Fundrace.org has compiled date on each of the president candidates’ choice of airline and hotel. The most prolific hotel spender in Al Sharpton, who prefers the Four Seasons and runs up an average bill of $3598. George W. Bush prefers Marriott, running up an average bill of $1342. Howard Dean is also a frequent Marriott guest, though he presumably isn’t racking up as many points as his average bill is just $176. Kucinich, Edwards, and Lieberman are all Holiday Inn men.The single largest hotel bill, though, belongs to Bush — he spent $132,500 at a Sheraton in Manhattan on July 1.Bush and Dean also have the same taste in air travel, with each campaign running up over 100 bills with United. Kucinich, Clark, Edwards, and Lieberman all favor Southwest. Of course the highest bills are…
Mmm… breakfast
Get $1 off a box of Cheerios.
American Airlines Upgrade Changes
American announced unlimited complimentary domestic upgrades for Executive Platinum (top-tier) elite flyers beginning March 18th.All others will see a reduced price for purchased 500 mile domestic upgrade coupons.
Delta offers a choice of bonuses
Delta is offering a choice of rewards for flying a minimum of 5,000 “qualifying miles” by May 31. There are lots of terms and conditions, but the rewards range up to a 200% mileage bonus on the following three months of flights or a year’s club membership.
Elite Partner Offers
Partner offers for USAirways top level elites are online. USAirways sends the link to their Chairman’s Preferred members — but it seems as though anyone can take advantage of them.
United referral bonus
United has a new member-get-member referral link valid through June 30th — sign up friends or colleagues for Mileage Plus and if they travel on qualifying fares through the middle of the year you’ll both get bonus miles.
500 Free American Airlines miles
Signup for InFone and receive 500 American Airlines miles. You do have to provide a credit card, but there’s no charge to signup and no charge unless you use the service. (Thanks to Gary Steiger’s Free Frequent Flyer Miles for the pointer.)
Earn Upgrades for Buying United Tickets
Register to earn a confirmed domestic upgrade certificate for every $1000 of travel you book at United.com by March 5th and fly by March 31st.
The real meaning of no-frills
In the US, successful low cost carriers are adding amenities. JetBlue’s coach product is probably the best in the sky. Airtran offers business class and ATA is adding it. Entertainment and nice seats are commong among discount carriers (except with Southwest, but word is that even they are evaluating it), even to the extent it isn’t available from the majors.In Europe, discount means no frills. Discounter Ryanair is taking this to new extremes. Ryanair has confirmed it is taking “no-frills” flying a stage further by ordering a fleet of planes without reclining seats or window blinds. The budget airline could make savings of more than
USAirways’ Recovery Plan
USAirways has a plan to return to profitability, but I’m skeptical — both that they can pull it off and that it will matter if they do.USAirways wants lower costs. All airlines and almost all employers want lower costs, and employers facing strong unions have a hard time achieving those costs. Even after $1 billion in union concessions, USAirways has costs that by some measures are 2/3 higher than Southwest’s.Increased productivity by changing work rules. This is probably the most important thing that USAirways needs to do, and it will face some of the toughest union opposition.Leveraging strenght in the Northeast. If this is new, then I wonder what the airline has been doing for the past decade.Sell new amenities. Amenities have helped create the JetBlue brand, which has garnered fierce loyalty. JetBlue began selling…
