Yesterday I uncovered details on the new United Explorer credit card from Chase, a bit before they had intended to launch it, and divined some details on the future of the Mileage Plus program from the card’s terms and conditions. One of the interesting things was that holding the card would prevent miles in your account from expiring due to inactivity (I guess this would be useful to people who keep the card and never use it, pay the $95 annual fee for the card, and never earn or redeem miles in their account, there can’t be that many of those people). That was a giveaway that in the combined United-Continental program, miles would expire. United has had 18 month mileage expiration. Continental hasn’t expired miles. I fully expected that this would be the approach…
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Earn US Airways Miles for the Amazon Purchases You’ll Make Anyway
Yesterday Hawaiian Airlines sent out an email announcing that you could now earn Hawaiian Miles through their shopping portal for making Amazon purchases, two miles per dollar spent. This created a bit of an online stir because most folks didn’t realize that you could earn miles for Amazon purchases, while most online merchants have some sort of rewards affiliation — be it through the various loyalty program affiliate malls or through cash back sites like Big Crumbs and Ebates (I usually still use EV Reward to identify who is offering the most lucrative cash back or mileage rewards deal for a given purchase) — Amazon hasn’t really needed to pay out referral commissions which these sites kick back a portion of to consumers. JohnDeere19 posted yesterday on Milepoint that Amazon purchases actually earn one mile…
Juicy Details on the New United Credit Card, and What it Says About the Future of Mileage Plus
United’s New “Explorer” Visa was supposed to be embargoed until tomorrow but they’ve already got the application page up. Current offer is 25,000 miles with first purchase, 5000 miles for adding an authorized cardholder, and then 10,000 miles after $25,000 in spend each year. First year fee is waived. Personally I wouldn’t jump on the offer just yet, I’ll hold out for something more lucrative. Especially since the headline 40,000 mile signup bonus isn’t really a 40,000 mile bonus.. The card comes with priority boarding (after elites but before general boarding, but since United stuck with zone boarding presumably this means boarding with Premiers but after Premier Executives and higher) and first checked bag free. It also comes with 2 club passes annually, like the Continental Mastercard did. But the annual fee (waived the first…
$150 for a Tumi Carryon
Via Lucky, Bloomingdales.com has the Tumi Voyageur Avignon 20″ carryon for ~ $150 (~ $179 + $13 in shipping + taxes – $50 with promo code SURVEY). Though I don’t know whether the promo code will mitigate miles earned through a shopping portal, Continental offers 3 miles per dollar through their shopping portal, and through tomorrow Continental Mastercard holders still receive double miles for such purchases. Of course, hurry anyway if interested, I don’t expect this deal to last. The bag actually does retail for $495. I don’t have an opinion as to its quality, but it’s as cheap as I’ve ever seen a Tumi carryon. Personally I think that Tumi has slipped a great deal over the past 5+ years, and it isn’t worth the full retail price, it commands it based on past…
American Introduces High-End Mastercard with Lounge Access, Help Towards Elite Status
American AAdvantage broke the news on Milepoint this morning that they’re launching a new high-end credit card through Citibank, the Citi Executive AAdvantage Mastercard. Key card elements are: Admirals Club Membership No Foreign Currency Transaction Fees 10,000 elite qualifying miles each year after $40,000 in spend Double miles on spend with American And then for elite members of the program, priority check-in and boarding and waived first checked bag fee. For the most part, these are benefits that their competitors offer through at least some of their card products. United, Continental, and Delta all offer cards that bundle lounge access. All of their major domestic competitors have cards which offer progress towards elite status based on spend. And it’s fairly standard across both airline and hotel programs to bonus spend with the bo-branded partner. It’s…
Did the Carmaggedon Cyclists Really Outrace a JetBlue Flight?
Tyler Cowen points to one of many news stories reporting that a group of cyclists “raced” the promotional JetBlue flight between Long Beach and Burbank and won. In the great tradition of the land of reality television, Los Angeles created its own. First came a clever marketing ploy from JetBlue Airways: $4 flights Saturday between Burbank and Long Beach airports. A flurry of Twitter activity ensued, followed by tough talk from the Wolfpack Hustle, a local cycling club, that six of its best riders could beat the 150-seat Airbus A320 — including drive time to and from the airports, check-in and security screening. In the end, the cyclists crushed it, cruising along the Los Angeles River to reach the final destination, the lighthouse in Shoreline Aquatic Park, in 1 hour and 34 minutes. The plane…
What Big Changes are Coming to the United Visa on Tuesday?
Frugal Travel Guy this morning offers clues about upcoming credit card bonuses. 1. He says that July 19 and July 26 are scheduled announcement dates. 2. He’s been “asked to remove ads for the United Mileage Plus Signature card and the Continental OnePass card by 4 PM on the 18th. Looking forward to sometime on the 19th” First, a bit about how he’s hearing this. He’s got ‘referral links’ up on his site, when you use those links to sign up for a credit card he’ll earn a commission. (I don’t really play at this, but it seems fair to me, as long as you’re still signing up for the best-available bonus might as well let a friend grab a commission for your doing so, and it’s a wonderful thank you for the information he’s…
Fronter Airlines Double Miles in September
Via Free Frequent Flyer Miles, Frontier is offering double miles in September. (Registration required with promo code DBLER.) You may have signed up recently for Frontier to take advantage of the 1000 mile signup bonus on offer through August 31. (You can no longer just sign up and immediately transfer out just 1000 points into other frequent flyer programs via Points.com, however.) The Frontier program has basic partnerships… a few car rental companies, several but not comprehensive hotel coverage (though they don’t keep their website updated, they say they partner with goldpoints plus but that program doesn’t exist anymore and has been called Club Carlson since March 31).. But what do you do with those miles you earn? To some extent Frontier Early Returns members suffer from what regular readers of this blog know that…
How The Jesus and Mary Chain Influence My Hotel Choices
I wasn’t sure what to title this post when I started writing it, a member on Milepoint asked whether they should cash out their Hyatt Gold Passport points at the Park Hyatt Tokyo or the Park Hyatt Vendome in Paris? I wrote a brief reply that set me off on a 90 minute long journey through Youtube trailers, clips, and music of various kinds, only slightly connected to one another. The PH Tokyo is one of my favorite hotels in the world. I’ll acknowledge it’s hardly tops in Tokyo. I disagree with those who make the fair point that the Grand Hyatt’s location makes it a superior property. It is a good property. But the Park Hyatt is special. Perhaps it’s emotional attachment, the same way that i will always love the Fairmont in San…
100 Free American Airlines Miles
Via Ben: KGB Deals (what a name!), which seems to be a Groupon-esque site, is offering 100 American AAdvantage miles to new members. It’s 100 free miles at no cost, other than emails in your inbox of course.
