News and notes from around the interweb:
- JetBlue is introducing social media ‘badges’ that earn real points and there are opportunities to earn up to 4000 points for free.
- How to get up to 5/8ths of your Vanilla Reload purchase fees rebated at 7-11.
- Korean Air first and business class passengers arriving in Seoul can now use sauna and fitness facilities at the Hyatt Regency Incheon.
No doubt it’s a nicer option than current lounges (which work fine for connecting passengers) and offers something as an arrivals experience, but the need to take a shuttle to the hotel limits the usefulness I think. Although if I had an all day connection and didn’t want to take a transit tour I suppose it would be nice to pass through immigration and get out of the airport.
Korean Air offerings are always of some interest to me since awards are especially easy to get in first class when transferring Chase points to Korean — albeit with fuel surcharges, ad a restriction on redeeming for non-family.
- Behind the scenes at American’s Chicago O’Hare Lost & Found
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Hi Gary,
You mentioned that you’re interested in transferring Chase points to Korean Air for their first class seats. I recently transferred some Chase points to United where I used them to get first class seats on Asiana (the refurbished 777 departing JFK). 120,000 miles and $60 in tax with no surcharges.
How would you compare Korean Air and Asiana for going to Southeast Asia? What do you think is better: the Korean Air A380 or the Asiana refurbished 777?
You mentioned that there are significant surcharges on Korean Air. I think Korean Air may have better availability but a great deal of blackout dates. I was able to book two trips on Asiana in first, each for two pax.
Thanks!!!!!
Sorry, I meant to say 140,000 miles for the United First Class on Asiana. (It’s 120,000 miles on US Airways).
@Craig – Korean doesn’t have blackout dates per se — they have peak demand dates where they charge more points. And Korean’s peak demand dates are not nearly as bad as Delta says they are. (Delta considers a peak demand date for ANY Korean destination to be a blackout date for EVERY destination). Personally I prefer Asiana over Korean, except that Korean has first class on several intra-Asia routes so I like that for connecting.
Here’s my review of Korean first:
http://viewfromthewing.com/2012/12/24/suites-treats-and-eats-a-malaysian-mileage-thanksgiving-korean-air-first-class-seoul-washington-dulles/
Nice post about the TrueBlue Badges Gary, thanks. 1,200 miles safely posted for myself and wife without spamming anybody (real).
One glaring omission from Bits ‘n Pieces for July 15, 2013:
your coolness level going through the roof by being part of the Colbert Nation today!
@Mon – hah, well, thanks 🙂