We bring you all the new Amex Hilton offers, visit the Arches National Park, differences in investing among generations, lose it with all the recent hideous blog clickbait, Amex comes out with a new annual fee 2% business cash back card, more amazing aerial photography, the changes in how heterosexual couples meet, the new Sheraton logo, hermits, a touching story about the South Korea national women water polo team, a list of all the drive in theaters left in the US and all the blog buzz action.
TBB Blog Mission: To Educate. Entertain. Inspire. In That Order!
Support TBB by applying for CREDIT CARDS & clicking our REFERRAL LINKS
You like my blog? Send a link to someone please!
Looking forward to welcoming 2019 Ann Arbor Art Fair DO goers to the party at my house tonight! This is how I launder my blog’s profits, giving back!
Pumping bloggers are going nuts again selling the higher Amex Hilton credit cards. Hopefully you or your loved one can get one if you decide they are good for you. Which of course assumes you are not greeted by the dreaded “no bonus for you” pop up box! You should apply for them with the links of a blog you want to support so they can keep posting. Do it before we quit or get hired by The Points Guy lol!
Amex did something I do not think many expected. In a sudden move, they killed the apps for the SimplyCash card and introduced a pure no annual fee 2% cash back business card and they named it, please sit down, Amex Blue Business Cash card, wow how original! Again, it is pure cash back and only up to $50k spend. I am sure pumping bloggers will find many reasons to sell this baby. But you know better. Unless you are really bored I guess. No signup bonus at all, can Amex get any worse? The editorial director at TPG would NEVER allow this paragraph to be written at that blog #guaranteed.
I thought that maybe Marriott will kill the Sheraton brand. Nope. More money thrown at it. Hey, look at the brand’s new design. Yawn! Nobody invites me to free press events, I wonder why, sad!
If you were thinking to visit the Arches National Park: What to Know and Why You Should Visit.
These look wonderful, I always loved drive-in movie theaters. Or maybe I just love movies too much I guess: Drive-in movies theaters in (almost) every state.
Weirdest headline this week, can you beat this? CBU instructor fired after demanding sex, moose meat and lobster for better grades.
I have posted about one of these hermits before here. “Why this man became a hermit“. It’s that guy who went into the woods and stayed there for almost 30 years! I still find the story incredible…how can you do something like that for so long!
Ok, so the South Korea national women water polo team is not very good. But they made into the world championships. Only because they were the hosts! They lost the first game 64-0. And you thought the US women soccer team was arrogant for piling it on against Thailand hey? Anyway, in the second game they again got their butts kicked…and then magic happened. The South Koreans ACTUALLY SCORED A GOAL! Tears of joy after South Korea score first water polo goal at world championships – video. Now this is the type of video I would post here, not something clickbait crap bloggers post every other day to get people to click so they can make more money! Oh, they still lost the game 30-1…but who cares, they scored a goal!!!
Love this: Manmade Patterns and Uncanny Shadows Photographed From Above by JP and Mike Andrews Love photography by drones!
I found this fascinating: How Different Generations Think About Investing.
The one that stood out to me was “Afraid of Losing Everything”:
Amazing how meeting online has grown, wow! “Fascinating re how heterosexual couples meet: 1) dramatic rise of online; 2) decline of workplace; 3) dramatic drop in meeting via friends, historically most common & best way“:
We are now entering BLOG BUZZ, a section for advanced hobbyists and veterans of this fast imploding hobby and also a section where I go on and on about some stuff that happens in my life because it helps me feel better about myself.
There have been some changes with Aeroplan: Lower fees, fewer options. The stopover changes stink! Effective September 1st.
Frequent Miler‘s Nick recently found an amazing sweet spot in the Turkish Airlines frequent flyer program. How to Get Lie-Flat Seats on United in the U.S./North America for 12,500/15,000 Points and a Possible Trick. We get a little more into it in Andy’s write up. But the thing with me about it is this. We book this via EMAIL, seriously? WTF!! I am going to pass…as they are likely seeing a spike in these requests and the whole deal will likely not be around before they get back at you via…email!!!!
Nice info nuggets from Travel With Grant‘s latest app-o-rama.
So, Richard Kerr joined The Points Guy full time. Richard had resigned recently after posting an article critical of Marriott which was removed. I congratulated him taking a stand when that happened. I am eagerly looking forward for that article to reappear. Bwahahaha, yeah right.
The comments from the top guy at TPG with a fancy title something like Executive Editorial Director in the post announcing the addition of Richard Kerr were, well, I will let you be the judge:
“Trust is key to TPG” [LOLOLOLOLOL0L]
“We now have a clear policy that if we are critical of a company, we reach out to them for comment” [Yeah, very clear indeed. If they don’t approve, it won’t be posted smh]
Renes Points is still the same old type of blog: Trying to sell with every post or posting moronic clickbait crap that I increasingly have a very low tolerance for lately…Maybe it is because we are seeing so much of it. STOP CLICKING PEOPLE!
American Airlines Passenger Strips Down, Becomes Irate During Apparent Flight Delay. – Renes Points [As soon as I saw this video on Facebook I guessed the first one to post it would be View From The Wing. Nope]
I’ll just leave this here for ya. To the new owner of RenesPoints, maybe, consider a rebrand? You are welcome!
The Live and Let’s Fly blogger had a horrific clickbait post taking pictures of a child aboard and…Don’t GO there. This blog is moving up in my Ignore list after that sickening post. For details, read post #133 onward. SAD!
I finally got around to have son apply for the World of Hyatt card, 56k points to be added to the Hyatt stash. Instantly approved. No more crappy credit lines, boy is moving up with $20k credit line.
I wanted to see this just once…just once:
Would a cc pumping blogger EVER do a post titled: “8 reasons this credit cards sucks and you should never EVER get it, stay away!” Must be a cc that pays sales commission of course. Waiting…
I totally agree with this tweet by Travel Summary!
I did try to give some advice to Spencer but I am not sure we are seeing eye to eye on where award travel is going and the viability of this niche. Oh well, we are all making decisions we think are best. Good luck!
And I leave you with this…When TBB conversions speak to me, sad lol.
TBB
travelbloggerbuzz@gmail.com
Follow TBB on Twitter @FlyerTalkerinA2.
You can subscribe to TBB below, winners only!
Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
Always interesting links. But BLOG BUZZ sections is the best.
Always entertained and educated and a bit inspired (especially with the South Korean water polo team today!)
I wish I can make it to Ann Arbor to your party and the DO, maybe next year.
TBBFan
The pic at the end did not inspire you? Loser! 🙂 #justkidding
The Hilton sign up bonuses have a wrinkle that suggests AMEX is trying to cut commission expenses. As MileNerd has pointed out better offers are available when you go through a booking. Now there is a big bonus for an upgrade from the no annual fee card. No commission.
The long game might be the no annual fee one and wait for the upgrade offer in a year.
Amex with pop up boxes, RAT teams and upgrade related moves to cut down paying bloggers is most likely pumping bloggers’ worst nightmare. Until then, rest assured they will be very excited to sell them because, cough, conversions!
Got to clean the house today, order a bunch of food and hopefully I can take a nap in the afternoon before mileage hobbyist friends arrive. Going to be a super hot day today in Ann Arbor!
My march to fame through TBB shoutouts continues!
You are unstoppable!
My advice to you is genuine. Look for that route…because I think Gilbert may get there before you, despite of what he says 🙂
Good morning George, thanks for linking to my App-O-Rama post. I feel like App-O-Ramas are way out of style these days, do you do them anymore?
I have less than 10 days to go before my wedding, so I’m the head miles and points producer in the house since my fiancé likes to keep her 3/24 score intact. Gotta keep getting new sign up bonuses 🙂
My app-o-rama these days consist of applying for one card for son while counting the days down until my daughter turns 18, sad!
All the best on the wedding Grant. Don’t trip or anything 🙂 The story and your blog post how you met is still one of the sweetest classic stories about this “hobby”!
Hopefully your daughter turns 18 soon…
I’m glad my Match.com love story is still one of your favorites 🙂
Regarding Kerr rejoining TPG — apparently it is also a big chance for them to recycle his old articles. I saw (via milesfeed) a “new” article which can today be found on their site as “Redeeming Citi ThankYou Points for Maximum Value by Richard Kerr 2 days ago”. But when you look at the comments, you can see how often it gets recycled. Oldest comments are a year ago, then there are a couple in intervening months, then more from this recent re-posting. Recycled posts presented as new really bug me (not just at TPG).
I could easily write an article “XXX things that bug me at TPG” but I won’t get there 🙂 Likely needed some Citi conversions that day 😉
THIS DAY IN TBB HISTORY…..JULY 19 2014
Former Hall of Flame Blogger, Rick “Ingy” Ingersol makes his debut in the notorious comment
section of TBB. After saying some things about our fearless leader (Buzz) and calling his loyal
readers “Gang Members”, a verbal (ok, written) War of Words, breaks out between Ingy and
Buzz and his “Gang Members”……………….A record setting 200 plus comments brought down
the TBB servers.
Everybody remembers where they were that day, just like we all remember what we we doing when we heard President Kennedy was shot.
That was the second best comment section in the history of “Travel” blogs.
What was the BEST comment section in history, you ask? The day MMS tells everyone how to cheat their way through the then Precheck Security Line at the airport. What an uproar ensued!
Sorry I cannot find that post online without the deletions, too bad, it was historically funny.
I miss those days #fact
“That Day That Will Live In Infamy” …I feel bad because I just let my ward, Ingy, post a long blog post about how he would pay $50 if he ever went negative and joined “the Angries”.
He was such a positive, beautiful force for good before he turned to his Angry side.
Based on his number of negative comments since that day, he owes us all $50 times 5833. Make the check out to WoundedWarriors, please.
LOL
That was VERY entertaining!
#Respect
Matthew actually said the kid sat in his lap and deserved a stiff rod! LOL Although I was one of the few to stand up for him. Whatever happened to free speech? Compare your response to Richard to that of Matthew. Double standard when the “victim” is a multibillion dollar company vs a 5 year old??? Just sayin’
Interesting take on it.
I am not sure we have anything against free speech of course. It was the fact that Matthew took so many pictures of the kid (before he photoshopped them so he could not be identified!). If this was my kid I would be furious and would kick his ass!
And then he admitted it he did it for…the clicks.
I just threw up inside my mouth…
Re-branding idea’s for Renes Points.
1. Shatner’s Gofer’s Points!
2. I’ve Captain Kirk Naked Points
3. Not Rene Points
4. Oh Shat, I’ll Never Get My Money Back on My Investment Points
“Naked” has click potential 🙂
Idea’s? Just because it ends with the letter s is no reason to add an apostrophe.
George I posted the above Rebrand post and I see #2 idea is in very poor taste. The I’ve seen Captain Kirk Naked post. What was I thinking, MEA CULPA.
Please delete it if you can, I am so very sorry if anyone was offended…..Especially Masked Poster, so sorry.
Please replace it with…….I USED TO LOOFA CAPTAIN KIRK’S BACK Miles n Points
@Masked Poster, sorry about the wayward apostrophe, now go get a life…..and don’t tell me it should be “use to” instead of “used to”. Sheeeesh watta u Henry Higgins?
Just like the current occupant of the White House; you can’t accept criticism without striking back.
@ MaskedIdiot……you are just like the current press and political critics, much ado about nothing, such shat is going to backfire on your people in Nov……..GO BACK to your parent’s basement”””””””””””””””””’!
PS…..Proud to be compared to the great and powerful President…..just like him every time I am stuck in PDX traffic (which is now always), I yell at people in cars with CA. licence plates to go back where they came from.
I agree with his latest outburst BTW. SHOCKING!
That Ramsey is a Savage every time he steps up to the comment box.
The Masked Poster is a rookie and has been making bad calls all game, he just needs to go back to the Minors for some more seasoning. He is not ready to make calls up here with the big swingers.
Please support Shatners Shillings (formerly Delta Points, Rene’s Points and Tattoos of Delta’s Widget on my junk blog. This new blog site has tips for my family and friends to save $ and allow me to travel for free using all the ConversionCash(tm).
Also we now have a store online with one of a kind items like the Woven Shatner backhair bathroom rugs and a slightly used pair of Shatner’s* Jellin insoles by Dr. Scholl’s originally worn in season 2 episode 6 “The Doomsday Machine”.
*Not actually worn by Shatner, but the random ensign in the red shirt who dies in every episode.
Frequent Miler has had some great content lately — Nick seems to really be in a groove, their 40K challenge is original — definitely feel like I’ve been paying attention more.
I think I’m less pessimistic than you are on the future for an award space newsletter: with dynamic pricing and married segments and the like, the only people who are really going to know where the deals are will be people like Spencer who get into the weeds. I don’t have the time to trial-and-error countless city pair combinations to find where Delta is offering a discount.
Tough to monetize, though.
Man if you think Nick Reyes or the Frequent Miler have any redeeming content. I have no words. We have such a low bar for quality these days.
We went to Arches and other western Utah parks, then down to Canyon de Chelly in Arizona. Great, unique sights. Don’t under estimate the amount of driving involved.
Also, Moab has been melted into mediocrity by the constant tourists. Tough to find a decent meal, easy to pay a lot.