Airlines are like politicians. If the claims they make are non-binding (and very few are binding, even more so in a post-Ginsberg world), and they want something — a merger, or just customers to swallow a change without defecting and pulling business — there’s little incentive to keep their word. This is strange in a way. We expect that airline customers are repeat customers, especially an airline’s most valuable customers. So in this iterative game it would make sense to maintain trust. But consumers overall buy on price, have a low opinion of airlines generously, and repeat customers behave like Charlie Brown to the airlines’ Lucy who keep putting the football in front of us, in a triumph of hope over experience. The latest example comes from Delta, which committed in its merger with Northwest…
Questions That Are Rarely Asked: If Airlines Have Minimum Spend Requirements for Elite Status…
Joe Brancatelli asks a simple questions about minimum revenue requirements for earning elite status: Airlines have the right to create the terms of their programs as they see fit. But if they now base their programs on revenue instead of miles, why do they continue to demand a minimum number of flights and/or miles flown in addition to the dollar spend? After all, if the revenue you contribute to an airline’s bottom line is what counts, why does it matter how many miles or flights you fly? Other questions that are rarely asked: Why don’t on-airport parking lots discount? Why do flight attendants have to pick up coffee cups they give you (for safety!), but not ones you bring onboard yourself? You can join the 40,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day…
Newark’s Mashed Potatoes-for-Miles Program, a Hack to Power Your Devices at Airports, and Problems at Uber
News and notes from around the interweb: All-Audi all-inclusive car rental company Silvercar (see How I Made $12 on My Audi Rental Car) will now award Virgin America miles: 500, 1000, and 2000 points on this 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rental through December 31. LAX has new rules to promote unionization at the airport, and airlines are suing Power your devices with all those LCD monitors in the airport The management and culture shift that Uber needs to make At Newark Airport, mashed potatoes will cost you 1150 MileagePlus miles. Even factoring in sales tax that’s only 3/4ths of a penny per mile. Please don’t do it. Improving departure throughput on those two parallel runways at SFO: FAA also agreed to decide by sometime next year on implementing Wake Turbulence Mitigation for Departures—an experimental procedure…
Korean Air Gone As a Transfer Partner From the Chase Website!
Korean Air Skypass has disappeared off of the Chase website as a points transfer partner. Here are the airlines I currently see listed: Friday night is the worst time for this, for me, since I can’t reach anyone at Chase in real-time to confirm the meaning of the change. Korean Air has been one of my favorite uses of Chase points. First class awards have been so darned easy to get. There are real sweet spots in their Skyteam award chart They offer cheap awards to Hawaii Although they are of course very Korean and their processes for redeeming awards are unique. If Korean is indeed gone as a Chase transfer partner, I’m personally frustrated. I have 185,000 miles in my Skypass account, and likely need 190,000 for what I’d do with the points (2…
Will Copa’s New Star Alliance Frequent Flyer Program Add Fuel Surcharges to Award Tickets After All?
A commenter who appears to work for Copa suggests that the new program will add fuel surcharges to awards. Miguel writes, Gary, my comments dont reflect COPA Holdings, or my superiors or companywide opinions or statements. All tickets currently purchased from any venue are broken down with a fuel surcharge, future awards and tickets will also include a standard fuel surcharge. On tickets issued to depart the USA will have the regular taxes and fees. Average fuel surcharge of $160.00 Average Taces of $105.00 I will find it surprising if Copa were to add fuel surcharges to award tickets. This practice isn’t common in Central or South America. Lifemiles doesn’t do it. LAN doesn’t do it. Miguel may or may not have knowledge of internal discussions, and I’m not suggesting at all that it isn’t…
Celebrate With a New 10-Year China Visa.. at 50% Off!
This month China has started issuing visas valid for multiple entry over 10 years to US passport holders for tourism and short-term business visits. Your passport must be valid for at least a year, and you can continue to use your 10 year visa even when your passport expires and you get a new one. (You carry the old passport with you to prove the visa.) This makes things a whole lot easier, since the Chinese visa can be expensive and it can be a pain to get, so not having to get one each time you visit is a real boon for travelers. With the new 10 year China Visas, Allied Passport & Visa is offering View from the Wing readers 50% off service fees for a Chinese visa requested by the end of…
TSA Head Says Liquids Should be Allowed, A Loyalty Program for Infrequent Flyers, and How Not to Protest Uber
News and notes from around the interweb: When taxis protest Uber and Lyft by clogging traffic that means you can’t get a cab as easily and.. have no choice but to use Uber or Lyft. #ThinkAboutIt Terminals 1 and 2 are now connected at San Francisco airport An airport first and fourth amendment claim moves forward Singapore’s Tigerair has a campaign for infrequent flyers. It got quite a bit of play back in April. The idea is that there aren’t many benefits, but you still may like signing up for stuff — you even get to pick your card’s color, though you have to print it yourself. Over half a million people have signed up. (HT: Hendrik L.) The outgoing head of the TSA thinks liquid restrictions should be lifted, at least for PreCheck eligible…
Chase Sapphire Preferred Changes Confirmed, Still the Best Personal Card on the Market
I receive compensation for many links on this blog. You don’t have to use these links, but I am grateful to you if you do. American Express, Citibank, Chase, and other banks are advertising partners of this site. I do not write about all credit cards that are available — instead focusing on miles, points, and cash back (and currencies that can be converted into the same). Chase Sapphire Preferred Card As I told you to expect last week, the spending requirement to earn a signup bonus with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has gone up — but fortunately not by much, just from $3000 within 3 months of account opening to $4000. No other changes have been made at this time. Fortunately that leaves the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card as the best all-around, most…
Emirates Offering Aggressive Status Match Opportunity
Emirates has a lot of Airbus A380s. Those are big planes, with a lot of seats, and they need to send them somewhere. Like Dallas. Emirates wasn’t selling the bulk of their premium seats when they were flying a Boeing 777 on the route. Now they have even more premium seats. And they’re facing competition to and through the Middle East from both Eithad (which is an American partner, and that helps a great deal in the Dallas market) and Qatar (which as a oneworld alliance member is an American partner, and that helps a great deal in Dallas). Unsurprisingly, Emirates A380 first class award space is pretty darned wide open. A booked some seats a couple of weeks ago myself using Alaska Airlines miles. As a result, Emirates is getting aggressive and generous. Here’s…
American Express Introduces Hotel Booking Site Giving Upgrades and $75 Room Credit
American Express has long offered upscale and luxury hotels through their Fine Hotels and Resorts program — booking through them gets you benefits like a room upgrade if available, late checkout, breakfast, and another benefit like a meal or spa credit. This is offered to Platinum and to Centurion cardmembers (the Centurion version usually comes with an additional benefit for bookings as well), and reservations made through American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts are generally eligible for elite status benefits and stay credit, as well as points-earning in the relevant hotel loyalty program. American Express now appears to be rolling out a new hotel program The Hotel Collection. This one tells you to “Log in or register your Gold or Platinum Card®” so appears to be available for a broader array of cardmembers. The benefits…
