I offer my take on the British Airways award chart changes over at Conde Nast Travel this afternoon: The Good, the Bad, and the Funny. Trying very much to be fair, I do note the increased value of short-haul awards, and in Europe where those can be had without the onerous fees of the past if you’ve earned any miles in your account in the preceding 12 months. The short format doesn’t allow for extensive analysis such as my treatment earlier this morning, but it does reach a different and somewhat broader audience, so hopefully a useful addition to the conversation.
Using Credit Card Offers to Construct a Free Dream Trip Quickly
Important Links:Chase Sapphire Preferred card Chase Ink Bold Charge CardAmerican Airlines Citibank cardsUsing American Express gift cards to meet credit card minimum spending requirements A Few Credit Card Signups Can Fund Your Next Vacation: Planning ahead and paying attention to miles is great, accumulating large balances strategically and having a big stash when it comes time to redeem, in multiple programs even, that means you have a choice of airlines to redeem tickets with and you increase your chances of getting the award you want when you want it exponentially. But not everyone plays the game this way. Not everyone spends time in frequent flyer communities (I spend much time on Milepoint these days). Now, most people don’t take advantage of the deals that loyalty programs offer. They just assume those programs can’t provide much…
US Airways Lounge Membership Sale
Via Ben US Airways is offering a short-term sale on club memberships through November 18. Through November 18, US Airways is offering a discount on membership in their US Airways Club. Those that use promotion code CLB30 will get the $50 initiation fee waived, plus bring down the cost of an annual membership to only $325. Furthermore, if you use that promotion code you’ll earn 3,000 elite qualifying miles. The annual membership fee is usually $450 ($375 for Silver/Gold/Platinum members and $325 for Chairmans Preferred members), so this is a substantial discount. Keep in mind that US Airways participates in Priority Pass and American Express Platinum, though the key benefit here is that this will get you into the United Club as well. United charges anywhere from $375 to $475 for a United Club membership, so…
British Airways Guts Their Award Chart and Implements Changes Without Any Advance Notice
The new membership cards are pretty good looking. They’ve increased elite status tier points earning on long haul flights, plus allowing Concord Room cardholders who earn 5000 tier points in a year to bring in a guest to the Concorde Room at JFK and Heathrow. “Rolleyes” – the Concorde room isn’t that special. And the Avios.com website is live. Award pricing is now distance-based, and shorter awards are less expensive. We’ve known that. It’s why New York – London in business class goes down from 100,000 miles roundtrip to 80,000 miles (20% decrease). Longer awards are more expensive. San Francisco – Hong Kong in first class is now 210,000 miles roundtrip, up from 150,000 (40% increase). New York – Bali in first class is now 260,000 miles, up from 150,000 (73% increase). The famous North…
FTD is Offering 30 United Miles Per Dollar PLUS 150 Miles Per Order
Via Lufthansa Flyer, FTD is offering 30 United miles per dollar plus a flat 150 miles per order. A $50 order of flowers (before shipping and other fees) for instance generates 1650 miles.
Korean Airlines Cancels ‘Mistake Fare’ 2 Months After Purchase
I’m addition to my usual writings here, I’ve been blogging occasionally for Conde Nast Traveler‘s The Daily Traveler. This morning I shared some thoughts on airline and hotel mistake fares, prompted by one that’s been handled especially badly by Korean Airlines. I’m more sympathetic than most when it comes to airlines and mistake fares, I buy them so that I’m in on the action if they decide to honor but I’m no worse off usually if they don’t. If airlines are giving away $28 tickets to Paris or $33 business class fares to Italy and Cyprus, I’d hate to think I wasn’t part of it, but I’m always pleasantly surprised rather than expecting or entitled. But I’m not at all pleased by Korean Airlines’ recent decision not to honor an almost $500 fare to Palau…
$20 Gift Card for $200 in Online Spend with a Mastercard by the End of the Year
Via Million Mile Secrets, Mastercard will give you a $20 gift card when you register and are then one of the first 80,000 people to spend $200 online by December 31. One week after completing your $200 in online spend you should receive an email form to complete and submit to receive your $20 gift card. Open to U.S. Residents Only. Having just closed my Continental Onepass Plus card, my only current Mastercard is my Diners Club. My most recent Citi AAdvantage signup was, sadly, a Visa. So I’ll only be grabbing one of these gift cards.
The Other Shoe Drops from Aeroplan: Adding Fuel Surcharges to Most Partner Airline Redemptions
Last week — without notice — Aeroplan began adding fuel surcharges onto award redemptions with several partner airlines. The next day they adjusted to only adding fuel surcharges onto Lufthansa reward flights. And now they’ve changed their mind again, and are going to be imposing fuel surcharges on most Star Alliance partner airline awards. With the increasing cost of fuel, many airlines have started charging fuel surcharges on redemption tickets. All fuel surcharge amounts are applied by Aeroplan on behalf of the ticketing carrier and are passed through directly to the ticketing carrier. Fuel surcharge amounts are determined by each airline and may change from time to time. Aeroplan has applied fuel surcharges for flight rewards on Air Canada since 2004. The fuel surcharge amounts to be applied by Aeroplan for flights on Star Alliance…
American AAdvantage Lifetime Elite Status Program Changing Soon
American Airlines changes the way that they count miles towards lifetime elite status on December 1. Currently, miles earned from any source count. Starting December 1, only miles earned via flying count (and for at least the next year, those folks who get the expensive Citi Executive Mastercard with bundled lounge access before December 1 will have spend from that card count as well). I expect to end November at 2,998,000 lifetime American AAdvantage miles. Which means that I will cross the 3 million mile threshold on the Oneworld MegaDO, which is neat in and of itself. And the advantage of not crossing 3 million miles until January is that the 4 international confirmed upgrades that I’ll earn will expire in February 2014, instead of February 2013 if I earn them before the end of…
43% Bonus on Transfers from American Express Membership Rewards to Delta
Via Ben, American Express is offering a bonus on transferring points over to Delta through the end of the year. Registration is required, for every 50,000 points transferred you will receive a code later to apply to your Membership Rewards account to rebate 15,000 points. (No limit.) Strictly speaking then, the offer is for a 30% rebate. Which means that you have to have available (or be able to borrow, or purchase) all of the points needed for the award you want to book through Delta Skymiles. A 30% rebate is mathematically equivalent to a 43% bonus. Under this offer a net cost of 35,000 Amex points generates 50,000 Delta miles. A net cost of 70,000 Amex points generates 100,000 Delta miles, which is enough for a business class ticket on Europe and in my…
