American AAdvantage Bares All to the SEC: Here’s What We Learn

by Gary Leff

May 10 2016

American Airlines shares extensive information about their frequent flyer program in their SEC filings. So their 10-K always makes for an interesting read — especially when comparing data that can be found in prior year filings.

2015 had another jump in miles issued, and at the same time a decrease in the percentage of miles sold to partners. Doing the math, the number of miles sold to partners stayed about the same (actually increased by about 1.6 billion or one-third of one percent).

The increase, then, came from miles printed by the program for travel on American. This gives us a window into the increased miles stemming from American’s premium cabin bonus.

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Alaska Airlines Adds Japan Airlines as Awesome New Partner

by Gary Leff

May 10 2016

Alaska Airlines partners with many of the airlines both in oneworld (like American, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, LAN) and Skyteam (like Delta, Air France, Korean) and also non-alliance airlines like Emirates. You cannot book first class awards on either Air France or Korean (business is the highest cabin offered).

I really like Alaska Airlines miles because they offer one-way awards on nearly all of their partners and most booking functionality is available on their website. One way awards allow an enroute stopover. So booking roundtrip allows two stopovers in addition to your destination.

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A Boeing 767’s “Perilous Journey on the High Seas” to Become Resort Apartments

by Gary Leff

May 09 2016

Workers spent 6 hours loading a Boeing 767 onto a barge at Ireland’s Shannon airport.

The 767, which had been operated by defunct Russian airline Transaero, was headed for a new resort in Inishcrone, a seaside town in Ireland, that will offer ‘glamour camping’: Quirky Nights Glamping Village (“The resort will see other modes of transportation such as buses, taxis and a train also turned into accommodation for visitors.”)

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Star Alliance Gold for $999 and a European Adventure Included

by Gary Leff

May 09 2016

The next Star MegaDO has launched for sale. Everyone who goes on the trip gets Star Alliance Gold status for a year from Aegean Airlines.

It’s a European adventure with a charter flight from Zurich to Hamburg to Mykonos and then Athens. The “program covers a close and personal encounter with the brand new Bombardier C series, landing at Airbus private airport in Hamburg, Finkenwerder, home of the A320 NEO, all interior installations for the A380 and the A350, a sundowner at the Santa Marina hotel in Mykonos and much more”

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FARE ALERT: Several US Cities to Southeast Asia From $417 Roundtrip

by Gary Leff

May 09 2016

If you’re looking for a cheap fare from New York, Los Angeles, or San Francisco to someplace in Southeast Asia — Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Jakarta — now is the time with trips available from $417 all-in.

Fares are available September through December. You’ll find United fares for travel on United and ANA.

While there are cheap fares (~ $600) to and from the same cities, the cheapest fares are open jaw trips like New York – Bangkok, return from Kuala Lumpur. Similarly fly into Jakarta and back from Singapore.

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