The current round of bonuses for purchasing US Airways miles was supposed to run through November 30th only. Of course I pretty much anticipated that once the bonus ended, there would be another one. Although sometimes it’s a smaller bonus, or targeted only to people that had purchased in the past. But most of the time US Airways does offer some sort of bonus. This time what they’ve done is extend the November 30-expiring bonus through December 7. It’s over 1.8 cents a mile to buy miles even with the 100% bonus, my personal approach is that I would certainly buy miles to top off an account or to make an immediate award booking (put a reservation on hold then buy the miles) but I wouldn’t buy miles speculatively just to stock up for future…
Hilton Quietly Increases Qualification Requirements for Elite Status
Hilton HHonors has just updated its terms and conditions with new requirements to qualify for elite status in 2013. The nights you’ve spent in 2012 will still get you 2013 status, this change isn’t retroactive. Rather, this changes the number of stays and/or nights you need in 2013 to earn status for the remainder of 2013 and 2014. There are no changes to the qualification requirements for Silver. Gold goes from 16 stays, 36 nights, or 60,000 base points to 20 stays, 40 nights, or 75,000 base points. Each qualification method increases. Diamond goes from 28 stays, 60 nights, or 100,000 base point to 30 stays, 60 nights, or 120,000 base points. Stays and base points increase, albeit less dramatically in percentage terms than they do for Gold, and the number of nights required doesn’t…
A Happy Wedding Day, Courtesy of a Points Redemption..
I’m not usually a fan of spending miles for things like wine glasses and walkie talkies. But this story about two grandparents who met at a grocery store saving up their grocery points for a wedding just seemed sweet. Strictly speaking they just used their points to feed their 140 wedding guests, and not to pay for the venue or other accoutrements. And I’d have preferred using points for a honeymoon. But I still wish the happy couple all of the best, and congratulate them on their redemption of Sainsbury’s points! (HT: sobore on Milepoint)
Double the Value of Your Club Carlson Points with New Club Carlson Credit Cards
Mommy Points writes about the just-released Club Carlson credit cards. They’re issued by US Bank, which is great because it’s another card option not from Chase or American Express (or Citibank). There are of course only but so many cards that most folks can get from Chase/Citi/Amex. My impression on first read-through was that there was a decent though not stellar signup bonus, decent though not stellar points earned, and that the card might be one I’d get for the bonus at some point but no much else. And then I read through the terms and conditions more closely and realized one killer app benefit. Which I’ll get to in a moment. There are (3) different cards that have been introduced. Club Carlson Premier Rewards Visa Signature 5 Club Carlson points per dollar on most…
Suites, Treats, and Eats, a Malaysian Mileage Thanksgiving: The Wing lounge in Hong Kong and Cathay Pacific Business Class Hong Kong – Kuala Lumpur
Introduction: Constructing — and Re-constructing — the Award Trip American Eagle DC – New York and the New Nicest JFK Airport Hotel, the Hilton Cathay Pacific First Class, JFK – Hong Kong The Wing lounge in Hong Kong and Cathay Pacific Business Class Hong Kong – Kuala Lumpur Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Airlines Business Class, Kuala Lumpur – Langkawi The Andaman Langkawi Malaysia Airlines Business Class, Langkawi – Kuala Lumpur Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur Things to See and Do in Kuala Lumpur Korean Airlines First Class, Kuala Lumpur – Seoul and the Korean Airlines First Class Lounge Seoul Korean Airlines First Class, Seoul – Washington Dulles Hong Kong’s airport is almost always a long walk on arrival. You come in on the lower level and either proceed to immigration or to transfer security. Shoes don’t…
MegaDO Makes the Paper of Record
The New York Times covers Star MegaDO 4: All of them had signed up for a MegaDo, a retreat organized by and for travel fanatics who scour Web sites like Milepoint, particularly frequent fliers for whom it is a hobby to accrue miles and learn every last detail about their preferred airline. The first MegaDo was in 2009. This one, Star Alliance MegaDo 4, had a European leg that wasn’t on a Dreamliner and a domestic leg, and sold out in two minutes. Tickets for the United States portion were $999 to $1,999 and included meals and behind-the-scenes talks and tours with airline and hotel executives. All the proceeds go to charity. Those who did manage to score a Star Alliance MegaDo 4 ticket would ultimately fly on a Dreamliner, party in an airplane hangar,…
Suites, Treats, and Eats, a Malaysian Mileage Thanksgiving: Cathay Pacific First Class, JFK – Hong Kong
Introduction: Constructing — and Re-constructing — the Award Trip American Eagle DC – New York and the New Nicest JFK Airport Hotel, the Hilton Cathay Pacific First Class, JFK – Hong Kong The Wing lounge in Hong Kong and Cathay Pacific Business Class Hong Kong – Kuala Lumpur Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Airlines Business Class, Kuala Lumpur – Langkawi The Andaman Langkawi Malaysia Airlines Business Class, Langkawi – Kuala Lumpur Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur Things to See and Do in Kuala Lumpur Korean Airlines First Class, Kuala Lumpur – Seoul and the Korean Airlines First Class Lounge Seoul Korean Airlines First Class, Seoul – Washington Dulles The Hilton’s bus dropped of on the lower level of terminal 7, so we went inside and up to ticketing and check-in. The primary occupant of terminal 7 is…
Two Recent Reader Emails that Touched Me
Columnist Christopher Elliott has been trashing miles and points, and also business travelers. As he describes it on twitter, @garyleff just a quiet morning back home, comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable. Tell that to reader Cheryl W. who emails, I have been an avid reader of your blog for about a year and I was fanagaling (yiddish) frequent flier points to work to my advantage before I read your blog. I wanted to thank you for continuously writing about frequent fliers. I was shocked and amused to read about what Christopher Elliott was writing. Though I am aware your blog is targeted to business travelers, as a person with a low income I have put your informative blog to better personal use. I am a teacher and my husband is currently unemployed. We…
Hertz Weekend Rentals for Under $5+tax Per Day Through End of Year
Here’s how it works: Hertz has weekend rates from $14.95 (plus taxes) per day. These rates seem to work in combination with at least some CDP numbers (discount codes) such as AAA rates. This step won’t save very much for most if booking a $15 rate, so can be skippable. Coupon code 176396 takes off $10 per day (up to $40 per rental). This coupon is valid through December 31. (HT: Calvin) Hertz has discount codes (“CDP”) which can sometimes be combined with coupons (“PC”). This doesn’t have to be used with a cheap weekend rate to be useful. The key points here are that there’s a $10 off per day coupon code which works through end of year and which seems to also work in conjunction with discount (CDP) codes.
TV Coverage for the Star MegaDO
Television’s The List covers the recent Star MegaDO frequent flyer trip in a two-minute segment:
