New Year, New Miles-for-Dining Promos

With the new year has come, again, new opportunities to earn more miles for dining.

As has become the established pattern, several of the airlines which offer miles-for-dining through Rewards Network (American, Delta, Northwest, United) have launched promotions for the first quarter of the year, as has Priority Club. But the similarity ends there. The promotions have different end dates, and the offers themselves differ, ranging from straight mileage bonuses to accelerated elite dining status.

See "Miles & Points" below for descriptions of the various offers and links to the registration pages.

On a related note, Rewards Network -- formerly known as iDine, the company which operates the dining programs for many airline and hotel programs -- has reached a preliminary settlement in the class-action suit which has cast a cloud over the company's future, and the future availability of the generous mileage promotions associated with it. That bodes well for more dining-miles bonuses throughout 2007 and beyond.

FrequentFlier Forum Topics

As always, there's plenty of activity on the FrequentFlier Forum.

In the "Airline Programs" Forum, NoRest4wkd is seeking feedback on an unfamiliar mileage site: "Does anyone have experience with e-Miles? I received an email from Delta Airlines this morning asking me to sign up."

And in the "Contests & Sweepstakes" Forum, Jennifer has posted information and links to a number of travel-related drawings.

And much more. Questions, answers? Post them to the Forum!

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Up to 10K Bonus Dining Miles from American

Between January 1 and February 28, AAdvantage members who are signed up to participate in AAdvantage Dining will earn 500 bonus miles for qualified dines totaling $100 or more, 1,000 bonus miles for spending $150 or more, 2,000 miles for $250, 5,000 for $500, and 10,000 for spending $1,000 or more.

Registration is required.

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Earn ATA Points for USA Today Subs

Members of ATA's Travel Awards program can now earn points for USA Today subscriptions.

Earning rate is 20 points for every four weeks subscribed, at $13.95 per month, paid for with the EZ-Pay auto-bill system. Plus there's a 200-point sign-up bonus awarded after the first 12 weeks.

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Continental Puts Bonus Miles Up for Sale

OnePass members have until February 28 to register to earn 50% more miles for all Continental flights during 2007. Bonus is calculated on base miles and does not apply to elite status.

The "service fees" to earn the bonus are as follows: $50 to earn up to 5,000 bonus miles; $100 to earn up to 10,000 bonus miles; and $150 to earn up to 15,000 bonus miles. In other words, the charge is a penny a mile, or more.

To enroll, contact the OnePass Service Center at 1-800-554-5522.

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Up to 10K Bonus Dining Miles from Delta

With Delta's "Bon Appetit" promotion, SkyMiles members can earn as many as 10,000 bonus miles in the SkyMiles Dining program.

Members must first register, by February 28. Thereafter, they'll earn 1,000 bonus miles for every $100 spent at participating restaurants through March 15, up to a maximum of 10,000 bonus miles.

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Discount, Gas Card for National Car Rentals

Through March 31, members of National's Emerald Club will receive a $10 discount plus a $25 gas card when renting compact or larger cars for five or more days and charging the rental to an American Express card.

Coupon ID ND8016OMU must be included on rental reservation, and the offer is valid only on rentals made on National's website at nationalcar.com.

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Fast Track to Dining Elite at Northwest

Northwest WorldPerks members can earn Tier 1 Dining for Miles elite status by spending $250 or more in qualified dines (including tax and tip) between January 1 and February 28. (Elite status is normally earned after 12 dines within a calendar year. Tier 1 members earn 10 miles per $1 spent at participating restaurants through the end of 2007, and five miles per $1 thereafter.)

Registration is required.

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Priority Club Offers Fast Track to Elite Dining

Priority Club Rewards members can earn elite Priority Club Dining status by spending at least $250 on qualified dines between January 1 and February 28. (Elite dining members earn 16 points per $1 spent at participating restaurants during 2007, versus five points per $1 earned by non-elite members.)

Registration is required.

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United Offers Fast Track to Elite Dining

In United's "Ten Dine" offer, Mileage Plus members can earn both bonus miles and accelerated elite dining status.

Members must first register, by February 15, after which they will earn 5,000 bonus miles and be upgraded to Elite Dining Status through all of 2007 after dining out ten times at $25 or more (including tax and tip) by March 31. (Members with Elite Dining Status members earn 10 miles per dollar spent through the end of the year.)

The math: members earn up to 20 bonus miles per dollar, plus accelerated Elite status, if the target is met.

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Deal Alert from SmarterTravel.com

1) Southwest Fares from $29 Each Way

Southwest has a new systemwide sale for travel through early May. Although it advertises fares from $49 one-way, some prices are as low as $29. Destinations include Orlando, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.

Travel is valid through May 10. Book tickets at least 14 days in advance, and by January 22.

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2) American Fares from $58

American's latest sale competes with a similar offer from AirTran. Fares start at $58 roundtrip and destinations include Chicago, New Orleans, Miami, and Phoenix.

Travel on most routes is valid Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays through May 23. Travel to Florida is valid through March 7. Book tickets at least 10 days in advance. American has not listed a booking deadline, but AirTran's sale expires January 18.

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Win a Trip for 2 to Ireland

Through January 31, enter Continental Airlines' "Fly Away" sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip for two to Ireland, including air and five nights' hotel accommodations.

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[Visit http://frequentflier.com/sweeps.htm for more travel sweepstakes.]

Feedback from the Frontlines of Travel

"How does status matching work?" [DME]

[FrequentFlier.com replies - Status matching, for those not aware of it, is the practice by some airlines and hotels of awarding elite status in their programs based on a traveler's having earned elite status in a competing program. So, for example, United might grant Mileage Plus elite status to an elite member of American's program.

Status matching policies are generally not publicized, so the only way to determine whether a particular carrier will match status from another airline is to contact customer support and check. If the airline will match status achieved elsewhere, they will typically ask the applicant to fax a copy of a recent statement from the other program, proving he actually is currently an elite member. Having confirmed the applicant's status, the airline will then grant comparable status.]

Until next week...