Airlines

Category Archives for Airlines.

Northwest Raises Mileage Award Prices Dramatically

by Gary Leff on November 17, 2004

Nov 17 2004

Northwest has announced changes to elite qualification for 2005 and changes to its award charts as well. Business class flights from the U.S. to Europe are going from 80,000 to 100,000 miles roundtrip. Oddly, first class to Europe remains 100,000 miles roundtrip. Flights to Asia in business class are going from 90,000 miles to 120,000 miles. First class is going from 120,000 miles to 160,000 miles. Travel to Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific (such as French Polynesia) is going from 80k/110k/140k for coach/business/first class all the way to 100k/150k/200k. The above changes are huge devaluations of the Worldperks programs from my point of view. I just redeemed an American Airlines 145,000 mile first class award to French Polynesia and Australia using Air Tahiti Nui and Qantas. The same destinations on Northwest would cost…

America West Improves Credit Card Signup Bonus

by Gary Leff on November 15, 2004

Nov 15 2004

The offer for an America West Visa Platinum has improved — 10,000 bonus miles after your first purchase if you apply online.That just more or less brings the signup bonus to industry norms, and so I’d only get this card (which comes with an annual fee) if I really wanted America West miles in particular, though other cards like the Starwood American Express will still earn the points more efficiently for regular spending.

Airline Contortions

by Gary Leff on November 12, 2004

Nov 12 2004

Via USA Today‘s Today in the Sky are two stories that show airline executives making statements that just aren’t credible. Scratch that. The executives are doing verbal backflips and come off looking silly. USAirways is closing four airport lounges. Why? Because it’s “a key element of our Transformation Plan to offer our customers the full service associated with the Club network” … Since clubs are important, we’re closing them! Huh? The truthful answer is “clubs are important, they’re part of our plan to make money, but we can’t spend too much money on them or we’ll lose money.” But that would be too straightforward. Meanwhile, Delta is verbally contorting itself over service to Beijing. Since a new route to China is something to be doled out by the government, and the justification for a decision…

Continental Bonus Miles for Online Ticket Changes

by Gary Leff on November 10, 2004

Nov 10 2004

Continental Airlines continues to push their website, this time in a new and interesting way.Airlines began by offering mileage bonuses for online flight bookings. This was win-win. They took business away from travel agents, and even reduced their telephone agent costs at the same time. This was worth well more than the cost of awarding bonus miles. Plus they figured they were changing consumer behavior at the same time, creating substantial long-run cost savings. Some of the most lucrative offers (such as America West’s offering 3,000 bonus miles per booking) have gone away as consumers have taken to the web for making travel arrangements. Then airlines began offering bonuses for booking award tickets online. While this doesn’t take business away from the travel agents, it does save substantial labor costs for the airline. Award tickets…

Before taking a trip with

by Gary Leff on June 13, 2002

Jun 13 2002

Before taking a trip with either United or American, check out SeatGuru. It has aircraft layouts and recommendations on which seats have a bit of extra room, and which seats to avoid because you’ll always get hit by the flight attendants pushing the beverage cart.

Booking American Airlines travel on

by Gary Leff on June 13, 2002

Jun 13 2002

Booking American Airlines travel on the AA.com website? Use DCAA in the discount code box and save 5%.

Crain’s Chicago Business

by Gary Leff on June 12, 2002

Jun 12 2002

Crain’s Chicago Business reports that United Airlines will seek federal loan guarantees if their employee groups agree to concessions. United CEO Jack Creighton says whether or not the loan guarantees are forthcoming, the survival of United Airlines is not in doubt.” I’m confused. Why is the government making loan guarantees available to companies that can survive without them?