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Andy Shuman

Andy Shuman

Andy Shuman is a freelance travel blogger and the author of the Lazy Travelers Handbook series. He is also a miles and points aficionado with a strong knowledge of frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs. Most of all, he is a travel junkie who wants to be on the road as much as possible.

Loyalty programs: American, United, US Airways, Delta, Alaska Airlines, Southwest, Jet Blue, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Iberia, LAN, Japan Airways, Air Nippon, Bangkok Airways.

Favorite program: American Airlines. It is still the best despite some shortcomings.

Favorite travel destinations: Latin America, Southeast Asia.

Most memorable trip: Argentina/Brazil 2005. Buenos Aires, Iguassu Falls, Oktoberfest in Blumenau and short resort stay in Camboriu.

Travel rewards credit cards: Chase Sapphire Preferred, Amex Platinum, Chase IHG Club, Citi AAdvantage, Chase Ink Bold, Chase Ink Plus, Barclays Arrival, etc. I’d better stop right here or it will take up the whole page.

Favorite rewards: Chase Ultimate Rewards. You can transfer your points to several airline and hotel programs, book travel, or redeem for cash. It’s a very versatile program.

Andy Shuman Andy Shuman’s posts:

How to Book Sun Country Airlines Ufly Awards

Sun Country Airlines is based at the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. Its regularly scheduled flights go to 22 domestic locations and 11 international destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean. The airline also operates a number of charter flights, including to Cuba. Charter flights cannot be booked as awards.

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Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus Program Review

Thai Airways, the flag carrier of Thailand, is based at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. The airline flies to 78 destinations in 35 countries. In the United States, it only flies to Los Angeles, but that route will be eliminated in October 2015.

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Virgin America Premium Visa Signature Credit Card Review

Who Is the Virgin America Premium Visa Signature Card Good For?

The Virgin America Premium Visa Signature card will be useful to anyone who often flies in the United States. Virgin America serves three cities in Mexico, but most of the airline’s routes are in the continental U.S. With the Premium card, you can get up to eight points per dollar on Virgin flights.

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The Unique Wonders of Galapagos

The Unique Wonders of Galapagos

The Galapagos Islands are a small archipelago in the Pacific Ocean about 600 miles west of Ecuador. With a treasure trove of unusual native species not found anywhere else in the world, the islands are fascinating and delightful for both scientists and tourists.

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How to Book TAM Airlines Fidelidade Awards

TAM Airlines, the biggest airline in Brazil, operates out of three hubs: Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia. The carrier flies to 67 destinations in 18 countries, including Miami, New York and Orlando in the United States.

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Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles Program Review

Vietnam Airlines, the flag carrier of Vietnam, is based in Hanoi. The airline flies to 52 destinations in 17 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Australia. It doesn’t offer flights to North America.

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American Express Gold Card Review

Who is the Gold Card From American Express Good For?

The Amex Gold Card is a charge (not credit) reward card that’s part of the American Express Membership Rewards program. In addition to offering some nice travel benefits, including trip cancellation and lost baggage insurance, you’ll also get double points at restaurants and you’ll never have to pay foreign transaction fees. The annual fee is also waived for the first year.

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Krakow’s Historic Old Town

Krakow's Historic Old Town

Krakow, located in southern Poland on the banks of the Wisla River, is a beautiful and historic city. The city center, referred to as the Old Town, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Exploring its medieval streets and climbing Wawel Castle Hill—the most famous city landmark—is a thrill, but there’s so much more to see.

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How to Book LAN Airlines LANPASS Awards

LAN Airlines is the flag carrier of Chile. Its main hub is Santiago National Airport. In 2012, LAN Airlines merged with the Brazilian TAM Airlines, creating the largest airline holding company in South America. The two carriers are slated to be fully integrated in 2018.

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China Southern Sky Pearl Club Program Review

China Southern Airlines, based in Guangzhou, is Asia’s largest airline in terms of fleet size and the number of passengers carried. It has 400 aircraft and flies to 193 domestic and international destinations. In the U.S., the airline flies to Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.

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Delta SkyMiles American Express Credit Card Review

Who Is the Delta SkyMiles Credit Card From American Express Good For?

The Delta SkyMiles credit card is an entry-level card that allows you to earn SkyMiles without flying. Although it doesn’t have a large sign-up bonus, or as many of the bells and whistles of its more celebrated cousins—the Gold Delta SkyMiles, Platinum Delta SkyMiles and Delta Reserve cards—it does have the lowest annual fee.

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Rome: Modern and Ancient

Rome: Modern and Ancient

Once a small, nondescript village on the Tiber River, Rome grew into an astonishing world power, ruling a vast empire for almost 3,000 years,  and changing, reinventing and transforming the world, arts, politics, culture and itself as it went along.

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How to Book Royal Jordanian Royal Plus Awards

Royal Jordanian Airlines is the flag carrier of Jordan. Operating out of Amman, the airline flies to 54 domestic and international destinations, including Chicago, Detroit and New York in the United States.

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S7 Airlines Priority Program Review

S7 Airlines, also known as Siberia Airlines, is headquartered in Novosibirsk, Russia. It has an extensive domestic and international network, flying to 106 destinations in Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Although it doesn’t currently fly to the United States, the carrier is a member of the oneworld alliance.

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Lufthansa Miles & More World Elite MasterCard Credit Card Review

miles and more mastercard

Who is the Miles & More World Elite MasterCard From Barclays Bank Good For?

Lufthansa, the largest airline in Europe, also has the largest frequent flyer program in Europe, Miles & More. Since its inception in 1993, 13 airlines have joined Miles & More. Lufthansa and most of those airlines are members of the Star Alliance, giving the program a truly global scope.

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Florence and Tuscany: The Renaissance and the Countryside

Florence and Tuscany: The Renaissance and the Countryside

Florence is the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, and it is filled with dozens of cathedrals, palaces, museums and art galleries, making it a dream come true for art and history lovers.

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How to Book Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Awards

Singapore Airlines has a reputation for having comfortable planes and excellent service. It’s the flag carrier of Singapore, operating out of its hub in Changi Airport. Singapore Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance, and it flies to 63 destinations in 35 countries worldwide. In the U.S., it flies to Houston, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.

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Air China Phoenix Miles Program Review

Air China, based out of Beijing Capital International Airport, is one of the largest airlines in China. The carrier flies to nearly 180 domestic and international destinations, including the following U.S. cities: Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

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Korean Air SKYPASS Visa Classic Credit Card Review

Who Is the SKYPASS Visa Classic Card Good For?

If you fly on Korean Air and use its loyalty program, SKYPASS, you’ll probably want one of the five co-branded credit cards offered to residents of the United States. And if you want to minimize your annual fee, but don’t want bare-bones benefits, the SKYPASS Visa Classic card is probably the right option for you.

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Hanoi and Halong Bay: Exotic, Chaotic and Beautiful

Hanoi and Halong Bay: Exotic, Chaotic and Beautiful

Hanoi, the 1,000-year-old capital of Vietnam, is one of the most dynamic capitals in Asia. It offers a fascinating blend of Vietnamese, Chinese and French cultures, as well as modern high-rises, centuries-old traditional architecture, sweeping boulevards and quaint narrow streets. The city attracted nearly 2 million visitors in 2014, and ranked fourth in TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards for the Best Destinations in the World for 2015.

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