Chris R. emailed me this morning to bring a Milepoint.com post to my attention where United announced changes to elite status qualification beginning in 2014. The following revenue requirements — in addition to the standard mileage or segment flying to reach status — apply to accounts with addresses in the United States only. Silver: $2500 minimum qualifying revenue Gold: $5000 minimum qualifying revenue Platinum: $7500 minimum qualifying revenue 1K: $10,000 minimum qualifying revenue In addition, you can’t earn status entirely on most of United’s partners. Earning status will require flying at least 4 qualifying segments operated by United, United Express, and/or Copa Airlines U.S. members who charge $25,000 to a co-branded United Chase credit card during the calendar year are exempt from the revenue requirement for that year if qualifying for Silver, Gold, or Platinum…
$150 off an Air/Hotel Package from Travelocity
Travelocity $150 off a $750 air and hotel travel package on the first 3000 coupon uses through June 19 (tomorrow) when paying with American Express. Here are the details: Search for a vacation package (Flight + Hotel or Flight + Hotel + Car). They have learned their lesson from past deals and now require the hotel to be in the same region as the destination airport… Hah! Enter promo code AMEXPK150 at checkout (valid on the first 3000 uses) Pay with an American Express card by 11:59 Central Time on June 19, 2013 Of course going to Travelocity via the Chase Ultimate Rewards mall should earn 2 points per dollar spent as well, and in my experience the use of a coupon hasn’t voided that points-earning. I’m curious to hear others’ experiences with Travelocity shopping…
JetBlue Points Will Never Expire — And That’s Not a Good Thing
I first read it over at Wandering Aramean yesterday, that JetBlue points would no longer expire. Previously you had to either fly or charge something to their co-branded American Express card every 12 months to keep an account active. That’s a rather stringent policy. In my post last month on how to keep your miles from expiring I surveyed the major frequent flyer program expiration policies and most allow you to keep an account active with any kind of activity every 18-36 months. Delta miles do not expire, and when they rolled out the change they framed it as a ‘moral issue’ and yet they captured the financial benefits of having led the charge to shorten account expiration times and did not restore any of the miles they had taken away. Some moral stand. In…
Comment Here for a Chance to Win a Samsung Chromebook!
All I’m going to ask you to do is leave a comment, the details of which you’ll need to read on for so you know what to say! Last month I was at a conference where I walked away with a giveaway item of a Samsung Chromebook — courtesy of Gogo Inflight Internet. Now, I love Gogo. Inflight internet has materially changed my life. I used to get off of a plane after a long flight during the business day and I’d be inundated with work, with messages, with ‘crises’ (manufactured or otherwise). Instead, I keep up with work from the air. I’m more productive, and landing after a long flight is no longer stressful. I currently pay for a ‘monthly pass’. But I didn’t want anyone to think I loved Gogo because I received…
Marriott Brings Back Mileage Earning With and Transfers to American AAdvantage, Plus 500 Bonus Miles Per Stay
American Airlines and Marriott Rewards announced a partnership today, restoring a relationship which was severed back in June 2010. Members will be able to earn AAdvantage miles for Marriott stays (rather than Marriott Rewards points) if they wish, and will be able to convert Marriott points to AAdvantage miles. The conversions will take place at the ‘higher’ tier that Marriott offers, similar to transfers into Aeromexico, Aeroplan, Alaska, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, GOL/Varig, Hawaiian Airlines, Iberia Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways, and Virgin Atlantic. The conversion rate of Marriott Rewards to American miles (and to the mileage currencies of the other airlines listed above) is: 10,000 points = 2,000 miles 20,000 points = 5,000 miles 30,000 points = 10,000 miles 70,000 points = 25,000 miles 140,000 points = 50,000 miles Other air…
Bits ‘n Pieces for June 17, 2013
News and Notes from Around the Interweb: Passengers stuck on a plane for hours were charged for water. And it wasn’t even Spirit. Or an attempt to utilize the price system to ration scarce resources. (HT: sobore on Milepoint) Tasting notes on Hyatt’s private label Canvas house wines. If you didn’t win Briggs & Riley luggage in my recent giveaways, you can enter Points, Miles, & Martini’s TORQ bag giveaway. (Well, strictly speaking, you can enter there even if you did win here.) 20% off a Virgin America ticket valid for travel September 10 – November 6 by liking and entering info on their Facebook page. United partner Silver Airways introduces its own frequent flyer program that earns… United miles. You can join the 30,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day —…
Why Frequent Flyers Are LESS Likely to Cheat (Despite Survey Data)
Point Me to the Plane flags a story about cheating spouses traveling in order to carry on their affairs. “There’s no better time to pursue a discreet affair than when you’re hundreds or even thousands of miles away from home,” said AshleyMadison.com founder Noel Biderman. “Our members have stated that the distance not only lessens their fear of getting caught, but also alleviates feelings of guilt.” …And how on earth do these cheaters pay for these rendezvous without getting caught? Turns out more than half pay for it through a business trip, either directly on a corporate card or through a rewards program (no paper trail!) or by adding days onto a business trip. Using miles under the belief that there’s “no paper trail” seems naive at best. Sure, strictly speaking the tickets are electronic…
My Two Favorite Blog Readers for When Google Reader Goes Away July 1
The closest experience to Google Reader is Bazqux. Literally two clicks and I had an account with all of my Google Reader feeds imported (since I created an account by logging in via the same Google account that my RSS feeds are linked to). There’s a $30 free trial, and then it’s $9 (or more if you like) per year. The website is super fast, it has the same general feel that Google Reader does although it’s missing some of the customized functionality that I got used to in Reader (or at least in a few minutes of playing I haven’t found it yet). Only downside is that it doesn’t have its own mobile app, it’s feeds are compatible with other apps but there’s no ‘Bazqux’ I can download in the Google Play store. The…
Cathay Pacific Getting New First Class Cabin Next Month
Cathay Pacific has my all-around first class, though it certainly isn’t the newest product. Their food is good enough, though not fantastic. I always choose the Chinese entree, I do love having dim sum for breakfast, and the smoked salmon and caviar is good. Singapore probably does a better job with main meals, and they serve both Dom Perignon and Krug rather than just Krug. But Cathay does a better job with mid-flight snack options. (I think Asiana and ANA do a better job with food than either Cathay or Singapore does.) Their lounges in Hong Kong are fine. I like The Wing’s first class lounge, and I haven’t been there in the past few months so haven’t seen the refresh. But there’s no real special ground service — such as escorts to and from…
Alaska Airlines Visa 30,000 Mile Signup Bonus
The standard bonus for the Alaska Airlines Visa is 25,000 miles, and it’s been offered with as much as 40,000 miles in the past. But 30,000 miles appears to be the best current offer. The offer is for 25,000 miles on approval (no minimum spending) and 5000 more miles “for being a customer.” There doesn’t appear to be any verification that you need to be a pre-existing customer, that they will do anything like check to see whether you have bank accounts with them already for instance, and I’d bet that anyone — even folks who have never had a Bank of America account before — will get the full 30,000 miles. Though since they only promise it to folks as a thank you for being a customer (gee, getting upproved for the card makes…
