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Travel Musings

Rising Sun to the Long White Cloud: Upcoming Reviews on You Are Travel

Musings Featured

Rising Sun to the Long White Cloud: Upcoming Reviews on You Are Travel

💡Tl;dr - Expect fun reviews spanning Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Hong Kong this week and next here at You Are Travel. After putting the final touches on my three-week journey through Brazil, South Africa, and London (see the bottom of this article for all those reviews), I’ll

Southwest Airlines be like.... - Source: You Are Travel

The Other Shoe Has Dropped: Bags No Longer Free on Southwest

💡Tl;dr - Southwest Airlines announced today that it will begin charging fees on checked bags, breaking a long-standing policy of allowing all passengers two checked bags for free. For the last few weeks, I've had a blog post drafted titled "When will the other shoe drop?

Source: NBA GIPHY

Hotel Loyalty Growth Over the Last 7 Years: Hyatt is Cookin'

💡Tl;dr—A recent report reveals that Hyatt's loyalty over the last seven years far outpaces its bigger rivals on a percentage basis. The other day, I stumbled upon a post in the Hyatt subreddit titled "Hyatt is by far the fastest growing loyalty programme since 2018.

The Math Might Work Out: 3,000 Bonus Points Per Night At Select Hyatt Vacation Club Properties

The Math Might Work Out: 3,000 Bonus Points Per Night At Select Hyatt Vacation Club Properties

💡Tl;dr - You can earn 3,000 points per night for stays at Hyatt Vacation Club properties through March 30, 2025, but you'll have to start scheming quickly. Today, I received an email reminder from Hyatt about this deal from Hyatt - where travelers can earn 3,

Source: Wedding Crashers

Wedding Crashers Sequel? - Sofitel Legend Leaks Blocked Room Rate Allowing Anyone Join the Party

💡Tl;dr - While searching for rooms for an upcoming trip to Panama, I noticed a special discounted rate for a wedding party that I'm pretty sure shouldn't have been publicly available. While searching for rates for a stay at the Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo in

Rising Sun to the Long White Cloud: Upcoming Reviews on You Are Travel

Musings Featured

Rising Sun to the Long White Cloud: Upcoming Reviews on You Are Travel

💡Tl;dr - Expect fun reviews spanning Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Hong Kong this week and next here at You Are Travel. After putting the final touches on my three-week journey through Brazil, South Africa, and London (see the bottom of this article for all those reviews), I’ll

Don't @ Me: Hyatt Globalist Is Not Worth It Anymore and Hyatt Is Better Off For It

Musings Featured

Don't @ Me: Hyatt Globalist Is Not Worth It Anymore and Hyatt Is Better Off For It

💡Tl;dr - Hyatt's recent improvements to its loyalty program, specifically the expansion of Milestone Rewards and introduction of 'gifting' awards to fellow members Controversial take incoming, so to the lords of points and miles fandom, consider yourself triggered-warned: Hyatt Globalist is not worth the chase

Marriott's Decreased Earnings "Error" Reminds Me of a Fantastic Recent American Airlines Gaffe

Marriott's Decreased Earnings "Error" Reminds Me of a Fantastic Recent American Airlines Gaffe

💡Tl;dr - Earlier this week, the internet noticed that Marriott had published a page depicting decreased earnings for some of the hotel brands in its portfolio. While Marriott quickly cleared up the mistake, citing a 'simple' error, this reminds me of a recent quasi-NSFW mistake by American

6 Easy Tips for Anyone Who Rents Cars Frequently

6 Easy Tips for Anyone Who Rents Cars Frequently

💡Tl;dr - A quick rundown of to-dos to make your future car rental experiences a breeze. Over the last 15 years, I've rented a lot of cars. I went about 15 years without owning a car until a few years ago, but as I recently sold my

American Airlines is Offering Me Platinum Status for $1000 - Here's What I Plan to Do Instead

American Airlines is Offering Me Platinum Status for $1000 - Here's What I Plan to Do Instead

💡tl;dr—American Airlines has sent out its annual offers to purchase status. I don't think it's a good deal, and I still plan to speed up my run to Executive Platinum. This morning, I received an email from American Airlines offering me the opportunity to

Oysters - Source: Four Season New Orleans

Is this Four Seasons New Experience an Oyster Lover’s Dream?

💡tl;dr - The Four Seasons New Orleans offers one of the more unique hotel experiences - a front-row seat to an oyster farming experience followed by dinner at one of the hotel’s flagship restaurants, known for its selection of oysters. The Four Seasons New Orleans may very well

The List No One Asked For: Blackbeard's Predictions for the World of Points, Miles, Loyalty, and Travel in 2025

The List No One Asked For: Blackbeard's Predictions for the World of Points, Miles, Loyalty, and Travel in 2025

💡tl;dr - Before we get too far into 2025, I wanted to offer some predictions on developments we'll see in the travel sphere in 2025, specifically relating to points, miles, credit cards, and loyalty programs. Below, I've listed some predictions on what we'll

Photo of Blackbeard onboard Singapore Airlines Business Class

My Airline Elite Status - How I Did in 2024 and Thoughts on Airline Loyalty Going into 2025

tl;dr—My strategy for chasing airline status is less focused on the benefits I'll receive from a given airline and more on amassing as many valuable miles as possible while expending the least effort. For the past few years, I've moved away from airline loyalty

My Hotel Elite Status - How I Did in 2024 and Thoughts on Hotel Loyalty Going into 2025

My Hotel Elite Status - How I Did in 2024 and Thoughts on Hotel Loyalty Going into 2025

💡tl;dr - A quick rehashing of the hotel loyalty programs I earned status within 2024 and my (tentative) plans for pursuing status in 2025. As we are officially into 2025, it would be worthwhile to rundown where I landed with hotel statuses in 2024 and give a peek into

Photo of presidential suite at the Sheraton Lima Historic Center

Reminder: Don't Overlook Room Types in Place of Brand

💡tl;dr - Nothing earth-shattering here - just a simple reminder that the type of room you book can greatly affect the quality of your stay, so when deciding between hotels at different tiers, compare the room types. A more luxurious room at a slightly less upscale hotel might make

Photo of To Sua Ocean Trench

The Alaska / Hawaiian Merger - The Part that Isn't Talked About Enough - Oneworld to Rule the Pacific

💡tl;dr - In the wake of the completed merger with Hawaiian Air, Alaska Air Group has wasted no time announcing new routes and a new credit card offering. While these updates have justifiably generated a lot of buzz, I'm most excited about what this merger might mean

Photo of man panning for gold

A Reminder to Turn Over Every Stone When Booking Your Hotels

💡tl;dr - Nothing earth-shattering here - just a friendly reminder that when conducting your hotel search, remember to use all the online travel agency platforms, especially bank portals, to unearth properties that punch above their weight. Once you discover a property, you may find that booking directly through the

Photo of Arelauquen Lodge, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, San Carlos de Bariloche

A Tryptic of Soft Brands: Examining Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio, Autograph Collection and Luxury Collection Hotels

💡tl;dr—Over the last decade, the hotel industry has seen explosive growth in the soft brand sector. Perhaps no chain has exemplified this better than Marriott—the chain’s Tribute Portfolio, Autograph Collection, and Luxury Collection brands total 600 properties worldwide. As many of these properties offer great redemption

The Best Redemption is the One That Works for You: A Reminder to Take the Plunge

Musings Featured

The Best Redemption is the One That Works for You: A Reminder to Take the Plunge

💡tl;dr—This piece is a friendly reminder that the single source of truth on whether a redemption is a 'good' one is 'you.' Point valuations are helpful but are just one consideration when determining where to redeem your rewards. Getting too hung up on stretching