In 2013 the San Diego Marriott Mission Valley found its own way of remembering 9/11: 30 minutes of free mini-muffins for guests. I remember thinking at the time at least it wasn’t a Marriott in Manhattan. Context matters, and surely New Yorkers wouldn’t trivialize the event.
Only the Marriott New York Downtown now takes the memory of 9/11 and sells it back to us – at a hefty markup – in the form of a 9/11 Remembrance Package for weekend stays.
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
Alaska Airlines Flight Pass subscriptions now have a limited-time promotion for elite status with certain plans purchased through November 30.
With the subscription service you’re prepaying for flights, there are restrictions, and fares especially at the standard pass offering can be a great deal.
Customers buying a ticket from American Airlines, who have a Citibank AAdvantage credit card, are now being given the option to take out a loan to cover the cost of their travel. And since travel has gotten so expensive, the loan amount can be up to $999,999.99.
I’m genuinely trying to figure out what was on the mind of the communications person for airline lobby shop Airlines For America when they offered this defense of current airline seat space standards to the Today show, “Airlines continue to invest in a wide range of innovative technologies to maximize personal space in the cabin.”
A member of frequent flyer community FlyerTalk reports being arrested because they rented a car from Hertz that the company had previously reported stolen
Several travel bloggers and frequent flyers are going to pull a crazy stunt tomorrow to raise money for charity. They’re helping to bring awareness and support for Give Kids The World, a charity that fulfills the wishes of dying children to experience Disney World.
Here’s their plan: ride every Disney ride in a single, 18 hour day. That’s 53 rides and over 20 miles of walking and running.
United is running an ad campaign attacking Southwest over its inflight product – because if you don’t have Rapid Rewards elite status, buy a premium fare, or pay for ‘Early Bird check-in’ you need to check in 24 hours prior to your flight to avoid being assigned one of the last boarding positions and therefore one of the last shots at picking a seat on board.
But United is worse.
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
Have a few spare United Airlines miles? They could make a difference in the last moments of someone’s life. The miles sitting in your account can bring someone comfort, and bring family together with their loved ones before it’s too late.
I joined the board of Give A Mile which uses donated miles for trips of compassion. They are currently raising United Airlines MileagePlus miles to provide flights to people to spend the last days with a loved one. And if you’ll chip in a few miles, I’ll match them. I’ve already donated to this campaign. I’ll do more, and I’d appreciate your help.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
