Everyday people — maybe even your neighbors — do exactly this; they’re known as travel hackers.
If you’ve begun your travel-hacking journey and want to dig deeper, it’s time to turn to the plethora of frequent-flyer bloggers. They constantly monitor the scene to surface the best and most recent airline promos and bargains.
Because many cover similar ground, it’s smart to pick the bloggers whose tone and approach you prefer, then follow them via RSS, email or social media so you never miss an update.
Here are 21 leading frequent-flyer blogs to explore:
1. Extra Pack of Peanuts
Travis and Heather Sherry run the playful Extra Pack of Peanuts. More than a standard blog, they provide a wealth of frequent-flyer tools including an ebook, podcast and online course.
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2. FrequentFlier
With nearly 25 years in the travel business, Tim Winship is a seasoned pro. Fortunately for readers, he shares a lot of insider perspective about the industry and its rewards at FrequentFlier.
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3. Frugal Travel Guy
Rick Ingersoll is a well-known figure in the frequent-flyer scene. He founded Frugal Travel Guy in 2007, and it’s now a comprehensive resource of travel-hacking advice and techniques.
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4. Johnny Jet
Johnny Jet isn’t limited to frequent-flyer content; it covers travel tips across the board. We’re fans of his weekly suggestions for travel apps, sites and gear — and you likely will be, too.
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5. Loyalty Traveler
Although Ric Garrido’s site focuses heavily on hotel rewards, he frequently writes about flying, so it deserves a spot on this list. Once your airfare is sorted, visit Loyalty Traveler to decide where to lodge!
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6. Mighty Travels
How Torsten and Salina uncover the incredible deals they post is beyond me. They publish them on MightyTravels — but remember many offers are only available briefly. (Follow them on Twitter or subscribe to their newsletter!)
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7. Million Mile Secrets
Daraius and Emily’s Million Mile Secrets is one of our favorites thanks to their transparency and ethics. They consistently relay the best deals to readers — whether or not they receive a commission.
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8. MileValue
Scott Grimmer — a 27-year-old who’s had a beer on every inhabited continent — runs MileValue. Want to follow in his footsteps? Check out his site and maybe book a free credit-card consultation.
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9. Mommy Points
If you’re a parent eager to expose your child to the world, Summer Hull is the mom to follow. On Mommy Points, she covers traveling with kids using miles and points.
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10. Nomadic Matt
Matt Kepnes, better known as Nomadic Matt, is among the most recognizable travel bloggers. He offers many tips for traveling on the cheap, including smart ways to use frequent-flyer miles.
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11. Noob Traveler
The crew at Noob Traveler, led by Geoff Whitman, provides ample beginner-friendly information about travel rewards — the perfect place for newbies.
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12. One Mile at a Time
A favorite of ours, Ben Schlappig (aka “Lucky”) has been publishing at One Mile at a Time since 2008. He’s a sharp writer who’s always current on trends and deals; his trip reports from distant places are also great reads.
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13. PointChaser
Ariana Arghandewal’s PointChaser is straightforward and helpful for beginners. Her monthly “Points and Miles Checklist,” which lists what to do each month to maximize earnings, is especially useful.
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14. The Art of Non-Conformity
Labeling Chris Guillebeau’s excellent site strictly as a frequent-flyer blog would be limiting, but The Art of Non-Conformity often offers thoughtful perspectives on the deeper side of earning points and miles. He’s also involved with the Travel Hacking Cartel, an insider group focused on strategies and offers.
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15. The Cranky Flier
Brett Snyder’s fascination with aircraft began in childhood. That passion drives The Cranky Flier, and his witty, energetic blog is a solid place to learn about aviation topics.
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16. The Points Guy
The Points Guy is among the most prominent and trusted frequent-flyer sites, and for good reason. Brian Kelly and his staff produce thorough, well-researched content for novices and veterans alike.
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17. Travel Codex
Seasoned travelers may recall Scott Mackenzie’s Hack My Trip — last year he rebranded as Travel Codex and added a forum. The name changed, but the high-quality content stayed the same.
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18. Travel Is Free
Drew and Caroline’s site has long been useful, and they recently took transparency up a notch by publishing all their travel expenses. Plus, Travel Is Free is beginner-friendly and packed with resources and informative graphics.
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19. TripHackr
Having hacked his way through 80+ nations, Clint is a seasoned authority on budget travel. We value how he uses TripHackr to cover both travel rewards and inventive methods to cut travel expenses.
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20. View from the Wing
Saving one of the best for near the end, Gary Leff’s View from the Wing is an authority on travel rewards, offering timely and clear frequent-flyer news.
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21. Well Traveled Mile
Rand Shoaf learned to squeeze the most from credit-card deals in college, and now shares his know-how at Well Traveled Mile. He presents a variety of helpful tools for those beginning with miles and points.
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Your Turn: Which frequent-flyer blogs do you follow? Who should we add?
Want to learn more about earning frequent-flyer points? Join theTravel Hacking Cartel, a community of seasoned travel hackers.
Disclosure: We have a soft spot for Taco Bell. Affiliate links in this post help us keep ordering off the dollar menu. Thanks for your support!
For more tips and money-saving travel ideas, check out our cheap vacation travel hacks, the best travel hacking resources to bookmark, and learn about the travel hacking cartel how to travel for free.
