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,...
No Work All Travel
Hotel Review: Chatrium Grand Bangkok
Disclaimer: In exchange for a review, I was invited to stay at Chatrium Grand Bangkok. How is it that, after countless visits to the three shopping centers of Central World, Siam Paragon, and the MBK Center, I never knew that the Chatrium Grand Bangkok existed? It’s not a small property,...
View from the Wing
Passenger Touched A Flight Attendant’s Buttocks, Claimed China-Malaysia Relations Made It Okay
A passenger on a Malaysia Airlines flight to Beijing was removed from the aircraft after allegedly patting a flight attendant’s buttocks and then trying to justify it by saying China-Malaysia relations are good. The incident reportedly followed a chaotic boarding process after an aircraft swap, but that only made his...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Miles and Points On Sale — April 10 2026
Sometimes you need an infusion of miles or points to your membership account for whatever reason — perhaps to have enough to redeem for a limited time award as one example — and the best time to purchase or gift miles or points is when they are on sale, as...
Economy Class & Beyond
SNAPSHOT: American Airlines 882 Chicago to Atlanta (Main Cabin – Exit Row)
It’s time for another of Snapshots from my most recent trip, this time focusing on the passenger experience on American Airlines 882 between Chicago and Atlanta (Main Cabin – Exit Row). I’m sure you know how I do this travel writing thing by now. But for those reading this for the...
Frequent Miler
Rakuten American Express card welcome offer increased to $200 (20K points)
Rakuten has increased the welcome offer on its American Express credit card to $200 after $2,000 spend in the first 90 days. This matches the best offer that we’ve seen on this fairly new card. The Offer & Key Card Details Quick Thoughts When the Rakuten American Express card launched,...
Eye of the Flyer
Alaska ATMOS Shopping Limited Time Bonus Points Offer In-Store and Online
Most regular readers know that I no longer actively work for Delta points anymore. Sure I will take free SkyMiles along the way but there are sooooo many way better programs to focus on that offer real value rewards points. Take this one for example. This is a LTO or...
One Mile at a Time
Turkish Airlines Overhauls Management, Suddenly Appoints New Chairman & CEO
Turkish Airlines has just disclosed a complete overhaul of its top management (it hasn’t even really been announced — it just came in the form of a public disclosure), though it’s not entirely clear what’s motivating this…
