News and notes from around the interweb:
- Innovative benefit, even if not helpful to Americans – SAS has a premium Mastercard in Europe where if you earn 200,000 points with the card in a year, you redeem business class awards for the price of coach. (HT: On Air With Dan & Alex)
- The former Hyatt property Confidante Miami Beach is re-opening as Andaz Miami Beach and is accepting bookings starting March 5 a category 6 property, charging 21,000, 25,000 or 29,000 points per night.
- Marriott premium Amex cardmembers have access to a new ‘luxury experience’ rate.
For bookings through July 31, 2025 and stays through August 31, 2025, cardmembers can receive $125 property credit; 1,500 bonus points and welcome amenity (standard room) or $150 property credit; 2,500 bonus points; amenity; and daily breakfast for two at participating properties. This isn’t a ‘value add package rate’ that you pay more for.
Instead, it’s more like booking a property through a Virtuoso agent or Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, where you’re paying the prevailing rate and getting extra benefits. You don’t do as well as a member rate, corporate rate, or AAA rate. But these rate plans are tied to prevailing Best Available / standard rates. Worth checking out if you’re a cardmember (I no longer am myself).
- Stop flying sick!
Some people should not fly when sick
byu/tacodogtacodog indelta - While frequent flyer program godfathers Tom Plaskett and Rolfe Shellenberger passed away during the pandemic, American Airlines CEO Bob Crandall and consultant Hal Brierley are still with us, and the Wall Street Journal talked to them about the launch of AAdvantage. They reference the launch of United, and Steve Grosvald is worth talking to about it, too.
- American’s Premium AirlinesTM:
Too bad Max Hopper isn’t still around to join Bob and Hal in the discussion on Aadvantage program. Since he was the guy that oversaw actual development of the technology behind the program that perspective would really add to the discussion.
@ Gary — No reason to jealous, I suspect this beneift is fairly useless since there is likely rarely business award availability.
SAS seems too good to be true. Keep in mind that nearly all intra-Europe routes are operated by single-aisle aircraft with 3-3 seat configuration, even in ‘Business’ class, which is just in the front of the plane and with the middle seat blocked. As @Gene already mentioned, there is probably very limited availability anyway. Kind of like how United markets its PlusPoints, but it is nearly impossible to use them.
Maybe the flying sick was caused by the moldy food.