Delta is offering a 50% bonus on transfers of mileage from one account to another by January 31. The most miles you can transfer at a time is 30,000 and the cost is 1 penny per mile plus $30. You can thus ‘buy’ 15,000 bonus miles for $330. Not worth it to me, I won’t ever do this for a bonus of less than 100% (which they’ve offered in the past) just for the sake of accumulating miles. On the other hand, if you’re short miles for an award and you have a friend or spouse with some orphan miles this is one way to top off towards a specific redemption.
About Gary Leff
Up to 40% Bonus on American Express Transfers to Delta
Through February 28, Delta is offering a bonus on transfers from American Express Membership Rewards as follows: Transfer Points Mileage Bonus Total Miles 1,000 to 49,000 10% 1,100 to 53,900 50,000 to 149,000 20% 60,000 to 178,800 150,000+ 40% 210,000+ The bonus miles won’t post instantly the way that the initial transfer will, the terms and conditions say “Bonus miles will be posted two (2) weeks from the transfer receipt by Delta” although it’s possible the bonus miles will post more quickly than that. Registration is required to earn the bonus. Now, I’m not a fan of Skymiles in general. I would not be willing to give up the flexibility of Membership Rewards for a 10%, 20%, or 40% bonus just to park miles in Skymiles for the future (besides, transfer bonuses to Delta are…
Why I Collect Miles and Points
Another CNN.com piece interviews me, along with frequent flier (and commenter to this blog) Gene Gibbs. They quote what for me is my bottom-line in pursuing this mileage obsession: I can experience travel in a way that my income wouldn’t otherwise support. The airlines and hotels offer aspirational awards such that I can see the world in a way that I wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to. I love to try the different airline products, the different seats, the different meals and the different lounges. The Lufthansa first-class terminal in Frankfurt is very special, ANA probably has the best food in the sky with its first class, Emirates have installed showers. We all have our own reasons. There are some aviation junkies, I admit my interest in planes reduces to the amenities inside and not…
Lifetime Airline Elite Status Levels
The Global Traveller summarizes the million-miler programs of various airlines. So if you’re wondering what a million (or two or three) flown miles will get you with your favorite program, or whether your program requires a certain number of years at top tier, check out this comprehensive list of airline lifetime elite status. And a special props to American, which lets you earn lifetime elite status with miles generated from any source, 1 million miles for lifetime Gold and 2 million for lifetime platinum. I have certainly less than 50,000 flown miles lifetime on American but am nearing lifetime Platinum. Here’s just hoping they don’t change the rules before I earn my last couple hundred thousand miles sometime n the next year. And I do say comprehensive. While I’m curious if any programs are left off…
Magazine Artilcle on Flyertalk Exploits
The February issue of Conde Nast Traveler as a has a long-ish piece on Flyertalk, the Star Alliance MegaDO, Pudding Guy, cockroaches, Continental DOs, and more. (here’s a .pdf, scanned by a Flyertalker). The article contains ten tips for accumulatng miles, which it attributes to me. Close enough, and boiled down to bullet points for a magazine sidebar, though I think one of the tips may not have come from me… Hah! I specifically laud Air Canada Aeroplan and Continental Onepass, and take United to task for Starnet blocking, and Delta to task for difficulty in redeeming international premium class awards. Take that, United and Delta! I’ll continue screaming from the roof tops until you clean up your act!
Rich Enough Not to Waste Time… Customizing My Coffee
The Wall Street Jouirnal ran a piece on the little luxuries and personalizations that travel providers offer to their really frequent customers. Now, I’m not necessarily one of the very best customers that any given travel provider may have. I’m a good customer of some specific hotels, staying a few times a year, year-in and year-out. But that’s it. So most places don’t have the personalized memory of my preferences. But I do truly appreciate the refined service that comes from a hotel where I’m staying a few days remembering how I take my morning coffee after the very first time I order it. And remembering where I chose to sit, and ensuring the same spot is available for me at the same time throughtout my stay. And Avis knows, “No Town Cars.” I’ll take…
Security vs Checked Baggage Fees: Which Is Your Bigger Frustration?
I spoke with CNN the other day about this piece on air travel frustrations. It was prompted by recent increases in checked baggage fees, but I told the reporter I couldn’t really speak to my personal experiences with those in so far as I usually don’t pay them as an elite traveler (or an upgraded one). So I laid out what I find to be the major inconveniences, and that’s primarily the farce that’s airport security. Gary Leff, another frequent flier who lives in Arlington, Virginia, called this part of the security process the “shoe carnival.” For him, the vast amounts of time spent waiting are the biggest hassle of flying. …”It takes more time and so you have to leave earlier and earlier to go to the airport. Most of the time you just…
Pulling Teeth for Missing Points from the Priority Club Partner Promo
The Priority Club partner activity bonus has been a bit vexing for some — it seems that plenty of members received fewer points than they should have from the offer. Personally I should have received the full 10,000 points but received only 6,000. And the reason appears to have been that I transferred points via Points.com into Priority Club (1 Priority Club point…) and I also purchased 1000 points. Both of those were described as unique activities. But the purchase of points is managed by Points.com, and both transactions post as Points.com to the account, so the Priority Club system treated them as a single partner and not unique activities. Folks have been pulling teeth to get their missing points, spending tons of time on hold, emailing to no avail. My points are finally in.…
Miles and More 2000 Mile Signup Bonus
Via TM Travel World, Lufthansa is offering 2000 miles to new members of Miles & More. Sign up, and then use your new membership number for a free $100 certificate valid on a stay of 2 nights or more at Renaissance Hotel properties.
Landing at Port-au-Prince
Wandering Aramean explains the challenges for relief flights landing in Port-au-Prince and the role of the US Air Force handling air traffic control on the ground. There’s no fuel on the ground, so arriving flights need to carry enough petrol for their return trips. There aren’t enough parking spots, the runway isn’t up to the task of some of the jumbos looking to land, and there really aren’t ground crews to work the flights.
