Starbucks has rolled out changes to its Starbucks Rewards program. Some reader reports are that Stars-earning isn’t showing up correctly on receipts (for instance just 2 stars on a $2.95 order rather than 2 stars per dollar). Starbucks said to expect things like this, don’t panic.
Perhaps as a make-good, or to generate some positive buzz, Starbucks is handing out status left and right!
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.
Chase has always had a hard time explaining the value of the Sapphire Preferred Card in simple terms to consumers that aren’t as sophisticated about points and travel as blog readers.
They’re now sharing a video with new cardmembers that tries to humanize the product — it tells the story of a couple who want to travel to Paris; they earn double points on their dining and travel and they can use their points for air and hotel.
Even so, the fundamental value of the Ultimate Rewards program doesn’t get communicated here: it’s that Chase Sapphire Preferred’s points transfer 1:1 into a variety of airline and hotel programs.
Citi appears to be changing its rules for welcoming back past cardmembers with a signup bonus.
They’re basically following Chase’s approach here (although not to the best of my knowledge also clamping down on approvals for the products themselves), and not going in the direction of American Express limiting customers to one bonus per card product in a lifetime.
Qantas is selling Los Angeles and San Francisco – Auckland, New Zealand roundtrip for as low as $225. That’s the cheapest I have ever seen a ticket to New Zealand!
This is available for trips that begin July 1 through September 1, and October 28 through November 30. You can fly either a Qantas codeshare on American’s new Los Angeles – Auckland flight, or you can fly Qantas to Australia and connect across to New Zealand.
Yesterday I wrote about a twist on the sub-$600 Australia roundtrips that could bring the price down to $385. These were from several US cities, predominantly Delta hub cities.
If you didn’t jump on these and wish you had, it’s not too late, because Los Angeles roundtrips have joined the party! United is now selling Los Angeles – Australia roundtrip itineraries for $566.
Starting tomorrow, IHG and Coca-Cola are back with their ‘Share Forever’ promotion. We don’t know the details of the promotion yet, though it will presumably be similar to last year’s.
Last year’s promotion offered between 68,500 and 115,500 bonus points plus a maximum 58,500 bonus points to share or keep.
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.
airberlin is a oneworld airline, partner of American and British Airways, that’s largely controlled by UAE-based Etihad.
They have a great business class product for long haul travel, and they do not add fuel surcharges to their fares. That means when redeeming miles, even British Airways miles for travel across the Atlantic, there are no fuel surcharges.
airberlin award space isn’t searchable at aa.com. You can search for it on the British Airways website and the Qantas frequent flyer site, then call American if using AAdvantage miles.
Yesterday I wrote about some amazing airfares on United Airlines between the US and Australia.
The fares were ~ $550 roundtrip from many of Delta’s hubs — not a mistake fare, but clearly a fare war aimed at Delta. Those fares are still available. And you can get the fare down as low as $380 by starting in any of these cities and returning to Los Angeles.
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 »
