United Has Been Making It Increasingly Hard to ‘Hold’ Reservations When I first got started in this game United allowed frequent flyer award tickets to be put on ‘hold’ without ticketing or mileage deductions for 30 days. And provided the awards were on United, rather than one of their partners, that hold could even be extended. That time period was reduced to 14 days and then 3 days and then — with the switchover to Continental’s reservation system March 3rd of last year — taken away. United still allowed award holds for accounts with insufficient miles to book an award (presumably to give yo time to transfer miles or buy miles to make up the difference). And so you could hold an award with an account without miles, and go back and ticket with a…
100% Bonus on Purchased AviancaTaca LifeMiles is Back
In December I explained Why You Want to Get Started With the AviancaTaca LifeMiles Program Right Now. LifeMiles is one of the best programs in the Star Alliance. There are some frustrations, like inability to book flights in more than one class of service on an award. But they sell miles cheap, their award chart is reasonable, they offer one-way awards, and the website is decent. Plus there are no fuel surcharges. I consider the better non-U.S. programs a great hedge and refuge against the risks of revenue-based frequent flyer redemption changes. And the AviancaTaca LifeMiles program regularly offers 100% bonuses on purchased miles and then lets you effectively buy miles even cheaper with their cash ad points awards (where you need just 40% of the miles required for a given award ticket). Through April 30, LifeMiles will give you…
Airport Security Can’t Stop MacGuyver
When you can build weapons with ordinary items commonly available airside, what’s the point in confiscating 4 ounce deoderants? (HT: Jenn B.)
Return to the Maldives: Male – Kaadedhdhoo, Maldivian and Transfer to the Park Hyatt
Trip Report Index: Introducing and Strategy New York JFK – Abu Dhabi, Etihad First Class Park Hyatt Dubai Touring the Burj al Arab Tea at the Burj al Arab Abu Dhabi – Male, Etihad Business Class Male – Kaadedhdhoo, Maldivian and Transfer to the Park Hyatt Park Hyatt Hadahaa Maldives Kooddoo-Male-Abu Dhabi, Maldivian and Etihad Business Class Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi – Dusseldorf – London, Etihad First Class and British Airways Club Europe London Heathrow – San Francisco, British Airways New First Class We picked up our bags off the belt upon arrival in Male and then took them through customs. The customs process requires you to submit all of your luggage (including hand baggage) to an x-ray screening. The Maldives is a dry country outside of the resorts, which are exempt from…
Return to the Maldives: Abu Dhabi – Male, Etihad Business Class
Trip Report Index: Introducing and Strategy New York JFK – Abu Dhabi, Etihad First Class Park Hyatt Dubai Touring the Burj al Arab Tea at the Burj al Arab Abu Dhabi – Male, Etihad Business Class Male – Kaadedhdhoo, Maldivian and Transfer to the Park Hyatt Park Hyatt Hadahaa Maldives Kooddoo-Male-Abu Dhabi, Maldivian and Etihad Business Class Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi – Dusseldorf – London, Etihad First Class and British Airways Club Europe London Heathrow – San Francisco, British Airways New First Class With a planned 9:30am flight out of Abu Dhabi, and since we were staying in Dubai, I organized Etihad’s complimentary chauffeur service to pick us up at 6:15am. That would give us plenty of time — too much time — but I’ve heard stories of Etihad cars arriving late, I…
Bits ‘n Pieces for April 5, 2013
News and Notes from Around the Interweb: Qantas Bans Pork After Linkup With Emirates (HT: sobore on Milepoint) Boeing 787 to fly starting June 1. At least that’s what LAN has updated its schedule to say. Alitalia will give you a $100 off e-cert in exchange for your email address, amounts higher for premium cabin travel. (HT: Joe Sent Me Steals & Deals) American Admirals Club prices are going up for elites on May 1 (they get less of a discount): $25 for Gold members and $50 for Platinums and Executive Platinums. I use my British Airways Gold status (acquired when BA bought british midland) for access. If I didn’t, I would use my American Express Platinum card. If I didn’t, I would redeem Business ExtrAA points for lounge access (one of the better values…
1000 Free Marriott Points for Posting in their ‘Insiders’ Forum
Via Notiflyer, Marriott Rewards is offering 500 points per post, up to 1000 points, for baseball stories. Everyone who writes a baseball story and posts it to the Marriott Rewards Insiders blog in the “Other Topics” section will earn 500 points per story (up to 1,000 points). You will need to create a new account if you aren’t already a Marriott Rewards Insiders member and then enter “42story” in the tag section when posting your story. There are prizes for the stories as well — up to 60,000 Marriott points and baseball ticket.
Why I Finally Signed Up for ‘Global Entry’ and Just How Easy It Was
Global entry sign up: I bet it will come as a surprise to many of my readers that I wasn’t one of the early adopters of Global Entry, the expedited customs and immigration program (that also comes with TSA PreCheck). But the civil libertarian in me was initially really bothered by the program, and I just didn’t do it. Though that all changed a few days ago. Concerns That Kept Me Away From Global Entry These Past Two Years Global Entry requires the government performing a background check on you and also fingerprinting you and taking your picture. Even though I was influenced a great deal by reading David Brin’s 1998 book The Transparent Society where he argues that low-cost surveillance, communication and database technology would mean an end to privacy as traditionally conceived, I…
Who Has the Best Business Class Seat Across the Atlantic? The Answer May Surprise You
Best business class to Europe: Some will argue on a technicality that the best transatlantic business class belongs to Singapoe Airlines — they fly New York to Frankfurt with an Airbus A380 on a flight that continues to Singapore (not to mention their 777 flight from Houston to Moscow). But I’m not sure even that would be true. Believe it or not, and with some caveats that I’ll note below, American Airlines probably has the best business class between North America and Europe right now. Wait before jumping out of your seat and just hear me out on this. About six weeks ago American Airlines reached out to me to see if I’d be interested in flying on their new 777-300ER aircraft in business class when it began serving New York – London Heathrow. American…
Why Starwood is Willing to Pay You to Book Through Their Mobile App
Lucky is confused by Starwood’s desire to offer bonus points for mobile bookings. [A]m I the only one that doesn’t really get the trend lately for mobile site booking bonuses? I understand the concept of wanting to familiarize people with their mobile site, but at the same time I can’t help but feel like no one wins if we just have to go through the hassle of making a normal booking by smart phone when we’re sitting in front of a computer. Hotel chains offer incentives– at various times carrots but also sticks — to get you to book directly with them rather than through travel agency sites. They’ve in the past offered online booking bonuses. Some chains won’t honor elite benefit benefits at all if you book through a third party website. And most…
