When this card came out it was the greatest frequent flyer thing since miles themselves. Chase Sapphire Preferred was (1) fast-earning [double points on travel and dining] and (2) had valuable points that transferred to great partners. And the card was ...

How Chase Sapphire Preferred Became Under-hyped and Under-appreciated and more...  In This Issue...  How Chase Sapphire Preferred Became Under-hyped and Under-appreciated  Review: ANA First Class, Houston – Tokyo  It’s Raining Engine Parts in Japan  Puppies Born at Gate 80 of Tampa Airport Just Before Boarding American Airlines Flight  Here’s What Makes a Great Airport Lounge  Paypal Entering the Points Game and What It’s Like to Work for Qatar  Are Centurion Lounges So Busy Nobody Goes There Anymore?  More Recent Articles This email contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. How Chase Sapphire Preferred Became Under-hyped and Under-appreciated When this card came out it was the greatest frequent flyer thing since miles themselves. Chase Sapphire Preferred was (1) fast-earning [double points on travel and dining] and (2) had valuable points that transferred to great partners. And the card was even considered a bit sexy. What happened? Continue reading How Chase Sapphire Preferred Became Under-hyped and Under-appreciated...          • Email to a friend • Review: ANA First Class, Houston – Tokyo I'm just back from Tokyo and Shanghai. My wife and I flew to Asia on a Virgin Atlantic 120,000 mile roundtrip ANA first class award. It's one of the better value redemptions in all of travel -- United would charge 220,000 miles roundtrip for the same thing, Aeroplan 210,000 miles, and Avianca LifeMiles 204,000. ANA itself charges 150,000 miles roundtrip. And it turns out the deal is even better than that because most of the points for these two tickets came from American Express Membership Rewards transfers -- when there was a transfer bonus. I called up Virgin Atlantic, put the award on a 24 hour hold, and then transferred the points. Not bad for a roundtrip ticket that was pricing at $22,907 apiece. Continue reading Review: ANA First Class, Houston – Tokyo...          • Email to a friend • It’s Raining Engine Parts in Japan Ten engine parts fell out of a Japan Airlines Boeing 767 hitting a car and a medical clinic. The plane was headed from Kumamoto airport to Tokyo Haneda as flight JL632. A left engine blade sustained significant damage. The parts falling from the sky "cracked a clinic window in Mashiki, Kumamoto Prefecture, and damaged a car on the premises." Continue reading It’s Raining Engine Parts in Japan...          • Email to a friend • Puppies Born at Gate 80 of Tampa Airport Just Before Boarding American Airlines Flight A yellow lab named Eleanor Rigby (like the Beatles song) gave birth at Tampa airport's gate 80 just prior to boarding a flight to Philadelphia. She had eight puppies. The airport's fire and rescue team was called to the scene to assist with the delivery. This is absolutely adorable. But even people can expect to take some time off in the days leading up to giving birth, and certainly shouldn't be flying. This dog almost gave birth on the plane. And why isn't this service animal fixed..? Continue reading Puppies Born at Gate 80 of Tampa Airport Just Before Boarding American Airlines Flight...          • Email to a friend • Here’s What Makes a Great Airport Lounge I'd love to be able to visit American's Flagship Dining I'm not often flying American three-cabin first class, indeed they don't offer it on many routes at all. And the American Express Centurion Dining in Hong Kong inside the Centurion lounge there is limited to Centurion cardholders. And I'm shelling out the initiation fee and annual fee for a Black Card, even if I could finagle an invitation. Just as with award availability where the best product is the one you're able to book, the very best lounge is the one you have access to -- provided they're hitting the marks on seating, power, and food. Continue reading Here’s What Makes a Great Airport Lounge...          • Email to a friend • Paypal Entering the Points Game and What It’s Like to Work for Qatar A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips. Continue reading Paypal Entering the Points Game and What It’s Like to Work for Qatar...          • Email to a friend • Are Centurion Lounges So Busy Nobody Goes There Anymore? I was in the Phiadelphia airport's Centurion lounge this past week. I hadn't been since the lounge's pre-opening event in October. It was packed. They're popular with travelers because they're better than the lounges that were already in the airport before American Express opened them. However with high demand comes real wear and tear on the spaces. Continue reading Are Centurion Lounges So Busy Nobody Goes There Anymore?...          • Email to a friend • More Recent Articles "You're My Bartender" Fight Breaks Out When American Flight Attendant Won't Serve Beer I Don't Get It, Why Are People Still Collecting SkyMiles? How Delta Overcharges You for Award Tickets Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.     Safely Unsubscribe • Archives • Preferences • Contact • Subscribe • Privacy Email subscriptions powered by FeedBlitz, LLC • 365 Boston Post Rd, Suite 123 • Sudbury, MA 01776, USA