Category Archives for Discounts & Deals.
Through the end of the year, American is offer AAdvantage members the opportunity to reactivate miles that expired after December 30, 2002. There’s a fee — $50 for every 5000 miles plus $30 for ‘processing’. So really you’re just being allowed to purchase miles at a discount, one cent per mile, but that’s actually a pretty good value. (Hat tip to the MilesLink newsletter.)
Hat tip to Free Frequent Flyer Miles, NetBank has improved its offer for United, Delta, and America West miles. If I recall correctly, the maximum points earned used to be 7000 and is now 9000. Priority Club points are also still available with no change in offer. NetBank offers a decent free checking account, I actually have one myself, but beware of odd fees triggered by inactivity over 3 months and closing the account within six months. My main checking account remains BankDirect, which has helped me to earn over 70,000 American Airlines miles in the past two years. It has much richer offers than NetBank, but only makes sense for someone who can maintain a minimum checking account balance of $2500. There’s a 1000 mile bonus for being referred by an existing accountholder, I’m…
The D.O.C. Optics eyecare chain is offering Northwest miles for a variety of services. It’s been 1000 miles for purchases of glasses, and now 20,000 miles for laser eye surgery in suburban Detroit. (Hat tip to Today in the Sky.) This has got to be up there with the 2500 Alaska mile guarantee from the Danny Schurman Home Selling System.
You can earn triple Cathay Pacific AsiaMiles (August 1 – September 30) when flying from LA or San Francisco to Hong Kong on first, business, or qualifying (Y, B, H, K, L, M, V) coach fares. You could also choose to earn double American AAdvantage miles through August 31 on these flights, but only when flying first or business class (“I” business fares are not eligible for the AA offer). Personally I’d opt for the AsiaMiles, both because coach fares are eligible and because AsiaMiles are hugely valuable — they allow upgrade redemption on Cathay, American, and British Airways and 60,000 AsiaMiles gets you a business class award on BA from the US East Coast to most destinations in Europe (it would take 100,000 BA miles).
500 free Hilton points for filling out a 7 question marketing survey. Points post instantly. Hat tip to Free Frequent Flyer Miles.
Gulf Air is offering triple miles through June 15 on several routesThe offer is valid for Economy Class travel from Abu Dhabi or Dubai to: Bahrain, Beirut, Frankfurt, Kuwait, London and Paris; from Bahrain to: Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Dubai, Frankfurt, Kuwait, London and Paris; from Doha to: Bahrain, Beirut, Dubai, Frankfurt, Kuwait, London and Paris, and from Muscat to: Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Beirut, Dubai, Frankfurt, Kuwait, London and Paris between 16 May and 15 June 2005.
Virgin Atlantic is offering double points and elite status matches, sensing an opportunity to poach frustrated Qantas flyers.
In the middle of the month, Starwood ran a promotion offering 25% off hotel night award redemption for platinum members. They apparently had some bumps in notifying members (though readers of this blog were well-informed). As a result, they’ve extended the offer. Via Starwood Lurker on Flyertalk:[T]hrough midnight Eastern US time on Monday, May 30th, Platinum members can make their plans online at spg.com and then call the Platinum Concierge line to make use of the FRED redemption code for a 25% off savings. The same Terms and Conditions apply that were in effect previously. This is for award stays booked through Wednesday, August 31st only.
Ripped from the FareAlert email list A great way to start the weekend… $0 base fare + taxes on American Airlines from London Gatwick and Manchester to Cleveland. Valid for travel from August 22-31, 2005. Bookable on Expedia and possibly other sites as well. Valid ONLY from the UK to the USA, not the other way around. Please see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=434800 for more information.
Gratis Internet, the people who brought you the free iPod and free digital camera, have a new promotion for a free X-box 360. These folks are seriously quick — it was only unveiled a week ago. This thing has wireless controllers, HD gaming, iPod compatibility and online features out of the box. Now, it won’t ship for several months, but I’m hoping to be one of the first ones to get it through the Gratis free offer. After all, I’ve already finished all their other offers.
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 »
