Marriott announced David Flueck today as Senior Vice President, Loyalty. I spoke with David this afternoon about what comes next as they work towards a single loyalty program across Marriott, Starwood, and Ritz-Carlton.
Basically No Notice – Club Carlson Hotel Category Changes Go Into Effect Tomorrow
These aren’t many hotels that are changing category, but Club Carlson’s category changes were posted online (and they go into effect tomorrow, March 1.
Hotels in the US and Asia are going up. Hotels in Europe, Mideast and Africa are mostly going down. In all 13 hotels are going up in category, 7 are going down, for 20 total changes.
HURRY: Up to 89% Discount on Aspirational Villa Redemptions
In the fall Wyndham Rewards added 17,000 properties for you to redeem points at, allowing redemptions at timeshare and managed vacation rentals.
They’re running a 72-hour flash sale where 15,000 homes across Europe are 15,000 points per night, instead of 15,000 points per bedroom.
HOT FARE: US-Europe from Under $300 Roundtrip, Sale Fares on British Airways, American, and Delta
British Airways OpenSkies has a sale fare that lets you stack two discounts and get the price between New York (Newark and JFK) and Paris-Orly under $300 roundtrip.
There’s also a broader sale between several US cities and several cities in Europe for about $400 roundtrip on American and Delta for outbound travel in early May or for mid August through December.
5500 Free Miles From 2 Airline Frequent Flyer Programs and Good Airline Food in Coach
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
Not Every Immigration Horror Story is Trump’s Fault, Sometimes US Immigration Itself is Incompetent
Sometimes terrible immigration stories are terrible, or byzantine because our federal immigration service is just that — this was just as true before January 20 as after. Not every awful immigration story is a result of the Trump administration.
On Wednesday a French academic expert on the holocaust was detained at Houston airport for 10 hours, and threatened with deportation.
Delta Close to Getting Special Tax Subsidies from Georgia, Gulf Carriers Ready to Start Laughing?
A couple of years ago a member of the state legislature went public with threats from Delta: members who didn’t support fuel tax subsidies for the airline could lose flights to their districts. (Delta rewards favored politicians, too.) The special tax break expired.
How Hyatt’s Program Changes Save Hotels Money
For those who can earn top tier in the new ‘World of Hyatt’ program (60 nights or $20,000 in spend) the changes going into effect March 1 are probably an improvement such as an upgrade benefit based on availability that no longer excludes suites, the ability to earn more confirmed suite upgrades by staying more nights beyond the minimum required to qualify, and especially having a dedicated concierge to handle all things Hyatt-related.
At the same time it can’t be emphasized enough that the changes to Hyatt’s loyalty program are going to mean big cost savings for hotels.
Old, Fat and Ugly Flight Attendants Appeal to Vladimir Putin to Let Them Fly International Routes
Female flight attendants for Aeroflot — who call themselves “old, fat, ugly” — have written an open letter to Vladimir Putin complaining that the airline has sidelined them from flying international routes.
Aeroflot is, the female flight attendants women claim, literally sending them to Siberia.
Are American’s Priorities Undermining Its Profitability?
American Airlines remains the world’s largest airline — barely.
In the fourth quarter American Airlines had the lowest net profit (and lowest net profit excluding special items) of the major US airlines. They had the lowest operating margins and the lowest pretax margins.