Over the past year and a half, I've had a lot of inquiries from readers and clients about the Four Seasons properties in Hawaii. Of all the Four Seasons properties, I receive the most emails and make the most bookings at the Four Seasons resorts currently…
Starwood Luxury Privileges Best Free Night Offers For 2018
I've written several times over the past two years about Starwood's Luxury Privileges program, which is Starwood's proprietary preferred partner program. Luxury Privileges offers special perks like daily breakfast, room upgrades, and hotel credits when…
When The “Sharing” Economy Fails — My Terrible Experience Using Turo
For those of you not familiar with Turo, it's a peer-to-peer car marketplace. Think of it as the Airbnb of car rentals. Instead of renting a car from a big, faceless corporation, known for bad service, you rent a car from an individual, and it's facilitated…
Starwood Luxury Privileges: Latest Updates As Of Feb 2017
Back when I became a full time travel advisor, I wrote about one of Starwood's best kept secrets -- the Luxury Privileges program. For a quick recap, you can read in detail about the program and how it works here. Since first writing about the program…
Using The Luxury Circle Program To Maximize Value At Shangri-La Hotels
I’ve written in the past about preferred hotel programs, like Starwood’s Luxury Privileges and Four Seasons Preferred Partners. In 2016 Shangri-La launched their own preferred partner program, called The Luxury Circle. In many cases this offers better…
My First Impression Of Aman Resorts
Over the past year and change, Ben has instilled in me a new level of appreciation for value and how to maximize it. Ben knows a good value, and it’s the reason he is able to travel so often and so well. He has to some degree deterred my love of the…
How To Be Treated Like You’re A Loyal Hotel Guest (Even When You’re Not)
As many readers of OMAAT know firsthand, being loyal pays off – whether it comes to airlines or hotels, loyalty is rewarded with preferred status, miles, and points that can be redeemed for free nights and international first class tickets that would…
How To Maximize Value At Four Seasons Hotels
Four Seasons is considered by some to be the Holy Grail of hotels and resorts. Others (probably rolling their eyes right now) may say they are overpriced and overrated, although I think it's fair to say that Four Seasons properties, as a group, are tasteful…
Ford’s Thoughts On Visiting The Arctic
It all began when SAS opened up business class award space between Los Angeles and Stockholm on their new daily flight… Ben seized the opportunity to try it and asked if I’d care to join. We could finally (it’s been a dream of mine for years) go to Russia…
Using Luxury Privileges To Maximize Starwood Hotel Stays
As some of you already know, I’ve recently transitioned full-time into the travel world as a Travel Advisor. I've received an incredibly positive and kind response from many readers, for which I am very grateful! I’ve also had the pleasure of booking…
Plot Twist: From Travel Companion To Travel Advisor
As many of you know, I’ve been traveling quite a bit with Ben this past year, which has been unforgettable and dreamy, but I’ve slowed down in recent months and started work in the travel industry, a space I was familiar with before meeting Ben and now…
American Airlines’ New Business Class Blunder
Ben has already written about the new business class seats on American Airlines 777-200 and 787 aircraft, which leave a little to be desired. There are a number of things that are great about them – I like that the reverse-facing seats have more privacy…
Thoughts On Colombia: A Protracted Mileage Run
One of my more humorous friends, upon learning I was in Colombia, offered to pay my ransom should anything go wrong. I was surprised to hear that sort of reaction from someone I consider quite worldly and cosmopolitan. In fact, I’m certain he follows…
Is Traveling To The Maldives Worth It?
With Christmas, New Years, and the most popular week to vacation about 11 months out, I know many readers are in the midst of choosing their destinations and booking their award tickets before they’re gone. I likewise know that many hope and dream to…
Ford’s Thoughts On Booking Flights Last Minute
As many readers know, the best time to book flights with miles is ~11 months out or in the final few days before departure, as airlines frequently make awards seats available at the time the flights are first scheduled and again, based on availability,…
Holiday Gift Guide 2015
Check out my Holiday 2015 Gift Guide for Lucky-approved presents ranging from $20 stocking stuffers to $20,000 aircraft furniture. How good have the people on your list been this season? Perfect for blog readers, miles and points enthusiasts, aviation…
What Did Ford Think Of British Airways Club World?
Ben and I flew to London for Thanksgiving (perhaps the least patriotic of locales to celebrate) to see a number of my close friends. Most of them hold Thanksgiving dinners despite being foreign. It’s refreshing to know gratitude and thankfulness are…
Review: SPG Moments With John Legend
Ben and I recently attended an SPG Moments event at the Downtown Los Angeles Sheraton, where John Legend performed for about 200 of us. Doors to the event opened around 7:30 PM, we arrived shortly thereafter, and John Legend came on around 9:00 PM and…
Ford’s First Time In Cathay Pacific First Class
Ben and I are on another adventure, this time in Asia, now that we’ve conquered Dubai together for the first, but hopefully not last, time. I’m still adjusting to Ben’s last-minute lifestyle and have had a hard time explaining it to “normal” people.…
10 Things I’ve Learned From Dating A Miles & Points Geek
My boyfriend Ford recently wrote a blog post about his first time in Emirates A380 first class. Before we met he didn't know the first thing about miles & points (like, he thought redeeming transferrable points currencies for cash towards a statement…
Boyfriend’s First Time In Emirates First Class
As someone with my sensibilities famously said, “a luxury, once sampled, becomes a necessity.” This certainly applies to Emirates A380 First Class, which I flew for the first time about a week ago from Dallas to Dubai. How does one begin to enumerate…