AMAZING DEAL: Redeem American Miles For Etihad A380 First Class

Later this week Etihad will finally begin service with their cutting edge new A380s. The inaugural flight will be from Abu Dhabi to London on December 27, and I can’t wait to be on it in the First Class Apartment.

As is often the norm when airlines take delivery of an aircraft with a new type of “product,” Etihad has up until now heavily restricted premium cabin award space on the plane.

Up until now they haven't consistently been releasing any first or business class saver award space on the A380, and certainly haven’t released any saver award space in The Residence (I don't expect that last part to change).

The post AMAZING DEAL: Redeem American Miles For Etihad A380 First Class appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/12/23/amazing-deal-redeem-american-miles-for-etihad-a380-first-class/

CityPASS San Francisco: A Must for SF Travelers

I am not a huge fan of multi-attraction entrance passes. While these will certainly save you money if you would have otherwise purchased individual tickets to the attractions covered, often when I purchase multi-attraction entrance passes I find myself going to an attraction only to justify the purchase of my pass. However, the CityPASS San […]



from Frugal Travel Guy http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/12/citypass-san-francisco-a-must-for-sf-travelers.html

The West Coast Flight That Has Plenty of First Class Award Space to Europe Using American or British Airways Miles

British Airways dropped first class from a handful of routes, but they’ve changed their mind and first is coming back. And that creates an opportunity for award travel. Here’s what prompted my realizing it: MileCards wrote that British Airways award availability was wide open in first class for next summer between Los Angeles and London […]

The post The West Coast Flight That Has Plenty of First Class Award Space to Europe Using American or British Airways Miles appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/12/23/west-coast-flight-plenty-first-class-award-space-europe-using-american-british-airways-miles/

Video: Bali’s Enduring Spirit

Whenever a traveler returns to a beloved place after a long hiatus, the trip is inevitably attended by some combination of anticipation and dread. Will it be as great as you remember it? Has time treated it well?



from Intelligent Travel http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2014/12/23/video-balis-enduring-spirit/

In Transit Blog: A Paris Museum at Play

Musée des Art Forains in Paris showcases roving fairs of the past with gondolas, marionettes and carousels.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/41ba2ecb/sc/10/l/0Lintransit0Bblogs0Bnytimes0N0C20A140C120C230Ca0Eparis0Emuseum0Eat0Eplay0C0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

Hyatt Diamond Challenge To Return In 2015

For a long time Hyatt offered one of the most generous status challenges in the world, with their Hyatt Diamond Challenge.

Basically if you could prove any status with another hotel chain you'd immediately receive Diamond status, along with four confirmed Diamond Suite Upgrade Awards.

If you stayed 12 nights within 60 days you'd get to keep Diamond status for the rest of the program year. Plus they'd give you 1,000 bonus points for each of the first six nights you stayed during the promotion period.

Not surprisingly, the opportunity was ripe for abuse, whereby people just used it for the confirmed suite upgrades. So in November Hyatt discontinued the Diamond Challenge.

The post Hyatt Diamond Challenge To Return In 2015 appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/12/23/hyatt-diamond-challenge-to-return-in-2015/

Chase Points Transfers to Korean Air To Return in January!

Korean Air has been one of my favorite uses of Chase points. First class awards have been so darned easy to get. There are real sweet spots in their Skyteam award chart They offer cheap awards to Hawaii Although they are of course very Korean and their processes for redeeming awards are unique. Korean went […]

The post Chase Points Transfers to Korean Air To Return in January! appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/12/23/chase-points-transfers-korean-air-return-january/

Check In: Hotel Review: CitizenM in Manhattan

Fresh, funky and affordable, the hotel is a modern haven in touristy Times Square.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/41ba4766/sc/10/l/0L0Snytimes0N0C20A140C120C280Ctravel0Chotel0Ereview0Ecitizenm0Ein0Emanhattan0Bhtml0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

Heads Up: Indian Chains in New York, Worthy of Their Flagships

It is possible to experience Indian food in its unadulterated form at four New York outposts of popular Indian restaurants.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/41ba1081/sc/10/l/0L0Snytimes0N0C20A140C120C280Ctravel0Cindian0Echains0Ein0Enew0Eyork0Eworthy0Eof0Etheir0Eflagships0Bhtml0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

Bites: Restaurant Report: Lazy Bear in San Francisco

The ticketing system at this spot makes sense; a communal, three-hour meal there feels more like an event than a dinner.

















from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/41ba1085/sc/10/l/0L0Snytimes0N0C20A140C120C280Ctravel0Crestaurant0Ereport0Elazy0Ebear0Ein0Esan0Efrancisco0Bhtml0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

To Mush or Not to Mush: Dogsledding in Québec

Many new to the world of dogsledding opt for a leisurely ride in a sled while a musher leads them across the snowy landscape with some help from a team of tireless canines. However, as I learned on a four-day crash course in Quebec, dogsledding is a much more challenging affair when you're in the musher’s shoes.



from Intelligent Travel http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2014/12/23/to-mush-or-not-to-mush-dogsledding-in-quebec/

Etihad’s First The Residence Passenger

Later this week Etihad Airways will have their inaugural commercial A380 flight from Abu Dhabi to London. This will be one of the most anticipated airline events of the year, as Etihad's A380s look to be truly revolutionary. The most revolutionary product is The Residence, which is a three room suite with private butler.

Fortunately I managed to snag a seat on the inaugural in First Apartment.

I was unsuccessful in my attempt to get a seat in The Residence, though I'm happy that the guy who booked it on the inaugural happens to be awesome. ;)

The post Etihad’s First The Residence Passenger appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/12/23/etihads-first-residence-passenger/

Boeing 737s clip each other on the ground at LaGuardia

It's not your typical holiday travel snag.

from CNN.com - Travel http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/23/travel/plane-wing-clip-laguardia/index.html

Learn to Walk on Water During Your Next Trip to Hong Kong

This is a reader story. (Read others or tell us yours.) I read a long comment by Elena Kim in the 2014 Travel Roundup, and decided it deserves a post of its own. Here’s Elena: – This year I learned I could walk on water. I was in Hong Kong on my first overseas trip…



from The Art of Non-Conformity http://chrisguillebeau.com/learn-to-walk-on-water/

SPG 2014 Platinum Suite Night Award Expiration Not Being Extended

One of the cool perks of being a 50 night Platinum with Starwood is that you get 10 Suite Night Awards.

Each can be used to confirm a one night upgrade to a suite five days before arrival.

As I wrote about a few days ago, I have several of these left.

Last year Starwood actually extended the expiration of Suite Night Awards through April 30 as a courtesy. Usually they expire on December 31, meaning they have to redeemed for stays prior to then.

The post SPG 2014 Platinum Suite Night Award Expiration Not Being Extended appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/12/23/spg-2014-platinum-suite-night-award-expiration-not-being-extended/