Proof
Every booking and every number, with sources on file.
Every award flight I've booked for myself, recorded with its numbers in the flight log. Client bookings are kept out of the flight log and its totals and shown as case receipts, most of them in the booking record below. Nothing invented.
Flight log · my own award flights
These totals cover my own award flights only: every ticketed booking in the flight log, including trips not yet flown. Client bookings are not counted in them. Retail benchmarks are same-cabin, same-dates cash fares captured at booking. In this log they run from under $1,000 for a short European hop to $27,823 for Emirates First; the typical seat is about $4,800. Figures update as bookings happen.
Featured cases
Two bookings, two ways to get up front.
Emirates First.
JFK–DXB–PRG · First · A380 & 777 · Oct 2024
Flown, filmed, and documented, not theoretical award-search knowledge.
Upper Class from zero points.
LHR–YYZ · Virgin Atlantic
No points balance, so we bought miles during a targeted promotion.
More case write-ups: Flights & Awards · Trips & Hotels
Booking record
Client bookings, case by case.
Client flights and hotel stays, kept apart from my flight log and not counted in its totals. Points and fees are per person unless a row says otherwise. A retail figure marked estimate is a cash fare for the same route and cabin checked later, not the fare at booking.
Flights
Sydney in Business, on Amex points.
Karen F. · LAX–SYD–LAX · Business · Mar to Apr 2026
Booked through the Amex travel portal on my plan. Amex points paid the whole Business fare on the Qantas-operated flights, taxes included. The ticket price is the cash fare on file for these flights, the same ticket total as Case 09, not a fare estimate.
Source on file · booking record
Same flights, on fixed-value points.
Zev F. · LAX–SYD–LAX · Business · Mar to Apr 2026
U.S. Bank points have no airline transfer partners, so their value is fixed in the U.S. Bank travel portal. They still covered $6,328.20 of the same $7,142.61 Business ticket, and the rest was paid in cash.
Source on file · booking record
JetBlue Mint, coast to coast.
David C. and Lisa W. · BOS–SFO · JetBlue Mint
TrueBlue points for both seats in Mint. Retail is the Google Flights cash fare for this exact flight and date, checked in October 2026, not the fare at booking.
Source on file · booking record
First on American, through Etihad.
David C. and Lisa W. · LAX–BOS · American First
Etihad Guest prices American's transcontinental premium cabin from its own published chart, and both points figures are that chart price. American sells this cabin as Business; the award books it as First. Retail is a Google Flights fare for the same route and cabin, not this exact flight.
Source on file · booking record
JetBlue Mint to London, for two.
Shari and Shep R. · LAX–BOS–LHR · JetBlue Mint
TrueBlue points, transferred from Chase, for both travelers in Mint. Retail is the Google Flights fare for the same two flights in the same week one year later, checked in October 2026.
Source on file · booking record
Lufthansa Business, on United miles.
Shari and Shep R. · MUC–DEN–LAX · Lufthansa Business
United miles, transferred from Chase, for Lufthansa's long-haul Business cabin to Denver, with a short Economy connection on United to Los Angeles. Retail is the conservative estimate: a same-day Business fare from Munich to Los Angeles one year later. The same two flights bought separately priced at $8,134 per person, also an estimate.
Source on file · booking record
Hotel stays
One client trip, three hotels, each booked with its program benefits. Drew S. flew out on Case 07 and home on Case 04. Upgrades, early check-in and late check-out are subject to availability.
Stockholm.
Drew S. · Stockholm Stadshotell
- Daily continental or buffet breakfast, per person
- VIP welcome
- Room upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
Source on file · booking record
Doha.
Drew S. · Pullman Doha West Bay
- Third night free, a benefit of the program rate: 2 of the 6 nights carried no room charge
- Lounge access with the room
- Daily breakfast for two
- VIP welcome
- $100 on-property credit
- Early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability
- Upgrade at check-in, subject to availability
Source on file · booking record
London.
Drew S. · The Prince Akatoki London
- Breakfast
- WiFi
- $100 food and beverage credit
- VIP welcome amenities and a welcome card
- Room upgrade, early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability
Source on file · booking record
Reviews
In their words.
“Absolutely game-changing. The Plane Prince saved us over $38,000 in just one month. Now he books all my company's travel.
“Sydney was fabulous. Flights were great, Hughes car service was perfect. We loved the Airbnb. Thanks for all your help.
“I didn't have any miles to spend, but David showed me the power of buying miles. Buying miles, even after taxes and fees, cut my Virgin Business Class flight from over $10,000 to only $1,200!
Case 04 above · ticketed total on file $1,255
“He was extremely knowledgeable and thorough in walking me through different ways I could use credit card points and save money on flights. His recommendation would have reduced our out of pocket cost by nearly 90% while upgrading us from basic economy to business class… Even though we ultimately decided not to move forward with that specific recommendation, the guidance and insights we received were genuinely valuable and helped us better understand our options. I will use his services on our next trip and would absolutely recommend this service to anyone looking to maximize their points and make more informed travel decisions.
Numbers in client messages are theirs; the verified figures live in the case receipts and the flight log.
Up next
Booked and waiting.
Already ticketed, not yet flown. Full numbers, photos, and the how join the ledger once I land, never before.
Flight log
My own award flights.
Points and fees are per passenger. Value is the retail benchmark minus taxes and fees, divided by points spent. Some bookings are about the math, some are about the seat, the timing, or the trip around them.
2027
2026
2025
2024
This ledger lists my own award flights, one row per ticket, with points and fees per passenger. Trips marked Upcoming are ticketed and not yet flown. Retail figures are rounded to the dollar; the $242,111 total at the top of this page is the exact sum. Client contact details, ticket numbers and confirmation codes are never published.