One of the classic data challenges with frequent flyer programs is: what happens when your elite status changes? Historically you would make a reservation, and your status would attach to it. When I dropped from Starwood Platinum status down to Gold at the beginning of 2010, my Platinum status still stayed in my reservations I […]
The post What Happens to Existing Reservations When Your Status Goes Up or Down? appeared first on View from the Wing.
I just can't even begin to say how impressed I've been with the genuine hospitality offered by Emirates on this trip. First we had an amazing flight from Los Angeles to Dubai. We're now in the Emirates A380 First Class Lounge in Dubai.
When we got to the airport I hadn't yet told my dad where we were going. So I went to the check-in desk and explained the situation -- "I'm taking my dad on a surprise birthday trip and he doesn't know our next destination. When he gives you his passport could you please not tell him where we're going? Just give me his boarding pass." They laughed at the idea and gladly cooperated.
When we arrived at the lounge the same thing happened. At first the agents seemed to think I was kidnapping him or something, but once they "got" what I was doing, they loved the idea.
The post Thanks Emirates For Leaving My Dad Speechless (Again)! appeared first on One Mile at a Time.
Over the summer Citibank drastically improved the value proposition of its Thank You Points program, making the points transferable to a variety of airline mileage programs. Two years ago they introduced the program’s first transfer partner — Hilton. But transfers to Hilton are normally a really poor value at 1:1. Doubly so because Hilton massively […]
The post 100% Bonus on Citibank Transfers to Hilton HHonors Through January 8 appeared first on View from the Wing.
Over the past couple of years American Express has started opening lounges in the US, called Centurion Lounges. So far they have lounges in Las Vegas, Dallas Ft. Worth, New York LaGuardia, and San Francisco. They've also announced plans to open a lounge in Miami in 2015.
Those with the Platinum Card® from American Express can access the lounge for free, while other American Express cardmembers can pay $50 for access.
It looks like American Express is expanding the lounge concept even further, with the introduction of their first Centurion Studio, which will be debuting in Seattle in 2015.
Here's the press release:
The post Amex Centurion Lounge Studio Coming To Seattle Airport appeared first on One Mile at a Time.
With oil prices down, I've been asked on a daily basis lately why airlines don't lower their fuel surcharges. In spirit, a surcharge should be temporary, to reflect an additional burden.
But if you follow the way airlines impose fuel surcharges, the system seems to be that the fuel surcharges go up every time that oil prices increase, while they don't go down when the cost of oil decreases.
Even with the cost of oil prices way down, fuel surcharges still make up the majority of fares in many cases. For example, take the below flight between New York and London, which has a $264 base fare, and $458 in fuel surcharges.
The post Why Don’t Airlines Lower Fuel Surcharges? appeared first on One Mile at a Time.
Starwood Preferred Guest has an interesting redemption option called “Nights & Flights,” and while I’ve touched on the value a few times, I don’t think I’ve ever written about the program in detail.
*How does SPG Nights & Flights work?*
Effectively, Nights & Flights is a discount on five night hotel award stays, combined with a transfer bonus to an airline partner. This is only valid at Category 3 and 4 Starwood hotels, and only with airlines with a 1:1 transfer ratio.
-- 60,000 SPG points can be exchanged for five nights at a Category 3 and 50,000 airline miles
-- 70,000 SPG points can be exchanged for five nights at a Category 4 and 50,000 airline miles
The post SPG Nights And Flights appeared first on One Mile at a Time.
When I was young my family had a big gathering each year at the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden. I remember being quite young, maybe 5 or 6, and spilling something on my shirt at brunch beforehand, so had to make a stop at a department store on the way to the event […]
The post Real World Travel Tip: Take Care of Your Airline Club Agents, and They Will Really Take Care Of You appeared first on View from the Wing.