After traveling with younger colleagues who pay for everything with cards, I wonder if I’m the last generation of cash payers. I also talk about the upcoming smart luggage ban on US airlines and a long Saturday afternoon trying to redeem some British Airways Avios points. All this, a new Uber driver story, and a […]
Tag Archives: frequent flier programs
Podcast #136 — Is Cash A Waning King; Don’t Make It Hard to Cash in on Loyalty
Posted by mark on December 19, 2017
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Podcast #116 — Traveling Thru Japan; Luggage Trends
Posted by mark on August 26, 2015
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Back behind the microphone after an extended summer break highlighted by a two-week family vacation in Japan. We talk about traveling in Japan. It was a fantastic time, though we were lost without translation at times. But with the US dollar buying 124 yen, it was the right time to go. We also talk about […]
Podcast #112 — Holiday Airport Etiquette; Travel Tax Pile-Up
Posted by mark on November 22, 2014
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Here’s a new episode to keep you occupied if you’re stuck in a line somewhere while traveling Thanksgiving week. There are tips for the non-frequent traveler on how to avoid major airport faux pas and a review of how travel taxes will soak you when you get to your destination. We also talk about a high-tech […]
Podcast #101 — Future of Mileage Tracking Tools; Searching for Local Food and Craft Beer
Posted by mark on October 25, 2012
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Back in the TravelCommons studios after a couple months of summer break. We open up with thoughts about skipping rental cars, sharing listener comments on the Chicago Layover Excursion video, and the current state of American Airlines — great new airplanes, deteriorating on-time stats. Michael Komarnitsky, the founder and CEO of GoMiles, talks about why […]
Podcast #99 — Downgrading Elite Fliers; Finding Time Off the Road
Posted by mark on June 25, 2012
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United Airlines’ CFO garnered some less-than-desired attention last month when he said that “certain groups” in the Mileage Plus program were “over-entitled”. United is the most recent airline to work on “realigning benefits” — downgrading their elite fliers, especially those in the lower status tiers. We talk about how that impacts frequent flier strategies. We […]