schedules confirm reduction in US flights from Australia

a red and white airplane tail fin
Back in December Qantas gave an indication that it would be reducing the amount of flying that it planned to do to/from the US for the Northern hemisphere winter, so we already had a heads up that there would be cuts on the routes between Australia and the US. The latest schedules, however, show that the cuts to capacity are going to be slightly deeper than we first thought.

Delta delays the resumption of its Los Angeles – Shanghai route (again!)

a city skyline with lights and a body of water
Before the coronavirus pandemic, Delta operated over 300 flights across multiple routes to two cities in China - Beijing and Shanghai - but since the world began getting back to normal, Delta has been taking its time getting its old routes to China back up and running.

Be careful, Marriott’s new promotion isn’t quite as generous as it has been in the past

a group of huts on water
Marriott's latest global promotion is now live and it's one of the best Marriott promotions that we've seen for a while. It isn't, however, quite as generous as a similar promotion that it has run in the past, so this is a gentle warning not to expect too much.

Review: JAL Sakura Lounge Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport

a room with chairs and tables
I found myself in the JAL lounge for two reasons. Reason 1 - Qatar Airways (the airline I was flying with) doesn’t allow passengers who are traveling on a ‘Business Lite’ fare to use their lounge in Bangkok. Reason 2 - Because the Cathay Pacific lounge had closed for the day and I had to find somewhere else to do some work before my flight.

This is the new IHG One Rewards Diamond fast track offer (targeted)

a white sign with black text
IHG One Rewards is targeting select members for its latest fast track to top-tier elite status promotion which is running through 24 March 2024. The promotion requires targeted members to stay just 8 nights at any of IHG's properties around the world before the promotion's end date, and that will then earn them top-tier Diamond elite status.

Emirates will finally resume service to Adelaide this year

an airplane flying over water
It's easy to forget that the fallout the airline industry felt from the coronavirus pandemic is, to some degree, still with us, but the fact is that a significant number of routes that were operating before the pandemic have not yet been restarted, so it's always nice to hear when one such route returns.

BIG NEWS: Hilton & Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) agree a new partnership

a sign on a wall
Hilton and Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) have announced a new partnership which as the press release puts it, will 'dramatically expand the luxury experiences offered by Hilton' and will see SLH properties participating in the Hilton Honors program.

Decoding the British Airways move to align Tier Point earning years

a plane on the runway
Yesterday, British Airways announced that it would be changing the timeframe in which members of its Executive Club program earn Tier Points (elite qualifying points) and to say that the messaging coming from the airline has been poor would be a gross understatement. It has been a mess.

British Airways aligns elite status years and the results are as clear as mud

a group of airplanes at an airport
One of the stranger things about the British Airways Executive Club has long been the fact that a member's elite status year has been based on when they joined the program and not on a standard program year shared by all other members. My elite status year, for example, ends in December, while Joanna's ends in March and that can make things awkward. Apparently, this won't be how things work for much longer.

American Airlines will offer a new service to Brisbane later this year [Updated for schedule update]

a plane with rows of seats and monitors
American Airlines has announced that it plans to operate a seasonal service between Dallas-Fort Worth and Brisbane from later this year signalling the arrival of a new longest non-stop route for the airline, and over the weekend, the airline added the flights to its schedule.

11 reasons to love the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (most are reasons why I hold it right now)

a bar with a row of chairs and a beer tap
I hold considerably more credit cards than I can fit into my wallet, so only a few of my cards come with me wherever I am and wherever I go. Some cards have a home in my smartphone wallet but not my actual wallet, and some have to make do with a space in my desk drawer until such time that they're called into action. One or two, however, never leave my side.

Review: Cathay Pacific Lounge Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport

a sign on a pole next to a building
Qatar Airways sends 'Business Lite' passengers with elite status to one of the many 'Miracle' lounges in the airport, but as I knew that Cathay Pacific wouldn't turn me away and would probably offer a considerably better experience, that was the first lounge that I went to (I tried the JAL lounge later).

British Airways is celebrating the Lunar New Year with surprise upgrades & new menu items (very limited time)

a seat in a plane
Apparently, 10 February is the Lunar New Year, so in honor of the 'year of the dragon', British Airways is adding a few new things to its menus (for a limited time), and on select long haul routes, some passengers will receive a surprise upgrade into Business Class.

Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok review

a sign on a building
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Chase Ultimate Rewards: Transfer partners & transfer times [updated 2026 edition]

a living room with a couch and a table
Chase Ultimate Rewards offers holders of select Chase credit cards the opportunity to earn one of the four big transferable currencies in the miles & points world – Ultimate Rewards points - and these points can be transferred across to a variety of other loyalty programs affiliated to major airlines and hotel chains. In this article, we take a look at these airline and hotel partners.

Promotion: Earn 50% more miles on select Singapore Airlines bookings (+ more)

a large airplane at an airport
Singapore Airlines is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its KrisFlyer program with a series of promotions that include bonus miles on flights, extra ways of earning elite status credits, and discounts on shopping purchases made with miles.

Which credit cards are best for overseas everyday spending?

a beach with umbrellas and chairs
There are increasingly more and more credit cards that don't charge foreign transaction fees when you use them abroad, and that's a trend that has been very good for those of us who like to travel. But when it comes to general everyday spending when you're outside of the US, most of these cards don't offer a great return. So which cards do?

Complete guide to the Marriott Bonvoy elite breakfast benefit

a trays of pastries and pastries
One of the benefits that comes with Marriott Bonvoy Platinum and Marriott Bonvoy Titanium status is complimentary breakfast, but Marriott has made the benefit so complicated that you need a definitive guide to understand it. Here is your guide.

Qatar Airways 777-300ER Business Class (non-Qsuite) review

a seat on an airplane
The famous Qatar Airways Qsuite is probably the best-known Business Class seat in the world, and it was a seat that was originally introduced on the airline's 777 aircraft a number of years ago. In this article, however, the Qatar Airways 777 that's being reviewed has not had the Qsuite installed so, a little surprisingly, I was given a trip back in time.

British Airways has pulled its third daily service to/from Newark

a large airplane on a tarmac
Coming up to two years' ago, British Airways announced that it would add a third daily flight to its Heathrow - Newark route and give New York flyers a 'daytime' transatlantic option that doesn't involve JFK.

Make the most of Rakuten’s $30/3,000 Amex points bonus for referrals

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Rakuten is one of my favorite cash back sites because it allows users to choose between earning pure cash back or Amex points in place of that cash back, and as we wrote about how you can choose to earn Amex points through Rakuten yesterday, today seems like a good time to write about the referral bonus that Rakuten also offers.

Qatar Airways Platinum Lounge Doha International Airport (South) review

a chair next to a table
If you're flying on a 'Business Lite' fare with Qatar Airways, your ticket will not get you access to the best known Business Class lounge in Doha - the Al Mourjan Lounge. Instead, the airline will relegate you to one of its lesser lounges, and the lounge to which you're relegated will depend on your elite status.

Earn 1,000 Etihad miles on each Hyatt stay through March

a row of chairs with a few computers
Hyatt and Etihad have announced a new promotion in which members of the Etihad Guest program can now earn 1,000 bonus miles on Hyatt stays made by the end of March. Award stays count in the same way as revenue stays, so this could represent an easy way to top up and Etihad account or to simply keep and Etihad balance alive.

Save on a Sixt+ rental car subscription with this targeted offer

a sign on a wall
Apparently, Amex wasn't satisfied with publishing just four rental car offers because after putting out deals for Hertz, Alamo, Avis and Budget, it has now launched a new targeted offer for spending on a Sixt+ subscription.

Hyatt Regency Oryx Doha mini review

a building with flags in front of it
In the middle of a recent set of flights with Qatar Airways, I found myself (unexpectedly) staying at the Hyatt Regency Oryx Doha, and while the stay wasn't long enough for me to justify calling this report a 'full review', what you'll find in this article should be more than enough to let you know what the property is like and what it offers.

Aer Lingus has moved in with American Airlines in Chicago

a sign on a brick wall
Historically, Aer Lingus has operated out of Terminal 5 at Chicago O'Hare but as of 24 January, the airline has moved out of the international terminal and is now sharing a terminal with American Airlines.

UK now won’t lift airport liquids restrictions until 2025

a group of people at an airport
By June of this this year, all the UK's major airports were meant to have new scanners which would have meant the end on the liquid restrictions that have been in place since 2006 (yes, we've been putting up with this nonsense for nearly 2 decades). That deadline is now in tatters.

Do I give American Airlines long-haul Business Class another try? (opinions please)

a seat in a plane
It wasn't just the American Airlines AAdvantage program that I turned my back on a few years ago, the airline itself started to see a lot less of my business, and in a couple of months' time, it will be four years since I last flew internationally with American Airlines (5 years if you don't count one flight taken during the pandemic).

Qatar Airways 787-9 Business Class review (Ascent seat)

a seat with pillows and a pillow on it
The best known Qatar Airways Business Class seat is the Qsuite that you'll find on the airline's A350 and 777 aircraft, but because the 787-9 isn't wide enough to accommodate the Qsuite in a 1-2-1 layout, some of the newest aircraft in the Qatar Airways long-haul fleet have an entirely different seat. They have the Ascent seat from Adient Aerospace. and that's the seat that you'll see in this review.

A look at seven of the major hotel best rate guarantees (what they say & what they offer)

a glass of water and sunglasses on a table
The rules of the various best rate guarantees offered by the major hotel chains and the compensation these guarantees offers can vary significantly, so what you'll find in this article is a look at each of the key guarantees currently published and some of my thoughts on what they offer.

Reminder: RewardsPlus is currently running a special promo for United & Marriott top-tier elites

a room with a television and chairs
As we covered the Marriott/United partnership yesterday, now seems like a good time to for a reminder that top-tier Marriott Bonvoy and with United MileagePlus elites are being offered a limited-time promotion which allows them to earn upgrades in the other's  loyalty program. 

My day to forget as Qatar Airways service standards hit a new low (a 3-part saga!)

a close up of a logo
I've recently enjoyed a short but very useful trip to Bangkok, and it was Qatar Airways that flew me there from Europe. Reviews of the Business Class cabins that I flew in are on their way (all four were different), but before I move on to those, I'd like to share the experiences that I had with the airline's ground services in Oslo, in the air, and in Doha - they weren't good!

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