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.
United’s New Elite-Unfriendly Upgrade Priority Already in Effect?
The new Mileage Plus program doesn’t start until the beginning of March, I’ve ranted on this before, but the thing I like least about it (beyond taking economy plus-at-booking away from first-tier elites) is that upgrade priority now factors in how you’re paying for the upgrade even ahead of elite status. In other words, a general member burning miles they earned from their United Visa trumps a 1K. I’m expecting that to be the death knell for 1K complimentary upgrades on smaller planes during peak business travel times. But is the new algorithm already in effect? Here’s a battlefield report that makes me think that it is — a 1K and a non-status member are on the same reservation. They don’t clear in advance, though their upgrades had been supported by confirmed regionals. At the…
American Will Start Adding Fuel Surcharges to Iberia Awards Beginning March 1
JonNYC at TravelingBetter.com posted that effective March 1, American AAdvantage will begin adding (modest) fuel surcharges to awards booked on their oneworld partner Iberia. The YQ fuel surcharge amount is based on the market and varies from 7.50 Euros up to 30 Euros. Fuel surcharges are often $400+ so the amounts here aren’t bad, but it is a worry to see a US airline mileage program extending the practice of hitting members with fuel surcharges on ‘free’ frequent flyer award tickets. Two weeks ago I wrote an extensive explanation of fuel surcharges added to award tickets. Basically, programs outside of North America have charged them for awhile (though SAS EuroBonus actually stopped the practice a couple of years ago). Aeroplan was charging them only on Air Canada flights until a few months back, and now…
Mexicana Coming Back?
The Wall Steeet Journal is reporting that an investment group may acquire the assets of Mexicana, which ceased operations in August 2010, and bring the airline back to life. Apparently $300 million is what it’ll take to get the airline back in the skies, with an initial handful of planes and a target launch date of April (good luck with that…) and plans to have over 40 aircraft flying by the end of the year. This all strikes me as quite speculative at this point, there’s not yet agreement on a write down of previous debt and claims that the airline “has the pilots, flight attendants and ground staff ready to start working” strike me as implausible (not to mention that it could secure gates and slots in two months’ time). However the idea that…
