Yesterday One Mile at a Time decided to throw down with me over my comparison of the value of Starwood and Hilton HHonors points. Roughly speaking, as summarized by Ben, he thinks that a Starwood point is worth a little less than 3 Hilton points, I think a Starwood point is worth about four Hilton points. That doesn’t seem like a huge difference but it actually is. It’s the difference between the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express (which earns 1 Starpoint per dollar) being a better card for everyday, un-bonused spend than the Citi Hilton Reserve Visa (which earns 3 Hilton points per dollar), or vice versa. Plus, it’s a blogfight. So it really matters(tm). But let’s put it another way. I think a Hilton point is worth between 0.5 and 0.6 cents, he thinks…
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1000 Free British Airways Avios Points
Via Head for Points, you can still sign up as a british midland Diamond Club member even though that program isn’t long for this world since the airline was acquired by British Airways. Use ‘voucher code’ 1JA1KD when joining and the new account will start off with 1000 points. Then you can log into a British Airwas Executive Club account and use the ‘Combine My Avios’ link to move the british midland points over to British Airways. That’s 1000 free BA points for anyone that doesn’t already have a british midland frequent flyer account. This scales up a bit, too. Get everyone in your family signed up for a British Airways and british midland account if they don’t already have one. You can move their 1000 bmi points to BA, and then link their BA…
Free Instant Accor Platinum Status is Back
It was around earlier this month, but that offer was pulled rather quickly. Now it’s back, just sign up for Le Club Accorhotels using this link and your account should start with Platinum (top tier) status. And while we’re at it, here’s another signup link as well (just use Google translate). Even if you don’t frequently stay at Sofitel, Novotel, Pullman, Mercure, and other related properties frequently, you never know when you might find yourself in one and having top tier status can’t hurt. Platinum status usually requires 60 nights or 25,000 points earned. It offers double points and at Sofitel, Pullman and MGallery hotels a complimentary drink and welcome gift, and subject to availability and on request 4pm late checkout and an upgrade. They’ll only let you sign up for one account per email…
W Hotels Bed and Bedding 35% Off is Back
The W Hotels Store is running a 35% off sale on beds and bedding through August 27 with coupon code JM35R. I bought my own bed with a 40% discount — something I haven’t seen since March of last year but that was much more common between 2006 and 2009. And I got in before the May 2010 price increase. I bought my Queen Plush Top bed and frame for $720 all-in, free shipping and no sales tax. The same purchase today, with this deal (so after price increase and a smaller discount) would be $978. Still, I’ve been happy with the purchase. It’s a good bed, I’ve had it for five years now, and 35% off seems a pretty good deal. I do recommend the plush top rather than the pillow top, augment it…
Even Though the Bankruptcy Court Refused to Alter American’s Pilot Contracts, the Airline Really Won
After close of business the judge in the American Airlines bankruptcy case denied the airline’s request to terminate their pilot contracts (in what’s known as a section 1113 ruling). Most of the headlines I’ve seen leave it at that, “American denied request to reject pilot contract” or the like. And while that’s technically true, their motion was denied, it was denied without prejudice — with the judge agreeing with the airline on almost everything — but felt the airline had gone too far in their requests in two areas. So he wouldn’t give them everything they were looking for. I’m not an attorney, let alone one versed in labor and bankruptcy law. But I read through the 111 page document (.pdf) this evening. And it was almost a universal, across-the-board win for American. It just…
50% Off Reward Nights at 16 Holiday Inn Resorts
Priority Club is offering a 50% discount on 16 different Holiday Inn resort properties from today at Noon Eastern through Thursday Noon Eastern. You can book for stays September 4 and November 2 for 12,500 points per night. Participating properties are: Holiday Inn Resort Daytona Beach Oceanfront Holiday Inn Resort Fort Walton Beach Holiday Inn Resort Orlando – The Castle Holiday Inn Resort Panama City Beach Holiday Inn Resort Pensacola Beach Gulf Front Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista Holiday Inn Resort Lake George-Turf Holiday Inn Resort Wilmington E-Wrightsville Beach The Lodge at Running Y Ranch, a Holiday Inn Resort The Lodge at Eagle Crest, a Holiday Inn Resort The Beach House, a Holiday Inn Resort Holiday Inn Resort Galveston On the Beach Holiday Inn Resort Acapulco Holiday Inn Resort Mazatlán Holiday Inn Resort Puerto…
40% Bonus on Purchasing or Gifting Alaska Airlines Miles
Through September 28, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is up to a 40% bonus on purchased or gifted miles. It’s a 20% bonus on purchases/gifting of 19,000 or fewer miles, a 30% bonus on 20,000 – 29,000 miles, and a 40% bonus on 30,000 – 40,000 miles. Even with a 40% bonus you’re paying 2.1 cents per mile — not cheap enough where I suggest buying miles on the if-come, but a good deal if it puts you over the top towards a premium cabin award. And the Mileage Plan program has some really great values. They have a wide variety of partnerships across both members of Skyteam and of oneworld, as well as unaffiliated carriers like Emirates and Icelandair. They don’t permit award holds, they don’t offer one-way awards when booking on partners, and they…
Bits ‘n Pieces for August 15, 2012
News and Minor Notes: Via Notiflyer, Delta’s mileage portal is offering 250 bonus points for every $250 spent through August 25 up to $2500 and 2500 points. You can earn 100 Club Carlson points per day through September 24 by viewing their ‘vacation look book’. This also earns you entries in their drawing for hotel nights, airline tickets, and cash. MilesQuest passes on the story of shoplifters who would take cheap toys in big boxes at Toys ‘r Us, replace the contents with expensive toys, and check out paying the less expensive price. The more expensive toys were sold on eBay. How were they caught? They credited all the purchases to the Toys ‘r Us loyalty program. The Air France/KLM Flying Blue program is displaying its 50% off promo awards for September/October travel. For US-Europe…
Registration Now Available For Hyatt’s Fall Promotion
Registation link. On August 2 I detailed Hyatt’s new fall promotion. And I offered further analysis and comment a few days later. For stays between September 1 through November 30, Hyatt Gold Passport is offering 5000 bonus points after 5 nights and then 10,000 additional bonus points for each incremental 5 nights stayed during the promotion period — up to a maximum of 35 nights. If you have the Hyatt Visa you’ll earn an 20% more from the promotion. Registration is required by October 31, and is now available. Do it today so that you don’t forget. This offer isn’t as generous as many of the past promotions Hyatt has introduced. Last spring they offered 10,000 points after 5 nights, then 5000 more each additional two nights (up to 60,000 points for 25 nights). Last…
Don’t Overpay Taxes and Fees When Booking Frequent Flyer Awards
Reader Arthur has done some really interesting digging and passed along some great experiences in dealing with Star Alliance member ANA in booking an award. Now, many folks will say “I don’t have any points with ANA, so why would I care?” Well ANA is one of three Star Alliance members that are partners with American Express Membership Rewards for points transfers. There’s Aeroplan, Singapore Airlines, and ANA. Singapore is great for redemptions on Singapore itself, since they give additional availability to their own members not offered to their airline partners. And also for one-way awards. But their award chart can be pricey at times and their website doesn’t let you book their partners. Aeroplan can be useful, they have a functional website, but some awards are expensive. ANA has a distance-based award chart which…
