Last month I mentioned speculation that United would finally be re-introducing Star Alliance upgrades. Hasn’t happened yet. In the past they’ve said it was technology issues standing in their way, though other Star Alliance airlines managed to make it happen. Meanwhile, even Thai Airways has figured out how to offer these upgrade awards online. So time to get your act together, United! Or perhaps outsource your IT department to the Thai Airways web wizards?
Airtran Double Credits for Trips Originating in Atlanta
Airtran is offering double credits on trips originating in Atlanta betwee September 2 and September 30th. Registration is required.
A Different United Visa with Signup Bonus
Via Free Frequent Flyer Miles, Chase offers the United Visa Signature Gold Class free the first year with 25,000 miles after $250 in purchases. The value here is that you should be able to get the signup bonus for this card even if you’ve had a regular United Visa Signature in the past. Chase has really cracked down on churning signup bonuses with their cards, so having more, unique cards is huge. Pick up the 25,000 miles and no fee the first year Visa Signature, small business Visa, and this one and you’ve got 75,000 miles. Then there’s still the Platinum class card with a $165 fee and another 25,000 miles plus elite qualifying mileage bonuses, and you can be at 100,000 miles quite cheaply. Update: Free Frequent Flyer Miles has posted an update, hedging…
Marriott Rewards Improvements Coming?
Marriott may be on the verge of announcing an end to blackout dates and capacity controls for award night redemption, as well as other benefits. Loyalty Traveler writes that Marriott posted an announcement about changes to their program coming in 2009. In addition to an end to capacity controls (matching Starwood and Hilton), the annoncement included pay for 3 award nights and get the 4th free and an increase in Platinum elite bonus points earned for hotel spending. Loyalty Traveler wonders what will become of Marriott’s award chart which includes substantial discounts for progressively more redemption nights, speculating that 4th night free will mean more points required for the first three. The announcement was pulled from the Marriott website after a few hours, and Marriott now says they have nothing to announce at this time.…
8500 Continental Miles for 5-Day Airport Car Rental
For the month of September, Budget is offering 8500 Continental miles for a 5-day car rental from airport locations other than Birmingham, AL (BHM); Memphis, TN (MEM); Kansas City, MO (MCI) and Omaha, NE (OMA) which do not participate. Sign in to your OnePass account at time of reservation to qualify for OnePass mileage. Go to the Advanced Car Search tab and enter BCD number U072500 and coupon number (promotion code) MUAZ041.
Starwood’s Big Announcement (New Benefits?) Coming Tuesday Morning
There are some changes coming to Starwood Preferred Guest, and instead of burying the news in a Friday afternoon press release and blaming high fuel costs (ha! they’re a hotel…) they’re actually touting the news. Starwood Lurker says it really is good, not the way loyalty programs usually use the word ‘enhancement’ to me ‘gutting the program’. In fact, it’s been my understanding that Starwood has been working on some new benefits, in particular focused on their elite members, for quite awhile. But the driver of the project was lured away to market and brand the lauch of Starwood’s new aLoft hotel brand, and things stalled. Presumably this is the announcement we’ve been waiting for. No, I don’t know for certain what the details which were finally decided upon actually are. So I’ll be tuning…
Cathay First Class Award Seats Available for Toronto Departures
This thread on Flyertalk is reporting that Cathay Pacific’s first class award inventory has opened wide up on the Toronto-Hong Kong route over the next year. I haven’t checked this out myself yet, but thought I’d offer the tip. Return flights will still be hard, but mix it up and fly Japan Air Line on the way back or even American if you have to. If accurate, it’s a huge award redemption opportunity. Take those American Airlines miles (or other oneworld partner miles), fly first to Toronto and on to Hong Kong, Cathay’s First Class is surely worth it. And the opportunity surely won’t last. Update: One Mile at a Time adds more: I wouldn’t call it “wide open,” but availability is still good. Usually a couple days a week are open for the time…
Virgin Atlantic Bonus Miles
Through November 30th Virgin Atlantic is offering 3,000 bonus miles for a roundtrip in coach, 6,000 bonus miles for a roundtrip in premium economy, or 9,000 bonus miles for a roundtrip in Upper Class. Registration is required and since the promotion is linked to Hyatt the rules technically require you to be a Hyatt Gold Passport member and if asked (I can’t imagine you will be) to show your membership card at checkin (checkin online if you don’t have it…). Of course, if you aren’t already a Hyatt member just join and print out your temporary membership card just to be in total complaince with the rules. Continental codeshares on Virgin don’t earn the bonus, but otherwise it appears that all paid tickets will.
British Midland 10% Bonus on Purchased Miles
The only program I’ve ever been inclined to buy miles from is British Midland, because with their cash & points award chart and unfiltered access to Star Alliance first class awards those miles have an especially high value. Members can purchase up to 20,000 miles during a 12-month preiod, and until September 30th they’re offering a 10% bonus for doing so. The current signup bonus for new members of the program is 3,000 miles. So a new member maxing out on the purchase transaction with bonus will have 25,000 miles at a cost of ~ US$480, which along with a roughly US$340 co-pay, is enough for a one-way international three-cabin first trip between Japan, China, or South Korea and Hawaii. Add in 16 Hertz rentals at 3400 miles apiece and you can fly international first…
Sheraton to Kick Out Loser Properties and Require Club Lounges
Sheraton is a hit or miss brand at best. In Asia many of their properties are truly outstanding. Some U.S. properties are quite nice. But especially in some of their U.S. locations outside major metropolitan areas the properties have gotten pretty run down. Outside of the Sweet Sleeper bed, which I’m quite happy with, the brand has become quite hit or miss. Apparently Starwood is doing something about that. They’re kicking out 38 hotels, requiring all Sheratons to have lounges with breakfast and afternoon snacks (great for Platinum members who are guaranteed lounge access…!) and introducing new restaurant standards to ramp up the food and beverage offerings as well. Sounds like progress on the horizon for what has been an inconsistent brand in North America.
