This Saturday we give the Capital One / Discover deal a new look, we revisit the upcoming ETIAS program for entry into the EU, and we pat ourselves on the back a little!
Capital One’s $35 billion deal for Discover clears US DOJ hurdle, NYT reports
Remember when we said the Capital One / Discover deal was shaping up to be a no-go and everyone in the comments seemed pretty pleased to hear it? Well, it looks like the DOJ investigation concluded and gave the deal a green light after all. The Federal Reserve and the OCC will now conduct a review with input from the DOJ. If you were one of the folks rooting against this deal, don’t worry, they’re also still awaiting feedback from the state attorneys general in New York and California – it’s not a done deal yet!
Revised timeline for the EES and ETIAS
Greg just wrote a post about his experience with the new “ETA” required for US residents traveling to the UK, but as you may recall from a previous Saturday Selection, there are similar additional steps soon to be required for entering the EU as well, called “ETIAS” (European Travel Information and Authorisation System). Previously, this update was slated for 2025, but the new timeline is now looking at a late 2026 launch.
Does it still count as a Saturday Selection from “around the web” if it features us? Gary Leff of View from the Wing periodically ranks the most popular websites in the frequent flyer space (based on traffic), using a site called SimilarWeb for his traffic information. In this case, he compared traffic information from this past March to the prior March and came up with some results that caught our attention. For example, our site traffic increased 36% at a time when many others (even the biggest sites) lost traffic.
Tease me all you want, I literally had happy-tears in my eyes when I read these quotes from his article:
I’d say anyone on this list, writing for themselves or as a group of 3 or 4 people, is just really impressive. My must-reads are One Mile at Time, Frequent Miler, and Live and Let’s Fly …
Then he went on to say…
If these numbers are accurate, the continued strong performance by Frequent Miler is a real feather in the hat to that great team.
Needless to say, I’m super proud of our team and this site. I think the winning strategy Greg has cultivated at Frequent Miler is to make sure we’re working on things we’re genuinely excited about (which we can be proud of.) That may sound like an obvious approach, but I think it might be uncommon to let your real-life interests and obsessions set the direction for your content, especially when there’s so many other potential priorities on a monetized website. It seems Greg’s do-what-you’ll-be-proud-of metric is not only good for job satisfaction, it’s also good for our website and our readers.
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Congrats to FM! Very disheartening to see that Gary’s tilt to full MAGA hate speech has resulted in a 47% increase in traffic.
TDS is alive and well
Been a reader since almost day one when I used to read many blogs. Fast forward FM is the only one I consistently read every single day. Congrats on getting the recognition you deserve.
Great work leads to more support! Congrats to a superb team!
Congrats to the Frequent Miler Team! Your website and podcast have been absolute game changers for me. You were the ones that finally made everything click for me in the points and miles world. I really appreciate how honest and transparent you are and it’s clear you genuinely want to help your audience. Thank you for all you do and keep up the amazing work!
Bravo, guys. Well done and the content you produce is much appreciated.
Congrats to the FM team! You’re my favorite points/travel website. Great, super helpful information. Feels like you all go deeper than others. I learn so much. And I love how personal everything is, not just corporate-speak or solely trying to push credit card sign-ups. Everyone puts their own style on things. And the fun, crazy challenges like Million Mile Madness further drew me in.
Congrats from a long time follower.
In this world, trust is everything. So many companies start out down the right path but then sell out. You guys are authentic and you can tell you genuinely like eachother, your audience and this hobby. You want to help others and improve others lives. The foundation is Greg and his ability to recognize and assemble talented, passionate and caring individuals. Give them clear direction, take care of them and then get out of their way. Each memberof the FM team brings their specialty to the table and its so fun to watch. I think I can speak for your audience when I say. Thank you for helping us live better. I have experiences and memories that I would have never had without your help. To me that is priceless.
What FM has is special and rare. Please protect it. We need you.
Congrats FM. You’re still # 1 in my books.
Congrats guys! I know I have been clicking on your site posts intentionally over tpg. Also as a self proclaimed know it all I am always surprised by the small tidbits I learn from your YouTube videos. Keep up the good work!
FM is and will remain my #1 draft pick for points and miles scoop. Kudos and keep up the great work!
Congratulations on your success! It was well deserved. I really enjoy listening to Greg and Nick, as well as reading some of your articles.
I’m UK based and was recommended by hfp who’s site is similar to yours. I fell in love with the articles and the way you break stuff down even if 40% of what you cover has no relevance in here. Your podcast is something I enjoy watching too. Congrats.
Props on the growth. You guys and Travel Blogger Buzz are the two points and miles websites that I never question the integrity of, which says a lot considering how many sites are out there. Thanks for everything.
Kudos! Very well deserved. FM is the first blog/podcast I mention to folks who show interest in this hobby. Keep up the great work!