For regular BoardingArea readers, you are probably saying to yourself not another Southwest Companion Pass post. And for that you will be right. There are plenty of posts about the companion pass out there, and ours won't really be giving any new information. So if you have the pass or know all about it, save your time and feel free to move on. … [Read more...] about Is the Southwest Companion Pass in your 2016 Plans?
Most Underrated Hotel in Minneapolis? Millennium Hotel Minneapolis Review
Welcome to what has unofficially become Minneapolis hotel review week. On Tuesday we reviewed the Marriott Minneapolis City Center, Wednesday it was the St. Paul Hotel and today we have the Millennium Hotel Minneapolis. Unlike the first two reviews, which were fairly snarky and negative, I found this hotel to be a delight. On to the review! There are many factors that go … [Read more...] about Most Underrated Hotel in Minneapolis? Millennium Hotel Minneapolis Review
20,000 United Miles for 4 Destinations: Is the Latin Hopper the Best Deal in Points and Miles Today?
Many of the best uses of points and miles occur outside of the United States. Sometimes it is a lack of competition that makes deals available, while other times it is the blissful ignorance Americans apply when viewing the rest of the world. … [Read more...] about 20,000 United Miles for 4 Destinations: Is the Latin Hopper the Best Deal in Points and Miles Today?
American Airlines New IVR Hang-up, Vintage Trailer Rental: My Week in Travel for June 20
Hello from Sunny Minnesota, where I am wrapping up my last work responsibilities before our big trip. This upcoming week I will be teaching four consecutive days and delivering two speeches in the Twin Cities. After that? I have nothing scheduled until October in London. … [Read more...] about American Airlines New IVR Hang-up, Vintage Trailer Rental: My Week in Travel for June 20
Welcome to the Hotel Petaluma – A Hotel Review and Lesson Learned
Hotel ratings on review sites like TripAdvisor are usually a pretty accurate depiction of what you can expect during your stay. Good ratings and it should live up to the hype (or succumb to inflated expectations). Poor ratings... and you better be receiving a great deal on your stay to make up for the inconvenience. … [Read more...] about Welcome to the Hotel Petaluma – A Hotel Review and Lesson Learned
LOT Polish Airlines 787 Dreamliner Business Class Review – Warsaw (WAW) to Chicago (ORD)
Map and Trip Details Courtesy of FreeWorld.travel What is there to say about LOT? … [Read more...] about LOT Polish Airlines 787 Dreamliner Business Class Review – Warsaw (WAW) to Chicago (ORD)
What Are You Missing By Flying in 2014? Here are 11 Items That Might Surprise You!
Having spent a lot of time on airplanes the past two weeks, I couldn’t help but make direct comparisons between each airline flown and the differences in how they operate just about every aspect of the flight. Some of the differences are nuanced (i.e. you only notice them if you spend a lot of time on planes) and others are very pronounced (anyone could notice the … [Read more...] about What Are You Missing By Flying in 2014? Here are 11 Items That Might Surprise You!
Vuyani Safari Lodge South Africa Hotel Review
You could say that the Vuyani Safari Lodge is my reason for visiting South Africa in the first place. It all started with a flash sale on Jetsetter.com for an all-inclusive safari experience for two in South Africa for $332 a night. While I wasn't sure if this price was reasonable compared to other safari lodges at the time, I knew that I would gladly pay that amount of money … [Read more...] about Vuyani Safari Lodge South Africa Hotel Review
Maybe SPG and Amex are Smarter Than We Think?
In general, it doesn’t seem that loyalty programs and credit card companies do a good job of sharing information with each other. Often the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing, and that creates an opportunity for points and miles earners to take advantage of holes in the system. When it comes to receiving emails from loyalty programs, I am often underwhelmed … [Read more...] about Maybe SPG and Amex are Smarter Than We Think?
When Our Hobby Goes Mainstream: Amex Everyday in the News
I am a techie/technologist/geek (read: I’m heavily into emerging technology). Rarely does my love of technology cross over into my love of travel, but every once in a blue moon developments in travel make it into the mainstream tech publications. When that happens and my friends start sending me articles about the subject, it means that the development has entered the main … [Read more...] about When Our Hobby Goes Mainstream: Amex Everyday in the News