Monthly Archives

Monthly Archives for March 2016.

Free Starbucks Stars and Starbucks Elite Status

by Gary Leff

Mar 11 2016

Let’s say that a free Starbucks drink is ‘worth’ $6. $10 ride credit and 2 drinks are worth $22. So I think the standard $50 referral credit (my link) is way better. But people do love Starbucks Stars, and the credit towards Starbucks elite status (such as it is).

Of course the whole Starbucks Rewards program will be going revenue-based next month. Get in while the getting is good.

I generally use Uber, but have used Lyft and it’s very very similar albeit not in as many markets. Several months ago in DC I simply could not get the Uber app to open on my phone, so Lyft was a lifesaver. I like having competition in the ridesharing market as well. So it’s worth giving Lyft a shot.

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Is United’s Award Space Getting Even Worse Than American’s?

by Gary Leff

Mar 11 2016

For quite some time American has been really really tough with award space on their own international flights. However American has been going to lengths to improve their premium cabin award availability. At the end of last year American finally opened pretty good award space on their new Sydney flight. I covered the floodgates opening for award space on London routes. And how they opened up China flying. That was just the start. And they opened up space to Auckland, too.

What’s interesting is that United seems to have been going in the opposite direction. I still like United miles for access to awards across the Star Alliance. United has more partners flying to more destinations, and that creates opportunities for award redemption (even as United charges a mileage premium to redeem awards on their partners).

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Marriott’s CEO and VP Loyalty Express their Commitment to Starwood Customers and Benefits

by Gary Leff

Mar 11 2016

Marriott members are going to make out like bandits in the acquisition of Starwood. And there are more Marriott customers than Starwood ones. Marriott members get a whole slate of high end properties at which to use their points that they didn’t have before. And their elite benefits may get better but certainly won’t get worse. Starwood customers on the whole have been less enthusiastic.

I had a chance to sit down with Marriott folks at the beginning of the week. I met with Marriott’s CEO Arne Sorenson and also with Marriott’s Vice President of Loyalty Thom Kozik in Marriott’s Bethesda, Maryland corporate offices.

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Please Don’t Be Tempted by Citibank’s 25% Transfer Bonus to Virgin Atlantic

by Gary Leff

Mar 11 2016

Citibank is offering a 25% bonus transfers from ThankYou Rewards to Virgin Atlantic through April 6.

Virgin Atlantic charges 40,000 miles each way between the East Coast of the US and London. So that’s not a lot of points, with this offer 32,000 ThankYou points is enough for a one-way business class ticket across the Pond.

However the program adds fuel surcharges to awards. So while Virgin Atlantic itself has a decent business class product across the Pond, many prefer to book their awards through Delta SkyMiles (at a higher mileage cost) to avoid the fuel surcharges.

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American Increases AAnytime Award Pricing for Sydney and Auckland, May Double Miles Awards Rest in Peace

by Gary Leff

Mar 10 2016

At the end of last year American finally opened pretty good award space on their new Sydney flight.

And they opened up space to Auckland, too.

I’m mostly interested in these saver awards. But US airlines used to offer ‘double miles awards’. For about twice the miles as a regular award ticket you could have any seat on the plane.

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What Hillary Clinton Thinks About Travel and Travel Agents

by Gary Leff

Mar 10 2016

It seems though that Hillary Clinton spoke at the American Society of Travel Agents’ Global Convention a couple of years ago. She’s long had a direct hand in choosing her travel agent so certainly had much to say.

Both her supporters and detractors point to the volume of travel she undertook while Secretary of State as underscoring either her accomplishment or lack thereof in the role having traveled “to 112 countries.. 956,733 miles” (falling just short of lifetime State Department elite status).

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Two Senators Have Introduced a Bill to Limit The Airline Fees You Pay. Good Idea?

by Gary Leff

Mar 10 2016

Representative Steven Cohen (D-TN) wanted to regulate seat width and legroom. That went nowhere in the House Transportation Committee, but Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) decided it would make a good issue. His office even pitched me on the story after I had already explained why this would be bad for consumers. The Points Guy gave him more sympathetic coverage.

Now Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Ed Markey (D-MA) want to limit airline fees

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