One of my biggest points frustrations is Priority Club. The Intercontinental Royal Ambassador program is one of the most rewarding elite levels there is. I’ve had some of my very best upgrades as a result of that program — a ‘house’ with backyard facing a mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona; a Diplomatic Suite in Bangkok; Ambassador Suite in Singapore; Presidential Suite in Manila to name a few. The terms and conditions of the program, though, say that most elite benefits (such as guaranteed 8am checkin, upgrades, and free drinks from the minibar) do not apply to points stays. Priority Club is the only hotel chain where the benefits of status do not apply when you’re claiming the rewards for your stays. Reward nights are supposed to be more than a rebate, mind you, they are a…
Regulators in the US and Canada Try to Protect High Prices and Bad Service from Taxicabs
I wrote about on-demand car service Uber back in July in “Why Taxis Suck and What You Can Do About It” and in September on New York City’s war against Uber which was then trying to make the city’s taxi cabs more available and more efficient. It seems that regulators have their own trade group, and the International Association of Transportation Regulators has gotten together to strategize over how to put on-demand car service app Uber out of business. Taxi and limousine regulators from 15 U.S. and Canadian cities plan to release proposed guidelines Friday aimed at reining in some of the smartphone applications and online services that are radically changing how customers hail cabs. The rules were drawn up by a task force of the International Association of Transportation Regulators with members from New…
100 Free Starwood Starpoints
The first 5000 people who add their travel wish to a wish map receive 100 free Starpoints. Every little bit helps.
American and US Airways Merger: Now Just Haggling Over Price
When US Airways first started trolling around the American Airlines bankruptcy, they hoped to snatch it up cheaply. Since American has gotten labor agreements done with its various workforces (and even has had its pilots union send out a new contract with recommendation or a vote of approval), has gotten various other costs down, and has killed off several unprofitable routes, the airline has gotten much more expensive as a potential acquisition target. US Airways initially saw likely equity split as 50-50 if it merged with the larger airline. Now US Airways is looking at 70% of a combined company going to American’s creditors, while some creditors see 80% as their negotiating position. Regardless, this suggests a deal has become much more likely. Certainly American is not adamantly opposed, although any deal likely benefits current…
Lowest Price I’ve Ever Seen on American AAdvantage Purchased Miles: 50% Bonus and an Increase in the Number of Miles You’re Allowed to Buy
This is probably the best purchase miles offer I’ve seen from American in a long time. And not only is it a bigger bonus — up to 50%, through December 31 — but they’ve also temporarily increased the cap on purchases you can make. Normally they allow purchase of 40,000 miles per account in a single calendar year, but through the end of the year that’s increased to 60,000 miles. (Bonus miles earned from purchases do not count towards this limit.) The number of miles purchased in a single transaction determines your bonus: 5000 – 9999 miles purchased earns 1500 bonus miles 10,000 – 14,000 miles purchased earns 3000 bonus miles 15,000 – 19,000 miles purchased earns 4500 bonus miles 20,000 – 29,000 miles purchased earns 10,000 bonus miles 30,000 – 39,000 miles purchased earns…
Will More Frequent Flyer Programs Be Spun Off as Independent Businesses?
Colloquy has an in-depth piece on Jet Airways spinning off its frequent flyer program. Some industry insiders speculate that if not a listing, then certainly a stake sale seems to be on Jet’s agenda. “As and when negotiations with the potential knowledge partners crystallise into a concrete decision, it is proposed that some percentage of the company’s stake be offered to the knowledge partners,” Jet Airways claimed while making the announcement. Jet Airways’ latest announce-ments, however, seem to indicate that this move is in line with the company’s intent to improve its ancillary revenues up from 3% overall to 10-15% over the next few years. At present, Jet Airways’ ancillary revenues that come from sources other than ticket sales stand at $170 million. “The frequent flyer programme started as a cost centre but has started…
Can DC Pull Off Real Texas Barbecue?
Over Labor Day weekend I made a pilgrimage to Lockhart, Texas for barbecue. It would be an overstatement to say that it was life changing but I certainly had the best barbecue I’ve ever eaten and it changed the way that I think about barbecue. I used to think that barbecue was as much about the sauce as the meat, but that’s because I hadn’t ever tasted meat that was so fresh, cooked with such care, that not only didn’t it need any sauce but I didn’t want to detract from the subtle flavors. After Lockhart I thought I was more or less ruined from barbecue. The places in DC didn’t get much business from me even before this, but there’s a place in Florida I’d go to with some regularity and that was now…
Virgin America Offering Status Matches to United and American Elite Members
Virgin America is offering elite status matches to United and American flyers. If interested, email statusmatch@virginamerica.com with your Virgin America frequent flyer number and either a screen shot of your elite status account with United or American or a copy of your elite card. They will match United Platinums and 1Ks and American Executive Platinums to their top tier Gold status, and American Platinums and United Golds to their Silver status. Status only lasts through April 30, but there’s an expedited requalification scheme. Certainly Virgin America wants as many high value customers as possible given their financial performance. I’m tempted by the offer, since I’ve never flown them. But top tier elite status only gets you the right to buy up to first class on a space available basis 24 hours prior to flight. While…
Delta Selling Elite Qualifying Miles
As they did last year, Delta will sell you elite qualifying miles again now that the end of the year is approaching, you want to reach the next level of status (rather than banking your ‘leftover’ elite qualifying miles as a head start on next year), and would rather just pay money instead of spending the time to do some incremental flying. The qualifying miles post within 24 hours. It’s expensive at at least 10 cents a mile, but since it saves you the time of actually flying it could be worthwhile for some. (HT: Lucky)
British Airways and Iberia 25% Discount on Long Haul Award Tickets Works for US-Originating Itineraries
Yesterday I wrote that British Airways, Iberia, and Avios would be launching a 25% off award sale valid on long haul routes. Details of the sale are now online. As I expected, the terms and conditions specify “Flights depart London” and that led me to believe the 25% discount would be available only on London-originating itineraries. One Mile at a Time beat me to the punch with the word that 25% will actually come off of all long haul award flights to and from London. The sale is on for six days only and permits travel through the end of May in any class of service. This is a discount on the mileage cost of the award only and not on taxes and fuel surcharges (which, route-depending, can be substantial). Partner flights aren’t eligible, it’s…
