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December 23, 2014

Free Lightroom Presets and a New Last Minute Christmas Deal!

Holiday Sale! 35% off all kinds of Stuff! Go see our new Newsletter! It has all the details you need, just in case you need that last minute gift for a photography lover, or even better, a gift for yourself! Free Lightroom Presets – A Starter Pack! Go grab them in the store now! There’s […]

from Stuck in Customs http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2014/12/24/free-lightroom-presets-and-a-new-last-minute-christmas-deal/

Cuba’s Zeal for Tight Control Clashes With Need for Growth

Raúl Castro’s decision to normalize relations was driven by economic interests, but his government seems intent on opening markets only a crack.

from NYT > Travel http://rss.nytimes.com/c/34625/f/642561/s/41bbbd61/sc/1/l/0L0Snytimes0N0C20A140C120C240Cworld0Ccubas0Ezeal0Efor0Etight0Econtrol0Eclashes0Ewith0Eneed0Efor0Egrowth0Bhtml0Dpartner0Frss0Gemc0Frss/story01.htm

How Can You Use Chase Points to Travel to Alaska?

Reader l.C asks, I need to fly 3 people to Alaska using those Chase points. What is the best and most efficient way to do this. I have Alaska, but not Korean airlines, account. Certainly Alaska Airlines has the most flights. And Korean’s award chart for travel on Alasks is very reasonable. To say whether […]

The post How Can You Use Chase Points to Travel to Alaska? appeared first on View from the Wing.

from View from the Wing http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/12/23/can-use-chase-points-travel-alaska/

Korean Air SkyPass Ultimate Rewards Transfers Returning January 2015

In late November, points transfers from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Korean Air SkyPass suddenly became unavailable. There was no advance notice or explanation, which suggested to me that it was temporary, and not a permanent change. Usually when partnerships like this are discontinued, at least some advance notice is given.

A few days after the transfer functionality was discontinued I wrote a post about how it looked like the change was temporary, given that Chase customer service was saying the Ultimate Rewards website would be updated when (not if) the functionality returns.

As I explained at the time, losing Korean Air SkyPass as a transfer partner would be a huge loss for Ultimate Rewards, given what a useful program SkyPass is. Some of the best things about SkyPass miles include:

The post Korean Air SkyPass Ultimate Rewards Transfers Returning January 2015 appeared first on One Mile at a Time.

from One Mile at a Time http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/12/23/korean-air-skypass-ultimate-rewards-transfers-returning-january-2015/

The Return of Eastern Airlines

My first flight was to Orlando with Eastern Air Lines as a 2-year-old. I have no memories of it. I never had the chance to fly with Eastern again. By the time I began flying at least once or twice a year, Eastern was gone, officially shutting down on January 18, 1991. Now, 24 years […]

from Frugal Travel Guy http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/12/the-return-of-eastern-airlines.html

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/