Chase Surveying How to Redesign an Airline Credit Card

airline cabin
May 18 2019

Chase is surveying how to design an airline card. I’d normally think they would be look at the United product, since Chase and United have been in ongoing and vigorous discussions about how to improve their program (although the United card was recently revamped).

There are two references in the questions that suggest to me they could be thinking through the British Airways product: carrier surcharges on award travel and European destinations.

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Taco Bell is Opening a Resort in Palm Springs

taco-bell-food
May 17 2019

Taco Bell is opening a resort hotel in Palm Springs August 9th. It’s “meant for 18+ superfans” and will have “exclusive Taco Bell menu items and plenty of surprises” and the resort will only last a short time.

Reservations will open in June. The fast food chain claims this “isn’t a stunt, but instead part of Taco Bell’s wider strategy of moving the brand beyond the traditional fast-food experience.”

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Award Alert: Delta One Suites to Asia for the Whole Family (As Low As 47,000 Points Each)

first class seats
May 17 2019

Delta saver award availability to Asia, especially for two or more passengers, can be challenging. Right now though availability for late fall and winter is outstanding on a variety of routes, for the whole family — in some cases 9 or more saver awards.

Specifically flights out of Detroit, Minneapolis, Seattle, Atlanta and Los Angeles are bookable to Tokyo and to China (from Shanghai connecting options on China Eastern are good as well) for November through March.. Notably availability on the Detroit – Beijing, LA – Shanghai, and LA – Tokyo Haneda routes means flying Delta’s business class suites.

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Marriott’s CEO Was Surprised to Beat the Chinese to Buy Starwood

bonvoy
May 16 2019

When Marriott acquired Starwood hotels they beat out Hyatt, which may have offered a more financially attractive package but whose complicated stock structure (the Pritzker family has outsized voting rights) created complications, and Chinese conglomerate Anbang Insurance.

Arne Sorenson, CEO of Marriott, says he was surprised that they won the bidding and were able to make the deal.

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