ABCNews.com ran a piece on why there are no North American or European airlines amongst the Skytrax top 10 in quality. Skytrax acknowledges progress in US and European ‘hard product’ such as seats and entertainment. Indeed, United’s new business class seats (installed fleet-wide on 767 and 747 aircraft and just beginning to roll out on their 777s) are very good. And British Airways has set a world standard for business class seats for many years. Air Canada has some outstanding seats, similar to the Air New Zealand (which makes the list) and Virgin (which does not) offerings. The new Swiss business class looks pretty great, though I haven’t tried it. Of course, American’s business seats and Air France’s are in my opinion quite awful and neither has a solid plan for replacement. But the piece…
US Airways 50% Bonus on Hotel, Rental Car Earning and Points Transfers
Through July 31, US Airways is offering a 50% bonus on rental car and hotel mileage earning, and points transferred into Dividend Miles from hotel points programs. Registration is required, and bonus miles are scheduled to post weekly. They ran this promo last summer as well. As I pointed out at the time, a transfer of 65,000 Starwood points would yield 120,000 US Airways miles — enough for a first class award from the US to Hong Kong (grab some of those sweet Chicago – Tokyo All Nippon first class award seats that are available in February..).
Lucky and I Discuss the Value of Miles
The June issue of Inside Flyer runs a cover story on the value of miles, how to think about when to use them, and what value to expect back in return for those redemptions. The piece includes a sidebar Q&A with me and with Lucky. We agree on most points. Delta Skypesos are the least valuable major mileage currency in North America. United’s Starnet blocking is a huge detriment to the value of their mileage. International premium cabin awards are the best use of miles, though they aren’t ‘worth’ for most people the sticker price that airlines charge for paid versions of the same itineraries.. We both like Aeroplan. Our disagreements? Lucky thinks miles have gotten less valuable because of award chart inflation (a fair point) while I think that on the whole they’ve gotten…
35,000 American Airlines Miles for New Credit Card Signup
Another Frugal Travel Guy pointer, American is offering 35,000 miles after $750 in purchases within 4 months of cardmembership for your choice of Citibank co-branded Mastercard, Visa, or American Express. The especially nice thing here, indeed, is that you can get the bonus for signing up for one of each card — that’s 105,000 miles for three credit card signups. This specific offer doesn’t come with an annual fee waiver, so the card costs $85. Please let me know if you come across this same offer with a fee waiver, that would be ideal. The previous best offer — which some will prefer because a first year fee waiver is available — is 30,000 miles after $750 in purchases and 5000 more bonus miles after $5000 in purchases within 12 months. Update: Thanks to a…
United Visa 50,000 Mile Signup Bonus is Back
Via Frugal Travel Guy, here’s a link for an online offer of 50,000 bonus United miles (presumably after $250 in spending on the card within three months) and first year fee waived for the United Visa. Outstanding offer, I’ve never seen a better one. This was recently available as a phone-in opportunity, but that was pulled. This link is likely intended to be targeted to folks who received a specific mailing. But it should still work for anyone. If by some change you don’t automatically receive your bonus, be sure to have printed each page along the way or saved them as .pdf files to show the offer you signed up for. That said, I wouldn’t anticipate that there will be any difficulties. Most folks are able to get the signup bonus for each specific…
The Alaska Airlines Amazing Pancake Machine
Flyertalk member 1Ksuperstar reports on a miracle of modern domestic lounge innovation: the Alaska Airlines Amazing Pancake Machine. It’s self-serve, push button pancake technology, 1Ksuperstar’s photo: This has to be topped only by the Amazing Beer Machine in the Tokyo United Red Carpet Club: It’s truly the little things. And when you’re used to domestic lounges in the US, the littlest things really do impress. After all, no Lufthansa beer gardens here in the States!
For My Aussie Readers… Get Your Qantas Frequent Flyer Joining Fee Waived
Folks in the rest of the world are often shocked to learn that Qantas actually charges Australians to join its frequent flyer program. Now, the easiest way around this is to use an address elsewhere, I joined Qantas Frequent Flyer for free here in the U.S. Or credit your miles to American if you can (e.g. if most of your miles are from flying, and if you aren’t going to fly enough where upgrades are an issue), American has a more generous premium class long-haul award chart for sure. But this Flyertalk thread points out that you can save the AUD$85 joining fee by signing up through Woolworths Everyday Rewards.
Map of Dangerous Areas of Bangkok
Most of the media attention on the current situation in Bangkok doesn’t really differentiate between areas of conflict and the rest of the city (or country, for that matter). Via Bangkok Pundit, Richard Barrow has been frequently updating a Google Map that shows where violence is taking place in Bangkok. Areas to avoid in Bangkok this weekend: Sala Daeng/Silom area, Lumpini Boxing Stadium/Bon Kai area and Ratchaprarop to Din Daeng area including Victory Monument. Would I head to Bangkok now, all things equal? Probably not, though I have no concerns transiting Bangkok at this point. And if I had an overnight and didn’t want to stay at the airport I’d probably head down to the river via the Chonburi expressway, though I might take a less direct route depending on the hotel I was staying…
Air India’s Entry Into Star Alliance Delayed Until March 2011
On the heels of Brazilian carrier TAM joining Star Alliance, comes news that Air India’s entry is delayed again. The invitation for Air India to join Star was made in late 2007, and their new timeline for getting their act together and meeting all requirements is now March, 2011. So it will have taken them more than 3 years. The biggest remaining hurdle, apparently, is that they have to integrate the IT systems of their two separate carriers (Air India and Indian Airlines). Meanwhile, Star must be getting impatient as Air India acknowledges that Star is having conversations with Jet Airways as well. ‘India is a growing market. So it can have more than one member. The market is bound to grow. But we have made it clear to Star Alliance that Jet Airways should…
Lunch At The Fat Duck Restaurant
(…The Fat Duck Review: a continuation of my trip report “Cathay & British Airways First Class, Philippines and Macau, a Presidential Suite, and the Fat Duck Restaurant”) When planning my American Airlines Oneworld award, I decided to pop through London on the way back to the US. It meant that I’d be able to try British Airways First Class (I’ve flown ClubWorld only in the past) and I’d be able to eat at the Fat Duck Restaurant. Ever since my meal at El Bulli in 2008, I’ve wanted to try the Fat Duck. At the time of the meal, only Heston Blumenthal and his three Michelin stars had bested El Bulli in the San Pellegrino/Restaurant Magazine ratings over the previous 5 years. Now, in fairness I’ll be the first to quibble with those rankings. In…
