U P F R O N T
Thanksgiving Behind Us, More Miles Ahead
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Another Thanksgiving travel exodus is, thankfully, behind us. If you braved the not-so-friendly skies (and even less friendly airports), welcome back. You deserve every last mile and point, base and bonus alike, you earned.
Against the backdrop of systemwide double-mile offers from most airlines and assorted promotions from the larger hotel companies (see http://frequentflier.com/offers.htm for a summary), and with marketing staff and budgets cut to the bone, I expected this to be a slow week for newsworthy developments in the miles and points arena. Wrong!
In addition to the normal do-this/earn-that offers, there are new mileage credit and debit cards, new ways to buy miles and give them as gifts, and positive developments from companies on the periphery of the loyalty space such as MilePoint, Points.com and MilePro.
O N S I T E
New on the FrequentFlier Forum
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Kay needs 5,000 OnePass miles, FAST! Hal is refinancing and wants to earn miles for his new loan. Deborah wonders: Where can I go with 160,000 AAdvantage miles? Henri will be exchanging his 500,000 Amex points for airline miles... but which airline? And more...
Do you have questions, answers? Post them to the Forum!
> More...
M I L E S & P O I N T S
US Airways Rolls Out Debit, Business Cards
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Two new mileage-earning cards, the Dividend Miles Visa Check Card and Dividend Miles Visa Business Card, are now available to Dividend Miles members.
With the Dividend Miles Visa Check Card, purchases are deducted directly from the cardholder's Bank of America personal checking account. Cardholders earn 1 Dividend Mile for every $2 in purchases, and more when using the card to purchase goods and services from US Airways. The card has an annual fee of $30.
More details and applications are available by calling 1-800-900-9000, or online at http://www.usairways.com/checkcard.
With the Dividend Miles Visa Business Card, business owners earn 1 mile for each $1 spent in net purchases and 2 miles for every $1 spent on US Airways goods and services purchased directly from US Airways, including purchases made by their employees. Apply by calling 1-800-360-5080 or by visiting the nearest Bank of America banking center.
America West Adds BuyMiles/GiftMiles
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You can now buy FlightFund miles, either for your own account or as a gift to another FlightFund member.
BuyMiles allows members to purchase up to 15,000 FlightFund miles per calendar year. GiftMiles allows the purchase as gifts of up to 15,000 miles per member, for up to 3 members, per calendar year.
Cost: $0.025 per mile, plus applicable taxes (Federal Excise tax and GST for Canadian Residents only) and $15 per transaction processing fee. U.S. and Canadian residents only.
> More...
Alaska Air Puts Miles Up for Sale
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Speaking of miles-as-gifts, Alaska Airlines has launched its Gift Miles program, which allows the purchase and gifting of up to 10,000 Mileage Plan miles.
Gift Miles can be purchased for $50 for each 2,000-mile increment up to the 10,000-mile cap. Recipients receive a Gift Miles certificate. Naturally, Gift Miles do not count toward MVP and MVP Gold status.
Additional information about Gift Miles is available at http://www.alaskaair.com or by calling Mileage Plan at 1-800-654-5669.
American Rewards Donations with Miles
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Earn 500 AAdvantage miles when donating at least $50 to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF through Dec. 31, 2001. A maximum of 2,500 miles can be earned through this offer.
According to American, with $50 UNICEF can buy enough antibiotics to save the lives of 166 children suffering from pneumonia, provide vitamin A capsules to 1,250 children to prevent blindness, or buy enough vaccines to protect 450 children against measles.
> More...
Earn SkyMiles for Earthlink Service
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SkyMiles members can now earn 5,000 miles when they sign up for EarthLink's $21.95-per-month dial-up Internet access. Call 1-888-EARTHLINK, enter extension 65256 and mention promo code 10971.
Beginning in Jan. 2002, SkyMiles members will receive 5,000 miles when they sign up for a new EarthLink DSL, cable and two-way satellite account.
Minneapolis Retailers Offer WorldPerks Miles
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WorldPerks members can earn 1 mile for every $1 spent, up to a maximum of 2,000 miles, at participating downtown Minneapolis retailers through Dec. 26, 2001.
For details, and a complete list of merchants, see http://www.downtownminneapolis.com/htm/flybuy.cfm.
MilePoint Adds Purchase Partners
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MilePoint.com now allows use of miles and points toward the purchase of electronic gift certificates from Marriott, Lands' End, Spiegel and Sharper Image.
MilePoint members can use miles and points toward 10% of the purchase price of gift certificates in various denominations, depending on the company.
Points.com Exchanges Net Double MWE Miles
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Through Feb. 15, 2002, earn double Frequent Flyer miles when transferring miles or points from participating loyalty programs into a Midwest Express Frequent Flyer account at Points.com, up to 1,000 miles for each exchange.
MilePro Adds Program, Functions
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MilePro mileage-management software has added Air Canada's Aeroplan to the list of supported airline programs and now delivers a separate listing of recent activity, elite level status and year-to-date qualifying flights/segments for American, Delta, Marriott, United Airlines, and US Airways. Multiple-user support is in development and will be offered soon.
> More...
S T E A L S & D E A L S
Deal Alert from SmarterLiving.com
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This week's hot deals from SmarterLiving.com...
Sale Fares to Europe From $258 R/T, No Fee for Rescheduling
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British Airways is offering savings on flexible fares for travel from the U.S. to select European cities. Round-trip fares start at $258 and can be rescheduled without an additional fee. Travel is valid through Mar. 14, 2002.
> More...
Cross-Country Sale Fares Starting at $198 R/T
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US Airways has announced sale fares for winter travel between cities in the Eastern and Western U.S. Purchase tickets online only and by Friday, Nov. 30. Delta and Northwest have matched this sale.
> More...
S W E E P S T A K E S & F R E E B I E S
United, Visa Host Million-Mile Giveaway
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Each time cardmembers use their United Mileage Plus Visa card, they will automatically be entered to win 1 million United Mileage Plus miles.
The Million Mile Giveaway will take place weekly from Dec. 1, 2001, through Jan. 31, 2002, during which a total of 9 million-mile prizes will be awarded.
[Other travel-related sweepstakes and giveaways are online at http://frequentflier.com/sweeps.htm.]
R E A D E R R A N T S & R A V E S
Thumbs Down on United's Elite Policy
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I am VERY upset with United. I just read (on a travel web site, not United's... still waiting for their email) about new elite status level changes. If what they printed is true, it is totally unacceptable. Not only did American announce their elite status changes over a month ago, they had the wisdom to match 2002's status to this year's. Last year United was quick to ease elite status requirements during their union difficulties. I feel they should have matched American's changes immediately after American's announcement.
Between my husband (1K or Exec Premier over the last 6 years) and myself (Premier for the last 6 years) we have accrued over 400,000 miles flying the friendly skies during that time. No more! Not only will we be flying American Airlines from now on (whenever possible) we won't mind our lack of status for a while. ALL of their coach seats have more leg room, not just the front 5 rows.
Previously United, now American,
- Stacey
Until next week...
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