Frequent Miler on the Air The lowest hotel ratings we're willing to book | Frequent Miler on the Air Ep335 | 12-5-25
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Dec 5, 2025 Discover the hidden secrets of Citi Travel as it blocks hotel bookings in various countries. The team shares their favorite flights from 2025, highlighting memorable experiences with Air France and Virgin Atlantic. Learn about the impacts of recent devaluations from Turkish Airlines and British Airways on traveler rewards. Plus, find out the minimum hotel rating the group is willing to book and why some members might consider a 3.5 rating acceptable. Tips for nervous flyers and insights into maximizing travel rewards round out the conversation.
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Circular Status Match To Reach Globalist
- JB used World of Hyatt card Discoverist status to get American Gold via an AA instant status pass, then matched that temporary AA status back into Hyatt and completed nights to reach Globalist. The circular status-match hack worked because Hyatt's systems didn't block temporary matched status as ineligible for the fast-track.
Citi Travel Hides Hotels In Several Countries
- Citi Travel is blocking hotel bookings in countries like Egypt, UAE, Malaysia and Indonesia, showing availability but returning no bookable rooms. This breaks advertised card benefits and frustrates users with hotel credits or booking perks.
Turkish Devalues Domestic Star Alliance Awards
- Turkish Miles&Smiles raised domestic Star Alliance award pricing (e.g., US domestic economy from 10K to 15K and to Hawaii up to 25K), aligning partner prices with United's levels. That overnight change removed a major cheap Sweet Spot for booking United via Turkish without notice.