The US Bank Cash+ Visa is probably the most lucrative credit card product that you haven’t heard about. The card allows you to earn 5% cash back on three categories of your choice, 2% back on either gas, groceries, or drug stores, and 1% back on everything else. I find this product compelling for two reasons:…
If you’re looking to get away from the winter weather, the folks at FlyerTalk found some attractive fares to Hawaii for February and March. Just searching now, I found plenty of availability in February and March for weekends. Details are on the FlyerTalk thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mileage-run-deals/1421400-aa-dl-phx-hnl-298-ai-rt.html Edit: Now apparently available from the San Francsico area as…
Marriott just announced their first quarter MegaBonus promotion. Every second stay will earn you a free night at a category 4 (or lower) hotel. You can only earn a total of three free nights, so this promotion isn’t quite as exciting as Starwood’s, but if you are a Marriott person, you should definitely register. To…
Starwood has just announced their first quarter promotion, which will be quite lucrative for the consulting crowd: With the SPG® Power Up promotion, you’ll earn 2,000 bonus Starpoints® for every four eligible nights you stay (up to 8,000 bonus Starpoints and 16 nights). You earn an additional 10,000 bonus Starpoints when you hit 20 eligible nights between January 15th…
For almost every airline, hotel, and credit card program, there are myriad ways to earn and spend points. Some are much better than others. Over the next few months, I will be examining all of the major programs and posting the best ways to earn and spend points in each program. Best use of Starpoints:…
According to US Customs and Border Protection, Australia has extended their SmartGate expedited entry program to members of Global Entry. Beginning November 01, 2012 Australian Customs and Border Protection will allow eligible U.S. Trusted Travelers to use Australia’s automated border processing system, SmartGate, on a trial basis. SmartGate performs the customs and immigration checks usually…
A number of airlines have released new safety videos this week. While the safety video could be one of the most boring parts of flying, some airlines will spice it up. Air New Zealand is well-known for producing quirky (and fun) safety videos. The newest installment is based on the characters in The Hobbit, and…
Have you ever found yourself stranded at an airport, longing for a free internet connection? Although there are a number of airports that offer free WiFi (a service for which I am VERY grateful), free WiFi is hardly ubiquitous. Enter FreedomPop, a nationwide 4G wireless internet service that, among other things, promises: Free Data – guaranteed 500MB…
Alaska Airlines continues to impress me with their commitment to their customers. One of my biggest frustrations with checking baggage is how long I have to wait at some stations for the bags to be delivered. Waiting 45 minutes or an hour for bags is an experience nobody wants to have, but almost every traveler…
Flying means that things sometimes go wrong…horribly wrong. Flights get delayed or canceled, reservations get lost, and involuntary denied boarding happens. Here’s how you can be prepared to make sure that, when things go wrong, you can get home. This post is inspired by my travel last weekend. Both the significant other and I had…
The Flying Consultant 