United used to give Star Alliance elite members really outstanding treatment — including economy plus seating for Gold members and a generous checked baggage allowance for Golds and Silvers. Long after economy plus extra legroom seating went away, Star Alliance Silver members lost their second free checked bag in March 2011. Star Alliance Gold members were reduced from 3 checked bags to 1, and down from 70 pounds each to 50 in October 2013. At the same time Star Alliance silver members had free checked bags taken away from them entirely Now the United baggage fee details page has been updated to show once again that Star Alliance Silver members — frequent flyers with the lowest-tier status level of their airline alliance partners — will get a free checked bag when flying United. Oddly, then,…
10% Off Virgin America Flights – Book Today Only
Book today and discount code MAY10 takes 10% off all non-refundable fares (including their various classes of service) for travel every day except Sunday between April 29 and May 21.
W Union Square New York: Good Enough for the Neighborhood
I do realize that lukewarm titles are the worst thing you can do when writing a blog. But that’s more or less the way I come away feeling after a one night stay at the W Union Square. It was a very serviceable hotel, generally clean and comfortable, and the staff were friendly. The room wasn’t cheap but it wasn’t outrageous by New York standards either, and it was very convenient for where I wanted to be that evening. In similar circumstances, I would return. New York City hotels are priced pretty high, though there are some reasonably decent hotels that can represent a good value. I love the Andaz 5th Avenue, of course. Since the last thing I was doing Wednesday night was the Amex Everyday launch party and I had a morning flight…
What’s Wrong With The Supreme Court Limiting Your Ability to Sue a Frequent Flyer Program?
The Supreme Court ruled this week that complaints against frequent flyer programs, that seek to impose an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing when pursued in state courts, are pre-empted by the Airline Deregulation Act. You can’t just sue a frequent flyer program and say that terms like an airline’s ability to deliver – or not deliver – benefits at its discretion isn’t reasonable. I won’t express an opinion on whether a state’s implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing is an additional requirement imposed on contracts, or a frame with which to understand what contracts say. Nor will I express an opinion on what it would mean to pursue in state courts remedies only permitted under federal law rather than state law. I am not an attorney, let alone a specialist…
Flying With Purpose Thanks to US Airways
Earlier in the week I arrived at Washington’s National airport to find a couple of things different than what I expected over on the far US Airways concourse. First, Five Guys Burgers was closed. Lots of changes coming to the dining scene at National airport, but Five Guys was there, and it’s coming back, how important could the renovation of the Five Guys space really be? Second though was much more significant. US Airways brought in over 100 World War II veterans to DC on a day trip. The entire terminal stopped, stood silently, until each veteran came off the aircraft — and gave each one a massive round of applause. Surviving World War II veterans, coming to DC to visit the World War II Memorial? That was a pretty non-partisan issue in DC this…
He Who Smelt it Dealt It, Southwest Labor Problems, and DFW Showers (Bits ‘n Pieces for April 4, 2014)
News and notes from around the interweb: Southwest’s labor problems stem from lower profit margins Emirates will begin flying an Airbus A380 Dallas – Dubai starting October 1. That means onboard showers in first clss, people. Japan Airlines miles (Starwood Preferred Guest transfer partner) are often the best for roundtrip Emirates redemptions. Alaska Mileage Plan miles are great for one-way awards (and no fuel surcharges). How to change your frequent flyer number attached to oneworld airline reservations. Delta is adding ice cream to transatlantic coach flights. DFW will also be getting more customs officers.. over the next 12 to 18 months. That’s to help with extremely long lines during peak times, and is way too far off. Thank goodness for Global Entry. Air France’s new slogan: “France is in the air” .. so that’s what…
Singapore Airlines’ New Sweepstakes
Singapore Airlines’ new Travel in Luxury sweepstakes is probably worth entering (I never win anything..) for the chance to win a pair of business class tickets to Singapore and a Shangri-La hotel stay alone. But there are two things that I find more interesting than that. The daily mileage prize you can enter to win by answering trivia questions. (That should be an easier win, since it takes more effort and there are more prizes.) Domestic connecting flights are being offered on Virgin America rather than United. It seems as though Singapore Airlines — down to just one U.S. alliance partner with US Airways’ exit — really just isn’t besties with United Airlines. Then again, United pulled Singapore Airlines award availability off its website and blamed the change on Singapore. So if I were them…
Summer Business Class to Europe for Less Than $1500 Roundtrip
There’s a real business class fare war to Europe going on right now, mostly initiated by United, for business class travel out of many airports that aren’t United hubs (or co-terminals with United hubs, and except on specific routes that are pretty unique to Delta like New York JFK – Venice). So you can buy business class tickets for less than $1500 roundtrip this summer — about what you’ll pay for coach for summer travel in many cases. Fly from cities like: Allentown, PA Westchester, NY Boston Baltimore Fort Lauderdale Las Vegas Orlando Seattle Honolulu Portland San Jose Orange County To cities like Rome, Milan, Venice, Paris, Amsterdam, Florence, Nice, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Barcelona, and Madrid. Key information: Book on Orbitz, or at United.com Must purchase at least 60 days in advance (not a problem, since…
The US Airways Lounge at LaGuardia Is No Longer the Worst Club in North America
Three years ago I declared the US Airways lounge at New York LaGuardia to be the worst lounge in North America. This was a chair in that lounge: Since that time, US Airways traded many of its takeoff and landing slots at LaGuardia with Delta in exchange for slots at Washington’s National airport and cash. Delta renovated the old US Airways club, and US Airways opened a new club to support its scaled-down operation at the airport. And the new US Airways club is much, much better than before. There are even modest snacks, like bagels, available. There’s ‘premium’ wine to order (although I don’t really consider Santa Margherita all that premium or worth $12 a glass. There’s a paid snack menu to order off of as well. And there’s a great view of airport…
WORST CASE SCENARIO: You Save Money on Airfare With Throwaway Ticketing, and Then…
Someone I know might have been flying on a throwaway ticket over the past few weeks. This is one of the best, most useful techniques for saving money on airfare. Sure, flying to Chicago might be really expensive, but connecting in Chicago enroute to Milwaukee is downright cheap. You buy a one-way ticket to Milwaukee, get off in Chicago, and save money. That’s great until… either you have to check bags (those will go on to Milwaukee) or your flight is cancelled. The airline rebooks you. On a non-stop flight to your destination. That’s the risk. That happened. And not the checked bag part. The airline sent a flight cancellation notice, and it was my job to call and I found that the reservation had already been rebooked. To a city that was in the…
