Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
After a six-hour layover at the Etihad lounge in Abu Dhabi, it was time to fly to Male. My flight departed from the same terminal, but the gate was a bit of a walk from the lounge. On my way to the gate, I made the mistake of stopping at […]
The …
Author: Ariana Arghandewal
Review: Etihad Business Class Lounge Abu Dhabi
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
The Etihad business class lounge in Abu Dhabi is located at Terminal 3. I had heard that this lounge had deteriorated in terms of food quality and even described as a “cattle call.” That’s a definite exaggeration, though the lounge did on occasion get …
My Points and Miles Goals for 2019
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
How fast did 2019 fly by? Not nearly as fast as December. In three short weeks we’ll be making New Year’s resolutions we’ll forget about and settle into the boredom of January. Hopefully, we can all liven things up with some fun travel plans. Jan…
Review: Etihad Business Class 787-9 Washington to Abu Dhabi
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
During a recent trip to the Maldives, I flew Etihad business class on the 787-9 from Washington (IAD) to Abu Dhabi (AUH). While I’ve flown Etihad business class before, this was my first time on the 787-9, with the newer seats. Say what you …
Hyatt Introduces Peak Pricing + Better Spa and Dining Redemptions
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
Hyatt has announced a series of changes to its award chart, including (gasp) peak pricing. It’s not as bad as it sounds – we’re not talking Marriott numbers here. The new redemption rates apply to all award types and go into effect in…
Points and Miles Checklist: Things to do Before the End of 2019
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
The end of the year is a good time to reflect, get your to-do list done and plan ahead for next year. With so many things changing in the points and miles world, it’s time to think about the impacts of these changes on your rewards strategy. Here are s…
The Holiday Shopping Season Might be the Best Time for MS
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
The holiday shopping season is perhaps the best time of year for manufactured spending. If you’re throwing in the towel when it comes to Visa gift card churning because of all the negative changes, there may be other opportunities for you. Below a…
My Low Volume, High-Impact Manufactured Spending Strategy
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
For the last few years, I’ve been spoiled when it comes to manufactured spending. Thanks to an MS-friendly Walmart, I was able to liquidate thousands of dollars per day with minimal effort. Because it was so easy, I got kind of lazy when it came to str…
FREE Club1 Hotels Membership + 7% Off ALL Hotels, Cruises, Car Rentals, Activities!
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
Club1 Hotels is once again offering FREE 1-year memberships to readers of this blog. To sweeten the pot, they’re throwing in 7% off all hotel, cruise, car rental, and activity bookings for the next 14 days! To take advantage of this offer, just enter p…
SoFi Money: $50 New Account + $100 Referral Bonus
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
SoFi Money is running a lucrative referral promotion right now: Get $50 when you open an account and transfer $100 to it. Better yet, earn $100 when you refer a friend who opens and funds a SoFi Money account. Below is everything you need to know…
Amex Goes Green: Fresh New Perks for a Classic Card
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
If you’re into rewards credit cards, chances are you’ve come across the classic Amex Green card and ignored it. The card was never flashy, it didn’t offer big sign-up bonuses, travel perks or category bonuses worth writing about. It was the pre-filler …
5 ways social media can improve your travel experience
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
“Social Media is pointless” – Yes, those words have come out of my mouth before. I don’t enjoy social media personally. If it wasn’t for my blog, I probably wouldn’t even bother having an Instagram or two Facebook accounts (don’t ask). I wo…
Review: Etihad Business Class Lounge Washington Dulles (IAD)
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
The Etihad lounge at Dulles Airport (IAD) is located near gate A14. I got to visit this lounge while flying Etihad business class to Abu Dhabi last month. I had booked an AAdvantage award that put me in American Airlines first class from Sacramento to …
Targeted Plastiq Promotions: Earning FFDs vs. 1.5% Fees
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
Plastiq is running targeted promotions through October 31 that can help you save some cash if you regularly use the service to earn miles on mortgage payments. You can choose between earning Fee-Free Dollars (FFDs) for future payments or getting a disc…
4 Reasons to Buy $1,000 Simon Mall Visa Gift Cards (even though there are cheaper options)
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
The Simon Mall $1,000 Visa gift card promotion continues through the end of the month (fingers crossed it gets renewed – again). When the promotion started back in July, I wrote about how these gift cards were not the cheapest way to manufac…
How Cheap are Travelzoo’s Business Class Fares to the Middle East?
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
Travelzoo recently has been promoting a business class fare sale to the Middle East through YesFares. The cheapest advertised fare is $2,232 for a business class ticket between Chicago and Istanbul. The highest fares are for flights originating in the …
Walmart money orders ban update and rumor about a system change
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
A few weeks ago I wrote about a possible Moneygram ban on churners buying money orders at Walmart. At the time, I was getting flooded with reports from readers who had tried to purchase money orders over $1,000 (which triggers an ID check) and wer…
Review: Marriott Markham Hotel (During the Gilmore Girls Fan Festival)
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
I stayed at the Marriott Toronto Markham a couple of weeks ago while attending the Gilmore Girls Fan Festival in Unionville Ontario. As you may recall, I confessed my obsession with the show Gilmore Girls a few years ago when writing about my brief vis…
“Manufactured Spending is Dead”: Reality or Fake News?
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
There’s a tendency in this hobby to proclaim everything “the death of” whatever isn’t going well at the moment. I remember back in 2011, I came across a FlyerTalk thread where a long-time gamer announced that he was quitting points and miles because th…
The Importance of Travel During Difficult Transitions
Written by Ariana Arghandewal @ PointChaser
I recently left my job of two years and among other stressful things, it’s been a tough couple of months. I didn’t realize how badly leaving my job would affect me until I drove home on my last day. Expecting to feel relieved and elated even, I was unp…