It’s with mixed feelings that I share with you today that I am passing the torch at Travel Codex. Kyle Stewart, a regular contributor to Live and Let’s Fly and a previous contributor to Travel Codex, will be taking my place as Editor in Chief.
This blog, which I originally created as Hack My Trip on January 7, 2012, was a break from reality. Back then I was an active contributor on FlyerTalk, specifically on topics like fuel dumping and fare construction, and I was desperately looking for something to do besides writing my Ph.D. thesis. I enjoyed taking an analytical approach to airline rules and understanding how they could be …bent to my advantage. I created additional tools like the Award Maximizer that compared award charts across loyalty programs to find the most cost effective redemption. It has all been all a lot of fun.
In the process I learned more about loyalty programs than I thought possible. Back before “travel hacking” meant simply applying for more credit cards, there were those of us who actually played by the rules and still managed to win the game. It has been truly life-changing.
To give you context, I have at this moment millions of miles and top-tier status in half a dozen loyalty programs. Last year when my son complained about a disappointing Hyatt Place in Galveston, I quickly cancelled our vacation, and within 48 hours we were sitting on the beach at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe thanks to points and miles. In the past year I took him skiing in both Vail and Park City, snorkeling in Maui, and his third trip to Disneyland. Paris and London are next month.
These are not the experiences I had growing up. Back then I was excited to get free doughnuts at the Days Inn in Sacramento. Now I decide which airline to fly based on minor irritants like a lie-flat bed that’s too hard or non-vintage Champagne. I could never afford these experiences paying with cash.
I’ve also met many new friends and aficionados, running into readers in elevators and in first class cabins on multiple occasions. I built relationships with some great people like Jeff Zidell at Hyatt and Bobbie Egan (and many others) at Alaska Airlines. I’ve had an amazing time at events like the Star Alliance Mega DO or diving with the sharks at Mandalay Bay.
But despite all that, I’ve also moved on. I went back to school. I got a new job. I had a child. My professional and personal life today simply doesn’t allow for the time that Travel Codex deserves to remain relevant and exciting to readers. So for all these reasons and more, I’m excited that Kyle is prepared to step in and keep the spirit of Travel Codex alive.
I will not be going anywhere. I am still lurking online, if not as active as I once was. Kyle may call on me from time to time, or I’ll butt in to share my thoughts. Anyone passing through Austin can track me down for a cocktail. Perhaps without the yoke of responsibility I will find a new motivation to write more often.
Regardless I wish to thank you all for your support in the last 14 years. I hope you continue to seek out new adventures with us. If nothing else please remember that rules create opportunities as much as consequences. A program designed a certain way, even when not as transparent as it used to be, is still just a set of rules. Use those rules to your advantage and you just might be able to hack that trip.
