
Frequent Miler
Success: Capital One Shopping cash back on a hotel booking, 10 months later
Many credit cards offer bonuses when booking hotels through the credit card portal, and some credit cards offer hotel credits. However, I don’t highly value the 8x or 10x or 12x offered by various credit card portals, and I don’t value credit card hotel credits at face value. A large...

Frequent Flyer Bonuses
Top 5 Hotel Bonus Points offers for January 2026
Here are our Top Hotel Stay Bonuses for this month! These are for stays that you credit to a hotel frequent guest program. Many of these offers go beyond this month so don’t count them out for stays you’re booking past this month. If none of the offers listed below...

The Gate with Brian Cohen
Wildfires in Victoria in Australia: January 2026 Travel Alert
If you plan on visiting the state of Victoria in Australia, your travels may be affected by as many as a dozen major wildfires which have been burning out of control in January of 2026.
Thousands of firefighters have been battling multiple bushfires that are out of control across Victoria after...

Frequent Miler
(Reminder) Negative Venture X & Venture X Business lounge access changes coming
Update 1/13/26: A quick reminder that the lounge policy for Venture X and Venture X Business cardholders will be changing with effect from February 1, 2026. ~ Since their launches, the Venture X and Venture X Business cards have been popular cards for those seeking lounge access. That’s because Capital...

Frequent Miler
How to fix Marriott Bonvoy | Coffee Break Ep87 | 1-13-26
Greg recently had two great stays at Marriott Bonvoy hotels in South Florida: The Ben, The Belgrove Resort. But the fact that these positive experiences surprised him (and that they were kind of the exception to the rule) prompted some ideas on what’s wrong with Bonvoy. How to fix Marriott...

Live and Let’s Fly
Review: Aloft Seattle Sea-Tac Airport (Practical SEA Airport Hotel)
The Aloft Seattle Sea-Tac Airport worked out nicely for my late arrival into SEA, with a free shuttle that operates around the clock and a clean and comfortable room. It’s not fancy, but it does the job. Aloft Seattle Sea-Tac Airport Review My hotel was paid for by Alaska Airlines...

















