After my post about really good award availability flying American’s JFK-Los Angeles flight, MJ On Travel went about making a booking and he shares a really useful tip. American AAdvantage charges 65,000 miles roundtrip for JFK – Los Angeles (or San Francisco) in three-cabin first class, a premium over the 50,000 miles they’d charge for roundtrip business class. British Airways would charge 75,000 Avios for that same itinerary, since they charge 2x the economy price for business class and 3x the economy price for first class. On the other hand, US Airways Dividend Miles charges just 50,000 miles roundtrip for three-cabin first class on these routes — the same price that they charge for roundtrip business class. I’ve been using this to great effect for years. I have several Hollywood-types among the clients of my…
Turkish Airlines About the Gut the Miles&Smiles Frequent Flyer Program?
Just a few days ago I wrote about Turkish Airlines offering 1000 free miles for profile updates, and reminded that Turkish Airlines is a Star Alliance member (United partner) that offers status matches to the Star Alliance Gold level [so free lounge access when flying United even domestically], an easy status re-qualification, and some interesting award chart possibilities. So I was concerned yesterday when I received an e-mail update about upcoming changes to the program — which are very non-specific but offer clues to changes I’m not going to like. They promise more saver award availability, and changing pricing on one way awards and companion awards (awards booked in conjunction with a paid ticket). Currently there’s an award chart for Turkish Airlines redemptions, and a separate chart for Star Alliance redemptions. They’re going to just…
Cheap First Class Fares and Award Space on American’s New JFK-Los Angeles First Class Product
I’m a huge fan of American’s new Airbus A321 three-cabin service between New York JFK and Los Angeles, and expanding to New York JFK and San Francisco. I crawled around the plane before it began service, while it was touring up in New York. And I flew the inaugural commercial flight in January. It’s an outstanding product, with a business class seat that matches or exceeds what Delta is offering (the seat is very similar to United’s, but brand new, and with better inflight entertainment). And it’s the only true first class cabin on the route. That’s 1×1 seating, each seat is both an aisle and a window, they’ve taken a seat very similar to their new international business class seat that I think is the best seat across the Atlantic currently and are using…
But I Am a Diamond Guest!
This is from three years ago, and I’ve shared it before, but it never gets old: You can join the 30,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day — sign up to receive posts by email (just one e-mail per day) or subscribe to the RSS feed. It’s free. You can also follow me on Twitter for the latest deals. Don’t miss out!
Media Coverage of Delta’s Frequent Flyer Changes is All Negative
Last night I spent an hour on the phone listening to Delta’s take on their frequent flyer program changes. Their spin on the media coverage is that they’re happy with the messaging — the stories aren’t all positive, but that their core message is getting out (“business travelers benefit”). I don’t think that message is entirely correct. You have to average paying 20 cents per mile in airfare just to break even in miles earned across the entire year. And 20 cents is a lot (remember that the minimum average revenue to earn elite status is just 10 cents per mile — $2500 spending for 25,000 mile status, etc). Since business travelers are also leisure travelers that’s a pretty high average fare, and business travelers won’t benefit until their average is above that. What’s more…
American Airlines Reduces the Value of its ‘Choice’ Fare Bundles With New Variable Pricing and Benefit Changes
Pizza in Motion breaks the news on changes to American Airlines airfare benefits. American Airlines introduced a set of fare options in December 2012, a modestly higher fixed fare price for a set of value-added benefits, that you could purchase at time of ticketing — through American’s own channels, and also they hoped through third parties as well. However the details of American’s fare bundles were updated on February 25. What the lower tier bundle offers has been cut back, and pricing has changed. These options no longer represent the value they once did. Choice Essential fares used to include at a fixed $68 price point: No change fees (avoid the $200 charge when making a ticket change) Free checked bag Priority boarding (“Group 1”) Choice essential prices have changed and no longer waives change…
Starwood Made a Mistake, Admits It, Fixes It — Hotels Must Offer Double Occupancy Award Rooms
On Saturday I raised some alarms over Starwood apparently allowing a handful of hotels in Europe — such as the Pulitzer in Amsterdam and Hotel Des Indes, The Hague — to make rooms available for standard points redemption that fit only a single person — and charging more points if you wanted to have two people stay at the hotel. The Starwood Preferred Guest terms and conditions say that award rooms are “for single or double occupancy rooms” but SPG representatives had explained that these hotels were unique, and that they were complying with Starwood’s rules because they only have to offer redemptions for single rooms or for double rooms, and they were offering single rooms. I called that a pretty tortured reading of the rules of the program and suggested that the better approach…
Several Chase Cards Becoming Chip + PIN Later This Year
Chase announced at its investor conference earlier in the week that they’ll be switching their ‘chip and signature’ cards to ‘chip and PIN’ later this yaar. Most US cards have only a magnetic strip on the back. That’s where card information can be found and read. In much of the rest of the world, cards have an ‘EMV chip’ with encrypted information. It’s much more difficult to steal data from. (And a magnetic strip is easier to reproduce, too.) In addition, some cards with chips require consumers to enter a PIN to validate a transaction instead of signing their name. A PIN number is harder to guess than a signature is to forge. So cards requiring a PIN (“chip and pin”) are considered more secure than those merely requiring a signature (“chip and signature”). Chase…
Silvercar May Be Expanding Soon to 3 New Airports
Rumor has it that Silvercar will be expanding to Phoenix, Seattle, and Denver by the end of the second quarter of the year. Silvercar is the new rental outfit that offers only Audis, and ‘includes everything’ – GPS, wireless internet, SiriusXM radio, and even toll tracking (you pay only the actual cost of tolls you use) and refueling at market rate (you don’t refill the tank and you’re charged the actual cost of gas plus $5). It’s a great experience overall, a premium experience, so can be priced accordingly. But I find many airport midweek rentals from the major agencies to be just as expensive and Silvercar is offering a better value proposition for many, certainly for all but the top-tier rental car elites (though they don’t offer miles). I made my first Silvercar rental…
Seven New Thoughts on How Bad Delta’s Changes Are And What You Can Do About Them
I’ve had a day to digest Delta’s changes, and crystallize my thoughts as I’ve talked to a variety of television, radio, and print journalists about the revenue-based changes that Delta is making to its frequent flyer program. I shared the guts of those changes yesterday, but having given them further thought I think I have a bit of a clearer take. We don’t know yet just how bad they are, because Delta won’t release full details. But they certainly aren’t good for the vast majority of flyers — even business travelers whose tickets cost an average of 20 cents per mile or less. (And even those paying more could still wind up coming out far behind when we see the scope of changes Delta makes to their new five tier award chart to be unveiled…
