Monthly Archives for March 2021.
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.
American Airlines is alone in pledging their frequent flyer program to the federal government as collateral for a subsidized CARES Act loan. Delta and United raised money against their programs on the private market, while Southwest pre-sold points to Chase.
Now American has created a Cayman Islands subsidiary to refinance its AAdvantage mortgage.
I have an upcoming award stay at a Marriott property, and I received a note from the hotel warning me that if I don’t show up on the day scheduled, and haven’t cancelled at least a day in advance, they’ll charge me over $2000 cash.
If your flight diverts on the way to this award stay and you can’t check in as scheduled, call your mortgage broker for a second or third lien – quick!
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.
All out of town NHL teams have been staying at the Fairmont San Jose when visiting the San Jose Sharks. But it’s the NHL West Division’s Vegas Golden Knights who drew the short end of the Fairmont straw on Friday when the Fairmont closed down without warning and kicked everyone off the property: “The Golden Knights didn’t request an early checkout from their hotel in San Jose, California. They were given one anyway.”
I find that researching trips now is different than it used to be. I can’t just rely on hotels that I know by reputation, or by brand. I need to read recent guest reviews to see if they’re actually offering housekeeping; whether they answer the phone for requests; what amenities are actually available on property; the extent to which promised cleaning happens, rules like distancing and masking are enforced; how elite benefits are being honored, if at all.
Several state attorneys general were investigating hotel resort fees as a deceptive practice. That process has gone nowhere. Two years ago Washington, D.C. broke ranks and sued Marriott.
Marriott intends to take the case to trial and D.C. is looking for consumers as witnesses.
There’s so much pent up demand for travel thanks to the pandemic that 38% of Americans would be willing to give up sex for a year to travel freely.
At first blush it seems like ‘giving up sex for a year’ is a high price to pay for travel, but it may not be.
The Hilton Austin is owned by the City of Austin. Or, technically, by a separate entity created by the city. The city appoints the company’s board, and can amend its bylaws. But because it is a ‘private’ entity owned by the city, it is able to apply for a federal Paycheck Protection Loan to cover payroll costs it is going to be incurring anyway. Cities themselves cannot apply for these forgivable loans.
When applying for the PPP loan was discussed at the City Council meeting, other dirty laundry about the Austin Hilton got aired.
Dallas will actually have flights to more international destinations this month than it did two years ago (56 vs. 52), thanks to American Airlines destinations that have been added to Mexico and Central America offsetting losses in long haul.
But the flight that’s most striking to me is the addition of Dallas – Fort Worth to Nagoya, Japan. It’s striking to see a new destination in Asia, a previously unflown route, and while Japan is closed to most U.S. visitors. And it’s surprising to see the flight so full.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
