Dec
17
2015
The US and Cuba have reached an agreement to resume commercial flights between the two countries. We won’t be limited to charter flights anymore.
Agreement Reached! US Airlines to Sell Tickets to Cuba in 3-6 Months
Easy $20 Uber Credit for Existing Users (NOT Just First-Time Riders)
Dec
17
2015
Uber is working to embed itself into as many other apps as possible. We’ve seen deals to put Uber inside the Hilton and IHG apps. They have a new effort to let anyone building an app launch into Uber.
The biggest ‘get’ so far has to be the Uber deal with Facebook Messenger which comes with a $20 ride credit even for existing Uber customers.
Party in the American Airlines Club! How to Bring 33 People In With Just One Credit Card Account
Dec
16
2015
With the change to allowing Citi’s premium co-brand credit card to grant American Airlines Admirals Club access to no fee authorized users on the account, here’s an illustration just how far this scales. Party in the Admirals Club…
American Makes Another Unannounced – and Strange – Tweak to its Award Rules
Dec
16
2015
Who knew it was possible to fly Air New Zealand using American miles! Under a brand new rules change, for one specific flight at least, it now is.
Since so much of the AAdvantage award rules are unpublished, I wrote the Ultimate Guide to Booking Award Tickets Using American Miles.
United is Making Earning Elite Status Easier and Faster in 2016
Dec
16
2015
During 2015 American AAdvantage gave a boost towards elite status to members buying premium fares in the form of an ‘elite qualifying points’ bonus.
For 2016 they’ve eliminated qualifying points and are instead incorporating the premium fare bonus into extra qualifying miles for premium fares.
United is matching.
Hilton, Starwood, and IHG are Out With New Promotions
Dec
16
2015
It’s the end of 2015 so remaining hotel promotions are ending, and the new year is upon us. We now know what three of the major hotel chains have in store for the January through April timeframe.
And I’m especially interested to see what Hyatt is going to do once they have a new CRM in place in the coming days.
One Airline Did a Fantastic Job Recognizing Top Tier Elite Flyers for the Holidays
Dec
16
2015
Qantas doesn’t have a very strong rewards program, i.e. points earning-and-burning, in Qantas Frequent Flyer.
But within the confines of the Aussie market they do a really good job recognizing their top tier elites.
Years ago I used to like getting cookies from Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan when I held their MVP Gold status. However this holiday note was sharing with me by a Qantas top tier Platinum One member. And it blew me away.
American Airlines is Offering a Whole New Level of Service for their Sydney Flights, Even in Economy
Dec
16
2015
Yesterday I attended an American Airlines event near LAX highlighting the new soft product offerings for their Los Angeles – Sydney flight.
They’re flying as part of a joint business venture with Qantas (the particulars of which are still pending Department of Transportation approval). Qantas is reducing their flying Los Angeles – Sydney and redeploying aircraft to re-start San Francisco flying. And Qantas customers are used to a certain level of catering. Plus it’s a pretty premium route that’s also very competitive since it’s served by United, Virgin Australia, and Delta as well.
Taken together, American saw the need to up its game — pajamas in business class and a redesigned menu.
Amazon Prime Delivers Food, American’s VIP Service, and the Original Sky Deck Idea
Dec
16
2015
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.
American Airlines is Reminding Flight Attendants Why Predeparture Beverages Matter
Dec
15
2015
It’s always striking to me that legacy American Airlines crews so rarely offer anything to drink prior to takeoff. Naturally the priority is an on-time departure, and it’s difficult to move around the cabin during boarding of a single aisle aircraft. But other airlines – including legacy US Airways crews – get this done far more often than American flight attendants do.
American has a new push to remind flight attendants that this is an important service element. This morning, at least, it worked.
