Status
Hotel loyalty programs paint a seductive picture: luxurious suites, free breakfasts, late checkouts, VIP treatment, and the feeling that you’ve "made it." The reality, though, is often far less glamorous.
Status
Yesterday, we explored how hotel loyalty programs hook you emotionally, building a cult-like following. Today, we shift gears to tackle the myths—those glossy promises of upgrades, free breakfasts, and VIP treatment that often don't survive first contact with reality.
Status
Over the next five days, we'll explore the hidden engines that drive your loyalty obsession, the myths versus realities of elite perks, the sucker's game of chasing status, the hard math behind the numbers, and where hotel loyalty is headed.
DearOhad
Another week, another suitcase full of your questions. Let’s dive in before TSA flags me for emotional baggage. 7 real questions, 7 ruthless answers. From flying separately without starting a divorce to stretching your 600K Amex points into business class dreams. Buckle up.
Strategy Saturday
Everyone enters the world of points and miles differently. Some dive in headfirst, spreadsheet in hand. Others stumble upon a free flight and never look back. But no matter how you start, you eventually fall into a rhythm—a style, a personality, a persona.
Status
Welcome aboard the elite status circus of April 2025. In the world of frequent flyers, airline elite status has become a quasi-religion – complete with its own rituals (mileage runs), status symbols (luggage tags and shiny cards), and a devout congregation chasing the next tier.
Status
Welcome aboard the elite status circus of April 2025. In the world of frequent flyers, airline elite status has become a quasi-religion – complete with its own rituals (mileage runs), status symbols (luggage tags and shiny cards), and a devout congregation chasing the next tier.
Status
Welcome aboard the elite status circus of April 2025. In the world of frequent flyers, airline elite status has become a quasi-religion – complete with its own rituals (mileage runs), status symbols (luggage tags and shiny cards), and a devout congregation chasing the next tier.
Status
Welcome aboard the elite status circus of April 2025. In the world of frequent flyers, airline elite status has become a quasi-religion – complete with its own rituals (mileage runs), status symbols (luggage tags and shiny cards), and a devout congregation chasing the next tier.
Status
Welcome aboard the elite status circus of April 2025. In the world of frequent flyers, airline elite status has become a quasi-religion – complete with its own rituals (mileage runs), status symbols (luggage tags and shiny cards), and a devout congregation chasing the next tier.
DearOhad
Sass. Strategy. Award travel Therapy. Rolling through the Malaysian countryside in a train seat that reclines just enough to ruin your posture. Booked my Tokyo flight with ANA miles like a responsible adult. No sambal packets exploded during the making of this column. (Google it...)
Learn
Thinking of chasing points and miles? It only works if you play by the golden rule: pay your credit card in full and on time, every time. Skip that, and you risk fees, debt, frozen rewards, and a credit score hit. We break it all down — with real stories and real numbers.