I’m quoted in KARE-11 TV Minneapolis’ story on the devaluation of Capital One miles. Readers of this blog already know to stay away from Capital One, which basically offers a rebate card where the rebate is limited to spending on travel, so it’s less appealing than a traditional cashback card. And as I’ve mentioned before, with miles you can earn from a variety of sources but with a credit card’s proprietary program you only earn through credit card spend — which means it’s tougher to earn enough points for a free ticket. Now the Capital One program has massively increased the number of points required for many awards, and it’s no longer ever possible to do better than 1% return on spending. Since it’s mass market TV, the story doesn’t get into the reasons behind…
New Free Electronics Offers
Nov
23
2005
I’ve written several times in the past about Gratis Networks, now known as FreePay, which offers free electronics for completing their marketing offers and referring friends. In some very real sense it’s a pyramind scheme, but it pays off. Gratis Internet was listed as Inc. magazine’s #18 fastest growing company in the U.S. I just noticed that there are three new offers I hadn’t seen before: free laptops free PS3s. I admit I don’t even know what this is, and it’s not slated to come out until early 2006. $300 SuperCertificate (from giftcertificates.com) For the record I’ve completed all of the offers other than these three news ones and the free Xbox offer. I’ve received everything, too. When you signup for the PS3 offer takes, the site takes you through a few screens of ‘optional’…
New Book Introducing Mileage Programs
Randy Petersen’s new book is out, I’ll be ordering a copy. It’s supposed to be a great introduction to frequent flyer programs, so readers just getting started down the road of miles and points may find it useful. I’ll be sure to write up a review once it arrives. Randy has an interesting blog entry on the process of writing the book.
Best Ever American Airlines Mastercard Offer
Nov
19
2005
Via Fre Frequent Flyer Miles, American and Citibank are offering their co-branded Mastercard with 20,000 bonus miles for first purchase and fee waived the first year.
FlyI to Become a Born-Again Virgin?
Via Tripso Daily, Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group appears to be interested in acquiring bankrupt Independence Air as a means toward launching its Virgin America airline. Personally I don’t see this happening, both because I’m skeptical of most Branson efforts. A fabulous entrepreneur, there’s usually more buzz than substance when Branson rumors circulate. The rules on foreign ownership of US airlines are moving towards relaxation, but any changes are unlikely to be in effect in time for an Independence bid. And the Virgin America project has simply demonstrated a greater propensity for inaction than reality over the last couple of years. Still, the piece carried some news about how the Independence bankruptcy auction will work: It said it would auction itself to the highest bidder. Interested parties must register with the court by 1 December…
Catholic Co-Branding
Colloquy reports on a Taiwanese bank which is offering a credit card co-branded with the Catholic church. There’s something truly surreal about it. Taiwanese card issuer The Chinese Bank has introduced a new affinity card in conjunction with the Chinese Regional Bishops’ Conference, according to the Taipei Times newspaper. The newspaper reported that the bank will issue 100,000 cards, to be called the True Happiness Affinity Card, with maximum credit limits of NT$10 million ($297,397 USD). One-quarter of one percent of a customer’s spend will be paid to the bishops’ conference for charity work. “This credit card is not only for Catholics or those who believe in Jesus,” Chen Kun-chen, secretary general of the bishops’ conference, was quoted as saying. “Everybody can help to spread love regardless of their religion.”
$0 to Acapulco
FareAlert is reporting on a $0 + tax American Airlines fare to Acapulco, valid from just a few cities. (They mention Albuquerque, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Little Rock, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Oklahoma City. More may be discovered.) Flyertalk.com discussion is here.
USA Today followup on the Expedia Rate Glitch Story
Megg Mueller Schulte has an excellent followup on the Expedia rate glitch at the Hiltons in Tokyo and Osaka. She repeats the Expedia line about honoring rates booked in November and packages, and that they’re offering $250 package coupons to others whose reservations will be cancelled. But then goes on to explain that apparently (I can confirm this) Expedia is honoring reservations for folks who confirmed the rate after their booking. There also seems to be some confusion over some reservations still being honored if the people contacted Expedia more than once. Reader Derek Meyer wrote to me that “From my readings on FlyerTalk, and correspondence with other people who also booked this rate, it seems that Expedia is honoring the reservations of people who called or emailed into Expedia to ‘re-confirm’ Expedia’s confirmation email…
Expedia lies
Reuters has posted a story on the Tokyo and Osaka Hilton rate glitch where rooms at those two properties were bookable on Expedia for $2 and $3. Expedia first told customers that it would honor the rate. Then it told USA Today that it would only honor the rate for bookings in November. Now it explains Expedia said on Friday that Hilton would honour some of these bookings and that other customers would get a $250 coupon for a package trip to Japan. The company also said it notified some customers offering to confirm the original booking at the correct price or cancel the booking with a full refund. Apparently the bookings that it is honoring are those for customers who specifically reconfirmed with Expedia that the rate was valid and who were told that…
Independence Air’s Woes
Over at Marginal Revolution I discussed the economics of regional jets and why Independence Air was doomed to fail. And then just a few days later it did fail, or at least it filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. When Atlantic Coast Airlines announced they were planning to re-start as a standalone carrier, did anyone think they were really serious (a low-fare carrier flying RJs a la Midway in its second incarnation, based at Dulles)? It was just supposed to be a bargaining tactic with United over fly-for-hire rates that somehow spun wildly out of control. They’re planning to sell off their assets, holding an auction for the next sixty days. They have 21 parties so far potentially interested, signing confidentiality agreeements which allows the parties to get a closer look at the company’s books. Sixty…
