May
05
2015
Through May 11 American is offering a discount on purchased miles – as low as 2.1 cents apiece. This will be worthwhile to some. Here’s when.
American Discounting Miles to 2.1 Cents Apiece For One Week
ASIA
Search Results for "ASIA".
Another Club Carlson Devaluation Coming June 1
May
04
2015
Last year Club Carlson reduced elite bonuses, moved many hotels up in reward category, and introduced a new more expensive top redemption tier. A month ago Club Carlson announced the elimination of the last night free benefit on award stays for members with their co-brand credit card. Now — effective June 1 — Club Carlson is changing categories for hundreds of hotels. Via Well Traveled Mile, 212 hotels get more expensive and 117 get less expensive. The increases are centered in Europe (where 128 – more than half the total – go up and only 27 go down). Asia Pacific gets less expensive (9 go up and 40 go down). None of this should really be surprising. The Club Carlson program was ‘overindexed’ (to use Jeff Diskin’s the awkward phrasing). You can generally expect offerings…
The Nobel Peace Prize for Frequent Flyer Programs Goes To..
The El Al and Saudia frequent flyer programs were co-winners of an award at the Freddies in Atlanta last week. Here’s the story that led to that, and the staging of the presentation.
What Would it Mean for Starwood to Acquire Another Chain.. Or Be Acquired?
When IHG swallowed Kimpton, I wrote: “I want to be an IHG Rewards Club Platinum” said no Kimpton elite member, ever…
Conventional wisdom is that Starwood is going to do a deal, and the most likely candidate is IHG. Some say Starwood could buy IHG. I could see IHG buying Starwood. IHG is the bigger hotel chain, though Starwood’s market cap is much higher (nearly $15 billion versus ~ $10 billion).
Starwood has struggled to generate growth and Wall Street isn’t happy. Fundamentally that’s why their CEO Frits van Paasschen was out in February…
Which Miles are Best for Different Destinations?
Reader Karin asked, If you had to pick one type of miles to amass for specific trips, what would it be? For instance, what gets you to Asia easiest? Western Europe? South America? Thank you! Europe: Star Alliance has the most partners that will get you to Europe. United miles will get you flights on these airlines without fuel surcharges. Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to United. Air Canada’s Aeroplan has good award pricing to Europe and you can avoid fuel surcharges. American Express Membership Rewards points transfer to Aeroplan. (See also How to Book Award Tickets on Star Alliance Partners). If you want awards in first class though you probably want Lufthansa Miles & More miles for a combination of access to quality first class product and better availability than is offered to Star…
Sorry, Phoenix. This is How Airlines Choose International Routes.
Apr
25
2015
Size of a city alone isn’t enough to support international air service. Size of the metro area, primary destinations from that area, available aircraft, and concentration of business are much more important. And that’s why Phoenix – the 6th largest city in the US – gets only a single transatlantic flight (and a marginal one for British Airways at that).
Here are key factors airlines use in choosing international flying. And it’s why even when the idea comes up for Phoenix, it gets rejected…
Citibank Points Transfer Bonus: 25% More Miles When You Move Points to Etihad
Citibank keeps getting better and better, with big signup bonuses for ThankYou points cards, transferrable points, and now a transfer bonus to an airline.
Etihad is bonusing Citibank transfers, and it makes the Etihad Guest redemption program pretty attractive.
Finding the Right Credit Card, No Matter How Much You Travel
Apr
23
2015
The New York Times has a useful piece that helps understand what makes a credit card useful for consumers, and identifies some of the best ones currently in the marketplace.
Lufthansa A380 First Class Awards Wide Open to and from Los Angeles/San Francisco
Lufthansa generally opens first class award seats to their partners only within 14 days of travel.
Their Los Angeles and San Francisco – Frankfurt flights are among the toughest to get, even then.
And yet right now most days currently have 2 first class award seats open from late November through March…
Citi Prestige Card is Your Ticket to Free Golf
Apr
14
2015
Citi Prestige card – in addition to a new big 50,000 point signup bonus, $250 airline fee credit, American lounge access, and triple and double points-earning categories – comes with a variety of included benefits.
One of those is free golf rounds, which appears to be better and more useful than I would have expected. There are courses nationwide and even worldwide that you can reserve, up to three times per year.
