About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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US Airways Shopping and Purchase/Transfer Mileage Bonuses for Elites

Flyertalk member Beckles points out that through February, 2011 US Airways elite members receive bonuses when making purchases through the Dividend Miles shopping mall. Silver Preferred – 25% Gold Preferred – 50% Platinum Preferred – 75% Chairman’s Preferred – 100% Pretty neat ongoing offer for US Airways elites! Furthermore, through February 28, 2011, US Airways elites earn a 25% bonus on transferring or purchasing miles to gift. It will be interesting to see whether these promotions are stackable with other offers that US Airways may run during the year, such as if they bring back their 100% bonus on transferred or purchased miles (a 125% bonus for elites!) or holiday shopping promo.

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Elite Status for Tewwowists Would Mean WAIVING These Fees…

In light of recent increases in checked baggage fees, I found this bit from the Onion rather funny: With holiday traffic down almost 4 percent compared to last year and business continuing to decline, US Airways announced Monday that it would allow VIP customers to bring bombs on board its flights for a one-time $100 million fee. “At US Airways, we want to show the world that we’re willing to go the distance for customers our competitors repeatedly ignore,” a press release read in part. “Your enrollment fee grants you full access to our prestigious Bomber’s Club at participating airports, early boarding with choice of seat, the option to bring aboard knives and guns for a small additional surcharge, and allowance for an extra carry-on, which can of course be used for your bomb.” The…

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US Airways Big Bonus Leftover – How to Use Your $5 Omaha Steaks Gift Card

Lots of folks have $5 Omaha Steaks gift cards, basically a throwaway order from the US Airways holiday shopping promo (one of the easy, inexpensive transactions to get a qualifying merchant). If you kept a card rather than tossing it, thanks to Alex here’s a chance to actually use it: Omaha Steaks is offering free shipping today only amd pumpkin pie is $4.99. There are apparently sauces and seasonings available for under $5 as well. Update: Commenter Diana writes, “The free ship is supposed to only be for orders over $75. The checkout screen does show free shipping, but the confirmation email will reflect a $13.99 charge. Customer service was able to let this order go through, since their website has a glitch.”

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$100 Credit at Renaissance

The first 2500 Miles & More members to sign up get a $100 certificate for Renaissance, valid on minimum 2-night stays. The form is in German, I don’t speak it but had no problem filling it out. German speakers out there, let me know if there additional terms and conditions I should be aware of?

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U.K. Response to ‘Terrorism’ as Idiotic as U.S.

U.K. man arrested for venting his delay frustrations on Twitter. When heavy snowfall threatened to scupper Paul Chambers’s travel plans, he decided to vent his frustrations on Twitter by tapping out a comment to amuse his friends. “Robin Hood airport is closed,” he wrote. “You’ve got a week and a bit to get your shit together, otherwise I’m blowing the airport sky high!!” Unfortunately for Mr Chambers, the police didn’t see the funny side. A week after posting the message on the social networking site, he was arrested under the Terrorism Act and questioned for almost seven hours by detectives who interpreted his post as a security threat. After he was released on bail, he was suspended from work pending an internal investigation, and has, he says, been banned from the Doncaster airport for life.

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3000 US Airways Miles on Avis Rentals of 3 Days or More

You have to enter coupon MUAA044 and provide your Dividend Miles number with the reservation. This is valid through March 31, 2011. The ad copy says it is for US Airways elite members, but presumably that’s just who they are targeting with the offer, generally anyone using the coupon will get the miles (Avis doesn’t know if you’re an elite, they send the miles over in a batch and US Airways imports them). The offer is combinable with your standard “AWD” number discounts and doesn’t require using the US Airways discount code, just entering the coupon code (but is not combinable with other coupons).

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Free Radisson Goldpoints Plus Silver Status

The offer requires that you contact the Member Service Centre at goldpointsplus@carlson.com or call +44 207 949 0379 and mention the promotional code indicated in your XING promotion (Code: OPBCSL09). Now, Silver status doesn’t get you a ton. But it does get you “Our World, Your Lounge” benefits in Europe, Middle East, and Africa: elite members are welcome any time in any hotel for a free coffee, tea or hot chocolate for two people and to use free wireless internet. This is really a nice benefit that doesn’t cost the hotels much at all but really creates a feeling of belonging and a special relationship with the hotel chain for its elite membership.

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Finnair Offers Status Match After One Flight to Asia

Finnair is offering a status match (.pdf) after you take a flight on Finnair to Asia. You need to scan the boarding pass and send it to Finnair along with a copy of your Skyteam of Star Alliance elite status card and Finnair will match you to the comparable leve, Silver or Gold. They’ll also give you a fast track to requalify, This is marketed to French residents (via Finnair in Paris). TM Travel World says that it’s limited to French residents but I don’t notice that in the offer. Your mileage may vary on whether you need to make a friend in France to use the status match or not.

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Delta Miles Take a Step Towards Becoming More Valuable

The Daily Yomiuri reports that Delta and Japan Airlines “reached a basic agreement on a comprehensive tie-up” that will mean JAL moving from oneworld to Skyteam. Japan Airlines has historically offered pretty good premium cabin award availability. I was on record saying that despite reports that Japan Airlines would jump ship from partnering with American and oneworld, that I still believed that was mostly posturing for a better deal from their existing partners. The news coverage now suggests I was mistaken, and that American will be losing an important partner and oneworld will be shrinking. Delta and Japan Airlines will become the dominant carrier in the US-Japan market, followed by United and All Nippon. (And in the Skyteam case, Korean also flies Los Angeles – Narita, and in the latter case Singapore also flies Los…

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