Monthly Archives for October 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.
He spent October 19, 2020 – January 16, 2021 in the airport because he was afraid of Covid-19. He had flown to O’Hare but didn’t continue onto India as he’d planned. He relied on the kindess of strangers who picked up meals for him, and he talked to passengers about Buddhism and Hinduism.
The man was charged with felony criminal trespass for his time in a restricted area of an airport. And he’s now been acquitted, without having to submit a defense.
At last weeks State of the Airline employee event following American’s third quarter earnings call, Raja explained the strategy and offered that we may even see a whole row given out as an elite benefit on some ultra low cost carrier partners.
The new American Airlines elite status-earning system going into effect next year makes it super easy to keep elite status if you engage with the program across a variety of earning streams, rather than just by flying. Here are 10 takeaways on what’s going on with the new program.
In addition to welcoming foreign visitors coming from previously-banned countries and imposing a new vaccination requirement on non-residents entering the U.S. by air (with exceptions) there are new rules for unvaccinated Americans returning to the U.S.
They aren’t based on science of protecting public health, they’re meant to make life difficult for the unvaccinated. Depending on your view you may favor this! I’m 100% pro-vaccine. But don’t pretend it’s something else.
The new American Airlines elite status-earning program that goes into effect next year is going to make some flyers very happy. Anyone who can spend a lot on credit cards is going to find status-earning much easier. In fact, you can earn Executive Platinum status with $200,000 in spend alone.
It turns out that in addition to having a longer period in which to do credit card spend, you don’t even need to spend as much next year.
New York LaGuardia, New York JFK and Washington National airports are ‘slot controlled’. That means there are limits on the number of takeoffs and landings at each airport, and the right to use those have been given (free!) to incumbent airlines as a property right. That’s a huge subsidy to incumbent carriers.
Normally slots come with ‘use it or lose it’ rules. If an airline doesn’t make use of their slots 80% of the time, those slots can be reassigned to another carrier. As a result you’ll see airlines flying more or less ghost flights, service designed to hold the slot rather than meet any economic need.
American Airlines is changing how elite status is earned. You’ll be able to earn status with most of your activity in the program, not just flying. And they’ve actually created a fairly simple system, where almost everything counts and the “Loyalty Points” you earn over the course of 12 months determines your status.
Marriott is extending elite status again, extending free night and suite upgrade certificates, and making free night certificates easier to use. And they’re getting rid of award charts, moving to a more revenue-based redemption system starting in March.
Starting November 8, most non-resident travelers to the United States will have to be vaccinated in addition to testing negative for Covid-19 within the prior 3 days.
This replaces the near-blanket ban on travel from China, Iran, India, Brazil, South Africa, the European Schengen area, the U.K. and Ireland.
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 »
