The only program I’ve ever been inclined to buy miles from is British Midland, because with their cash & points award chart and unfiltered access to Star Alliance first class awards those miles have an especially high value. Members can purchase up to 20,000 miles during a 12-month preiod, and until September 30th they’re offering a 10% bonus for doing so. The current signup bonus for new members of the program is 3,000 miles. So a new member maxing out on the purchase transaction with bonus will have 25,000 miles at a cost of ~ US$480, which along with a roughly US$340 co-pay, is enough for a one-way international three-cabin first trip between Japan, China, or South Korea and Hawaii. Add in 16 Hertz rentals at 3400 miles apiece and you can fly international first…
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Sheraton to Kick Out Loser Properties and Require Club Lounges
Sheraton is a hit or miss brand at best. In Asia many of their properties are truly outstanding. Some U.S. properties are quite nice. But especially in some of their U.S. locations outside major metropolitan areas the properties have gotten pretty run down. Outside of the Sweet Sleeper bed, which I’m quite happy with, the brand has become quite hit or miss. Apparently Starwood is doing something about that. They’re kicking out 38 hotels, requiring all Sheratons to have lounges with breakfast and afternoon snacks (great for Platinum members who are guaranteed lounge access…!) and introducing new restaurant standards to ramp up the food and beverage offerings as well. Sounds like progress on the horizon for what has been an inconsistent brand in North America.
Free Breakfast at Ikea
I can’t imagine going to Ikea over Labor Day weekend, but they’re offering free breakfasts each morning to induce you to do so. Of course, the breakfast is usually just 99 cents as is the coffee. So trudging through the back-to-school masses over a three day weekend nets you a $1.98 savings on breakfast.
3000 Virgin Miles per Hilton Stay Through October 19 at Many Properties
I still like crediting my Hilton hotel stays to British Midland, but there’s currently an offer of 3000 Virgin Atlantic miles per stay through October 19th at Hilton properties in the United Kingdom and Ireland, Europe, Middle East and Africa plus specific hotels in: – New York – Los Angeles – San Francisco – Seattle – Washington DC – Las Vegas – Boston – Atlanta – Miami – Chicago – Denver (Registration required.) Combine that with the standard Avis offer of 1000 Virgin miles per rental (even on one-day rentals, this is where I usually credit my Avis rental days absent a special promo) and the Virgin miles do add up quickly, topped off in my own case with transfers in from American Express Membership Rewards. But for folks doing points transfers remember that the…
3400 bmi miles per Hertz Rental
Frugal Travel Guy points to a British Midland bonus for Hertz rentals. Hertz rentals booked here using Promotional Coupon 123631 from 20 August through 30 September 2008 earn 3400 bmi miles rather than the standard 1700 (which is easily the best standard offer to start with). British Midland points are generally the most valuable, and they’re also the hardest to earn due to limited number of partnerships especially outside of Europe. They’re the best place to credit Hertz car rentals and Hilton hotel stays.
Iberia as an American Express transfer partner
This summer American Express Membership Rewards added Iberia as a transfer partner in its US program. For quite some time the oneworld alliance was a real hole in Amex transfer options. Then transfer partner Mexicana aligned itself with American (after falling out of Star Alliance, though some individual partnerships remain), and linked up with oneworld carriers. But their award chart is pretty brutal for many awards. Now Amex has a second oneworld option in Iberia. While many of their awards are pricey, it not makes sense to compare award charts with Mexicana when looking to redeem on oneworld partners and transfer to the more advantageous program. Wandering Aramean outlines some of the pluses and minuses in the Iberia award chart. It’s nothing like having American or Cathay Pacfiic as a transfer partner. And the best…
10% Off United International Flights
United is offering 10% off international flights in economy originating in the US when paying with Visa. Ticket by September 30, 2008 for travel between September 9, 2008 and November 20, 2008.
A Note on Current Ad Sponsor
Just the other day I noticed that BAnk of America’s Alaska Airlines Visa product was advertising on the site. I haven’t spoken with them, and I didn’t know it was coming, but all I can say is, “cool!” I’m a fan of the Alaska Airlines program, their recent changes notwithstanding (just use the miles for international premium class awards on partners, the partner fee is worth it, and their miles are especially flexible given their partnerships across both oneworld and Skyteam carriers…). And the Bank of America Visa comes with a true gem in the form of its $50 companion ticket, my personal favorite tool for traveling domestic first class cross-country (and to Hawaii even) with my wife. I have no idea if any of that Bank of America cash apparently being spread around the…
Speculation about US Airways and Delta Co-Branded Credit Card Relationships
Randy Petersen offers US Airways a face-saving way to bring back elite bonus miles — something pretty much every other carrier still features: return the bonus miles for those elite members who carry a Barclays bank co-branded Mastercard (and, ahem, provide retro credit of the missing bonuses back to August 6th). Given the importance of the co-branded credit card relationship (funding for the America West – US Airways merger was greased by the new credit card partner), this is certainly a plausible idea… made more so by the fact that no other carrier has followed US Airways’ lead on this one. Certainly a constructive suggestion from the guy who brought you Save Dividend Miles. Meanwhile, I recently suggested getting the Northwest Visa Signature card before the US Bank relationship disappears with the Northwest-Delta merger (the…
Checking Swiss Award Availability Online
Regular readers of this blog know that I’m a big fan of the All Nippon Airways Mileage Club. Not that I fly ANA frequently (though I’ve flown them in first class before, have an upcoming reservation to do so again, and it’s truly lovely). First, because for some specific redemptions such as US East Coast to Europe in business class their award chart is quite favorable, e.g. New York to London in Virgin Upper Class for 63,000 miles or Washington-Dulles to Frankfurt on Lufthansa for 68,000 miles. (And of course you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to ANA, but when actually booking your ticket do be aware that they charge much higher taxes and fees than US-based programs.) Second, and most useful for most, is that their website lets you check award availability across…
