Windbag Miles

I have one claim to fame in the points and miles blogging world, and it’s that I was the first one to realize that signing up for Morgan Stanley’s robo-investing platform (“Access”) makes you eligible for a Morgan Stanley Amex Platinum card. Well, I probably wasn’t the first person to realize this, but I wasContinue reading “It’s been a few years since I’ve written about a Morgan Stanley Amex topic, but that’s basically the only thing people know me for, so I should probably keep doing it.”

Well, we knew it would happen sooner or later — I’m finally getting on a plane again. After 16 months or so, I’m heading back to Chicago next month to see my family for the first time since the pandy started, and I’m pretty excited about the trip. Unlike your garden variety #AvGeek, however, I’mContinue reading “Me: “Stop being such a diva, just suck it up and fly economy.” — Also me: “No.””

Note: This post was originally published in March of 2020 on my now-defunct newsletter, “Windbag Mails.” (Although I’m not sure if it was ever not defunct, since I only ever wrote all of four posts.) American is in the news again now that they’re abandoning award charts and setting the stage for endless devaluations, whichContinue reading “Springtime for American Airlines (Flashback Post)”

Wowie zowie that was some pandemic, wasn’t it? I don’t know about you folks, but the last fourteen months for me sucked pretty bad, and I didn’t even have to deal with anyone close to me dying. No, just the psychic toll of living through what amounted to a nationwide slow motion car crash stuckContinue reading “Maybe it was a bad idea to get all those sign-up bonuses I didn’t need, unless it wasn’t.”

As world spending growth slows, the never-earned are the ultimate forgotten ones.  A couple decides to open one credit card instead of two, or none instead of one. This happens all over the world. Billions of sign-up bonuses are never earned. How real is the loss of a sign-up bonus that never began? Is there a right toContinue reading “Spare a Thought for the Billions of Points That Will Never Exist”

JetBlue officially unveiled it’s new Mint Suites today, and they suck, and I hate them. Everyone seems to be breathlessly regurgitating JetBlue’s talking points, even writers who I normally trust to take a more critical eye toward this kind of stuff. I guess I should put a picture in here or something, in case youContinue reading “Were you saying “JetBOOO” or “JetBOOO-Urns?” (I don’t like the new Jet Blue Mint seats, and this is is a post about that.)”

Wow, I’m actually writing a blog post! It was bound to happen sooner or later, since all kinds of wacky crap has been happening this year, and I’ve felt the percolations of motivation tickle my brain more and more frequently lately. What finally put me over the edge? I got an offer on my lowlyContinue reading ““Three Blind Mice” except there’s only one mouse, and it’s not a mouse, it’s Barclays’ credit card strategy”

That’s right, despite never writing or updating this blog, I’ve decided to start word vomiting on a new platform altogether. To read why, and to subscribe so you never miss a drop, go here: WINDBAG MAILS LINK, CLICK HERE GRANDPA. Quick note: I’m not auto-subscribing the mailing list from this blog to the newsletter outContinue reading “Introducing “Windbag Mails,” the Windbag Miles blog in a convenient travel size package for the modern on-the-go businessperson.”

WHOA, TWO POSTS IN A SINGLE WEEK! I could write about what’s going on with the blog and stuff, but you don’t care. It’s boring. Anyway, let’s talk about Delta. Earlier this year, I wrote a post about how Delta’s revenue-based redemption system can make awards less flexible overall, and this post is in aContinue reading “Don’t forget to search Delta award itineraries segment-by-segment. Oh wait, I mean “Don’t search for Delta award without using this ONE CRAZY TRICK!””

My last post on this fair blog was about all the ways I was going to get Bonvoyed this summer during a work trip that involved a trifecta of Marriott hotels (AKA “The Devil’s Triangle.”) Then, the most incredible thing happened: everything was fine. Better than fine, actually… I know, I’m as surprised as you!Continue reading “Marriott is a great hotel chain, I’m joining The Points Guy as a travel writer, and Emirates is giving out free first class flights: One of these outlandish statements is true, but WHICH ONE????”