Back in the era of United’s Starnet blocking — programming computers to say that frequent flyer award seats on partner airlines weren’t available, even when those partners were offering the seats, because United didn’t want to pay for the tickets — things got pretty silly. Agents would say, “I’m sorry, Lufthansa doesn’t fly to Frankfurt that day.” Or, “It doesn’t look like All Nippon flies from Washington Dulles to Tokyo.” Excuse me? “It’s call ANA flight number 1. I was at the party they held in DC to celebrate 20 years of continuous service.” See, at one time United’s computers ‘blocked’ award seats by simply not showing the flight existed. In the very beginning, the most common thing to block was Lufthansa seats inside Europe, the connections simply wouldn’t show up. Then Lufthansa transatlantic space,…
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In an Era of Airline Consolidation, Elite Status Matters More Than Ever
It’s a rare publication that will listen to me opine endless, and then quote my rants extensively. So I have to give credit where credit is due. Financial site Minyanville.com ran a piece on consolidation in the airline industry and what it means for elite perks and miles. They quoted me extensively, and began by suggesting that fewer planes in the air, and planes that are more full, makes upgrades more difficult — it shifts those upgrades upwards to only the top elites. (Unlimited complimentary domestic upgrades does this, too.) Indeed, it’s a simple matter of supply and demand with regards to seat upgrades. With airline consolidations, there are now fewer planes and thus fewer seats on many routes, making upgrades scarce commodities. As such, both Raja and Gary Leff, co-founder of the frequent flyer…
What’s In My Laptop Bag?
Last week The Points Guy took Singapore’s all-business class service from Newark to Singapore and wrote about the travel products he took along with him on the world’s largest flight. Inspired by Brian, and sitting on board a much more pedestrian American AIrliens Pheonix – Chicago run powered by Gogo Inflight internet, I thought I’d share the contains of my laptop bag. Verizon MiFi. I create my own wireless hotspot, and the speeds are pretty good. 5 gigs of data are included in my plan each month and then I buy additional gigs at $10 each. It’s not for streaming movies, but it does the job with email and websurfing and covers me for uploading photos I want to include on the blog. Kensington Empower Adapter. Sadly too many aircraft still use the cigarette style…
Another Reason Not to Check Your Bags
200 thefts from checked bags. A day. Just at one airport. Think twice before you check your luggage at John F. Kennedy International Airport… All Rita Lamberg has left is an empty jewelry drawer and pictures of the $160,000 worth of watches, rings and necklaces that were stolen from her baggage at JFK Airport. “I am so sick. This is a lifetime, a lifetime of my savings,” Lamberg said. But Lamberg isn’t alone. Law enforcement sources told Kramer that thefts at the airport have increased at a staggering and alarming rate. There are now more that 200 a day — and that’s every day. Baggage handlers, jetway workers and even security people are all in on the ongoing scam to steal you blind. “The belly of the airplane has become like a flea market for…
Getting Starwood Gold Status Without Meeting the Stay Requirements
Several readers, including Delta Points, emailed me this morning about an offer for free Starwood Gold status after one stay in the Asia Pacific region paid for with a World Mastercard. (The full list of participating properties is here.) As New Girl in the Air observes, if you aren’t already a Starwood Preferred Guest gold member and since you have through March 31 of next year to use this promotion, it’s worth registering just on the if-come. Starwood Preferred Guest Gold status basically gets you: 50% bonus on points earned on-property 4pm late checkout, guaranteed, although subject to availability at resort and conference properties Avoid the worst room in the house (they call it an upgrade to a better room in the same category, I suggest you more or less avoid the room over the…
Maximizing Miles in the Maldives: Cathay First, Eating in Singapore, and a Park Hyatt Water Villa – Singapore Airlines Business Class: Singapore – Male
Introduction Positioning flights to San Francisco, Sheraton Fisherman’s Wharf, and Some Dim Sum for the Day Cathay’s New San Francisco Lounge Cathay Pacific First Class, San Francisco – Hong Kong The Wing and Cathay Pacific First Class, Hong Kong – Singapore A Grand Suite at the Grand Hyatt Singapore Eating in Singapore Dinner at Waku Ghin, Marina Bay Sands Singapore Airlines Business Class: Singapore – Male Transfer to the Park Hyatt Hadahaa, Maldives Park Hyatt Maldives – Part I Park Hyatt Maldives – Part II Park Hyatt Maldives – Part III Maldivian, Kaadehdhoo – Male Singapore Airlines Business Class, Male – Singapore Cathay Pacific Business Class, Singapore – Hong Kong Conrad Hong Kong Cathay Pacific First Class, Hong Kong – Chicago American’s Chicago Flagship Lounge and the Final Journey Home We caught a cab from…
50% Bonus on Transferring Hotel Points to US Airways
US Airways is offering a 50% bonus on points transferred in from hotel programs through March 31. Miles have to actually post to your US Airways account with a transfer date by March 31, and the 50% bonus is supposed to take 6-8 weeks to post. The obvious way to leverage this is with Starwood points, 20,000 points normally yield 25,000 miles but with this offer would yield 37,500 miles. 65,000 Starpoints would get you 120,000 miles — enough for a first class award from the US to North Asia (as far as Hong Kong. Or business class to Singapore, such as on the Newark – Singapore non-stop on Singapore Airlines. Participating hotel programs are Best Western, Choice, Hilton, Starwood, Club Carlson, Hyatt, Marriott, Priority Club, Wyndham, and La Quinta. Update: Ben notes that the…
Maximizing Miles in the Maldives: Cathay First, Eating in Singapore, and a Park Hyatt Water Villa – Eating in Singapore
Introduction Positioning flights to San Francisco, Sheraton Fisherman’s Wharf, and Some Dim Sum for the Day Cathay’s New San Francisco Lounge Cathay Pacific First Class, San Francisco – Hong Kong The Wing and Cathay Pacific First Class, Hong Kong – Singapore A Grand Suite at the Grand Hyatt Singapore Eating in Singapore Dinner at Waku Ghin, Marina Bay Sands Singapore Airlines Business Class: Singapore – Male Transfer to the Park Hyatt Hadahaa, Maldives Park Hyatt Maldives – Part I Park Hyatt Maldives – Part II Park Hyatt Maldives – Part III Maldivian, Kaadehdhoo – Male Singapore Airlines Business Class, Male – Singapore Cathay Pacific Business Class, Singapore – Hong Kong Conrad Hong Kong Cathay Pacific First Class, Hong Kong – Chicago American’s Chicago Flagship Lounge and the Final Journey Home Some folks see Singapore as…
Maximizing Miles in the Maldives: Cathay First, Eating in Singapore, and a Park Hyatt Water Villa – A Grand Suite at the Grand Hyatt Singapore
Introduction Positioning flights to San Francisco, Sheraton Fisherman’s Wharf, and Some Dim Sum for the Day Cathay’s New San Francisco Lounge Cathay Pacific First Class, San Francisco – Hong Kong The Wing and Cathay Pacific First Class, Hong Kong – Singapore A Grand Suite at the Grand Hyatt Singapore Eating in Singapore Dinner at Waku Ghin, Marina Bay Sands Singapore Airlines Business Class: Singapore – Male Transfer to the Park Hyatt Hadahaa, Maldives Park Hyatt Maldives – Part I Park Hyatt Maldives – Part II Park Hyatt Maldives – Part III Maldivian, Kaadehdhoo – Male Singapore Airlines Business Class, Male – Singapore Cathay Pacific Business Class, Singapore – Hong Kong Conrad Hong Kong Cathay Pacific First Class, Hong Kong – Chicago American’s Chicago Flagship Lounge and the Final Journey Home Singapore is one of the…
Up to 40% Bonus on Purchased Alaska Airlines Miles
Via NotiFlyer, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is offering up to a 40% bonus on purchased or gifted miles through April 15. Buy or gift up to 19,000 miles and receive a 20 percent bonus. Buy 20,000 – 29,000 miles and receive a 30 percent bonus Buy 30,000 – 40,000 miles and receive a 40 percent bonus The full 40% bonus brings your cost down from 2.75 cents plus tax per mile down to 2 cents per mile. Not worth stocking up for its own sake, but strategically useful, e.g. to top off towards a Cathay Pacific first class award to South Africa via Hong Kong (i.e. “the long way”) for 140,000 miles. Alaska is also a great opportunity for Qantas awards — Qantas opens its schedule about 355 days out from travel. Partner American Airlines…
