FrequentFlier.com tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-86834960991885068 2012-02-24T10:07:13-08:00 TypePad Upgrade to a Sheraton Club Room, Earn 1,000 Bonus Points tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01347fd47536970c016762e9a5b2970b 2012-02-24T10:07:13-08:00 2012-02-24T10:07:13-08:00 Pay more. Get more. Get rewarded. That's the premise of this new promotion from Sheraton. Offers Details Between February 21 and May 31, Starwood Preferred Guest members will earn a 1,000-point bonus for every Sheraton Club-level stay charged to an American Express card. Eligible stays must be booked using DAILYFS... Tim Winship

Sheraton_AmexClubFloorBonus

Pay more. Get more. Get rewarded. That's the premise of this new promotion from Sheraton.

Offers Details

Between February 21 and May 31, Starwood Preferred Guest members will earn a 1,000-point bonus for every Sheraton Club-level stay charged to an American Express card.

Eligible stays must be booked using DAILYFS or SICLUB rate plans, referencing promotion code CL1 if booking by phone.

More than 300 Sheratons have Club lounges. Benefits vary by property but generally include free wi-fi and complimentary breakfast, drinks, and snacks.

Platinum members are automatically upgraded to Club rooms, when available.

Deal or No Deal

While there's no set network-wide formula, Club rooms tend to be priced $20 to $30 higher than non-Club rooms. Worth it? Quite possibly, especially if it includes breakfast. If so, the bonus points are icing on the cake.

Otherwise, the Club surcharge can be viewed as the price to buy an extra 1,000 points.

Worth a look in any case.

Reader Reality Check

Club room, anyone?

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 New Aeroplan Award Option: Music & Other Digital Media Downloads tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01347fd47536970c0168e7dd1d9a970c 2012-02-23T10:28:27-08:00 2012-02-23T10:28:27-08:00 Canada's Number 1 loyalty program, Aeroplan, ain't what it used to be. Last year, the program's award chart underwent significant modifications, resulting in higher prices for many of the more desirable award flights. And more recently, the program has begun imposing fuel surcharges on many partner awards, further eroding the... Tim Winship

AeroPlan_MediaStore

Canada's Number 1 loyalty program, Aeroplan, ain't what it used to be.

Last year, the program's award chart underwent significant modifications, resulting in higher prices for many of the more desirable award flights. And more recently, the program has begun imposing fuel surcharges on many partner awards, further eroding the value of an Aeroplan mile.

For those with miles in the program, however, there's a new redemption option that may take some of the sting out of the recent setbacks.

Aeroplan members may now redeem their miles for music, e-books, Facebook credits, games, and other apps through the Media Store.

It's a two-step process:

  • Redeem miles for credits in blocks of 25, 50, or 100.
  • Redeem credits for digital downloads at the Media Store.

Prices: 3,000 miles for 25 credits; 5,500 miles for 50 credits; 11,000 miles for 100 credits. So each credit costs either 120 or 110 miles, depending on the quantity purchased. If a mile is worth around 1.2 cents (my valuation), each credit is worth around $1.32.

Deal or No Deal

 The Media Store isn't exactly iTunes, but that was clearly the model. There's a fast and robust search function, and individual tracks may be previewed before buying.

The key question, of course, is value. How much are your miles worth when redeemed for music and e-books?

For context, most albums fall into the nine-to-15 credit range. Adele's "21" is available for 10 credits, for example, as is Joni Mitchell's "Blue." So those albums cost $13.20, if the credits are valued according to the value of the miles required to acquire them.

That's a bit more than you'd spend elsewhere—Adele's album is $11.12 at Amazon.com—but not so much more that the deal is a no-go.

Most individual tracks are priced at one credit apiece, or about $1.32 worth of miles. Tracks on iTunes cost $0.99 each. Again, you're paying a premium for the convenience of using miles, but a modest enough premium that the price is not a deal-breaker.

For Now: Canadians Only

For Aeroplan members who are U.S. residents, there's bad news: "The Service may be accessed and used only by natural persons located in Canada and is not available in any other location. If you are not located in Canada you may not access or use the Service."

The longer-term prospects are better. Now that the system has been developed and is in place—the technology is provided by Hip Digital Media—my best guess is that we'll see similar offerings from the major U.S. programs in the near future, perhaps also using Hip Media's back end if their agreement with Aeroplan isn't exclusive.

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Is this a compelling use of frequent flyer miles?

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 Starwood Award Prices Will Change on March 1 tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01347fd47536970c016762cc7a57970b 2012-02-22T10:52:08-08:00 2012-02-22T10:52:08-08:00 As it does every year, Starwood has reviewed its entire portfolio of hotels and, based on some combination of average daily rates and occupancy levels, adjusted the award prices of approximately 220 of its 1,000-plus hotels. The new rates take effect on March 1. According to my count, award prices... Tim Winship

StarwoodPreferredGuest_AwardNights

As it does every year, Starwood has reviewed its entire portfolio of hotels and, based on some combination of average daily rates and occupancy levels, adjusted the award prices of approximately 220 of its 1,000-plus hotels.

The new rates take effect on March 1.

According to my count, award prices at around 180 hotels are increasing, versus decreases at only approximately 140 hotels.

Of course, what matters most is the price changes at hotels where you plan to stay. Helpfully, Starwood has published a list of hotels affected by the changes, both positively and negatively.

Making the Best of the Changes

If you're a Starwood Preferred Guest member planning to redeem points for award stays after March 1, review the list and proceed as follows:

  • If your stay is at a hotel whose price will increase, book the stay at the current lower rate, before March 1.
  • If your stay is at a hotel whose price will decrease, wait until the new lower rate takes effect on March 1 to book the stay.

The clock is ticking ... don't miss the chance to lock in today's lower price if your hotel's rate is set to increase.

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 Win Up to 1 Million Southwest Rapid Rewards Points tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01347fd47536970c016301c7d3bb970d 2012-02-21T09:46:35-08:00 2012-02-21T09:46:35-08:00 Enter Southwest's "Partner Palooza" sweepstakes by May 15 for a chance to win the grand prize: as many as 1 million Rapid Rewards points, plus a Companion Pass for one year, plus a check for up to $4,878 to cover the taxes associated with the prize. (One million points will... Tim Winship

SouthwestAirlines_PartnerPalooza

Enter Southwest's "Partner Palooza" sweepstakes by May 15 for a chance to win the grand prize: as many as 1 million Rapid Rewards points, plus a Companion Pass for one year, plus a check for up to $4,878 to cover the taxes associated with the prize. (One million points will be awarded if 350,001 or more registrations are received. Fewer registrations mean a smaller prize.)

Other prizes, which also vary according to the number of participants:

  • First Place - Up to 200,000 Rapid Rewards points and A-List Preferred status for one year
  • Second Place - Up to 75,000 Rapid Rewards points
  • Third Place - Up to 50,000 Rapid Rewards points

There are also a slew of Instant Win prizes from Rapid Rewards partners, including three-day Hertz car rentals, Best Western travel cards, free Choice and La Quinta hotel nights, and so on.

To enter, provide the requested contact information on the sweepstakes landing page. That gets you one entry. After registering, you may receive additional entries by making purchases from participating Rapid Rewards partner companies and for using or signing up for the Rapid Rewards credit card.

Time required to enter: less than 30 seconds.

In addition to the sweepstakes and Instant Win, there's a bonus component to the Partner Palooza: After registering, Rapid Rewards members will earn 500 bonus points for every 2,000 points earned from two or more unique partner purchases, up to a maximum of 4,000 bonus points. Points earned through the Rapid Rewards credit card, Diners Club Club Rewards, Ultimate Rewards, and partner sign-up points do not count toward the bonus.

The Fine Print

  • Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are at least 18 years of age at the time of entry.
  • Participants must have a valid Rapid Rewards membership number.
  • Limit: one entry per person for the Instant Win game, 215 entries for the sweepstakes.
  • Approximate Retail Value ("ARV") of the grand prize, if the full 1 million points are awarded: $21,138.

Somebody has to win, right? Might as well be you.

Want to get away for free? Check out our picks of the best current travel rewards sweepstakes.

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 Earn Hilton HHonors Points for Texts tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01347fd47536970c0163018dbcfd970d 2012-02-17T08:49:05-08:00 2012-02-17T08:49:05-08:00 Need a few extra Hilton HHonors points? I did. And sooner rather than later, according to the email I received from Hilton: Dear Tim Winship, This is a special reminder that time is running out on your HHonors account. To keep your account active, you must earn HHonors points at... Tim Winship

HiltonHHonors_VisaTextPromotion

Need a few extra Hilton HHonors points? I did. And sooner rather than later, according to the email I received from Hilton:

Dear Tim Winship,

This is a special reminder that time is running out on your HHonors account. To keep your account active, you must earn HHonors points at least once every 12 months. Otherwise, all of your points may be forfeited.

Because you are a valued member, we'd like to give you a final chance to save all of your accumulated points. There are lots of easy ways to do so, but you must act by April 01, 2012.

Any account activity will keep my points from expiring. And in a program as robust as HHonors, that leaves me plenty of options. But the following promotion fits the bill especially well.

Offers Details

Through June 30, Hilton HHonors members can earn 1,000 points for registering a text-enabled mobile phone number and a Visa card. Once registered, you'll receive "up to two special offers each week via text message." The good news: You can opt out at any time.

In addition to the up-front bonus, you can earn 4,000 more bonus points after spending $100 with your registered card at any U.S. Hilton hotel or resort.

You may register up to three Visa cards.

Deal or No Deal

The texting portion of the promotion is a relatively quick, pain-free way to earn a modest number of HHonors points. And in my case, because the transaction will keep my points from expiring, the bonus is doubly rewarding. Sure, those text messages will probably be more of an annoyance than a revelation, but opting out is easy as well.

The 4,000-point spending bonus has an unpublished upside as well—it's combinable with Hilton's first-quarter points and miles promotions, both in effect through March 31.

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 Alaska Airlines Adds Emirates to Mileage Plan Lineup tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01347fd47536970c0163017fd7d9970d 2012-02-16T10:26:30-08:00 2012-02-16T10:26:30-08:00 Alaska Airlines has long played David to the U.S. airlines' Goliaths, a smallish regional airline with an outsized presence that belies its true size. In particular, Alaska's Mileage Plan is a loyalty program befitting an airline many times its size, with a partner lineup that features earning and redemption on... Tim Winship

AlaskaAirlines_737

Alaska Airlines has long played David to the U.S. airlines' Goliaths, a smallish regional airline with an outsized presence that belies its true size.

In particular, Alaska's Mileage Plan is a loyalty program befitting an airline many times its size, with a partner lineup that features earning and redemption on the likes of Air France, American, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Delta, Icelandair, KLM, Korean Air, LAN, and Qantas.

Beginning on March 1, that impressive list gets even longer with the addition to the program of Emirates, the Dubai-based carrier that flies to 100 cities in 66 countries and boasts one of the world's youngest aircraft fleets.

Initially, Mileage Plan members will only be able to earn miles when flying Emirates. Program members will have to wait until "late 2012" to redeem their miles for free flights on Emirates.

Earning rates will be as follows: 50 percent actual flight miles for discount coach tickets (M, B, U, K, Q, L, T, V, X, H classes of service); 100 percent actual flight miles for full-fare coach (Y, E, R, W classes of service); 125 percent actual flight miles for business class (C, J, I classes of service); and 150 percent actual flight miles for first class (F, A, P classes of service). Emirates miles will count toward earning Mileage Plan elite status.

As is standard industry practice in promoting such tie-ups, Mileage Plan members will earn double miles on Emirates flights between March 1 and to May 31.

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 New InterContinental Earning Rate Takes Effect Today tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01347fd47536970c0168e76889b3970c 2012-02-15T11:04:37-08:00 2012-02-15T11:04:37-08:00 Effective today, Priority Club Rewards members will earn 10 points for every eligible $1, or local-currency equivalent, spent at InterContinental hotels in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The previous earning rate was 2,000 miles per stay. The change brings the Americas InterContinental properties into alignment with... Tim Winship

PriorityClub_NewInterConEarningRate

Effective today, Priority Club Rewards members will earn 10 points for every eligible $1, or local-currency equivalent, spent at InterContinental hotels in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

The previous earning rate was 2,000 miles per stay.

The change brings the Americas InterContinental properties into alignment with Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, and Holiday Inn Express hotels. The InterContinental hotels in other regions will be covered by the new earning rate "in due course."

According to IHG's press release, program members can expect to earn approximately three times more points under the new scheme. That may be true on average, and certainly lengthy stays at pricier InterContinentals will now earn more. But one-nighters at cheaper locations will earn less.

Although a positive one, the move is overdue and remains incomplete. Still, it at least partially offsets last month's increase in Priority Club award prices.

Reader Reality Check

About time? Too little, too late? What's your take on the change?

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 Win 100,000 American AAdvantage Miles tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01347fd47536970c0167625c07bf970b 2012-02-14T17:57:04-08:00 2012-02-14T17:57:04-08:00 Enter American Airlines Vacations' "Piece Together Your Vacation" sweepstakes by March 9 for a chance to win the grand prize: 100,000 AAdvantage frequent flyer miles. To enter, provide the requested contact information on the sweepstakes landing page. You are also automatically entered to win if you book a vacation package... Tim Winship

AmericanAirVacations_PuzzleSweepstakes

Enter American Airlines Vacations' "Piece Together Your Vacation" sweepstakes by March 9 for a chance to win the grand prize: 100,000 AAdvantage frequent flyer miles.

To enter, provide the requested contact information on the sweepstakes landing page. You are also automatically entered to win if you book a vacation package including a roundtrip flight and car rental or roundtrip flight and hotel stay at AAVacations.com using a promotion code offered as part of the "Piece Together Your Vacation" promotion.

The Fine Print

  • Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico who are at least 18 years of age at the time of entry.
  • Miles do not count toward earning Million Miler status.
  • Limit: one entry per person during the sweepstakes period.
  • Approximate Retail Value ("ARV") of the grand prize: $1,999.

Somebody has to win, right? Might as well be you.

Want to get away for free? Check out our picks of the best current travel rewards sweepstakes.

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 Exchange Your Gift Cards for United Miles tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01347fd47536970c01630162618e970d 2012-02-14T10:53:09-08:00 2012-02-14T10:53:09-08:00 Got gift cards? Rather have frequent flyer miles? Yesterday, United launched the MileagePlus Gift Card Exchange, a feature that addresses just that need. Henceforth program members can convert the balance remaining in their gift cards from more than 60 retailers into MileagePlus miles. Exchanges are a three-step process: Choose a... Tim Winship

UnitedMileagePlus_GiftCardsIntoMiles

Got gift cards? Rather have frequent flyer miles?

Yesterday, United launched the MileagePlus Gift Card Exchange, a feature that addresses just that need. Henceforth program members can convert the balance remaining in their gift cards from more than 60 retailers into MileagePlus miles.

Exchanges are a three-step process:

  1. Choose a gift card type.
  2. Enter the card's I.D. number.
  3. Review the offer (how many miles in exchange for the card's remaining balance), and confirm.

Miles should appear in program members' account in "about five days."

Among the participating retailers: Banana Republic, Bed Bath & Beyond, Home Depot, Kmart, Pottery Barn, Sears, Target, Victoria's Secret.

The fine print

  • Value of the gift card must be at least $25.
  • Cards with expiration dates are not eligible.
  • The amount of award miles offered in exchange for the gift card include a 7.5% federal excise tax.
  • Exchanges are final.

Deal or No Deal

According to United's press release, "The MileagePlus Gift Card Exchange program offers members another convenient way to earn award miles. We are pleased to offer customers new and innovative ways to engage with the world's leading loyalty program."

Convenient? Check. New? Check. Innovative? Check.

But what about value?

Conspicuously missing from the happy talk is any mention of the exchange rate members can expect when converting their gift card balances into miles.

On the website landing page, there's this: "You'll receive the full value remaining on your gift card in award miles."

So, what is that "full value"?

Elsewhere, United elaborates as follows: "Our rates are determined by market pricing, which is affected by several factors. In order to find the rate for your card, please enter your gift card information to receive an offer. You are under no obligation to sell your card, and we will not retain your gift card information if you do not confirm your sale. Please note that the mileage offer you see displayed for the same gift card of the same value may change from time to time."

There is, in other words, a black box aspect to this. Without a set exchange rate when converting card balances into frequent flyer miles, it's impossible to assess the real value of such exchanges except on a case-by-case basis. That's likely to detract significantly from the new feature's popularity and use.

If you received a $25 Starbucks gift card and don't drink coffee, then it probably doesn't matter how many miles per $1 you get in an exchange. In this case, convenience trumps value.

But for the resolutely value-conscious, the exchange rate matters. If converting that Starbucks card amounts to buying miles at 5 cents apiece—when their real value is closer to 1.2 cents each—you'd be better off selling the card, even at a significant discount.

For the convenience-oriented, the new exchange feature—representing yet another option for using their miles—is a modest win.

For value-seekers, however, the best that can be said is that your mileage will vary.

Reader Reality Check

Is this a sensible use of your gift cards?

Is it real step forward for MileagePlus, or just a gimmick?

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 British Airways Brings Back the New York Dining Discount tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01347fd47536970c0168e7491558970c 2012-02-13T10:27:38-08:00 2012-02-13T10:27:38-08:00 Although neither British Airways nor Chase is willing to divulge the exact numbers, we know that many, many consumers signed up for the British Airways Visa credit card in response to the ultra-lucrative 100,000-mile credit card enrollment offer in 2010. To keep those new cardholders engaged and reaching for their... Tim Winship

BritishAirways_DiningDiscount3

Although neither British Airways nor Chase is willing to divulge the exact numbers, we know that many, many consumers signed up for the British Airways Visa credit card in response to the ultra-lucrative 100,000-mile credit card enrollment offer in 2010.

To keep those new cardholders engaged and reaching for their cards, post-promotion, British Airways and Chase, the card issuer, rolled out a novel promotion offering a $100 credit for using the card to charge two meals at select New York City restaurants.

That offer was extended through the end of last year. And it has been extended yet again, this time well into summer 2012.

Offers Details

Through July 31, British Airways Visa credit card holders will receive a $50 statement credit when using their cards to charge meals at any New York restaurant with a star rating from the 2012 Michelin Guide. (Michelin awards one, two, or three stars to the top-rated restaurants. Needless to say, star-rated establishments also tend to be among the most expensive.)

There's limit of two credits per card, for a total of $100. The bill for each qualifying meal must total at least $50.

To whet your appetite, here's a list of the Michelin three-star restaurants in New York:

  • Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare
  • Daniel
  • Eleven Madison Park
  • Jean Georges
  • Le Bernardin
  • Masa
  • Per Se

Note that Peter Luger, the popular one-star Brooklyn steakhouse, doesn't accept credit cards and therefore is not included in the promotion.

Deal or No Deal

Many of the supposed extras that come bundled with credit cards are more marketing hype than substance.

If your travels take you to New York City, however, and you have a hankering for haute cuisine, this promotion delivers a meaningful discount on a memorable experience.

Is this a reason to sign up for the British Airways Visa card? Not at all—British Airways' Executive Club has come in for considerable criticism recently for the sky-high fuel charges imposed on award tickets. And the value of a co-branded credit card ultimately depends on the value of the loyalty program it's linked to.

But if you already have one, the nice rebate is certainly a compelling reason to plunk down your British Airways Visa card after a pricey meal in New York.

Reader Reality Check

Do you have a British Airways Visa card? Is this offer reason enough to use it?

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