"Up Front" Blog Entries

Following are some of Tim's recent blog posts:

• Continental Offers Big Bonus for Multiple Partner Transactions
  Members of Continental's OnePass program can earn up to 100,000 bonus miles for completing a variety of partner transactions by December 31.
• The Top Five Award Destinations for September
  This month's best bets for award travel include Albuquerque, Denver, Canada, Mexico, and London.
• Join Southwest's Loyalty Program ... Please!!!
  Southwest's sign-up bonus gets new members halfway to a free ticket, making this one of the most generous recruiting promotions ever.
• InterContinental Offers 10,000 Points for Partner Transactions
  Unlike some other recent partner offers, which tend to be annoyingly convoluted, this is a model of simplicity. And it's easy to earn the maximum 10,000 points.

The FrequentFlier Forum - Hot Topics

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

In the "Airline Programs" Forum, AKDutch is wondering how to play the Delta-Northwest merger and the integration of the SkyMiles and WorldPerks programs: "I have both accounts and about the same amount of miles in both. I am a Silver Elite member with NWA. I have a Delta AMEX card and monthly I earn new SkyMiles in my Delta account. 8/31 is the last day you can transfer miles between both. What's recommended in my case? Move everything to Delta? What about my Silver Elite status then, do I keep it if I move all miles to Delta? Smarter to move all to NWA? Why?"

Also in the "Airline Programs" Forum, Becky questions the rationale behind British Airways' award-related fees: "Does anyone actually know why the fees and taxes on BA flights are so high? We are exploring the possibility of using frequent flyer miles to get from Denver to Johannesburg. We have enough miles in both BA and Delta to get there. If we use Delta, it will probably be 125,000 miles + $62 per person. If we use BA, it will be 90,000 miles and $638 per person."

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

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American Offers Double Elite-Qualifying Miles

Between September 2 and December 15, American is offering AAdvantage members double elite-qualifying miles (EQMs), and supplementary elite bonuses.

The double-EQM offer is self-explanatory, although it's worth pointing out that while the miles do count toward elite status, they cannot be redeemed for awards. That was also the case with American's double-EQM offer earlier this year.

The supplementary bonuses are extra rewards for elite members who exceed the qualification threshold for a particular tier but fall short of reaching the next level, as follows:

~ Gold members who earn 40,000 to 49,999 EQMs during 2009 can select one of the following: two 500-mile upgrades; one set of luggage tags; one Admirals Club day Pass; or 7,500 AAdvantage bonus miles.

~ Platinum members earning between 75,000 and 99,999 EQMs can choose one of the following: four 500-mile upgrades; two Admirals Club day passes; 15,000 AAdvantage bonus miles; or the opportunity to reward a friend with AAdvantage Gold status for one year.

~ And Executive Platinum members who earn 125,000 EQMs will have a choice of two of the following: two one-way Systemwide Upgrades; a one-year Admirals Club membership; 25,000 AAdvantage bonus miles; or the opportunity to reward a friend with AAdvantage Gold status for one year.

When American launched a double-EQM promotion in March, it was quickly matched by United and Continental, with Delta weighing in somewhat later with a significantly less generous elite offer of its own. No doubt members of those and other programs are hoping for a quick response this time as well.

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BA Offers Tier Points for Discounted Fares

British Airways has modified the terms of its Executive Club program to allow members to earn elite-qualifying points (Tier Points) for discounted coach fares. But unlike U.S. carrier programs, which typically award one full elite-qualifying mile for every mile flown on discounted tickets, British Airways will only reward discounted travel with 25% of the Tier Points earned for non-discounted tickets.

Certainly earning some points toward elite status beats earning no points. But I suspect that for the great majority of those flying on restricted coach fares, the change simply creates the illusion of the possibility of reaching elite.

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Choice Offers One Free Night After Three

From August 31 through November 19, members of the Choice Privileges program will receive 8,000 points after every stay of three consecutive nights at Cambria Suites, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay, Econo Lodge, and Rodeway Inn hotels. That's enough for a free night at more than 1,500 hotels in the Choice network.

The 8,000 points includes the points normally earned for the stay, plus enough bonus points to reach that total.

Qualifying stays must be booked at choicehotels.com or 1-800-4CHOICE.

For those who don't have the required three-night stay, Choice is also offering 500 bonus points for shorter stays during the same period.

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Virgin America Tops 1 Million Elevate Members

For anyone keeping count, Virgin American reports that after two years, the Elevate program has signed up its millionth member.

Virgin America is using the milestone as the basis for a limited fare promotion. The offer: a 20% discount on Main Cabin and Main Cabin Select fares booked by September 29 and flown between September 2 and November 18; December 2 and December 16; and January 6 and February 10, 2010.

To take advantage of the one-time discount, travelers must use the promotion code included in the email sent to Elevate members on or around September 1. According to the email, "This is a one-time use code, so if you share, share with care." In other words, it can be used by anyone, but only for one booking.

As an Elevate member myself, I received the email and a promotion code. Since I don't plan to use it, and since doing so would comply with the terms of the offer, I would be happy to make the code available for use by one Crier subscriber. First come, first served.

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Deal Alert from SmarterTravel.com

1) Southwest Sale Fares From $39 Each Way

Southwest has announced a sale with fares starting at $39 one-way or $78 round-trip. Music City, Sin City, and the City by the Bay are a few of the featured destinations. Southwest has not listed an expiration date so these fares could vanish at any time.

Travel is valid from September 2 through October 30. Book tickets at least 21 days before departure.

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2) American Fall and Winter Sale From $98

With autumn just around the corner, now may be your best chance to nab a cheap fall flight. American's latest bargain-heavy sale, which ends September 3, features flights starting at just $98 round-trip for travel into early 2010. Destinations include Orlando, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco, and many more.

Travel is valid Mondays through Thursdays and on Saturdays from September 9 through January 7, 2010. Book tickets at least 14 days in advance and by September 3, 11:59 PM CT.

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Win a Trip for 2 Anywhere Emirates Flies

Enter Emirates' "The World's Your Reward" sweepstakes by September 30 for a chance to win two round-trip tickets to any city in the world serviced by Emirates airlines.

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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.

Does Delta Care?

"I have been flying with Delta between the US and Italy since the demise of TWA. I can only agree with the comments made about this merger. Delta used to be a terrific airline, with customer service apparently really interested in keeping their passengers. No longer. I had a serious problem with NWA airlines earlier this year, and my first step was to complain to the Big Cheese. The former Delta would have immediately resolved the problem -- or tried to -- by issuing a voucher with their apologies. That would have gone a long way towards calming my anger, but Delta is no longer so interested in keeping their customers.

"Their answer was to tell me to take it up with NWA, who passed me off to KLM, and KLM turned out to be worse than the other two put together, suggesting I might have been drunk (not) or on drugs (also not), among other nonsense. The result is that I will not fly anything I recognize as NWA (or KLM). Does Delta care? Apparently not. If this keeps up, I can only agree that when this formerly very special airline goes under, it will be no tragedy." [Nancy E.]

American Charges More for Bags Than for Passengers

"I just took advantage of one of American Airlines fare sales for $49 each way from Chicago to Minneapolis. After booking, I discovered something that I find actually pretty funny. Since I don't fly American often, I have no status and need to pay checked baggage fees. I'll need to check two bags. It is actually going to cost more for my bags to fly than it will for me! With their new fee structure implemented a couple weeks ago, it is $20 for the first bag and $30 for the second bag -- each way. That means I'll be paying $100 round trip for my bags to fly, but only $98 for my actual ticket!" [Joe S.]

Kudos to Starwood Preferred Guest

"I had a last minute trip to California and needed four different hotels from LA to San Francisco and just wasn't sure how I was going to pull all of that together. With one call to Starwood Preferred Guest the agent on the line located hotels near my places of business and booked all four of my reservations within 15 minutes. The hotels the agent recommended all exceeded my expectations." [Bowman O.]

Continental - A Lousy Value, for Sure!

"I belong to 5 frequent flier programs, and have taken many domestic trips at the 25,000 point level. I recently searched for tickets 6 months away from either Oakland or San Francisco to New York, Austin, Texas,and Orlando, Fla. Most airlines had at least a few round trips at 25,000 points, though some were only for night flights. Continental had virtually NOTHING available, even switching the routes and/or the dates several times. This drops the value of these points by half... a lousy value, for sure!" [Kathy T.]

United Not Releasing Award Seats

"I have flown United Airlines exclusively for over 20 years and I'm just a few miles short of earning million mile status. I've experienced good management and bad management over these years with the latter being the most recent experience. Back when United tried to claim they had 'worldwide service' and painted it on the nose of all the battleship gray airplanes, I actually had to retain an attorney to go after them to get my free tickets 'around the world' that they tried to beat me out of! After I paid for and flew all the segments I then requested the reward only to be told that they couldn't verify that I was actually on board every flight, even though I had my stamped copies of my boarding passes for every segment! Just before filing the action in court against them they agreed to credit us with all the segments + 1 million miles each as well as recognize the 1K status we earned.

"Now United has taken to not releasing even a single upgrade seat or award seat on many flights in an attempt to sell the seats full fare right up until departure time. That's not what we were promised for our loyalty now was it. Your miles have ZERO value if you want to upgrade and can only get it by basically standing by until 15 minutes before flight time. Throughout the month of August and September they have done this on all the SFO-SIN flights that have the new lay flat seat configuration. The flights have 30 - 40 empty business class seats as late as a week before departure and they still will not release them. I don't fly coach, especially on flights that long, and adjust my travel days to upgrade available flights. Is anyone else experiencing this latest tactic? Any suggestions?" [Bret T.]

No Extra Pickle

"While not selfless, one of life's little enjoyments is reading 'Rants & Raves' and having the reaction that starts with 'there but for the grace of...' Which also is to say we can never learn too much that may help us.

"[Last] week, Stan T., Steve S., Jeff D., and Janet B. gave us a lot of grist sharing in dismay a common fact: America's airlines do what they do because they can get away with it. You have to be an old guy like me to remember where prior to 1978 fares and routes were government regulated.

"So, service and amenities were all on which the airlines could compete for business. Since then, you can pretty much forget whose livery is on the fuselage: boiled down it's all a variation of one kind or other on the $9 fare.

"Meanwhile one wonders with all those programs and award levels what took Lawrence L. so long to figure it out?" [Ed N.]

Overbearing Houston TSA

"I recently took a flight out of Houston's Hobby Airport. No problems with regular TSA security, had boarding pass and ID in hand, passed through security without issues. As the plane was getting ready to board, 3-4 TSA storm troopers showed up to announce 'random ID Check,' then proceeded to have the passengers go through their gauntlet.

"I have only seen it in the movies, but I felt... should any of us utter a word of disapproval at the process, we'd have been deemed as 'troublesome' or 'uncooperative' and a non-flier. 'Change has come to America.'" [Flying Texan - Houston, TX]

Until next week...