Your reaction will be somewhere between, “Who cares,” and “Congratulations!”. I am going with the latter. Here’s why: Chasing status year to year is exhausting. It dictates how I travel and sometimes where I travel. Chasing status gives me anxiety. What will I do if I don’t qualify? I can’t wait a year to have my perks restored.
By attaining Lifetime Platinum with Marriott, I no longer have to worry about such things. For the rest of my days, I will have free breakfast, and more importantly, 4PM checkout. I will also have an easier time of doing a status match with another chain, should the opportunity arise. To that end, I can shift my attention to achieving status with other brands.
Ironically, the result of achieving lifetime status will result in me staying less often at Marriotts. With their constant devaluations and inability to readily earn points, Marriott has provided little incentive to post the same number of stays like years past.
Now, my best use of Marriot will be to maximize the multiple stay certs I receive from credit cards (see 2022 What I Spent (And Received) in Annual Fees) for grand events like New Years in Hong Kong (see Courtyard by Marriott Hong Kong: New Year’s Cert Rescue Story) or Carnival (see How to Book Trinidad’s Carnival Last Second for Free*). Beyond that, my hotel strategy is to bounce around from brand to brand, hoping that my mishmash of points covers the bill.
It is a long, terrible flight from Puerto Rico to Los Angeles. I recently took it after my return from the World Cup (see Finalizing the ANA RTW Trip, World Cup & Luck Included). I won’t have to repeat this arduous journey thanks to Michigan squandering an opportunity on New Year’s Eve.
Instead of going on a wild adventure as I typically do for New Year’s (see Where to Party? New Year’s Eve), I stayed home and watched the Fiesta Bowl. Michigan made every mistake possible but fought back and had a chance to win the game. Michigan losing is not why I am upset. That happens all the time (see The Game: A Wolverine’s Guide For Surviving Columbus). Last year, when Michigan was blown out by Georgia, I was not mad. It did not affect my celebration (see Happy New Year! TPOL’s NYC NYE Party Guide). This year, it was not unreasonable to believe that we could advance. The reason I am distressed and the reason I am suing ESPN is because it had the audacity to schedule this game on New Year’s Eve.
ESPN knows that one side is going to rejoice and one side is going to be crushed. Having to deal with such disappointment, such hopelessness while simultaneously trying to be optimistic for the New Year is incongruent. I am not one for New Year’s resolutions but the coming of a new year marks an opportunity to start anew. This opportunity, even if it is only symbolic, was taken from me by ESPN. And it was taken from millions of Michigan fans around the world.
In addition to money for emotional distress, I am seeking an injunction against the College Football Playoffs being played on NYE. Have them on December 30th; have them on January 1st. Having them on December 31st is downright cruel.
Note: I am willing to take on Ohio State clients as well as they literally had to go through this agony when the clock struck midnight.
Happy New Year from your former favorite travel blogger and, once again, world explorer. Here are the top posts from the year and one selected post per month:
Simply The Best: January 2022
Even though the World Cup is one of the biggest sporting events in the world, it does not mean that you can’t avoid price gouging.
Here’s what I learned:
Get Your Visa in Order
Tickets mean nothing if you can’t get into the country (see The Guide to Buying Tickets for the World Cup And Other Big Events).
Pres Sale Tickets: Group Stage or Knockout Stage?
I missed the initial round of ticket sales from FIFA. I did not miss the second round of sales. In July, four months before the start of the World Cup, I sat in front of my computer and waited for the ticket portal to open (see Is TPOL Going to The World Cup?). My initial plan was to buy tickets for the US vs. England game in the group stage. While I expected the US to qualify, there was a chance that they would not make it. When I logged into the ticket portal for pre-sales that game was not available.
Not finding suitable group stage tickets worked out in my favor. It ended up being far more compelling to watch knockout stage games that had to end in a result than group stage games that could end in a tie. I would have been disappointed to fly all the way to Qatar to see the US tie Wales, draw against England, and squeak by against Iran.
The problem with purchasing knockout stage tickets in advance is that I did not know who would play who. The tickets I found featured 2G vs. 1H. I had hoped that this would be Portugal vs. Brazil but Brazil finished first in its group, leaving me with Portugal vs. Switzerland (see World Cup Day 4).
A Note on Categories
There are three categories of tickets with category 1 being the best. However, it was luck of the draw how high you ended up within that category. Some ended up with the best seats in the category and some, TPOL specifically, did not. In the pre-sale purchase of 2G vs. 1H, I splurged for Category 1, which retailed for $274 each. Contrast that to what I paid for other tickets below.
USA vs. Netherlands Tickets
The US team is not good. They have no identity, no rhythm, and no spice. Despite their lackluster performance throughout the group stage, I was caught up in the excitement. While watching the US vs. Iran from Puerto Rico, I was simultaneously on StubHub monitoring the cost of tickets. I was prepared to spend anything to see them in person. Was it possible that the US team would make magic and go deep? I didn’t want to go all the way to Qatar and miss out on the action. The cost of said magic? $1400 for two category 2 tickets in the nose bleeds (see World Cup Day 1).
TPOL’s Tip: Never, ever buy resell tickets in advance. That nervousness you are feeling is fabricated and phony. It is a scam manufactured by StubHub and other resellers in the same way that hotel websites say “only 2 rooms left.” As points people, we know that availability will open up. And if it doesn’t we find a way to deal with it. We don’t say, “Oh there’s no business class ticket, I better open up my wallet and pay an absurd price for it.”
Had I waited until I arrived in Doha, I probably could have picked up the tickets from the FIFA website for near cost or paid less of a premium on StubHub. Absent having no energy from my food poisoning/flu on the flight over (see Flight Review MIA-DOH: Qsuites to the World Cup!), I may have been able to go to both the Argentina vs. Australia game for the same price I paid to see that lousy US performance.
Brazil vs. South Korea Tickets
I enjoyed watching South Korea play in the group stage. I thought they had some magic going. The day before the game, I impulsively bought two Category 2 tickets from StubHub for $366.85 each (see World Cup Day 3). These were the best tickets in terms of proximity to the pitch.
England vs. Senegal Tickets
After buying tickets for South Korea, I checked the prices for the England game which was kicking off that day (see World Cup Day 2). At $293.79 each, they were cheaper than the Brazil vs. South Korea game. This led me to regret not waiting for the day of the South Korea game to make that purchase.
Having said that, I neglected to check the FIFA site first to see if there were two tickets for retail. I assumed that retail tickets would be sold out. Imagine my annoyance when on the way to the game, I met another fan who had scored a Category 2 ticket for the retail price of from the FIFA site.*
*I tried to buy tickets for the Japan game on the FIFA site later that night. It continuously errored out. It is dumb luck if it worked making me feel less terrible about my StubHub purchase.
TPOL’s Tip: Do not buy tickets from resellers that only show the Category, not the actual location of the seats. For the England game, I saw two Category 3 tickets. I picked the one that was slightly more expensive than the other believing I would receive better seats. I still ended up in the last row.
Overall
Did I spend too much on tickets? Yes. I spent $3,270.73. The total looks more painful now than the itemized transactions. I can try to rationalize how much I spent on tickets by saying that my flight to Doha was basically free (see Booked! Qatar Qsuites Round 3 for the World Cup) and that my hotel was also free (see Hilton World Cup Booked! Your Results Will Vary). But I still would have preferred to spend much less. For the next major event, whether it is the Super Bowl, National Championship Game, or the Final Four (see Final 4 Free & Final Four San Antonio: Go Blue! Left Blue), I will follow this procedure:
Gamble and buy tickets in advance at retail. I can always sell them if I don’t go.
Wait until the day of the event when I am there to minimize the price gouging.
TPOL’s Tip: Every game has a winner and a loser. You don’t want to lose twice by watching Michigan get blown out in the National Championship game and by overpaying to do so. Like points, if you are meant to go, you will find a way.
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This was the third time flying Qsuites this year. This was the first time flying it to Doha instead of from Doha. Since I was initially denied boarding (see Epic Failure: Denied Boarding for the World Cup), I was especially grateful to be on board.
Service
The first time I flew QSuites the service was impeccable (see QSuites: The Best Business Class Flight?). The second time the service was mediocre (see QSuites DOH-MIA: Maybe SQ Is Better). This time the service was worse than ever. It started off well. The flight attendant introduced herself, we traded jokes, and she took my food order. Then everything fell apart. I asked for champagne post-takeoff and for her to wake me if I fell asleep. Two hours later I woke up to find no food, no drinks, and no sign of my original flight attendant. Indeed, I never saw her again.
The flight attendants who did take over came by sporadically. Hitting the call button didn’t improve their promptness. The interactions went from personal to transactional.
Amenities Kit
The Qatar fragrance leaves much to be desired. The World Cup pajamas are still clever as are the pillows.
Welcome Drink
Prior to takeoff, we were served champagne, something that has been inconsistent post Covid.
Seats
The difference between this flight and my previous two is that I was accompanied by Ms. TPOL. This was the first time I was able to book adjoining seats in business or first with adjoining lie flat beds. This made the lie flat experience even better.
Food
I ordered the tapas and the surf and turf. I blame myself for this choice. Shrimp and steak do not go together.
Dessert
As the label states, this may be the world’s best ice cream.
Sleep
Since this was my third time on the flight, I had no interest in overindulging in food and drinks. I had been up since late the night before, flew in from Colombia (see MDE-MIA: My First Business Class Flight on AA, Worth It*?), and endured the visa drama. The only thing I wanted to do was sleep. I had the bed made and proceeded to pass out.
Sudden Sickness
Suddenly, I woke up with chills. I put on a shirt on top of my pajamas but could not stop shaking. At first, I thought it was the AC in the cabin. I turned to Ms. TPOL and saw that she, despite her sensitivity to cold, did not have a blanket on. I tried to sleep but could not get comfortable. I wanted to vomit but thought I would be turned into the Covid police if I did. Fortunately, I only had 1.5 hours until I landed.
Breakfast
I skipped breakfast and opted for ginger ale. With only 6 hours till the US vs. Netherlands game (see Day 1 World Cup), I needed to be rid of this illness.
Overall
Despite the bad service and flu-like symptoms, this is still one of the best business class experiences.
When I was almost denied boarding for my flight to Vietnam via Singapore (see 18:50 Minutes to SIN: Is Anyone Ready for This?), the tightness in my surgically repaired Achilles intensified (see TPOL Is Down). When I was initially denied boarding for my flight to the World Cup (see Epic Failure: Denied Boarding for the World Cup), I thought my Achilles would rupture again.
It is interesting how stress impacts the body. Judging by how I was limping to the AA lounge, you could tell that things weren’t going my way. That anxiety did not subside when I arrived at the lounge. The agent took my boarding pass and struggled to determine if I was to be sent to the Admirals, aka hummus/carrot lounge, or the Flagship.
I knew I was sent to the right place when I was greeted with a glass of champagne.
Food
While the bubbles were right, the food was not. It was an example of a lounge trying too hard. Both breakfast and lunch were fancier than fulfilling. Contrast this to when I had access to AA Flagship Dining (see AA Flagship Lounge JFK: Fine Dining at Its Finest).
Seating
The lounge is huge with plenty of places to sit.
Drinks
My stress was still high, but I found refuge in a spectacular open bar. There was Grey Goose, Patron, and an extensive selection of beer. Not one to settle, I prepared a bloody mary with a side of mimosa, reliving my days as a lounge bartender (see Delta Sky Club Chicago: Hot Dog! A Great Bloody Mary).
Entertainment
I went from almost missing the World Cup to being able to watch it with drinks and talk about football with pleasant company.
Overall
I was happy I had the chance to decompress with some drinks at the Flagship lounge.
It is an understatement to say that I am bad at setting up visas for travel. After my Vietnam experience (see Vietnam E-Visa Not Processed: Another TPOL Duck Up? ), I swore I would do better. And I thought I was until I was denied boarding to Qatar.
To enter Doha for the World Cup, fans needed to download the Hayya app and upload proof of stay. The Hayya app also stores the tickets to the matches. Well in advance of my flight, I downloaded the app and uploaded the required photo of me taken on the toilet (Where else would I have the patience and focus to go through the process?) along with my passport photo. I also linked the tickets I had bought in May (see Is TPOL Going to The World Cup?). The app first said ‘in process’. A day later it showed ‘approval pending hotel accommodations’. I went to the FAQ section to see how I could upload proof of my stay. It said that the app would automatically update and no action was required of me.
Given my past experiences, I was uneasy but also thought that I would be prompted if the accommodation could not be located.
On the day of my flight, I was at the airport in Miami (see MDE-MIA: My First Business Class Flight on AA, Worth It*?) and the app still said ‘pending’. I called the Hayya help number in Doha and hoped that someone would answer. The call dropped as I ran out of Skype credits.
I thought, worst case, I would have to show my Hilton reservation to immigration when I arrived in Doha (Hilton World Cup Booked! Your Results Will Vary). It was only as I walked to the check-in counter that it occurred to me that they may not let me on the plane without my approved Hayya card.
My fear was instantly confirmed when the agent asked for it, and I was only able to show her the pending app. She informed me that I would not be able to fly to Qatar.
I hope no one filmed me throwing my carry-on to the ground while walking away with anger and anxiety. At that moment, I felt nauseous. I had spent thousands on match tickets, had hotel reservations that I could not cancel, and a RTW ticket that I would not be able to complete (see Finalizing the ANA RTW Trip, World Cup & Luck Included).
Desperate, I reloaded my Skype with $25 worth of credits and waited for my guardian angel to answer the helpline. Miraculously, someone actually picked up. Panicked and somewhat hysterical, I explained the situation to the agent. I told him I had four hours to make my flight and that the app showed pending hotel accommodation. He asked for my reservation number and told me that he would submit it to the back office. He assured me that everything would be fine I asked how long it would take. He said not to worry and bid me a pleasant journey.
My anxiety did not subside. Instead, I started searching for a flight to Kuwait or Dubai, thinking that I could still board the plane to Doha and then explain my situation in person. Worst worst case, I would fly in from a neighboring country once the app was approved. This wouldn’t be the first time I would have to find a last-second flight to comply with visa rules (see China 144-hour Visa-Free Transit: It Worked the 1st Time).
No sooner than I could sit down and prepare myself for the award search did I receive an email stating that my Hayya card had been approved.
I walked back to the counter and announced that everything was in order. The agent didn’t share my sense of relief that it had worked out, nor did she comment on my tantrum. She gave me my boarding pass and sent me on my way.
Writing this post gives me stress. What would I have done if the nice man did not answer the phone and show me grace? Perhaps I would have flown back to Puerto Rico and would have had to photoshop pics of me at the World Cup. Somehow, I was able to avoid this epic collapse.
Overall
I thought I did everything right this time. I uploaded the documents way in advance and trusted the directions I read. It didn’t make sense to me that the app could magically link the name on my Hayya app to my hotel reservation. However, I thought that given the tight security measures that it was possible that all reservations were cross-referenced.
TPOL’s Tip: I have no tips, inshallah, this does not happen again.
In 2012, I flew business for the first time. It was an angle flat seat on Lufthansa. I have classified and chronicled all airlines I have flown since then in varying detail.
After ten years of points travel, 2,737 blog posts, and over 1 million unsatisfied readers later, this is the first time I have written a review for American Airlines.
Of course, I have flown AA in the last ten years, most notably when they stuck me on a 737-MAX immediately following the tragic accident (see Flying 737 MAX 8), but this is the first time I have done so in business. This is worth a post for two reasons:
1. I have managed to use my Oneworld points strategically on partner airlines.
2. I have no status on any airline yet have flown premium on mid to long-haul flights in spite of it.
Instead of paying $1,305 to fly from Medellin to Miami, I spent $82.78 and 22,000 Avios. Typically, I would fly coach (see Points in the Front, Peasants in the Back) and only pay 10,000 Avios. However, because business was available and the points are so easy to accrue, I thought I would indulge. Here’s what I received:
*Worth It?
If you’ve noticed, a certain blogger has used ‘worth it’ on every post title lately. It is obnoxious, but not as annoying as ‘ouch, whoa, gee whiz’ (see Blog Roast OMAAT: Starting Posts with Ouch, Wow, Uh Oh, Wild, Major, Whoa).
My flight was a red eye, leaving at 2:10AM, arriving Miami at 5:45AM. To make it ‘worth it’ (see What Are Redeye Flights? Are They Worth Taking?), business was the way to go. With that said, I would still opt for economy on AA for domestic flights under 5 hours.
Whoa, wow, do you think reading this post was worth it :/ (see Real Writers Don’t Use Smileys)? Leave your critical comments below for the opportunity to be featured in Festivus 2023 (see Happy Festivus! Airing of Points Grievances 2022).