The Global Traveller offers his analysis of the changes in the Singapore Airlines Krisflyer award chart that I recently mentioned. He reiterates my point about the value in 50% mileage cost for one-way awards. That’s a big improvement. The reduction in the number of zones on the award chart means some awards become more expensive. The Delta chart has more zones, however, and generally higher prices for premium cabin awards. The nice benefit for Virgin awards is that multiple flights can be combined for a through ticket, Kiwi gives the example of North America to Africa which used to require two awards but can now be done as one. At the same time, however, award prices go up. Meanwhile, Air India awards don’t change. Thanks for the recap, Kiwi Flyer!
10% Bonus on Marriott Gift Cards
Through December 31, Marriott is offering a 10% bonus on gift cards with promo code MMF. They’ll add 10% to the amount you purchase. Now, this isn’t enough of a bonus to send me off on a spending spree. But for those who would consider Marriott gift cards anything, it’s worthwhile. It’s marketed to Marriott “associates, franchisees, owners and their friends and family” but will work for anyone.
100,000 Mile Signup Bonus for British Airways Visa, and it Gets Better From There
A couple weeks back I posted the amazing new British Airways Visa proposition – 1.25 miles per dollar but more importantly a free companion award redemption voucher for spending $30,000 on the card in a year. Well, it gets better. Much better. I don’t usually reply to press release/pitch emails that I get, but I just got in my email box. The signup bonus on the Chase co-branded British Airways Visa is going to be 100,000 miles: 50,000 BA Miles after first purchase, and 50,000 more miles after spending $2,000 on the card within three months. Wow. Spend 30,000 miles on the card and you’l go from zero to 137,500 BA miles and have a free companion redemption voucher good for a second person traveling in the same class of service. That’s just incredible. I…
100% Bonus on US Airways Purchased or Transferred Miles
Through the end of the year, US Airways is offering a 100% bonus on purchased or transferred miles up to 50,000 miles for each of the “buy, share, or gift” options. This is better than the offer from July/August which only included bonusing purchased miles. This time transfers are included. With this offer you can buy 40,000 miles for $1030, get 80,000 miles in return, and fly business class from the US to Europe. Or if you and a friend each have 40,000 miles, you transfer to each other for $430 apiece, and you now both have 80,000 miles — enough for a business class Star Alliance partner award to Europe. (Hat tip Ian.)
2500 Continental Miles for Opening a Sharebuilder Account
There’s no account minimum and you get 2500 miles after your first stock purchase by December 31.
Singapore Award Chart Changes, and Introduction of One-Way Awards on Partners
Singapore is introducing new partner award charts. Some mileage prices are going up, such as North America is being combined into a single zone rather than having West Coast separate from and at a lower price than East Coast. On the flipside, one-way awards are being introduced on most partners for 50% of the mileage price. So far there’s limited discussion at SQTalk and Flyertalk. Personally, I’m just waiting for Singapore to decide to open up premium class awards on their Boeing 77W long-haul aircraft…
US Government Begins to Scold (and Praise!) Presidential Coin Churners
Buying coins with credit cards and depositng those coins to pay of the credit card is a technique which many have used to earn hundreds of thousands of miles. The US government pays the credit card merchant fees on the charge, and covers the cost of shipping, and the consumer gets the rewards. It appears that some heavy coin churners are receiving a letter as follows: Dear Circulating $1 Coin Direct Ship Customer: The Circulating $1 Coin Direct Ship Program was developed to make $1 coins readily available to the American public at no additional cost. Indeed, the United States Mint is the only place to obtain Native American $1 Coins at this time. The intent of the program is to encourage use of the $1 coins in oridnary day-to-day cash transactions. Increased usage of…
Continental’s Entry into Star Alliance Makes United’s Award Blocking Even More Untenable
Today’s Washington Time “On the Fly” column offers kudos to Continental for their transition to Star Alliance — offering liberal award routing rules such as flying from the US to Australia via Asia and permitting both an open jaw and a stopover on an award (though not permitting US to Asia via the Atlantic, though there have been some rumblings that this may be permited, perhaps for additional miles, in the future). The major contrast drawn in the piece is to United. With Continental’s decision to make most Star partners available for award search online, it becomes much clearer when United is blocking award inventory — if United says a given flight is unavailable, isn’t being offered by the partner airline for an award, or doesn’t even exist, it may well be showing as bookable…
Cocktail Recipe: Pacific Sunrise
I was searching for the recipe for the Cathay Pacific cocktail, Pacific Sunrise, and finally found it! For those of you who have tried it, and those of you who haven’t, here it is: The winning cocktail – Pacific Sunrise – was created by Hau Wai Ma, Bar Captain at the famous Hong Kong Jockey Club. It is a decadent and tasty blend of Champagne and Drambuie, garnished with the zest of lemon and orange peel. … Pacific Sunrise ½ oz. Drambuie Champagne 4 pieces each of lemon and orange zest Pour the Drambuie in a champagne flute. Top up with champagne and garnish with the lemon and orange zest.
10% Off Air Canada Flights Between the US and Canada
Pay with an American Express card by November 25 for travel between November 1 and December 15, 2009 or from January 11 to February 10, 2010 on Air Canada flights from the U.S. to Canada and promo code 4CKJFR91 will generate a 10% discount.
