Monthly Archives

Aug 24 2016

Fares across the Atlantic have been low for a variety of reasons: too much capacity from the major airlines, low fuel prices that support this, and increased competition from low cost airlines like Norwegian and Wow Air.

AirfareSpot highlights fares to Europe starting at $281 but there’s a trick to get the pricing even lower.

Norwegian has their flights from New York JFK to Oslo, Copenhagen, and Stockholm on sale during low season of January through mid-March at a super deep discount. You can visit these cities when it’s cheap, or use these flights as a jumping off point to travel elsewhere in Europe. (I’m seeing Paris from $347, still a great deal and I actually like visiting Paris in winter.)

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Aug 24 2016

It’s almost impossible to sue an airline except for violations of federal law and explicit breaches of contracts (and they write the contracts). State contract claims like duties of good faith and fair dealing are pre-empted by the Airline Deregulation Act. This was ruled explicitly on with regard to frequent flyer programs two years ago in Northwest v. Ginsburg.

But consumers can complain to the Department of Transportation (even if DOT has been improperly ignoring legitimate loyalty program complaints). They can also sue in small claims court, where pre-emption issues are unlikely to carry as much weight and where the cost of an appeal is likely greater than whatever relief is obtained.

In the UK, though, airlines will soon be able to charge consumers for certain kinds of complaints.

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Aug 23 2016

Etihad’s August e-mail account statement highlighted an offer of up to 130,000 Etihad Guest miles when you join a nightclub VIP program.

Let’s face it. I’m not really a velvet rope kind of guy. My Hyatt Diamond stats entitles me to MGM Mlife Rewards Platinum status which offers VIP Line Access to Nightclubs. MGM Mlife Gold gets this too and of course even Hyatt Platinums who get their status via credit card.

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Aug 23 2016

Between january 1 and August 31 Hilton ran promotions offering Double Points. Now they’ve announced that September 1 through December 31 they will be offering… double points. And the new promotion will have the same name as the last one.

There is no truth to the rumor that all of the creative marketing people have been let go in McLean, Virginia and replaced with a “copy / paste function.”

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Aug 23 2016

Southeast Asia is on deep discount sale from the US, using China Eastern and for a little more Air China.

The cheapest fare is to Manila in the Philippines. You can fly New York to Phuket, Thailand for ~ $561. And you can fly to Bali for $601. Most fares are available right away through November, and again in February and March.

And when they’re available, it’s plenty of flights and dates.

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Aug 23 2016

Star Alliance member and United partner Scandinavian Airlines has a base far of $69.50 each way between Los Angeles and Denmark.

The fare is available for travel commencing September 19 and valid for departures through May 31. You must return by June 7 of next year. A Saturday night stay is required, and the fare carries a $300 change fee.

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Aug 23 2016

A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.

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Aug 22 2016

You can earn 2500 or 5000 bonus miles on top of usual rental car eearnings when crediting Avis or Budget rentals to American AAdvantage through rentals beginning October 15.

After writing this blog for 14 years, if there’s one thing I know it’s that almost no one cares about car rentals. And I continue to believe that this is a mistake, at least along certain margins. And not only when you can earn 9,999 Delta SkyMiles per one-day rental either.

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Aug 22 2016

Starwood’s fall promotion is More For You which will give you double points on weekday stays and triple points on stays that include a Friday or Saturday (Thursday or Friday in the Middle East) between September 12 and December 18th once you register and stay two or more nights with the chain. Registration won’t open until September 12.

The promotion isn’t super-generous but fear not, there’s at least something fun.

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Aug 22 2016

Although marijuana is legal only in some states, and for medicinal purposes in more, pot remains illegal under federal law (but where it’s legal there are even loyalty programs with reefer-a-friend bonuses). You have to clear a federal checkpoint to fly commercial. And the TSA (T)akes (S)tinkweed (A)way.

Colorado Springs airport installed amnesty boxes so that passengers could leave their weed rather than break the law. This is, in essence, free pot for airport employees. And the practice has spread to the Aspen airport where they offer Pot Only waste bins.

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