Comments on: How To Survive War, Rampant Tax Scams, Skills AI Will Never Replace, Stranded in Qatar, New Marriott Bonvoy Offers

By: Nick @PFD

Nick @PFD — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 14:56:53 +0000

Interesting read about a geographic oddity of never heard of before: https://arcarcana.substack.com/p/cospaia-the-republic-born-by-accident

By: GeorgeTBB

GeorgeTBB — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 10:40:28 +0000

Prices are only getting worse daily, so much for close in ticketing smh.

Thanks for the info on PR airlines, good to know that it has now become a viable option, it appears fine. Tomorrow Monday we’ll see what we get. That PR flight has gone from under $500 to $2,000, still with crazy long layover. Not getting much out of SIN either, it is crazy. There are a bunch of other family members leaving KL on March 20 and 21 and only two of them going through ME. Just have a feeling many will be in KL a little bit longer. Hard to believe no TACO moment yet.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 01:01:17 +0000

I just flew OW PR business class BKK – MNL – HND for ~$800 because I was also unable to find any J class award spave.

Didn’t need to call the airline, booked it via Google flights link, 4 hour layover in MNL, then in to HND, where I was able to find AA J class HND – LAX – MCO for 110k miles.

If you can get into ICN, you can usually also get back to DFW pretty easily on AA for decent mileage cost.

MNL had a pretty good Mabuhay lounge (definitely bigger and better than all the PP lounges), its no Chase lounge, but it wasn’t bad for 3 hours on the ground). Decent coffee and a few hot options including dim sum and some local sweets.

By: Vicky

Vicky — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 11:15:28 +0000

I’d probably avoid the Philippine Airline option via Manila, I actually always filter them out of my search because I’ve never heard any good reports of the airline or the airport. What about getting her down to Singapore and then onto SEA from there? Prices have certainly gone crazy with what’s going on.

By: TravelBloggerBuzz

TravelBloggerBuzz — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 09:45:33 +0000

Hi everyone,

Just want to make something more clear. Of course I want to buy my daughter the ticket. But the ONLY ticket available is through Manila on Philippine Airlines. With layover at 9 or 22 hours! And you need to call the airline to book. What else comes up goes through the ME airlines, which is crazy. Definitely unprecedented. And just when you thought Donnie will taco, he escalates, what a bunch of morons wow, we make the Iranians look sane, which is just COMPLETELY bonkers. Meanwhile, my family is having a fabulous time back in Malaysia. Need to get back at this ticket thing

By: Vicky

Vicky — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 21:44:01 +0000

Forget that flight going through the ME. Buy a ticket as you can’t put a price on peace of mind.

By: Duane Tschappat

Duane Tschappat — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:17:51 +0000

Buy your daughter the ticket.

By: DML

DML — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 17:56:37 +0000

Thanks for the link about an escape from the war … that was really something!

Interesting how competition among points providers is breaking out. I’ve not
had any interest in Marriott for just ages. Might have to rethink.

By: Carl Pietrantonio

Carl Pietrantonio — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:41:08 +0000

Thanks as always for all the neat links and info! I hope your daughter’s trip goes smoothly, however it ends up being routed. Crazy times any more, that’s for sure.

By: Nick @ PFD

Nick @ PFD — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 14:12:17 +0000

Happy Friday! We did a quick trip to the southeast coast this week–two nights in Jekyll Island and one night in Beaufort, SC. I hadn’t been to Jekyll in almost two decades and it’s still as nice as I remembered, although I see some luxury development creeping in (there’s a Westin now, the horror!). Go check it out now before it gets overdeveloped. Although come to think of it the island is a state park so maybe that will keep things under control.

I hadn’t been to Beaufort, SC (pronounced “byew-fort”, not “bow-fort” like its NC counterpart) in many years either and it’s still got a charming downtown. It seems to have grown some; a friend in Charleston says some of his patients have relocated there for the lower cost of living. The highlight was a visit to Hunting Island State Park, which looked like Jurassic Park… very palm-y!