Adam Stuart

Avid traveler/lounge aficionado, who looks to maximize the fun while traveling. The journey can be as fun as the destination!
a bar with many bottles of liquor on the counter
BoardingArea
Review: United Polaris Lounge, Chicago O’Hare (ORD)
The first Polaris Lounge reborn with a fresh look, an elegant dining room, and a speakeasy style bar The revamped Polaris Lounge at Chicago O’Hare shines with new furnishings, an elegant dining room, and a second “speakeasy” style bar which sets it apart from the other Polaris Lounges in the network. The...
a sign on a building
BoardingArea
Review: Swiss Senator Lounge, Concourse A – Zurich (ZRH)
Swiss refinement with great food. The last of the Swiss Senator Lounges I visited, the lounge in Zurich’s A concourse has all the hallmarks Swiss lounges: open cooking station, large buffet, professional staff, lots of wood, and lots of outlets. The summary The lounge is located not far from clearing security and is...
a plate of food and a cup of coffee on a table
BoardingArea
Review: United/Air Canada Arrivals Lounge – London Heathrow (LHR) Terminal 2
Shower, recharge, and have breakfast This lounge checks all the boxes of an arrivals lounge for business class travelers taking overnight flights across the Atlantic. The summary Located just outside of baggage claim and customs at Terminal 2 of London Heathrow, this United/Air Canada lounge is designed for business class travelers taking red-eye...
a sign on a wall
BoardingArea
Review: United Polaris Lounge – EWR (Updated)
New dining room enhances this lounge, which remains one of the better business class lounges in the US. This lounge is crowded in the late afternoon, and has been surpassed by Delta One’s lounge at JFK (and the Polaris lounge in Washington Dulles). Nevertheless, the lovely new dining room and other...
Also on BoardingArea
2PAXfly
RIYADH AIR: Launches Sfeer loyalty program and Hafawa lounge
Riyadh Air has introduced Sfeer (meaning ‘Ambassador’ in Arabic), a loyalty program designed to be digital from the ground up. Expect a spend-based reward program, with most of the usual benefits. But there are a few intriguing signposts for the yet-to-be fully detailed program. Here’s a summary of what we know,...
2PAXfly
RIYADH AIR: Launch route is London Heathrow from 26 October for a select few
Saudi Arabia’s emerging national carrier, Riyadh Air, has confirmed that its inaugural international route will link Riyadh to London Heathrow (LHR) beginning October 26, 2025. But, don’t get too excited, since these flights are not for the public, only for a select group of related employees. London First, Dubai Next: The...
Frequent Miler
Stephen wins 100K Vacay! Agree? Disagree? Vote!
Frequent Miler’s latest team challenge, 100K Vacay, is done. The goal (which was handily achieved) was to create an incredible vacation with 100,000 transferable points and a $1,000 budget. And that budget had to account for everything from flights to lodging to meals to local transportation to entry fees to…...
The Bulkhead Seat
The United Club℠ in Hong Kong Reopened Today After Being Closed for a Five-Year Renovation
The United Club℠ at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) closed in February 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The good news for flyers headed to one of my favorite cities in the world is that the lounge reportedly reopened today, October 8th. The United Club℠ closed due to air...
The Bulkhead Seat
United Will Announce New International Routes Tomorrow
United Airlines does a great job in building excitement for its new international route announcements. The carrier has made adding routes a fun guessing game with social media posts that offer clues as to where it will fly next. United has by far the best and most diverse international route...
You Are Travel
Success: Stacking an Amex Offer and Leaders Club Benefits for The Win
tl;dr – Following up on a booking decision from a few weeks ago! A few weeks ago, I wrote about my dilemma in booking the Anantara The Marker Dublin – specifically, whether I should book through Leaders Club or GHA Discovery, while attempting to trigger an Amex offer for $100 back...
ATX Jetsetter
JSX Celebrates 50th Jet Delivery With a Special Retro Livery
JSX, a Dallas based public charter air carrier, just hit a major fleet milestone by taking delivery of its 50th jet aircraft. To celebrate the occasion, it has painted the newest member of its fleet in a special retro themed livery. Dallas based JSX has unveiled a new, retro themed,...
Points With a Crew
Get An Easy $50 From Rakuten (Offer Extended)
KEY LINK: Sign-up for a Rakuten account with a best-ever $50 bonus. Offer now good through December 31st Rakuten is one of the most popular shopping portals out there. With a shopping portal, you can earn cashback, miles or points by making purchases online. Simply go through the shopping portal of...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Visiting New York Will Get Even More Expensive: Toll and Fare Increases Approved
Visiting New York will get even more expensive, as the proposed tolls and fares for mass transportation were approved on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 by the members of the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York; and therefore will increase sometime in January of 2026. Visiting New York Will...
Frequent Miler
Under points & under budget (Stephen’s 100K Vacay journal)
My 100K Vacay has come to an end and even I’m impressed by the numbers I put up (or, more like, didn’t put up!) What is the 100K Vacay challenge? Nick, Stephen, and Tim each picked a different transferable points currency they think can compete with Greg’s 100K Chase Ultimate Rewards points,...
Travel With Grant
No Upcoming Hilton Stay? Turn Your Credit Into a $50 Snack Shopping Spree
Good afternoon everyone, I hope your week is going well.  Last week, I received a reminder email from Hilton about the Q4 $50 Hilton credit on my American Express Hilton Honors Surpass Credit Card.  I also receive another Q4 $50 Hilton credit from my American Express Business Platinum Card.  In the past, it...
Your Mileage May Vary
Brightline Launches Its Own Loyalty Program — “Brightline Rewards”
Brightline’s been zipping riders between Orlando and South Florida for a while now, but one thing it never had? A loyalty program. That just changed — say hello to Brightline Rewards. If you’ve taken Brightline between Orlando and South Florida (like my wife Sharon’s been doing while racking up airports for...
One Mile at a Time
My Citi AAdvantage Business Card Application Approval Experience
Link: Learn more about the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® The Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® (review) is American’s only co-branded business credit card that’s currently open to new applicants. There’s lots of merit to picking up this card, including an improved welcome offer. I’ve previously picked up...
Economondo
Flying an Old King Air on a Scheduled Commercial Flight: Stockholm to Sveg with Jonair
Background First taking to the skies in 1963, the Beechcraft King Air has enjoyed enormous levels of success, demonstrated by the fact that the type continues to roll off the production line almost sixty years later! Designed to be a luxurious corporate turboprop transport aircraft capable of transporting the rich and...
View from the Wing
A Hotel Owner Entered A Woman’s Room At 3 A.M. — The Brand Is Still Taking Him Back
The White Peak Hotel in Frisco, Colorado used to be a Holiday Inn. It appears it may have been deflagged half a dozen years ago, or transitioned to a Choice property and became unbranded. Now it appears to be returning to IHG. To get it up to snuff there’s some work...
Frequent Miler
Shipping back to Boston & a final cost tally (Nick’s 100K Vacay journal)
I am publishing this post from 36,000 feet to share a full tally of the final costs from my 100K Vacay. Read on for that last update and join us tonight for a live podcast recording recapping 100K Vacay and hearing the judges declare a winner! What is the 100K Vacay...
Points With a Crew
Amazon Prime Big Deal Days Ending Soon – Grab These Deals Before It’s Over
Amazon Prime Day happens once per year in July and offers some of the biggest deals out there across a wide variety of different types of products. Perhaps to fill the gap between Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday, Amazon has announced Amazon Prime Big Deal Days, which take place...
Your Mileage May Vary
Some of The Most Awesome Airport Pickup Signs Ever
Sometimes I’ll Google something just for fun. My name (to see what mischief I’ve been up to now). A TV show I watched when I was a little kid, or someone in it, as a “whatever happened to?” sort of quest. And not too long ago, just for the heck...
Monkey Miles
Capital One Venture Rewards Referral Offer ( $300 travel credit + 75k – leave links )
The public offer on the Capital One Venture Rewards is a 75k Miles after $4k spend in 3 months. However, there is a targeted referral offer of $300 Travel Credit + 75k Miles after $4k spend in 3 months. This doesn’t seem to work for everyone, but feel free to...
Travel Points Playbook
Stretching Your Legs (and Your Budget): Extra Legroom Seat Cost Showdown
I was fortunate enough to snag extra legroom seats on both of my flights last week; exit row on a legacy 737-700 which had not been modified and an aisle seat in the second row of a -800 series plane that had been modified. The flights were both long...
Live from a Lounge
Riyadh Air launches Sfeer, it’s Loyalty Programme
Riyadh Air has been preparing for its launch for a long time, and we are finally on track. The airline announced today the imminent launch of flights to London Heathrow and Dubai. It will be more like a soft launch, but they will be off the ground at least. But...
One Mile at a Time
Aman At Sea: 47-Suite Amangati “Superyacht” Sets Sail Spring 2027
It’s interesting to see the increasing trend of luxury hotel groups launching cruise lines, or perhaps more accurately, licensing out their names to partner on new cruising concepts. For example, a few years back we saw the launch of Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and in 2026, we’re supposed to see the...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
As Low as $96 One Way to Hawaii
You can book fares for as low as $96 one way Hawaii to and from the continental United States for travel with Hawaiian Airlines on various dates between October of 2025 and November of 2025, depending on the specific flight route… As Low as $96 One Way to Hawaii …but you must...
ATX Jetsetter
Kyoto is Drastically Increasing Hotel Taxes to Curb Overtourism
In an effort to curb overtourism, Kyoto, Japan is instituting a massive increase in hotel taxes. While the tax will be calculated based on the room rate, it also applies to bookings using points. Based on some estimates, this could represent a 10x increase in occupancy taxes, giving...
a group of pictures on a wall
BoardingArea
Review: United Club at Washington Dulles Int’l Airport (IAD), C Gates
Large and dated lounge with no windows, but good to get work done The rather large United Club at IAD (C gates), like all the Dulles United Clubs (not Polaris) is caught in a time-warp with a dated design, no windows, but has plenty of places to charge your devices and...
a group of chairs and tables in a room
BoardingArea
Review: Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at Washington Dulles Int’l Airport (IAD), Concourse A
The Dulles Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse has many of the features that people appreciate about these lounges: mainly a modern and playful decor. But for Priority Pass passengers, nearly everything has to be paid for. The summary The Dulles Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse is near gate A32, and there is no entrance fee for...
a room with chairs and a table
BoardingArea
Review: The Club at Buffalo Niagara Int’l Airport (BUF), Terminal 2, E Gates
The Club, a Priority Pass Lounge and the only lounge at Buffalo’s airport has a decent breakfast buffet and nice views of the tarmac. However, several exposed ventilation pipes severely mar the space. The summary The lounge is easily found: it is right after travelers clear security and near gate 6 in...
a room with a computer desk and chairs
BoardingArea
Review: United Club at Chicago O’Hare Int’l Airport (ORD), Terminal 2, E Gates
New lounge in former Sky Club location provides United flyers with an overflow location at O'Hare's Terminal 2. The summary Taking over the space that housed the former Sky Club, which moved when Delta departed to Terminal 5, the United Club at the E gates in Terminal 2 provides additional lounge space...
a painting of a building and a bridge
BoardingArea
Review: United Club at Washington Dulles Int’l Airport (IAD), D Gates
Large, dated, ok to get work done The rather large United Club at IAD (D gates), like all the Dulles United Clubs (not Polaris) is caught in a time-warp with a dated design that matches the dreary concourse. The summary Seasoned travelers know that the regular United Clubs at IAD are very depressing...
a woman standing at a counter in a room with a large poster of an airplane
BoardingArea
Review: United Club at San Francisco Int’l Airport (SFO), Terminal 3, E Gates
United's smaller overflow club at SFO sports the mid-2010s design A satisfactory lounge that is highlighted by large windows that face the tarmac, a decent buffet, and plenty of places to plug in to get work done. The summary This rather small (for a hub lounge) is located by the entry to the...
a mural of a bridge and clouds
BoardingArea
Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge San Francisco Int’l Airport (SFO), Terminal 2, D Gates
One of the finest Maple Leaf Lounges, anywhere This lounge remains one of the best at San Francisco International with a beautiful heated outdoor terrace, elegant decor, lovely bar, showers and a substantial buffet. The summary Located the upper level of Terminal 2, by the D gates, Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounge...
a sign in a building
BoardingArea
Review: United Club at San Francisco Int’l Airport (SFO), International Terminal, G Gates
Former global services lounge retains some interesting design elements, but needs a serious refresh. This former global services lounge in the concourse that serves international fights by Star Alliance carriers, United included, retains some Asian-inspired features, but is way past its prime. The summary This lounge is located near the end of the...