TBB Blog Lists are like the Chase Sapphire Preferred card used every First Friday…An essential complement to your ultimate Travel Hacking quest to be the best you can be. Or whatever. Please don’t take them too seriously! My therapist recommended me to do this to help cope with my “issues”. Or something like that. I wish I was still in Lake Louise.
TBB Blog Mission: To Entertain. Educate. Inspire. In That Order!
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This blog started as a blog to review miles/points travel blogs. I think I have a little bit of experience in the area (about twenty years more or less) and have been reading many of these blogs since they started. In other words, I am pretty confident of my judgment in blog quality. If I can steer some readers towards the quality blogs, I feel like I am doing my small part to improve The Hobby and humanity. These lists are intensely personal and you do not have to agree with them. Actually you don’t have to read my blog if you don’t like it, I could care less about metrics (Alexa ranking crap and stuff like that).
If you like my blog and have the time to contribute here, I do need your input and feedback. Do you agree or disagree with some of the blogs listed? Why? Should I add certain blogs to a certain list? Which ones and why? Am I missing anything? Am I wrong? Am I a moron? I read every single comment, email and tweet. Thank you.
I must admit I have a strong distaste towards overly aggressive marketing oriented blogs. I think readers in these blogs do not come FIRST. You have been warned!
In the latest review I just went through the blogs and here are my latest iterations and thoughts (in blue) about them.
BLOGS I LOVE
Weed in Albania. Communist party headquarters in Bulgaria. Homeless people in Budapest. My favorite travel blogger. I enjoy every post, they are all unique and original! And the pictures are awesome too. Hope he posted more often. Last post is June 24, 2015. Come on man, at least once a month please.
How can you describe Twisted Sifter? Eclectic appears to be an understatement. I get this feeling that my life being is enhanced with what appears here.
Ok, not a blog technically. What they do is find flight deals. I recommend following them on twitter. I get their tweets on my smart phone and I get excited every time. I also wished my home airport was not Detroit! Celebrating 4 years alive. May you get that buyout offer soon!
One of the most knowledgeable bloggers in the miles/points space. Veers to the most advanced subject matters. Full time traveler. I learn from this blog more often than any other. Still the best miles/points content. But not all posts are must reads, on the contrary some tend to go on. Deserves to be true Titan unlike other posers. I could go on…
BLOGS I LIKE
Consistent production of helpful content focusing on banking/credit card products. Still keeping it up, impressive.
Consistent production of good content with great variety including family travel. Does an excellent job of keeping readers informed about, well, most everything they need to be informed about. Still one of the best balanced content, including real travel.
A natural in the blogging world! Original posts almost daily while most other bloggers repeat themselves. And you know your eye sockets will NOT be assaulted by marketing pitches. Still original content but I am not finding it as must read as before. Maybe I am just bored about The Hobby lately lol.
Prolific blogger living somewhere in Asia. Breaks lots of royalty related news and finds details in program changes before the next blogger notices. Deserves a lot more recognition imho.
Matt slowly building a blog network. Posts with original thinking. Love the travel related posts, not all personal finance related posts but can sure appreciate a different view. Watch them, it appears unique and quality content is high on the priority list here.
Well, the most miles on the less amount of time possible and he means it. And about twice a year he will go on an epic rant which is just a beautiful thing! Need.More.Rants 🙂
Very well written and mostly original content. Not very frequent posting but when it comes it is really good usually. Last post on May 22, 2015. Blogs in the Like list must be updated at least monthly. Sad to see him go…
You always find something different/original here. Always trying hard to educate readers and add value. I may not read every post but I usually find good stuff here. Quality is still fine but frequency of quality posts is definitely down.
Travel maniac. Likes to go to obscure countries. Has been to North Korea twice! Since most of us got in this hobby to travel you will probably enjoy some of his posts on the trips he takes, I do. He also has good knowledge of miles/points stuff and tries to post original content. That Nightline segment made me cringe. I love the Review type posts and need more trip reports, the reason we visit. Not many lately, trip reports are MEGA time suck…I know!
Excellent coverage of hotels and their royalty programs. Added a feature with airfare deals from the West Coast. I skip them as they don’t apply to me and I certainly understand the rationale behind it due to Boarding Area’s reduced advertising revenue.
Blogs and has developed many techie tools for this hobby. I always like to read his points of view which tends to be unique. Not afraid to follow any line or call something what he thinks it is. I appreciate this direct approach! It has been months since I linked to anything from this blog. Not likely to make it through the next pass!
The blog tagline is: “Exploring the bizarre, the macabre & other secret wonders of the world”. And he does that very well, always interesting posts. For example, check out the post on smoking weed in North Korea on September 29, 2013! Posting frequency has slowed down a lot, not likely to make it through the next pass!
If you are in Britain you must be a reader. Posts frequently. Sometimes there is a gem. Always a good resource to ask UK/Europe questions.
Blog focusing on birding and ecotourism. Blogger knows a lot about miles too. You will not come here for a trip report featuring flat beds in First Class. No Hyatts here, just travel to see birds!
I like the originality of the content and refreshing way to approach the miles/points hobby. The blog has developed a great repository of content all tied together in a unique way & lingo. Great addition to improve/add to the hobby, unlike so so many new blogs that keep popping up that offer, well, not much at all! Posting has slowed down. Last update in March 2015, looks like ran out of gas. Sad to see him go…
Short, concise, educational and just plain fun to read. Special bent towards (personal) finance aspects of this hobby addiction. The entertainment factor can get very high sometimes!
Original frequent content. Broke several big stories in this space. Puts reader first like most on this list. You can learn here.
Incredible links to incredible adventure-ish videos. I have lost count how many times I have said WOW watching some of the videos that appear here!
New! The site sells credit cards. But it also has regular helpful unique content too & not try to pump your eyeballs with credit card links inside posts!
BLOGS TO IGNORE
No Changes.
This is my own personal list of several blogs I personally do not care about for several reasons that I will not single out here. The reasons include one and usually more than one of the following:
- content (quality/originality/analysis)
- level of aggressive selling/credit card pushing
- bias in posting
- disclosure policies
- comment moderating/censoring
- level of expertise (knowledge), etc.
Only well known blogs were included. Many smaller blogs could have made the list but I am going to respect your valuable time and not bother you listing them here.
I have stopped reading these except I get the emails from VFTW and OMAAT just so I don’t miss anything as they continue to blog in a frenetic pace!
Milevalue
Delta Points
The Frugal Travel Guy
Million Mile Secrets
The Points Guy
Points, Miles & Martinis
Deals We Like
Noob Traveler
Mommy Points
View from the Wing
One Mile at a Time
WorldWanderlusting
Canadian Kilometers
Mighty Travels
I like the addition to blogs you like, and I 100% agree about the blogs to ignore. I still follow some of them, but mms and ftg have gotten to be pathetically lacking in quality or anything interesting.
Do you realize that by ignoring MMS the last two days you missed out on a free movie ticket from Fandango when using your Visa signature card, and saving money on your next meal in Europe with thefork.com?
I didn’t mean it, I’m coming back Daraius and Emily!
No need to go to MMS. Taken from Slickdeals.net
You are truly at a loss if you are not following DeltaPoints…pretty sure that’s Ingy’s illegitimate child.
‘Loyalty Lobby
Prolific blogger living somewhere in Asia. Breaks lots of royalty related news.’
Yes, the world exclusive about the name of Kate’s new baby was a corker 🙂
I put loyalty lobby on the “blogs I like” to make fun of because John is such a pretentious dick. “I told the waiter to learn English because I asked for a pitcher of tea and he only brought a glass…”
I like to stick with blog content you guys 🙂
Definitely agree with blogs to ignore. My thoughts:
Milevalue – Citi affiliate pusher, hence myopic blog.
Million Mile Secrets – Oh boy, where do I start? Visiting that blog is like visiting a packrat’s home. Clutter of links and odd colored text everywhere. Definitely an assault on the eyes and due to that, I left real quick. I also don’t care for the 2352543243 mentions of Emily. I don’t care about Emily. Comes off as a highly annoying personality to me. I’d rather gouge my eyes out with a dagger. Those are the types of people I try to avoid in life. *shutter*
The Points Guy – Misleading information and typical cc pusher. “Maximize your travel” is ironic. It’s more like maximizing HIS travel. Saw a recent post about taking advantage of some affiliate Amex Cards. Never once was there a reminder or mention of waiting for the best offer possible, being that Amex has a “once in a lifetime” clause on their cards.
Mommy Points – The name of that blog turns me off completely. What’s next? Daddy Points? Granny Points? MILF points?!? Giving Birth To Points By Shitting Out Little Affiliate Links?!?! Yeah… no.
One Mile at a Time – Sad existence. The Free-quent Flyer said it best about that whole situation.
Thanks for the feedback!
Still looking for any additions. Even from bloggers..state your case 🙂
In the meantime Ann Arbor has a criminal on the loose terrorizing the citizens,when will the nightmare end??
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2015/08/u-ms_north_campus_turkey_still.html?utm_content=bufferef26e&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
TBB deserves a spot on the ‘blogs i like’ list!
Well, it would be right on top of MY “Blogs I Love” list but it wouldn’t be…prudent lol.
When you guys mention Facebook, are you talking about Facebook Fan Pages or personal pages?
What? I have no Facebook Fan Page for real business and no TBB fan page either. I have a personal Facebook page. Assigned son to do a TBB Facebook page but didn’t do anything yet.
Comment on the FlightDeal: As JamaicanReefer is Orlando based, ExitFares delivers the quality of the FlightDeal. The IFTTT Action works fine delivering MCO originating flights. However unfortunately Detroit is not listed in ExitFares. I suggest starting a campaign of readers asking one of these web sites to add Detroit 🙂
Hell yeah!
I’d disagree on a couple of the Ignore listings.
VFTW pushes credit cards, yes, but comes up with some pretty unusual and insightful stuff. The fact that Gary is smart and connected means that he has an interesting take in a lot of situations. Another thing that I like about the guy is that he periodically invites a free for all by taking questions from everyone. His most recent was yesterday, and he was approaching 50 questions when I last checked. Next, he writes about all kinds of things. Sure, the best Chase card, or something along those lines will be part of that, but he covers a lot of unusual stuff that you won’t see from other mainstream bloggers as well. Finally, the guy has a real true-to-life full time job, but still has time to be arguably the most prolific individual blogger in “The Hobby”. I, at least, would get skinned alive by my wife if I spent anywhere near the amount of time that he must on something that’s not even my primary job.
Mighty Travels is a daily view for me. I like the guides they publish, and the fact that the guy visits some pretty oddball places doesn’t hurt either. I love the food guides, and the detailed approach to a place, rather than publishing the 5th Air France 1st Class flight review of the year. I don’t see lots of other travel blogs giving me detailed information on restaurants and foods in Bangkok. The flight and hotel deals they offer are good deals and really don’t bother me, even if I haven’t used them yet. The closest thing to a complaint is that I’d like more content, but the same could be easily said of MileNerd.
You lost me when you said mighty travels is a daily view
Thanks for the feedback.
VFTW was a late addition to the Ignore list. It hurt as I have been reading it since Day 1. The blog had a “turn” and the credit card bombardment has not stopped ever since then. I am SO tired of anti TSA rants. Yes he is prolific,it is amazing. I am not sure how full time of a job he has…sometimes I wonder how can it be humanely possible to post so much. The bottom line to me is: The other blogs in the two other lists are better reads and will eventually cover what VFTW will cover. This blog used to break a heck of a lot more stuff…now he is just winging it it appears. One more thing: I cant’ stand pancakes 🙂
DO NOT get me started about Mighty Travels. I can elaborate on a personal level if we ever meet.
Having said that, I do get the emails of VFTW and OMAAT just in case I miss something. The rest are dead to me. Unless when FTG founder comes by and we have some fun as he just LOvES my blog lol.
I don’t follow it regularly, but occasionally I’ll get some good reading out of Jeffsetter. Same with MJ on Travel. I don’t really care about cruises, so I don’t follow it, but I don’t know of any other blogs that focus on cruising.
I used to read Jeffsetter until the Grand Purge when I deleted over 200 blogs off my Feedly. It was not consistently updated, that was the only beef with it. That blog was featured here in a few links here and there. I think he made a decision his time is better spent elsewhere instead of blogging for peanuts lol.
I still read MJ on Travel. Sometimes he posts some good stuff and his background in aviation sure helps to give an opinion from that perspective. I like the cruising stuff because not others are covering it, it’s kind of unique in this space where there is SO much repetition. Also outstanding ethics. But somehow hangs around bloggers with anything but those kind of ethics 🙂
you might or might not find this blog interesting. However, it has nothing to do with the Game.
http://www.messynessychic.com/
I love your loves and would add if he posted more The Bohemian Blog which I find awesome like Yomadic. I would add DOC to love and Lazy Traveler to love ( I like Andy and he is from Brooklyn) and Frequent Miler as well to the loves. Drew has some of the best stuff out there IMO. I Love Rapid Travel Chai with his trip reports. I read his trip reports and feel old with the amount he crams into a day of travel (see his trip report to the ex Soviet Union countries).
I am not that impressed with Twisted Sifter and would move it down or out.
Oh I forgot, I would move TBB from not on the list to those I love or special category Blogs that make me smile.
That is my story for better or worst….
I actually had that messy chick site on my Feedly but it was purged in the great Purge a while ago. Had some good stuff but most I found not worth my time at all. ymmv.
The Bohemian Blog had some real duds but I still like it. Not considering it for the Love list.
DOC belongs in the Like for sure. Love list is really really special place 🙂
Lazy Traveler is being considered for the Love list. I would like to see some posting consistency. Has made it here several times. Like today’s post on AA award gems is a great post!
RTC’s trip reports are likeable simply because they are of places out of the ordinary. He should get a real camera as I find the pics totally lacking. And hope to see more actual people in them, sometimes they feel as cold as OMAAT’s. Also I am not sure his wife exists 🙂
I LOVE Twisted Sifter, so eclectic, so TBBish lol.
TBB bringing smiles, I like it! Thanks.
@TravelBloggerBuzz – well many of the places I go don’t have people, other times I don’t usually like poking myself into people’s lives with cameras though do it sometimes and don’t feel strongly about the issue. I don’t carry my camera for the everyday weekend stuff like seafood trips with my wife. I am sometime going to go back through the past 3 years of backlog, your trip reports give me hope of going back, and not quick to delist me. 🙂