In the last year, I feel like I hit my blogging stride. A better knowing how to explain in words the mess in my head. I also pride myself on having original content. None of my posts in the last year or more have come from any research on flyertalk. When I write a post it’s either all in my head from experience or I go straight to the terms and conditions.
I enjoy writing this stuff because I feel like I’m adding value instead of saying the same dang things everyone else has said.
However, doing this has by no means made Travel Is Free the most popular blog on the internet. I’m quite content doing my own thing and writing unique content, however, my goal is to double the size of the blog. It would quite justify the time I spend in it, and I would be able to keep the same, not-salesy, monetization set up.
And the other thing is that I define good blog posts by user-experience. Therefore, I want to know what things are working for you, and to better provide content for you.
So do me a favor and help me better my blog by taking the little bit of time from your day to do this survey I created.
First, I’ll give you some of the posts in the last year. These will give you an idea what my “Best Use” posts look like and what I’m defining as “Original” vs “Hidden Gem” posts. Also, you may just find a bunch of posts here you haven’t read yet!
Original Content
- Use Stopovers to Save British Airways Avios
- The New United’s Stopover and Routing Rules Secrets… with Pictures
- The Complete Guide to the Caribbean Hopper with United Miles
- What I Didn’t Say About United Open-Jaws
- What Credit Score Do You Need For A Rewards Card (A Data Driven Answer)
- United Error Message Decision Making Tree
- 4 Variations of the Pacific Hopper
- The Latin Hopper with United Miles
Less Popular (“Hidden Gems”) Programs
- A Guide to ANA Miles
- How to Redeem Big with Asia Miles
- Best Use of Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles
- Best Use of Malaysia Airlines Enrich Miles
- Choice Hotel Rewards
- Best Use of Amtrak Guest Rewards
- Best Use of Citi ThankYou Points
- 5 Things You Should Know about Southwest
- Frequent Flyer Miles for Round-The-World Tickets
- Hidden Gem Airline Redemptions
- Transfer to AirBerlin – Two Roundtrips to Europe for 60k
Comentary on popular Programs
- The New Best Use of AA Miles (why you don’t need the Explorer Award Chart)
- Maximizing the Southwest Companion Pass
- Hacking American Airlines’ Routing Rules
- Best Category 1 & 2 SPG Hotels
- Best Use of Chase Ultimate Rewards
Concepts
- Master Chart to Avoiding Fuel Surcharges (YQ)
- How to Find Your “Booking Class Code”
- Why and How to Book Long Layovers
- Cheapest Way To Get To Hawaii Using Miles
- How to get Bumped from a Flight
- A Guide to Earning Miles with Star Alliance Partners
- How to Find Star Alliance Awards
- How to Use Qantas to Find OneWorld Award Space
- The Greatest List of Hotel Best Rate Guarantees
Destinations
- Hiking the Grand Canyon
- Drew’s Guide to SouthEast Asia
- Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa (Self-Drive Safari)
- 7 Best Unique Travel Destinations
- Where Should I Go In Bali?
Travel/Story
- Kiev, lying taxis, art directions, and a dead guy
- When All The Doors On Your Indian Train Are Locked…
- The Brokest We Were in 3 Examples
- My Top 25 Travel Experiences
- India In One Word
Series
Let The Survey Begin
Anyone who takes the time to do this. Thanks a ton!
Make sure you hit done!
And thanks so much for your continual support.
![Nick of FM on #40kFarAway [TIF Podcast]](https://travelisfree.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/travel-is-free-podcast-nick-40K-120x86.jpg)
I’m on my phone so it’s not as convenient to take the survey, I’ll do that later but, I enjoy your writing style and you’ve been to a lot of interesting places. I’d enjoy reading a few more trip report style posts, the routing rules and the travel hacking is still great, don’t get me wrong.
Just my 2 cents.
Thanks, I appreciate the feedback, for sure.
In general I do not like trip reports. They’re usually modern day equivalents of having to watch slides in the old days of your neighbor’s bus tour through Europe. Your trip reports are the exception (and your wife’s, too). There’s like a realism and genuineness in your trip reports that just make them better than others. And your “best uses” types of posts are unparalleled. Also, more than anyone else in the field you are “living the dream,” yet you are humble and self-effacing about it. My family and I are fans, and I’d love to see you double your blog.
After I googled what “self-effacing” meant… I really appreciate it. Definitively take this comment as a high compliment. Also, it does kind of confirm what I should remember to do more of.
Thanks much,
Drew
This is my favorite blog by far, thanks Drew! Your routing posts allow me to see the possibilities!
(oh and I filled out the survey!)
Thanks Cliff,
Your encouragement is always greatly appreciated.
Drew
I completed the survey, I’d like to see more MSing and how you rack up hotel points in detail. I don’t need arrows and such but it would be good to know how to accumulate more points. I personally have a hell of a time liquidating gift cards where I live now, can buy a money order to save my life, no Walmarts accept anything around me, so it doesn’t leave me to many options. I’d love to learn to earn 10 – 15k points a month as cheap as possible.
Thanks for the comment Chris. Very helpful to hear where everyone is at in points or locally.
I’d actually appreciate some big circles and arrows please…
But seriously, one question I’ve always had for those of you that live out of hotels or have no home base, how do you apply for and receive the new cards that you’re applying for?
Happy to do the survey! Thank you for all the diverse content, Drew. You and your wife have made a major, very positive impact on my travels this year. 🙂
That’s great to hear. Thanks for taking the time to share with us in the survey and comments. 🙂
Drew
Just took the survey. I discovered your site recently (thanks, Travel Blogger Buzz!) and love it. Thanks for all of the hard work and sharing your knowledge.
Thanks projectx. I owe George one then, as I’m glad you found us.
Drew
Found your blog maybe 1.5 years ago, and wasn’t that impressed. Stumbled back on it about 6 months ago, and wow, couldn’t believe how good it got. It is now my favorite blog. I don’t care much for trip reports and have no real interest in your lifestyle as I’m 40-something with 3 kids (but still manage 8-10 trips per year!). But the original content and awesome summaries are amazing. My favorite content is hidden gems, getting the most out of the programs, complete guides. I particularly liked your recent Southwest and Choice posts. Would also love to see more ideas for MS. How about a post summarizing worthwhile benefits on the major CCs? Which have worthwhile rental car insurance, purchase protection, etc? I always forget that stuff. Keep up the great work.
Great. Glad to hear it. Inspires me to keep posting some of the stuff I enjoy. I get worried that no one wants to read about hidden gems since most people don’t have Singapore Miles or Asia Miles or whatever. But glad people actually enjoy it.
Thanks,
Drew
i am working on planning a trip using asiamiles for intra okinawa travel on JAL. these are the things that FTers wont do… (just back from a trip to Ishigaki using UA miles.)
I still struggle to get my head around the United rules, mainly because I can never get a trip to work on their booking website. I don’t have the confidence in my knowledge to call their phone reps.
My suggestions:
1) More original content around United and other ways to push the travel dollar further with flights
2) Consider a paid consulting service – I’d happy pay $25 to send some ideas through and receive some solid route plans back that would send me on my way
3) If you live outside of the US, credit cards are a no go. In NZ we don’t have credit card programs with mile bonuses etc. Lack of competition I guess.
Just took the survey. I usually answer no to any question about whether I’m likely to tell a friend about something, because I’m just not generally likely to, no matter what the content. Doesn’t really reflect on whether I like it or not.
I also answered that I’d like to see more credit card posts, but in the sense that I’d like to hear more about the cards other than the usual suspects and some of the lesser known benefits. If there are any worth while.
Love your blog. I also read a few of the posts you linked to, that I hadn’t seen before. So, at the very least, great idea linking to some of your best posts.
Drew, just want to let you know I really love your blog, especially the “Ultimate Guide” thing with infographic! very beautiful and neat graphic, picture, instruction, and design…that made a lot of people including me easy to understand it and it’s very useful for us. Also appreciate on how you make your own map for the hotels location around the world with points needed for booking award stay.
Just wish you make an “Ultimate Guide to earn, find award availability, and book on Singapore Suites”, since it’s my (and other people that I know) dream, and I believe there are a lot of more people are dreaming of this since it’s getting more exposure after a singaporean guy whose name is Derek Low posted the trip report on his first time flying on it (The title is like “How it’s like to fly in $23k Singapore Suites”). If you did this post already, please kindly share the link so I can check it out.
By the way how to contact you by e-mail? I can’t find your e-mail address.
Been reading for a few years, and always look forward to reading your blog. I just got back from a trip using United miles with stopovers/open jaws thanks to your blog. Not as complicated of a route as you’ve done, but way more value than I would’ve gotten without your information. Thanks Drew! Keep it up and I hope you double your blog.
Thanks Drew. Love your site as it helps to round out my own experience and provides new ideas. Still have no idea what “MSing” is and trying to discover that. Also I’m Canadian so only drawback is that a lot of your posts are only relevant for US citizens. Thanks again.