Registration is required and you can earn 1000 United miles per stay up to 5 stays through October 31 at JW Marriott, Autograph Collection, Renaissance, Gaylord Hotels and Marriott properties in the U.S., Mexico, and some Caribbean islands. One nice thing is that you don’t change your earning preference to miles, you can still earn your regular Marriott points for your stays. Only bookings made by September 5 are eligible for the bonus. This offer extends the United-Marriott tie-in that includes reciprocal elite status and seems to be meant to encourage United members to participate in Marriott Rewards. Existing Marriott members link their United and Marriott accounts and then register. New members enroll for Marriott Rewards, link their United account, and register for the promotion at the same time. (HT: Loyalty Lobby) You can join…
Get Etihad Gold Status and a New Suitcase, and Go on an Exciting European Tour
News and notes from around the interweb: The Girl and Globe (whom some may remember as ‘New Girl in the Air’ on BoardingArea) wrote about her experiences with Competitours (the ‘Amazing Race’-style adventure that my award booking partner Steve Belkin runs). A First Look At The New Briggs & Riley BRX Rolling Carry-On Etihad has opened up their Gold elite status match through July 29th. This time they only want individuals with an address in Australia. Fortunately I do have one I can use.. A new card that loads from rewards-earning debit cards and unloads easily. A new PointBreaks preview list is out. These are IHG Rewards properties that will be bookable for just 5000 points for stays through September 30th. They will become bookable on Monday. You can join the 40,000+ people who see…
Armed Gunmen Storm Canadian Plane on Toronto Tarmac
Be careful how you express yourself on board an aircraft. A 25-year-old Canadian man is in custody after two U.S. fighter jets escorted a Panama-bound flight back to Toronto on Friday. The passenger complained how much he hated Canada due to the high cost of cigarettes. (Canada increased cigarette taxes more than 20% this year, and applied the tax even to ‘duty free’ purchases.) He ended hyperbolically, “I just want to bomb Canada.” CTV news has video of law enforcement boarding the plane in the form of an armed assault. While officers stormed the plane, they yelled orders at passengers “heads down! Hands up! Show me all your hands.. Keep your hands up!” The man has been charged with “mischief to property, mischief interfering with lawful enjoyment of property, uttering threats and endangering the safety…
You Can Transfer Citibank Points to Anyone You Wish, and They Can Transfer to Miles
Citibank made Thank You points useful again, at least if yo have a Citi Thank You Premier, Prestige, or Citi Chairmans card. That’s because they now allow points transfers to airline miles. If you don’t currently have Citi Thank You points, the quickest boost to that balance is here. I really like transfers to Singapore Airlines. They have a good award chart for US domestic flights (including Hawaii) on United, and they offer much much better award availability using Singapore miles for flying on Singapore Airlines in premium cabins than they’ve ever offered to their partners. You can actually book Singapore Airlines first class awards with Singapore miles (I have Singapore Suites reserved for a trip in the near future myself). You can now transfer points from American Express, Chase, Starwood, and Citibank into Singapore…
Improvement to Evolve Money, Double Stay Credit, and 2000 United Miles
News and notes from around the interweb: One of my favorite travel journalists – Barbara DeLollis – joined BoardingArea. Seriously, check it out. Evolve Money, which lets you liquidate cards you’ve purchased (earning miles along the way) by paying bills will now allow you to schedule your bill payments 45 days out. Great new feature! Kimpton Hotels is offering 20% off and double stay credit for logged-in members with promo code FLING on bookings made by August 4 and stays through September 30. Not all properties participate. That post reminds me to mention that Kimpton is back with their ‘secret phrase’ — through September 21, mention “Summer of Karma” at checkin to receive a surprise. Up to 2000 bonus miles from United MileagePlus Shopping: 500 bonus miles for every $125 spent through August 31, bonus…
Get 70,000 Marriott Points and a Free Night, But Don’t Spend Everyday With Their Card
I receive compensation for many links on this blog. You don’t have to use these links, but I am grateful to you if you do. I do not write about all credit cards that are available — instead focusing on miles, points, and cash back (and currencies that can be converted into the same). I’ve been recommending the Marriott Rewards co-brand Visa signup bonus when it hits 70,000 points for years such as here back in November and here from 2011. For those who care about such things, in both of those cases it was not a referral link, and I received no credit for it. 70,000 points plus a free night (up to category 4) is now the standard public offer for a limited-time, and for avoidance of doubt it does now offer referral…
How to Avoid Big Fuel Surcharges Redeeming British Airways Points Across the Atlantic
If you have an Iberia frequent flyer account, if it’s three months old, and if you have earned any miles in that account then you can save on fuel surcharges — because you can transfer British Airways points over to Iberia, and then redeem the points for travel on Iberia. Fuel surcharges are miniscule compared to what British Airways would charge for the same thing. Here’s why fuel surcharges are a big deal, and how having an Iberia account can save you. You need an Iberia account, and you need that account to have miles in it. Here are free Iberia points to make that happen.
HOLY SMOKES That New Turkish Flight Is Giving Away Business Class Award Space
Last night I wrote that business class award space on the new Turkish San Francisco flight was wide open. And even so, at the time I wrote the post I didn’t even realize just how wide open it was. I showed that there were at least 4 business class seats available on every flight that Turkish would run on the route in April. They’ll begin San Francisco – Istanbul service April 13, 2015 — initially 5 days weekly. Here’s what availability looks like on those flights for seven business class seats: In other words, every single flight they’ve loaded has at least 7 business class seats available during that first month in which they’re operating. Remember, this is a business class cabin aboard the Boeing 777-300ER that only has 28 business class seats. This will…
Outstanding Award Availability for New Turkish San Francisco Flight
Chris McGinnis writes that Turkish Airlines is launching San Francisco – Istanbul service on April 13, 2015. Flights will initially be 5 times weekly, and then going daily May 11th. The Turkish 777-300ER has just 28 business class seats, so you’d expect business class awards to be difficult to get. Although right now — and this cannot last — business class award space is wide open.
Malaysia Airlines’ Tweet Finally Make Me Break Down and Cry
Malaysia Airlines tweeted out a message about flight MH17 yesterday and it’s taken me a day to decide whether to say anything about it or not. When I saw the tweet I hid myself away, because I don’t do tears, and I cried. I don’t have any direct connection to the flight, I’ve flown Malaysia Airlines before of course and I feel a certain bond with travelers as such, and much more so in the airport and on planes. in a way that I can’t really describe. But I have no special right to cry over this. I was shocked by what happened as the whole world was. And when I saw this simple message I Just. Broke. Down. I decided I should share it as well, in case it touches anyone else out there…
