Regular readers of this blog know that I consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred card to be pretty much the best all-around credit card for spending. Of course, there’s nothing more rewarding than a credit card signup bonus (and Sapphire Preferred has one of the best). But for most spending that isn’t helping you earn a signup bonus, Sapphire Preferred is outstanding — double points on travel and dining, Visa acceptance, no foreign currency transaction fees, flexible points. It’s one of the cards that I’m keeping even now that my annual fee is about to hit. Milepoint member AndyAndy, though, decided not to keep his. He downgraded his Sapphire Preferred card to a regular Sapphire card with no fee. And since he needed to get rid of his existing card, he needed to get creative. See,…
Monthly Archives
Monthly Archives for October 2012.
Cheap Hawaii Flights on United: $343 from Charlotte and Philadelphia
United is offering roundtrip fares from $343 including tax from Charlotte and Philadelphia to Honolulu through the end of the schedule. Monday through Thursday travel for the overwater segment, it’s a G-fare with a 3-day minimum stay, a few days around the Christmas and New Years holidays look to be ineligible, and 30 day advance purchase is required. (HT: Online Travel Review)
250 Delta Elite Qualifying Miles for a 2-Night Hilton Stay
Years ago you actually had to, you know, fly to earn elite status on an airline. But as frequent flyer programs have grown, and have become independently profitable, there’s a recognition that the most profitable customers of the programs aren’t just the frequent flyers. And in fact credit card companies are real drivers of a program’s (and thus airline’s) profitability. And it’s not just limited to credit card companies. At the end of last year I wrote about the different options airlines were offering to top off your status without flying. Back at the end of 2006, US Airways an an “Everything Counts” promotion where miles earned with several hotel and rental car partners and some shopping partners (such as flowers) counted towards elite status. These sorts of things not only recognize the revenue contributions…
15,000 Alaska Airlines Miles for New T-Mobile Account
Earning miles for phone service — both long distance and mobile phone service — used to be a big mileage earning opportunity. I seem to recall signing up for a 2-year deal that was supposed to earn me 40,000 Northwest miles once upon a time. Switching long-dstance carriers was a big mileage opportunity, for sure. But since landlines have more or less gone the way of the dinosaur outside of office contexts, and cell phone number porting makes it easier to switch carriers and so the lifetime value of a customer is lower, telecommunications companies are less inclined to spend as much to acquire customers. Which is what makes it out of the ordinary to see a generous mileage bonus for phone service. Via Mommypoints, T-Mobile is offering 15,000 Alaska Airlines miles for new accounts.…
1000 Free Hilton HHonors Points for New Accounts
Loyalty Traveler points to a new promotion running through the end of the year that will provide 5000 Emirates Skywards points after two Hilton stays. I’m not much interested in collecting points in the Skywards program, if I want to redeem for Emirates flights I’ll be more likely to transfer Starwood points to Japan Airlines and pretty soon we should be seeing details of the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan redemption chart for Emirates as well. But what is interesting to me about this offer is that new accounts enrolling with this offer receive 1000 free Hilton HHonors points. To participate, you must register at http://www.hiltonhhonors.com/skywards5000. Offer is valid for eligible stays completed after registration, at participating hotels between October 1 2012 and December 31 2012. HHonors members choosing Fixed miles award will earn 500 base…
Signup for Accor Hotels’ Loyalty Program at the Top Tier Platinum Level
Reader Rob passes along a new link to sign up for Le Club Accorhotels at the Platinum (top tier) level. Note that the signup page is just a signup page, no indication on that page that accounts will start at the Platinum level, but indeed it’s currently working. This is marketed to a specific group, I’m not sure which one, but anyone should be able to use the link and keep the status. At some point soon the link will stop awarding Platinum status and there won’t be any advance warning, but for now it’s working. These offers seem to pop up every couple of months or so. Even if you don’t frequently stay at Sofitel, Novotel, Pullman, Mercure, and other related properties frequently, you never know when you might find yourself in one and…
2000 Free Miles for Joining Aegean Airlines Miles&Bonus (and Halfway to Star Alliance Elite Status)
Aegean Airlines Miles&Bonus is offering 2000 miles for signing up. In the past the offer was 1000 miles. The key though is that the 1000 miles counted as status miles. And it only takes 4000 miles within 12 months to earn Silver status. Which is Star Alliance Silver, for priority boarding and a free checked bag domestically on partners United and US Airways. This offer should mean you only need 2000 more miles to make Star Alliance Silver. And then after that only 16,000 more for Star Alliance Gold which gets lounge access. And it seems that, so far, once you earn status with Aegean you keep it (rather than having to requalify each year). I outlined the Aegean program back in June when I was comped to Aegean’s Gold status (based on my british…
Financial Times: Qatar Joining Oneworld (After All?)
The Financial Times is reporting that Qatar will be joining oneworld, despite explicit denials by the airline’s CEO. Maybe he didn’t get the memo? Qatar Airways is set to be the first of the fast-expanding Gulf carriers to become a member of one of the global airline alliances, by agreeing to join oneworld. The move is a coup for oneworld, whose members are led by American Airlines and British Airways, and underlines how the Gulf carriers may no longer be viewed with hostility by western airlines. Either FlightGlobal and the Financial Times will have egg on their faces, or the CEO of Qatar won’t be much believed in his public statements in the future. Personally I hope this happens, a boost to my American AAdvantage miles. We’ll find out soon in any case!
10% Off All British Airways Flights for U.S. Co-Branded Visa Cardholders
Did you get a British Airways Visa during the 100,000 point signup bonus frenzy? You may not realize that you also get 10% off bookings on British Airways. MileValue points to this Milepoint thread indicating that British Airways Visa cardholders receive 10% off of all British Airways flights — log into your account and book through BA.com/chase10. The offer is valid for travel through December 31 with promotion code CARDOFFERU, and takes a full 10% off including taxes and fuel surcharges, and applies to any class of service and for up to 8 passengers on the same itinerary.
One for the Canadians — British Airways Visa 50,000 Point Signup Bonus
Canadians for the most part don’t have the degree of competition in their native frequent flyer programs or amongst their credit card-issuing banks as exists in the U.S. So signup bonuses are generally smaller and rewards tend to be less lucrative. So it’s exciting when there’s a big bonus that our friends up North can take advantage of, eh? Through November 30, RBC has brought back a 50,000 point signup bonus for the Canadian version of the British Airways Visa. (Not my link.) 15,000 Avios points on approval and 35,000 more after $5000 spend within 3 months Earns a companion award ticket after $30,000 spend in a calendar year. Unlike the US British Airways card which earns 1.25 points per dollar, this one earns 1 point per Canadian dollar spent $165 Canadian annual fee It’s…
