View from the Wing

More Intercontinental Hotels with Presidential Suites Available as Awards

by Gary Leff on May 6, 2005

May 06 2005

Following on the recent spate of Presidential Suites available for award redemption at Intercontinental hotel properties (using the standard room 30,000 Priority Club points per night rate, see here and here), Flyertalk’s Savage25 surveyed all the Intercontinental hotels to see where this glitch is currently coming up. The report: For kicks, I tried a random date in October for reward nights at all ICs. ICs that are out of the way seem to have great redemption deals. Figures are Best Flexible rates for the respective room types on the date of redemption. Asia ==== IC THE GRAND PALACE SRINAGAR KING PRESIDENTIAL SUITE $1,000 Middle East and Africa ========== INTERCONTINENTAL DOHA 1 KING BED DIPLOMATIC SUITE $563 INTERCONTINENTAL RIYADH 1 KING EXECUTIVE SUITE $933 MASSARAH TAIF INTERCONTINENTAL 1KNG 1QN 2 BEDROOM ROYAL SUITE $1,119 2 KING…

Completed all my free electronics offers

by Gary Leff on May 6, 2005

May 06 2005

I’ve completed all my requirements for the free digital camera from Gratis Networks (the free iPod folks). Actually I’ve completed everything for all of their free electronics offers, and am waiting to receive only the digital camera and the Playstation Portable.For those of you who need to complete a marketing offer for one of these promotions, I notice that both eFax Plus and consumerinfo are currently on the offers list. Both offer 30 day free trials. Thirty day trials are the best because you have plenty of time to get credit for the offer and cancel without being under a time gun. Nothing is shipped, so you don’t even have to pay for shipping. I’ve used both of these before and had no problems with cancellation. (eFax offers cancellation via online chat, and I was…

25 Delta Miles per Dollar at FTD

by Gary Leff on May 3, 2005

May 03 2005

While my favorite miles-for-flowers offer is FTD’s ongoing 30 United miles per dollar spent, it’s worth noting that FTD is also offering 25 Delta miles per dollar spent. The Delta offer is a Mother’s Day promotion. The e-mail from Delta announcing the offer says it will expire May 15, but the webpage itself doesn’t seem to mention a deadline — and if experience is any guide, the offer may still work past the stated deadline.

Earn Delta Silver Medallion Status With a Single Flight

by Gary Leff on May 3, 2005

May 03 2005

Delta is offering Silver status for a single paid flight from any one of 14 cities: Binghamton, NY, Burlington, VT, Buffalo, NY, Charlotte, NC, Erie, PA, Wilmington, NC, Harrisburg/Middleton, PA, Philadelphia, PA, Pittsburgh, PA, Providence, RI, Richmond, VA, Rochester, NY, State College, PA, Syracuse, NY Register and fly by July 15.

When First Class is Really Coach

by Gary Leff on May 2, 2005

May 02 2005

I don’t usually fly American. With the exception of an American Eagle flight booked as a Northwest codeshare in late 2004, I haven’t been on American metal in nearly two and a half years. And my review is this — American Airlines’ domestic first class can be summed up with a your choice of two words: either “ghetto” or simply “coach.” One three of four flight segments, no pre-departure beverages were served. No coats were taken. The MD80 seats are incredibly worn and dirty. Pen markings are on display everywhere, and on one flight duct tape was holding the meal tray cover onto my seat. The ‘meals’ they’re serving look like the food that used to be offered in coach. And by used to I’m not harkening back to the long-gone days at the beginning…

Light (if any) posting until Monday

by Gary Leff on April 28, 2005

Apr 28 2005

I’m unsure how reliable my internet access will be over the next few days, so there may be little if anything new on this site until Monday.

70,000 United Miles for Buying a Chrysler

by Gary Leff on April 27, 2005

Apr 27 2005

Register and then buy or lease a 2005 Chrysler, Dodge, or Jeep by August 1 (offer not valid on SRT models, Viper, Sprinter, 300 models, Magnum RT or 2006 Charger). Then go to United.com/chryslermiles and submit the car’s VIN number and date of purchase by August 31, 2005. Update: Offer appears to be targeted, if you didn’t receive an email from United about it you may not be eligible.

NBC News Coverage of Travel Pricing Errors

by Gary Leff on April 27, 2005

Apr 27 2005

Matt Lauer did a piece on the Today Show this morning (video clip) on the recent spate of travel pricing errors. He mentions the USAirways $1.98 fare, the $55 Fiji trip, and the Lanesborough Hotel pricing error. He manages to hit key questions like whether airlines and hotels have to honor pricing, what role the internet plays in disseminating mistakes, and whether lists and websites promoting the errors are monitored by travel companies in order to correct errors more quickly.The piece actually seems to be driving a bit of traffic to this website today. Mentioned in the interview are Flyertalk, FareAlert, and the New York Airfare Blog. Lots of people looking for similar sites are happening onto this one.

In Search of an Academic Argument Against Onboard Cell Phones

by Gary Leff on April 27, 2005

Apr 27 2005

Tyler Cowen doesn’t want to see cell phone use on planes. He has a strong opinion and is looking for academic arguments to support it: Can I claim that cell phone calls are a socially wasteful means of signaling to your spouse that you care? Can I claim that commercial airplanes are modern (short-term) monasteries, and that markets undersupply such temples of silence? Phone use is actually allowed onboard planes now — the phone is in the seatback and the cost is several dollars per minute. The change is making low cost calls available via personal cell phones. Tyler would presumably tax that useage substantially in order to maintain existing cost levels which prevent would-be phone users from invading his silence. I think Tyler is incorrect if he’s imagining people on cell phones yammering on…

Just completed my Free Digital Camera offer

by Gary Leff on April 26, 2005

Apr 26 2005

I just completed my marketing offer for the free digital camera. It was the easiest offer from Gratis Networks yet — Napster. You sign up for a 14-day free trial. You do have to download their software (and when you’re asked whether you want to restart your computer, it’s important to say NO or else you may not get credit). Then a couple days later credit for the offer shows up on the free electronics offer website. The best part is that you can cancel online — you don’t even have to speak to a live person. I printed out the page saying I had cancelled, but I also got an email from them anyway. Then I uninstalled the software. Easy, free, a great way to complete a requirement. The other easy one that I…

More Intercontinental Hotels with Presidential Suites Available as Awards

Completed all my free electronics offers

25 Delta Miles per Dollar at FTD

Earn Delta Silver Medallion Status With a Single Flight

When First Class is Really Coach

Light (if any) posting until Monday

70,000 United Miles for Buying a Chrysler

NBC News Coverage of Travel Pricing Errors

In Search of an Academic Argument Against Onboard Cell Phones

Just completed my Free Digital Camera offer

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About Gary Leff

	Bilt Mastercard® Earn Points Paying Rent (up to 100,000 each year) plus earn 3x at restaurants; 2x on travel; as long as you make at least 5 purchases per month. No annual fee.
	Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months (See rates and fees)
	Citi® / AAdvantage Business^TM World Elite Mastercard® For a limited time, earn 75,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first 5 months of account opening. AAdvantage miles are the currency I've redeemed most.[See rates and fees]