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Summer 2022 travel is chaotic, stressful, and expensive, but it doesn’t have to be!

The Daily Flyer

Welcome to the June 1, 2022, edition of “The Daily Flyer,” The Higher Flyer‘s newsletter that gathers up and summarizes some of the most important happenings in the world of airlines, hotels, award points, and other travel-related subjects. Today’s feature covers the uninspired state of the travel industry – and what you can do about it – as we head in to an unprecedented period, as well as the ongoing passenger crisis at Amsterdam Schiphol, some takes on the best brand in the airline industry, and a refreshing Twitter account bringing sanity and honesty to award points blogging.

Continue reading “Summer 2022 travel is chaotic, stressful, and expensive, but it doesn’t have to be!” →
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Should you buy trip insurance? No!

When you go to book a flight, it’s not uncommon to be prompted to purchase trip insurance on top of your fare.  If you decline the option, you might get a warning:  “You may be responsible for cancellation fees and delay expenses” or, if that doesn’t scare you enough, “The average out-of-pocket costs of medical emergency transportation outside the United States can be as high as $25,000.”  Those are potentially frightful consequences, but you should think twice before handing over the extra money.  It’s probably not in your best interest as a higher flyer, and believe it or not, getting it might cost you more than it’s worth.

Continue reading “Should you buy trip insurance? No!” →

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New Years’ Resolutions for 2019 for Higher Flyers

There’s a direct correlation between how happy passengers are and how pleasant air travel is.  For that reason alone, it’s in everybody’s best interest to behave kindly and thoughtfully, and in turn prevent negative energy from spreading about.  But no matter how far or how frequently you fly, you’re still bound to bear witness to some pretty horrendous stuff in both airports and in the skies.  After more than 100,000 butt-in-seat miles in 2018, I experienced my fair share of moments that were uncomfortable at best, downright atrocious at worst.  With every unfortunate event, the same thought lingered in the back of my mind:  “This sure would be more pleasant if people weren’t like this.”  Inspired by those “encounters” from 2018, here are my 10 resolutions for the new year, shared for your consideration going in to 2019…

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Air Asia Hot Seats mini-Review

“Should I pay for that?”

This shouldn’t be a surprise given the headline, but this post won’t be a full-blown review. It primarily seeks to answer some frequently asked questions: are a few extra inches of space/baggage/food worth the extra cost? If you’re flying on a low cost carrier like AirAsia, there’s a good chance you’re budget conscious and you want to balance your comfort with your expenses. Perhaps this post will give you a better sense of what to expect. Continue reading “Air Asia Hot Seats mini-Review” →

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Debunking Chase’s 5/24 Rule

In the olden days of higher flying, it was possible to earn thousands upon thousands of points through a process called “churning.” The premise was simple enough: apply for a compelling credit card, complete the minimum spend and earn the signing bonus, then cancel the account. Shortly thereafter, reapply for that same card. Repeat over and over again to collect an unlimited amount of points.

Unfortunately, you can’t do that anymore.

Continue reading “Debunking Chase’s 5/24 Rule” →

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