Point Me to the Plane

BoardingArea is highly rated for delivering insightful tips, advice, and reviews about the topic of travel and travelers’ obsession with frequent flyer miles and points. This up-to-date information is tailored to all levels of travel expertise from a diverse collection of experienced contributors, including travel bloggers, industry insiders and avid adventurers. REQUIRED READING FOR FREQUENT FLYERS.
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Point Me to the Plane
Historical Hotel and Great Location Makes This London Hyatt A Fun Choice!
London hotels come in all shapes and sizes. None are as original and quirky as this one though!
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Point Me to the Plane
My Stay At This Iconic Hyatt Hotel Was Disappointing
Should a disappointing hotel room cloud a hotel stay? In this case not entirely. Yet enough that I rate this hotel much lower than expected.
This is a black and white cartoon depicting a crowded airplane aisle with several passengers vying for an upgrade. One person says, "I've flown 500,000 miles this year!" Another responds, "Well, I'm a million miler!" A third person counters, "Oh yeah? Well I know Randy Petersen!" The caption reads, "The competition for upgrades intensifies!" The cartoon humorously illustrates the lengths people go to for airline upgrades.
BoardingArea
Frequent Flyer Funnies: The Art of the Upgrade
Welcome back to Frequent Flyer Funnies, your destination for laughs from the skies. This week, we're delving into the high-stakes world of airline upgrades, where mileage and connections collide in a comedic quest for a better seat. Buckle up as we explore the fascinating dynamics of upgrade competition! What the Comic...
A cartoon depicts a scene at an airport gate labeled "Gate 6A." A sign above reads "Travel Quiz." Several people are interacting with a machine that resembles a polygraph, operated by a person behind a counter. The machine is connected to a man with a Hawaiian shirt. Below, text humorously describes the machine's functions: A) Records your heartbeat while waiting for upgrade clearance. B) Records your voice volume when your program changes its rules again. C) Records your blood pressure when you're denied a free award seat. D) All of the above. A caption at the bottom reads: "The TSA and Secret Service use magnetometers, but have you ever seen a mileometer being used? Now you can say you have."
BoardingArea
Frequent Flyer Funnies: The Mileometer Mystery
Welcome back to another edition of #FrequentFlyerFunnies, where we uncover the humor in the highs and lows of air travel! This week, we’re exploring the whimsical world of imaginary gadgets with the “Mileometer”—a device that captures the emotional saga of every frequent traveler. Buckle up for some laughs! What the Comic...
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Frequent Miler
Pivoting plans in a pinch, searching for the best search tool and more
One of the things I love about having a range of miles and points is the sense of confidence it gives me in the ability to figure things out. Yesterday, we made a very tight turn in St. Thomas as part of the JetBlue 25 for 25 promo. In fact,...
One Mile at a Time
Chase Ink & Sapphire Business Card Guide: How & Why To Apply
While there are lots of excellent business credit cards out there, Id argue that Chase’s portfolio of business cards — including the the Sapphire Reserve for BusinessSM, Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, Ink Business Cash Credit Card, and Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card — are among the most compelling. The cards have exceptional...
You Are Travel
Reminder: The Costa Rican Retreat You’ll Want to Go On – Book Now!
This week, I’m covering all things Costa Rica and Panama, as I recap a recent trip to the… The post Reminder: The Costa Rican Retreat You’ll Want to Go On – Book Now! appeared first on You Are Travel.
One Mile at a Time
Whoa: Delta Plans Los Angeles To Hong Kong Flights As Of June 2026!
A few days ago, Delta officially announced plans to launch an exciting new long haul route, as had been predicted by JonNYC. I want to provide a quick update, as the schedule for the flight has now been published, and flights are expected to go on sale in the next...
PointsMath
British Airways Award Flight Sale: Get 40% off
British Airways has launched an Award flight sale. You get a 40% off on British Airways Avios Reward Flight US or Europe to or from London Heathrow Airport, London City Airport or London Gatwick Airport. Also get 40% Bonus Avios on Buying Avios till 24th July 2025. 40% on British...
PointsMath
Buy Avios with up to 40% Bonus from British Airways [1.64¢/Avios or ₹ 1.42/Avios ]
Avios is the Miles Currency of Aer Lingus, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia Airlines & Qatar Airways. These airlines are members of OneWorld Alliance, except Aer Lingus. All five airlines have separate frequent flyer programs, but Avios can easily be transferred within a minute between these airlines, primarily via British Airways....
Live from a Lounge
3X HSBC Points on Air India bookings made with HSBC Premier and HSBC TravelOne cards throughout July 2025
HSBC is offering up to 3X points on using their credit cards through the rest of July 2025 to book your Air India tickets. Here are the details. The post 3X HSBC Points on Air India bookings made with HSBC Premier and HSBC TravelOne cards throughout July 2025 appeared first...
PointsMath
Deal: Buy Lufthansa Miles & More Miles with Flat 50% Bonus [1.38¢ or ₹1.19/Mile]
Lufthansa is a member of Star Alliance. Its frequent flyer program is Miles & More. Although its miles are some of the most difficult to earn worldwide, you can buy Lufthansa Miles with a Flat 50 % Bonus. Buy Lufthansa Miles Offer Details Unlike other Airlines, Lufthansa offers different types...
PointsMath
British Airways Reward Flight Saver
British Airways’ frequent flyer program is called “British Airways Club,” and Avios is its miles currency. Everyone in the field knows how notorious British Airways is for charging “Fuel Surcharges”; add the “UK Airport Passenger Duty”, and you will be paying a lot of money for an award flight. Yes,...
Eye of the Flyer
VIDEO: A Delta 767 Engine Caught Fire During Takeoff from LAX on Friday!
For the second time this week, a flight departing Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) experienced an engine fire after takeoff. On Monday, it was a Sun Country 737. Shortly after noon on Friday, the left engine of a Delta Air Lines 767-400 departing LAX caught fire just as the plane...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: IPO—What it means for travellers now the airline’s public again
Virgin Australia is officially back on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX). After five years in the private-equity hangar under Bain Capital, the airline took off on the stock market runway on 24 June 2025, in one of the year’s most anticipated floats. But while the headlines were full of share...
Points With a Crew
Chase Ink Business Preferred® vs. Chase Ink Business Cash® – which is better? $750 or 90,000 Points
The Chase Ink Preferred and Chase Ink Cash are two of Chase's business credit cards and they can both be great options to boost your Ultimate Rewards points balance. Deciding which one is best can depend on ...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Quit That Loyalty Program Mindset Once and For All.
The term loyalty program was a misnomer in the year 2015, for all intents and purposes; and is even more of a misnomer in 2025. The time is long overdue to quit that loyalty program mindset once and for all. Even exactly ten years after this article was first published, articles...
Frequent Miler
Citi Strata Elite to launch in-branch Sunday with tiered 100K bonus (more juicy details)
After being deluged with Chase Sapphire Reserve and Reserve for Business speculation over the last few weeks, there’s a new topic catching steam in the blogosphere: the prospective launch of the long-awaited Citi Strata Elite card. A source from Citi shared some details with us earlier this week, which Greg...
The Alviator
Review: Eurowings A319 Economy Class (STR-LHR)
A review of a Eurowings flight from Stuttgart to London, including the booking process, seating, and their buy-on-board food selection. The post Review: Eurowings A319 Economy Class (STR-LHR) appeared first on The Alviator.
Frequent Miler
Our next all travel card | Frequent Miler on the Air Ep315 | 7-18-25
In this podcast episode, we’ll talk about how Bilt is going cardless (but with more cards). We’ll see how Etihad is making unfavorable decisions, vying for our Bonvoyed of the year “award”, and we’ll talk about which credit card is the best for all kinds of travel expenses (since the...
Travel With Grant
5 Credit Cards, $1,000 in Annual Fees: Which Retention Offers Did I Receive?
In the first week of July, I faced over $1,000 in credit card annual fees and called each company to inquire about retention offers. Discover the outcomes of my calls and which cards I decided to keep or close. The post 5 Credit Cards, $1,000 in Annual Fees: Which Retention Offers...
One Mile at a Time
My Awful 74-Minute Call With Hyatt’s New Outsourced Call Center
Several weeks ago, I covered how Hyatt laid off most of its US-based customer service agents, instead choosing to outsource these jobs. Well, I just had my first experience with what I have to assume is one of these new phone support agents. After 74 minutes on the phone, I...
Your Mileage May Vary
This Southwest 737-700 Felt Every Bit of Its Age
We recently flew from Aruba (AUA) to Orlando (MCO) on a Southwest 737-700 that had clearly seen some miles—and years. Looking up the tail number (N480WN), we found out this…
Frequent Miler
Chase Bonvoy Boundless: Five Marriott 50K free night certificates offer still available via referral
Update 7/18/25: The public links for this offer are all dead, but it’s still available via referral links (which is what we have on our Best Offers page). Those will almost certainly die soon, so act fast if you missed out. Note that you can refer from another Chase card...
The Bulkhead Seat
Completed for 2026: I Requalified for United Premier 1K® Status Today
I have held Premier 1K® or Global Services status every year since United Airlines… The post Completed for 2026: I Requalified for United Premier 1K® Status Today appeared first on The Bulkhead Seat.
View from the Wing
LaGuardia’s Chase Sapphire Lounge Is Spectacular—Except For The Rock Hard Salmon Bun And Bland Burger
Order up a cocktail, sit at the bar, in a quiet spot, or by the fireplace. Head to the gameroom with friends. Book a facial using a QR code that's ubiquitous throughout the lounge. And see whether you agree with the majority opinion that the food is...
Frequent Miler
Delta Amex Offer: Spend $500 & Get $100 Back (up to 2 times)
There is a new Delta Amex Offer out that provides some decent savings. The version that I have gives you a $100 statement credit after $500+ in spend (in one or more purchases), AND you can do it twice for a total of $200 in possible credits. There are usually...
Your Mileage May Vary
The Smallest Airport in the United States
A couple of months ago, I wrote about my experience at what was the smallest airport I had ever seen. Upon reading that, one of our readers took the opportunity…
A black and white cartoon depicts a person with glasses looking through a microscope at a document titled "Frequent Flyer Program Rules." The person is exclaiming "AH-HA!" in a speech bubble. Below the image, there is a caption that reads, "who ever thought it was a good idea to try and hide the fine print from frequent flyers?"
BoardingArea
Frequent Flyer Funnies: The Microscope Method for Fine Print
Welcome back to Frequent Flyer Funnies, your weekly dose of laughs from the skies! This time, we’re zooming in on something we all know too well—those sneaky frequent flyer program rules. You might want to grab your reading glasses… or better yet, a microscope! Let’s see what happens when our...
Points With a Crew
What Should You Tell The Hotel Front Desk If Your Stay Was Awful?
We've all been there - a subpar hotel stay and now you're checking out. What do you tell the front desk? Do you let them know why your stay was ...
A colorful cartoon image shows a large computer screen with the text "YOU'VE WON 25,000 MILES!" and "LOVE, KELLOGG'S." Below the text is a button labeled "SEND" with an arrow pointing up. An animated character wearing a hat labeled "CRACKLE" is reaching towards the screen, while another character wearing a hat labeled "SNAP" is standing nearby. The background includes various office supplies and equipment.
BoardingArea
Frequent Flyer Funnies: When Elves Go Bad
Welcome back to our sky-high series, #FrequentFlyerFunnies, where we find the humor in the hustle of racking up those miles. This week, we're navigating a hilarious marketing mishap involving Kellogg's. Fasten your seatbelts for a laugh! What the Comic Shows: The comic features a humorous take on a real incident from April...
A black and white cartoon depicts a news reporter standing in front of an airport runway with airplanes in the background. The reporter is holding a microphone and a piece of paper, speaking into the camera. A speech bubble next to the reporter reads, "Times are really tough for the airlines; that's why they have to cut frequent flyer benefits." The title at the top of the cartoon says, "Those Frequent Flyer Miles... The Way It Is!"
BoardingArea
Frequent Flyer Funnies: The Way It Is vs. The Way It Ought to Be
Welcome back to another edition of #FrequentFlyerFunnies! Today, we're taking a humorous look at the contrast between the reality of frequent flyer benefits and the ideal world we all wish existed. Get ready for a laugh as we explore the airline industry's creative take on "tough times."   What the Comic Shows: In...
The image is a cartoon illustration depicting four people in a snowy, icy environment. Three of them are sitting on the ground, bundled up in winter clothing. One person is pouring a drink from a thermos, another is holding a cup, and the third is sitting with their hands in their lap. The fourth person is lying on the ground, appearing to have slipped or fallen. In the background, there are two penguins standing on the ice.
BoardingArea
Frequent Flyer Funnies: The Chilly Reality of Off-Peak Award Travel
Ever found yourself questioning the true value of those off-peak award travel deals? This week's #FrequentFlyerFunnies takes a frosty look at the lengths some travelers go to in order to maximize their miles. Bundle up, grab a hot cocoa, and get ready for a laugh! What the Comic Shows: In this comic,...
A comic depicting a frequent flyer undergoing a vision test with two charts. The first chart, read by an optimistic airline customer, shows 'MORE UPGRADES, BETTER AWARD AVAILABILITY, FEWER FEES.' The second chart, read by a skeptical frequent flyer, shows 'EVERYTHING IS FINE, ALL IS WELL.' The caption at the bottom humorously redefines the term 'BI-FOCAL.'
BoardingArea
Frequent Flyer Funnies: The Bi-Focal Loyalty Vision Test
Ever felt like your airline loyalty program was testing your vision, or perhaps your sanity? Welcome to this week’s edition of #FrequentFlyerFunnies, where we poke fun at the often convoluted world of airline rewards and upgrades. Grab your reading glasses and join us for a laugh! Take a look at the...
A cartoon illustration depicts a busy airport scene. Several people are shown walking hurriedly, carrying briefcases and wearing business attire. One man in the center is holding a ticket or document in his hand. In the background, there is a sign that reads "AIRLINES," and the area is crowded with other travelers. The overall atmosphere is bustling and chaotic.
BoardingArea
Frequent Flyer Funnies: The Ultimate Reward – Home Sweet Home?
Ever wondered if the chase for travel rewards is worth the trek? This week's #FrequentFlyerFunnies might just be the ticket to that answer—featuring the ironic twist of travel rewards! What the Comic Shows: The scene unfolds in a bustling airport, packed with travelers and buzzing with the commotion typical of such a...
a turtle on a paper money
BoardingArea
Points Game: Tortoise Strategy Triumphs [Weekly Top Posts]
1. Error in FAA Reauthorization Bill Could Let Airlines Put Travel Agents Out of Business The FAA Reauthorization bill requires travel agents to provide refunds where they are the vendor of record charging the customer - even when they’ve paid the airline and the airline hasn’t given the money back...