I have lifetime Star Alliance Gold status and I didn’t even have to fly to earn it. (And note that since I wrote that post Aegean has improved its award ticket change policies.) When british midland was acquired by British Airways and left the Star Alliance, Star member Aegean Airlines offered status matches to bmi elite members. I was a bmi Gold member, and Aegean Airlines gave me Gold status in their Miles&Bonus program. Once you’ve reached Aegean Gold status, it’s lifetime as long as you keep your account active — activity at least once every three years. Of course the rule could change in the future. I used to think I had lifetime Airtran A+ Elite status (based on a status match), but after several years they took that status away. Nonetheless, right now…
Monthly Archives
Monthly Archives for March 2014.
Hyatt Chicago Magnificent Mile Has Magnificent Public Spaces and Diamond Breakfast
I spent a night earlier this week at the Hyatt Chicago Magnificent Mile, since it was the location of a happy hour that Hyatt Gold Passport sponsored for Milepoint frequent flyer community members. Overall I found: The public spaces to be gorgeous, a real thumbs up for that renovation. The breakfast buffet (complimentary for Gold Passport Diamonds) to be fantastic, high quality The rooms to be functional. The ground floor entrance to the hotel has a Starbucks, and an elevator you have to take up to get to reception. That’s when you’re struck by how attractively redone the lobby, the bar off the lobby, and other public spaces are. I was given a room on the 14th floor, a code for complimentary wireless internet, and a breakfast coupon. It was explained to me that Diamonds…
How Throwaway Tickets and Hidden Cities Can Save You Big Money on Airfare
It’s been awhile since I explained how to use hidden city and throwaway ticketing to save big money on airfare, and it’s such an integral part of an arsenal to save money on airline tickets that it’s worth repeating. Airlines often price tickets from one city to another through a hub cheaper than flights that terminate at the hub. Flying United New York to Milwaukee through Chicago is often much cheaper than just flying New York to Chicago. If you get off the plane in Chicago and don’t board your connection to Milwaukee, you’ve potentially saved yourself a lot of money. This is called hidden city ticketing. Most people think they’ve purchased two flights, New York to Chicago and Chicago to Milwaukee. They only take one, but the airlines still got paid for both. The…
Over 10,000 American Airlines Miles for Facebook Game and Flights
American has launched a new Passport Challenge Promotion. Through May 23 American is offering miles for: Learn and earn. Up to 700 miles (50 to 100 per activity) Be social and earn. Up to 350 miles (25 to 50 per activity like following American on Twitter, watching a video, and sharing a video with friends) Fly and earn. 500 to 2500 miles for flying on US Airways, US Airways Shuttle, a new domestic route, flying international, a oneworld airline partner, and exceeding qualifying points goals for up to 9000 miles The first ‘learn and earn’ activity is American Airlines trivia, the questions are easy, you’ll decide whether it’s worth the time for 50 miles. American serves more than 330 destinations. You have to guess their hubs, the correct answer is the choice with the most…
Will You Pay Delta More to Earn More Miles, Pay the UK Lower Taxes, and Fly Airline Partners for a Better Experience? (Bits ‘n Pieces for March 20, 2014)
News and notes from around the interweb: Scott McCartney posits in the Wall Street Journal that Delta’s shift towards a revenue-based frequent flyer program will create further bad incentives between business travelers versus their companies, with travelers putting off booking travel — to net higher fares and thus more miles. United’s Mercedes tarmac transfers will be extended to Los Angeles and San Francisco (Chicago, Houston and Newark already have the feature). Here are the flights you want to take if you’re O’Hare-based. I tell Crain’s Chicago Business that alliance partners of American (like Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines) and United (like ANA, Asiana, and Turkish) offer flights that passengers might not think of, and that Lufthansa’s Dusseldorf flight often has seats including award space. Please enter Fly & Dine’s Starbucks giveaway. Iron Maiden lead singer…
Vietnam, Cambodia, Macau and Hong Kong Trip Report: Park Hyatt Siem Reap
Index: Introduction, Positioning Flight to New York, and the Hilton JFK British Airways First Class Lounge, New York JFK Cathay Pacific First Class, New York JFK – Hong Kong The Pier First Class Lounge and Cathay Pacific Business Class, Hong Kong – Ho Chi Minh City Park Hyatt Saigon Lunch at Pho Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam Airlines Business Class, Ho Chi Minh City – Danang Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa Vietnam Airlines Economy, Danang – Siem Reap Park Hyatt Siem Reap Angkor Wat and Other Temples Dragonair Business Class, Siem Reap – Hong Kong Turbojet, Hong Kong Airport – Macau and the Sheraton Macao Hotel The Venetian, Fernando’s, and the Ferry to Hong Kong Grand Hyatt Hong Kong Harbor View Suite Bo Innovation, Hong Kong Amber Restaurant, Hong Kong Cathay Pacific The…
Make Your Southwest Rapid Rewards Redemptions NOW Before the March 31 Devaluation
Win emails to remind that March 30 is the last day to book Southwest award tickets at the ‘old’ rates. Southwest is reducing the value of its points for their best use, “Wanna Get Away” or discount advance purchase fares. They gave notice back in September, which is great but long enough ago that the need to act soon may well have fallen off of folks’ radar. There’s at least some notice given — bookings made March 31 onward will cost 70 points per dollar, rather than the current 60 points per dollar. With this change each point will become worth 1.42 cents apiece. That’s a 15% hit to the value of Southwest points. Here’s your strategy. Burn all of your points now on speculative bookings that you might need. Even though the number of…
New IHG Rewards PointBreaks Hotel List to Be Revealed Tomorrow
PointBreaks cost just 5000 points per night to redeem and are a fantastic deal, especially for higher end hotels that may otherwise run 50,000 points per night. (And you can buy these points at 7/10ths of a cent apiece). But PointBreaks have to be on offer for a hotel you can use during the promotion period. And you have to act fast, the most desirable properties tend to get pulled down from the list rather quickly. From IHG: The new PointBreaks list will be posted on Monday, March 24 for bookings and stays from March 24 to May 31, 2014 (subject to availability). Each Reward Night at these participating hotels will be only 5,000 IHG Rewards Club points during the above mentioned dates. Here is a sampling of the more than 150 properties that will be featured: InterContinental Hotel – Marine Drive…
Everyone Is to Blame for Too Many Checked Bags On Board, They Just Didn’t Know It
I like Joe Sharkey, he’s one of those great curmudgeons in travel, and full disclosure he moderated a panel I was on a couple of years ago at the Phoenix International Aviation Symposium. But like so many curmudgeons, crankiness holds together their narrative more than argument. As with this New York Times piece on checked baggage fees. Sharkey manages to simultaneously offer us that: People carry on more luggage than they are permitted. It’s unfair for airline personnel to single people out to check the size of their carryons. An inability to carry all of the bags people bring on board a full flight is a problem with the aircraft. Here are some highlights. Attire Discrimination: Will How You Dress Determine Whether You Face Carry On Scrutiny? Michael S. Piraino, an elite-status flier on United,…
1000 Free Miles for Joining Delta Skymiles
They won’t give you points for the miles you fly starting next year, but they will give you points just for joining. Now that Delta has become frenemies with Alaska Airlines, they’re trying to build up their membership base in Seattle instead of just borrowing Mileage Plan members to support their flights. This offer is apparently being promoted to Hertz customers in Seattle, and the welcome text on the promotions page makes it available to Hertz customers (which can be anyone), the terms and conditions of the offer do not limit it in any way to people that have rented from Hertz or people with a Washington state address. Of course it’s only 1000 miles, and only for people who do not already have Delta accounts, but frequent flyer program signup bonuses from the major…
