About 10 days back I wrote a post about travel providers being less than generous in offering members the ability to redeem miles for donations, and in awarding members with bonus miles for making their own donations. As I noted in the post at the time, I contacted American about the bonus miles they were awarding for donations to the Red Cross, and didn’t hear anything back. So I went on to explain how charities do buy miles as part of their donor acquisition strategy. But in fact airlines also partner with charities as part of their usual corporate giving. And according to this Nicholas Kralev column in today’s Washington Times, that’s the case with the Red Cross and bonus miles offered to members who donate for Haitian relief. Good on American! I wish they…
Safeway GroceryMiles Program Ending February 28
There’s this Flyertalk thread, and others. After February 28 it will no longer be possible to earn miles by shopping at Safeway or their other brands of grocery stores. Their United, Continental, American, and Alaska Airlines program all conclude at the same time. Miles were really my only interest in Safeway, there are much better and more convenient grocery store choices for me in my area. Now I no longer have the hard choice to make, they’ve made it for me…
Another Free 100 Continental Miles Offer
This time it’s 100 miles for learning about their cruise offers. Register by February 28 for promo code A8197 with your Continental Onepass number for the 100 miles. (Via Free Frequent Flyer Miles.)
50% Bonus on Delta Mileage Transfers
Delta is offering a 50% bonus on transfers of mileage from one account to another by January 31. The most miles you can transfer at a time is 30,000 and the cost is 1 penny per mile plus $30. You can thus ‘buy’ 15,000 bonus miles for $330. Not worth it to me, I won’t ever do this for a bonus of less than 100% (which they’ve offered in the past) just for the sake of accumulating miles. On the other hand, if you’re short miles for an award and you have a friend or spouse with some orphan miles this is one way to top off towards a specific redemption.
Up to 40% Bonus on American Express Transfers to Delta
Through February 28, Delta is offering a bonus on transfers from American Express Membership Rewards as follows: Transfer Points Mileage Bonus Total Miles 1,000 to 49,000 10% 1,100 to 53,900 50,000 to 149,000 20% 60,000 to 178,800 150,000+ 40% 210,000+ The bonus miles won’t post instantly the way that the initial transfer will, the terms and conditions say “Bonus miles will be posted two (2) weeks from the transfer receipt by Delta” although it’s possible the bonus miles will post more quickly than that. Registration is required to earn the bonus. Now, I’m not a fan of Skymiles in general. I would not be willing to give up the flexibility of Membership Rewards for a 10%, 20%, or 40% bonus just to park miles in Skymiles for the future (besides, transfer bonuses to Delta are…
Why I Collect Miles and Points
Another CNN.com piece interviews me, along with frequent flier (and commenter to this blog) Gene Gibbs. They quote what for me is my bottom-line in pursuing this mileage obsession: I can experience travel in a way that my income wouldn’t otherwise support. The airlines and hotels offer aspirational awards such that I can see the world in a way that I wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to. I love to try the different airline products, the different seats, the different meals and the different lounges. The Lufthansa first-class terminal in Frankfurt is very special, ANA probably has the best food in the sky with its first class, Emirates have installed showers. We all have our own reasons. There are some aviation junkies, I admit my interest in planes reduces to the amenities inside and not…
Lifetime Airline Elite Status Levels
The Global Traveller summarizes the million-miler programs of various airlines. So if you’re wondering what a million (or two or three) flown miles will get you with your favorite program, or whether your program requires a certain number of years at top tier, check out this comprehensive list of airline lifetime elite status. And a special props to American, which lets you earn lifetime elite status with miles generated from any source, 1 million miles for lifetime Gold and 2 million for lifetime platinum. I have certainly less than 50,000 flown miles lifetime on American but am nearing lifetime Platinum. Here’s just hoping they don’t change the rules before I earn my last couple hundred thousand miles sometime n the next year. And I do say comprehensive. While I’m curious if any programs are left off…
Magazine Artilcle on Flyertalk Exploits
The February issue of Conde Nast Traveler as a has a long-ish piece on Flyertalk, the Star Alliance MegaDO, Pudding Guy, cockroaches, Continental DOs, and more. (here’s a .pdf, scanned by a Flyertalker). The article contains ten tips for accumulatng miles, which it attributes to me. Close enough, and boiled down to bullet points for a magazine sidebar, though I think one of the tips may not have come from me… Hah! I specifically laud Air Canada Aeroplan and Continental Onepass, and take United to task for Starnet blocking, and Delta to task for difficulty in redeeming international premium class awards. Take that, United and Delta! I’ll continue screaming from the roof tops until you clean up your act!
Rich Enough Not to Waste Time… Customizing My Coffee
The Wall Street Jouirnal ran a piece on the little luxuries and personalizations that travel providers offer to their really frequent customers. Now, I’m not necessarily one of the very best customers that any given travel provider may have. I’m a good customer of some specific hotels, staying a few times a year, year-in and year-out. But that’s it. So most places don’t have the personalized memory of my preferences. But I do truly appreciate the refined service that comes from a hotel where I’m staying a few days remembering how I take my morning coffee after the very first time I order it. And remembering where I chose to sit, and ensuring the same spot is available for me at the same time throughtout my stay. And Avis knows, “No Town Cars.” I’ll take…
Security vs Checked Baggage Fees: Which Is Your Bigger Frustration?
I spoke with CNN the other day about this piece on air travel frustrations. It was prompted by recent increases in checked baggage fees, but I told the reporter I couldn’t really speak to my personal experiences with those in so far as I usually don’t pay them as an elite traveler (or an upgraded one). So I laid out what I find to be the major inconveniences, and that’s primarily the farce that’s airport security. Gary Leff, another frequent flier who lives in Arlington, Virginia, called this part of the security process the “shoe carnival.” For him, the vast amounts of time spent waiting are the biggest hassle of flying. …”It takes more time and so you have to leave earlier and earlier to go to the airport. Most of the time you just…
