Log into your American Express account and scroll down, there’s a new ‘Amex Offer’ that appears to be widely available that many cardmembers can opt into by adding it to the card account of their choosing: $50 back when you spend $200 or more with Marriott by September 21.
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.
Over $2 billion has been seized from travelers at U.S. airports by the federal government between 2000 and 2016. 70% of 30,500 people whose money was seized were never charged with any crime. 25% of money is seized at Washington Dulles airport.
United was first to publicly warn that a large number of its employees would be unneeded after CARES Act funding ends, because there’s less demand for travel so they’ll be running fewer flights. They were also first out with news of legally-required WARN Act notices for about 39% of employees, preparing to be able to furlough union workers once government subsidies end.
It turns out the airline isn’t done.
Like many other countries, the U.S. chartered ‘repatriation flights’ to bring U.S. citizens home during the coronavirus pandemic. When commercial flights were no longer available to certain destinations, these flights were arranged by the State Department.
In some countries flights like this are ‘free’ (paid by taxpayers). U.S. citizens must pay the cost of their own repatriation flights by law. But the U.S. government has handled the billing about as well as everything else during the pandemic.
IHG is offering U.S. residents who join the program by September 30 and complete two qualifying stays by January 31, 2021 a free night worth up to 40,000 points that must be redeemed by April 30, 2021.
Similarly, joining their Intercontinental brand’s Ambassador program by November 15 (which is a paid program) and staying just once at an one of their premium brands (Intercontinental, Kimpton, Regent but not Fairmont) by January 31, 2021 earns a free night worth up to 40,000 points that must be redeemed by April 30, 2021. Ambassador benefits are even improved this year and next.
Seventeen thousand Delta Air Lines employees, with an average of 25 years of service, have taken early departure packages according to a new internal memo from the carrier’s CEO Ed Bastian.
Even with this many people leaving the airline, Bastian says it helps them towards their goal of minimizing furloughs – it’s not, it seems, enough to eliminate layoffs.
The airline explains the reason for the promotion as celebrating the current good times. The global pandemic has sapped air travel demand. U.K. quarantine rules have limited travel further. So pop the bubbly by yourself in a socially-distanced way, fly to or through Heathrow if you’re able, 2020 is something to celebrate.
There aren’t that many places open in the airport anyway these days, so in many cases you aren’t missing much more than what’s on sale at Dunkin’ Donuts or Hudson News. But United wants you to know that under no circumstances will they pay for your donut while they make you wait for your next flight.
Airline miles conversion seems like at least a good start, to make it a little bit less taxing for passengers to make the right choice to cancel a trip whenever they are sick (and possibly contagious) without being penalized too harshly for doing so.
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 »
