Even the comments on the video, many from hotel employees, are priceless. You can join the 40,000+ 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. You can also follow me on Twitter for the latest deals. Don’t miss out!
Monthly Archives
Monthly Archives for November 2014.
Alaska Airlines Will No Longer Be Our “Delta Hack” for Full Mileage Earning on Cheap Tickets
Starting January 1, discounted Delta airlines fares will no longer earn full mileage when crediting to Alaska Airlines. We knew this had to be coming — with Delta moving to a revenue-based frequent flyer earning structure, with miles earned based on ticket price, it was too big of a leak to just let customers credit their flights to Alaska Airlines and earn full flown miles instead. Here’s the new earning rates: F and P first class fares increase from 150% mileage earned to 200% A first class fares increase from 150% mileage earned to 175% G first class fares decrease from 150% mileage earned to 125% J and C business class fares increase from 125% mileage earned to 175% D and I business class fares increase from 125% mileage earned to 150% Z business class…
United Has Started Requiring Proof of Address Changes to Places Outside the U.S.
Delta requires minimum spending in order to earn elite status in addition to the required miles you have to fly. And since Delta does, United does also. Both airlines allow you to avoid the requirement if you spend $25,000 or more in a year on their co-brand credit cards (United won’t let you avoid the requirement for 100,000 mile flyer status — only up to their Platinum 75,000 mile level). And both airlines allow you to avoid the requirement entirely if you have a primary account address outside the United States. Naturally the first thought many members had was to simply change the address on their frequent flyer account. When Delta first announced that U.S.-based members had to meet minimum revenue requirements, they also instituted a requirement that you had to prove your new address…
30,000 Miles for a Checking Account is Back, So is Buying Status from US Airways
News and notes from around the interweb: Up to 30,000 American miles for a Citibank checking account Apparently selfie sticks cause radiation concerns. And yet – somehow – nude-o-scopes do not..? Six things I learned about Singapore Taxis Earlier in the month American announced their program to let you buy your way to elite status. At the time they said that the US Airways version of the offer was a few weeks away. Now it’s live. New York’s JFK airport finally has some decent restaurants, including steakhouses. So the Port Authority has implemented a new ban on steak knives. Because a customer might take the knife onboard an aircraft (for all the steak they serve in domestic first class these days?). Nevermind that it’s not tough to get things past the nude-o-scopes if you wish..…
British Airways Increases Top Elite Status Qualification Threshold
British Airways’ top elite tier is Gold. But because theirs is an airline frequent flyer program, it’s more complicated than that. There’s an upper tier within the tier called Gold Guest List (and an invitation only Premier level as well). BA is making it harder to earn ‘Gold Guest List’ status for the first time and for non-UK Europeans to requalify. Presently, the requirement is to earn 5000 tier points in one year or 3000 tier points each of two consecutive years. This second method of two years of 3000 tier points each is going away. It will still take the same 3000 tier points for UK members to re-qualify for this status. European members – who needed 2500 points in the past to requalify – will have to earn 3000 points going forward. Now,…
Amazing Time Lapse Video of an Airbus A380 Heavy Maintenance Check
Every couple of years an aircraft undergoes a “C check” which entails a majority of the plane’s components to be inspected. Emirates posted a time-lapse video of one of their Airbus A380s undergoing such a check. It’s amazing to watch. (HT: Johnny Jet) You can join the 40,000+ 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. You can also follow me on Twitter for the latest deals. Don’t miss out!
American Airlines Award Space Coming Back Online!
Over the weekend international award space on American Airlines flights for next year dried up almost completely. Lack of award availability on American isn’t a new issue. Premium cabin transatlantic awards more or less went away two years ago. It was still possible to get plenty of transpacific first class space, but first class has become much harder in advance especially as American reconfigures 777-200 aircraft with new business class and no first class (and introduces new first class on their 777-300s). But coach space has been pretty easy to get much of the time. Until a few days ago. For sure, a major schedule change rolled out. We’ve seen those accidentally open the flood gates with way too much award space in the past. This time we saw the broad disappearance of space. There…
The Airport Lounge Is 75 Years Old
Airline lounges are 75 years old. The first one was an American Airlines lounge in New York. American has a great online history of its lounges. The original club opened in 1939. New York’s Mayor LaGuardia was criticized for having too big an office at New York LaGuardia airport so he rented out some of the space to American. They couldn’t name it “Admirals Club” because a judge determined people might think it was for Navy Admirals only, so it was named “Flagship Club” (American’s current lounges are Admirals Clubs while their first class lounges are Flagship Lounges). The second club was at Washington National airport. They weren’t allowed to serve alcohol, so they stored bottles for members. This practice continued until liquor laws were changed in 1970. American’s sales department gave out memberships, with…
Free Miles and the Cheapest Awards, Anywhere – Plus a New Points-Earning App
News and notes from around the interweb: 1000 free miles from the program with the cheapest award tickets in the world. JAL’s new 767-300ER debuts December 8 The new list of IHG Rewards Club discounted PointBreaks hotels for just 5000 points per night is up. These are available for stays through February 28, 2015 although bear in mind that the best hotels get pulled quickly so book right away if any are useful to you. United released a mileage-earning mobile shopping app Air France’s low cost subsidiary. Yeah, ’cause that always works… (Cf. Delta Express, Song!, Shuttle by United, US Airways MetroJet) You can join the 40,000+ 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.…
Here’s How Rewards Credit Card Deals Between Banks and Loyalty Programs Work Behind the Scenes
Reader George asked about the economics of rewards credit cards. I was just mulling over the economics of credit card bonusing last night- are all of the costs absorbed by the credit card companies? 2x travel and dining are broad credits that capture a big chunk of credit card spend, so that’s a subsidy that makes sense. But 5x at office supply houses, or 5x on the Freedom categories? The bonuses drive a lot of incremental traffic into those stores (albeit low margin gift cards, etc)- do the stores pay advertising fees or a higher credit card fee on these transactions to offset the cost? What about the privileges on premium cards, like IHG Rewards Club Platinum status and free nights on card renewal – does Chase pay the cost, or does IHG comp it…
