"Up Front" Blog Entries

Following are some of Tim's recent blog posts:

• Which Rewards Programs Are Most Rewarding?
  A new study ranks the largest U.S. frequent flyer programs on a crucial dimension: how generous they are in making award seats available for mileage redemption.
• Rent From Enterprise; Buy One, Get One Free From Holiday Inn
  Get a free Holiday Inn night after a paid night and a car rental from Enterprise. It's definitely complicated, and might be worthwhile.
• New Promotion Cuts Price of Delta Miles in Half
  Through June 30, SkyMiles credit card holders will receive a 100 percent bonus on miles purchased and charged to their cards. Good deal, or not?
• Delta Credit Card Holders Can Bypass Bag Fees
  Beginning on June 1, SkyMiles credit card holders can bypass the $25 fee for checking a bag. That offsets the Gold card's $95 annual fee after just two round-trips.

The FrequentFlier Forum - Hot Topics

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

In the "Airline Programs" Forum, two of our regular posters weighed in with their thoughts on the United-Continental merger.

According to Max Bialystock: "Surely CO is not any 'great shakes' compared to the other US-flagged airlines now, but my impression of CO, based on experience, is that it has remained just a half-slice above the others. I fear for the future of the NEW United, attempting to co-opt that CO 'feel' by the adoption of the current CO globe-logo. Everything's not 'going to hell in a handbasket.' It's happening faster than that, in a JET PLANE."

Jeff F. responded as follows: "Max, I agree with you completely about CO being the better of the two airlines in the merger, and that if it goes through it won't improve anything for most of us. With the other recent mergers of DL/NW and Frontier/Midwest, the additional pending merger now lessens competition even further. And with the merger and probable overlapping routes being cut, older and unneeded aircraft retired to the desert, and the costs involved in merging all the systems, crews, frequent-flyer plans, and other expenses involved, including standardizing the fleets with interior modifications, who do you think will be paying more to fly? So the same amount of passengers for each now combined into one airline, and not many more additional seats available means more costs to fly. For the elite frequent-flyers now combined into one frequent-flyer plan, that's so much more of them trying to get their upgraded seating on only slightly more seats, if that. And award seats will be even harder to find.

"But it's still a long way to go before the merger is finally approved. And we're both old enough to remember the words of the great New York Yankee catcher, Yogi Berra, who said 'It Ain't Over 'Till It's Over.'"

Questions, answers, opinions? Post them to the Forum!

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Amex Membership Rewards Points Worth 25% More Delta Miles

Through June 30, American Express Membership Rewards members can earn a 25% bonus when transferring their points to Delta miles.

There's no limit to the number of points that may be converted into miles.

Registration is required.

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Up to 13,500 AAdvantage Miles for Wyndham Stays

Through September 30, Wyndham Rewards members can earn up to 13,500 American AAdvantage miles for stays at Wyndham, Wingate, or Hawthorn Suites hotels.

Every three qualifying stays booked at wyndham.com/aa will earn 3,000 bonus miles, in addition to the miles normally earned.

Stays at Wyndham and Hawthorn Suites normally earn 500 miles per stay and so will earn a total of 4,500 miles with the bonus after three stays. The bonus can be earned up to three times, for a maximum of 13,500 miles after nine stays.

Since Wingate stays normally earn two miles per $1 spent, the total amount earned will vary.

Registration is not required, but you must have American as your chosen earning preference to earn the bonus.

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Deal Alert from SmarterTravel.com

1) Fare War - $44 Each Way - Several Airlines Compete!

Take off with thousands of discounted domestic and Caribbean fares in AirTran's systemwide sale, and numerous U.S. routes with American's, Delta's, and Frontier's promotions. Discounted rates are available for travel through fall, but most are only on sale through tomorrow. Bahamasair, Continental, JetBlue, and United are also competing with unannounced low prices on many routes.

Each sale runs through May 13 for travel this spring, summer, and fall. Frontier's sale lasts an extra day, and expires on May 14.

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2) $278 Delta Caribbean and Latin America Sale

Delta's latest Caribbean and Latin America sale features spring and summer travel to destinations such as Montego Bay, Guadalajara, San Jose, and St. Lucia. Fares begin at $278 round-trip.

Travel is valid through spring and early summer. Purchase by May 10.

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Win 500,000 American Frequent Flyer Miles

Enter American Airlines' "Picture the Stories" sweepstakes by June 1 for a chance to win 500,000 AAdvantage frequent flyer miles, a $500 gift card, and 1,000 Shutterfly prints.

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[Visit FrequentFlier.com for more travel sweepstakes.]

Feedback from the Frontlines of Travel

We welcome reader feedback on issues related to travel generally and frequent flyer programs in particular. Please use this link to submit comments.

United's New Upgrade Fees

"I have been trying to get some information about United's new 'copay' for upgrading using mileage. I assume that this is basically an additional fee they are charging just to get upgraders to pay more than discount coach. What I don't understand is why they are requiring passengers to pay this fee at the airport when they check in. The only answer I am able to elicit from United is that it is some kind of bookkeeping method... to do what? I am not clear.

"It just seems that over the years they have tried to discourage members from using miles to upgrade, such as not showing on the website whether upgrade seats are available, or not being able to purchase upgrade seats until a coach seat has been purchased. This rule requires that I stand in line at the airport in order to purchase the upgrade seat that I have already confirmed and obtained by paying $25.00 to an agent on the telephone -- but they are not allowed to let me pay the copay fee at the time of purchase.

"Thank you for getting back to me and hopefully clarifying this situation." [Martin G. - West Hollywood, CA]

[FrequentFlier.com replies - Far be it from us to presume to explain the logic behind United's policies, except to point out the obvious: Fees are at the core of mainline airlines' current strategy to regain profitability. The airlines will continue to assess new fees, and ratchet up existing fees, until consumers push back.]

Airline Deregulation

In response to Ed N.'s comments in last week's newsletter:

"Please do not refer to the airline deregulation of the late 1970s unless you also detail all of the ways the airlines have used that deregulation to abuse the passengers, employees, the stockholders, and the taxpayers (who paid for their bankruptcies,) since they have been allowed to manage themselves.

"If there is ever an industry that needs to be re-regulated, it is the airline industry!" [Bob J.]

Giving Away Miles

"In response to Hal W. [who inquired about donating miles for charitable purposes], you could give away one-way awards for only 12,500 miles or magazines or any other awards from the programs that offer merchandise." [SS]

US Airways Awards

"I've had less trouble getting awards on US Airways than American, and Continental for example." [Dan P. - S. Wales, NY]

Until next week...