One Mile at a Time [OMaaT] discussions [merged]
Jul 28, 2020, 3:35 pm
#3961
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 102
It just saves people the time navigating the confusing world of award tickets in exchange for money. Which seems fair enough to me.
Jul 28, 2020, 4:43 pm
#3962
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast
Programs: AA CONCIERGE KEY & 1MM, HILTON DIAMOND
Posts: 11,970
More like award booking scams. OMAAT's requests are handled by Ben's spouse who has no airline experience, he just follows Ben around and even Ben has never worked for a real company, let alone an airline.
Jul 28, 2020, 4:50 pm
#3963
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,037
As someone who used Ben's service maybe eight years ago, he did not try to sell me someone else's miles, did get me a good deal with a partner airline of where my miles were at the time, and charged a reasonable fee. I was pretty inexperienced back then, but looking back at his service now having done myself many, many times since, I can say that he did right by me.
Jul 28, 2020, 5:45 pm
#3964
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 173
I believe that the award booking service is more like a travel agent. They will search for award ticket availability within a set of parameters/requirements you give them. The customer then pays, with their own miles, for the ticket. They of course ask a cash fee for their services. They don't actually manage people's accounts.
It just saves people the time navigating the confusing world of award tickets in exchange for money. Which seems fair enough to me.
It just saves people the time navigating the confusing world of award tickets in exchange for money. Which seems fair enough to me.
"A seller of travel is any resident or nonresident person, firm, corporation or business entity that offers for sale, directly or indirectly, at wholesale or retail, prearranged travel or tourist-related services for individuals or groups, through vacation or tour packages, or through vacation certificates in exchange for a fee, commission or other valuable consideration. The term includes any business entity offering membership in a travel club or travel service for an advance fee or payment, even if no travel contracts or certificates or vacation or tour packages are sold by the business entity." See: https://www.fdacs.gov/Business-Servi...lers-of-Travel
Jul 28, 2020, 6:47 pm
#3965
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,320
He's mentioned in many of his post promoting mileage purchases that some of the bonuses are targeted and he's seen several 50% bonuses in the accounts "he manages". If he's acting as a "travel agent", almost every state (including his home state of Florida) requires you to be licensed, bonded and insured... so that's a whole different can of warms.
"A seller of travel is any resident or nonresident person, firm, corporation or business entity that offers for sale, directly or indirectly, at wholesale or retail, prearranged travel or tourist-related services for individuals or groups, through vacation or tour packages, or through vacation certificates in exchange for a fee, commission or other valuable consideration. The term includes any business entity offering membership in a travel club or travel service for an advance fee or payment, even if no travel contracts or certificates or vacation or tour packages are sold by the business entity." See: https://www.fdacs.gov/Business-Servi...lers-of-Travel
"A seller of travel is any resident or nonresident person, firm, corporation or business entity that offers for sale, directly or indirectly, at wholesale or retail, prearranged travel or tourist-related services for individuals or groups, through vacation or tour packages, or through vacation certificates in exchange for a fee, commission or other valuable consideration. The term includes any business entity offering membership in a travel club or travel service for an advance fee or payment, even if no travel contracts or certificates or vacation or tour packages are sold by the business entity." See: https://www.fdacs.gov/Business-Servi...lers-of-Travel
Jul 28, 2020, 7:23 pm
#3966
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 173
So neither of his companies or himself personally is a licensed seller of travel in the state of Florida. Any further questions ?
Jul 28, 2020, 8:25 pm
#3968
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,320
Being registered as a corporation or an LLC is not the same as being licensed to do business in a specific trade. A seller of travel- which he meets the State of Florida's definition of, must register with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer affairs. You can search for a licensed seller of travel here: https://csapp.800helpfla.com/cspubli...esssearch.aspx
So neither of his companies or himself personally is a licensed seller of travel in the state of Florida. Any further questions ?
So neither of his companies or himself personally is a licensed seller of travel in the state of Florida. Any further questions ?
but thanks for explaining your theory as to what regulatory requirements apply based on your speculation given an off-hand comment. I'm sure the FL AG's office will get right on it
Jul 28, 2020, 8:34 pm
#3969
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,899
To be fair there's not much original content to post if he hasn't been taking any trips for months at a time. There's only so many covid articles he can publish that we haven't already seen everywhere else a million times.
That being said, the "word-by-word" recycling of credit card articles from 2 years ago is pretty annoying, especially the 4 or 5 Aspire articles in a row.
That being said, the "word-by-word" recycling of credit card articles from 2 years ago is pretty annoying, especially the 4 or 5 Aspire articles in a row.
Jul 28, 2020, 8:37 pm
#3970
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,899
I don't believe they were (or at least not all of them). Plenty of them wrote for a while and then dropped off the blog completely.
Where's the acqusation coming from? I haven't heard that rumor, and I assumed he was just charging clients and arm and a leg for planning + also getting them to sign up for credit cards.
[redacted]
Where's the acqusation coming from? I haven't heard that rumor, and I assumed he was just charging clients and arm and a leg for planning + also getting them to sign up for credit cards.
[redacted]
Jul 28, 2020, 8:57 pm
#3971
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 173
Yup. Did you look up all the individual employees of the company and any of their DBAs? If you did, you'd find an active license. (With zero complaints)
but thanks for explaining your theory as to what regulatory requirements apply based on your speculation given an off-hand comment. I'm sure the FL AG's office will get right on it
but thanks for explaining your theory as to what regulatory requirements apply based on your speculation given an off-hand comment. I'm sure the FL AG's office will get right on it
His company as mentioned on the bottom of his blog "One Mile at a Time is owned by PointsPros, Inc."- PointsPro Inc. is a FL Corporation with Ben being the sole owner/operator/officer. PointsPro Inc. is not registered as a Seller of Travel in the State of Florida. Period.
His website (pointspros.com) that specifically offers services that would constitute being a "seller of travel" under Florida law says on the bottom "PointsPros, Inc".
Digging deeper I discovered one other entity within the State of Florida searching by his name.
POINTSPROS TRAVEL SERVICES, LLC - Which was registered this January with Ben being the sole manager- is also not registered as a Seller of Travel in the State of Florida.
I also searched the State of Florida's Registered Sellers of Travel by his name personally, and found no such results.
Show me what I'm missing ?
Correct, the Attorney General's office wouldn't "get right on it." It would be the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs. They would simply request he register as required and cease and desist until approved.
Last edited by flyertalker003967; Jul 28, 2020 at 9:04 pm
Jul 29, 2020, 2:23 am
#3972
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
I too can attest that his business of helping people find mileage availability with the points, and charging them a reasonable fee has been really great. He did right by me as well. Jimmy on his team was really helpful in helping me find some EY “Apartment” award availability when it first was introduced using AA miles to Australia.
I was never upselled, and it wasn’t a mileage broker that used someone else’s points. They help YOU redeem points YOU already have, but don’t know how to use or redeem.
Turning his blog into a grandstand of leftist propaganda is another story...
I was never upselled, and it wasn’t a mileage broker that used someone else’s points. They help YOU redeem points YOU already have, but don’t know how to use or redeem.
Turning his blog into a grandstand of leftist propaganda is another story...
Last edited by NWplatinum; Jul 31, 2020 at 2:52 am
Jul 29, 2020, 4:27 am
#3973
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast
Programs: AA CONCIERGE KEY & 1MM, HILTON DIAMOND
Posts: 11,970
I too can attest that his business of helping people find mileage availability with the points, and charging them a reasonable fee has been really great. He did right by me as well. Jimmy on his team was really helpful in helping me find some EY “Residence” award availability when it first was introduced using AA miles to Australia.
I was never upselled, and it wasn’t a mileage broker that used someone else’s points. They help you redeem points you already have but don’t know how to use or redeem.
Turning his blog into a grandstand of leftist propaganda is another story...
I was never upselled, and it wasn’t a mileage broker that used someone else’s points. They help you redeem points you already have but don’t know how to use or redeem.
Turning his blog into a grandstand of leftist propaganda is another story...
If you don't mind me asking, how much were you charged for finding award space using your miles? My colleagues have been very pleased using Global Award Guru but only for Business Class tickets since their fees for award First Class tickets are higher.
Jul 29, 2020, 5:19 am
#3974
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,164
I think you mean EY First Apartments... you can't use AA miles for EY's The Residence.
If you don't mind me asking, how much were you charged for finding award space using your miles? My colleagues have been very pleased using Global Award Guru but only for Business Class tickets since their fees for award First Class tickets are higher.
If you don't mind me asking, how much were you charged for finding award space using your miles? My colleagues have been very pleased using Global Award Guru but only for Business Class tickets since their fees for award First Class tickets are higher.
The best part? We only ask for a 50% deposit to start crafting your dream itinerary!
Jul 29, 2020, 6:52 am
#3975
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast
Programs: AA CONCIERGE KEY & 1MM, HILTON DIAMOND
Posts: 11,970
Thanks! Wow, those prices are insane... $300 for an award consultation with people who are just travelers without any experience? I can see why my colleagues opt for other companies like Global Award Guru that price depending on the class you are seeking. I wish there was a similar service for cruises!! My upcoming Mexico cruise has changed price so many times now it is hard to keep up.