With New Fees, American Leads Race to the Bottom

To date, we've left coverage of the airlines' new fees-for-everything approach to other publications. But today's announcement by American that, effective June 15, they will charge $15 to check a single bag is a game-changer that must be addressed at the very top of this week's newsletter.

Arguably, of all the recent nickel and dimeing, this is the most far-reaching. And the nastiest.

It will increase the costs of flying for many, of course, disproportionately affecting those least able to afford it. And it will push a significant number of other travelers toward carrying their bags onboard, prolonging boarding times and exacerbating the stowage problems that no airline has been willing to face up to.

Worse, and more insidious, is the fundamental dishonesty of this particular "revenue enhancement" tactic.

Consumers understand and accept that airlines must charge fares that cover their costs and include a margin for profitability. To do otherwise is financially irresponsible, and ultimately self-destructive. So when fuel costs rise, it's understood that ticket prices must also increase. That can be accomplished by raising the base fare, or temporarily assessing a fuel surcharge, both of which can be readily adjusted, up or down, as fuel and other costs rise and fall.

But, as is the case with the great majority of the new fees imposed in recent months, American's new baggage charge will remain in place long after the price of fuel has abated.

So, American charging to check a bag, due to the high price of jet fuel? It's a gouge, predicated on a lie. I.e., business as usual.

"Extra Mile" Free Flights Fastest? Not So Fast!

Good. Bad. Better. Best. Most airline loyalty programs have been called all those things. And more. But they can't all be the best. Or even the worst. So which program is the best? And why?

The award for the most generous frequent flyer program goes to...

:: Read the full article here.

FrequentFlier Forum Topics

As always, there's plenty of activity on the FrequentFlier Forum.

In the "Airline Programs" Forum, Kathryn speaks for many flyers when she comments as follows on American's new baggage fee: "I just heard a rumor that starting June 15, American Airlines would start charging to check any baggage. If this is true, I'll bet a lot more people will be using carry ons which will cause much more trouble at security and cause a serious shortage of overhead space. Airline service just keeps getting worse doesn't it?"

Also in the "Airline Programs" Forum, phil reacts to United's cancellation of its 500-minimum mile policy thusly: "(N)o doubt they are 'harmonizing' with US Air. It really disincentivizes me from the highly lucrative shuttle service from NY-Bos/DCA. I'm better off taking Amtrak Acela now."

Questions, answers, opinions? Post them to the Forum!

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Double Alaska Miles between Seattle and 3 California Cities

Between June 1 and August 31, Alaska Mileage Plan members will earn double miles for flights between Seattle and San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland.

Registration is required.

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Mo' Better Midwest Bonuses for Milwaukee Flights

Between June 1 and September 5, Midwest Miles members can earn bonus miles and a companion ticket for round-trip flights between Milwaukee and Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York La Guardia, Orlando, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle/Tacoma, or Washington National.

Bonuses are as follows: double miles for the first round-trip flight; triple miles for the second; and a free companion ticket after the third flight.

Registration is required, using promotion code 12FREE.

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Priority Club Credit Card Nets Bigger Bonuses

There's never been a better time to sign up for a new Priority Club Rewards Visa Signature card.

New cardholders earn 25,000 bonus points after the first charge. And through the end of July, cardholders will earn up to 25 points for every $1 spent at Priority Club hotels (the 10 points per $1 normally earned + three points per $1 charged to the card + 12 bonus points per $1).

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Donate to China Earthquake Relief to Earn United Miles

Mileage Plus members who donate $50 or more to support the efforts of the American Red Cross to provide assistance to victims of the recent earthquake in China will receive a 500-mile bonus.

The United Airlines Foundation has earmarked up to 5 million miles for this initiative.

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Deal Alert from SmarterTravel.com

1) Southwest Sale Fares from $40 Each Way

Through Thursday, Southwest is offering sale fares starting at $40 one-way or $80 round-trip. Cities include Austin, Ft. Lauderdale, Las Vegas, and San Francisco.

Travel is valid from June 3 through October 30. Book by May 22, 11:59 PM CT.

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2) AirTran Fares from $49 Each Way

Flights through early November are on sale from AirTran. Fares start at $49 one-way or $98 round-trip, and Charleston, Miami, San Antonio, and San Juan are featured. Travel is valid from May 20 through November 5. Book by June 3, 11:59 PM ET. http://www.smartertravel.com/airfare/airtran-sale-fares.html?id=2568753

Travel is valid from May 12 through June 5. Travel on most routes is valid Mondays through Thursdays.

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Win a Trip for 2 to Paris

Enter Dial Corporation's "National Treasure" sweepstakes by June 30 for a chance to win a trip for two to Paris, including air, five nights hotel, and $3,000 in spending money. Other prizes include gold coins and DVDs.

:: More

[Visit FrequentFlier.com for more travel sweepstakes.]

Feedback from the Frontlines of Travel

"Can you do something on which frequent flyer cards give you the most bang?

"We have had an America West/US Air Visa card for years, but they are screwing us over big time and we are totally fed up with them! We have just used our last miles and want to change." [Mary B.]

[FrequentFlier.com replies - There is no single "best" card. It depends on your goals, your travel and purchasing patterns, etc. There's a whole section on FrequentFlier.com devoted to rewards credit cards which explains the variables and how they interrelate.]

"Are older citizens chopped liver? I am curious as to whether age is taken into consideration on sweeps. They always ask for our birth year, so that makes me suspicious. Someone said they were discriminated against because they were from a foreign country, also not fair when their money is as good as United States citizen's. I need verification of my question, for real..." [Janet B.]

[FrequentFlier.com replies - Aside from sometimes requiring that participants be 18 years or older, I haven't noticed any age parameters in the sweepstakes we've featured. And if the prize drawings are truly random, as promised, age discrimination should be ruled out.

My best guess is that the sweepstakes sponsors are just tracking age to see who's entering, not to exclude them.]

"Just completed my 45th cruise, only to be told by an onboard Princess customer relations representative that 'smoking is permitted in any cabin and on any veranda.'

"What is with this pandering to smokers who make up about 25% of the population? Even the international airlines got the message more than a decade back.

"What say?" [Ed N.]

[FrequentFlier.com replies - Not being particularly conversant with the ways of the cruise industry, we forwarded Ed's note to Erica Silverstein, Associate Editor at CruiseCritic.com, who commented as follows:

(O)nboard smoking is a pretty hot topic -– mostly because cruise lines can’t afford to lose the significan percentage of the population who smoke. Policies are across the board, with some lines really limiting where you can smoke and others being more lax. It’s funny that Princess doesn’t take a firmer stand against smokers, given that the Star Princess caught fire because of a lit cigarette igniting a balcony.

I think the reason cruise lines aren’t tougher is because you’re stuck on a ship. With an airline, you’re going to be inside for 12-15 hours max (what’s the longest flight these days?). With a hotel, you can always step outside and light up. On a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean, there’s nowhere else to go. So the ships have to offer someplace for smoking – it’s just a question of how many places they allow it.

Disclosure: CruiseCritic is part of the TripAdvisor Media Network, which also includes the parent company of FrequentFlier.com, Smarter Travel Media.]

"I recently booked a flight and reserved a car on the Southwest site. I apprecitated the convenience until my plans changed.

"When I emailed and, then called Southwest, I discovered that my reservation was not made by the airline but by something called Southwest Travel, an organization I had never heard of until that time. Apparently once you book with Southwest Travel, trying to change anything is nearly impossible. The only seats Southwest Travel had available for the flight I wanted were in Business Class, even though the Southwest site had plenty of regular seats available. Southwest Travel wanted to charge me a $75 cancellation fee as well. I wound up buying a second ticket for the outbound flight I wanted and returning the unused portion for a refund. They only gave me half of what I paid for the that outbound flight. The same was true with Alamo which charged me for an extra day even though I kept the car for 23 hours total. Also, you cannot check in on-line with a Southwest Travel ticket.

"The whole experience was a disaster. If you book a flight on Southwest Do Not book anything else or you'll wind up with Southwest Travel and heaven help you then. Nobody at Southwest Travel will!" [Angela M.]

Until next week...