It’s great to take an objective look at award availability across different airlines, so much is shrouded in secrecy and certainly the airlines are far from transparent. That lack of transparency has worked to the advantage of several programs — especially the less rewarding ones — since few consumers know the difference, it’s quite common for the median program member tho think that “all miles are alike.” I’ve certainly gained a great deal of experience through hands on practice, having redeemed over 200 million miles. I do know which airlines offer strong availability, which ones are weak. But even then I know the most important lesson is that the miles which offer you the most value are going to depend on your reward goals — cabin, number of seats, destinations. One study, highlighted by the…
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What’s So Wrong With Delta Charging Frequent Flyers More for Their Tickets?
Delta’s charging logged in frequent flyers more for tickets has been all over the news. Delta Air Lines may have charged some frequent fliers higher fares than other customers for almost three weeks because of a computer glitch. Delta acknowledged on Wednesday that frequent fliers who logged into its website to search for fares saw different prices than people who searched anonymously. Delta spokesman Paul Skrbec said frequent fliers sometimes saw higher fares, sometimes lower. He said the problem has been fixed and apologized to travelers. It’s easy to joke that this means earning Skypesos, already a devalued currency, now generates negative value. In a test search of three airfares, it was reported that one logged in Skymiles member was given a price $168 higher than a non-logged in customer. Delta says they fixed the…
British Airways Business Class Sale Under $2000 All-in Roundtrip
Through Friday, May 18 at 11:59pm Pacific British Airways is offering business class roundtrip fares from select US cities to London and Manchester for $1952 all-in for travel between May 26, 2012 and June 9, 2012. You are cordially invited to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s reign. To mark this historic occasion, we are offering a special all-inclusive Business Class fare for just $1952 round-trip in Club World (Business Class) to London and Manchester from select US gateway cities, coast to coast. Simply book your flights between now and May 18, 2012 for travel between May 26, 2012 and June 9, 2012. As a Club World customer, you can relax in our exclusive lounges before your flight and enjoy fully flat beds, gourmet menus, and other luxury amenities once on board. Similar savings can also…
Bits ‘n Pieces for May 16, 2012
Just Another Points Traveler signs up for Miss Travel (“Who Needs Money, Beautiful People Travel Free!) and gives it a spin. Over at Conde’ Nast’s Daily Traveler I highlight some of the best current credit card signup bonuses. Intercontinental Hotels — Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Intercontinental, etc. — is offering a $75 prepaid gift card as a rebate for spending 2 consecutive weekend nights by September 3rd. You have to register, there’s a rebate form, and a mail-in process… (Via Online Travel Review) A Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General’s report identifies ‘vulnerabilities’ with the use of nude-o-scopes. In other words, the expensive machines for which we’re required to ‘assume the position’ do not obviously make us ‘safer’. (HT: Bruce Schneier) Qantas is offering residents of North America 5000 – 20,000 bonus miles…
Club Carlson Adjusting Hotel Redemption Category Assignments, and It Isn’t Bad
Club Carlson is adjusting hotel categories for 270 properties. This begins May 31, and at first glance doesn’t represent any sort of devaluation. First, at least there’s a couple weeks’ notice. I like more notice, but good to get this out there transparently and in one easy to read chart and in time for folks to make bookings at current rates if they’re interested in a hotel whose award cost is going up. Second, kudos for making these changes before folks have made a whole bunch of stays in the monster bonuses which started running today. Now, that Club Carlson was running huge bonuses was enough to tell me they weren’t going to undercut their own marketing investment by gutting the program just as that was getting underway. And the fact that they’re making this…
Bits ‘n Pieces for May 15, 2012
Items that came across my virtual desk this morning, but that don’t necessarily warrant their own standalone posts: The link for the 1000 Priority Club point bonus for every qualifying night between June 1 and September 3 (up to 20,000 bonus points) isn’t yet live. However, via Pizza in Motion, it’s up on Facebook — and by registering through Facebook the promo starts right away instead of June 1. Sofitel is running a 40% off sale through May 20 for stays between June 25 and September 3. A great way to use the free Platinum status that many of y’all have. Frugal Travel Guy compiles credit card company account status and reconsideration telephone numbers. Bookmarked. American Airlines Admiral’s Club lounge passes are on sale for $30 (40% off) through Noon Eastern on May 16. (Via…
Big Club Carlson Bonuses Are Live – Register Now
Club Carlson’s huge bonus point promotions of 50,000 points for a one-night stay at a Radisson and 44,000 points for a one-night stay at a Country Inns & Suites are now live (44,000 points for a Park Inn stay goes live on the 22nd). Some folks stayed up all night to register, not me, when they ran the promo back at the end of 2011 the cap on registrations wasn’t reached for weeks. Since I wrote about the offer over the weekend, it’s gotten even a little bit better — Frequent Miler reports that TopCashBack will now offer a 10% rebate on Radisson hotel bookings instead of their standard 5%. Nice! The terms and conditions of the offer say that pre-existing reservations aren’t eligible for the offer — which is as I expected. They had…
My Conde Nast Daily Traveler Piece on the Best Credit Cards for Your Spending
Links: Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa Starwood Preferred Guest American Express American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card Over at Conde’ Nast’s Daily Traveler I wrote a basic piece on rewards credit cards. It’s the first post of a three part series. This one focuses on the best cards to put your spending on. The other two focus on the best signup bonuses and cards with the best benefits for carrying the card (as opposed to actually using it). The basic principles I offered were: The first piece of advice is to pick a reward goal. If you want to fly to South America, your best bet is American miles. If you want to fly to Europe or Asia then United or US Airways miles are best, followed closely by American miles. For Australia and French Polynesia,…
A gAAlley Full of Cookies
Warm Cookies and Milk.
Radisson’s Buy One Cheap Night, Get a Free NIght Anywhere in the World Starts Wednesday
Back at the end of 2011, Club Carlson was running an outstanding promotion with 50,000 bonus points for a single Radisson stay, that basically meant making one cheap stay (I did mine at Washington’s National airport during true low season to get a cheap rate) would yield enough points to stay at any of their top tier properties in the world for a night. Most Radissons in the U.S. aren’t especially nice or aspirational, though the Radisson Blu chain is changing that, and there are also tons of better (and more expensive!) properties abroad. So a great promotion. While available registrations for it were capped, and I expected it to go quickly, it didn’t. They presumably impose a cap to generate excitement (It’s limited! Act now!) as well as to place a cap on their…
