I was strongly leaning towards cancelling my SPG Amex because the $95 fee was due and I couldn’t justify paying it. In terms of cards with annual fees, I’ve had this one the longest. I opened it back in December of 2011 when I watched a Nightline segment that featured The Frugal Travel Guy and figured that I too could travel for free*. That December, I went to the Sugar Bowl to hit the minimum spend the old-fashioned way, spending money. Now it’s 2015 and I’m going to the Citrus Bowl. Some things never change.
Enough reminiscing, I’m not keeping the card for nostalgia. I’m keeping it because I have referred two people who were approved for the SPG personal card and I am awaiting the 10,000 points bonus. When I book SPG hotels with points, I try to get 3 cents per point. Even if the value of SPG points is a modest 1 cent, I’m still coming out ahead of the annual fee assuming those points post.
I initially considered keeping the card because I receive 2 stays towards the 25 required to requalify for platinum. This benefit may prove to be useless with the merger of Marriott and SPG. Like many SPG loyalists, I am in an interesting predicament: If Marriott guts the SPG program, my points will be worthless and so will my status. This probably would happen in 2017.
The next question is whether it is worth going for platinum again or if I should focus my efforts on preserving my Hyatt Diamond status. That’s a question for another day.
Why I Didn’t Cancel My Amex SPG
uberPOOL: Save 25% And Ride Alone
Uber is not as great in NYC as it was in Mexico City or Scottsdale. The min fare is $8 inspiring me to walk two miles to the bar instead of giving away my gold. Since it’s been warm in NYC, I don’t mind doing so. But, when the cold does come and I’m sure that it is coming, that $8 will be worth the cost of admission.
Yesterday, I soberly stumbled upon a ‘trick’ that reduces my Uber fare by 25%. It’s called uberPOOL. The idea is that your Uber becomes a carpool which may mean multiple stops before reaching your destination. You set your destination ahead of time so I’m guessing that the other passengers have to be going in the same general direction. Still, what you save in money, you pay for in time.
However, if you’re a creature of the night like me, you can still order uberPOOL and chances are you will be the only one in the car. By default, Uber sets your number of passengers to two so that further reduces the odds of multiple passengers. I’ve tried this in Brooklyn and Manhattan and I was always alone. The driver confirmed that he gets paid the same so the overly sensitive Uber supporter can rest easy.
Worst case, it doesn’t work and maybe you’ll make friends with the other passenger. Maybe the Uber driver will see that you are nice to strangers and up your Uber rating, something that is getting way more attention than it deserves these days.
Aloft Abu Dhabi: The Solid Layover Choice
The Aloft Abu Dhabi Hotel Review is part of the Trip Report Athens Marathon: The Original Course which includes the following cities:
- Toronto, Canada
- Detroit, Michigan
- London, England
- Athens, Greece
- Giza, Egypt
- Cairo, Egypt
- Luxor, Egypt
- Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
- Abu Dhabi, UAE
Getting There: Take Uber from the airport for 45AED. Go to Arrivals for SkyPark in Terminal 3 to meet your Uber.
<==Back to Etihad Arrivals Lounge – Onto Etihad First Class to LAX==>
Etihad Arrivals Lounge: Time for a Proper Shave
The Etihad Arrivals Lounge Review Abu Dhabi is part of the Trip Report Athens Marathon: The Original Course which includes the following cities:
- Toronto, Canada
- Detroit, Michigan
- London, England
- Athens, Greece
- Giza, Egypt
- Cairo, Egypt
- Luxor, Egypt
- Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
- Abu Dhabi, UAE
I was ready to call Uber Abu Dhabi and thought why not stop by the Etihad Arrivals Lounge and find out if the chauffeur service truly wasn’t available. I was told it was because I booked using points through AA. I was also told it was because I was only there for a layover. While the staff was double-checking, I checked out the lounge and stayed longer than anticipated. It wasn’t futuristic like the Virgin Atlantic Revivals Lounge in London but it did have plenty of snacks, showers, and even the option to get your clothes pressed. The best amenity was the free shave service. Complimentary to first class passengers, SHAVE by Etihad is something I wish was available to me every day. It seems uncouth for a man to shave on his own with rugged blades when there’s an artist who can do it for you. I’m adding this to the list of must-haves when I grow up.
<==Back to Etihad First CAI-AUH – Onto Aloft Abu Dhabi==>
Lie-Flat Surprise: Etihad First Class A340 Cairo to Abu Dhabi
The Etihad First Class A340 Cairo to Abu Dhabi Flight Review is part of the Trip Report Athens Marathon: The Original Course which includes the following cities:
- Toronto, Canada
- Detroit, Michigan
- London, England
- Athens, Greece
- Giza, Egypt
- Cairo, Egypt
- Luxor, Egypt
- Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
- Abu Dhabi, UAE
It is ironic that the relaxing start to my vacation was en route back to the US. The journey to Los Angeles began in Cairo aboard Etihad, stopped in Abu Dhabi for a night, and resumed the next day on the same carrier but different plane. When I originally made the booking, I was so concerned with finding first class availability from AUH-LAX that I didn’t check what type of plane would be from CAI-AUH. I figured it would be a 737 with oversized seats that reclined. Imagine my surprised when I boarded the plane and found the exact opposite. After all the bumps I had endured on this trip, I thought it was fitting that something finally went my way.
<==Back to Cairo Lounge – Onto Etihad Arrivals Lounge==>
Happy Festivus! Airing of Blog Grievances 2015
Happy Festivus! It’s been a good year for TPOL but let me tell you all the ways that airlines, hotel chains, manufactured spending outlets, credit card companies, bloggers, and commentators have disappointed me over the last year.
- The Death of RedBird for Reloading Directly with a Credit Card
- The End of RedBird Reloading with Gift Cards
- The End of GiftCardMall
- The End of Giftcards.com
- Election 2016: Where Have All the MS Jobs Gone?
- The Deal Killer Strikes Again
- The Devaluation of Club Carlson
- The Devaluation of Southwest
- The Devaluation of American
- The Devaluation of British Avios Transfer from Amex
- Is Everyone Flying Etihad But Me?
- The Merger of Marriott and SPG
- Amex Raises SPG Annnual Fee
- Denied Delta Bonus
- Wells Fargo Is the Worst Bank
Cairo Airport VIP Lounge
The Cairo Airport VIP Lounge Review is part of the Trip Report Athens Marathon: The Original Course which includes the following cities:
- Toronto, Canada
- Detroit, Michigan
- London, England
- Athens, Greece
- Giza, Egypt
- Cairo, Egypt
- Luxor, Egypt
- Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
- Abu Dhabi, UAE
Depleted from Egypt, I was more than ready to hop aboard my flight from Cairo to Abu Dhabi on Etihad first. I thought I’d stop in the lounge like a responsible blogger and creep everyone out per usual by taking pics of croissants and business travelers. In regards to the lounge, it wasn’t anything to write home about. (see what I did there) There was an old lady resembling my grandma making tea and coffee for everyone and then there was one guy who selectively was delivering the tea and coffee to those people he deemed worthy of being waited on. I avoided the food because it looked like it had been sitting out and I still wasn’t over the food poisoning from Sharm el-Sheikh. That was the extent of the lounge. Though they had a piano nobody was playing show tunes. Though they had a monitor displaying flight arrivals, Windows 95 prevented all the flights from being shown.
Hyatt Sharm el-Sheikh: Beautiful Hotel, Terrible Time
The Hyatt Regency Sharm el-Sheikh Hotel Review is part of the Trip Report Athens Marathon: The Original Course which includes the following cities:
- Toronto, Canada
- Detroit, Michigan
- London, England
- Athens, Greece
- Giza, Egypt
- Cairo, Egypt
- Luxor, Egypt
- Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
- Abu Dhabi, UAE
Getting There: From the airport, you must take a taxi though they will try to sell you a camel if you don’t agree to get ripped off. I paid 50 EGP though I would be impressed if you got it for 30 EGP. The hotel is only a short distance away. The Hyatt provides free transport to the airport on the way back. Be sure not to forget your watch at the hotel before you depart.
The original plan was to run the Athens Marathon then go straight to Sharm for R&R. Then the plan changed to go to Cairo and Luxor and end the trip in Sharm. After the bombing of the Russian airliner where tragically 224 people were killed, I debated whether it was responsible to go to Sharm. I decided to go but unfortunately received the worst food poisoning my first night there. I was there for three days total and had a horrible time. Since I don’t want to recount the bad experience, this hotel review is going to be all pictures. Though the resort was beautiful, all I can think about when I see the pictures is how miserable I was. Having said that, here is Hyatt Regency Sharm el-Sheikh hotel review.
I Know When That Hot Bowl Blings…A Review of Pho in Brooklyn
I know when that hot bowl blings, it can only mean one thing: A delicious bowl of pho awaits. Glistening and gleaming, the sparkling bowl of pho arrived shortly after the modest portion of shrimp spring rolls. Before I commence with the review I have to say that I wasn’t expecting much from Hanoi in Brooklyn because it had all the attributes of an underwhelming pho restaurant. Those include:
- An ‘A’ food inspection rating
- Nice decor
- No Vietnamese customers
- Steep prices
- Small portions
I Support Donald Trump…For A Free Round of Golf
The Donald has been in the news a lot lately for saying some outrageous, provocative things. Though I don’t agree with many things that he says, I’m not going to go so far as to give up a free round of golf at the Trump National Doral on account of his ignorance.
The year is coming to an end and I still have two free rounds of golf courtesy of the Citi Prestige card. Originally, I was going to speculatively book rounds as reservations are available as far as six months out. Now that I’m going to be in the Orlando and Miami area after the Citrus Bowl I know I can make my tee times.
To my surprise, I was able to book two free rounds of golf. I thought the policy was that one round had to be completed before another was booked. I’m not sure if there was a change in policy but for anyone who has outstanding free rounds left, it’s worth giving a shot.
The two courses I’m playing are the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grand Lakes and the Trump National Doral – Gold Course. If anyone wants to give TPOL a run for his money then send me an email and we can get after it. My classified reads as follows:
Looking for a partner who is extremely wealthy or has a Citi Prestige card. Good hygiene a must.
Why? Well, the Trump course goes for $250 and the Ritz goes for $175. Like flying first class, I booked these courses because they are stupidly expensive but are offered as a free perk for points aficionados. Otherwise, I would be sticking to putt-putt.
