Steve Belkin (beaubo on Flyertalk) — one of the most creative and original thinkers about miles and points out there — sent me a note about his new service offering a real life “amazing race,” Competitours. Now, I’m not the first to write about it, it’s been widely covered (e.g. on Gadling). They offer a European trip where you compete against other teams in daily dasks towards a cash prize. Here’s how he describes it: Challenges will be held in a variety of must-see bustling big cities, under-the-radar cool spots and off-the-grid rural villages. The challenges will absorb teams in the diverse and fascinating cultures, peoples and places of four surprise European countries. There are no auditions, extreme stunts or need for physical fitness or speed. Mastering the challenges is based on teams being savvy,…
Frontier Finally Posts Missing 1000 Signup Bonus Miles (after Manually Posting it for Many)
One of the more contentious posts I’ve made recently was on a Frontier offer of 1500 miles for signing up for their frequent flyer program. The offer expired December 31. While 1500 miles were on offer, only 500 posted. And many folks were banging their heads against the wall to get the missing 1000 points. No one at Frontier seemed to have good information. Those that followed up, after much back-and-forth, would up getting the additional 1000 miles posted. The thread generated 40 comments. We’re not patient folks, are we? I followed up, got my promised missing 1000 miles, and thought that was that. Except I checked all my frequent flyer accounts this morning (via single click using Award Wallet) and noticed that another 1000 points posted to my Frontier account! Posting this could well…
Don’t Just Read Me, Listen to Me Also!
The new Upgrd podcast is live and this week I join them as a guest, talking about award redemption and also the status of Japan Airlines (which subsequent to recording wound up sticking with oneworld and American — pretty much our prediction). I’m recording with them again tomorrow evening, so the award booking theme is going to be a recurring one.
Stupid Government Tricks: Foreign Visitors Edition
Kiwi Flyer reports on the Alice in Wonderland world of ESTA, the US government’s “Electronic System for Travel Authorization.” Despite the initial promises of saving travellers time by replacing the green I94-W visa waiver entry form, for most the ESTA application is needed as well as an I94-W form. …I was on one of the trial flights the other day. …I received a card “I-94W is going paperless” which explains to any check in or gate agent who expects to find a green stub from the I-94W that I legitimately don’t have one. Hopefully it will be paperless for everyone soon. When ESTA was introduced, the legislation provided for future introduction of a fee for cost recovery. So far, ESTA is still free (unless you go to one of the many fake sites to register).…
Hilton Deflects Criticism of their Devaluation: Fair or Not?
Nicholas Kralev covered the Priority Club Luckiest Loser campaign this week. In the promo, Priority Club — which naturaly has had its own devaluations — calls out Hilton for the magnitude of theirs. And as I’ve noted before, it’s an especially deep devaluation at a time when hotel occupancy and room rates are suffering in unprecedented ways making the chnages uniquely egregious and difficult to justify. Kralev quotes Steve Sickel, who’s in charge of the Priority Club program: “In my 17 years in the loyalty business — first at Continental Airlines and now at InterContinental — I’ve never seen such a drastic devaluation,” Hilton downplays the changes: Hilton also sent me some numbers that surprised me. Of nearly 3,500 hotels around the world, only 354 were assigned a higher category in January, and 547 actually…
Which Visa or Mastercard Should You Carry?
Most of the very best rewards cards are American Express products. Take just a few examples: The Starwood American Express is outstanding, with a good hotel rewards program and lots of mileage transfer partners, not to mention the 5000 mile bonus for each 20,000 miles redeemed for. The more general American Express cards with Membership Rewards are incredibly flexible, they have fewer transfer partners than Starwood but in many cases points post instantly (e.g. to Air Canada Aerolan and Continental Onepass). The Hilton Surpass American Express offers Diamond elite status after just $40,000 in spend. Unsurprising that the most rewarding cards are frequently from Amex, since merchants pay higher fees and as a result there’s more money availablef or American Express to spend on awards. One of the more frequent questoins that I get is,…
Easiest Ways to Earn and Keep Star Alliance Gold Status, and the Hidden Award Values These Strategies Offer
Most travelers participate heavily in the frequent flyer program attached to the airline they fly the most, and that’s it. And for the most part that makes sense. First, because you want to earn enough miles for an award ticket before spreading yourself thin elsewhere. Second, because it’s the easiest thing to understand. And third, because if you’re flying enough to earn elite status the benefits of that status (upgrades!) are usually strongest with the airline connect to that program. But not everyone flies enough to earn status on their home program. Sometimes other partner programs with lower qualification thresholds would allow someone to earn status, when they wouldn’t crediting miles to the program of the airline they fly. [In one example, say you’re based in Los Angeles and fly both American and Delta a…
Would You Get Divorced and Remarried For a Good Suite??
Carrier.co.uk has a honeymoon offer at the Intercontinental Hong Kong of a complimentary upgrade to a Superior Suite on regular room booking.
Frustrations with United One-Way Awards and Other United Foibles
United one-way awards are bookable on-line only, not by phone. You can’t hold awards at united.com. Hence, you cannot put one-way awards on hold. If you don’t have enough miles in your account, you can buy miles. But mileage purchases can take up to 48 hours to post. (Why can other airlines do this instantly??) Normally not a big deal. While you normally need miles in your account with United to put an award on hold, you can put a United-only award on hold pending posting of purchased miles. (The requirement for miles in your account to hold an award is not one imposed by American and US Airways. And Continental only lets you put awards on hold when you don’t have enough miles in your account.) But since you cannot put a one-way award on hold, and you…
Worst Airline Ad Ever!
Via the Flying Pinto.
