British Airways plans to exclude elite lounge access and priority boarding benefits from their lowest fares, extending the concept where these fares do not permit a free baggage allowance either.
That’s a huge devaluation for British Airways members and also for American AAdvantage elites. And it’s a really bad idea for BA, too.
Wow Air flies from Boston and ‘Washington DC’ (cough, Baltimore) to Reykjavik and beyond. And their one-way fares really do start as low as $99 to Iceland, with connecting flights beyond an add-on price. The return flight starts at under $160. Boston – Reykjavik is available at $99 during April, May, June and October. $99 really is the all-in price for the outbound. Return flights start at $164.39. They’re a low cost carrier, so expect fees or everything. Here’s the charges for pre-assigned seating (left column for online payment, right for seat assignments at the airport). You’ll pay for anything more than an 11 pound carry on. Checked bags are expensive — the first checked bag is $48 online in advance, $67 at check-in, and if you are forced to gate check that’s $95. That’s…
Tickets for the next two Frequent Traveler University – Advanced events are now available. Hyatt Regency Crystal City at DCA – August 21-23, 2015 Hyatt Regency DFW – September 25-27, 2015 Tickets for each event are $249 rooms for each are available at $99++. The regular Frequent Traveler University events can be huge, they’ve been as large as more than 600 people. Participants often requested smaller, more intimate events allowing for greater in-depth discussion and really getting to know fellow participants. The smaller ‘advanced’ sessions sell out in a day or two at the most, at least in the past. So this time two sessions are being released at once. That way people can decide which one is best for them, without feeling that they’ll lose out if they don’t just on the first available.…
A true toilet catch 22: sit on the toilet seat and it’s just gross, don’t sit on the toilet seat and you break the darn thing winding up on the floor with gashes across your body. What’s a germaphobe to do?
Did someone achieve flight two years before the Wright Brothers? And why has he been left out of the history books? .. And would it matter either way?
Google is now depositing its Wallet funds at the FDIC. British Airways paying 1 million pounds a year for a single door at Heathrow. Turkish Airlines wants pilots to get married for safety. Plus bonus miles and the ethics of credit cards…
Austin is on the verge of adopting new rules that could kill off great barbecue inside the city.
Southwest Airlines has hired an investment bank to help evaluate options for its co-brand credit card. Southwest Airlines is considering replacing JPMorgan Chase as the issuer of its credit card rewards program, according to two people familiar with the matter. One of those people said Southwest has hired investment bank First Annapolis as an adviser as it reviews the relationship with Chase. Who could Southwest rope into making a credible offer for their co-brand franchise? Does Citi have the juice to pick up a second Dallas-based airline, after shooting the moon on Costco? American Express can’t possibly make sense for an airline that pitches itself as discount, and of the people, even in a world where Amex co-brands with Walmart and Target. Barclaycard lost US Airways and clearly needs a prize airline. Southwest’s relationship would…
I love many things about American Airlines. First and foremost is the AAdvantage program, and especially that I’m well taken care of as an Executive Platinum member (100,000 mile flyer). Their lounge agents have been exceptionally good to me during irregular operations. I even like their revenue management, which doesn’t release all first class seats into upgrade a day before departure. When a flight irregularity happens, and I get put onto another flight, it’s even still possible to get an upgrade (and more frequently happens than not). If there were two things I would change about the operation, I would actually bundle them together and call them American’s Goldilocks Problem: they start boarding too early, before scheduled time, and they notify passengers of delays.. in creeping fashion.. usually only after a boarding or departure time…
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
