British Airways very rarely offers status matches, but they’re currently offering to match bmi Diamond Club elites with addresses in Belgium, Israel, Ukraine, and the Netherlands — places that bmi is pulling out of servicing. Even British Airways Silver members get lounge access, including when flying on partners like American. And British Airways Gold members get access to British Airways first class lounges — even when they aren’t flying BA. This saved me one time in Milan, where Alitalia’s Boticelli lounge is one of the worst pits I’ve ever experienced (fortunately they had shower kits; unfortunately there was no hot water and the drain didn’t work and the line to get a coffee was 10 minuts long). If you have a bmi Gold card, this may be a good opportunity for a year of BA…
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Join US Airways Dividend Miles, Fly 8 Segments, Earn 25,000 Miles
Via One Mile at a Time channeling TMTravelWorld, US Airways is offering 500 miles to new members who sign up and fly one segment in the first 90 days of membership and they’ll round up to a full 25,000 miles if you fly 8 segments in 90 days. If you’re going to short-hop around the Northeast or Southeast, it could be worthwhile ot credit to Southwest. Hard to imagine a reason to construct a mileage run just for this bonus (though for the right route and dates, 8 segments can be had pretty inexpensively in a single roundtrip). But for those flying anyway and perhaps otherwise traveling Delta without status this could be a winner.
American Not Honoring Qantas First Class Mistake Fare
The $550 each way Qantas first class tickets to Australia, sold as American Airlines codeshares, have a resolution. These were coach fares, pulled out of a discount economy fare buckets, that were mistakenly booking into first class. Apparently Qantas itself had been selling tickets similarly recently, and had been telling customers they had coach tickets and weren’t going to fly in anything but coach. American is taking a similar position. They are apparently providing the following options: 1) Buy F(irst class) for $12K, 2) Buy C(business class) for 4K, 3) Fly Y(coach) for fare paid, or 4) cancel. They’re also offering a $200 AA e-cert for the inconvenience. If you have accompanying non-refundable travel plans they’ll refund your out of pocket expenses. If you don’t accept an option they’ll select one for you which I…
If you wouldn’t mind…
This blog has been a labor of love since 2002. I know there’s a pretty dedicated fan base, a hard core group that I’ve helped to earn millions of frequent flyer miles, great upgrades, amazing discounts. I love you all, I really do. Perhaps the group that reads this blog will never reach beyond the hardcore. I don’t get more than 100,000 unique visitors in a month (I really don’t know how many folks read me via RSS feed). I’ll never be one of the ‘really popular’ blogs because I suppose I don’t write for a general audience. I don’t do the “5 Ways to Get Upgraded on Your Next Flight” pieces, where nearly everything in it is either (a) wrong or (b) too vague to be useful. Once in awhile I get 15 seconds of…
Earn a Free Amtrak Northeast Regional Train Trip After Two Regional Roundtrips by March 13
Amtrak is offering a free roundtrip trip on a Northeast regional train after two roundtrips or four one-ways on same between January 7, 2010 and March 13, 2010. Registration is required. Up to 8 free trips can be earned, and will be valid for use between June 1 and August 31. They’ve basically outlawed straight mileage running for the promo by limiting folks to one qualifying roundtrip per day, and by imposing a minimum qualifying fare of $49 each way. Finally the terms and conditions also state, “Other terms and conditions apply.” But of course they don’t tell you what those other terms and conditions are. I suspect there really aren’t any, but they’re covering themselves, this is a program with a history of making significant changes without notice — I don’t really trust Amtrak…
American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts Rates Finally Bookable Online
American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts rates are finally searchable and bookable online. The Fine Hotels and Resorts program is available to Platinum and Centurion American Express cardholders. Previously you could search for participating properties, but you have to call to find out rates and make reservations. This is a huge improvement. The website isn’t great, but it’s functional, and no more needing to get on the phone. At least, that is, if you’re a Platinum cardmember. Centurion cardmembers get additional benefits beyond those offered to Platinum members as part of the Fine Hotels and Resorts program Those benefits aren’t online, and booking on this website gets only the standard Platinum Fine Hotels and Resorts benefits. So Centurion cardmembers still need to call. But it’s a great start, nonetheless! Meanwhile, many of the same properties…
Register now for Hilton’s Free Night for Every 4 Paid Stays or 10 Paid Nights
Registration is now available for Hilton’s first quarter promo.
Why Did I Go To Sleep Last Night?
Fell asleep early, about ten minutes before this deal was posted on Flyertalk: $550 each way for Qantas first class to Sydney. Oh, whoa is me, such a lost opportunity….
British Airways 100,000 Mile Credit Card Signup Bonus is Back
Via Frugal Travel Guy, the British Airways 100,000 mile credit card signup offer is back. They don’t seem to be promoting this as hard as back in November, but Rick reports this link came up on an online boarding pass that one of his readers printed. To remind, it’s 50,000 miles with first purchase and 50,000 more miles after $2000 in spend within 3 months. Spend $30,000 in a calendar year and earn a free companion award ticket. British Airways offers family accounts, so two people linking their accounts and getting this card can combine their miles — put $2000 on one card, $30,000 on the other, and you have 240,000 miles to use plus a free companion. In other words, $32,000 in spend nets 480,000 miles worth of travel. Of course, the British Airways…
Security for Flying Internationally to the United States: Little More Than Wasted Time
Went through security today, handed in my printed online boarding passes which read “API OK” (Advance Passenger Information). I was told that wasn’t acceptable, I had to go to the ticket counter to get a “real” boarding pass. So I went to the next line over where they happily took my “homemade” one. There was nothing extra at security or passport control. I was flying through an airport that pre-clears US immigration. The airline called for boarding a bit earlier than usual, and everyone had to go through an additional screening before reaching the aircraft. Men and women were separated into lines staffed by same sex officers. I got a pat down, but it wasn’t at all invasive. They certainly wouldn’t have found anything hidden in my more private regions. They asked me to empty…
