Lucky is briefly persuaded by United’s arguments about Starnet blocking, that they have budgets and if they stopped blocking they would spend more on redemptions and have to cut costs elsewhere. The insinuation of a tradeoff between *elite benefits* and honest award redemption is a false choice, however. The former applies to a limited set of Mileage Plus members who are profitable on their own (and elite benefits are judged based on that profitability). It’s absurd to suggest a cross-subsidization, where general member benefits are cut to reward elite members whose profitability doesn’t warrant the benefits they’re receiving. Mileage Plus wouldn’t choose to give these members more than they are worth. Meanwhile award redemption applies to the general membership as a whole. What benefits exactly would be cut from general members if Mileage Plus spent…
SeatExpert Becomes Much More User Friendly
Some readers will recall that I have long found SeatGuru a very useful tool, but increasingly limited and inaccurate) for non-US carriers. For those, SeatExpert has been an excellent supplement. The site has been redesigned, and now for many non-experts will be a better choice since they’ve added a feature where you don’t even have to know your aircraft type in order to look up your flight’s seat map. Just plug in the flight number and date and SeatExpert will show you the relevant seat map. I tend to know the particulars of aircraft I’ll be flying, but I’m often reminded about how even the most frequent of flyers don’t have all the details of their travel at their fingertips. Earlier in the week I met a United 100,000 mile flyer who didn’t know they…
The Government Should Subsidize My Elite Status
It’s a public health imperative. Bear with me on this one. In recent days the convetional wisdom has become widely dispersed that infectious diseases spread on airplanes roughly two rows from an infected person, which is to say 3 to 5 feet. The two rows standard assumes a normal coach seating configuration. That means upgrades, even to traditional domestically configured first class cabins, may reduce the spread to a single row of individuals. International first class, though, should pretty much contain the spread (although I suppose a fair retort would be that the increased service from flight attendants of an infected person could enhance spread). Securing upgrades, though, would appear to be a strong public health imperative. And thus as a public good should be supported by the state. But like any good policy prescription…
Travel Deal Opportunities in the Face of Swine Flu?
I’ve enjoyed some of my very best trips during a locale’s ‘off-season’. At a minimum, shoulder season is desirable. Prices are lower, and key to my enjoyment is not to be surrounded by hordes of people. Upgrade: Travel Better takes this to what some might argue is its logical extreme, suggesting booking travel to Mexico. Of course, as he points out, many deals can be had well off into the future given current light bookings — so a gambling traveler might well score an historic opportunity booking forward to early 2010. And far from taking advantage of suffering, it could just as well be seen as pouring money into a local ecnomy otherwise-starved of tourist dollars on which it depends. What do you think? Moral, opportunity, foolhardy, improper?
New 40,000 Mile Delta Amex Signup Bonus
Through May 31, the Gold Delta American Express card is offering: 25,000 miles with first purchase 15,000 miles for spending $1000 within (3) months (2) Delta Club Passes No Fee the First Year If only this card were more easily churnable, sadly I’ve had it in the past…
Free $50 Off Coupon From Priceline
Frugal Travel Guy says that if you sign up to follow Priceline on Twitter by May 1 you’ll get a coupon for $50 off your next hotel bid.
Double Elite Qualifying Nights — Plus Roll Over Excess Nights — From Marriott
Marriott has opened the gate with double nights towards elite qualifying status. When you see double qualifying miles on airlines (as the major US carriers have been offering this quarter) or double qualifying nights at hotels, you know that a travel provider’s regular customers aren’t traveling. Loyalty programs tend to push their elite customer groups to remain at roughly the same size, either in total numbers or percentage of travelers or members. Marriott has recognized the cliff diving by offering double night credits between May 11 and June 26 (not an especially long period). The interesting innovation here is that they want to avoid folks striving just to retain their status, and they don’t want the existence of double nights to be a disincentive to stays (customers who requalify more easily not needing to stretch…
Play a Game for United Economy Plus Access
United is offering a game — which you can play every day through July 17 — to win economy plus access for a year. Not an easy win, but if you aren’t an elite and might fly United it’s sure nice to have. United is, in my view, the best coach product in the U.S. if you’re seated in Economy Plus. Those extra inches really do matter, and are a great perk for United’s elite members (not sure most consider them to be worth the buy up if you aren’t an elite). United’s partner elites used to have complimentary access to these seats, but that benefit was taken away, much to the consternation of Star Alliance Gold members around the world…
30 United Miles Per Dollar at FTD.com
FTD is again offering 30 United miles per dollar.
Offering Free Flights to Attract Government Subsidies
Imagine the conundrum faced by North Central Regional Airport in West Virginia. They need to exceed a whopping 27 passengers per day in order to be eligible for a federal grant program. But they aren’t hitting their numbers. (Presumably the airport is employing more staff than passengers…) What do you do? Fudge your numbers, of course! Charter a plane and give away free flights — get local residents to take off, circle around the town, and land. Apparently it’s worth the money to the airport authority: “Hopefully we achieve the numbers necessary for the 10,000 passengers that we’re looking for. That’s the difference in a $150,000 to $1,000,000.” said Ron Watson, president of the Benedum Airport Authority. (Hat tip to Chris,)
