While there are still some tickets available for Frequent Traveler University in Tampa, Florida September 27-29, after I posted details of the schedule last week the host hotel room block filled up. Now, folks don’t have to stay at the host hotel which is the Grand Hyatt Tampa. The group rate is $119 and most people prefer to stay where the action is, though some Starwood loyalists for instance may stay at the Westin Tampa Bay about a mile away. We’ll have the bulk of the hotel for this event — frequent flyers taking over the property — and we’ve managed to get additional rooms added to the block so that they can be booked at the $119 rate. If you plan to go, you’ll want to get your room booked asap. Meanwhile, last week…
Monthly Archives
Monthly Archives for July 2013.
Bits ‘n Pieces for July 25, 2013
News and notes from around the interweb: 25% off Westin Heavenly Beds at Nordstrom US Airways and American will give up slots for Philadelphia-Heathrow service to accommodate European regulators. Rumors that US Airways will join oneworld on November 1. If true, that’ll be a quick (though not entirely unexpected) transition post-merger with American. Hyatt is opening a property in Phuket, Thailand US Airways 100% bonus on purchased miles ends July 31. It’s targeted – you have to enter your name and frequent flyer account number to verify eligibility. But it’s also almost now a way to buy American miles at less than two cents apiece. You can join the 30,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day — sign up to receive posts by email (just one e-mail per day) or subscribe to…
Swiss Yangon First Class Tickets — They Really Don’t Want to Honor Them and They Want You to Know You’re a Bad Person for Booking Them
Last month the Canadian Transportation Agency ruled that Swiss had to honor first class tickets issued at a deep deep discount originating in Myanmar. I’ve never sued to have a deal enforced, I’ve always wanted to be a part of a deal when an airline or hotel chooses to honor it, I do not feel at all badly throwing my hat in the ring for that. Writing about it isn’t ‘encouraging folks to do bad things’. It’s sharing something exciting that may lead to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the way it has for others in the past. Many tickets were honored under this deal, but tickets issued on Swiss ticket stock were mostly cancelled. Some consumers pursued the issue with the Canadian government and won. Last week reader David J. sent me a copy of the…
Carlos Danger Sale: Spirit May Be the Worst Airline But They Have the Best Ads, Anthony Weiner Edition
When the Anthony Weiner sexting story first broke two years ago, Spirit ran an Anthony Weiner sale. Of course they ran a More Bang for Your Buck sale on flights to Cartagena when secret service agents were revealed to have frequented prostitutes there. Back in 2010 they invited customers to check out the (suntan) oil on the beaches that they fly to… during the BP oil spill. (At the time I was just thankful they hadn’t advertised ‘a flood of low fares to New Orleans’ after Hurricane Katrina.) And their most famous ad has to be their “MILF Sale” (Many Islands, Low Fares)… and in keeping with the ‘theme’ they ran a TV commercial, “Think that’s low? Spirit Airlines fares are even lower!” Now Weiner is back, as Carlos Danger in The Weiner Rises Again.…
Biggest DirecTV Signup Bonus Ever: 30,000 United Miles
Earning 25,000 American miles has been quite common over the past couple of years. They’ve offered 25,000 Priority Club points in the past, as well. But I’ve never seen a bigger signup bonus for DirecTV than 30,000 United miles. The offer is valid on the ‘Entertainment’ package which starts at $29.99 per month (plus taxes) and requires a two year agreement. Still, at 30,000 miles buying this service gets you miles for not more than the cost of buying the miles outright, and you get DirecTV to boot. This is most ideal of course if you’re actually up for new TV service. Miles post in 6-8 weeks, and oddly enough (state laws can be so weird) no credit card is required in Massachusetts or Pennsylvania. One could presumably sign up, and still cancel service after…
15% Off Virgin America Flights
Sign up here for a one-time use discount code. You need to book by August 14 for coach travel between September 16 and November 14. And the discount is not valid for travel on Fridays or Sundays, or October 11, October 14, November 8, or November 11. The promotion code is valid for up to 2 people on the same itinerary though of course others can book separately under another discount code. (HT: Dan’s Deals) You can join the 30,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day — sign up to receive posts by email (just one e-mail per day) or subscribe to the RSS feed. It’s free. Don’t miss out!
Delta Skymiles Bringing Back Elite Status Match
In January I outlined how you can take elite status with one airline and get another airline to give you status, too. Some just straight up give you the status, others require you to fly a certain amount to earn it on an expedited basis. But it’s entirely common for airlines to want to do what they can to poach the best customers of their competitors. Delta even lists the opportunity on its website, but the website indicated the offer runs through June 30, 2013. They’ll give you status (up to Platinum, based on your current status with a competitor airline) for 90 days. If you sign up in the first half of the year and complete the challenge, you get the status for the rest of the membership year. If you sign up in…
Bits ‘n Pieces for July 23, 2013
News and notes from around the interweb: Jeffsetter interviews me. When Hang Up Call Back Doesn’t Work…. sometimes you aren’t entitled to something or what you want is impossible. US Airways will finally get a mobile app… just before US Airways’ IT functionality gets replaced by American’s. And it’ll only mimic the functions of its mobile website, anyway. Meh. When I first wrote about hotel reservation site Rocketmiles, which rebates significant miles to you when you make your booking, they covered only 31 cities. Today they announced they’ve now expanded their coverage to more than 150. You can join the 30,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day — sign up to receive posts by email (just one e-mail per day) or subscribe to the RSS feed. It’s free. Don’t miss out!
If Fuel Prices Fall Will I Still Have to Pay Fuel Surcharges on Award Tickets? And How Can I Reduce Those Now?
Reader RKToledo asks, With airlines purchasing more fuel effecient long range planes, could you write on whether these purchases will ever lead to decreased or eliminated fuel surcharges on awards. I’m specifically wondering if BA will reduce YQ after implementation of A380 and 787 planes. The simple answer is no. Understanding this requires a bit of a longer answer. What are fuel surcharges? First of all, understand what “fuel surcharges” are. They’re generally a fixed amount of money added to a fare. The amount will usually be the same across all fares for a given city pair. In other words, all “New York – London” fares that an airline publishes will add the same amount for fuel surcharge. There are some exceptions to this. An airline may file a different fuel surcharge amount for premium…
It’s All About Talking to the Right Agent, the Right Way
In Hang Up, Call Back: the Four Most Important Words in Travel and Maybe Even Life I make the point that getting what you want from a travel provider isn’t just – or even primarily – about understanding what you are entitled to. Sure, knowing the rules helps. But it’s just an opener. The front line employee has to give it to you, except in cases where things are automated and where automation works as intended. Most of the time elite status-based airline upgrades process automatically. But most hotel upgrades are done at the check-in desk. Starwood has made an underappreciated play to change that — the most significant thing about “suite night awards” provided to Platinum members who stay 50 nights or more isn’t that upgrades can be confirmed up to 5 days in…
