
Frequent Miler
American Airlines completes nerfing of basic economy for elite members
This week, American Airlines was one of a plethora of US carriers that raised fees for checked bags by 10%-33%. But that wasn’t all it did to make flying worse for its customers; it also completely nerfed benefits for elite members flying basic economy fares. Complete Guide to American Airlines...

Live and Let’s Fly
Here Come Award Surcharges Again And It Won’t Stop With JetBlue And Virgin Atlantic
While it does not come as a surprise in light of soaring fuel prices, we are seeing a spike in carrier imposed surcharges (formerly called “fuel surcharge”) on award tickets. The two latest additions–Virgin Atlantic and JetBlue–are particularly noteworthy. Here Come The Award Ticket Surcharges…Again For years, we’ve watched airlines...

The Gate with Brian Cohen
Earn a Mystery Bonus MileagePlus Miles by Shopping in April
Effective through Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at 11:59:59 in the evening Eastern Daylight Time, you can earn bonus United Airlines MileagePlus miles — in addition to the standard MileagePlus miles earned — during the Mystery Bonus campaign at the MileagePlus Shopping portal by spending a minimum of...

One Mile at a Time
Review: Thai Airways Business Class Boeing 787 (BKK-MXP)
To kick off the return portion of my exotic journey to Bangkok via Paris, I flew Thai Airways Boeing 787 business class on the 11hr30min flight from Bangkok (BKK) to Milan (MXP). It had been several years since I flew Thai Airways long haul, and I remember thinking it was one of the more...

View from the Wing
United Airlines Maintenance Hung Out The Cockpit Window With A Coat Hanger — They Had To Swap The Jet
Passengers on a United flight from Newark to Austin watched maintenance lean out of the cockpit window with what looked like a coat hanger to prod a sensor on the nose of a Boeing 737. The optics for an onlooking passenger aren't great. United did not send out...

Paddle Your Own Kanoo
United Airlines Terminated 76-Year-Old Technician After He Took Bottle of Water to Drink While Suffering Heart Palpitations
United Airlines has been accused of sacking a long-serving 76-year-old aircraft technician after he took a bottle of water from an airplane because he was suffering heart palpitations and lightheadedness to the point at which he thought he was about to pass out unless he took a sip of water....

Hawaii Calling
The Best Time To Visit Hawaii (2026)
Planning a trip to Hawaii is exciting—but choosing the best time to visit can make a huge difference in your overall experience. Living in Hawai‘i and experiencing the islands across different seasons, I can say that timing your trip makes a huge difference—from weather and crowds to pricing and overall...

View from the Wing
Best-Ever 200,000-Point IHG Business Card Bonus
Chase has brought back the best-ever 200,000-point offer on the IHG One Rewards Premier Business card, giving small-business owners a shot at one of the richest hotel bonuses currently on the market. The card’s $99 annual fee is easy to justify if you value the annual free night and fourth-night-free...

Frequent Miler
Targeted Amex Business Platinum 200K offer after $20K spend (No lifetime language)
There is a targeted offer for the American Express Business Platinum Card®: Earn a welcome offer of 200,000 Membership Rewards points after $20,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. While this isn’t the best offer out there, this version doesn’t include Amex’s lifetime language, meaning the offer should be...

Live and Let’s Fly
Traveling In SAS Business Class With My Family On The A350, The Full Review
I’ve had consistently good experiences with SAS longhaul business class over the years and this flight was no exception…not just because of the comfortable seat and excellent food, but because of the timing. Flying to Europe on Christmas Eve is not how I’d normally choose to spend the holiday, but...

One Mile at a Time
Copa Airlines’ Wi-Fi Glow-Up: From No Connectivity To Free Starlink!
Copa Airlines is a bit of a powerhouse in Latin America, connecting the region via its hub in Panama (PTY). The airline is incredibly efficient, operating an all-Boeing 737 fleet, and is known for its attractive fares, good schedule, and operational reliability.

View from the Wing
Flight Attendant Fired Over Onboard Lingerie Selfies — Then She Took The Airline To Court
China Southern fired a veteran flight attendant after she posted lingerie selfies from a delayed flight before passengers boarded, turning a brief WeChat post into a years-long court fight over image, discipline, and how far airlines can go in policing crew behavior. What began as a seemingly easy termination became...

One Mile at a Time
Marriott’s Controversial In-App Digital Tipping Feature… Annoying Or Useful?
In late 2025, I wrote about how Marriott is rolling out a new feature in its mobile app, which is sure to draw mixed reactions. I can’t decide whether to be annoyed at the implications, or just accept that if I’m going to have to tip, making it easy is...

Frequent Miler
What are United MileagePlus miles worth?
At Frequent Miler, we keep a database of point valuations called “Reasonable Redemption Values.” These are estimates of the “worth” of airline miles, hotel points, transferable points, and more. The idea is to identify the point at which it is “reasonable” to get that much value or more from your...

2PAXfly
TURKISH AIRLINES: Leadership shake-up. Why?
A recent leadership overhaul at Turkish Airlines has sparked industry attention. Here’s a clear breakdown of what we know as fact and what is informed speculation. The interest in this story stems from Turkish Airlines’ recent commencement of non-stop flights to Istanbul from Australia. A flight I recently took, and...

One Mile at a Time
JetBlue TrueBlue Adds Surcharges On United Awards, Setting Bad Precedent
In light of increased oil prices, we’ve seen airlines increase checked bag fees, and we’ve also seen them increase carrier imposed surcharges on many tickets. However, here’s a precedent that I especially don’t love, and I can’t help but wonder what the bigger implications are, in light of United’s overall...

Live and Let’s Fly
Where Your Pet Can Actually Sit On United Airlines…And Why So Many People Cheat The Rules
If you’re planning to fly with a pet on United Airlines, where you sit matters more than you might think. Where Your Pets Can Actually Sit On United Airlines A new internal memo for flight attendants shared with Live And Let’s Fly highlights just how many restrictions there are when...

Paddle Your Own Kanoo
The Trump Administration Wants to Plug Air Traffic Control Staffing Shortages With Teenage Gamers
The Trump administration is turning to teenage computer gamers in a bid to plug the gap in air traffic control staffing shortages, saying that Americans who regularly play video games have some of the natural attributes to become air traffic controllers. “To reach the next generation of air traffic controllers,...













