Last week, an Air India flight made headlines, after it suddenly dropped 300 feet while at cruising altitude, injuring over a dozen people onboard. While it’s of course awful to see injuries, initially one wondered if the plane just hit clear air turbulence, or what.
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig12 Aug
Chase Ultimate Rewardshas just launched a new transfer bonus to Air Canada Aeroplan, and I think this is one that may interest many people. If you have Aeroplan’s co-branded credit card, you can get an even better transfer bonus.
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig12 Aug
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig11 Aug
Marriott Bonvoy has a portfolio of co-branded credit cards, issued by both American Express and Chase. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card is the mid-range personal card issued by Chase, and it’s a card that can be worth it on an ongoing basis for the perks.
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig11 Aug
American Airlines’ Airbus A330s that were (prematurely, in my opinion) retired at the start of the coronavirus pandemic will be returning to the skies… but for a different airline! I first covered this back in the spring, but would like to provide an update, as we’re getting closer to the delivery of these aircraft, and have a better sense of the types of missions that they’ll fly.
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig11 Aug
Welcome to my next trip report series, covering a trip that I just wrapped up, which will include reviews of flights, hotels, and even a cruise.
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig11 Aug
For those of us into collecting miles & points, one thing to always be on the lookout for is mileage expiration policies. Programs have different policies when it comes to whether miles expire, and if so, what activity will prevent your miles from expiring.
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig11 Aug
Im an airline product geek, and I like to keep an updated list of some of the best products out there, ranging from the best first class airlines, to the best first class lounges, to the best business class airlines. In this post, I’ll share my favorite business class lounges around the globe — after all, a nice lounge can contribute to a great business class experience.
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig11 Aug
Kenya Airways, a SkyTeam member airline, is currently offeringa status match opportunity, which is an easy way to unlock SkyTeam Elite Plus status (and that can get you useful perks across SkyTeam airlines).
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig11 Aug
Bloomberg is reporting that that Air Canada is nearing a deal to sell a minority stake in its frequent flyer program to Blackstone, in order to fund new planes, aircraft interiors, etc. Will this have any implications for program members?
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig11 Aug
Remember the controversy several weeks back regarding President Trump’s transportation to and from the NATO summit in Turkey? He flew his new $400 million Qatar-gifted Boeing 747-8 to Turkey, but then claimed he flew back on the old Air Force One, with a pretty dubious explanation?
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig11 Aug
Both American Express and Chase issue co-branded Marriott credit cards. In this post, I’d like to take a closer look at the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card, which is the most premium credit card in the portfolio. This card is quite compelling, and the easiest way to earn Platinum Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy. This is also the ideal time to apply, given the welcome offer that’s currently available.
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig11 Aug
Among the ”big three” European airline groups, Air France-KLM has been by far the most generous with its included offerings in short haul economy. Both Air France and KLM have offered complimentary drinks (including beer and wine) as well as snacks in short haul economy, in contrast to International Airlines Group (IAG) and Lufthansa Group.
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig10 Aug
Vietnam Airlines, a SkyTeam member airline, is currently offering a status match opportunity. While this has been around for some time, Id like to take a look at the current state of this, given that the cost, eligible programs to match from, etc., have all changed.
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig10 Aug
With crowding becoming an increasingly big issue for airport lounges, weve seen the introduction of more creative lounge concepts. In particular, weve seen more grab & go lounges introduced, with the idea being that those short on time can grab a drink and snack, rather than sitting around a lounge for an extended period of time.
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig10 Aug
There’s no denying that on some level, travel is political. I mean, definitionally, politics relates to the government, public affairs, and control of a country or group, or the systems and rules by which people live together in society. So while I try to leave politics out of my travel reviews, laws and norms around the world absolutely impact everyone’s experience when traveling.
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig10 Aug
In recent times, weve seen many airlines announce their intent to introduce Starlink Wi-Fi. In early 2026, Lufthansa Group revealed plans to roll out this service. There’s now a positive update, as the first aircraft with Starlink will enter service very shortly. However, expect for it to take years before all Lufthansa Group flights are fitted with the service (which the company somehow describes as an ”ambitious project timeline,” perhaps true only in comparison to the Allegris rollout).
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig10 Aug
While World of Hyatt ismy all-around favorite hotel loyalty program, I consider it to truly get valuable withtop-tier Globalist status. I’ve reviewed World of Hyatt’s mid-tier Explorist status, and in this post, I’d like to take a look at entry-level Discoverist status. Does this tier offer any real perks? Let’s cover how you can earn it, and then what the benefits are.
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig10 Aug
When it comes to booking award flights, there’s something to be said for the ease with which you can search award availability, as that can make a big difference in terms of the luck you’ll have with actually securing award space.
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig10 Aug
Four Seasons is known for being one of the world’s most luxurious ”mainstream” luxury hotel groups, and the brand has properties all around the globe. But did you know that the company also has a hotel in Damascus, Syria? Well, it sort of does… at least that’s how the hotel markets itself, and it’s not completely ”fake.”
One Mile at a Time•Ben Schlappig10 Aug