Welcome to The Morning Shave for Monday, December 22, 2025. American Airlines has eliminated AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points on Basic Economy tickets. What to do if you’ve been downgraded on a flight. And why more people are choosing to stay at a hotel instead of sleeping in the guest room at their family’s house. Visit BaldThoughts.com/tms to read all the stories.
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The Morning Shave
What To Do if You Get Downgraded on a Flight.
You’ve booked an amazing trip, but suddenly your premium seat gets downgraded. What do you do in this situation? You’ve paid extra to have a better seat, premium service, and other benefits, but suddenly you’re sitting back in Economy. Follow these tips to fight for your rights and receive compensation for the downgrade.
American Airlines eliminates rewards for basic economy.
Airline loyalty programs continue to shut out occasional travelers and focus benefits solely on higher-margin customers. And then they have the nerve to complain that customers aren’t loyal. With this move, travelers are faced with the ugly choice of paying more to earn miles that are increasingly difficult to redeem, or save money now and receive even fewer benefits than before. I hate this race to the bottom that impacts most families that only fly a couple of times per year.
The Best Time to Visit Japan.
Japan has been on my bucket list for many years. And its allure has only grown after recording several podcasts about Japan. The best time of year to visit Japan depends on what you’re trying to get out of your visit. Of course, there’s Disney Japan, but popular tourist attractions also include Hiroshima, cherry blossom season, onsens, and skiing. Listen to our podcast episodes and read this article to get inspiration for your own Japan vacation.
You don’t have to stay with family. Most people prefer hotels.
I love my family, but I tend to agree with this trend. While the frugal part of me is always looking to save money when traveling, the money (or points) is will spent to have a little peace and quiet. It’s also important to have a place you feel comfortable and can retreat to whenever things get a little overwhelming or if you need to get some work done. I also like the idea of having access to a pool and other amenities that gives the family something to do other than just sit around someone else’s house that may not have much for the kids to do. How do you handle visiting family?
American Airlines Free Inflight Wi-Fi Launches January 2026, Or Sooner.
While inflight WiFi was originally viewed as an add-on available for purchase, I love that more airlines are following JetBlue’s lead and eliminating the extra expense and making it free to everyone. Some airlines (like Southwest) require you to be a member of their loyalty program to acess WiFi for free. But since signing up is also free, there’s no real cost to gaining access to the internet while flying. Hopefully all airlines will eventually adopt free inflight WiFi. What about you?
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