Star Alliance airline ANA just changed to a new reservation system. That’s a big deal because their website has been the most reliable way to search award space on all of the Star Alliance airlines.
Right now the site seems to be hobbled in its features and the flights it is showing. Hopefully just teething pains, but here are your options in the meantime.
We now know when to expect the opening of American Express’ Seattle lounge, and where it will be. The Seattle lounge ‘studio’ will be coming in August or September, by gate B3, accessible to passengers of all airlines past security.
The lounge represents a departure from those that American Express has opened to date, smaller and with fewer amenities. Here’s what that departure means, and what comes next.
The EU adopted new rules limiting interchange fees, or the prices that payment networks can charge, for credit and debit cards.
I asked, are credit cards about to be killed off in Europe? The economics of credit cards as we know them are predicated on fees that go to the payment networks and banks in exchange for processing transactions.
Miles from Blighty pointed out today that Capital One has stopped issuing some rewards cards and is informing existing customers that their cards will receive less in the future….
News and notes from around the interweb: JohnnyJet visited Amanyara and Amangani. I’ve never taken a comped hotel stay, but I’ve never been offered one by an Aman resort, either. DOT, Commerce Department, and State Department will set up a website to hear US airlines’ hypocritical argument that the big Gulf carriers are too subsidized and shouldn’t be granted access to US markets. Because the US government should be taking steps to increase airfares, limit schedules, and depress service. The docket numbers, if you want to file anything at Regulation.gov, are: DOT-OST-2015-0082 (DOT) DOS-2015-0016 (State) DOC-2015-0001 (Commerce) Scoot, the low cost carrier owned by Singapore Airlines, is trolling Spirit Airlines for stealing their corporate branding. What it’s like to visit New York using a 1990s guide book. (HT: Marginal Revolution) If you haven’t already combined…
Hipmunk is mispricing tickets on Emirates. As reader David H and another reader who asked to be anonymous mentioned to me today, you can pull up all sorts of itineraries using Hipmunk – in business and first class, all over the world – that look like the best deal you’ve ever seen. Search for New York JFK – Nairobi (via Dubai) and you come up with $115 roundtrip itineraries. Change to business class and it promises prices of just $831. That’s cheaper than even a good deal in coach. Unfortunately when you click through from Hipmunk to the Emirates website to make the booking, you’re presented with the ‘real’ price. So when you ask for an itinerary like: And you’re presented with all options running just $3.68 roundtrip (!)… .. it turns out to be…
A look at the inflight service standards from airlines around the world gives us a sense of things that can be done during a flight — that do not cost an airline anything at all — to make passengers feel more comfortable, more valued, and even… welcome.
US airlines have the tools to do these things, with simple standards. They just need to make it a priority.
Did you know that there’s a card which earns 1.5 American miles per dollar on all spending, and it isn’t issued by Citibank? It has a 50,000 mile signup bonus and appears to come with full Priority Pass membership which gets you access to most United Clubs. All for a $195 annual fee…
Via Baccarat_Guy, KLM has a brand mascot for children. It’s Bluey, “a ‘mini’ 747-400, and is friends with another airplane that FARTS! (when nervous, of course!)” Bluey is the theme for KLM’s kids meal. They’ve put together a short animated movie featuring Bluey. I’m terribly frightened, but I couldn’t help but watch.
An flight from Reykjavik to Denver was struck by lightning. It was only on arrival in Denver that anyone realized there was a gaping hole in the nose. Icelandair flight 671 was responding normally and there was apparently no indication of a need to divert. Lightning strikes aren’t uncommon, and planes are built to withstand them, though seeing the actual damage is striking. A little speed tape and should be good as new..
Delta is running an award sale for spring travel on certain domestic and Caribbean routes where you can save 2500 miles each way on economy redemptions.
Slipped in there, though, is listing “12,500 miles” (25,000 miles roundtrip) as the new, special ‘sale price’ on some domestic award tickets — which require 21 day advance purchase and have blackout dates.
Just when I thought Delta couldn’t hide the ball even more on program changes, they appear to have moved forward…
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 »
