Selling Vanilla Reloads at a Profit, Star Alliance Status Match, and British Airways Sticks it to Gold Elites (Bits ‘n Pieces for April 1, 2014)

by Gary Leff

News and notes from around the interweb:

  • As reliable as a Delta.com award pricing error: A new alliance member means a bonus miles promotion. Double AAdvantage miles on all TAM flights in May

  • There’s one born every minute: People appear to be selling Vanilla Reloads at a profit on eBay.

  • The Onion: Flight Attendant Quietly Informs First Class Passengers Where Real Emergency Exits Are

  • British Airways Sticks it to Their Top Elites, With No Notice: Reader Dave M. emailed me early in the morning on the 31st to let me know that BA started charging their top tier Gold elites award change and cancellation fees. The change was implemented without any advance notice — or any notice at all, as members haven’t been informed, it’s simply in the price quote details when making an award booking. Poor showing, BA — to take away from your top elites, do it without notice, and not even tell them.

  • Star Alliance Wants TAM Elites: Star is running an alliance-wide matching effort. TAM Fidelidade Red and Black members are being matched by 9 Star Alliance frequent flyer programs to the Star Gold-equivalent level. Now’s the chance to become an Ethiopian ShebaMiles elite for frequent TAM customers. Perhaps oddly, Avianca – the most likely choice for TAM elites, perhaps, isn’t participating. But then more programs are non-participating than participating this go-round.

  • I use spreadsheets but not everyone likes Excel: Card Watchdog is free software that helps manage credit cards — annual fees, minimum spend requirements, and application dates with customizable email and text reminders.

  • One hand giveth the other taketh away: Marriott completed its acquisition of South African chain Protea today and updated its terms and conditions to make clear that Protea hotels do not participate in Marriott Rewards.

  • Still too rich for my blood: American is offering up to a 40% bonus on purchased miles. If you buy 65,000 miles you maximize the bonus and are purchasing miles at 2.16 cents apiece. That’s still a bit higher than I’m comfortable with unless it’s to top off an account towards a specific award that you’re booking in the immediate term.

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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  1. Another tidbit… This whole Vanilla Reload problem made me hesitate on getting a second AA Citi Exec… Just when I decided to go ahead and try it anyhow, Citi just added language 3/30 to their app pages saying you can’t get a second card. Sigh.

  2. AV is not offering status matching probably because you can now purchase Silver ($1,200) and/or Gold ($2,200) status

  3. I don’t get Card Watchdog. You enter everything manually. And then it emails you to pay your bill when you tell it to? You know the credit cards can be set up to do that right? And given that it doesn’t know whether you actually owe any money on a card or not, unlike say Mint, you have to just go and check the card manually each time, including for all the cards you don’t currently put any spend on. So rather than just putting the dates cards are due on your calendar you type then into an app that sends me emails? Huh?

  4. there are reports in BNA of CVS stores being robbed at gunpoint so regionally they are pulling them off the shelves. Looks like drug dealers are just as upset about the cash only policy as points enthusiasts. $700 for a $500 card does seem pretty crazy.

  5. Why would someone rob a cvs for beans? Without being scanned and loaded they’re worthless….

  6. @Sta. I’ve never robbed a CVS at gunpoint but I suspect it involves forcing a cashier to activate large quantities with a stolen credit card. Once the cash only policy takes effect the tactic will no longer work because the registers won’t allow it.

  7. @Glenn- Watchdog is just fishing for links, its a not well disguised trojan horse for card reviews.

  8. Gary, do you have a blank template spreadsheet for tracking cards you’d be willing to share?

  9. @Arcanium – it ain’t pretty, it’s just a list.. card.. when applied… offer and terms… tentative action and target date.

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