This morning I started reading the blog of an Air Canada Aeroplan member who has booked flights to earn one million miles in 60 days. He’s earned 135,000 miles after his first week.
Monthly Archives
Monthly Archives for October 2005.
USAirways-America West Program Merger Moves Forward
The America West-USAirways frequent flyer program merger is making progress. You can now earn and burn each airline’s miles on the other carrier. As summarized by the MilesLink newsletter:The programs are merging into a single “Dividend Miles” program, bringing some changes. For starters, a new four-tiered elite program will be implemented in both programs. The entry-level elite threshold will be set at 25,000 miles. Benefits include a 25-percent earning bonus, unlimited upgrades on full fares confirmable anytime, and unlimited upgrades on discounted fares confirmable up to two days in advance. Higher tier thresholds have been set at 50,000, 75,000 and 100,000 miles. America West Platinum Elite members will be elevated to Chairman’s Elite status by Feb. 28, 2006. Lower-level awards (FlightFund’s 15,000-mile short-hop and Dividend Miles 20,000-mile coach saver) are history. All awards will begin…
30% Bonus for Transferring Membership Rewards to Delta
Oct
06
2005
Following up on last month’s 35% bonus, American Express is offering a 30% bonus for transfers of Membership Rewards points into Delta miles through November 30. Registration is required.
Megabonus for Expensive tickets to Europe
Roughly speaking, American has matched the British Airways offer of earning 50,000 miles on a business class ticket to Europe. United — and possibly other carriers — can’t be far behind, especially as this is more or less a redux of an offer from last year.
Dealing Directly with a Hotel for the Best Rates
There’s a decent article on getting the best prices for hotels up over at everything2.com. Don’t believe every claim 100%, but many of the general broad brushes are correct. Best Rate Guarantees notwithstanding, you often won’t get the best price possible for a room by booking on the internet or calling a chain’s 800 number. A hotel’s in-house reservations or revenue manager can certainly often provide a better deal. You usually won’t do better that way than on Priceline, contrary to what the article suggests, and the techniques involved are tedious and time-consuming… but there’s little downside, especially in just realizing that while some chains offer discounts to members of their loyalty programs, that’s not where to start when dealing directly with a hotel that sees the program as a tax rather than a benefit.…
