Japan Airlines First Class Award Space, Spend Your American Miles Before Devaluation

by Gary Leff

Jan 28 2016

There is plenty of first class award space on Japan Airlines for New York JFK – Tokyo and Chicago – Tokyo over the next 6 weeks. There’s also a new pattern for American’s Dallas and Los Angeles – Tokyo flights releasing premium cabin award seats.

When there’s first class available it’s on JAL’s Boeing 777-300ER which has their new first class suites. American charges 62,500 miles each way between the US and Japan (as well as Korea). Make Tokyo your connection and continue on in Asia and first class awards are 67,500 miles each way.

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IHG Rewards Club Top Tier ‘Spire Elite’ Members Finally Get a Benefit

by Gary Leff

Jan 28 2016

Last year IHG Rewards Club (née Priority Club, the loyalty program for Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, and related brands) introduced a new top tier elite level, Spire Elite. It offers almost nothing to improve in-hotel treatment: no promise of suites, or club lounge, or breakfast, or even late checkout.

But they’ve now sent out a new benefit. And it means more points for everyone else, too.

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American Introduces New Designer Amenity Kits With C.O. Bigelow, Clark’s and 3LAB Products

by Gary Leff

Jan 27 2016

A year ago American Airlines introduced collectors edition Heritage amenity kits featuring red flower amenities honoring the airlines that over time merged to create the world’s largest airline…

Now American is introducing new amenity kits in March — a custom-designed Cole Haan bag “inspired by their pinnacle design and innovation collection, ZerøGrand” including…

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Earn Delta Award Flights for 3 Cheap Car Rentals or Scale the Deal for Longer Flight in Business Class

by Gary Leff

Jan 27 2016

Frequent Flyer Bonuses points out an interesting promotion to earn 5000 bonus GarudaMiles plus 3 miles per dollar via Rentalcars.com. The offer is valid through March 31.

GarudaMiles is the frequent flyer program of Skyteam member Garuda Indonesia. They’re also a transfer partner of Citi ThankYou Rewards.

Here’s the interesting thing. The 5000 mile bonus doesn’t say it applies to first rental only, it seems like it would apply to each rental via RentalCars.com made using their referral link that you complete during the promotion period with no minimum car size or rental length.

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Opportunity to Use Starwood Points for Special Dinners With the World’s Best Chefs

by Gary Leff

Jan 27 2016

I don’t usually like using points for non-travel awards, but there are two exceptions–to keep points from expiring, and when there’s the opportunity to use a big travel company or bank’s contacts to get access to the kind of life events you can’t possible set up on your own.

Starwood has a new set of culinary experiences that you can use your points for starting this morning, including Morimoto and Eric Ripert chef’s table events. Definitely worth doing if there’s something that matches your interests, and you have my permission to use your Starpoints for something other than transfers to American, Alaska, or Japan Airlines miles….

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Free Upgrades to Award Wallet Premium

by Gary Leff

Jan 27 2016

Regular readers of the blog know that I use Award Wallet to track my miles and points.

The free version of the service suffices for most. You enter your frequent flyer account numbers and passwords. Then you can update most of your account balances with a single click and see them on one page. You can log into your accounts with a single click.

When I first signed up I realized quickly I was happy to pay the minimum required for their premium membership that included expiration date tracking for many of my accounts.

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ACT FAST: Wide Open American AAdvantage Business Class Award/Upgrade Space to Europe Without Fuel Surcharges

by Gary Leff

Jan 26 2016

American’s revenue management has been notoriously stingy about releasing seats for premium cabin international travel over the past three years.

American seems to have released a ton of award and upgrade space from several US cities to London. There are plenty of dates where you’ll find as many as 6 or more award seats on the elusive Los Angeles – London route even.

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United Will Give You Miles if You Borrow Money to Fund Your Vacation, Because That’s a Good Idea..

by Gary Leff

Jan 26 2016

Chase used to be offer tons of miles for mortgages, people used to refinance or take out seconds on their home and immediately pay them off. They might earn 100,000 miles at a cost of under $200 and a whole lot of time on paperwork.

But unsecured loans probably aren’t something you should do for the miles no matter what marketing emails you receive in your inbox.

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