Hyatt’s new promo, which will run September 1 through November 30, is bonus points based on number of nights stayed. They’re offering 5000 bonus points after 5 nights and then 10,000 additional bonus points for each incremental 5 nights stayed during the promotion period — up to a maximum of 35 nights. And just like the Gold Passport winter promotion, Hyatt co-branded credit card holders receive an additional 20% bonus on points earned from this promotion. Registration won’t be available until August 15 and will close October 31. I generally like stay-based promotions rather than promos that award the number of nights stayed. But that’s because I tend to have shorter stays, so they benefit me most. Hyatt’s summer promotion rewarded short stays generously with bonus airline miles. So here I’m torn. The summer promo…
Using Hidden City and Throwaway Ticketing to Save Big Money on Airfare
Back in January I explained how to use hidden city and throwaway ticketing to save big money on airfare. Airlines often price tickets from one city to another through a hub cheaper than flights that terminate at the hub. Flying United New York to Milwaukee through Chicago is often much cheaper than just flying New York to Chicago. But if you get off the plane in Chicago and don’t board your connection to Milwaukee, you’ve potentially saved yourself a lot of money. This is called hidden city ticketing. Most people think they’ve purchased two flights, New York to Chicago and Chicago to Milwaukee. They only take one, but the airlines still got paid for both. The airlines don’t like it. And instead of seeing themselves as selling you a ticket from New York to Chicago…
Bits ‘n Pieces for August 1, 2012
Around and ’round we go:In January of last year I explained how Hyatt Stay Certificates can be used to get deep discounts on hotel stays. I once had to book 22 room nights at the Grand Hyatt New York, getting them for $165 a night all-in compared to $519+tax prepaid on the website. Loyalty Lobby offers a nice illustration of how this technique works. Here as well is last year’s primer on getting the best hotel deals. I previously blogged an offer of 500 miles for first use of Groundlink car service with promo code POINTSGL. Deals With Like came across an offer of 1000 miles which is, of course, better. Just use promo code POINTS with your first reservation and you’ll be sent a points.com code in a few weeks that you can redeem…
Instant Free Accor Hotels Top Tier Platinum Elite Status
Le club Accorhotels frequently offers their top tier elite status just for signing up with the program, they’ll market it to a specific group of potential customers but anyone using the offer winds up able to sign up and get the status. Here’s the latest signup link it could be around for a day, days, or weeks so if interested sign up soon. Even if you don’t frequently stay at Sofitel, Novotel, Pullman, Mercure, and other related properties frequently, you never know when you might find yourself in one and having top tier status can’t hurt. Platinum status usually requires 60 nights or 25,000 points earned. It offers double points and at Sofitel, Pullman and MGallery hotels a complimentary drink and welcome gift, and subject to availability and on request 4pm late checkout and an…
Calling American to Task: Why Randy Petersen and I Disagree on AwardWallet
In the section on questions for Randy Petersen in the August issue of Inside Flyer (subscription required), there’s a shout out to my award booking service. I’m flattered, and therefore should be gracious enough to simply say thank you. Instead, I read on and found the next question for Randy troublesome. A reader asked about why websites like TripIt are no longer allowed to access American AAdvantage account information. Randy replies, Of course they care, which is why they have begun to enforce a policy that has long been in their rules and conditions. Let’s back up a bit. American AAdvantage was not the first airline to put a stop to this sort of access–that distinction belongs to the Southwest Rapid Rewards program. And while it might seem that those Texas-based airlines are sticking together…
The Best Way to Bulk Up or Replenish Your Miles
The single most lucrative thing you can do to earn large amounts of miles, quickly and easily, is to sign up for credit cards that offer big up front bonuses. You can cancel the cards within a year if you wish, to avoid paying future annual fees. Just put enough spending on the card to earn the bonus, and then you can get more cards in the future. I like to sign up for new credit cards about every 90 days. And I like to pick one card from each credit issuer each time. I can also often get one of each personal and business card from each at that time. I’ve written about managing good credit to fly and stay cheaply all over the world. If you have good credit you can do this,…
Turkish Airlines and Other Options for Getting to the Maldives
Online Travel Review flags that Turkish Airlines will begin flying to the Maldives on November 24th. This is one of the toughest places in the world to get to on points. The new Turkish service is an 8.5 hour flight on an Airbus A330. Istanbul – Male, 8:25pm – 7:10am+1, Turkish Airlines TK730 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday Male – Istanbul, 9:00am – 2:30pm, Turkish Airlines TK731 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday service With Qatar leaving as a United mileage partner in mid-September, and with securing Qatar bookings becoming increasingly difficult using United miles, it’s nice to see this addition especially for the Star Alliance. The only other significant Star Alliance service to Male is Singapore Airlines via Singapore (though in a pinch one could fly Thai Airways via Bangkok to Colombo, Sri Lanka –…
Bits ‘n Pieces for July 30, 2012
Minor news and notes: Will Run for Miles shares how Chase gave her 5000 points to cancel a card. Point Me to the Plane notes that American has expanded their status match program, they’re now willing to offer Delta Diamond (125,000 mile flyers) top tier Executive Platinum status through February 2013, with an offer to requalify after 45,000 miles flown through the end of the year. American makes their status match decisions on a case-by-case basis, but Delta top tier elites can now consider a switch. Commenter Bob Law discovers a $20 Uber signup credit which is better than the $10 standard credit for being referred by an existing Uber on-demand car service member. This link will register you with promo code YELPSF for the $20 first-ride credit. Delta Points was the first place I…
Excellent Hunan Chinese in Northern Virginia
I’ve been known to go off in search of great dumplings and dim sum when I travel (even here in the States). And living in the DC area I’m blessed with some generally very good Asian foods. My favorite Thai in the area remains Elephant Jumps. You can’t go wrong with anything Vietnamese in the Eden Center. But most of the Chinese seems to taste the same, there are decent carryout places that fill a niche (I’m not sure what niche, exactly, but a niche) but very few Chinese places that reach the heights of the Thai and Vietnamese restaurants in the area. For good Sichuan there’s China Star. And when I lost power at the beginning of the month and stayed out at the Hyatt Fair Lakes I discovered some really good Hunan —…
$200 off at Travelocity Air+Hotel, No Minimum Spend
Reader D.B points me to a Canadian Poker forum that’s discussing a Travelocity promotion code which allows you to take $200 off of an air and hotel package of 3 nights or more, with no minimum spending, valid for travel through December 31. The value proposition here is that you can book a really cheap flight that you don’t bother taking, and have a discount on your hotel stay. Or you book a really really cheap hotel somewhere in the world, and get a nice air discount. The code is NFB2012 and it must be used by August 4th, although it will end earlier once it has been used 3500 times. You can find some particularly cheap hotels in Southeast and in Central Asia. When doing an do advance search. then click that you prefer…
