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Terrible Targeted Offer: AA Gold for 200k Points

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Terrible Targeted Offer: AA Gold for 200k Points

I have no airline status. The closest I have to anything resembling status is Spirit Saver$ Club (see Why I Joined Spirit Saver$ Club). And that’s not status. That’s a discount program. Today, I received this offer from AA:

a screenshot of a credit card

Who would sign up for such a lousy offer? What benefit would I receive from being gold? For 80k miles, I was able to book a flight from Saudi Arabia to Puerto Rico (see How to Book the Best Itinerary: AA, Avios, Aeroplan, Miles & Smiles, Flying Blue, LifeMiles, Capital One). I’m not going to burn 199k miles in the hopes that I receive an upgrade from Detroit to Chicago. Please comment on why I’m making such a terrible mistake by not signing up. And then send me $2,000.

 

Grayson NYC: Stay for the Revival Bedding

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Grayson NYC: Stay for the Revival Bedding

Grayson Hotel Review NYC is part of TPOL in NYC.

Getting There: The best way to get there if you’re coming from EWR is to take NJT to Grand Central and then walk.

Introduction 

When I came to NYC for work, I used to stay in Long Island City (see Hyatt Place Long Island City Hotel Review: It Was the Best Deal in NY). The points deal is over (see Long Island City: No Longer a Secret Thanks to Amazon). Points ‘middle class,’ I opt for convenience over frugality. For me, burning more points to stay in Midtown during winter and being within walking distance of my meeting were better than saving a few thousand points and enduring the subway. And since I was going to overpay on points, I decided to try out a new hotel: The Grayson.a building with glass doors and a signa entrance to a hotela tree with pink flowers in a lobby

Location
The Grayson is located at 39th and 6th Avenue, steps away from my second pho restaurant (see Pho 39: Choice #2 in NYC). More importantly, I was within walking distance to my meeting in Midtown, something I did not want to do on the cold, slushy, freezing day. The alternative was a $50 Uber that would have taken much longer. a statue of a man in a park

Room

While the room wasn’t big, it was well-appointed.a room with a bed and a desk a bed with a wood paneled headboard and a desk a room with a bed and a desk and a tv a room with a tv and a desk

View

Got one window facing a brick wall.

While it wasn’t facing a brick wall, there was not a view. I enjoyed the snugness of the enclosure. I also find something romantic about fire escapes.a room with a tv and a painting on the ceilinga building with a pipe going through it

The Bedding 

When I checked out, I had to stop by and ask the front desk where they bought their bedding. The pillows were remarkable and the comforter was much better than the one at home. All of it comes from Revival New York. I went to order bedding from them but like all great items, they are not available to ship to my home in Puerto Rico.

a bed with a desk and a picture on the wall

Bathroom

Jerry’s got nothing. Newman’s got nothing. You’re the only one I know who’s got the good stuff, and I need it bad, baby, cause I feel like I got bugs crawling up my skin. Now you gotta help me out. 

I couldn’t live in New York with this weak water pressure. Other than that, I liked the gold touches of the bathroom.a bathroom with a sink and mirror a sink with gold faucet a group of small bottles of hair wash a shower with a gold faucet and a white towel on a racka window blinds in a room

Notable Item 

The notable item in this room was the dog. I wonder how many go missing and how much guests are charged when they do.a statue of a dog on a desk

Bar

Absent a complimentary drink, TPOL does not drink or dine at a hotel bar. It is too bad I’m too frugal as this one was quite nice.a room with tables and chairs and trees

Overall

Compared to the nightly rate of $400, 18k is a steal. Compared to the prices of other points hotels, 18k is a bargain. If it wasn’t the dead of winter, I would probably have saved my points and stayed in LIC as 18k is better used for vacation destinations, not work meetings.
a front of a hotel

Death Penalty for Opening an Emergency Door?

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Death Penalty for Opening an Emergency Door?

People do dumb things. Here’s the latest:

A Canadian man has been arrested in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai after he allegedly opened the door on a commercial plane and triggered the evacuation slide prior to takeoff (read full story here).

The article goes on to say that he faces the following penalty: If found guilty he could face the death penalty, imprisonment of up to 20 years, and/or a 600,000-800,000 baht ($16,700-$22,300) fine.

I’m going to guess that he gets fined and banned from returning to Thailand.

I’ve done some dumb things when I’ve traveled (see TPOL’s Travel Lessons), but I have yet to be arrested. How about you? What’s the dumbest thing you have done? So I, like my readers do to me when I share such stories, can call you stupid too.

a glass of champagne on a table in a plane
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight.

Avianca’s LifeMiles Chat Sucks: Are You Surprised?

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Avianca’s LifeMiles Chat Sucks: Are You Surprised?

Avianca Chat is part of the Buenos Aires, Cape Town Residency. Read Vote for Where TPOL Will Move Next And… and TPOL in Madrid: Why A Second Residency? to understand this innovative residency phenomenon.

The first step in my Buenos Aires Residency was to book a flight from my full-time residence, Puerto Rico. In theory, this should be very easy. I found the business class flight on lifemiles.com for 40k points and hit ‘submit.’ I received an error that my reservation could not be completed and that an agent would assist me. I waited for a live person to come on the chat but the only one to show up was Mia, an ironic but fitting name. Mia didn’t understand anything. After repeated attempts to communicate with Mia, she gave me these options:

a screenshot of a phone

I selected the second one and thought progress was being made. I was wrong.

a screenshot of a chat

I clicked the option again and again but Mia’s brain continued to be unavailable. Instead of cyber-bullying Mia the moron, I called Lifemiles by phone. Now, I am waiting for them to send me the payment link which could take up to 72 hours.

 

2024 Residencies Announced! Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Cape Town

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2024 Residencies Announced! Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Cape Town

2024 Residencies are part of the Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Cape Town Residency Directory. Read Vote for Where TPOL Will Move Next And… and TPOL in Madrid: Why A Second Residency? to understand this innovative residency phenomenon.

I have completed three residencies thus far: Madrid, Melbourne, and Bangkok. All were in 2023. All were a great success. To keep the party going, I consulted the list of possible candidates and came up with three cities I have visited before: Barcelona, Buenos Aires, and Cape Town.  The plan is to spend 6 weeks in each city living, eating, drinking, and enjoying my life as a local. The first trip will be to Barcelona in the summer followed by a joint a back-to-back residency of Buenos Aires and Cape Town in the fall and winter.

I will provide the details of air travel and long-term accommodations as the process unfolds. Of course, like moving to Albania (see Canceled! TPOL’s Move to Albania), everything is subject to change.

a man standing on a ledge with a marina and boats in the background
Post GM firing in Barcelona 2011.
a man holding a bottle of wine
Post Weisberg Meyers Firing in 2013. My last time working for someone excluding the 2014 Mongolia debacle.
a man standing on a platform with a city in the background
TPOL’s Tip: Do not trek Table Mountain in flip-flops and with no water.

 

Pho 39: Choice #2 in NYC

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Pho 39: Choice #2 in NYC

Pho 39 is part of TPOL in NYC.

Welcome back to New York City. Or should I say, welcome back NYC. The city has come a long way since I celebrated NYE here in 2021 (see Your Papers, Please: NY, The Lame Apple & Happy New Year! TPOL’s NYC NYE Party Guide). After many failed pho experiments in the City (see Pho No), I no longer take chances and head straight downtown to Sao Mai (see Game Over: TPOL Found the Best Pho in NYC). That was not an option this January morning as the weather looked like this:

a statue of a man in a park

I was staying at the Grayson Hotel which is located on 39th Street and 6th Avenue (see Stay for the Bedding). I didn’t want to go too far out of my door for anything. As the name suggests, Pho 39th is located on the 39th. Within two minutes, I arrived, ordered, and received the following:

a plate of food on a table
The spring rolls were exquisite.
a bowl of soup with meat and noodles
As far as the bowl, I was a little skeptical because it came out instantly, and I didn’t care for the chic spoon. It is awkward to use and does not add to the experience.
a bowl of soup with meat and sprouts
I was impressed by the number of sprouts and the size of the bowl.
a bowl of soup with meat and vegetables
Size matters but a big taste is most important.
a black spoon in a bowl
It was great.

Overall

If you don’t want to go downtown because of the weather or because you dread the subway, go to Pho 39.

a store front with a signTPOL’s Tip: Pho 39 is located at 70 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018.

Simply The Best: January 2024

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Simply The Best: January 2024

Here are the best posts from January. The first may be the best post in eternity.

  1. Michigan Wolverines National Champions! I Can Die in Peace

    a man in a sports uniform in a stadium
    As Michigan football goes, so goes my life. All problems feel tremendously worse with a Michigan loss. All problems feel trivial with a Michigan win. Today, I have zero problems and Ohio State ain’t #won.
  2. Bula! Fiji Airways Vancouver to Nadi Flight Review

    a seat in a plane
    Bula was a word I would hear frequently throughout this trip. It means hello or welcome in Fijian, but the sincerity of the word cannot be translated. This warmness of the flight attendants and the Fijian people is authentic.
  3. Sheraton Fiji: We Appreciate Your Loyalty!

    a pool with palm trees and a building in the background
    “We appreciate your loyalty,” is a phrase that is used but not meant. At the Sheraton Fiji it was sincere and I appreciated it.
  4. Fiji Airways Nadi to Tonga: The Best Business 737 Experience

    a group of airplanes parked on a tarmac
    I have flown many 737s in my day. Some were better than others (see Ethiopian Business JNB-ADD: The Worst Flight Experience). Undoubtedly, the Fiji Airways flight from Nadi, Fiji to Tonga was the best.
  5. 2023 What I Spent (And Received) in Annual Fees

    a man in a canoe in the water
    $2772 is not a small amount of money to pay for fees. This doesn’t include Ms.TPOL’s annual fees in the amount of $1205.06
  6. Am I Losing the Points Game? 

    a man taking a selfie
    Should I give up churning? What would I do after that? Stop points traveling altogether? Stop blogging? I must not. I can’t. I will find a way to keep winning this points game.
  7. Simply The Best: TPOL in 2023

    a large building with many windows and a parking lot
    Was 2023 the best year of my life? It sure felt that way.  Here are the best posts from a historical year of greatness.

Am I Losing the Points Game?

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Am I Losing the Points Game?

I wrote the post 2023 What I Spent (And Received) in Annual Fees. I concluded the post with this photo and caption:

a man in a canoe in the water
It’s worth it.

After it was published, I reread the post. I honed in on this line: Grand Total: $3977.06.

Is $4000 in annual fees worth it? In the old days, I would say yes because the value of my redemptions vastly outweighed the actual retail price (see Bus-Ted: TPOL Points & Cash Summary). Today, I am not so sure. First, devaluations have killed aspirational redemptions (see Do You Believe in Miracles? Emirates Showers, Dreamliner Suites, Tahiti Triumph!). Yes, QSuites is readily available but how many times do I want to be surrounded by the purple monster for a long-haul flight? While business class is fine, I much prefer flying first. But these days airlines are eliminating first-class altogether. And those that offer them do so at alarming rates. I don’t care how many points I have, I am not going to pay for anything but ‘saver,’ which is next to impossible to find.

I once wrote, Devaluation? I Laugh in the Face of Devaluation. As I continue to rack up points, I fear that the joke is now on me. I have more free time now, more income now, and more points now. The problem is that there aren’t many places left that I want to go (see 126 Countries Left, If I Go), and even when I find a place, I do not have a way of getting there in style.

Fiscally, it doesn’t make sense to keep applying for cards, paying the annual fee, and sitting on points that lose value as each day passes (see Virgin Atlantic Devaluation: I Waited Too Long). Should I give up churning as I said I would in 2016 (see I Quit Churning!)? If I did, wouldn’t I miss the thrill of instant approvals and the thick envelope coming in the mail? What would I do after that? Stop points traveling altogether? Stop blogging?

I must not. I can’t. I will find a way to keep winning this points game.

a man taking a selfie
Come on Emirates. Let me back in the first class club!

 

 

Fiji Airways Nadi to Tonga: The Best Business 737 Experience

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Fiji Airways Nadi to Tonga: The Best Business 737 Experience

Fiji Airways Nadi Tonga Business Class is part of the Bula! Fiji Hub Trip Report.

I have flown many 737s in my day. Some were better than others (see Ethiopian Business JNB-ADD: The Worst Flight Experience). Undoubtedly, the Fiji Airways flight from Nadi, Fiji to Tonga was the best.  a group of airplanes parked on a tarmac a plane on the ground

Here’s why:

Bula! Service 

I wrote about the great service aboard Fiji Airways on my first flight from Vancouver to Nadi (see Bula! Fiji Airways Vancouver to Nadi Flight Review). That service isn’t only found on long-haul. It was also provided on this short 1.5 hour flight to Tonga. a close up of a sign

a glass of liquid and a glass of orange juice on a tray
Welcomed with a welcome drink.

So Much Space 

Some airlines cram in as many business class seats as possible. Fiji Airways had a total of 4. two chairs in an airplane a seat in a plane

Food

Despite the short duration of the flight, there was great meal service. a plate of food on a tray

Fiji Water a two bottles in a small cabinet

Cost 

It only costs 12,500 Avios and $52 versus $466 to fly business (see Bus-Ted: Bula! Fiji Hub Points & Cash Summary).

Another Go Around

The Fiji Airways experience lasted a little longer than expected. Right before landing, the wind picked up and the pilot had to abort and go around one more time.

a building with a sign on it
Welcome to Tonga!

Overall

I didn’t have any luck finding business class flights on Fiji Airways for islands in the Pacific. I am glad I was able to experience it when I could.

2023 What I Spent (And Received) in Annual Fees

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2023 What I Spent (And Received) in Annual Fees

Here is what I have spent in annual fees historically:

Here is what I spent in 2023 and what I received:

New Cards 

Total: $2168

Renewed Cards 

  • $95 Chase Ink: 3X marketing
  • $99 IHG Personal: 1 free night
  • $95 Chase Hyatt: 1 free night
  • $125 Amex Marriott Business: 1 free night
  • $95 Amex Marriott: 1 free night
  • $95 Chase Marriott: 1 free night

Total: $604

TPOL’s Total: $2772

I don’t have to calculate how much value I have received out of these cards. My redemptions speak for themselves. Still, $2772 is not a small amount of money to pay for fees. This doesn’t include Ms.TPOL’s annual fees in the amount of $1205.06

Grand Total: $3977.06

a man in a canoe in the water
It’s worth it.
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