Last Friday evening I was on a Southwest flight bound for Chicago Midway fiddling with the painfully slow Southwest inflight internet when I made a weekend altering observation. Weather.com told me that Denver was supposed to be cold tomorrow….Like really cold….Like “There is no way you are taking our children to sit outside in freezing…
About alex
Alex loves to travel and does so a lot. Logging 100,000 flight miles each year over the past 4 years, Alex uses points and miles to power his passion. Alex is continuously striving to experience the far reaches of the globe. In his day job, Alex is a Management Consultant frequently on the road advising Technology organizations. I love thinking about, reading about, and talking about all things travel. Feel free to reach me at pmmalex@gmail.com
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Test your knowledge: How well do you understand award chart tricks?
Bloggers spend a lot of time sharing complex tricks with readers such as fuel dumping, free one-ways, and manufactured spend. But if you are like me, not everything you read clicks right away. Sure, I can usually recite the trick back but can I really put it into practice? The best way to confirm your…
United reps can’t book select Austrian award space but YOU can
I wrote last week how I booked two Business Class seats on Austrian Airlines using United miles for this summer. I received several follow-up emails asking me how I was able to ticket the booking as it appears others attempting to book similar flights were running into a snag. As a follow-up, I wanted to…
It finally happened at my Hyatt!
This entire week I have been staying at a Hyatt for business. I entered my room this evening as I normally do but something was different.  I was scanning my belongings scattered about the room and something caught the corner of my eye. Could it be?! After discovering what had changed, tears of joy started…
Earn 1000 Southwest Points for using TurboTax Online
I hate to bring this up but it is time to start thinking about tax season. As is the case with any activity which requires an exchange of money, we points collectors need to think about how we can generate points from this inevitabletransaction. Southwest Airlines and TurboTax have teamed up to offer an easy way to earn 1000 Rapid Rewards…
Summer award availability excellent for new Austrian Airlines Business Class
The time is now to start thinking about Summer tickets to Europe if you are in the market. Last week I mentioned how good availability was for Business Class seats on the LOT 787 Dreamliner TO Europe. Another new and promising option to hop across the pond is on Austrian Airlines featuring their brand new…
Fantastic (new-ish) Diamond benefit at Park Hyatt Tokyo
I recently returned from a week in the fascinating country of Japan. A stop at the Park Hyatt Tokyo was a must given the hotel is one of the most famous hotels in the world and is easily attainable using Hyatt points. I stayed in a suite in March when I first visited this hotel…
Southwest offering bonus points for corporate bookings (Targeted)
Southwest has a tendency to leak their new promotions into user’s accounts a few days before they are actually announced. Today I noticed a new bonus targeting business travelers who use corporate bookings through swabiz.com. This morning the details were blank but it appears they have been uploaded some time this evening. Essentially for the…
My favorite hotel stays of 2012
2012 marked a significant shift in the way I think about and target aspirational hotel stays. In the past few years, my goal was to land suites, suites and more suites at as many W and St. Regis properties as I could find. I had good success using that strategy however I eventually hit a…
Consolidate Starbucks gift cards to save wallet space
One of the inconveniences of a rapidly changing credit card strategy is the inevitable bloated, “George Costanza” wallet one will likely end up with. The holiday season does little to alleviate this space crunch when you are looking for a home for those Starbucks gift cards you received in your stocking. Starbucks provides an easy…
145,086 miles and 124 Flights – 2012 year in review
I have been traveling every week as a business consultant for a little over four years now. I average around 4 nights per month in my Chicago apartment but I am OK with that. At the beginning of 2012 I made the (mighty difficult) decision that I value my personal relationships and community over a…
Award availability excellent on LOT 787….but only one way!
The time is now to start thinking about Summer tickets to Europe if you are in the market. One of the newest and most promising options to hop across the pond is from LOT, the Polish carrier, on their new 787 Dreamliner. I flew long-haul on the Dreamliner this month on Japan Airlines and was…
First long-haul 787 and a KFC breakfast
As I wrote about last month, Japan Airlines recently launched nonstop service between Tokyo Narita and San Diego. New routes are always exciting to me because they generally offer an excellent opportunity for a lot of open award space. The schedule is set well before the airline can understand the true demand on the route…
Two commonly overlooked bonuses for Hyatt Diamond members
There are two enormously generous benefits for Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond members that are often overlooked. The first is clearly laid out in the Terms and Conditions while the second is not. 1. 2500 bonus points for a closed club lounge. This benefit is clearly stated on the Hyatt website. During periods of high demand…
Beautiful sight at the Park Hyatt Tokyo
I consider the Park Hyatt Tokyo one of the most iconic hotel points redemptions. I have been extremely fortunate to spend five award nights at the hotel this year spread across two different trips. For all five nights I have been assigned a Mount Fuji view room though I had never actually seen the mountain…
Do not fly Lufthansa First Class on the A380!
Flying First Class with Lufthansa on the A380 seems like a good idea at the time when you are being wined and dined like royalty laying on a bed in the sky……but just wait until you touch down and board a future flight. Lufthansa First Class You start asking yourself questions like….. Why don’t…
Setting up a travel notification on a Bank of America card
Most big banks have an online travel notification form where you can alert your bank that your card will be used overseas. If you fail to alert your bank there is a high chance they will reject any transactions abroad if you have not alerted them as a precaution. I have a Bank of America…
Foreign transaction fees eliminated for debit card from ING Direct (Now Capital One 360)
We have seen a positive trend lately from newly launched credit card products choosing to eliminate those pesky foreign transaction fees which are generally a small percentage for using a card outside the US. The same can’t be said for debit card products. For years I have been using a no-fee ING Direct Electric Orange…
Dreamliner service launches tomorrow from San Diego on JAL and availability is good!
Japan Airlines is launching a new nonstop service between San Diego and Tokyo tomorrow, December 2 on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Initial service is four weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. New routes are always exciting to me because they generally offer an excellent opportunity for a lot of open award space. The…
Calculating A Road Warrior’s Rent – One Day Home Per Month
I love my cozy Lincoln Park apartment situated a few miles North of downtown Chicago. As I wrote out my rent check for November and December I couldn’t help but feel like I wasn’t doing a very good job justifying my big city rent. Over the last two months, exciting opportunity after exciting opportunity opened…