Jamie first got hooked on miles and points during a high school choir trip to Europe, where he flew in Lufthansa first class (thanks to his dad’s then US Airways miles) because economy was sold out.
Years later, he started The Forward Cabin blog to teach friends and family about miles and points and delve deep into the inner workings of airline and hotel programs.
He’s helped organize Frequent Traveler University, where he’s spoken in depth about the loyalty programs of American AAdvantage, Amtrak Guest Rewards, Kimpton Inner Circle, Marriott Bonvoy, and World of Hyatt. In addition, he helps run the twice-a-year Loyalty Summit, a professional conference attended by heads of loyalty programs at major airlines, hotels, and credit card issuers.
Highlighting his knowledge of airline customer experience, Jamie was featured in American Airlines’ “Elevate” training program presented to all frontline employees in 2016 talking about the essentials of customer service.
Among several media spotlights, he’s spoken at Princeton University and the New York Times Travel Show, been quoted in Condé Nast Traveler, The Fiscal Times, Forbes, New York Magazine, The New York Post, The New York Times, Skift, and Travel and Leisure Magazine, been featured on CNN, written for InsideFlyer and Road Warrior Voices/USA Today, and makes occasional guest appearances as a featured expert discussing the travel industry on major cable news media worldwide.
One of the largest projects Jamie is involved with is business development at SELECT black card, where he is responsible for new benefit acquisition in the travel sector. Through his relationships, Jamie was able to sign major brand relationships with Celebrity Cruises, Hawaiian Airlines, Hyatt Hotels, Priority Pass, Royal Caribbean, Silvercar, Tumi, and others.
Jamie holds a B.S. in Political Science from the University of Mary Washington and is a certified Advanced Life Support provider with the Commonwealth of Virginia. In his spare time, he volunteers as an emergency medical technician on an ambulance, leads community CPR and first aid classes, and is on the board of directors of his local Rotary Club. His proudest accomplishment is earning the Eagle Scout award with the Boy Scouts of America.
You can follow Jamie on Twitter and Instagram.
Countries Visited: 30
U.S. States Visited: 35
Highest Hotel Status: World of Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite
Highest Airline Status: American AAdvantage Executive Platinum
Favorite Airlines: Qantas for the onboard food and lounges, Hawaiian Airlines for the island vibes onboard, and Alaska Airlines for the cheese plate in first class (if you know, you know!)
Favorite First Class: Qantas first class (A380)
Favorite Business Class: Qantas business class (B747)
Best Redemption Value: 4,500 British Airways Avios from Longreach to Brisbane, Australia
Favorite Redemption Points: American AAdvantage miles
Top 3 Cards in Wallet: Chase Sapphire Reserve®, The Platinum Card® from American Express, and The World of Hyatt Credit Card