Issue #108  --  Aug. 24, 2000

<< U P F R O N T >>

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A Tip from Johnny Jet
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[Editor's note - I came across the following tip from friend and fellow publisher Johnny Jet (whose website, http://johnnyjet.com has been recommended in the Crier). Before following this advice yourself, I'd suggest you check with the airline's customer service center, as Johnny did with US Airways'. Thanks to Johnny for the tip, reprinted here with permission...]

I learned a trick this week. If you a trying to book an award ticket on USAir you need to know a few rules.

1. They charge you $75.00 for a ticket made within 0-3 days, and $40 for a ticket 4-14 days. If you want it free, plan at least 14 days in advance.

Another restriction which I think is totally bogus is if you don't stay over a Saturday night they charge you double miles. That means from L.A.-Erie will cost you 50,000 miles for COACH! What a rip-off! That's what first class costs with a Sat. night stay. I needed to be back by Saturday, and I can't justify 50,000 miles for 1 coach ticket. I figured out a scenario to beat the system, and it's legal (I checked with 3 supervisors). To get the most value out of the miles, I booked 2 coach tickets both with Sat. night stayovers. The first ticket was for LAX-ERI leaving Monday and returning July 25, 2001. The other ticket was from ERI-LAX leaving Friday and returning July 21, 2001 (I booked the returns almost a year in advance so it stays in the system (It's easier to retrieve a future ticket than a past one). At anytime I can change those return tickets for no penalty, and I get to see my sister again for free. Even better, if I decide to change the routing they will only charge $50 for the change.

In English, it was going to cost me (my sister) 50,000 miles no matter what. Why not get two trips instead of one. After explaining and re-explaining my plan to the USAir rep, she said "you beat the system". Note: It is against airline policy to do this with paid tickets, it's called back to back ticketing, but since no money was being transferred it was o.k.

 - Johnny Jet

<< O N S I T E >>

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

Anne is looking for the perfect mileage-earning credit card. Shane wants to transfer his elite status from one program to another. Steve wonders whether he'll have to show photo I.D. of his children at check-in. Jeff is curious about airlines' policies on voluntary bumping.

Do you have questions? Do you have answers? Post them to the Forum!

>> More <<
The FrequentFlier Forum

<< M I L E S >>

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Mileage Plus Elites Get Miles-for-Mayhem
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We've been predicting that United would proffer miles as a way of making amends for its recent service lapses (more than 6,000 cancelled flights since May). We were proven right... and wrong. Frankly, our best guess was that United would adhere to the US Airways model, established earlier this year in the wake of their own labor disruptions: double miles for everyone.

United has chosen a more elitist, literally, way of addressing its shortcomings. Rather than an across-the-board bonus, they will supplement the mileage accounts of its elite members, and only its elite members, as follows:

Mileage Plus Premier members will receive an additional Premier bonus for United flights between May 1 and December 31, 2000. Premier members will receive an extra 25% bonus, while Premier Executive and 1K members will receive a 100% bonus. The extra bonus will be credited to accounts in January 2001. In addition, members who qualify for Premier status in 2000 will also be eligible for these bonuses retroactively.

If you're not elite (and by definition, most aren't), United is making some ticketing concessions, waiving the $75 change fee for those whose outbound flight was cancelled or delayed, and for those ticketed for travel prior to September 30 who elect to postpone their trip.

>> More <<
United

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SkyMiles Bonus, Discounts for Europe Flights
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SkyMiles members purchasing round-trip international travel on the Delta Web site now through September 15, 2000 can earn up to 50,000 bonus miles. They can earn up to 10,000 bonus miles during each of the five months that the promotion is valid -- 9,000 miles for the international purchase plus the 1,000 bonus miles customers earn every time they complete round-trip travel purchased on the Delta Web site. Travel must begin on or after October 1, 2000 and end on or before February 28, 2001. It's possible for a SkyMiles member to earn up to 50,000 bonus SkyMiles by purchasing and completing five round-trips to or from the U.S. and any other Delta destination in the world, between October 2000 and February 2001.

A portion of travel may be on the following carriers: SkyTeam partner Air France; The Delta Connection Carriers: Atlantic Coast Jet, Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Comair, SkyWest, and Trans States Airlines; codeshare partner Malev.

Delta is also offering discounts off select published fares to customers who purchase tickets on the airline's website to select European cities, including Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Brussels, Budapest, Dublin, Frankfurt, Istanbul, London, Lyon, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Moscow, Munich, Nice, Paris, Rome, Shannon, Stockholm, Stuttgart and Zurich.

The discounts are available through August 31, 2000, for travel departing the U.S. between October 1, 2000 and February 28, 2001 and returning on or before March 15, 2001.

>> More <<
Delta

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SkyTeam Sweepstakes Will Give Away 10 Million Miles
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We reported on the Delta portion of the SkyTeam Million Mile sweepstakes in a previous issue. Here's the big picture...

Each member of the SkyTeam global alliance (AeroMexico, Air France, Delta and Korean Air) will award 2.6 million miles to sweepstakes winners, including one million miles for first place, 500,000 miles for second place, 100,000 miles for third place, and 10,000 miles each to 100 fourth-place winners. These miles will be valid for award travel on any of the four SkyTeam partner airlines or for around-the-world redemption on the alliance route network.

Terms and conditions differ somewhat among the participating airlines, so check the individual websites for details.

>> More <<
o AeroMexico
o Air France
o Delta
o Korean
o SkyTeam

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US Airways Doubles Miles for NY Flights
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Earn double Dividend Miles for US Airways New York flights through November 30, 2000.

Offer applies to travel between New York's LaGuardia Airport and Burlington, Vt.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Greensboro, N.C.; Greenville, S.C.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Norfolk, Va.; Providence, R.I.; Portland, Maine; Richmond, Va.; and Rochester, N.Y.

This offer is valid only on nonstop and direct flights (one-stop with no change of plane), and may not be combined with any other offer or promotion. You must register for this offer by calling US Airways at 1-800-872-4738 and referencing Bonus Request Number 2254.

>> More <<
US Airways

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Triple AAdvantage Miles for Dollar Rentals
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Dollar Rent A Car is offering triple miles to all American AAdvantage members who rent a compact car or larger vehicle between August 21 and December 15, 2000, at participating locations.

To receive the bonus, mention "AA900" at time of rental.

>> More <<
Dollar

<< I N D U S T R Y U P D A T E >>

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Study Finds Alliance Benefits
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We have expressed the opinion more than once that the consumer benefits touted for global airline co-op and alliances are questionable (although the benefits to the participating airlines are obvious).

A study released this week by Jan Brueckner at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign suggests that alliances and other forms of inter-airline cooperation do in fact benefit consumer--fairly dramatically, and where it matters most: in their wallets.

According to the study, various types of cooperation result in different fare reductions, as follows:

                                       Fare

   Factor                         Reduction

   Codeshare                             7%
   Global alliance                       4%
   Antitrust immunity                   16%
   All of the above*                    27%

   * And yes, according to the study, they are combinable.

The report raises interesting questions (we are, after all, in the early stages of alliance development), but for the time being it's the definitive study on how these more and less controversial factors affect pricing.

>> More <<
The report

<< S T E A L S & D E A L S >>

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Deal Alert from SmarterLiving.com
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Two hot deals from SmarterLiving.com...

>> Get Two-for-One on Icelandair with a MasterCard

Use a MasterCard to purchase an economy or business-class ticket to Scandinavia, Europe, or the UK on Icelandair, and receive a free companion ticket in the same class. This offer is valid until December 31, and is good for travel through May 31, 2001.

For more details, go here.

>> Fall Flyaway Sale from ATA

ATA has released a sale on domestic fall travel, with round-trip fares starting at $90. Tickets must be purchased by Tuesday, September 5. For most fares, travel is valid between now and December 13.

For more details, go here.

<< B U S I N E S S T R A V E L T I P S >>

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Getting to and from the Airport
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The following is part of a continuing series of business travel tips from Chris McGinnis's "The Unofficial Business Traveler's Pocket Guide--165 Tips Even the Best Business Travelers May Not Know."

>> Find a Helpful Resource
Travel agents, corporate travel managers, and travelers rely on Salk International's "Airport Transit Guide," a complete guide to airport transfers at more than 400 airports around the world. the pocket-sized guide, revised each October, provides taxi rates, airport coach, limousine, car service, and van fares and schedules, public transit fares, schedules and routes, airport parking rates, car rental facilities, and helicopter services. Typically, travel agents, airlines, or hotels give the guide to their clients as premiums, but they can be ordered directly for $9.95 from Salk Intrnatuional Travel premiums, Inc.; tel. 800-962-4943.

Chris McGinnis
Travel Skills Group
http://www.travelskills.com

<< R E A D E R R A N T S & R A V E S >>

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Continental Discounts Awards
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[One of our regular readers forwarded the following elite communiqué she received from Continental, together with a request to not redeem OUR OnePass miles until she had a chance to redeem HERS.]

As an Elite member, you will have the first opportunity to take advantage of our biggest reward sale of the year.

Visit the international sights you've always wanted to see and save up to 25,000 miles on Standard Reward travel. Fly Continental Airlines using a roundtrip coach class Standard Reward between September 1, 2000 and December 14, 2000 for a minimum of 17,500 OnePass miles* to great international destinations.

International destinations valid for this sale are:

Latin America...............Sale Price......Savings

Guadalajara, Mexico............17,500..........17,500
Managua, Nicaragua.............17,500..........17,500
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.........17,500..........17,500
Sao Paulo, Brazil..............17,500..........17,500
Belo Horizonte, Brazil**...... 17,500..........17,500

Europe......................Sale Price......Savings**

Dusseldorf, Germany............25,000....up to 25,000
Frankfurt, Germany.............25,000....up to 25,000
London, England (Gatwick)......25,000....up to 25,000
Madrid, Spain..................25,000....up to 25,000
Zurich, Switzerland............25,000....up to 25,000

Don't delay. Seats are limited and may not be available on all flights or days. Call 1-800-344-1411 today for reservations. A deal like this doesn't happen more than once a year.

Miles can not be purchased for this promotion. Restricted travel dates apply. International taxes and fees of up to $53.74 are not included. This offer is valid for travel to and from the 48 contiguous United States.
  * All OnePass terms and conditions apply.
 ** Service to Belo Horizonte, Brazil begins 9/7/00.
*** Travel before 9/30/00 and save 25,000 miles on a Standard Reward. Travel between 10/1/00 - 12/14/00, off-peak, and receive a savings of 15,000 miles.

 - Christine

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TRIP to Discontinue Rewards Program
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I thought your community should be aware of this change at the trip.com:

"Dear TRIP.com Customers -

"When rewardTRIP was originally launched, it was designed as a short-term promotional program. Due to marketplace changes, redemption options have become limited. Consequently we have made the difficult decision to eliminate the rewardTRIP program from TRIP.com. Effective immediately, new TRIP.com customers will no longer be automatically enrolled in rewardTRIP. Existing rewardTRIP customers will have the opportunity to continue earning points until 8/31/00. All rewardTRIP customers will be notified via e-mail of the changes and will be given the opportunity to redeem existing point balances."

 - Marc

<< F R E Q U E N T F L I E R F U N N I E S >>

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True (Funny) Travel Stories
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Reported comments to reservations agents...

"Do you people fly to Area Code 304?"

[FrequentFlier Funnies are true stories told by pilots, reservations agents and other travel industry professionals, from William Joric's "Air Sick Humor." The book can be purchased at the FrequentFlier Bookstore at
http://frequentflier.com/ffp-books.htm]

Until next week...