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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Swiss Service Fee

by Gary Leff

swiss airlines
Dec 22 2004

Starting January 3rd, SWISS will begin charging a “Swiss Service Fee” for booking tickets in its home Swiss market – including tickets purchased online. SWISS unveiled its new and more transparent 2005 Distribution Model to the travel sector back in June 2004. Under the new model, the price paid for any SWISS ticket will consist of two components, which will be shown separately on the ticket. The first of these will consist of the fare, all airport user fees and any other flight-related surcharges. The second will be the SWISS Service Fee. The new approach will enable customers to distinguish clearly between the price they pay for their journey by air and the service fee they are charged for the advisory, booking and ticket-issuing services provided by SWISS. Maybe they should charge a higher fare…

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Q & A on Free Electronics

by Gary Leff

free electronics
Dec 17 2004

In response to several e-mail requests, I’m going to offer up a brief summary of the free electronics offers that are out there. Gratis Internet has six free offers that I’m aware of: Free Game System. Free designer handbag Free photo iPod. Free iPod. Free flatscreen TV. Free desktop computer There are several other ‘free stuff’ offers out there on the internet. Several of them are scams. They promise you computers or cameras in exchange for ‘testing’ products. In the end they all require money and I don’t personally know of anyone that has received products. Not so with the Gratis Internet offers. I’ve personally gotten an iPod, a television, and a computer and I haven’t spent any money. The way it works is that you sign up. Then they make several offers to you…

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Q & A on Free Electronics

by Gary Leff

free electronics
Dec 17 2004

In response to several e-mail requests, I’m going to offer up a brief summary of the free electronics offers that are out there. Gratis Internet has six free offers that I’m aware of: Free Game System. Free designer handbag Free photo iPod. Free iPod. Free flatscreen TV. Free desktop computer There are several other ‘free stuff’ offers out there on the internet. Several of them are scams. They promise you computers or cameras in exchange for ‘testing’ products. In the end they all require money and I don’t personally know of anyone that has received products. Not so with the Gratis Internet offers. I’ve personally gotten an iPod, a television, and a computer and I haven’t spent any money. The way it works is that you sign up. Then they make several offers to you…

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Q & A on Free Electronics

by Gary Leff

free electronics
Dec 17 2004

In response to several e-mail requests, I’m going to offer up a brief summary of the free electronics offers that are out there. Gratis Internet has six free offers that I’m aware of: Free Game System. Free designer handbag Free photo iPod. Free iPod. Free flatscreen TV. Free desktop computer There are several other ‘free stuff’ offers out there on the internet. Several of them are scams. They promise you computers or cameras in exchange for ‘testing’ products. In the end they all require money and I don’t personally know of anyone that has received products. Not so with the Gratis Internet offers. I’ve personally gotten an iPod, a television, and a computer and I haven’t spent any money. The way it works is that you sign up. Then they make several offers to you…

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Delta American Express Bonus Offers

by Gary Leff

delta-airline-plane
Dec 17 2004

The Delta Amex is offering a 20.05% bonus on purchases in January, up to 10,000 bonus miles. Registration required. You can also earn triple miles for Delta purchases of $265 or more from February 15 to March 15, 2005. Registration required. These bonuses are in addition to double miles on retail purchases in February and the “always double miles” offered on certain purchases. Hat tip to Free Frequent Flyer Miles.

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Lufthansa Introduces New Top Tier

by Gary Leff

lufthansa
Dec 16 2004

Lufthansa has announced a new top tier elite level for their frequent flyer program, HON Circle. Link to details are on the airlines homepage. There’s a nice summary in the current MilesLink newsletter. Members who earn at least 600,000 status miles in two consecutive years on Lufthansa, Lufthansa Regional, Austrian, LOT, Air One, Air Dolomiti or United will achieve the status, represented by a sexy new black membership card (up to 100,000 miles earned by rail travel will count toward the status, as well). …Members will enjoy use of the new first-class terminal and two new first class lounges at Frankfurt, which offer gourmet meals and limousine service to departing flights. A personal assistant will be available at both departure and arrival for each member. Members will also receive free subscriptions to Stern, Financial Times,…

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Hilton Member-Get-Member Bonus

by Gary Leff

hotel
Dec 16 2004

Hilton is running a “member-get-member” promotion: refer a member, and if they stay at a Hilton hotel in 2005 you get 1000 bonus points. If they twice, they get 1000 bonus points. That’s my understanding of the offer via MilesLink, though the website still lists the 2004 expiration date. Sign up here, and if you need to be referred for the bonus miles feel free to use my Hilton HHonors number 839900993.

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