The Ultimate Guide to Frequent Flyer Fees

Frequent flyer fees got you down?

Almost as bad as the fees themselves are their sheer number and variability. You need a scorecard, literally, to keep track of what financial indignity is associated with which program.

FrequentFlier.com has partnered with sister sites SmarterTravel.com and Airfarewatchdog.com to create just such a scorecard -- a chart detailing all program-related fees imposed by 14 U.S. airlines. It's an Adobe Acrobat file that prints out neatly onto a single 8.5 x 11-inch sheet.

:: The Ultimate Guide to Frequent Flyer Fees

"Up Front" Blog Entries

Following are some of Tim's recent blog posts:

• Continental Will Reduce Award Availability
  New policy eliminates last-seat availability on some flights.
• Top Five Award Destinations for August
  Your five best bets for award travel this month.
• Congress Moves to Nix In-Flight Cell Phone Calls
  Congress to flyers: Quiet, please!

FrequentFlier Forum Topics

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

In the "Airline Programs" Forum, mikieg has the following to say about Delta: "OK, we are all now aware that Delta has instituted some new rules by adding new tiers and what not. However, I just attempted to see what the chances are of booking a SkySaver seat at the current award level of 25,000 miles. To make a short story shorter, I couldn't find any. My test was simple, book 329 and 330 days in advance for some really low demand cities just to see what happens. When I attempted to book Ft. Lauderdale to Atlanta, which has frequent service and historically a lot of FF seats available, the Delta site wanted to charge me 45,0000 miles. The same went for Atlanta to Pittsburgh and Atlanta to New York area airports. Atlanta to San Francisco was 47,000.

"The gist of this is that even though Delta publishes that the lowest domestic award is 25,000 miles, there is actually little if any chance of finding one. If this is the case, then Delta is not forthcoming in telling members that the awards don't actually exist."

Also in the "Airline Programs" Forum, shmoozy1 reports on a survey he was asked to take, suggesting that United is considering charging for meals on its international flights: "The survey assumed throughout that I would be willing to pay for food and drink on an international flight as if I am not paying for it already in the form of ticket prices that include the provision of such basics (and I guess if they held you prisoner for 14 hours over the Pacific and prevented you from taking your own drinks into the airport) they would have a captive market! It was only at the end that you were given an option to say how the introduction of such pricing would impact on your decisions to fly United. Next thing you know they will start making the toilet a pay option."

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

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Alaska to Increase Award Prices, Revise Award Chart

Effective November 1, Mileage Plan members will pay more for most awards, as follows:

1. Award price changes

The 20,000-mile coach award for travel booked online will increase to 25,000 miles, eliminating the signature benefit of Alaska's program.

Most Saver and Peak award levels for coach and first class travel on Alaska and Horizon Air will increase.

The single glimmer of good news: the current Intra-Alaska Award (beginning at 15,000 miles for a round-trip within that state) will be expanded to an Intra-State Award, to include lower-priced awards within the states of Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.

2. New award tier

The new Mileage Plan award chart will have three tiers, rather than the current two. (This is an idea first proposed by Delta, although to date that airline still hasn't implemented it.) The new tier, called Choice Coach (there is no middle tier for first-class awards), "will offer Coach travel at mileage redemption levels below unrestricted awards, but with much greater availability than 'Super Saver' levels," according to Alaska.

For domestic awards, then, the new pricing on coach round-trips will be as follows: 25,000 miles for restricted coach; 40,000 for somewhat restricted Choice Coach; and 55,000 for altogether unrestricted.

By contrast, restricted coach awards are currently offered for as little as 20,000 miles, and unrestricted awards can be had for 40,000 miles.

3. Other changes

The next-to-the-last change concerns Alaska's Money and Miles award. While program members will still be able to combine $250 and 15,000 miles for an award ticket, the trip will no longer earn miles.

And lastly, awards redeemed for travel on Alaska's partner airlines will incur a $25 "Partner Award Fee."

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Continental Will End Last-Seat Availability on Some Flights

In Continental's own words:

Effective Sept. 3, 2008, EasyPass Rewards for travel on Continental will be subject to capacity controls, and seats may not be available on certain flights where demand is high. OnePass Elite members will be exempt from this change.

('EasyPass' refers to Continental's unrestricted awards, which generally cost twice as many miles as the capacity-controlled SaverPass awards, but allow OnePass members access to all unsold seats when redeeming miles.)

Is Continental going down the same road Delta did, first rescinding last-seat availability and then restoring it, but at significantly higher prices? Time will tell. Either way, this is bad news for OnePass members -- at least those who fall short of elite status.

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Deal Alert from SmarterTravel.com

1) International Sale Fares on United from $354

United's fall offer includes flights to Europe, Asia, Mexico, and Brazil. Fares start at $354 round-trip.

Book by August 8, 11:59 PM ET.

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2) Spirit Sale Fares from $38

Spirit has announced a new domestic and international deal available through Thursday. Fares start at $38 round-trip, and flights to Aguadilla, Ft. Lauderdale, Los Angeles, and Montego Bay are featured.

Travel is valid on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from September 5 through November 20. Book by August 7, 11:59 PM ET.

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Win a Trip for 2 to Las Vegas

Enter Southwest Airlines' "Ultimate Gamer" sweepstakes by October 18 for a chance to win a trip for two to Las Vegas, including air, hotel, tickets to the Video Gamer Awards, plus an Xbox360, a PlayStation3, and a Nintendo Wii.

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[Visit FrequentFlier.com for more travel sweepstakes.]

Feedback from the Frontlines of Travel

"John M. wrote in the 7/30 Crier that he lost all his HHonors points for failing to stay at a Hilton property during the previous year. The HH website clearly states that members may lose all their points if they fail to accrue any points during the previous year. However, one can avoid this by simply accruing a few points by a variety of means including staying at a HH property, earning points through partners, or buying HH points. In other words, a $2 charge on an HH-earning credit card would have avoided the loss of all of the writer's points.

"People are well-advised to periodically check the terms of hotel and airlines FF programs as far as the need to periodically accrue points or miles. For airlines it is particularly easy as one can register any credit card (not necessarily one that is tied to that airline) in an airline's Rewards Dining program. A $2 cup of coffee charged to that enrolled card keeps your miles active for the maximum period allowed (e.g. 18 months)." [Mark M.]

"For those of you who are frequent fliers on NWA, beware (if you haven't already experienced the wonderfulness of our soon-to-be airline!)

"For the second time in a row, flying Delta, I was unable, at any time to check in online. Not only does this slow you down at the airport with all the summer tourists, but it is aggravating as well. Second, I asked to standby for a Houston to Atlanta flight. I was informed, 'We do not do standby. You pay $50. to get a seat.' No matter if you are platinum on NWA or not, you have no standing, none at all with Delta. No courtesies. Not only that, but they will leave seats open in First class, and never move up a premium NWA passenger. This is Customer service??!!!???

"Woe is us who will soon be part of this horrible organization." [Susan D.]

"I recently left my employer in the Middle East. While my employer was supposed to pay for my return ticket, they did not, leaving me with an expensive trip home. Over the years I had built up a nice kitty of NWA WorldPerks. I've read on this listserv many times that airline miles are not like old bottles of wine, use 'em or loose 'em. Also, NWA is implementing a $50 just to book a ticket, regardless of how it is booked or who you fly. All of these reasons were enough of an excuse for me to try to use that kitty.

"I went to the NWA website and was able to book a ticket leaving out of BAH getting me back to the USA. I was able to book this ticket within 12 hours of the departing flight and got the ticket as a 'saver' award, meaning I had to pay the least amount of miles needed. Unfortunately, I only needed a one way ticket and I had to book a round trip ticket. However, I now have a one way flight to Europe and/or the Middle East valid to July 2009 that will only cost me $50 to change the times. I was pleasantly surprised." [Brian L.]

"I recently had was taking a short vacation from LAX to Washington, DC and for the first time in my life, missed my flight - due to my stupidity, not the airlines! Kudos to everyone on American Airlines in both LAX and DFW! I was wait listed on the next flight out - via Dallas - and then on to D.C. Once in Dallas, I was able to obtain my Elite upgrade and though that particular flight was subsequently canceled, the gate agent worked her magic and got be an upgraded seat on the next flight out. Total time lost (again, because of my stupidity) was 4 hours - that's it!

"Lessons learned. 1.) Read your boarding pass carefully; 2.) Be very nice to airline personnel and show no attitude whatsoever; 3.) Do everything possible to maintain Elite status (I'm an AA Platinum) - that way you'll be at the top of the list.

"THANK YOU AMERICAN FOR ALL OF YOUR KIND ASSISTANCE!" [Janie F.]

"My daughter was taking the US Airways shuttle this past Thursday evening from DC Reagan to LGA with no checked luggage. She arrived a little bit early just as they were last calling for the next earlier shuttle and asked if she could take that one. Of course! They would let her take it for an additional forty or seventy dollars. I don't remember the actual number because I tuned out when she quoted the increase. My college kid said no, studied an hour and took her scheduled flight.

"Needless to say, the earlier flight had plenty of room and the negative feelings she has towards USAirways will take some time to dissipate. Don't the airlines understand how something like this can have enormous consequences for them?

"I guess they feel that they're in no position to do anything that won't generate more revenue even at the risk of alienating and losing their traveling public." [Eric W.]

"To Wally [writing in an earlier newsletter],

"I am a Continental Platinum and when I have to cancel a ticket and apply the funds, Continental charges the change fee PLUS CO does not make the lowest fare available on the new ticket when you reapply the funds!! The net effect of this is that most unused funds on smaller dollar discount tickets are worthless. I have eaten unused tickets and just bought the lowest fare ticket because it worked out cheaper.

I am lucky to live in Houston, so on trips that may have changes, I can buy a ticket on Southwest that has NO change fee and applies 100% of unused funds for a year until they are all used up to the cheapest going fares. They even track it for you. Here is a trick, you can call Southwest and give them your credit card and they can find all the unused funds you have. The down side of Southwest is trying to get on an early flight because they will charge you the going rate for that flight, so you are locked in to the ticket you bought unless you bought a full fare ticket (no no-charge standbys for earlier flights)." [mark]

Until next week...