
Miles to Go - Travel Tips, News & Reviews You Can't Afford to Miss! Harsh Changes To Chase Sapphire Reserve And AA Basic Economy
Dec 24, 2025
Travel enthusiasts will find intriguing insights as the hosts discuss Chase Sapphire Reserve's controversial rollback of its lucrative Points Boost and what that means for cardholders. American Airlines' decision to cut mileage earnings on Basic Economy tickets raises questions about loyalty and pricing strategies. Plus, there’s buzz about Bilt's new partnership with Spirit Airlines, highlighting the popularity of low-cost carrier redemptions. The episode wraps up with tales of flight turbulence, operational hiccups, and lessons learned from a collapsing loyalty program.
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Gnarly Christmas Flight From Newark
- Ed Pizza described a very turbulent Christmas flight from Newark to Atlanta that left kids upset and flight attendants seated most of the way.
- The family landed on time despite a 28-year-old 737 and severe weather during climb out.
Prioritize First Flight Out
- Book the first flight out of busy hubs to maximize chances of getting out on time and avoid cascading weather delays.
- Ed Pizza used this strategy to arrive home early and escape worsening holiday storms.
11 Hours Offline On International Flights
- Richard Kerr told of an international routing where delays and no Wi‑Fi left him offline for about 11 hours across two flights.
- The lack of connectivity caused significant stress about work and missed chances to rebook connections midflight.

