Issue #86  --  March 23, 2000

<< U P F R O N T >>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Guide to Credit Card Mileage
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Without question, the request we receive most often at FrequentFlier.com is for more information on credit cards which earn mileage.

We answer those questions as they are received, of course. But it has been apparent for some time that what was really needed was a comprehensive online guide to the various types of mileage-earning cards, together with some advice for those looking to make an informed choice among the many available options.

So, in response to repeated requests from you, our readers, we launched (finally!) this week a guide to earning miles and points with credit cards.

As always, let us know what you think.

>> More <<
Credit card guide

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Frequent Flyer Program Data Disclosure (?)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Also new on the site this week, we've posted an article on the frequent flyer program data the airlines have begun to disclose on the Internet and in their program newsletters.

As regular readers know, we're underwhelmed by the quantity and quality of the information the airlines have provided us. Here's why...

>> More <<
Data Disclosure Rant

<< M I L E S >>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Delta Bonuses Transcon Flights
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Delta is offering up to 20,000 bonus miles for flights between New York's JFK Airport and select West Coast cities.

Delta SkyMiles members can earn 12,000 bonus miles with the purchase of a round-trip Economy Class ticket or 20,000 bonus miles for a round-trip paid BusinessElite U.S. ticket on nonstop flights between New York's JFK and Los Angeles, San Diego or San Francisco.

Bonus miles are available May 1 through July 31, 2000, on paid nonstop flights between New York's JFK and Los Angeles, San Diego or San Francisco.

To become eligible for the bonus miles, SkyMiles members within the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands must enroll by calling 888-558-3358 and, when prompted, entering their SkyMiles membership number and promotion code 1212 by June 30, 2000.

>> More <<
Delta

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Marriott, Visa Offer Double Points
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Visa U.S.A and Marriott will offer double points for Visa cardholders and Marriott Rewards members April 1 to June 30, 2000.

Starting with the second hotel stay paid for with a Visa card, Marriott Rewards members will earn up to 20 points per dollar -- double the normal 10 points per dollar -- toward free Marriott hotel stays, frequent flyer miles or any of over 200 reward options.

During the Marriott/Visa Daily Double, points are doubled for each subsequent stay paid for with a Visa card at any of the 1,800 participating Marriott hotels in 55 countries worldwide. Participating Marriott brands include:

    * Marriott Hotels, Resorts and Suites
    * Renaissance Hotels, Resorts and Suites
    * Marriott Conference Centers
    * Courtyard by Marriott
    * Residence Inn by Marriott
    * TownePlace Suites by Marriott
    * SpringHill Suites by Marriott
    * Fairfield Inn by Marriott
    * Marriott Vacation Club International

In order to participate, consumers must register for the promotion and review all program terms and conditions by visiting www.marriottrewards.com, or by calling 1-800-442-9929.

This offer is void to cardholders in Germany, Austria and Belgium.

>> More <<
Marriott

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hawthorn Marries Loyalty & Auctions
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
With Sleep Once... Twice... SOLD@hawthorn.com, customers earn 1000 Hawthorn Auction Dollars for each night they stay at more than 100 participating Hawthorn Hotels nationwide, between February 15 and December 14, 2000.

Once earned, the Auction Dollars can be used to make bids for Hawthorn stays, vacations and merchandise.

The next bank of items to be auctioned off on April 15 includes a diamond anniversary ring, retail value $10,000 (12,000 auction dollars starts the bidding). Items will be auctioned on the 15th of every month through December 15, 2000, culminating with the 2001 Jaguar S-Type sedan, retail value $46,000 (125,000 auction dollars starts the bidding).

It's a neat concept. But do exercise restraint when bidding for awards. While you might do OK in the auction mode, you're not likely to get a steal of a deal since there's a minimum-bid system in place. And there's a real danger of over-bidding, especially when using a non-cash currency.

>> More <<
Hawthorn

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
El Al Puts Account Info Online
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
El Al Israel Airlines frequent flyers can now access their account information from El Al's website.

>> More <<
El Al

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Dollar Doubles Miles for Online Bookings
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Borrowing a page from the airlines' playbook, Dollar Rent A Car is offering double miles to customers who book a compact car or larger for a minimum of four days on the dollar.com website.

Customers have a choice of receiving double miles from any participating airline partner through May 31, 2000, for their rental at any participating Dollar U.S. location. Participating airline partners include: Aloha Airlines AlohaPass; America West FlightFund; American Airlines AAdvantage; Continental Airlines OnePass; Delta Air Lines SkyMiles; Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles; Japan Airlines Mileage Bank; Northwest Airlines WorldPerks; TWA Aviators and United Airlines Mileage Plus.

You must enter promotion code "DTVL" in the promotion code field on the reservations page of dollar.com to qualify for this offer and should provide their frequent flyer number at the time of rental.

Frequent flyer awards are subject to a $.50/transaction tax recovery surcharge. Some restrictions apply.

>> More <<
Dollar

<< S T E A L S & D E A L S >>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Deal Alert from SmarterLiving.com
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Two hot deals from SmarterLiving.com...

>> Delta Sale Fares to/from Las Vegas, Starting at $148 R/T

Delta Air Lines has put travel between Las Vegas and 5 cities on sale. Round-trip fares start at $148. Travel is valid through June 9. Tickets must be purchased by April 5, and can only be purchased on-line at Delta's Web-site.

For more details, please go here.

>> Frontier's Spring Is In The Air Fare Sale: R/T from $188

Frontier Airlines is offering their 3rd Annual "Spring Is In The Air Fare Sale", with round-trip fares starting at $188. Travel is valid on select days through September 30.

Tickets must be purchased by April 4.

For more details, please go here.

<< I N D U S T R Y U P D A T E >>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
At US Airways, Strike Deadline Nears
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
As we go to press, there is no sign of an agreement between US Airways and its flight attendants.

Negotiations continue in Washington, DC, as the federally mandated 30-day "cooling-off" period ticks down to its deadline of March 25. On that date, if no agreement is reached, the airline has threatened to shut down.

Flight attendants have promised to utilize CHAOS strikes, if there is no shutdown. Create Havoc Around Our System strikes will be targeted at an initial list of 49 city pairings (see the website http://www.afausairways.org). Flight attendants will not announce in advance the exact dates and times of the targeted flights to be struck. Approximately 10,000 flight attendants are employed by the airline. All are members of AFA, the world's largest flight attendant union.

Following is US Airways' Thursday announcement regarding the airline's policies and procedures covering customers ticketed for travel during the strike, should it occur:

"In the event of a shutdown, US Airways will activate arrangements for other major airlines and Amtrak to honor US Airways tickets. Once the agreements are effective, passengers with paper tickets for Saturday, Sunday or Monday can go directly to another airline or work through US Airways reservations or a travel agent to rebook the flight. Customers holding electronic tickets must first call US Airways reservations or a travel agent or go to a US Airways ticket counter or office to have their electronic ticket processed for transfer to another airline. Customers holding a Dividend Miles award ticket must contact US Airways.

"The arrangements with other airlines are on a current-day-plus-two "rolling" basis, meaning that on Sunday, should the airline still be shut down, passengers holding tickets for travel on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday could take advantage of this opportunity to rebook on another carrier.

"US Airways currently is allowing passengers flexibility in making alternative booking arrangements on US Airways flights. Passengers seeking information can call US Airways reservations or their travel agent.

"US Airways reservations number is 800-428-4322. Information about US Airways, including special information on the negotiations with flight attendants, is available at the US Airways website, http://www.usairways.com."

>> More <<
o AFA
o US Airways

<< B U S I N E S S T R A V E L T I P S >>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Things to Know Before You Go
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The following is part of a continuing series of business travel tips from Chris McGinnis's "The Unofficial Business Traveler's Pocket Guide--165 Tips Even the Best Business Travelers May Not Know."

>> Don't Forget About Fido and Fluffy

Have you run out of friends or neighbors willing to take care of your pet when you are traveling on business? It might be time to look into hiring a professional pet sitter. The key to doing this is to hire a service that is licensed, bonded and insured. There are a growing number of professional pet sitters throughout the United States; many are members of an organization called the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS). Each company provides different services: feeding one or two times per day, dog walking, cat and dog bathing or grooming, cleaning litter boxes, administering medications, or taking your pet to the veterinarian. They'll even provide "theft-deterrent" services like picking up newspapers or turning lights on and off. Call NAPPS at 1-800-296-PETS, or see www.petsitters.org.

Chris McGinnis
Travel Skills Group
http://www.travelskills.com

<< R E A D E R R A N T S & R A V E S >>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
More on Healthy Choice, #1
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
First of all I would like to tell you how much I like your newsletter. I also would like to comment on your article about the speed (or lack of) on the part of Healthy Choice to process the mileage forms.

I submitted my Proofs of Purchase (POP) and cash register receipts just before the deadline and I received my certificates about two weeks later. I believe the reason that I got the certificates back so quickly is because I was very careful to spread out and tape all the POP and associated Receipts on separate sheets of paper. I also took a marker and put the total number of POP on the top of each sheet. I can only imagine the way some people crammed the whole mess in an envelope and mailed it off. It's only human nature for the people at the receiving end to do the easy ones first. Thanks for letting me get that of my chest.

Sincerely,
 - David

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
More on Healthy Choice, #2
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
One reason that they probably ran out of coupons was because one man earned 1,000,000 frequent flier miles under this promotion by buying tons of chocolate pudding. He was on Good Morning America about 8 weeks ago, so all of their company's efforts and coupons were placed on this one customer's redemption. I called ConAgra on the day I saw the man on TV to complain that I was still missing coupons that I submitted. When I mentioned the 1,000,000 miles that this man received, they had no comment. Thanks for following up with them for us little people. I will continue to call them about my miles.

 - Jennifer

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
More on Healthy Choice, #3
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Tim,

I hope you also told Healthy Choice what a GREAT promotion this was and encouraged them to do it again!

 - Stephen

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Northwest Offer
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Just wanted to make sure you noticed this nice little bonus promo that Northwest is offering.

I enjoy reading your weekly updates! Great job on the website. Keep it up!!!

Regards,

 - Michelle

--------- Forwarded Message ---------

DATE: Wed, 15 Mar 2000 22:56:54
From: NWA Promotions
To: NWA Promotions Recipient

Dear Traveler:

Have you been to nwa.com lately? This great destination keeps getting better with upgrades and enhancements that make travel planning easier than ever. Check out these great new features:

Northwest is rewarding our WorldPerks(R) members with up to 1,000 WorldPerks Bonus Miles for giving us their email address. If you are not a WorldPerks member, register online at http://www.nwa.com/freqfly/direct/enrol/ and then register your email address and WorldPerks number by visiting http://www.nwa.com/wpemail.

If you are already a WorldPerks member, make sure we have your WorldPerks number by going to http://www.nwa.com/wpemail and updating your registration information with your WorldPerks number in order to receive the Bonus Miles.

You must register your WorldPerks number and email address by April 30, 2000 in order to take advantage of this offer. For Bonus Mile offer terms and conditions, visit http://www.nwa.com/wpemail.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Amex Canada Changes
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Regarding Canadian American Express Membership Rewards Program
 
I just received my Canadian American Express Membership Rewards Summary dated March 14,2000 and it included the following information:
 
"Effective May 1,2000 each time you transfer points to a participating frequent flyer account, a fee of 3,500 points will be charged to your Membership Rewards account. Also, the minimum requirement of points for each transfer to a frequent flyer account will be increased from 5,000 to 10,000 points."

Since you are already charged a fee to belong to the Membership Rewards program, this charge is not warranted, and I encourage everyone to contact American Express to complain about the new 3,500 points fee.

Thanks.

 - Don

<< F R E Q U E N T F L I E R F U N N I E S >>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
True (Funny) Travel Stories
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
A secretary called in looking for a hotel in Los Angeles. She gave me various names off a list, none of which I could find. I finally had her fax me the list. To my surprise, it was a list of hotels in New Orleans, Louisana. She thought the LA stood for Los Angeles, and that New Orleans was a suburb of LA. Worst of all, when I called her back, she was not even embarrassed.

[FrequentFlier Funnies are true stories told by pilots, reservations agents and other travel industry professionals, from William Joric's "Air Sick Humor." The book can be purchased at the FrequentFlier Bookstore at http://frequentflier.com/ffp-books.htm]

<< S I T E 2 S E E >>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The Unofficial United Help Desk
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Here's the introductory copy on the homepage of a new website:

"You fly a lot. You're a very busy person. So let's cut through the fluff and get right to it. This site is designed to fill in the information gaps that United's Web Site or it's Published Material doesn't cover, as it relates to Mileage Plus and particularly their Premier elite status levels here in the United States."

The author is a 1K member (United's highest elite tier, for 100,000-milers), and is a United supporter, not a detractor. So this is not a gripe or bash site. Rather, like FrequentFlier.com, it's a site devoted to assisting others in becoming better informed travelers by sharing experience and advice gleaned from years spent in the trenches of business travel.

Bravo! (And thanks.)

>> More <<
UA Help Desk

Until next week...