Via Frugal Travel Guy, Avis is offering bonus Delta miles at airport locations through December 31, as follows: Rent for 3 days and receive 2,500 bonus SkyMiles. Use coupon number MUAA132. Rent for 4 days or more and receive 5,000 bonus SkyMiles. Use coupon number MUAA133. It appears that these coupon codes will generate the promised bonus miles, and that they are compatible with whatever standard discount (“AWD”) codes one normally uses, though I can imagine that some discounts you’d find online could in practice void the bonus is those codes normally exclude mileage earning. That’s important, because the offer does also include a ‘discount code’ that promises 25% off rates, though in my experience these codes don’t usually deliver as promised, and sometimes yield rates that are more expensive that what I normally find…
United Matches American, Offers Double Elite Qualifying Miles Through June 15
United’s offer naturally requires registration. Register prior to completing travel. The offer applies to tickets booked from the start of the registration period only, so tickets purchased between now and June 15 for travel during that same period will count.
Waived Underage Driver Fees from Hertz
Hertz is offering Free #1 Gold status (their entry-level status which is frequently available fee-waived) and through this particular promotion, using CDP number 1826991, age fees for renters 21 to 24 years old are waived.
Resort Fee Run Amok
Resort fees are one of my pet peeves, they are part of the room rate that hotels don’t disclose in advance. This is especially annoying on Priceline where resort fees that may apply aren’t included because you don’t know what hotel you’re getting in advance and thus can’t choose to pick a hotel without a fee. Once you’re prepaid you learn about the fee and your booking is nonrefundable, so you’re stuck paying hte resort fee or forfeiting your prepaid reservation. The only solution is to be savvy, know where a resort fee could apply, and choose to avoid Priceline if the resort fee makes a difference. Some hotels at least try to keep up the pretense that the fee ‘buys you something’ such as parking or free internet or ‘use of the pool’. But…
Up to 50% Off on Starwood Reservations Prepaid by March 23
Starwood is offering up to 50% off prepaid bookings made by March 23 for stays through September 7. Details will vary by hotel. Some have a maximum four night stay, others especially resorts a maximum seven night stay. Not all hotels participate, and various restrictions apply at those who do, such as only Thursday – Saturday arrivals at some predominantly business hotels. Moreover, the rate under this offer will not always be the best possible rate — definitely best to price out hotels on their own and then under this offer and compare. Still it will represent a good savings at many properties when eligible.
Double Elite Qualifying Miles on American Through June 15
American is offering double elite qualifying miles through June 15. Registration is required. The offer only applies to tickets both purchased and flown between March 18 and June 15, and only on American flights — no codeshare or partner flights count. Registration prior to the end of the promo period will cause all qualifying travel during the promo period to generate the double elite qualifying miles. Update: The link stopped working after I originally posted it. New link, fixed above. Meanwhile the terms and conditions of the offer now require registration prior to travel, rather than prior to the end of the promo period. So that’s a minor change since yesterday.
15% JetBlue Discount
JetBlue is offering 15% off flights booked by March 24 for travel between May 4 and June 17, 2009 (excluding May 21-25) by using promo code AMEX15 at JetBlue’s promo flight booking website.
The Difference Between United’s International Call Centers
Cranky Flier learns the importance of United’s call center geography. I’ve had countless problematic interactions with some Indian agent conveniently named “Mark” or “Mr Smith” or anything else generically American in the past, and I’ve rarely left the call feeling satisfied. In fact, I consider it a victory if I find an agent that I can actually understand, so when I had to call the reservations line this week, I braced for the worst. The agent that answered the phone had a slight accent and tone that led me to believe he was Filipino. First victory: I could understand him. I told him my situation, and he surprisingly didn’t have to ask for clarification. He pulled up my reservation, said that the $25 phone reservations fee didn’t apply, and quickly took care of it for…
Priority Club Friends and Family Rate for Everyone
Randy Petersen points to the Priority Club Friends and Family discount, which anyone can use. And the discount seems to be pretty good. Reservations are pre-paid and must be made by the end of May, but stays can be for up to a year from date of reservation. Points aren’t supposed to be earned on the rate, but sometimes are. Each hotel determines their own availability and how deeply to discount, some properties take as much as 40% off. Frugal Travel Guy has pointed to the offer before and there’s a Flyertalk thread on the issue. But personally I’d use the link Randy points to, because I want to be Steve Sickel’s friend. I’ve corresponded with him in the past, and he’s struck me as a pretty good guy, and I mentally thank him every…
The End of the Northwest Visa, and Some Basics on Proprietary Bank Points-Based Rewards Programs
With the Northwest/Delta merger (Delta acquisition of Northwest), the surviving credit card partner is American Express. The US Bank-issued Visa will be going away later in the year. American Express, with its higher interchange fees, is likley in a position to be offering more for miles, and American Express has played an integral role in the financial viability of Delta over time — prepurchasing as much as a half a billion dollars worth of miles at a time and extending a $100 million line of credit. Naturally this is a blow to US Bank, as their Northwest partnership is big business for them. Word is that they are going to try to keep customers in a new proprietary points program, offering their own points where 20,000 points buys a domestic ticket on any airline. Most…
