I’m currently leading a group ski trip around Jasna, Slovakia, and one of the participants said, “Here’s a game for when you’re waiting in the lift line. Try to spot two jackets that are the same. It almost never happens.” I looked all day and he was right. That tells me that a) the market is very fragmented and b) the brand doesn’t matter as much as they would like you to believe as long as it’s well-made. I’ve personally used ones from Hi-Tec, Adidas, and Kuhl the past few trips and all have performed great. So buy when the best sales are going on and just make sure it has a left breast pocket or sleeve pocket for today’s digital lift tickets.

Preparing for Delayed Luggage

Delta sent my Prague-bound suitcase full of ski clothing to Pittsburg instead on this trip and it took partner KLM 2.5 days to get it back in my hands, despite the bar code still being attached. That’s a new record for me, with things normally resolved in a day at most. Thankfully I had enough essentials in my laptop bag that it was an annoyance, not a catastrophe, but it’s a reminder that you have to anticipate this scenario and say, “What if?” In most cases the airline will compensate for reasonable purchases, but any good travel insurance policy will kick in if that doesn’t work.

United Will Penalize Fliers Who Don’t Carry Their Credit Card

United just devalued their loyalty program again, which is nothing new, but this time they took it an extra step. They basically said, “Pay up for one of our credit cards or you’re not going to get the same benefits.” In case you were wondering what your airline loyalty is really worth, apparently the answer is “a $150 or more annual subscription fee.” If you don’t have their card, your loyalty status won’t matter: you will get penalized on both the earnings and redemptions. See more info here.

Fake Travel Confirmations

I have seen a slew of articles lately about travelers getting scammed by fake confirmations or change notifications that look just like the official ones from your airline, hotel company, or OTA. In most cases, the aim is to get as much of your personal information as possible. They can be very convincing, but never click on the link and start entering info: go to the official website or app. If your password manager doesn’t fill in your log-in info automatically, that’s the first sign you’re not in the right place. A legit e-mail will tell you to do the same and if you have the app, you’ll get an alert about real flight changes or problems.

A weekly newsletter with four quick bites, edited by Tim Leffel, author of A Better Life for Half the Price and The World’s Cheapest Destinations. See past editions here, where your like-minded friends can subscribe and join you.