Please Don’t Be Tempted by Citibank’s 25% Transfer Bonus to Virgin Atlantic

by Gary Leff

Mar 11 2016

Citibank is offering a 25% bonus transfers from ThankYou Rewards to Virgin Atlantic through April 6.

Virgin Atlantic charges 40,000 miles each way between the East Coast of the US and London. So that’s not a lot of points, with this offer 32,000 ThankYou points is enough for a one-way business class ticket across the Pond.

However the program adds fuel surcharges to awards. So while Virgin Atlantic itself has a decent business class product across the Pond, many prefer to book their awards through Delta SkyMiles (at a higher mileage cost) to avoid the fuel surcharges.

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American Increases AAnytime Award Pricing for Sydney and Auckland, May Double Miles Awards Rest in Peace

by Gary Leff

Mar 10 2016

At the end of last year American finally opened pretty good award space on their new Sydney flight.

And they opened up space to Auckland, too.

I’m mostly interested in these saver awards. But US airlines used to offer ‘double miles awards’. For about twice the miles as a regular award ticket you could have any seat on the plane.

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What Hillary Clinton Thinks About Travel and Travel Agents

by Gary Leff

Mar 10 2016

It seems though that Hillary Clinton spoke at the American Society of Travel Agents’ Global Convention a couple of years ago. She’s long had a direct hand in choosing her travel agent so certainly had much to say.

Both her supporters and detractors point to the volume of travel she undertook while Secretary of State as underscoring either her accomplishment or lack thereof in the role having traveled “to 112 countries.. 956,733 miles” (falling just short of lifetime State Department elite status).

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Two Senators Have Introduced a Bill to Limit The Airline Fees You Pay. Good Idea?

by Gary Leff

Mar 10 2016

Representative Steven Cohen (D-TN) wanted to regulate seat width and legroom. That went nowhere in the House Transportation Committee, but Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) decided it would make a good issue. His office even pitched me on the story after I had already explained why this would be bad for consumers. The Points Guy gave him more sympathetic coverage.

Now Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Ed Markey (D-MA) want to limit airline fees

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United Reveals Plan to Deny Premier Benefits on Entry Level Fares

by Gary Leff

Mar 09 2016

Just as American will be introducing ‘Basic Economy’ fares – fares that exclude many of the benefits we’ve come to expect with a ticket, like an advance seat assignment — United will be as well.

It’s interesting to see the way they’re presenting their thinking.

They see (3) customer types and three benefit types, and it seems illogical to them that all three customers get the same ‘stuff’.

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American Launching Improved Meals on All International Flights

by Gary Leff

Mar 09 2016

American Airlines launched their Sydney flight with an improved meal service. American executives described it as a test. The flight was expected to be higher yield, justifying the investment which was also necessary as a part of their joint venture with Qantas given the expectations of Qantas customers.

Back in December I asked whether the better meals would be rolled out more broadly, and at the time they didn’t know. It seemed a good guess that it would be a part of the Auckland flight, which is included in the joint venture with Qantas. And that it could be something American would do on high yield ultra long haul flying like Dallas – Hong Kong. I didn’t expect it would spread systemwide.

However that’s exactly what American’s CEO Doug Parker shared at the JP Morgan airline and transportation conference yesterday.

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