AA Brings Back Elite Rewards

American Airlines announced bonuses for extra miles above and beyond achieved status levels yesterday. The rewards themselves are compelling, although largely unachievable for most.  AA has done this for a few years now, and the last two years the rewards have been based on…

Passport Renewal News and Notes

We’re going through the process of renewing the family passports.  With a 10-year initial term, this is actually the first renewal for Michelle and I.  Catherine’s was only a 5-year term, so hers was up for renewal as well.  If you don’t have a…

More News on AA Union Negotiations

I was a little surprised to see this article in the WSJ this morning. Very soon after American filed for bankruptcy it announced that it would have to terminate the pension plans for it’s workforce.  When something like this happens, the Pension Benefit Guaranty…

My Elite Status Plans for 2012

Traditionally, when you earn status with an airline or hotel program, it expires at the end of February in the year following your most recent qualification.  So, if you earn Executive Platinum for the 2011 qualification year, that status would expire on February 29,…

Milepoint Adds a 7th iPad Giveaway

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about the Freddie Awards and the fact that Milepoint was giving away 6 new iPad 3s for people who registered for Milepoint and voted in the Freddie Awards. Well, Randy decided we weren’t generous enough, and has…