One of the more common questions about miles and points is, “are my miles safe when files for bankruptcy?” And it’s amazing how many bad answers there are. This story in today’s Daytona Beach News-Journal may take the award for the worst advice yet. Responding to a question about Delta miles, Bob Desiderio writes:You have cause for concern, because while survivor airlines have in the past honored the mileage programs of bankrupt airlines (As Delta did for TWA customers), the major airlines now are hanging on the ropes and no one is stepping forward to help them. If an airline goes bankrupt and sells off its assets, mileage programs disappear because they are viewed as a liability; the eventual cost is transporting a passenger for free. So, in addition to using them or losing them,…
Monthly Archives
Monthly Archives for November 2004.
New Travel Search Tools Online
Frommer’s has a new article on travel metasearch tools like Mobissimo, Kayak, and FareChase. These are sites which regular readers of this column should all be familiar with. The piece lumps these companies together with tools like ITA Software (perhaps the most powerful search tool, but rather complicated in some of its functionality) and deal advertising site Travel Zoo. The major item left off of Frommer’s list is downloadable hotel search tool TravelAxe.There are good descriptions of each of the sites in the Frommer’s piece, though you’re still better off using my own FAQs as a reference: How to find the best airfare dealsHow to find the best hotel deals
Cheap Vegas
TripReservations.com often has some of the best rates on Vegas hotels. For instance, they’re showing the Statosphere hotel for $19 per night with several dates available. Not where I’d stay otherwise, but $19 is a pretty good rate.
20% off at Borders
Borders Friends and Family discount is back — 20% off from November 12 – 15, 2004 (40% on food items) with printable coupon.
FreePhotoIpods and Infone
I just checked in at the website for the Free 40GB Photo iPod. As you may recall, Gratis Networks will give you a free photo iPod if you complete one of their marketing offers and refer 10 other people who do the same. When I first went to the website, all the marketing offers were unattractive — either they contained some cost (such as shipping) or they said they’d take a couple of weeks to credit as completed. So I went back this morning and they had an offer for Infone. It credits instantly. It costs nothing — it’s an information service that charges you but only after five uses. So if you don’t ever use the service, there’s never a charge — you don’t even have to cancel the service. A credit card number…
100 Free Continental Miles
The Continental Airlines news and offers page lists a sweepstakes for a $5000 Circuit City gift card plus 100 miles just for registering. (Hat tip to Free Frequent Flyer Miles.)
Delta Holiday Online Shopping Bonus
Delta is offering bonus miles for holiday shopping through its online shopping portal. (Thanks to Free Frequent Flyer Miles.)That alone, though, shouldn’t determine your portal preference — the extensive e-tailer comparison guide should.
MORE Free Electronics
From the same people who brought you the free iPod, free desktop computer, and free flatscreen TV comes a new free electronics offer: Free 40GB Photo iPod. Here’s what Apple has to say about the product:Though it’s no bigger than a pack of playing cards and weighs in at just over 6 ounces, iPod Photo delivers a one-two sensory punch. Letting you carry an entire library of your favorite music — up to 15,000 songs — or enough photos — as many as 25,000 — to fill nearly 200 slide trays or cover nearly 5,000 square feet of wall space. The rechargeable battery provides up to 15 hours of music. The device will let you create slide shows set to music, and comes with a cable to hook up to a TV or projector. Pretty…
Delta And Air Tahiti Nui to Partner
Delta is working on a codesharing and frequent flyer agreement with Air Tahiti Nui. This is outstanding news for Skymiles members. Air Tahiti Nui has been a partner with American for a few years and just added Northwest as well. The gist of those deals is that you can burn American and Northwest miles on Air Tahiti Nui flights but not earn on those flights. I imagine that if Delta is actually codesharing then there will be the possibility of earning elite qualifying miles on Air Tahiti as well, similar to the Air Tahiti codesharing arrangement with Qantas. To my mind, though, the real benefit is in burning Skymiles. From the US Air Tahiti flies from Los Angeles to Tahiti and in July ’05 they’ll begin JFK-Tahiti service as well. From Tahiti they also serve…
Doesn’t Anyone Proofread United Offers, Part II
There’s a new offer of 15,000 United miles for each new SprintPCS line activated online. The offer seems to be valid through January 31. But I’m just not sure how those 15,000 miles are awarded, as the terms and conditions stateCustomers will earn up to 10,000 Mileage Plus miles per new line of service, awarded in two installments – 5,000 miles six to eight weeks after the first and sixth Sprint PCS invoices. Customer will earn up to 5,000 additional Mileage Plus miles – 2,500 miles six to eight weeks after the first and sixth Sprint PCS Invoices – if customer signs up online. But that’s only 10,000 miles.UPDATE: I shouldn’t post (or attempt to understand the fine print of mileage offers) in the middle of the night! The numbers add up just fine, as…
