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Just a reminder: If you're not already doing so, use this link to follow us on Twitter and stay abreast of the latest in frequent flyer program news, opinion, and advice.

Alternative Frequent Flyer Awards

With flights fuller than ever, and airlines desperate to squeeze every last dollar from every last customer, award seats are scarce. There are other award options, but good value is hard to come by.

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"Up Front" Blog Entries

Following are some of Tim's recent blog posts:

• Flying to Europe? Choose Your Airline Alliance
  In the past week, the oneworld alliance has announced a new European partner, and received regulatory clearance to jointly operate transatlantic flights.
• Double Southwest Credits for Southeast Flights
  Through September, Southwest flyers can earn double credits for flights to or from Philadelphia, Baltimore/Washington, or Washington (Dulles).
• Virgin America Adds Hotels to Elevate Program
  Members of Virgin America's Elevate program can now earn points for stays at Joie de Vivre hotels, a collection of California boutique properties.
• Midwest Will Change Mile Expiration Rule
  Frontier and Midwest are on track to merge by the end of this year, including unification of their frequent flyer programs. Midwest flyers will face harsher mileage expiration rules.
• The Best Time to Get a Starwood Credit Card: Now
  With the 30,000-point sign-up bonus extended through July 31, this may be the best time ever to apply for one of the best travel rewards credit cards ever.

The FrequentFlier Forum - Hot Topics

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

In the "Airline Programs" Forum, LHHeimbach is in the market for frequent flyer insurance:

We're using Delta SkyMiles for a vacation and would like to have trip insurance that covers redepositing of miles in case our trip is cancelled for a covered reason. Delta charges $150 per person for changes or redepositing and we're using a large number of miles for this trip. We don't want to lose the miles if there is an emergency. Any recommendations?

In response, ncvet61 weighs in as follows:

I use Access America. They have a provision for redepositing airlines miles. Be sure and read their coverage plans to be sure you get the proper coverage. They will fully refund the Insurance Premium if you cancel within 10 days of purchasing and you haven't started your trip.

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

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Deal Alert from SmarterTravel.com

1) American and United Sales Compete - From $59 Each Way

American and United are going head-to-head in another new fall and winter airfare war. United set it off late last week with a $59 one-way sale ($118 round-trip), and now American has announced a similar promotion. Flights are available to more than 100 cities, including Chicago, Miami, Las Vegas, and San Diego.

Book any one of the more than 1,815 routes by Thursday, August 5.

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2) $365 November Europe Sale on Icelandair

Prices to Europe are dipping in time for shoulder-season November. Flights to Amsterdam, London, Paris, Reykjavik, and others start at $365 round-trip; find up to 31 percent in savings over competitors' rates.

Fares are good for November travel, but book by July 30.

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Win a Trip for 2 to Verona, Italy

Enter Bolla Wine's "Italian Getaway" sweepstakes by July 31 for a chance to win a trip for two to Verona, Italy, including airfare, hotel accommodations for five nights in Verona, meals, and transfers. (Sorry, this one's void in California and Utah.)

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[Visit FrequentFlier.com for more travel sweepstakes.]

Feedback from the Frontlines of Travel

We welcome reader feedback on issues related to travel generally and frequent flyer programs in particular. Please use this link to submit comments.

Heads Up on Using United Systemwide Upgrades

"On a recent XNA-HKG flight via DEN and SFO, I requested an upgrade using ual.com. I paid for the upgrade using a banked electronic Systemwide upgrade. I was upgraded on the DEN-SFO portion, but not the SFO-HKG portion. Oh well, I mostly got what I paid for and the attendant on the SFO-HKG made this coach segment an outstanding flight.

"Only later when booking a flight to Australia did I realize that I had just burned through a Systemwide upgrade for the domestic DEN-SFO segment. As domestic upgrades on United are normally free for frequent flyers when there are seats available, I checked w/ United. They quickly gave me credit back for the burned Systemwide. The reservation agent explained to me that using a Systemwide upgrade for multiple segment upgrades will result in burning that upgrade if ANY segment is upgraded.

"The agent advised a workaround to avoid problems with the electronic system. She suggested that rather than attempt to use a Systemwide for an entire leg, that the option to upgrade by trip leg be selected and the Systemwide be applied solely towards the international leg. She also advised that requesting upgrades by phone (which I've always done before) does not run the same risk as using the online system. My suggestion to others attempting to use Systemwides on multisegment international legs is to continue requesting such upgrade by phone until United fixes this particular characteristic of their electronic system. Since I doubt they are going to put much more work into the old web site, this will probably happen sometime next year after the merger with Continental. Watch out for this problem until then." [Robert R.]

Happy With Delta

"I booked a ticket on Delta using 35,000 frequent flier miles for a round-trip to Fairbanks, AK from CLE and had no problem at all. Of course, I booked in November '09 for a July '10 departure, WAY in advance, but the experience was seamless and I'm happy!" [Maria S.]

Unhappy With Delta

"I have close to 100,000 accrued mileage with Delta. Every time I want to use some, there are no seats available or they want 60,000 miles instead of 30,000 miles. I need to use these before Sept. 1, 2010.

"Can I use them for anything else or can I transfer them to American Airlines, whom I find user friendly?" [Harriet]

[FrequentFlier.com replies - For non-flight travel award options, see the column on non-flight awards referenced at the top of this week's newsletter. As for transferring your Delta miles to American, there's just no easy way to do so.]

Getting Your Miles

"Thank you for diligently maintaining this helpful newsletter.

"Please add to your response to John S. [in last week's newsletter] regarding his dishonored 156,000 miles he attempted to transfer from Northwest to Delta:

"1) In addition to phone calls, detail your plight IN WRITING as many times as you can stand.

"2) When complaining by phone, escalate the phone call from the start and speak only to a supervisor.

"These two actions will markedly cut the time spent trying to communicate your plight and limit wasting time speaking to representatives who really don't have the authority to honor a serious complaint.

"Never take a 'No' from someone who can't give you a 'Yes' in the first place (wise author unknown).

"These are too many valuable miles to lose from inept customer service. Good luck!" [Therie C.]

Until next week...