I often feel bad for Canada, they have only one airline which is part of an international alliance and offers reasonable aspirational mileage awards, but that airline has started adding fuel surcharges to its awards and gutted its award chart back in July. Even its credit cards are generally less rewarding than counterparts in the United States. No wonder Canadians I meet are often so defensive about their homeland. There’s less competition up north in the mileage game, and they have to learn to expect a bit less or to figure out a way to finagle a US-based points earning card which doesn’t charge foreign currency transaction fees. Or to take the best of what’s out there. I’m not a big fan of Avios, and I wouldn’t take a 50,000 mile offer for their credit…
Amtrak Guest Rewards Redemption Prices Going Up April 1
Just a reminder for both of you who collect Amtrak Guest Rewards points, redemption prices go up on April 1. This time they’ve made changes and actually given us notice! The least expensive (‘special routes’) award goes from 1000 to 1500 points one-way (50% increase). Northeast corridor coach goes from 3000 to 4000 points one-way (one-third increase). Business class goes from 6500 to 7500 (15% increase). Other awards are getting more expensive as well, as many as 10,000 points more expensive one-way — the two and three zone sleeper car awards. And an auto train award goes up from 10,000 to 15,000 points one-way for a car. It’s not as though points-earning on Amtrak is that generous to begin with, that they’ve been printing points like crazy… Redeem any awards you’re thinking about now, before…
50% Bonus on US Airways Share Miles
Through March 14, US Airways is offering a 50% bonus on sharing miles. That is, for every 1000 miles you transfer to someone’s account, US Airways will add a bonus 500. US Airways charges 1 cent per mile to transfer miles between accounts, plus a $30 per transaction fee, and tax. With this offer you’re effectively buying miles at just over 2 cents apiece, something I wouldn’t take advantage of. When US Airways offers to sell miles at a 50% discount or with a 100% bonus, they’re selling miles for just under 2 cents apiece and I’m sort of on the fence. However, if you need miles to top off towards an award, this is a good opportunity provided you have a friend to transfer miles from. As with all such offers, accounts need to…
Are Premium Security Lines Unfair to the Masses?
David Post thinks so (rather dramatically). I noticed, as I was waiting in line at the security checkpoint at the San Francisco airport waiting to board a flight back east, that there was a “Priority Line” for “uniformed crewmembers” and “First and Business Class customers.” Excuse me, but what the f*** is up with that? I have no problem with the idea that people with greater resources can purchases conveniences in the marketplace (like a First or Business Class ticket). But the airport security checkpoint is a government service manned by government employees. David, you really just noticed elite security lines? Jeanne makes some good points in favor of elite lines, and I’d like to expand on those. Of course, most people using those lines aren’t “the rich” but elite frequent flyers, since most passengers…
American Adding Extra Legroom ‘Main Cabin Extra’ Fleetwide
American Airlines has announced its plans to roll out an economy plus product fleet wide, They’re calling it Main Cabin Extra. They’re following United’s Economy Plus, and Delta which offers far fewer rows of Economy Comfort. And of course American used to have an extra legroom offering throughout the entire plan, it was called More Room Throughout Coach, and the original name of this blog in 2002 was even inspired by that. They didn’t find the product to be profitable, offered to everyone and it didn’t generate a competitive advantage, people still made their decisions on price rather than booking over to American in sufficient numbers or generating enough of a revenue premium to justify the product financially. United, when they rolled out economy plus, offered it complimentary to its own elites and to full…
50% Bonus on Amex Points Transferred to Starwood in March
As reported by The Points Guy and Lucky, American Express Membership Rewards points (US program) transfer with a 50% bonus to Starwood Preferred Guest through March 31. Normally 3 Amex points transfer to a single Starpoint. With this bonus the ratio is 2:1. That’s not necessarily a good deal. Membership Rewards points, by a wide margin, are best used (1) transferring to airline miles (2) during a bonus promotion (3) for low-level premium cabin award redemptions. Hotel redemption are generally not even close in terms of value. In most cases, even with this promotion, they’re still not. It takes 24,000 – 32,000 Amex points for a single night’s stay at one of the full service brand hotels in many major cities in the U.S. (“category 5”), for instance. Still, it’s a better deal than many…
Huffington Post on Getting Your First Credit Card
I spoke with Jillian Berman about getting her first credit card, and here’s the resulting Huffington Post article. We talked about most importantly paying off your credit card each month, and if you’re not going to then rewards aren’t the first consideration, interest rates and fees are. We also discussed credit card signup bonuses, which came up in the article in the form of not being afraid to apply for multiple cards, the additional salient point is that having more availability credit that you aren’t using is good for your score (shows how responsible you are with credit). If you spend $2000 in a month and have a $5000 limit (even if you pay off that $2000) you are using 40% of your available credit. If you spend that same amount and have $20,000 in…
Marriott Rewards Announces Hotel Reward Category Changes (Mostly Increases) for 2012
Loyalty Traveler reports that Marriott Rewards is making its annual adjustment to reward categories (which hotels cost how many points) — new rates go into effect March 15 — 100 hotels are going down a category and 526 are going up a category. Marriott is the chain whose economics I’m least familiar with, several years ago it was explained to me that hotels are compensated based on the number of redemptions made during the year — the more redemptions, the more they were paid per redemption. This was how Marriott incentivized hotels to make more rooms available as awards. I hadn’t paid much attention, and since that time Marriott has changed policies to more closely match its competitors and make award rooms available on points more or less whenever those rooms are available for cash.…
Free Instant Accor Hotels A|Club Platinum Status is Back
Here’s the link to open a new account at the Platinum level, it says the offer is valid through May 31 but my guess is they will close it earlier. The offer says it’s intended for Citi Premier Miles World Mastercard holders in the United Arab Emirates. However, as with past offers, this will likely work for anyone. Here’s how I described a similar offer back in October: Platinum status generally requires 60 nights (or 25,000 points earned) and comes with a 100% points bonus and then at Sofitel, Pullman, and MGallery hotels: room upgrades that the rules say you specifically have to ask for, 4pm late checkout, guaranteed availability, and a welcome drink and gift. I’ve always found it odd that A|Club elite status doesn’t get you recognition at Novotel properties, but still being Platinum which is their…
20% Off Virgin America
Via Jared Blank: Virgin America is offering a coupon for 20% off a flight Between April 11 and June 13. Here’s how you get the Virgin America promo code sent to you: 1) Go to this page 2) Fill out the short form 3) Get promo code in your email 4) Book your trip Offer is good until February 29 or until they’ve sent 35,000 codes.
