In response to a post I wrote about devaluing elite benefits in the BalticMiles program of Latvian-based airline Air Baltic, Gene wrote, Maybe you can spend your time bashing them instead of Delta now. My criticisms of Delta are, I think, fair. Delta is a well-run airline, and has a frequent flyer program that offers much less value than those of American, United, and US Airways (and offers a worse redemption program in my opinion than Avianca Lifemiles, Singapore Airlines Krisflyer, Air Canada Aeroplan, and many many more around the world but that’s not important right now). I coined the term ‘Skypesos’ for their currency because Delta miles don’t go as far as many other major currencies. They’re harder to use. They don’t permit one-way awards for half the cost of roundtrip (neither does US…
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40% Off Sofitel Hotels
The Sofitel hotels private sale is back: book by October 14th, and stay between November 18 and March 31. This sale may be of special interest to anyone that has signed up for the Leclub Accor hotels program at the top tier Platinum level, especially because of the programs new, improved elite benefits. (HT: Chimpy on Milepoint) You can join the 30,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day — sign up to receive posts by email (just one e-mail per day) or subscribe to the RSS feed. It’s free. Don’t miss out!
Southwest Airlines $49+ Distance-Based Airfare Sale Through Thursday
Southwest is running a sale with flights based on distance, beginning at $49 plus taxes each way for short haul flights. You have to book by October 10 at 11:59pm in the city that travel originates. Travel is valid between December 4 and December 18 and between January 7 and February 12 with Friday and Sunday flights excluded. You can join the 30,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day — sign up to receive posts by email (just one e-mail per day) or subscribe to the RSS feed. It’s free. Don’t miss out!
Bank of America Brings Back 50,000 Point Signup Bonus on Virgin Atlantic Card
Bank of America has brought back a strong signup bonus on their co-branded Virgin Atlantic credit card. They used to offer the card as an American Express (one of those oddball American Express cards not issued by American Express). Now it’s a MasterCard. It’s advertised as a signup bonus of up to 65,000 miles but I wouldn’t think about it that way. Reach rewards faster with up to 65,000 Flying Club bonus miles in the first year with the Virgin Atlantic World Elite MasterCard® credit card from Bank of America. The offer is: 20,000 Flying Club bonus miles after your first retail purchase 25,000 additional Flying Club bonus miles after you spend at least $2,500 in qualifying purchases Earn up to 15,000 additional bonus miles upon anniversary Earn up to 5,000 Flying Club bonus miles…
Why Hotel Programs Devalued This Year — and Why They May Not Be Done
Hotel programs got super generous during the Great Recession. Hyatt — the lone major program not to significantly devalue its points in the first quarter of 2013 — was so generous in the fall of 2009 that they were giving away a free night at any hotel in the world after any two stays plus 5500 United miles. Two $75 airport hotel nights could earn a night at the Park Hyatt Vendome in Paris plus 11,000 miles. Other programs were generous as well, free nights in addition to points became common. The programs were trying to goose occupancy when rooms were empty. But hotels are now full and rates are up, so there’s no reason to spend as lavishly. Via Calculated Risk: The red line is for 2013, yellow is for 2012, blue is “normal”…
PointsHound Adds a New Frequent Flyer Program as an Earning Option
PointsHound has added Air France and KLM’s Flying Blue program as a points-earning partner. I love to see new earning partners, even though I’m unlikely ever to credit points for booking a stay to the Flying Blue program (expensive awards, fuel surcharges). Given earning rates and overall value of miles I prefer to credit points through PointsHound to American. They seem to award fewer US Airways miles, a similar number of Delta miles, and more Hawaiian miles for instance. United is no longer an earning partner, which shouldn’t surprise since United made an investment in PointsHound competitor Rocketmiles (and the Rocketmiles CEO is a MileagePlus veteran). Through October 11 PointsHound is offering a 1000 mile first booking bonus on top of the points normally earned for hotel bookings. The person who refers you earns 1000…
American Encouraging Elites to Fly More, Offering Targeted Soft Landings for Dormant Flyers
American Airlines used to say they know why you fly. I always found that kind of creepy (in a “long before it was cool for the NSA to read your e-mail” kind of way). Now they just know how much you’ve flown. American has been sending out emails to their AAdvantage elite members, either reminding them that they’re close to re-qualifying for their status: In my case I need about another 10,000 miles (already booked) to re-qualify as an Executive Platinum. Including award travel and on other airlines I’ll do about 200,000 miles this year. For members that aren’t at all close, and aren’t even hitting a status level lower than what they’ve been this year, they are sending out status challenges. American used to offer ‘soft landings’. Members would only lose one status level…
Qatar Waits Weeks, Won’t Honor Mistake Fare, Fibs About its Cause
I’ve always said I have no moral qualms taking advantage of ‘mistake fares’. If an airline publishes a far of, say, $28 to Paris and decides to honor it — if some people are going to get to go to Europe at a very very low price — then I would like to be one of those people. I don’t generally complain when such deals aren’t honored, and to me that’s a relevant moral difference. I don’t want to miss out, but I also don’t feel like there’s a moral claim against the travel provider either. “I’m going to sue” doesn’t really enter my thoughts. However, I do think that travel providers owe a certain clarity and expediency in communicating about the deal and how they intend to handle it. If it’s a mistake and…
Earn 12,000 Miles Per Year Free With Bluebird and the Suntrust Delta Debit Card
On Friday I received an email from American Express. Hello Gary, Adding funds to your Bluebird Account is easy. Now, Bluebird is adding another no-fee way to add funds online to your Account. Effective immediately, you can add funds to your Account from your debit card for no fee (previously $2.00 per transaction). Click here to learn more about adding funds with a debit card. You can review the updated fee chart by clicking here. Should you have any questions about this change, please visit Bluebird.com or call 1-877-486-5990. Thank you for your Membership, The Bluebird Team You can now load an American Express Bluebird card with a debit card and not pay any fee. If you have a mileage-earning debit card, you should earn miles for the transaction. And of course Bluebird lets you…
The Hyatt Visa Offer Now Is $0 the First Year and Other Changes
There have been some changes to the Hyatt Visa in the past month. The $75 annual fee is now waived the first year. The two free nights worldwide after $1000 spend within three months is now stsandard for all members who apply. Diamond members do not get the added bonus of having their two nights in a suite, and existing Platinum members do bot get an extra bonus of suite upgrades on paid stays. Since the product was first introduced about three years ago they added an annual free night benefit (up to redemption category 4) as well as double points on restaurant spend, air fare, and rental cars as well as credit towards elite status based on spending. In fact I made what turned out to be a strategic blunder — I put $40,000…
