News and notes from around the interweb:

• Unusual airline call signs

• Alaska Airlines is offering up to a 40% bonus on purchased miles through December 28 (2.1 cents per mile). And their currency can be both challenging to earn and super valuable since their award chart for most partners is reasonable and they allow a stopover even on a one way award.
  • 20% bonus: Buy 10,000 – 19,000 miles
    
  • 35% bonus: Buy 20,000 – 39,000 miles
    
  • 40% bonus: Buy 40,000 – 60,000 miles

• The Delta-ization of India’s Jet Airways? Jet Airways will ditch first class and put a denser business class seat into their 777s in 2019 in order to make room for additional coach seats.

• Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A321neo the first 4 routes will be Oakland – Maui, Portland – Maui, Los Angeles – Kona, and Oakland – Lihue. (HT: Jonathan W.)

• Silvercar is offering 40% off when you rent by November 28 for travel between November 26 and December 20 with promo code SILVERSALE. I normally use VINFINITE for 30% off rentals of 2 days or more.

  

• There’s a new link for a 50,000 mile signup bonus from the Hawaiian Airlines credit card.

• For client bookings made on or after January 1 SPG Pro will no longer offer Starpoints or elite night credits.

  The changes will affect the way travel professionals earn Starpoints for client bookings. The way SPG Pro members earn and redeem for personal travel and any meetings and events they book will remain the same. As part of changes in 2018, travel professionals will be able to take advantage of some exciting new offerings, including exclusive travel professional rates and eLearning modules to explore the full portfolio of brands across SPG and Marriott Rewards.

• I’ve stayed at the Rydges hotel at the Sydney airport right across from the international terminal (as a result of my single most embarassing moment in travel). Now there’s a new airport hotel nearer the domestic terminals with a 1960s theme.