News and notes from around the interweb: One of my favorite travel journalists – Barbara DeLollis – joined BoardingArea. Seriously, check it out. Evolve Money, which lets you liquidate cards you’ve purchased (earning miles along the way) by paying bills will now allow you to schedule your bill payments 45 days out. Great new feature! Kimpton Hotels is offering 20% off and double stay credit for logged-in members with promo code FLING on bookings made by August 4 and stays through September 30. Not all properties participate. That post reminds me to mention that Kimpton is back with their ‘secret phrase’ — through September 21, mention “Summer of Karma” at checkin to receive a surprise. Up to 2000 bonus miles from United MileagePlus Shopping: 500 bonus miles for every $125 spent through August 31, bonus…
Monthly Archives
Monthly Archives for July 2014.
Get 70,000 Marriott Points and a Free Night, But Don’t Spend Everyday With Their Card
I receive compensation for many links on this blog. You don’t have to use these links, but I am grateful to you if you do. I do not write about all credit cards that are available — instead focusing on miles, points, and cash back (and currencies that can be converted into the same). I’ve been recommending the Marriott Rewards co-brand Visa signup bonus when it hits 70,000 points for years such as here back in November and here from 2011. For those who care about such things, in both of those cases it was not a referral link, and I received no credit for it. 70,000 points plus a free night (up to category 4) is now the standard public offer for a limited-time, and for avoidance of doubt it does now offer referral…
How to Avoid Big Fuel Surcharges Redeeming British Airways Points Across the Atlantic
If you have an Iberia frequent flyer account, if it’s three months old, and if you have earned any miles in that account then you can save on fuel surcharges — because you can transfer British Airways points over to Iberia, and then redeem the points for travel on Iberia. Fuel surcharges are miniscule compared to what British Airways would charge for the same thing. Here’s why fuel surcharges are a big deal, and how having an Iberia account can save you. You need an Iberia account, and you need that account to have miles in it. Here are free Iberia points to make that happen.
HOLY SMOKES That New Turkish Flight Is Giving Away Business Class Award Space
Last night I wrote that business class award space on the new Turkish San Francisco flight was wide open. And even so, at the time I wrote the post I didn’t even realize just how wide open it was. I showed that there were at least 4 business class seats available on every flight that Turkish would run on the route in April. They’ll begin San Francisco – Istanbul service April 13, 2015 — initially 5 days weekly. Here’s what availability looks like on those flights for seven business class seats: In other words, every single flight they’ve loaded has at least 7 business class seats available during that first month in which they’re operating. Remember, this is a business class cabin aboard the Boeing 777-300ER that only has 28 business class seats. This will…
Outstanding Award Availability for New Turkish San Francisco Flight
Chris McGinnis writes that Turkish Airlines is launching San Francisco – Istanbul service on April 13, 2015. Flights will initially be 5 times weekly, and then going daily May 11th. The Turkish 777-300ER has just 28 business class seats, so you’d expect business class awards to be difficult to get. Although right now — and this cannot last — business class award space is wide open.
Malaysia Airlines’ Tweet Finally Make Me Break Down and Cry
Malaysia Airlines tweeted out a message about flight MH17 yesterday and it’s taken me a day to decide whether to say anything about it or not. When I saw the tweet I hid myself away, because I don’t do tears, and I cried. I don’t have any direct connection to the flight, I’ve flown Malaysia Airlines before of course and I feel a certain bond with travelers as such, and much more so in the airport and on planes. in a way that I can’t really describe. But I have no special right to cry over this. I was shocked by what happened as the whole world was. And when I saw this simple message I Just. Broke. Down. I decided I should share it as well, in case it touches anyone else out there…
Don’t Take Advantage of this Southwest Airlines Offer
Southwest Rapid Rewards is offering a 40% bonus on purchased miles through the end of the month. The price of to buy points with this offer is 1.96 cents apiece. At most Rapid Rewards points are worth 1.42 cents (plus some option value in that Southwest award tickets are cancellable without penalty). Don’t buy speculatively, even revenue-based programs can devalue. The only reason to take up this offer would be if you had a very specific award you needed a small number of points to redeem for. Even then recognize the more you buy, the less value you’re getting for your redemption since every mile purchased loses over half a cent. Points.com processes Southwest points purchases so they do not earn airline purchase bonuses that your credit card may offer. You can join the 40,000+…
Wide Open Award Availability: Japan Airlines First Class
Via Lucky, Japan Airlines is swapping out a Boeing 787 (angled business class, no first class) for a Boeing 777-300ER on their San Francisco – Tokyo Haneda route effective December 1. The Boeing 777-300ER has first class suites and true flat business class on this aircraft. And first class award availability is wide open from the time they make this switch through the end of the schedule.
American AAdvantage Revises Its Award Routing Rules with New Exceptions
Last month I wrote the Ultimate Guide to Constructing an International Award Ticket Using American AAdvantage Miles. It already needs to be revised!
Bet You Didn’t Know This Trick, and How It Could Cost You Your Miles
Via TravelingBetter I learned about an interesting consumer complaint to the Department of Transportation against American Airlines and an even more interesting response. It strikes me that there’s a ton of disingenuousness on the part of lawyers for a major air carrier but also some interesting insight into how their systems work at the same time. So I thought it was worthwhile unpacking. American accused the consumer of “creat[ing] fictitious reservations..to block premium seats for the sole purpose of obtaining AAdvantage upgrades.” American took 60,000 miles as a penalty.
