Flying Smarter: Air Travel Explained

• 72 - Why We Love Air Travel: 2024 Year-in-Review

  In this episode, we have our 2024 year-in-review. Hear from our guests about why they love air travel and their role in the aviation industry.  Plus, pull back the curtain to share behind-the-scenes statistics and insights. Flying Smarter will be back in a few months with a series of all-new episodes! Our 2024 guests:Christie Hudson, Expedia US (E52)Unpack ’25, Expedia's 2025 travel trends reportDoug Morris, Airline Captain & Certified Meteorologist (E54)Books and Blog | LinkedIn | InstagramBrian Bermudez, Aircraft Maintenance Engineer & Professor (E56 & 57)Website & Podcast | Instagram | LinkedIn | XEdmond Huot, Forward Media & Forward Studio (E59)Forward Media | Forward Studio | LinkedIn (Forward Media) | LinkedIn (Forward Studio) | Instagram | X | VimeoAlly Murphy, Podcaster & Former Flight Attendant (61) The Red Eye Podcast: Website | Instagram | XAlly: Website | Instagram | Facebook | X | LinkedIn Joelle Cuvelier, Amadeus (E63 & 65)Amadeus: Website | Facebook | X | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram Michael Taylor, J.D. Power (E67)2024 North American Airline Satisfaction Study Ben Komenkul, Points and Miles Expert (E71)Website | Facebook, Instagram | TikTok | Podcast Connect with Flying Smarter: Facebook: Flying Smarter Podcast Instagram: @flyingsmarter LinkedIn: Flying SmarterWebsite: www.flyingsmarter.com 

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• 71 - Maximizing Your Points and Miles with Ben Komenkul

  In this episode, points and miles expert Ben Komenkul joins Andrew to share expert tips and insights to help you maximize your points and miles. But first, Andrew talks about USO lounges and airline charter divisions. You may have seen or heard about USO Lounges when travelling across the United States. What are these spaces? Learn more in this episode. This episode’s guest is Ben Komenkul, the points and miles expert behind Ben’s Big Deal, a leading platform that helps travelers unlock the secrets of airline points and miles to fly in luxury and stay at top-tier hotels without breaking the bank. How do you decide whether to use points or cash when booking a flight? What additional perks should you be looking for when picking a credit card? How can you maximize your points alongside your card benefits? Ben covers all that and much more in this episode. For more on how to calculate points values and see if you are getting a good redemption, check out this article on the Flying Smarter website. Ben Komenkul is the expert behind Ben’s Big Deal, a leading platform that has been helping travelers maximize their points and miles. With over a decade and a half in this space, Ben brings unparalleled expertise to the world of points and miles. He runs live, interactive masterclasses where travelers can learn how to turn everyday spending into first-class flights and 5-star hotel stays and also shares his insights and experiences on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Ben also hosts the Ben’s Big Deal Podcast on Business Travel 360. Enjoying the podcast? Follow us on social media for additional content, updates, sneak peeks, and more!Connect with Flying Smarter: Facebook: Flying Smarter Podcast Instagram: @flyingsmarter X (Twitter): @flying_smarter LinkedIn: Flying SmarterWebsite: www.flyingsmarter.com 

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• 70 - The World's Top Airport Lounges

  This episode contains the third and final part of our series on airport lounges. Plus, Andrew takes a look at why airlines skip seat letters. We’ve previously covered why airlines sometimes skip row numbers, but why do they also do the same with seat letters? Find out in this episode. Did you know that Uber once offered a helicopter service called Uber Copter? Learn more about how this special service worked.  From private rooms to swimming pools to golf simulators, there are tons of interesting features at airport lounges around the world. This episode looks at some of the nicest and most unique lounges and lounge features out there. Be sure to follow or subscribe to Flying Smarter on your podcast platform so that you get new episodes right when they’re released! Connect with Flying Smarter: Facebook: Flying Smarter Podcast Instagram: @flyingsmarter X (Twitter): @flying_smarterLinkedIn: Flying SmarterWebsite: www.flyingsmarter.com  

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• 69 - How to Access Airport Lounges

  In this episode, Andrew starts by looking at airline status and the US government’s airline for transporting prisoners. Then he continues our airport lounge series by looking at how to access lounges. What is alliance status? Flying Smarter has covered airline status before but this episode will look at how that translates to alliance-wide benefits.The United States government has its own airline for transporting prisoners around the country. Learn more about the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System in this episode.As we covered in Episode 68, airport lounges are supposed to allow travelers to escape crowded and bustling airport terminals. With free food, showers, and more, airport lounges can be great places to wait for your next flight. This episode explores how you can access these spaces.    Our next episode will be looking at some of the nicest and most unique lounges around the world. Be sure to follow or subscribe to Flying Smarter on your podcast platform so that you get new episodes right when they’re released! Connect with Flying Smarter: Facebook: Flying Smarter Podcast Instagram: @flyingsmarter X (Twitter): @flying_smarterLinkedIn: Flying SmarterWebsite: www.flyingsmarter.com  

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• 68 - A Look at Airport Lounges

  In this episode, Andrew starts off by talking about why some airplanes skip row numbers and what airlines do to recognize “million milers.” Then for the main segment, he starts the first of a two-part series on airport lounges. Why do some airlines choose to skip row numbers? The rows on an airplane could be numbered from one to six and then jump to nine. Learn more in this episode. Airport lounges are increasingly popular and accessible. We’re delving into the world of lounges, looking at what they are, how there are many different types, and why they exist. What amenities and features can you expect in an airport lounge? Which perks at lounges are the most common and which ones are the most valuable? These are just some of the questions that Andrew explores in this episode. Be sure to follow or subscribe to Flying Smarter on your podcast platform so that you get new episodes right when they’re released!Connect with Flying Smarter: Facebook: Flying Smarter Podcast Instagram: @flyingsmarter X (Twitter): @flying_smarterLinkedIn: Flying SmarterWebsite: www.flyingsmarter.com 

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