View from the Wing

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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View from the Wing
Hyatt Revamping Award Charts—With 78 Price Levels, Free Nights At Top Hotels Get Up To 67% More Expensive
The World of Hyatt program will expand its award charts from three to five price levels per category, creating 78 possible redemption prices across their standard and all-inclusive charts. The most expensive points redemptions can cost up to 67% more points than before. While the lowest tier prices actually...
a man sitting in a chair
Pointalize
Marriott vs. Hilton: Who Wins?
Marriott Bonvoy vs. Hilton Honors in 2026: A definitive comparison of elite status, resort fees, upgrades, and property footprints. Find out which program wins.
a living room with couches and a coffee table
One Mile at a Time
What’s The Best Hotel Loyalty Program For Suite Upgrades?
In the past, Ive written a post comparing the major hotel loyalty programs, sharing what I view as the pros and cons of each. There are various factors to consider, ranging from a hotel groups global footprint, to elite recognition, to the points earning structure.
a person holding a phone and charging a charger
Plane ‘n Simple
TSA Issues Urgent Cybersecurity Warning: Why You Should Never Use Airport USB Charging Ports
The Transportation Security Administration has issued a critical cybersecurity warning that every traveler needs to hear: those convenient USB charging ports scattered throughout airports could be stealing your personal data. In a recent Facebook post, the TSA cautioned travelers about a cybersecurity threat called “juice jacking,” where hackers install malware...
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Frequent Miler
Office Depot/OfficeMax: Buy $300+ Visa Gift Cards, Save $15
Office Depot and OfficeMax stores have returned with their profitable gift card deal on Visa gift cards through 3/28/26. The Deal Buy $300+ Visa gift cards at Office Depot/OfficeMax & get $15 off instantly. Key Terms Valid March 22, 2026 – March 28, 2026. Limit 10 per household/business (different stores...
Altitude Yes
TSA at JFK T8: Smooth With PreCheck + Touchless ID, Madness for Regular Lines
I cleared TSA in 9 minutes with PreCheck and Touchless ID this morning, while regular lines wrapped around the entire terminal. The post TSA at JFK T8: Smooth With PreCheck + Touchless ID, Madness for Regular Lines first appeared on Altitude Yes.
Your Mileage May Vary
Citi Just Devalued Transfers To Choice. What You Can Do About It
Citi is quietly making one of its lesser-known transfer partners a lot less useful. If you’ve ever moved ThankYou points to hotel programs—or even just like having backup options for…
Frequent Miler
Mealmaxxer, a cool map tool for finding stacks with Resy, inKind, Bilt Dining, and more
A really cool map tool has hit the Internet. MealMaxxer is likely to be of high interest for those readers who enjoy maximizing dining rewards, from Resy dining credits to inKind restaurants to Chase Sapphire Tables to apps like Franki and Seated, etc. MealMaxxer makes it easy to find options...
View from the Wing
LaGuardia Crash Video Shows Runway Lights Told Fire Truck Not To Enter — Why Were They Ignored?
Video of the fatal LaGuardia runway collision appears to show the autonomous runway status lights illuminated red as the fire truck entered the runway — a warning system designed to tell vehicles and aircraft not to proceed even if they have a clearance. That does not settle blame, and the...
The Bulkhead Seat
Virgin Atlantic Unveils Sleek New Look for London Heathrow Clubhouse Lounge
Virgin Atlantic has revealed a series of upgrades to its flagship Clubhouse lounge at…
Miles To Memories
Another Vegas Casino Closes + NBA Expansion Vote This Week, Guy Fieri Out at Rio & A Canada Plan!
Vegas NBA expansion heats up, March Madness arrives, more giant screens & another Vegas casino closes its doors.
View from the Wing
The World’s 50 Best List Somehow Ranks 100 Hotels — And The Picks Make No Sense [Roundup]
The World’s 50 Best List somehow ranks 100 hotels, and a lot of the picks are hard to take seriously. Also, triple D$ offer from GHA Discovery, Citi transfer bonuses to LifeMiles and Virgin Atlantic, and a bizarre Airbnb damage story out of Florida.
One Mile at a Time
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Heathrow Gets Refresh, New Amenities
The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse London Heathrow (LHR) is excellent, and I rank it as one of the best business class lounges in the world. However, the lounge definitely wasn’t feeling cutting edge anymore as of late, so there’s some positive news.
Frequent Miler
45x / 60% back at Skechers, deals coming for StubHub and Turkish Airlines via Capital One Shopping and Offers
Capital One Shopping (a public shopping portal that anyone can join) and Capital One Offers (which are only found within a Capital One card account) are both offering terrific returns today at Skechers. I’m seeing 45x miles on our Venture X card via Capital One Offers within our Capital One...
The Bulkhead Seat
Amex Offer: Spend $300, Get $75 Back at Hyatt Hotels
I’ve written many times about Amex Offers and how much money you can save…
Points With a Crew
Kickstarter: Air-Lock Travel Bag
The Air-Lock travel bag is a system that allows you to save space by achieving 90% compression in less than a minute. It's on Kickstarter, but only for a few more ...
Your Mileage May Vary
Why Do You Have To Go Through Security Again After An International Flight?
You just went through airport security before your flight—so why do you have to do it all over again when you land? If you’ve ever traveled internationally and have a…
The Alviator
How I Choose Which Low-Cost Carrier To Fly Intra-Europe (If Pricing Is Equal) – And How easyJet’s New Seat Fits In
Today, easyJet unveiled a new seat that they’ll introduce onboard their new A320neos and A321neos starting from 2028.…
Miles To Memories
Save $75 at Select Hyatt Brands and Locations with New Amex Offer
You can save up to 25% at select Hyatt brands such as Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Centric, Grand Hyatt, Destination by Hyatt, and Hyatt.
Frequent Miler
Find Preferred Hotels bookable with points (updated in advance of Citi devaluation)
What’s new: On April 19th, 2026, Citi will reduce the transfer ratios from ThankYou points to Choice and I Prefer. So, if you’re thinking of transferring, now is the time. I’ve refreshed the data in this post to help you find great uses for Citi points before April 19th. Many...
Live and Let’s Fly
This New TSA Wait Time Tool Is Better Than The MyTSA App
TSA lines have been wildly unpredictable lately, and finding reliable, real-time data has become more important than ever. But a new tool helps to track TSA wait times and is far easier to use than the MyTSA ap. This New TSA Wait Time Tool Is Better Than The MyTSA App...
View from the Wing
ICE Deployed To 13 Airports — But Agents Are Mostly Standing Around As TSA Lines Stretch For Hours
ICE agents are now at 13 airports, but the deployment looks far more symbolic than operational: they cannot legally perform screening, and in many cases they appear to be standing near checkpoints while TSA lines still run for hours.
The Bulkhead Seat
Allegiant Introduces Flexible Travel Policy Amid Ongoing Government Shutdown
Allegiant Air has launched a new “Travel with Confidence” policy that offers customers added…
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
American Airlines Tells Passenger That it Takes No Responsbility For Returning Her Bag With a Wheel Missing… The DOT Says That’s Illegal
An American Airlines passenger collected her checked-in luggage from the carousel after a recent flight and discovered that during its time in the care of the Texas-based carrier, one of the wheels had been ripped clean off. It’s a frustrating experience that all too many passengers have to deal with,...
Your Mileage May Vary
Hyatt Is Losing One Of Its Most Unique New Orleans Hotels
Hyatt is losing one of its most unique hotels in New Orleans—and for World of Hyatt members, that’s a bigger deal than it might seem at first. The Eliza Jane,…
View from the Wing
Viral SFO Airport ICE Arrest Was Not Part Of The New TSA Deployment Program
A woman was detained by immigration authorities at San Francisco International Airport late Sunday night, and video of the scene is now being widely miscast as part of the new ICE deployment to airport checkpoints. It was not
Miles To Memories
Verizon Customers Can Win FIFA World Cup Tickets & More
With FIFA World Cup 2026 coming to North American this summer, Verizon is opening the doors for customers to get into the stadium for free, if they're lucky.
One Mile at a Time
Are Points Programs Ruining Luxury Hotels? This Seems Like A Bad Take…
Publication Air Mail ran a story entitled ”The Bonvoy Problem,” with the subheading being ”Points programs are destroying the luxury-hotel experience. Can anything stop the freeloaders?”
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
Explore the hilarious world of airline upgrades and dive into the comedic chaos of mileage bragging and insider connections as travelers humorously vie for better seats. Discover the quirky dynamics of upgrade competition and share your own stories of success and amusing defeats. Join us for laughs and insights into...
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...
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
Discover the hilarious frustrations of frequent flyer programs in this week's Frequent Flyer Funnies! Our comic hero dives deep into the microscopic fine print to uncover hidden rules and elusive details. Laugh along as we poke fun at the absurdity of needing a microscope navigate airline loyalty terms. Share your...
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
Join us for a laugh in this week's #FrequentFlyerFunnies as we explore a hilarious marketing mishap involving Kellogg's and mischievous elves!
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
Laugh along with this week's #FrequentFlyerFunnies as we explore the hilarious irony/paradox of frequent flyer benefits during tough times.
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
Enjoy the hilarious irony of off-peak travel in this week's #FrequentFlyerFunnies with a family’s frigid beach vacation!
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
This week's #FrequentFlyerFunnies humorously explores the contrast between airline promises and frequent flyer reality. Join us for a laugh with the bi-focal loyalty vision test!