Jeff Robertson of Delta’s Skymiles program had this to say on Flyertalk about the coming introduction of three-tiered award pricing in the near future: We are finalizing all of the technology testing right now around the new award structure, and although we’ve had a few hiccups, it appears to be on target for an early September soft-launch. We also intend to announce the new award structure and award levels in the next 10-14 days, which will include three different levels based on availability. The first lowest level will be similar to the Saver awards today, the second tier will be expanded availability (varies by market but generally around 50% of all available seats systemwide), and a last seat availability level that goes back to “last seat on the plane.” American, United, Continental and Alaska have…
Alaska Increases Award Prices and Introduces Partner Fees
Following on recent minor cuts from the Alaska Airlines frequent flyer program (here and here, and admittedly most would find them minor..) Alaska has announced some pretty significant changes to their Mileage Plan program effective November 1. Here’s the bad news: Domestic coach awards will now cost 25,000 miles, even when booked online. The old award was 20,000 miles, which they recently limited to those awards booked online. Now at 25,000 miles they’re just like everyone else, no longer special. Unrestricted awards and first class awards get more expensive. Unrestricted coach is 55,000 miles! Unrestricted domestic first class is now 100,000 miles! Partner award fee. $25 to book on one of their many partners, they learned this trick from Delta. It stinks, but I can live with it, the Alaska partner desk really is helpful…
Garuda Indonesia to Join Skyteam Down the Road?
This is hardly a done deal. In fact, I’d be surprised if it actually happens. But apparently Korean Air is supporting Garuda Indonesia’s bid to join Skyteam. Garuda is banned from flying to the EU (Indonesian carriers in general are said to have questionable safety standards, though I recognitze that some of these decisions are made for show or other political reasons and may not reflect current safety issues — it’s surprising, for instance, that Ariana Afghan Airways is allowed to fly anywhere .. but then they benefit from US pressure. At least Garuda would give Skyteam members an additional option to Bali and Jakarta, since Continental Micronesia s pulling out of the former.
Free Blue Plus status and 4500 miles for new bmi members
bmi keeps cycling their offers for new members to join, this one has been around awhile but is pretty good, Blue Plus status and 4500 miles just for joining. Blue Plus doesn’t benefit you meaningfully on bmi’s partners, but actually flying bmi you get lounge access and you don’t pay for buy on board meals. Plus free miles are nice in a program that (a) doesn’t filter out Star Alliance partner award availability like United does, (b) has a lovely cash and points award chart which lets miles go a long way, (c) permits one-way awards, and (d) still gives 600 miles minimum per segment (so it’s where I credit my shorthaul United and US Airways flights).
Best Rate Guarantee Doesn’t Always Mean the Best Rate, or Every Day
The Best Rate Guarantee blog writes the up changes to the TripRewards Best Rate Guarantee program. Some are reasonable, some less so, though naturally none make the program stronger for consumers trying to use it. As many here know, the Best Rate Guarantee program by TripRewards (now Wyndham yadda yadda) has been the strongest among the hotel chains. Find a lower rate, get a night free at the property, and not too many hassles involved. Now they say the lower rate needs to be at least 25 cents less (no more $69.99 rates beating their $70 price). Fair enough, but it was a good trick for sure! The rooms are now non-transferrable. Perfectly fair. But they’ll now limit you to one a month (of course if you travel with a spouse or friend it amounts…
A New Aircraft for a Classless Workers Paradise
Via North Korea Econ Watch, here are photos of Air Koryo’s new Tupolov 204. Beijing wouldn’t let the old Russian clunkers land, so they insisted on new Russian clunkers. Nice to see China acting as aviation safety regulator given (ironically for a nominally communist state) their market power over Pyongyang. I especially cherish the photo of Air Koryo’s business class cabin while the back of the plane disembarks.
Frequent Flyers Try to Save US Airways Dividend Miles From Itself
Ever since US Airways announced the end of elite bonus miles, I’ve been telling folks that they should keep earning miles in the Dividend Miles program… by every means except flying. Sure, they’ve introduced new award redemption fees. Those are annoying, but they just make it impractical to redeem miles for domestic coach tickets. US Airways miles are still useful for redeeming Star Alliance awards, their award chart is almost as favorable as United’s (and better than most Star carriers), and unlike United they don’t generally filter out otherwise-available award seats their partners are offering. (United prevents members from redeeming seats that partners like Lufthansa and Thai are offering because they don’t want to pay for the seats, US Airways would probably do the same but my guess is their IT system is too primitive,…
Spirit Ends Web Convenience Fee for Online Bookings
Upgrade: Travel Better notes that Spirit has reversed one of the more absurd fees in a recent spate of absurd airline fees – a $10 (roundtrip) “web convenience fee” for booking online. “It’s your cash register, stupid!” not some previously bundled service in need of unbundling (and even there, most airlines would do well to read a simple Tyler Cowen illustration on how bundling can be both profit maximizing and good for the consumer). Oh, and as I’ve noted previously, I go out of my way not to fly Spirit.
Typology of Those Favoring Airline “Re-Regulation”
Megan McArdle offers a trenchant observation about those who call for greater regulation of the airline industry (I hesitate to call it ‘re-regulation’ as commercial aviation is already among the most heavily regulated industries). Like everyone else, I hate the delays and various indignities of flying. On the other hand, I like the fact that it’s costing me $100 to fly to Tampa to pick up my car in two weeks; absent deregulation, that trip would cost a lot more than twice that amount. I think it’s telling that complaints about deregulation of the airlines come almost entirely from three groups of people: 1) People who have no idea what they are talking about 2) Affluent people 3) People who fly a lot for work The third group, especially, would like to basically cut the…
30,000 Priority Club Points Each for Personal and Small Business Visa
Chase is still offering 30,000 Priority Club points and first year free for their Priority Club Visa. What’s new is that they are also offering 30,000 Priority Club points for their co-branded small business Visa as well. Now, 30,000 points used to be enough for a free Intercontinental night. Alas, except when PointBreaks are available (at 5000 points per night!) this is no longer the case — the standard Intercontinental room night is now 40,000 points. But 30,000 is enough for two nights at most Holiday Inn properties, so the offer isn’t bad. And with no fee the first year (don’t keep the card past that point, it’s not a great place to put spending), and points generated for you after first purchase rather than after reaching a spending threshold as some of the airline…
