BoardingArea

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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There’s a $19.99 Way to Stay Connected on Your Cruise
What happens when your ship leaves port and your signal disappears? This $19.99 cruise eSIM solves it, before you notice.
BoardingArea
Get Up to 7 Days of Free Unlimited Data in the World’s Most Iconic Destinations
You could already have free unlimited data in the UK, France, Thailand, UAE, the United States, and North America (for the 2026 World Cup).
a building with a door and a glass entrance
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 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.
Also on BoardingArea
One Mile at a Time
GHA Discovery: Valuable Hotel Loyalty Program That Flies Under The Radar
When you think of hotel loyalty programs, odds are that Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, etc., come to mind first. However, GHA Discovery is a program that not many people think of, but which probably should get a bit more attention.
View from the Wing
Citi Cardholders Have 3 Days To Stack A $50 Hotel Deal With Up To $300 In Annual Credits
This is a pretty good deal. Citi Travel is offering cardmembers $50 off a hotel booking of $300 through May 29, 2026 at 11:59pm Eastern. This offer is stackable with the Citi Strata Premier and Citi Strata Elite annual hotel credits.
Frequent Miler
My week in travel, made better by ultra-premium cards
Over the past year, I’ve lamented the fact that rising ultra-premium card annual fees have made me melt. Over the past week and a half, I’ve enjoyed some of the benefits of those ultra-premium cards immensely, reminding me that although the cost of admission has increased, the benefits of ultra-premium...
One Mile at a Time
Man Furious At Aman Over Late Check-Out Cost, Beautiful Girlfriend Comment
I get a lot of messages from people about their travel frustrations. Often people will directly ask me for help, which I try to provide when possible, assuming their complaint is reasonable (after all, consumers often feel powerless in the travel industry, when things go wrong). Other times I’ll just...
Live and Let’s Fly
SAS Pulls Greenland Flights This Summer, And There Goes My Nuuk Plan
SAS has reportedly removed all scheduled Copenhagen – Nuuk flights for this summer, making Greenland another apparent casualty of high fuel prices. I was seriously looking forward to trying this route and visiting Greenland this summer, so this one stings… SAS Appears To Pull Greenland Flights As Fuel Prices Bite...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Alaska Airlines Faces $165,000 Fine For Allowing Intoxicated Passenger On Board its Planes
Alaska Airlines is facing a rare $165,000 fine for allowing intoxicated passengers on board its flights, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Tuesday. In a very brief statement, the FAA said that it was proposing the civil penalty based on incidents that occurred on 11 flights between February 2024...
Points With a Crew
Amazon Kindle Unlimited 3 Month Free Trial
Amazon is out with an offer for Amazon Kindle Unlimited. The offers vary per person, but a common one is 3 months free. Click here to find out how to ...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Sri Lanka To Offer Visa Free Entry to Visitors of 40 Countries
Sri Lanka now offers visa free entry to visitors of 40 countries in what appears to be on a permanent basis effective as of yesterday, Monday, May 25, 2026 — the visa used to cost $50.00 in United States dollars — but an Electronic Travel Authorization is still required even...
Frequent Miler
Homes & Villas by Marriott promo: Earn 3X points on 5+ night stays in Caribbean & Latin America
Homes & Villas by Marriott tends to have some kind of promotion running nearly every day of the year in one form or another. Its latest one is awarding 3X points when staying five or more nights at properties in the Caribbean and Latin America. The Deal Earn 3X points...
Frequent Miler
First impressions of the new World of Hyatt order | Coffee Break Ep107 | 5-26-26
The World of Hyatt new award charts are live now, and we have thoughts! We’ll give our first impressions in this episode, and you can read more about the new award charts here. First impressions of the new World of Hyatt order Watch the full episode below, or listen on...
Your Mileage May Vary
Celebrities Who FAFOed On Planes & Got Kicked Off
Airports have become one of the last places where being rich, famous or powerful doesn’t always get people special treatment. At least not when TSA agents, gate agents or flight…
Frequent Miler
TheGiftCardShop.com: Get waived purchase fees on Visa & Mastercard gift cards with code GRADS26
A couple of weeks ago, several Incomm-run stores—MastercardGiftCard.com, VanillaGift.com, and AmexGiftCard.com—launched sales waiving purchase fees on Visa, Mastercard, and/or Amex gift cards when using a graduation-themed promo code. TheGiftCardShop.com has also joined them, waiving purchase fees on both Visa and Mastercard gift cards when using promo code GRADS26. The Deal...
Miles To Memories
Hyatt’s Forgotten Benefit, Last Minute Business Class Score & Delta’s New Bag Benefit
Hyatt's lucrative but forgotten benefit, scoring last minute business class deal, Delta's new bag benefit and AAdvantage changes made easy.
One Mile at a Time
Is The Amex Gold Card Worth $325? 4x Points & $424 In Credits Says Yes
The American Express Gold Card (application) has a $325 annual fee (Rates & Fees), which is obviously on the steep side. Fortunately the ”worth it” question on the card is pretty easy to answer. Almost everyone eats, and the bonus points at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets is easy to use,...
View from the Wing
Flying To Europe This Summer? New Biometric Border Checks Are Causing Missed Flights And Hours-Long Lines
Flying to Europe this summer may mean more than crowded airports and packed flights. Europe’s new biometric border checks are creating hours-long immigration lines at some airports, with travelers missing connecting flights on arrival and returning flights as first-time registration overwhelms passport control.
Points With a Crew
Kickstarter: K-25 Cooling Blanket
The K-25 cooling blanket is designed for hot sleepers, those who get night sweats while they sleep, pregnant people, those with menopause, and others who get hot while sleeping. It's on Kickstarter, but only for a few more ...
Your Mileage May Vary
The Park Hyatt Sydney “Resort” Outrage Misses Hyatt’s Real Problem
The outrage of the day in the Hyatt world is that Park Hyatt Sydney and Park Hyatt Tokyo are apparently being treated as resorts for late checkout purposes. That matters…
Monkey Miles
Capital One Venture Business 150k offer is ending soon
Offer Ends June 8th Capital One is winning the game of making things simple. Case in point is the Capital One Venture Business which I think is a no brainer add to your wallet. Earn unlimited 2x Capital One Miles on every purchase, a low $95 annual fee, and some...
View from the Wing
Air Canada Says “Award Scraping” Is Computer Fraud — Seats.aero Says That’s Anticompetitive
Air Canada says Seats.aero’s automated award-search scraping is computer fraud. Seats.aero says Air Canada is trying to block a useful award tool and shut down competition — and now the fight is expanding from website terms and trademarks into antitrust, tortious interference, and unfair competition claims.
Frequent Miler
Planning a destination wedding? Earn 120K-300K IHG One Rewards points at participating IHG properties
If you’re planning on having a destination wedding, IHG currently has a promotion that can earn you up to 300,000 bonus IHG One Rewards points if you book your wedding at one of their participating properties. The Deal Book a wedding at participating IHG properties and earn the following bonus...
You Are Travel
Grand Hyatt Tokyo Putting Pokémon Front and Center for Franchise’s 30th Anniversary
​tl;dr – For those who ‘Gotta Catch ‘Em All.’ Pokémon is turning 30, and the collective Pokeverse is…
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Denver Airport Has a Radical Fix for Overcrowded Trains: Make Passengers Walk
Denver International Airport has devised a solution to its increasingly overcrowded transit train system: Get passengers to walk between concourses through underground baggage tunnels. As passenger frustration grows over packed trains and reliability issues at one of America’s busiest airports, Denver Airport is finally taking action to relieve the pressure,...
Miles To Memories
Verizon Offering Some Customers 25% Monthly Discounts, Check Your Accounts
Verizon customers are reporting a new retention offer that can provide a 25% monthly discount on wireless service.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
The Kimpton Secret Password Through August 2026 Is…
Mention the Kimpton secret social password to the members of the team at the front desk when checking in to a participating hotel or resort property to receive a special surprise or perk during your stay — from complimentary room upgrades and vouchers for food and beverages to local knick...
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...
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...
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!