Issue #100  --  June 29, 2000

<< U P F R O N T >>

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And the Winners Are...
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This is it--Issue #100. We made it!

As you know if you're a regular reader, we're marking the occasion with the "100 Criers" prize drawing: Every subscriber in our database when this issue is published is automatically entered to win one of 54 prizes from 14 companies, including--

o 50,000 American AAdvantage miles from American Airlines (http://www.aa.com)
o 25,000 ClickMiles from ClickRewards (http://www.clickrewards.com)
o Copies of "Fly Free As Easy As 1-2-3" by David Crandall
o 50,000 Delta SkyMiles from Delta Air Lines (http://www.delta-air.com)
o Eliteflyer luggage tags (http://eliteflyer.com/)
o 50,000 greenpoints from S&H greenpoints (http://greenpoints.com)
o Two nights stay at any Hilton HHonors hotel in the continental U.S. (http://www.hiltonhhonors.com/)
o Subscriptions to InsideFlyer Magazine; FlyerTalk T-shirts and luggage tags; and Frequent Flyer coffee mugs from InsideFlyer (http://www.webflyer.com/)
o Cool hats and T-shirts from JohnnyJet.com (http://www.johnnyjet.com)
o "Diving in Malaysia" books from Malaysia Airlines (http://www.malaysiaairlines.com/)
o Free 1-week GSM phone rental from Planetfone (http://planetfone.com)
o Subscriptions to "Travel Holiday" magazine donated by SmarterLiving (http://www.smarterliving.com/)
o 25,000 SmartMiles from SmartMile
(http://www.smartmile.com)
o Autographed copies of "The Penny Pincher's Passport to Luxury Travel" by Joel Widzer
(http://www.travelerstales.com/)

We will begin notifying winners by e-mail tomorrow, Friday, June 30. If you're chosen, please respond to the e-mail notification by end-of-day July 7 with the following information:

o Name
o Mailing address
o Phone

Once the contact information is received, we will pass it on to the company which donated the prize you won, and they will send your prize.

(If you've already notified us that you won't have e-mail access during the notification period, don't fret... we'll arrange to have your prize delivered when you return.)

Winners will be listed (by name and city of residence only) as they are confirmed on the website at http://frequentflier.com/winners.htm.

Again, thanks to our subscribers and sponsors for making the first 100 issues possible!

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Prize Drawing Winners

<< M I L E S >>

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Adam's Mark Launches Cash-Back Program
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The new Gold Mark Rewards program is the first in the hotel industry that rewards loyalty with real money.

Program members earn cash rewards according to their spending on stays at Adam's Mark hotels, as well as visits to the hotels' lounges, restaurants and other facilities.

Gold Mark Rewards are based on 3 tiers, increasing from an initial 3% when participants reach the $1,000 level, to 4% at the $5,000 level and 5% for $10,000 or more in total spending.

Expenditures are cumulative on an annual basis, and once a new tier is reached, the higher award percentage is automatically applied in the form of a bonus reward to all previous expenditures. For example, a guest who spends $5,000 would be eligible for a 4% award, or $200. But once that guest reaches the $10,000 expenditure level within a single year, the guest would receive a 5% reward on the entire $10,000 in patronage, or $500.

New members receive $250 credited toward their Gold Mark Rewards account just for signing up and begin earning rewards immediately. And to promote the new program, Adam's Mark will double participants' account values through the end of this year.

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Adam's Mark

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WebMiles Offers Credit Card
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WebMiles is one of the new (and rapidly proliferating) crop of non-airline programs which reward members with points for purchases at participating merchants (more than 60 in WebMiles' case) redeemable for travel discounts, free tickets, and/or merchandise.

WebMiles is currently one of the best developed of these non-airline programs, and it has now upped the ante for competing programs with the addition of an affinity credit card, the WebMiles MasterCard.

Like the airline-affiliated credit cards (which the WebMiles card mimics), cardholders earn 1 WebMile mile for every $1 charged to the card.

There are 3 different card levels including Platinum, Standard and Secured depending on the consumers' credit rating and credit line. Annual fees for the WebMiles MasterCard are $25 or $39 for the Standard or Platinum version of the WebMiles MasterCard, with an introductory APR as low as 2.9 % and 13.99% APR following the introductory period. The card has the following additional features:

o Price guarantee - the WebMiles MasterCard guarantees the price of online purchases for three months. If the price decreases at the originating online merchant and the merchant does not honor the lower price, WebMiles MasterCard will pay the cardholder the difference.

o Product return guarantee - online purchases include a refund guarantee when the online merchant does not allow a return. Return the merchandise to WebMiles MasterCard within 90 days and receive a full refund, with no questions asked.

o 100% fraud protection - cardholders will not be held responsible for fraudulent online purchases made with their WebMiles MasterCard.

o Online account access - cardholders can access credit card accounts and view and/or download account statements, make electronic payments, and contact customer service online.

Using the WebMiles MasterCard, program members can earn 2 miles for every $1 spent when they purchase from merchants in the network AND use the WebMiles card to charge the purchase.

Do be aware that WebMile miles are a proprietary currency. I.e., you cannot convert your WebMiles miles into miles in any airline, hotel or other program (as opposed to ClickMiles or Amex Membership Rewards points, which are convertible into various flavors of airline and hotel miles).

We'll be looking at WebMiles and related programs in future newsletter and website articles.

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WebMiles

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Best Western Stays Now Earn WorldPerks Miles
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Best Western International is the newest (and 29th) Northwest WorldPerks hotel partner.

WorldPerks members earn 250 miles with each qualifying stay at any Best Western hotel in North, Central and South America beginning July 1, 2000.

Best Western International is a membership association consisting of independently owned and operated hotels, currently including more than 4,000 hotels in 86 countries and territories.

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o Best Western
o Northwest

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More AAdvantage Miles for BankDirect Customers
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BankDirect has increased the number of miles customers can earn when they sign up for direct deposit into a mileage checking account.

Since May of 2000, BankDirect customers had earned 1,000 AAdvantage miles when they signed up for direct deposit into a new mileage checking account. Going forward, however, AAdvantage members will earn 5,000 miles for direct deposit into a mileage checking account. The offer is available for a limited time only.

In addition, BankDirect announced a new service that provides customers with instant access to track miles earned through their BankDirect mileage accounts.
As BankDirect customers check their account balances, they can also keep track of the AAdvantage miles they have earned through the BankDirect mileage program.

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BankDirect

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Delta, Royal Air Maroc Link Programs
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Delta and Royal Air Maroc have formed a marketing alliance that includes codesharing on routes between the United States and Morocco, and reciprocal frequent flyer program links.

The airlines plan to begin codeshare flights this fall, pending government approval, with Delta placing its code on Royal Air Maroc Boeing-747-400 aircraft between Casablanca and New York (JFK). In addition, Delta will offer codeshare service beyond Casablanca to Agadir, Marrakech and Tangier, Morocco on Royal Air Maroc Boeing 737 aircraft. Royal Air Maroc would place its code on Delta flights from New York (JFK) to Atlanta, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, Tampa, Washington (Reagan National) and Boston.

In addition to the codeshare flights, members of Delta's SkyMiles program will earn mileage credit when traveling on Delta's codeshare flights with Royal Air Maroc. Members of Royal Air Maroc's Safar Flyer Program will earn mileage credit when traveling on Royal Air Maroc's codeshare flight operated by Delta.

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o Delta
o Royal Air Maroc

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Holiday Inn's 10-Million Point Giveaway
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Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts is giving away 10 million Priority Club Worldwide points through September 2 to hotel guests in the Washington, D.C., area.

Each week, 1 winner will be awarded 1 million points.

All guests will be automatically enrolled in the contest each time they stay at any of 18 Holiday Inn hotels. See the Priority Club website for a complete list of participating hotels.

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Priority Club

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Win a "Week to Remember" from Marriott
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The Week to Remember promotion will award a week-long vacation for 2 - including air travel, deluxe Renaissance hotel accommodations and breakfast each morning - to 5 Marriott Rewards members entering the drawing before September 30, 2000. The prizes are as follows:

o 2-Grand Prizes - An 8-day/7-night trip for 2 anywhere in the world a Renaissance Hotel is located.

o 3-First Prizes - An 8-day/7-night trip for 2 anywhere in the U.S. (including Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands) a Renaissance Hotel is located.

To enter the Week to Remember giveaway, fill out the registration form on the Marriott Rewards website (link below).

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Marriott Rewards

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First-Time PlanetRX Customers Earn Bonus ClickMiles
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Shop for health and beauty products at PlanetRx.com and get 500 Bonus ClickMiles with your first non-prescription purchase now through July 27, 2000. The bonus is over and above the normal 1 ClickMile for every dollar spent.

Plus, first-time customers get a free "Fresh Start" kit with their first purchase of $10 or more. Choose from a Thermasilk hair care kit, Gillette Mach3 shaving kit, or Body & Earth bath kit.

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ClickRewards

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

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

>> 4th of July Holiday Fare Sales

Many airlines are offering special travel deals for the Fourth of July holiday.

Ticketing and travel dates vary, and some airlines include special fares for children traveling with adults. (Note: while they are promoted as holiday specials, some of these fares can be purchased as late as July 4th, with return travel as late as July 7th.)

For more details, go here.

>> Save 10% on Fares to/from New York (Newark) and Philadelphia

National Airlines is offering a 10 percent discount on all travel to/from New York (Newark) and Philadelphia.

For more details, go here.

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

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Getting to and from the Airport
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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."

>> Getting to the City
o Do not take the first conveyance you see as you exit the terminal--usually a taxicab--unless you know that is exactly what you need. Other factors to consider: Are you on a tight budget? Do you have too much luggage for the subway? Are you in a party of 2 or more? Do you need to recover your mental resources in the comfort of a limousine before a big meeting? Are you in the city for the first time?

o Travel agents can usually tell you in advance the various means of transportation available from the airport to your destination in the city or outlying communities.

o In larger cities, the airport authority usually operates a local or ground transportation desk near the baggage claim area to assist travelers in making frugal, intelligent, and safe choices. Don't accept rides from anyone who approaches you in the terminal unless you have already made prior arrangements.

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

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

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True (Funny) Travel Stories
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Many passengers want to carry their pets on board, but the bizarre collection of animal carry-on requests is unbelievable. Pigs, snakes, chickens... these are fairly common. One man wanted to take a live turkey with him in the cabin, as he was taking it home for Thanksgiving. Another insisted that his rat was a "pet rat," and when denied permission to bring it on board, threatened to carry it in his pocket.

[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]

Until next week...