Premium cabin international award availability has gotten better though things seem to go in waves, feast or famine, and you have to jump on the space when it opens up wide.
Right now there is a ton of availability on certain routes January through May 2017. Here are the key things to know:
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.
The CEO of Qatar Airways said he was launching service from Doha to Atlanta ‘to rub salt in the wounds’ of Delta which sought to shut Qatar, along with Gulf carriers Emirates and Etihad (but not Delta partner Saudia, or Delta partner Alitalia which is controlled by Etihad) out of the US market and raise prices on consumers.
Delta President Glen Hauenstein argues the flight will inevitably fail because “the Atlanta-Doha market has fewer than five people a day.” Yet it’s running with an almost 85% load factor. The flight from Atlanta isn’t as full as the one to Atlanta and offers amazing business class award availability.
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.
United just announced changes that will go into effect on October 6.
They are introducing a new, better online award booking engine; imposing new restrictions on free stopovers on roundtrip awards; eliminating round the world awards; and revamping award change fees (to be mostly higher and more restrictive). But the changes actually could have been a lot worse.
A typhoon caused significant flight cancellations and delays out of Hong Kong and passengers got so frustrated they tried to storm a security barrier Tuesday morning.
With over 500 flights disrupted, passenger queues became unmanageable.
Emirates flight EK521 from Thiruvananthapuram, India to Dubai was involved in an accident. The Boeing 777-300, registration number A6-EMW, caught fire on the ground in Dubai.
Thankfully the Dubai government reports that all 275 passengers and crew onboard were evacuated safely though again early reports are subject to change.
Air France’s miles are best used for Air France and KLM business class awards when partners like Delta and Alaska aren’t offering space. And the program is strategically useful for its oddball airline partners, promo awards (especially to Israel), and oddball discounted routes that match your travel needs.
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.
SkyTeam member and Delta partner China Eastern has roundtrips from $386 between San Francisco and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in September and October.
China Eastern has actually filed fares that are $54.50 each way plus taxes and surcharges. That’s pretty incredible.
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 »
