Delta Raises Roundtrip Europe Business Awards to 164,000 Miles

black and white photo plane
Jun 29 2018

Last month I asked why people still collect SkyMiles. There has to be some limit to how much programs can devalue their currency.

Truly the only reason I care what Delta charges for awards is because other airline executives think people at Delta are smarter, and blindly copy what Delta does. And because higher Delta pricing may make those executives feel they have headroom in their own award pricing.

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Passengers Kicked Off Delta After Woman Sasses Crew Who Insisted She Put Phone in Airplane Mode

delta plane
Jun 28 2018

Four passengers were kicked off of Saturday’s Delta flight DL4527 from Fort Wayne to Atlanta as a result of a flight attendant and passenger arguing over putting a cell phone into airplane mode.

Since the ban on use of electronic devices during taxi and takeoff was lifted, passengers are still supposed to have devices in airplane mode (non-transmitting) once the doors of the aircraft are closed. However this is almost never enforced at all, and certainly not systematically, on the hundreds of flights I take in the U.S.

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Marriott Guts Travel Package Redemptions

marriott package
Jun 28 2018

Marriott offers ‘travel packages‘ where you redeem points for airline miles and a seven night hotel stay (there are also 5 night packages, intended for timeshare owners, these have become tougher to get if you aren’t a timeshare owner).

The value here is that you get transfers of points to miles at a rate that’s good enough you’re more or less getting a free hotel stay thrown in.

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Chase’s 5/24 is Expanding

credit card with chains wrapped around it
Jun 28 2018

On Wednesday I attended a briefing with Chase and Hyatt executives about the new Hyatt co-brand card that launches today. I’ll have more on that today.

We talked through the reasons for the new card benefits and had time for some question and answer. I asked about Chase’s “5/24” rule.

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