Skift Take
Airlines have cut many of the perks of the frequent flier game, but for knowledgable travelers, many opportunities remain to beat the system.
On September 27 to 28, nearly 1,000 of the travel industry's brightest and best will gather in New York City for the third annual Skift Global Forum, the largest creative business gathering in the global travel industry. In only two short years it has become what media, speakers, and attendees have called the “TED Talks of travel.”
This year's event at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center will feature speakers including the CEOs of Marriott International, Carnival Corp., Expedia, TripAdvisor, Etihad Aviation Group, Club Med, and many more.
The following is part of a series of posts highlighting some of the speakers touching on big-picture issues that may begin in travel, but also impact businesses and industries beyond the sector.
When Brian Kelly started The Points Guy in 2010, many of the world's airlines were in precarious financial situations.
Many were finally making money, having recovered, at least in part, from the twin shocks of 2008 — a spike in the price of oil and a drop in demand. But fuel was still expensive, and it was not clear the industry soon would start reporting record profits.
It was, however, an auspicious time to collect and use points. With airlines struggling to retain customers, carriers were giving away lots of miles, both to repeat and occasional travelers. And since airlines that cannot sell seats ar
