airlines Archives - Empathic Finance

You can get “elite” status…with Vanguard

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on February 13, 2017 | Featured

I’m an unsophisticated investor, but I consider that a good thing. I’d rather do something simple that has a proven track record, rather than go for big bets that are unproven and even more risky. After all, this is my … Read More … Read More

Tags: airlines, elite status, Vanguard

The pleasures and sorrows of ordering a special meal in flight

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on September 1, 2016 | Featured

I’ve talked about how anyone can order a special meal on a flight if it’s one of the rare ones that still serve meals. It just so happens that I had such a flight recently, flying British Airways from Seattle (SEA) … Read More … Read More

Tags: airlines, flying, meals

Why not order a special meal on your flight?

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on August 29, 2016 | Featured

Long gone are the days where one got served meals on flights by default. These days, you may get served a meal if you’re flying domestic first class, but aside from that, you really only get something approximating a meal … Read More … Read More

Tags: airlines, british airways, flying, meals

The problems with airline loyalty

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on May 23, 2016 | Featured

So by now, I’ve talked about the problems inherent in certain retail loyalty programs. Programs like Starbucks Rewards and Amazon Prime seem like a good deal, but can often force you in making decisions based on the idea that you’ve “already paid … Read More … Read More

Tags: airlines, Alaska Airlines, elite status, loyalty, Spirit Airlines

Why not to trust frequent flyer programs

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on November 30, 2015 | Featured

If you’re at all familiar with frequent flyer programs, you generally know that you earn “miles” for flying, generally one mile per mile flown. That’s the way it’s always been, as far as I can tell since the very … Read More … Read More

Tags: airlines, flying

A tale of two mileage expirations

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on June 4, 2015 | Featured

I’ve talked before about the importance of keeping track of your frequent flyer miles. “But it’s too complicated!” is only a valid complaint if you desire to travel less and have it cost more money. Is that you? Didn’t … Read More … Read More

Tags: airlines, expiration, frequent flyer miles, Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines

What is the purpose of a refundable airline ticket?

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on June 1, 2015 | Featured

I always want to write about topics that are interesting and useful to my readers, but I also know that everyone is at different places. Some people are working on getting out of debt, so things like investing and … Read More … Read More

Tags: airlines, flying, refunds, tickets

How to plan for award travel when you’re an infrequent flyer

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on February 6, 2014 | Featured

While some folks who read this site are avid travelers, zooming around the globe as frequently as a satellite, others may fly infrequently and think that award travel is completely irrelevant to them. Nonsense. Award travel is open to … Read More … Read More

Tags: airlines, award travel, flying, frequent flyer, frequent flyer miles, travel, travel hacking

When to let your points expire

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on February 3, 2014 | Featured

I once wrote to not let your airline miles expire. But there are always exceptions, and I am starting to think that there are reasons worth discussing. Sacrilege? No, just simplification and efficiency. … Read More

Tags: airlines, Alaska Airlines, frequent flyer, frequent flyer miles, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines, travel, travel hacking

Why bother to keep your miles from expiring

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on September 26, 2013 | Featured

Let’s say you have 3,000 miles with Delta, 5,735 miles with US Airways, and 1,326 miles with Virgin America. Redemptions of frequent flyer miles usually start at the 25,000 mark. At this rate, you’ll have enough for an award … Read More … Read More

Tags: airlines, Burning Man, bus, frequent flyer miles, Greyhound, travel

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