The Future of Air Travel is Like a Box of Chocolates

Written by K2 @ MileValue

We (definitely) do not know what we are going to get. For air travel, it is already in the cards and new evidence piles into the box every day.

Forrest Gump is right on the mark when it comes to air travel, too

Truth be told, no one knows the extent to which this pandemic will affect the industry.

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These Photos Prove Airlines Differ with Social Distancing

Written by K2 @ MileValue

The landscape of aviation is changing faster than a private jet en route to a private island. If you find yourself travelling, be ready for a very different experience. It starts even upon arrival to the airport. Once onboard, you’ll find that the usual amenity kit may now be replaced by masks and hand sanitizer.

One of the most polarizing issues onboard is social distancing. Only a few airlines are blocking middle seats while others are selling all available seats. American Airlines pilots went as far as asking the government to buy middle seats to facilitate social distancing.

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How to Book Cheap Domestic Awards – Star Alliance

Written by K2 @ MileValue

If you’re anything like us, nearly every moment of this pandemic has been spent dreaming of travel. Especially as we try to avoid nauseating headlines like “Corona” being on the rise for baby names. With U.S. residents barred from entering Europe for the foreseeable future, now is as good of a time as ever to focus on feasible travel.

In this three-part series, we are looking at the basics of the cheapest domestic awards.

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The Basics of Citi ThankYou Points

Written by K2 @ MileValue

Welcome back! Let’s continue our series on the types of credit card reward programs frequented by travelers. In this series, we are looking at:

An introduction to credit cards frequented by travelersAmerican Express Membership RewardsChase Ultimate RewardsCapital One RewardsMarriott Bonvoy (coming soon)

In this article, we’ll look at the basics of Citi ThankYou points.

As with the other credit card programs we’ve discussed, Citi offers cards which earn transferable points as well as cards earning cash back. Citi points are called ThankYou Points, or TYP for short.

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How to Book Cheap Domestic Awards – Oneworld Alliance

Written by K2 @ MileValue

The Coronavirus pandemic has plunged the world into a state of uncertainty. Travel within the United States is more appealing and logistically more feasible than international travel, at least to the majority and for the time being. Today we are kicking off a new series of posts that examine some of the cheapest U.S. domestic award options in each major airline alliance, including:

Oneworld – British Airways, Iberia, and American Airlines Star Alliance – Avianca, Turkish Airlines, and UnitedSkyTeam – Air France/KLM and Delta

When the words “domestic travel” come up, the big three U.S.

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Should You be Tempted by Chase’s “Pay Yourself Back” Offer?

Written by K2 @ MileValue

Chase is offering a new way for Sapphire card holders to redeem their Ultimate Reward (UR) points. But does it make sense for you? Let’s move about the socially-distanced cabin and take a look.

What is it?

Chase has dubbed it the “Pay Yourself Back” feature. It allows Sapphire card holders to redeem their points for a statement credit. Another way to look at it is as a purchase eraser.

As with redeeming UR points in the Chase travel portal, the redemption rate will depend on which card you have.

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The Basics of Chase Ultimate Rewards

Written by K2 @ MileValue

Welcome! Today we continue our series on the types of credit card reward programs frequented by travelers. In the last article, we discussed American Express Membership Rewards. Here we’ll dive into the world of Chase.

Like American Express, Chase has a plethora of cards on offer. There are both business and personal cards.

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Credit Card Reward Programs for Travelers: An Introduction

Written by K2 @ MileValue

In the coming weeks we’ll be looking at different types of credit cards and their reward programs, with an aim to introduce you to those frequently used by travelers. Such a topic can be divided into three categories: transferable programs, airline and hotel branded cards, and fixed point value cards.

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Chasing Airlines For Refunds: What You Need To Know

Written by K2 @ MileValue

The world is in a time-out

The travel world has certainly been turned upside down due to COVID-19. Every country around the globe has been changing travel restrictions on pretty much a weekly basis. Airlines are adjusting their routes and aircraft even more frequently.

At the moment, some airlines including Air Baltic, Ryanair, Avianca, and EasyJet have 100% of their fleet grounded. Air France and KLM have over 90% of their fleet grounded, with hopes to be 30% airborne in July. Singapore Airlines has been flying just 9 aircraft.

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How to be an Airbnb Ninja – Ready for Anything

Written by K2 @ MileValue

Airbnb can be a fantastic way to stay at a unique property or save money compared to staying at a hotel. Be sure to check out our previous article where we discussed details such as filtering the search results and strategies for saving money and earning points and miles.

Part I: Key Things You Need To Know About Booking An Airbnb. This post goes over the foundations of booking an Airbnb.Part II: How to be an Airbnb Ninja – Ready for Anything. Today’s post dives into more advanced search strategies and crisis avoidance/management.

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Key Things You Need To Know About Booking An Airbnb

Written by K2 @ MileValue

In our previous article we discussed some tools, tips, and tricks to help you navigate booking air travel. In this article we’ll tackle accommodation. Specifically we’ll look at one of the biggest movers and shakers in the industry – Airbnb. Let’s move about the cabin and discuss accommodation on the ground.

Airbnb Basics

Airbnb has left VRBO and HomeAway in the dust while also overtaking some hotel chains based on US sales. There are over 7 million Airbnb listings worldwide and some 2 million people are staying in an Airbnb on a given night according to recent statistics.

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Four Invaluable Tools for Booking Flights With Miles & Cash

Written by K2 @ MileValue

Below are some tools, tips, and tricks to help you navigate the complexities of planning and booking air travel. Let’s move about the cabin and discuss how we got here.

Award Tickets

Using points and miles can be a fantastic way to leverage the costs of travel. By using credit cards which earn transferable points or airline miles, you’ll be well on your way to nearly free travel.

For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on dining. These Ultimate Rewards can be transferred to 10 different airline programs.

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Why We Love Flying Blue & How to Use It Like a Pro

Written by K2 @ MileValue

Flying Blue, the award program of Air France and KLM, often flies under the radar. Even with dynamic award pricing, there are plenty of reasons to check it out. Let’s move about the cabin and take a look. 

The Basics

Flying Blue is the name of the mileage program for Air France and KLM, part of the SkyTeam Alliance which includes 17 other airlines such as Delta Airlines and Alitalia. That means when flying on a revenue (e.g.

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Plan Now, Travel Later

Written by K2 @ MileValue

There’s nothing normal about travel during the COVID-19 outbreak. As with any travel decision, always do what you feel most comfortable with. It is our personal opinion that there are many good reasons to take this time to plan ahead for future travels and more.

Let’s move about the cabin and discuss.

Eventually We’ll Be Cleared For Takeoff

There will come a time when the virus is over. Most safe estimates say travel will be normal by autumn (spring for our friends in the southern hemisphere).

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Global Entry – Worth the Wait!

Written by K2 @ MileValue

A note from Sarah Page: You may know Kevin from the MileValue Award Booking Service Team. Together with his wife, their friends and family refer to them as K2, which you’ll notice in the by line. They’re excited to contribute to MileValue and I’m happy to be able to share two new perspectives with all […]

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