Leigh Witchel has an extensive tutorial on Priceline bidding strategies. It’s a good basic introduction, with a nice discussion of advanced rebidding techniques. (Biddingfortravel.com had a more complicated version a couple of years ago where I first picked up the technique — Leigh’s is simpler to understand.)
78 Cents for a 5-Star Hotel in Melbourne, Australia
TravelWeb, Priceline’s non-opaque booking site, has The Langham Hotel for AU$1.00 (roughly US$0.78). It’s fully cancellable and changeable. This was a deal that went out over a FareAlert email. I’ve booked a room myself. Flyertalk discussion is here. Just go on over to TravelWeb, search for hotels in Melbourne, Autralia, and I found the Langham on the second page of results. This may not work out — the rate description says “Pro-Air New Zealand Redemptionmust Provide Air Nz Card on Arrival” — so I may not be eligible for this rate, but I have a booking nonetheless.The normal rate is about AU$260 a night. Update: This looks to me like the rate plan associated with redeeming Air New Zealand points as payment fo rhte room, and that it somehow became bookable online. I am not…
Another Priority Club Award Glitch
Apr
25
2005
The InterContinental The Grand Palace Srinagar also has its Presidential Suite available as a 30,000 point award. Another mistake, and this too will disappear quickly. So where exactly is this? Known as the paradise on earth, Srinagar, the summer capital of the state of Jammu & Kashmir, is nestled in the beautiful Kashmir valley, surrounded by soaring snow-clad mountains midst the soft murmur of river Jhelum and idyllic lakes. Formerly the palace residence of the maharajas, InterContinental The Grand Palace Srinagar, ringed by the majestic Himalayan ranges, overlooks the picturesque Dal Lake. Originally built in 1910, this twin storey heritage property with its sprawling lawns has been carefully restored to its former glory and is today a full facility destination. The palace is located 15 kms from the airport and just minutes away from the…
Priority Club Award Glitch: Presidential Suite Available
Apr
25
2005
The Intercontinental Grand in New Delhi is showing all of its room types available for 30,000 point redemption — not just the basic room. This is your opportunity to get the Presidential Suite on an award booking. Not all nights are available, and this will not last. August 3rd was first identified at Flyertalk.com in the Priority Club Suite Redemption Alert thread. I see most nights available, presumably except those where the Presidential Suite is already booked. KING PRESIDENTIAL SUITE KING BEDROOM LIVING ROOM DINING ROOM PRIVATE SAUNA AND JACUZZI GUEST BEDROOM 3TVS BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS SAFE
Some recent offers that are still valid
Apr
23
2005
One thing about a blog, you really do need to check it every day or at least every couple of days. Sometimes the really great offers last only a few hours, like airfare glitches or incredible mileage offers (10,000 Delta miles for playing a short online game, 100 Delta miles per dollar spent at 1-800-Flowers.com). But sometimes offers are around awhile — but if you don’t check the site frequently they’ll scroll down past the bottom of the page. Naturally you should come to this website everyday. But if you don’t, or if you’ve just found it, you’ll want to be aware of some recent offers posted such as free Gold status with Hilton HHonors, 20% off from Independence Air, and $25 free for opening an ING Direct savings account. There are also some classic…
Free iTunes
Apr
23
2005
If you got yourself a free iPod, why not also get 33 free songs from iTunes for test driving an Audi?
Air Canada to Spin Off Aeroplan
Apr
23
2005
Air Canada has confirmed its intention to spin off its Aeroplan frequent flyer program as a separate unit. Mr. Milton did not close the door to selling part of Aeroplan to a private buyer. But he said buyout firm Onex Corp. is not in the picture as a potential purchaser. Onex had a deal with Air Canada to buy a 35% stake in Aeroplan for $245-million before that fell apart with the airline’s bankruptcy protection filing. Onex said recently that it was still interested in the unit. Mr. Milton offered no specific timing for the sale. He said the company is working on legal and regulatory issues to ready its public debut. Aeroplan is worth in the range of $1.3-billion to $1.9-billion. In January Randy Petersen wrote that Air Canada would likely be the first…
$8 Million in Free Electronics
Apr
22
2005
The ever-controversial Gratis Networks has given away over $8 million in free products. I’ve gotten everything they offer except the free digital camera — I’m still working on that one. It all started with the free iPod, of course, but since then I’ve gotten the flatscreen TV, photo iPod, iPod shuffle, desktop computer, Mac Mini, and Xbox. I just did the required marketing offer for the Sony PSP this morning, completing that one as well. I signed up for a free trial with Napster. The free period is 14 days and the offer should post within the next 3 — so there’ll be plenty of time to cancel before I get charged anything. It’s nice to have a totally free option back. I’ve gotta say that Gratis Networks has no customer service whatsoever. More often…
Independent Hotel Reviews
This Seattle Times piece (hat tip Tripso Daily) discusses internet web sites that allow travelers to post reviews of the hotels they’ve stayed at. Sites like TripAdvisor.com are absolutely invaluable for getting a window into a hotel property. Reading what past travelers have had to say can be very useful. The piece observes, though, that reviews are posted anonymously. I haven’t found that to be a problem so much as the other observation in the article, that individual’s standards vary greatly. The best thing to do in reading internet reviews is to read through several of them and look for consistent themes and patterns. Those are most likely to provide a window of truth about a property. And then it’s important to read between the lines: one resort where I stayed last year had several…
Fare Alert
Forbes carries a piece on airfare pricing glitches like the recent $52 Fiji deal, last summer’s $60 Iceland fares, and the $20 flights from the US to anywhere in Europe in World Traveler Plus. The piece mentions Scott Carmichael’s fare alert email list which has been reactivated. I subscribe to my work email, my Yahoo account, and my cell phone.
