For quite some time, United miles/Chase Ultimate Rewards points were the darling of the points and miles community for booking Star Alliance premium cabin awards. I imagine most reading this have at some point redeemed at least one or two MileagePlus awards, with the more advanced of us having wrangled together dozens of gratifyingly circuitous…
Review: DOH oneworld Business Class Lounge and QR Y DOH-MCT
A Week in the Gulf: QR J, EK J, Qatar, Oman, and the UAE Introduction, Planning, and Booking Qatar Airways JFK Check-in and British Airways Galleries Lounge Review Qatar Airways A350 Business Class JFK-DOH 24 Hours in Doha DOH oneworld Business Class Lounge and Qatar Airways Economy Class DOH-MCT Having ultimately decided not to fly…
Are These 2 American Airlines Routing Rules Still Enforced?
If you read the guides to booking tickets using American Airlines AAdvantage miles out there, there are two main “rules” that get repeated over and over. The over-water carrier must publish a fare between your origin and destination. The total distance flown in your itinerary must not be more than 25% over the “Maximum Permitted…
24 Hours in Doha
A Week in the Gulf: QR J, EK J, Qatar, Oman, and the UAE Introduction, Planning, and Booking Qatar Airways JFK Terminal 7 Check-in and British Airways Galleries Lounge Qatar Airways A350 Business Class JFK-DOH 24 Hours in Doha DOH oneworld Business Class Lounge and Qatar Airways Economy Class DOH-MCT By 7:20 AM local time,…
A Weekend In: Ubud, Bali, Indonesia – Culture, Beauty, and Nature
Following my few days in Singapore, my 7-week odyssey through Southeast Asia would end in Bali. Singapore to Bali is only a 2 1/2 hour flight (and in the same time zone), making it quite a convenient jaunt, especially with cheap flights on local discount carriers Air Asia and Tiger Air. I was going to…
A Weekend In: Singapore – An Assault on the Ocular, Culinary, and Olfactory Senses
If you can say one thing about Singapore, it is definitely an assault on the ocular, culinary and olfactory senses. While rent, lodging and sit-down restaurants have prices more reminiscent of San Francisco or New York than the rest of Southeast Asia, the hawker courts are still king of cheap eats, with full meals available…
Quick Hit: CX Asia Miles’s Generous Waitlist Policy
Both Enoch and I (1, 2) have previously discussed Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles mileage program and how Asia Miles offers some strong values for certain redemptions. I wanted today to quickly highlight the program’s very generous and convenient waitlist process. Like some other programs out there, Asia Miles allows members to waitlist for awards on their own metal on which…
Having trouble spending Delta SkyMiles? Try these (sort-of) secret options
Delta has earned a dualistic reputation among frequent fliers. By just about every metric, the airline easily tops its major competitors in the United States. Delta is more frequently on-time, offers more legroom in economy seats, often has better beds in business class and serves better food in both places. Then there is the frequent…
A Weekend In: Penang, Malaysia – The Gastronomic Capital of Asia
Penang. It is a small island off the northwest coast of the Malay Peninsula, long referred to as “The Pearl of the Orient”, and known as the Gastronomic Capital of Asia. As a lover of food travel, I’ve had Penang on my radar screen since I saw it on an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s No…
A Weekend In: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The Intersection of Past and Future
When I was logistically planning this trip, Malaysia was somewhat of an afterthought. I wanted to visit Penang for the food and history, but that was about it to start. However when I found a very affordable non-stop flight from Siem Reap to Kuala Lumpur, I figured I’d spend a couple days there, and I…
