What is the most useful frequent flyer blog?
Mar 18, 2013, 9:19 am
#1981
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,439
If you think there are a lot of point/mile bloggers, than you have no idea how many people write about just destinations and barely know a thing about points and miles. There are probably 100 destination writers for every service writer, both online and especially in print. Destination people are all about going to the ends of the earth for adventure, culture, food, photography, language, etc. In contrast, point/mile bloggers and writers tend to stick to the major cities and stay at a western chain hotel.
P.S. I see we are greatly broadening the definition of the term "service"
Mar 18, 2013, 9:25 am
#1982
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: AA EXP(.96MM), AMEX Platinum, United Premier Silver, Delta Gold, SPG Platinum 50, Hilton Gold VIP
Posts: 1,744
Regarding the whole Masada trip and the back and forth there: I think everyone is confusing two distinct types of blogging and travel writing in general. There are destination travel pieces that are designed to help you plan your trip, learn more about a destination, or just live vicariously through the author as he/she experiences somewhere that you may not be able to visit. There is nothing wrong with that. I have been to Israel many times, but I read that blog post series so I can learn more about the Le Meridian Dead Sea, that I will visit for the first time later this year. Good stuff for my purposes, but Conde Nast it was not.
On the other hand, the point/mile bloggers write what are called service pieces. These focus less on the destination (or not at all), and teach people about the "how to" of travel. It is easy to forget that most leisure travelers leave home less than once or twice a year, and don't know most of the stuff we write about.
If you think there are a lot of point/mile bloggers, than you have no idea how many people write about just destinations and barely know a thing about points and miles. There are probably 100 destination writers for every service writer, both online and especially in print. Destination people are all about going to the ends of the earth for adventure, culture, food, photography, language, etc. In contrast, point/mile bloggers and writers tend to stick to the major cities and stay at a western chain hotel.
To make matters more confusing, a lot of point/mile bloggers will feature destinations, but usually just short photo essays of the hotel and business lounge.
So there you have it; don't jump on a point/mile blogger for an inadequate destination piece any more than you would criticize a Nat. Geo. writer for not explaining how to go to Borneo with points and miles.
On the other hand, the point/mile bloggers write what are called service pieces. These focus less on the destination (or not at all), and teach people about the "how to" of travel. It is easy to forget that most leisure travelers leave home less than once or twice a year, and don't know most of the stuff we write about.
If you think there are a lot of point/mile bloggers, than you have no idea how many people write about just destinations and barely know a thing about points and miles. There are probably 100 destination writers for every service writer, both online and especially in print. Destination people are all about going to the ends of the earth for adventure, culture, food, photography, language, etc. In contrast, point/mile bloggers and writers tend to stick to the major cities and stay at a western chain hotel.
To make matters more confusing, a lot of point/mile bloggers will feature destinations, but usually just short photo essays of the hotel and business lounge.
So there you have it; don't jump on a point/mile blogger for an inadequate destination piece any more than you would criticize a Nat. Geo. writer for not explaining how to go to Borneo with points and miles.
Mar 18, 2013, 9:33 am
#1983
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New York and Vienna
Programs: PA WorldPass Platinum, AA, DL, LH. GHA Black, SPG and HHonors Gold
Posts: 3,870
Regarding the whole Masada trip and the back and forth there: I think everyone is confusing two distinct types of blogging and travel writing in general.
...
So there you have it; don't jump on a point/mile blogger for an inadequate destination piece any more than you would criticize a Nat. Geo. writer for not explaining how to go to Borneo with points and miles.
...
So there you have it; don't jump on a point/mile blogger for an inadequate destination piece any more than you would criticize a Nat. Geo. writer for not explaining how to go to Borneo with points and miles.
Mar 18, 2013, 9:39 am
#1984
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: AA EXP(.96MM), AMEX Platinum, United Premier Silver, Delta Gold, SPG Platinum 50, Hilton Gold VIP
Posts: 1,744
there was definitely no time for waiting and waiting for the buses especially on Shabbat where buses don't even run!
http://wikitravel.org/upload/shared/..._in_Israel.png
Last edited by jammanxc; Mar 18, 2013 at 9:45 am
Mar 18, 2013, 9:45 am
#1985
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New York and Vienna
Programs: PA WorldPass Platinum, AA, DL, LH. GHA Black, SPG and HHonors Gold
Posts: 3,870
sorry, I meant to say that I think buses are a waste of time in Israel if you don't have a lot of time in Israel. I wanted to hit Tel Aviv - Jerusalem - Bethlehem - Masada - Dead Sea - Negev Desert - drive around the Gaza Border - Tel Aviv - Tel Aviv Airport.. There was absolutely no way I could've done all of this via the bus with luggage on my 4 day trip in Israel.
there was definitely no time for waiting and waiting for the buses especially on Shabbat where buses don't even run!
http://wikitravel.org/upload/shared/..._in_Israel.png
there was definitely no time for waiting and waiting for the buses especially on Shabbat where buses don't even run!
http://wikitravel.org/upload/shared/..._in_Israel.png
Mar 18, 2013, 11:52 am
#1986
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: DEN
Posts: 346
Oh there's an easy explanation for that. That's because for every fascinating thing about the Chase Adamantium Card that "service writers" can come up with, there are 100,000,000 more fascinating things about the undiscovered parts of the wonderful wide world.
P.S. I see we are greatly broadening the definition of the term "service"
P.S. I see we are greatly broadening the definition of the term "service"
Actually, I was just talking to a well known personal finance blogger who told me that he has trouble finding good credit card bloggers because no one wants to write about that stuff. I guess I am in the minority.
I do like to think I get off the beaten path more than most point/mile writers, but ironically, I usually don't enjoy writing destination pieces about where I went and what I did there; I prefer writing and reading point/mile service articles and personal finance stuff. But every now and then, I like to cover something unique like this or this rather than a western hotel or a new business lounge.
Mar 18, 2013, 12:22 pm
#1988
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
If my clients make money off of affiliate links or other advertising, good for them. It is no different than if I worked at newspapers, television, radio, magazines, or any other media that has advertising. And please don't give me crap about my writing being compromised by affiliate revenue, as I personally don't earn any of it as a freelance contributor.
Sadder still that it was Randy, that good old hippie, who sold our commune to evil corporate developers. Not that I blame him, mind you. To the contrary. But that certainly drove a lot of the notion that there was gold to be mined from providing services to the points and miles community.
There is a TON of good content here, but getting at it is not easy and the community is both not welcoming and not encouraged to be such. So long as being rude or dismissive to new members is accepted and even encouraged it will remain a mess. But that will require a massive change - both in thought and policy - at the leadership level.
Read some Anthony Bourdain about how high end restauranteurs deal with VIP writers/reviewers to get an idea of what's going on here. I'm not saying Lucky is trying to milk the deal per se, but there's a reason why newspapers try to do blind reviews (and why restauranteurs try to figure out who those reviewers are).
Last edited by sbm12; Mar 18, 2013 at 3:04 pm
Mar 18, 2013, 12:24 pm
#1989
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 212
Regarding the whole Masada trip and the back and forth there: I think everyone is confusing two distinct types of blogging and travel writing in general. There are destination travel pieces that are designed to help you plan your trip, learn more about a destination, or just live vicariously through the author as he/she experiences somewhere that you may not be able to visit. There is nothing wrong with that. I have been to Israel many times, but I read that blog post series so I can learn more about the Le Meridian Dead Sea, that I will visit for the first time later this year. Good stuff for my purposes, but Conde Nast it was not.
On the other hand, the point/mile bloggers write what are called service pieces. These focus less on the destination (or not at all), and teach people about the "how to" of travel. It is easy to forget that most leisure travelers leave home less than once or twice a year, and don't know most of the stuff we write about.
If you think there are a lot of point/mile bloggers, than you have no idea how many people write about just destinations and barely know a thing about points and miles. There are probably 100 destination writers for every service writer, both online and especially in print. Destination people are all about going to the ends of the earth for adventure, culture, food, photography, language, etc. In contrast, point/mile bloggers and writers tend to stick to the major cities and stay at a western chain hotel.
To make matters more confusing, a lot of point/mile bloggers will feature destinations, but usually just short photo essays of the hotel and business lounge.
So there you have it; don't jump on a point/mile blogger for an inadequate destination piece any more than you would criticize a Nat. Geo. writer for not explaining how to go to Borneo with points and miles.
On the other hand, the point/mile bloggers write what are called service pieces. These focus less on the destination (or not at all), and teach people about the "how to" of travel. It is easy to forget that most leisure travelers leave home less than once or twice a year, and don't know most of the stuff we write about.
If you think there are a lot of point/mile bloggers, than you have no idea how many people write about just destinations and barely know a thing about points and miles. There are probably 100 destination writers for every service writer, both online and especially in print. Destination people are all about going to the ends of the earth for adventure, culture, food, photography, language, etc. In contrast, point/mile bloggers and writers tend to stick to the major cities and stay at a western chain hotel.
To make matters more confusing, a lot of point/mile bloggers will feature destinations, but usually just short photo essays of the hotel and business lounge.
So there you have it; don't jump on a point/mile blogger for an inadequate destination piece any more than you would criticize a Nat. Geo. writer for not explaining how to go to Borneo with points and miles.
The piece on scams was also odd - I came away wondering if some of the complaints were problems of misunderstanding. For example, restaurants with security at the door sometimes charge a little extra for that on the bill. It is not mandatory to pay it and I have been with Israelis who request that it be removed from their bill. Perhaps the "restaurant scam" was really that.
I guess I would be happier when a blogger does not attempt to come across as an expert unless he/she really is. But I guess that comes with the territory when one chooses to read blogs!
Mar 18, 2013, 12:26 pm
#1990
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: A few
Posts: 5,499
FTC "rules" are actually guidelines. Doubt we will see any real change
Mar 18, 2013, 1:08 pm
#1991
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,618
I do not believe for a moment that there wasn't a shrewd business man behind the idea to start FT the first time around. It is possible to do something which is valuable/useful to others and to profit from it at the same time. But that doesn't mean there isn't business behind it.
Here's an interesting autobiography of the establishment of this site:
http://www.insideflyer.com/articles/...e.php?key=3467
The concept of FlyerTalk was seen as a way for readers of InsideFlyer to share additional comments and feedback on the topic. In the early part of 1995, the commercial World Wide Web was still very much unknown (most of the attention still went to Prodigy, AOL and CompuServe). We saw a small number of chat boards out there and thought it might be a good platform to extend InsideFlyer reader interaction.
...
So, the readers of InsideFlyer were once again invited to participate in a new bulletin board designed to help members share experiences and tips with other readers of the magazine. We opened our doors again on May 5, 1998. After six months we noticed that a few of the new posters were not subscribers to InsideFlyer and I decided to gamble and welcome them as well. From that point forward, growth has been organic. We've not spent a single dollar toward marketing the Web site and today it ranks among the top, if not the top, bulletin board in the world for number of posts and activity on the topic of travel and certainly the hub for frequent flyers around the globe.
I have often joked and it actually is true that one of the major factors in launching the concept was that even back in the early days, I was having trouble answering the many letters (yes, actually physical letters) and faxes from readers asking for advice for their miles and points. FlyerTalk was a concept that allowed me to utilize the knowledge of my readers who had followed my advice and allowed them to share their experiences with others. Only a small percentage of today's FlyerTalkers are readers of InsideFlyer, but I think it is fair to say that many owe thanks to the magazine.
...
So, the readers of InsideFlyer were once again invited to participate in a new bulletin board designed to help members share experiences and tips with other readers of the magazine. We opened our doors again on May 5, 1998. After six months we noticed that a few of the new posters were not subscribers to InsideFlyer and I decided to gamble and welcome them as well. From that point forward, growth has been organic. We've not spent a single dollar toward marketing the Web site and today it ranks among the top, if not the top, bulletin board in the world for number of posts and activity on the topic of travel and certainly the hub for frequent flyers around the globe.
I have often joked and it actually is true that one of the major factors in launching the concept was that even back in the early days, I was having trouble answering the many letters (yes, actually physical letters) and faxes from readers asking for advice for their miles and points. FlyerTalk was a concept that allowed me to utilize the knowledge of my readers who had followed my advice and allowed them to share their experiences with others. Only a small percentage of today's FlyerTalkers are readers of InsideFlyer, but I think it is fair to say that many owe thanks to the magazine.
Randy's Internet Millionaire story is a classic 'right time, right place' story. ^
Mar 18, 2013, 1:15 pm
#1992
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: DEN
Posts: 346
I agree that there are differences in the approach and intent between travel writers and point/miler bloggers. What I objected to in the series was the definitive way it came across, as though the writer was indeed an expert on how to get around Israel and what to see there, even titling the piece "Everything You Need to Know About Israel." Few travelers to Israel go for four days. The advice may be helpful for someone who does, but to suggest that tourists to Israel routinely rent a car is simply not good advice.
Mar 18, 2013, 2:07 pm
#1993
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Writing a crappy post with only marginally useful information is bad regardless of the source. If it isn't your focus then don't write it.
Mar 18, 2013, 2:11 pm
#1994
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
I do believe that he didn't expect it to grow the way it did, but that doesn't mean it wasn't built to be part of the business and to help make more money.
Mar 18, 2013, 2:12 pm
#1995
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Gold-MM, AA Gold-MM, F9-Silver, Hyatt Something, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,393
I guess this is why I consider the blogs that existed before the CC bonanza to be a bit different than the Johnny Come Lately's. And my guess is that when the froth in the market settles, these guys and bloggers similar to them will still be going while others will return to their day jobs, or just retire. We shall see.