[T]he way to get value out of SkyMiles remains to use them for international business class awards on partner airlines. And the funny thing is, that’s how you’d usually get value out of SkyMiles even before their recent devaluations.
There’s frequently a huge discrepancy in pricing between awards on Delta and awards on partners. So I still think that where Delta eventually goes is to change the pricing model for travel on partners. Here’s how that would work.
I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
A reader asks for advice in securing Etihad first class awards. They are a fantastic value with American Airlines miles, and the product is one of the very best for the seat, food, and amenities. And there are some patterns to watch to book these awards like an expert.
The old joke about how to become a millionaire quickly is to start off with a billion dollars and invest in an airline. The idea that airlines are profit-generating machines, earning unfair rates of return on the backs of consumers, is hard to square with this. Which view is right?
And more importantly, how do you get lower fares in the future than you have today?
Skift ran a piece, “The Next Great Untapped Airline Fee is Getting Off the Plane First” and it’s a rather silly idea even in a world of seemingly-silly fees.
Despite a survey showing passengers would be willing to pay for the privilege, no such fee will ever be implemented. Here’s why.
As a general matter, airport restaurants are bad. Or, at least, they’re much worse than comparable offerings outside the airport.
But restaurants and other amenities far surpass what used to be available in airports. Airport food and services used to be known as expensive and low quality. That’s changed.
Royal Jordanian flights were diverted to Tel Aviv while “Flights operated by other Arab carriers, which cannot land in Israel, were diverted to Aqaba.”
On Thursday, Turkish Airlines flight TK79 from Istanbul to San Francisco diverted to Warsaw.
A mobile phone had been found on an empty seat and no passengers claimed it. As a result they treated the incident as a bomb scare.
Reader Ray asks, “What’s the most efficient way (point wise) to get from SFO (JFK is ok too) to KEF? Iceland Air doesn’t seem to play point game?”
Last week market excitement ratcheted up over an IHG-Starwood combination, although that culminated in word from IHG that talks ended without a deal. (Starwood is still a potential acquisition target for Wyndham and Accor.)
Now it appears that IHG, the parent of Intercontinental, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, and related brands is looking at acquiring Fairmont.
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 »
