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News and Notes on Monday, March 11th 2013

March 11, 2013By Edward Pizzarello2 Comments

American Airlines is giving 100,000 AAdvantage miles in a contest on their Facebook page. They’re promoting the fact that their fleet is mostly outfitted with Gogo wifi, so you also have a chance to win a Gogo pass or 100 miles. I’ve had a Gogo monthly pass for as long as I can remember and it’s probably one of the most valuable things I travel with. In-flight wifi is the greatest thing to happen in my travel patterns in the last 5 years. At the same time, JetBlue is contemplating […]

My Votes For The Best In Travel: Last Day To Cast Your Ballot!

Each year for over 30 years the Freddie Awards has celebrated the best brands in travel loyalty. Dubbed the “People’s Choice” of the travel world, millions of travelers pick the winners instead of a panel of “experts”. I’ve been one of the organizers of the Freddie Awards for over a decade now and my ballot has just as much weight as yours. If you haven’t voted yet, today (March 31st) is the last day to do so. Here’s the link to vote. My Freddie Awards Ballot Program of the Year: […]

Quick Tip: Free “First Class” Seats For United Elites On Certain Routes

Complimentary upgrades to first class on domestic flights have largely become a thing of the past for road warriors. Gone are the days where I would clear the upgrade list on virtually every flight I booked. Economy class is nowhere near as pleasant as it used to be, so the occasional upgrade to first class can be a real treat on longer flights. Due to some recent scheduling quirks, I’ve found some instances where elite members can select a free upgrade to United’s Premium Plus seating. These are essentially domestic […]

Earn Top-Tier Hyatt Globalist Status Through Feb 2025 After Staying Just 20 Nights

I earn affiliate credit if you sign up for the Bilt Rewards Mastercard using links in this story. You’ve heard me say it so many times over the years. Hyatt Globalist status is the most rewarding hotel status out there. Typically reserved for road warriors and very dedicated Hyatt fans, it typically requires you to stay 60 nights in hotels each year (or spend a bunch in hotels and/or on their credit cards). Bilt Rewards has started to gain a reputation of launching cool, new promotions on the first of […]

50% Transfer Bonus From Ultimate Rewards To Marriott

I logged into Chase Ultimate Rewards today to make a transfer and noticed a new item at the top of the transfer page: I hadn’t seen this elsewhere so figured it was worth mentioning. True to form, the T&C show that you can receive a 50% transfer bonus when you transfer Ultimate Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy right now. There doesn’t appear to be a limit to the number of points you can transfer. The bonus runs through May 15th, 2023. Is It Worth It To Transfer Ultimate Rewards Points […]

The Curious Case Of United’s Edible Catering

In the early days of the pandemic airlines scrambled to find ways to save money. One cost-cutting method that the airlines have relied on frequently over the years is to reduce catering options onboard planes. Catering cuts are likely centered around the belief that customers choose an airline based on route, timing and price; that they’ll be forgiving if any of the soft touches are absent during their trip. It was understandable in the early days when such things as catering took a serious hit. Customers continued to be understanding […]

I Flew Frontier, Saved $400 And Didn’t Die. My Frontier Airlines Review

Those low-cost carriers always have very appetizing fare sales. Who wouldn’t want to pay $20 to fly somewhere? But, what does $20 really buy you? I found out exactly what Frontier does (and doesn’t) offer customers on my first flight with them recently.

How To Use New Metro Silver Line To Get Between Dulles and Reagan National Airports

People talk about how bad the traffic is in places like Los Angeles with plenty of adjectives. And, it is quite bad. But, the traffic in DC is what I refer to as “stealthy bad”. It doesn’t get the same press that LA traffic does, but a trip that normally takes an hour can easily turn into a 3-hour ordeal. With visiting dignitaries, protests and construction as variables, weather can also wreak havoc on a system that consistently backs up during rush hour. For those of us that live in […]

Update: American Airlines Variable Choice Plus Pricing A Feature, Not A Bug

I have to admit, I was pretty pleased with the original announcement that American Airlines was creating bundled pricing that included change fees at a lower apparent cost. Things got a little better when American also announced they were expanding the timeframe you could request a same day change to your flight. And, then things started to get a bit screwy. It started with just one flight I couldn’t get to price right with Choice Plus as an add-on. But, then I did a bit more digging and found out […]

A Summary Of United Airlines Global Services Benefits

As travel has gotten more stressful the benefits of elite status are even more valuable. In some cases, what used to be free for everyone is now only free for those customers that fly most frequently. I value my American Airlines Executive Platinum status more highly than any status I’ve earned, including 1K service with United Airlines. However, Global Services is another matter. For those not aware, Global Services is an invitation-only status level that United bestows on their best customers. What defines a best customer? Well, United doesn’t list […]