Flyertalk’s S.P.A.M. forum is home to discussion of off-beat or nontraditional loyalty programs, such as e-Rewards and other programs offering miles for surveys and clicking. Then there are also loyalty programs that have nothing to do with the travel industry. And sometimes freebies slip in. Some recent mentions there include restaurant offers — Red Lobster has a Overboard Club loyalty program, sign up and get a coupon for a free appetizer or dessert with the purchase of 2 adult entrees. McCormick and Schmick has a loyalty program as well. It costs $25 to join but you get a $25 dining certificate plus program benefits — Priority seating (call ahead for the next available, non-reserved table) For your birthday, you’ll receive a certificate for a complimentary entree Complimentary dessert with dinner (150 points) McCormick & Schmick’s…
Strange Travels
Truly poor taste but strangely enthralling, Jet Set Lara has photos of the Barbie Death Camp in Nevada, a barbecue joint whose motto is “We Put the Barbie in Barb-B-Q”…
150 Miles for Watching an Advertising Video
Sep
09
2006
Bose is offering 150 free American Airlines miles for watching a video about their headphones. Or you can just go to the page where you enter your American Airlines frequent flyer number. Points post relatively quickly. (Thanks to several readers for the pointer.)
Bonnie Tyler Threatens the Safety of a Paris-Mauritius Flight With the Only Weapon She Has: Song
Bonnie Tyler may be faster than the speed of night but I have a hard time seeing her singing onboard as a security threat. She offered up part of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” on a Paris-Mauritius flight while a passenger in first class at the request of the retiring co-pilot. Apparently some Belgian travelers didn’t take well to it and reportedly felt their safety was threated due to the party atmosphere. Government security doesn’t appear to have a problem with the performance (this isn’t a USA flight after all), but apparently perceived threats allow for a private cause of action. Paging Overlawyered.com…
Train to Join the TSA!
The Bomb Or Not training course is hours of wild fun. Seriously.
American Airlines Discounted Awards
Sep
04
2006
One of the neat things about the American Airlines Mastercard is that cardholders have access to discounted awards to specific destinations which change each quarter. I don’t actually find the card worth the annual fee, but since it’s generally available for 20,000 bonus miles with first purchase and fee waived the first year, and since you can earn this bonus with fee waiver multiple times, I generally have a free version of the card in my wallet at all times. The new quarter’s discounted awards are out. Domestic sale destionations drop to 17,500 miles for a coach award (down from 25,000) and 37,500 for a first class award (down from 45,000). Even Paris is on sale for 32,500 miles in coach durin gthe dead time of October 15 – December 31 and Osaka, Japan is…
250 Free Air Canada Miles
Sep
03
2006
The TripRewards hotel points program will give you 250 Air Canada miles just for enrolling. From a TripRewards email: Between now and September 30, 2006, you’ll earn 250 Bonus Aeroplan Miles simply by enrolling in the TripRewards program and selecting “Aeroplan” as your earning preference. No purchase or stay is required. The first screen is registration. Once you register you get to a preferences screen where you choose your earning preference — be sure to select ‘airline miles’. The default partner should already be filled in, but make sure it says Air Canada Aeroplan. Then enter your Air Canada frequent flyer number.
$51 for the Conrad Bangkok’s Presidential Suite
I’m betting this deal will not be honored — just my gut — but the Conrad in Bangkok is showing up at $16/night for a suite and $51/night for the Presidential Suite. Discussion over at Flyertalk. You can book a prepaid reservation at Priceline (using their conventional booking tool, not their “Name Your Own Price” bidding system). This can also be found on Travelocity and American Express Travel without prepaying. Prepaid bookings might have a better chance of being honored, but as with all these things there are no guarantees. I’m betting name changes and date changes certainly will not be allowed if the deal is honored at all. So choose a booking, get in on the offer if you wish, and then wait and see. Certainly don’t book other prepaid travel around this stay…
It Takes a World Famous Sex Offender to Drive Interest In… Business Class?
There’s all kinds of misinformation and speculation being reported as fact as to why John Mark Karr flew business class back to the United States. On an early news show this morning I heard it was for security, that somehow there was less chance of Karr escaping custody (from 35,000 feet?) from the business class cabin. Another theory espoused in the news piece I’m linking to here is that by treating him well he might spill the beans a bit more.Regardless, the description of Thai Airways business class is somewhat amusing (in a twisted sort of way, given the underlying subject matter): Before takeoff, Karr took a glass of champagne from a flight attendant and clinked glasses with Spray, who sipped orange juice. Dinner on board, served on a starched white tablecloth with silverware, was…
United Bonus for DC-Tokyo
Aug
20
2006
United is offering 5000 to 15000 bonus miles for flying its new non-stop between Washington-Dulles and Tokyo between October 28, 2006 and March 31, 2007. 15,000 miles is for paid First Class and Paid Business Class (except for Z fares). 7,500 miles is for Z fare business class and expensive coach fares (Y, B, M, H, Q fares). 5,000 miles for less expensive coach fares (V,W,S,T,K fares). The bonus can be earned up to 3 times, and flights between December 20, 2006 and January 10, 2007 do not earn the bonus. Registration is required.
