Life of a frequent flyer

I'm Executive Platinum on AA again next year

2013-09-14T07:48:00.001-05:00

Greetings from the Grand Hyatt Taipei. I flew on AA from DFW to NRT then CX to TPE. With the AA flight I crossed over the 100,000 EQMs threshold. The CX flight was credited to my British Airways account for a few miles as the fare class to too cheap to earn AA miles.

Almost United Premier 1K again!

2013-06-12T20:00:00.000-05:00

I'm flying out from DFW to Toronto right now in coach using an award ticket. At least I will get a free sandwich on this AA flight being an Executive Platinum flying coach (plus complimentary alcohol too if needed).

So I'm Hong Kong bound from Toronto (via San Francisco) coming up on Thursday on my trip that will cross the 100,000 Premier Qualifying Miles mark. The bad part is that I'm flying in Coach (Economy Plus Exit row seat) and my friend is flying Business Class via W fare and a Global Premier Upgrade. Luckily, I have flown in coach during an international flight only a few times during the last 4 years.

In 2009, (American DFW-LHR-DFW) first time leaving the country by myself.
In 2010, (Cathay Pacific MNL-HKG-KUL) on British Airways award ticket
In 2011, (United DFW-LAX-PVG-SFO-DFW)
In 2012, (Lufthansa LAX-FRA-ZRH and Swiss ZRH-SFO) during the Star MegaDO 4 trip

The positioning flight is on AA (DFW-YYZ) both ways using British Airways Avios + cash supplement. For the outbound and return evenings, I will be staying overnight both nights at the Toronto Airport Marriott using awards. My goal is 150,000 Premier Qualifying Miles for 4 extra Regional Premier Upgrades and 2 extra Global Premier Upgrades (total of 8 Regional Premier Upgrades and 8 Global Premier Upgrades).

Journey to Top Elite Status on American and United Airlines UPDATE Mar 2013

2013-03-31T18:00:00.000-05:00

UA was two DFW-IAH-HNL-SFO-IAH-DFW turn both into BusinessFirst on an international Boeing 767-400 outbound flights cleared with 2 Regional Premier Upgrades (RPUs). The return was eligible for Complimentary Domestic Upgrades since I used up all my RPUs already. The other plus is that I got to earn a little bit more miles (116 PQMS each) because of the routing and extra segments that I took but that meant I got into DFW a few hours later as well.

AA trip was on LAX-DFW-ORD-PVG on AA outbound Business Class cleared with eVIP on a great fare sale at the end of the month for a quick one week fun trip. I flew on an (7740 WN points) award ticket on Southwest Airlines from DAL-ABQ-LAX for the positioning flight. Revenue ticket was about $129 on Southwest but I was not interested in earning anymore Southwest Rapid Rewards points at this time.

	United Airlines	American Airlines
January	Premier Qualifying Miles – 20,970 Premier Qualifying Segments – 20 Redeemable Miles – 41,940	Elite Qualifying Miles – 13,066 Elite Qualifying Segments – 10 Redeemable Miles – 26,132
February	Premier Qualifying Miles – 13,618 Premier Silver Achieved Premier Qualifying Segments – 8.5 Redeemable Miles – 27,611	Elite Qualifying Miles – 12,467 Gold Achieved Elite Qualifying Segments – 5 Redeemable Miles – 24,934
March	Premier Qualifying Miles – 17,900 Premier Gold Achieved Premier Qualifying Segments – 10 Redeemable Miles – 35,800	Elite Qualifying Miles – 9,094 Elite Qualifying Segments – 3 Redeemable Miles – 18,192
Totals to Date	Premier Qualifying Miles – 52,488 Premier Qualifying Segments – 38.5 Redeemable Miles – 105,351	Elite Qualifying Miles – 34,627 Elite Qualifying Segments – 18 Redeemable Miles – 69,254
Remainder Needed	Premier Qualifying Miles – 47,512 Premier Qualifying Segments – 81.5	Elite Qualifying Miles – 65,373 Elite Qualifying Segments – 82

Here's the monthly summary of the paths I took:

Earn up to 300,000 AA miles!

2013-03-18T19:16:00.000-05:00

Earn up to 300,000 bonus AA miles by double dipping with 2 promotions! Sign up for both EURAA and AADUS and get 40,000 Bonus AA miles for each round trip on American Airlines to Dussledorf in economy fare class of Y, B or H or Business class J, R, D or I. If you complete 5 Roundtrips during the timeframe, you get an additional 100,000 AAdvantage miles! These promotions overlap from April 11 through May 31, 2013 so be sure to fly between those 2 dates.

Fly To Europe. Earn 200,000 Bonus Miles

Participating Airline: American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia, OpenSkies
Award: Bonus Miles
Offer: The More You Fly. The More You Earn.
Earn American Airlines AAdvantage^® bonus miles every time you fly round-trip between the U.S., Canada, or Mexico and Europe on First Class, Business Class or select Economy Class fares* on American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia or OpenSkies.

Number of Round-Trips	Bonus Miles for Round-Trip Travel
Each Round-Trip	20,000 bonus miles
On Your Fifth Round-Trip	100,000 additional bonus miles

You will earn 20,000 bonus miles for each eligible round-trip flown during the offer period. Plus, on your fifth round-trip, you will earn an additional 100,000 bonus miles. There's no limit to how many bonus miles you can earn. With four airlines participating in this promotion, you'll have even more opportunities to earn bonus miles.
Offer Dates: March 18, 2013, through May 31, 2013
Promotion Code: EURAA
Travel the World with Ease and Comfort
Our expanded relationship with British Airways and Iberia offers you more flights to Europe. Fly to more than 400 destinations in over 100 countries with approximately 5,200 daily departures. And, we're working hard to bring you a more modern, connected and comfortable experience. Learn More

*Includes First Class and Business Class fares booked in F, A, J, R, D or I; Economy Class fares booked in Y, B or H on American Airlines operated flights; First Class or Club World fares booked in F, A, J, R, C, D or I; World Traveller Plus or full-fare World Traveller booked in W, E, T, Y, B or H on British Airways operated flights; Business Class fares booked in J, C, D, R or I; Economy Class fares booked in Y on Iberia operated flights; OpenSkies Prem Plus (booking classes W, E, T, Z, A), OpenSkies Eco booked in Y, B, H.

Terms and Conditions:
Registration prior to travel is required. AAdvantage bonus mile offer is valid on American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia and OpenSkies operated and/or marketed nonstop flights for round-trip travel between the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Europe, March 18, 2013, through May 31, 2013. Offer applies only to AAdvantage members who are U.S., Canada or Mexico residents and who purchase and fly on eligible published-fare tickets. Flights operated by other codeshare partners are not eligible for this promotion. A round-trip is defined as travel in the same purchased booking class for both the departure and the return transatlantic flight segments. A one-time bonus of 100,000 miles will be awarded after completion of the fifth round-trip. Bonus miles do not count toward elite status qualification or Million Miler status. Members registered for both this promotion and promotion AADUS will receive a single bonus for each eligible round-trip flown to/from Dusseldorf for travel in Business Class or Economy Class fares booked in Y, B or H during the overlapping time period. The two promotions cannot be combined to receive double bonuses for the same trip. However, members who fly on a discounted Economy Class fare ticket, not included in the AAEUR promotion, will be eligible to earn the corresponding 10,000 mile bonus for travel during the AADUS promotion timeframe. Learn more or register for the AADUS promotion.

New Nonstop to Dusseldorf. Earn up to 20,000 Bonus Miles

Participating Airlines: American Airlines
Award: Bonus Miles
Offer: Ready to explore a new city and earn bonus miles along the way? Starting April 11, American Airlines begins nonstop service between Chicago O’Hare and Dusseldorf, Germany. To celebrate, we’re offering up to 20,000 AAdvantage bonus miles every time you fly a round-trip to our newest destination.

Round-Trip Travel to/from Dusseldorf, Germany

Class of Service	Bonus Miles
Business Class and Economy Class fares booked in Y, B or H	20,000
All Other Economy Class fares	10,000

Learn more about our new options to Dusseldorf. And, if your travels take you beyond Dusseldorf, enjoy an easier and more rewarding global travel experience in Europe with more destinations, and smoother connections thanks to our relationships with airberlin, British Airways and Iberia.

Offer Dates:
April 11, 2013 through July 15, 2013

Promotion Code:
AADUS

Terms and Conditions:
AAdvantage bonus miles offer is valid on American Airlines marketed and operated nonstop flights between Chicago O’Hare (ORD) and Dusseldorf, Germany (DUS) from April 11, 2013, through July 15, 2013. Includes travel on flights marketed by British Airways or Iberia, operated by American Airlines. Each eligible one-way trip flown will receive half the bonus miles shown in the table above. Offer applies only to AAdvantage members who purchase and fly on purchased, published Business Class and Economy Class fare tickets booked in the fares shown in the table above. Bonus miles will be awarded based on booking class purchased and will be posted immediately, for each eligible segment flown. Bonus miles will not count toward elite status qualification or Million Miler status. Registration prior to travel is required.

Here are some other exciting promotions for new AA routes:

Dallas/Fort Worth-Lima. Earn Up To 20,000 Bonus Miles

Participating Airlines: American Airlines
Award: Bonus Miles
Offer: The More You Fly. The More You Earn. Starting April 1, American Airlines begins nonstop service between Dallas/Fort Worth and Lima, Peru. To celebrate, we're offering up to 20,000 AAdvantage bonus miles every time you fly a round-trip on our new route.
Start planning your trips and book now, because the more you fly, the more bonus miles you will earn!

Round-Trip Travel Between Dallas/Fort Worth and Lima, Peru
Class of Service	Bonus Miles Earned
Business Class and Economy Class fares booked in Y, B or H	20,000
All other Economy Class fares	10,000

Offer Dates: April 1, 2013 through June 30, 2013
Promotion Code: AALIM
Travel to Peru with Ease
We offer more flights to more locations in Latin America than any other carrier. Fly nonstop to Peru and enjoy a truly modern travel experience from start to finish. Before your flight, stretch out and relax in a relaxing Admirals Club lounge and satisfy your senses with inspired dining, complimentary beverages and personalized service.

Terms and Conditions
AAdvantage bonus miles offer is valid on American Airlines marketed and operated nonstop flights between Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and Lima, Peru (LIM) from April 1, 2013, through June 30, 2013. Each eligible one-way trip flown will receive half the bonus miles shown in the table above. Offer applies only to AAdvantage members who purchase and fly on purchased, published Business Class and Economy Class fare tickets booked in the fares shown in the table above. Bonus miles will be awarded based on booking class purchased and will be posted immediately, for each eligible segment flown. Bonus miles will not count toward elite status qualification or Million Miler status. Registration prior to travel is required.

New York to Dublin. Earn up to 20,000 Bonus Miles

Participating Airlines: American Airlines
Award: Bonus Miles
Offer: Ready to discover your very own Ireland? Starting June 12, American Airlines begins nonstop service between New York (JFK) and Dublin, Ireland. To celebrate, we're offering up to 20,000 AAdvantage bonus miles every time you fly a round-trip on our new route.

Round-Trip Travel to/from Dublin, Ireland

Class of Service	Bonus Miles
Business Class and Economy Class fares booked in Y, B or H	20,000
All Other Economy Class fares	10,000

Learn more about our new options to Dublin. And, if your travels take you beyond Dublin, enjoy an easier and more rewarding global travel experience in Europe with more destinations, and smoother connections thanks to our enhanced relationships with British Airways and Iberia.
Offer Dates: June 12, 2013 through September 15, 2013
Promotion Code: AADUB

Modernizing with You in Mind
Beginning with our vibrant new look, we're enhancing your travel experience from start to finish. Whether you're in the air or on the ground, enjoy cutting-edge technology, state-of-the-art amenities and more ways to stay comfortable and connected throughout your travels.

Terms and Conditions:

AAdvantage bonus miles offer is valid on American Airlines marketed and operated nonstop flights between New York (JFK) and Dublin, Ireland (DUB) from June 12, 2013, through September 15, 2013. Includes travel on flights marketed by British Airways or Iberia, operated by American Airlines. Each eligible one-way trip flown will receive half the bonus miles shown in the table above. Offer applies only to AAdvantage members who purchase and fly on purchased, published Business Class and Economy Class fare tickets booked in the fares shown in the table above. Bonus miles will be awarded based on booking class purchased and will be posted immediately, for each eligible segment flown. Bonus miles will not count toward elite status qualification or Million Miler status. Registration prior to travel is required.

Explore South Korea. Earn Up To 50,000 Miles

Participating Airline: American Airlines
Award: Bonus Miles
Exclusive Offer: Did you know that when you fly roundtrip between Dallas/Fort Worth and Seoul, South Korea, you could earn enough miles to claim a variety of travel awards, including a domestic roundtrip Business Class MileSAAver flight award?

ROUNDTRIP TRAVEL (Dallas/Fort Worth - Seoul, South Korea)
Class of Service	Base Miles		Class of Service Bonus Miles		Bonus Miles		Total Miles Earned
First (F, A, P)	13,692	+	6,846	+	30,000	=	50,538
Business (J, R, D, I)	13,692	+	3,423	+	30,000	=	47,115
Full Fare Economy (Y, B)	13,692			+	15,000	=	28,692
Discount Economy (H, K, M, L, V, Q, S, O, N, G)	13,692			+	5,000	=	18,692
Total miles earned reflect roundtrip travel and are not inclusive of elite status bonus miles.

Start planning your next trip to the bustling city of Seoul. Rich with history and culture, this new destination offers you even more opportunities to earn and redeem miles as you travel the world on our growing global network.

Offer Dates: May 9, 2013, through August 15, 2013
Promotion Code: AAICN
Modernizing with you in mind:
From our vibrant new look to our new and refreshed planes, we're bringing you a truly modern travel experience from start to finish. Whether you're in the air or on the ground, enjoy cutting-edge technology, state-of-the-art amenities and more ways to stay comfortable and connected throughout your travels. Learn more about the products and services you can enjoy on our new nonstop from Dallas to Seoul.

Terms and Conditions:
AAdvantage bonus miles offer is valid on American Airlines marketed and operated nonstop flights between Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and Seoul, South Korea (ICN) from May 9, 2013, through August 15, 2013. Each eligible one-way trip flown will receive half the bonus miles shown in the table above. Offer applies only to AAdvantage members who purchase and fly on purchased, published First Class, Business Class and Economy Class fare tickets booked in the fares shown in the table above. Bonus miles will be awarded based on booking class purchased and will be posted immediately, for each eligible segment flown. Bonus miles will not count toward elite status qualification or Million Miler status. Registration prior to travel is required.

Earn up to 200,000 bonus Avios

2013-03-18T13:00:00.000-05:00

Your Avios bonus awaits

We’re on a mission to make you the happiest flyer in the world. Yes, you. So to thank you for flying with us, we’ve set aside 75 million bonus Avios in our Happiness Fund for our Executive Club members.
Simply register, then book a qualifying, round-trip, transatlantic flight in any cabin* and fly as an Executive Club member between now and May 31, 2013, for 20,000 bonus Avios on every round-trip. And when you book and fly five round-trips, you can claim an extra 100,000. That’s 200,000 bonus Avios with your name on them!

Register, book and complete travel by May 31, 2013 to claim your share of happy.

To help you earn the most Avios possible, this generous offer is available on more than just British Airways flights. Thanks to our enhanced relationship, you’ll be able to fly and accumulate bonus Avios on qualifying British Airways, American Airlines, Iberia, and OpenSkies transatlantic flights. You’ll have more destinations to visit, even more ways to get there, and above all, more opportunities to earn bonus Avios.

*Terms and conditions apply

Avios bonus for US and Canadian Executive Club members on qualifying, round-trip transatlantic flights operated and marketed by British Airways, American Airlines, Iberia or OpenSkies booked in flexible/non-restricted Economy or higher fares for travel completed by May 31, 2013. Pre-travel registration required.

To be eligible for this promotion, British Airways Executive Club members at least 18 years of age who are locally enrolled and residing in the United States or Canada must (i) register for the promotion between March 18, 2013 and May 31, 2013, inclusive, at ba.com; if you are not a current member, you must enroll in Executive Club and register; and (ii) after registering sufficiently in advance of outbound travel, book and then complete qualifying flights by May 31, 2013. British Airways (“BA”) reserves the right to verify the eligibility of members. By taking part in this promotion, members confirm that they accept the terms and conditions of the offer.
Existing bookings made prior to the promotional period do not qualify and this offer cannot be applied retroactively.
Member must purchase and fly on a full-fare, transatlantic round-trip ticket for travel beginning and ending in the United States or Canada for flights that are operated and marketed by British Airways, American Airlines, Iberia or OpenSkies, in the following booking classes (which are unrestricted or have limited restrictions):
(i) on British Airways operated flights, includes fares booked in First Class, Club World Business Class, World Traveller Plus Premium Economy or flexible/non-restricted World Traveller Economy Class: F, A, J, C, D, R, I, W, E, T, Y, B or H;
(ii) on American Airlines operated flights, includes fares booked in First Class, Business Class or flexible/non-restricted Economy Class: F, A, J, R, D, I, Y, B or H;
(iii) on Iberia operated flights, includes fares booked in Business Class or flexible/non-restricted Economy Class: J, C, D, R, I or Y;
(iv) on OpenSkies operated flights, includes fares booked in Biz Bed/Business, Prem Plus/Premium Economy and flexible/non-restricted Eco/Economy: J, C, D, R, I, W, E, T, Y, B or H. This promotion does not apply to flights marketed or operated by franchises, including Comair, Iberia Express, and Sun-Air, or any other code share partners or oneworld© Alliance members.
It is the member's responsibility to ensure that the booking/selling class of the fare purchased qualifies for this promotion. Please confirm prior to purchase. For bookings on ba.com, simply click on the flight number hyperlink on the "Choose your flights" page and refer to the booking/selling classes listed above in 3. (Discount Economy class fares, including those booked/sold in K, M, L, V, S, N, Q, O, or G fare classes, do not qualify for this offer.)
Member can earn 20,000 bonus Avios points for each round-trip purchased and flown as an Executive Club member on a qualifying transatlantic ticket; on the member’s fifth round-trip purchased and flown as an Executive Club member on a qualifying transatlantic ticket, an additional bonus of 100,000 Avios points can be earned.
Members must quote their Executive Club membership number when booking their qualifying flights and again at check-in for each flight flown during the promotional period.
The following are not qualifying flights and this promotion cannot be used in conjunction with any offer, promotion, or deal, including, but not limited to: (i) redemption bookings; (ii) travel agent or airline industry discounted fares, Consolidator or Wholesale fares, group discount fares, child/infant fares or senior citizen fares, whether or not booked in one of the qualifying booking classes; (iii) bookings made with vouchers or coupons (e.g. shareholder's discount coupon); or (iv) tickets upgraded from any class.
Qualifying flights are subject to availability and capacity control in the booking classes eligible for this promotion at the time of booking. BA does not accept any responsibility in the event that members are unable to book qualifying flights.
Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for bonus Avios to be credited to your Executive Club account.
British Airways is not liable for the reproduction of this offer or indirect access via third party websites of these terms and where such reproduction misstates or omits any of the information or terms and conditions connected with this promotion.
Member must pay all applicable taxes, fees, and carrier charges.
BA reserves the right to cancel or amend the terms and conditions of this offer, without notice, at any time.
Subject to the full terms and conditions of the Executive Club Programme.
Cannot be combined with any other offer.
Other significant restrictions apply.

My Experience with Applying for a Brazilian Visa

2013-03-09T15:24:00.000-06:00

One of my personal goals was to visit the Southern Hemisphere continents (South America, Australia, and Africa) before I turned the big 30. A lot of them have Visa requirements for US citizens with Brazil’s being $160 USD and Chile with $150.

Recently, with so many great airfare sales recent to Brazil and other South American countries, I immediately booked a few to Rio de Janeiro with no afterthought. I wanted to see it as it prepares for the World Cup in 2014 and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Back in February, American Airlines had a sale of sorts with several US cities to Brazil initially. By the time I caught wind of it, the same was limited to Orlando, Florida. I booked mine from Orlando, but routing from New York-JFK on the first one and Dallas-Fort Worth on the second one to maximize miles. There was a Miami departure available, but it would be less miles. On the returns, I purposely booked them from Rio de Janeiro to Dallas-Fort Worth. Since it was my first port of entry into the US, I would have to reclaim baggage there and my trip would stop there. I plan not continue onto Orlando for the last segment (I would let the airline know after I landed in DFW of course).

Here are the requirements for applying for the Brazilian Tourist Visa:

Apply Online with your information with your closest Brazilian Consulate Website
Print out the Confirmation sheet, sign it, and attach a passport sized photo. Visa Application Form: printed receipt page of the visa application form filled out and successfully submitted online duly signed by the passport holder (or parents/legal guardian of a minor) and with the photo attached on the appropriate boxes (one professional 2" x 2" passport photo of the applicant in color. Snapshots, photocopies and computer pictures are not accepted.)

Photos must be recent (taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance)

Front view: taken in full-face view directly facing the camera. Your full face must be visible. Your head must be centered and not tilted. There cannot be any apparel casting shadows on your face or glare on your glasses
Clear: blurry, underexposed, overexposed and low quality photos are not accepted;
With a plain white or off-white background;
With a neutral facial expression and both eyes open.)

Schedule an appointment on the consulate website for an interview.
Buy a money order from the USP Postal Service (payable with cash or debit card).
Print out your flight itinerary for inspection.
Show up at the Consulate Office 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time and wait to be called.
The visa will be a sticker applied to your passport (must have at least 2 blank adjoining pages in passport) afterwards and is valid for multiple entries for 10 years
Applicant's Passport: original, valid for at least another 6 months on submission date, with at least two blank visa pages. The Consulate reserves the right not to accept soiled, damaged or defaced passports. Amendments and Endorsements pages are for the sole use of issuing country authorities and visas will not be placed on those pages
If the visa application will not be submitted in person: Provide Proof of jurisdiction: notarized copy of driver’s license, utility bills, copy of lease, bank statements and in some cases school documents are all acceptable documents as proof of jurisdiction.
If the applicant will not be applying with a US passport: Provide Proof of Legal Residency: notarized copy of visa, permanent resident card or US passport or US birth certificate.

Special Notes:

The Visa must be applied online and ahead of time. They will not take walk-ins.
The Visa must be applied in person by the individual or their representative, it cannot be mailed in to be processed.

If the representative is not a mother, father, child, sibling, or spouse, a $20 fee will apply.
You can use a passport visa service but they will take your passport for it to be processed.

The clerk may process your application earlier if they have time at their discretion.
Some consulates may require to see other details:

Hotel booking
Bank statement
Proof of Yellow Fever vaccination if you visited certain African or South Asian countries recently

You must only go to your consulate that is in charge of your jurisdiction.
It will be issued same day. It can also be denied at the Consulate’s discretion
If the passport expires before the Visa does, bring the valid visa (in old passport) with new Passport for entry until the Visa expires.

Here is the Brazilian Consulate in Houston Website

TIPS FOR TRAVELERS

CLIMATE:

Because of its geographical location, seasons in Brazil are in the reverse period of the year compared to the United States (spring - September 22 to December 21; summer - December 22 to March 21; autumn - March 22 to June 21; winter - June 22 to September 21).

Plateau cities such as São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, and Brasília have mild climates averaging 66ºF. Coastal cities such as Rio de Janeiro and Salvador have tropical climates with warm temperatures offset by the constant sea breeze; the average temperature is in the eighties.

While most of the country experiences no significant seasonal variation because it lies within the tropics, in the Southern region temperatures during winter can drop below freezing.

Temperatures in the Amazon region ranges in the mid-seventies, while rainfalls total more than 118 inches a year.

ELECTRICAL CURRENT:

Voltage is not standard throughout the country. Most cities, including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Manaus, Salvador, use 110/127V electricity. Brasília, Florianópolis, Fortaleza, Recife, and São Luis use 220V electricity.

CURRENCY:

The Brazilian monetary unit is the Real (R$) (pronounced Rey owl). Official exchange rate is published daily in newspapers. Cash and traveler's checks are easily exchanged at hotel cashiers, banks, and travel agencies. Most hotels and shops accept foreign currency and international credit cards.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES:

Metric system is used throughout the country. Temperature is measured on Celsius scale.

LANGUAGE:

Portuguese is the national language.

RENTAL CARS AND TAXIS:

Chauffeured or self-driven rental cars are available at all major airports and in most large cities. Taxis are plentiful in most cities throughout Brazil. Regular metered taxis can be hailed on the street. The taximeter will show the exact fare to be paid (fares are indicated in Brazilian currency: R$ - Real). Radio dispatched taxis can be called by telephone. Taxi drivers do not expected to be tipped, although the common practice is to tell the driver to "keep the change".

BUSINESS HOURS:

Most shops in Brazil open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 or 7:00 p.m. on weekdays, and from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Shopping centers stay open as late as 10:00 p.m., including on Saturdays. Banks open from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm Mondays through Fridays in most parts of the country, with slight regional variations.

HOLIDAYS:

Holidays observed in Brazil:

January 1 - New Year
February 15-16 - Carnival
April 2 - Good Friday
May 1 - Labor Day
June 3 - Corpus Christi
September 7 - Brazil's National Day
October 12 - Our Lady Aparecida's Day (Brazil Patron Saint's Day)
November 2 - All Souls Day
November 15 - Proclamation of the Republic
December 24 - Christmas Eve
December 25 - Christmas Day
December 31 - New Year's Eve

TIPPING:

Most restaurants and bars include a 10% service charge on the bill. It is customary to leave a bit extra for good service. When not included on the bill, 10-15% is the general tipping rule.

TIME ZONE:

Brazil encompasses four time zones. Over 50 percent of the country, including all major cities, are three hours behind GMT (Greenwich Meridian Time).
Brazil adopts daylight-saving time. Clocks are set forward in October and back to standard time in March or April.

I'm going to Brazil!!!

2013-03-08T10:42:00.001-06:00

$400 airfare. Orlando to Rio de Janeiro on American Airlines

Upgrade cleared into business on outbound. Waitlisted for the return.

Staying 4 nights at the Sheraton on cash and points. Cost: 24000 Starwood points plus $440.

Brazil 10 year multiple entry visa approved TODAY.

Looking forward to my FIRST trip to Brazil and South America.

Journey to Top Elite Status on American and United Airlines UPDATE Feb 2013

2013-02-28T15:26:00.000-06:00

UA trip was a DFW-IAH-HNL-IAH-DFW turn both into BusinessFirst on an international Boeing 767-400 cleared with 2 Regional Premier Upgrades. I received 5,000 bonus miles from Customer Care on a service issue on the trip. Second trip was a quick turn to Seattle with outbound DFW-PHX-SEA on US airways and the return on United SEA-IAH-DFW. I also received PQMs and RDMs credit for getting on an earlier flight on Lufthansa Business class from ZRH-FRA (originally booked on United Mileage Award Ticket).

AA trip was DFW-MIA-JFK-ZRH on AA outbound Business Class cleared with an expiring eVIP from a friend. Return was IST-LHR on BA Economy Class connecting to LHR-DFW on AA in Business Class with my last 2013 eVIP expiring at the end of the month.

	United Airlines	American Airlines
January	Premier Qualifying Miles – 20,970 Premier Qualifying Segments – 20 Redeemable Miles – 41,940	Elite Qualifying Miles – 13,066 Elite Qualifying Segments – 10 Redeemable Miles – 26,132
February	Premier Qualifying Miles – 13,618 Premier Silver Achieved Premier Qualifying Segments – 8.5 Redeemable Miles – 27,611	Elite Qualifying Miles – 12,467 Gold Achieved Elite Qualifying Segments – 5 Redeemable Miles – 24,934
Totals to Date	Premier Qualifying Miles – 34,588 Premier Qualifying Segments – 28.5 Redeemable Miles – 69,551	Elite Qualifying Miles – 25,533 Elite Qualifying Segments – 15 Redeemable Miles – 51,064
Remainder Needed	Premier Qualifying Miles – 65,412 Premier Qualifying Segments – 91.5	Elite Qualifying Miles – 74,467 Elite Qualifying Segments – 85

Here's the monthly summary of the paths I took:

The sky is falling!

2013-02-14T06:43:00.001-06:00

In minor news... I missed Pre-check today for the first time this year at DFW Terminal C today...

In major news... US Airways and American Airlines are merging officially... great... more downgrade for American's Service. They better not take away my 8 eVIPs/System Wide Upgrades on any fare! I hope they don't use plastic cups in First Class on American in the future. LAX/PHX hubs- redundancy? PHL-JFK- more redunancy? Let's see how it turns out? I'm not liking this direction.

Anyways... 2 week vacation for me stating now!

On the horizon: overnight in Seoul-Incheon... spending 2 days in Istanbul... Business Class on Malaysia Airlines... First Class on Asiana Airlines longhaul... gonna be fun!

6 hours in paradise

2013-02-04T10:37:00.001-06:00

Just flew back from Honolulu on a BusinessFirst configured Boeing 767 aircraft. The seats were very comfortable and I even got a massage in Wakiki after taking the city bus there.

Unexpected celebrity sighting: former Dallas Cowboys Deion Sanders and wife were on my flight from Houston.

Trip report to follow

Malaysia Airlines awards now Available

2013-01-31T22:15:00.000-06:00

I called both American Airlines and British airways at about noon central time today to inquire Huang their respective miles I book award ticket in February.

The AA agent said that it was imminent so I needed to check back later. The BA agent said that it could take months. I was flabbergasted by his response. Seriously? MONTHS? I thanked him and said that I will call back later.

When an airline joins an alliance, they have 12 to 18 month of prep work to do before they join. One would think that I would be taken care of the time they join (especially since the was join date of December was delayed a bit due to the holidays).

I checked back on BA.com at 6PM central time and found award seats available on Malaysia Airlines. Out of CDG and LHR to KUL on the A380, there were only coach seats available.

I tried for flights from HKG to IST via KUL and found business class availability on Cathay Pacific on the first segment and Malaysia Airlines on the second. There would be an 8 hour layover in between the flights which would give me enough time to meet up with a friend/college roommate in Kuala Lumpur plus enjoy the MH lounge at KUL as well.

Here's the kicker: BA wanted price out the award ticket as 120000 Avios and $230 in taxes/fuel surcharges. AA prices out the same intinerary as 55000 miles plus $15 taxes. I chose the later but the only problem was that I could only place a hold on the reservation. I have to wait until tomorrow to ticket it since I will be February 1 in the US.

BA.com is useful to show award inventory but the mileage program is heavily skewed on long haul since the award chart is distance based.

I am glad that I have another option using my AA miles wen flying in/out of Asia. Now if only AA can allow more flexibility in routing using their miles...

Journey to Top Elite Status on American and United Airlines UPDATE Jan 2013

2013-01-31T15:29:00.000-06:00

These flight were booked in advance the year before. I booked 5 DFW-IAH-BOS-IAH-DFW on United airlines for the month with a good fare published in July 2012. In December 2012, I booked 3 DFW-ORD-SEA runs for the both at a decent fare. The first AA 2 runs consists of 3 segments each on AA metal and thus eligible for free elite upgrade. The last one is a DFW-ORD-SEA-LAX-DFW route with the SEA-LAX as AA codeshare (operated by Alaska Airlines) and will be my first flight on Alaska Airlines.

I'm 17% there for requalifying for AA Executive Platinum and UK Premier 1K. The year is just only 8.5% over.

	United Airlines	American Airlines
January	Premier Qualifying Miles – 20,970 Premier Qualifying Segments – 20 Redeemable Miles – 41,940	Elite Qualifying Miles – 13,066 Elite Qualifying Segments – 10 Redeemable Miles – 26,132
Totals to Date	Premier Qualifying Miles – 20,970 Premier Qualifying Segments – 20 Redeemable Miles – 41,940	Elite Qualifying Miles – 13,066 Elite Qualifying Segments – 10 Redeemable Miles – 26,132
Remainder Needed	Premier Qualifying Miles – 79,030 Premier Qualifying Segments – 80	Elite Qualifying Miles – 86,934 Elite Qualifying Segments – 90

Here's the monthly summary of the paths I took:

Nothing too exciting

OneWorld Welcomes Malaysia Airlines!

2013-01-31T12:02:00.000-06:00

Malaysia Airlines joins oneworld

• World's premier airline alliance adds another leading award-winning Asian carrier (In addition to Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines)
• oneworld network expanded in one of world's fastest growing regional economies
•   Malaysia Airlines aircraft unveiled in oneworld livery as part of marketing drive
•   oneworld Visit Malaysia pass offered to encourage tourism throughout Malaysia
•   Double miles promotion for frequent flyers to celebrate
•   New benefits added for top tier oneworld frequent flyers (Extra baggage piece or weight allowance depending on airline... makes OneWorld similar to Star Gold and Skyteam Elite in terms of additional baggage allowance)
•   Malaysian Transport Minister witnesses its welcome on board at Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia Airlines becomes part of oneworld^® at midnight Kuala Lumpur time tonight, adding one of Asia's leading airlines to the global airline alliance that aims to be the first choice for frequent international travellers the world over.

From its first flight tomorrow morning - MH386 which leaves Kuala Lumpur at 1.40 am for Shanghai Pudong - the national airline of Malaysia will be offering oneworld's full range of services and benefits. Another key focus flight for the airline tomorrow will be the first departure by the first of its aircraft featuring the full oneworld livery - an Airbus A330-300 operating flight MH 129 to Melbourne from Kuala Lumpur at 10.15 am.

For Malaysia Airlines, joining oneworld completes the latest phase of its repositioning plan. Becoming part of the world's premier global airline alliance will strengthen its competitiveness, enabling it to offer customers an unrivalled alliance global network served by partners including some of the best and biggest airlines in the world.

Customers benefit from expanded global network and increased competition

Malaysia Airlines, which serves more than 60 destinations in almost 30 countries, will substantially expand the alliance's network in one of the world's fastest growing economic powerhouses, South East Asia.

Its addition to oneworld makes Malaysia - which has one of the world's 30 biggest national economies and with a population of almost 30 million - a home market for the alliance. Its capital Kuala Lumpur, the world's 10^th most visited city by international visitors according to the latest annual Mastercard survey, is now a oneworld hub.

Malaysia Airlines connects new 16 destinations and one country - Brunei - to the oneworld map. More significantly, it will strengthen the alliance's connectivity between many key business cities in Asia and other parts of the world.

Its addition expands oneworld's global coverage to 842 destinations in 156 countries, served by some 9,000 departures a day operated by a combined fleet of some 2,500 aircraft, carrying nearly 340 million passengers a year, with annual revenues of US$ 110 billion. Add oneworld's other members elect - Qatar Airways and Sri Lankan Airlines - and the alliance network will reach 860 destinations in 159 countries.
Currently three of oneworld's active member airlines serve three points in Malaysia, with Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines and Royal Jordanian flying to Kuala Lumpur, Cathay Pacific operating to Penang and its Dragonair regional affiliate to Kota Kinabalu.

New benefits for top tier frequent flyers

As part of its strategy of positioning itself as the first choice airline alliance for frequent international travelers, oneworld is marking the addition of Malaysia Airlines by adding tomorrow two key new benefits for top tier frequent flyer cardholders in any oneworld member airline frequent flyer programme.
From midnight tonight, frequent flyer cardholders with oneworld Emerald status will be entitled to:

An extra checked baggage allowance, above the standard limit for the cabin class in which they are traveling - either one additional item where the piece concept applies, or an extra 20 kg (44 lbs) where the weight concept applies - when they fly on any oneworld member airline.
Use fast track lanes through security when flying from select key airports worldwide on select oneworld member airlines.

Brazil makes tourist strolls smartphone-friendly with QR Codes

2013-01-26T09:33:00.000-06:00

Link to the original article: www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/01/25/brazil-bar-codes-sidewalks/1865821/

Rio de Janeiro is mixing technology with tradition to provide tourists information about the city by embedding bar codes into the black and white mosaic sidewalks that are a symbol of the city.

The first two-dimensional bar codes, or QR codes, as they're known, were installed Friday at Arpoador, a massive boulder that rises at the end of Ipanema beach. The image was built into the sidewalk with the same black and white stones that decorate sidewalks around town with mosaics of waves, fish and abstract images.

The launch attracted onlookers, who downloaded an application to their smartphones or tablets and photographed the icon. The app read the code and they were then taken to a web site that gave them information in Portuguese, Spanish or English, and a map of the area.

They learned, for example, that Arpoador gets big waves, making it a hot spot for surfing and giving the 500-meter beach nearby the name of "Praia do Diabo," or Devil's Beach. They could also find out that the rock is called Arpoador because fishermen once harpooned whales off the shore.

The city plans to install 30 of these QR codes at beaches, vistas, and historic sites, so Rio's approximately 2 million foreign visitors can learn about the city as they walk around.

"If you add the number of Brazilian tourists, this tool has a great potential to be useful," said Marcos Correa Bento, head of the city's conservation and public works.

Raul Oliveira Neto, a 24-year-old visitor from the Southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre, was one of the first to use the icon and thought the service fit well with the way people live now.

"We use so much technology to pass information, this makes sense," he said, noting he'd seen QR codes on tourist sites in Portugal, where they were first used for this purpose. "It's the way we do things nowadays."

Locals — used to giving visitors directions — also approved the novelty.

"Look, there's a little map; it even shows you where we are," said Diego Fortunato, 25, as he pulled up information.

"Rio doesn't always have information for those who don't know the city," he said. "It's something the city needs, that it's been lacking."

No upgrade love from United for Boston

2013-01-22T20:16:00.001-06:00

I woke up this morning and played around with some dates and flights for LAX to PVG in a few months. The fare was pretty low from LAX (with a united matching). I could even route the trip through ORD for more miles (and better flight times in and out of PVG).

I got to the terminal at 4:50AM as the flight was boarding. It was quick as I used the Delta security check point with Precheck, I was through in 30 seconds. I was the last passenger to board the CRJ 700 flight to Houston. Unfortunately, it was the only flight I was upgraded the whole day.

I bought breakfast at the terminal and took it on board with me for the flight to Boston. It was on a subsidiary Continental Boeing 737-500 with only 8 seats in First and no power plugs nor overhead TV nor in seat DirecTV either. The Houston based crew were actually really nice and friendly on this flight. I am not used to nice crews from the Continental side.

I had my laptop so in caught up on several TV shows and read some newspapers. We even got into Boston about 20 minutes early. I stayed about 30 minutes to charge my devices and catch up on the news. I stopped by Panda Express to grab lunch to go and have a meal on the plane.

No upgrade for my flight back to Houston either. I sat in the same seat 8D (economy plus). The woman in front of me even asked if she could recline her seat during the flight. That's a first for me. I spent the time watching more shows until my laptop died and read some magazines as well. We got into Houston about 15 minutes early. I stopped by Wendy's to grab a salad for dinner and then took the train to Terminal B for the express flights.

I went to the Terminal B United club and tried to do stand by on the 5:40PM flight to DFW. Even though I was #1 on the waitlist, the flight was oversold at first but they ended up not needing any volunteers. Plus, I did not eat on the flight. I retreated back to the United Club and chatted with the friendly gents there for a bit.

For the rest of the hour there, I managed to book a LAX-PVG trip employing through DFW and ORD both ways. I just need to book my DFW-LAX flight now (probably using miles). I'm not sure where I will go when I land in Shang Hai, but I'm thinking Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Osaka, or somewhere new.

Calling in to request my AA system wide upgrades as soon as I get ticketed.

Side note: AA upgrade cleared for DFW-ORD-SEA later this week. Waiting on SEA-DFW segment now. Come on AA, keep my upgrade record this year at 100%!

First trip on AA done!

2013-01-19T20:05:00.000-06:00

This was my first revenue flight this year on American Airlines since my positioning flight to LAX or the Star MegaDo in November. My upgrades cleared 4 days before departure (unlike United Airlines).

I got up at 3AM got to the airport by 4:40AM. I got precheck again so by the time I made it to gate C12, I had about 30 minutes before boarding. Boarding for my flight to Chicago was at 5:15AM and the Admiral's Club opened at 5:30AM. I waited around until we boarded and based on the seat map in the morning, first class was only half full. The rest were all Non-Revenues since it was an early flight with about 2/3 full of passengers on the ancient MD80 plane (with wifi). Pre-departure beverages of OJ or water were offered.

We had a continental breakfast that was a fruit plate with a side of yogurt and a choice of muffin or biscuit. I had a coffee with baileys to start off the day correct. We arrived at the gate early at Chicago so I had an extra 15 minute I lounge around.

I made my way to the H/K Admiral's Club and got a drink chit (for bottled water) due to my BA Silver status. I stayed for about 20 minutes and chatted for a whole with one of the agents who knew I was on a mileage run.

Fr my flight to Seattle, I was on an old Boeing 737 and there was even two empty seats (including the window seat next to me). We had a choice of skillet scramble (eggs, bacon, cheese, black beans, and potatoes) with salsa or milk and cereal. Both served with a fruit plate and a choice of muffin or biscuit.

We landed into a foggy Seattle Tacoma Airport at Gate A7 and I proceeded to D1 where the Alaska Airlines Board Room lounge was located.

I presented my Priority Pass card (no ID check was required) and granted access the lounge. There were 2 floors available: the main floor for business use with 2 conference rooms, work booths, phone rooms/office space and the men's restroom while the upstairs house a more open area for socializing, the female restroom and bar area.

There is a self serve pancake machine but it was almost lunch time so it was not in use. There was a salad bar and cheese/crackers/pretzels as well. Downstairs had a sofa machine and an espresso/cappuccino machine serving Starbucks coffee while the upstairs area had a soda machine and coffee dispensers found at fast food places.

At noon, soup was brought out with upstairs featuring tomato bisque and ravioli and downstairs offering minestrone. Overall, it was a nice lounge with open bar (3 drink limit) and free wifi. I did find it to be crowded when I got there but I found a spot upstairs in a corner. By the time I left at 1PM, there was not many people left.

This lounge has $45 day passes available. Delta skyclub members can access it if flying on Delta or Alaska airlines flights. Admiral's Club members can access it if flying on AA that day.

I made my way to Gate A8 when general boarding began. This flight on the MD 80 (with wifi) was very full. We had hot nuts and drinks to start off. Meal choices were fish taco with rice and a side salad or buffalo chicken salad with ranch. Bread options were cheese, wheat or pretzel varieties. We also had a choice of macadamia nut or double chocolate cookies as well.

I used the wifi during the flight to pass the time along with fully charging up my laptop and phone with my DC adapter (cigarette lighter power port). We landed a bit early to Gate A29. I took the shuttle to The Parking Spot 2 and was in my car pretty fast.

I got about 4200 Elite Qualifying miles today. Off to a good start so far the year! Liking the changes so far to the meals at AA so far.

See How We’re Evolving, Inside and Out

2013-01-17T10:09:00.001-06:00

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AAdvantage^® Executive Platinum

You are one of our most loyal customers, and we're excited to share with you another significant step forward on our path to build a new American. After more than four decades, we're revealing a new look, which represents our evolution toward the modern, world class global airline worthy of the name American.

We've been hard at work to create a fresh, comfortable travel experience — bringing you hundreds of new planes, cutting-edge technology, and more ways to stay comfortable and connected throughout your travels. Today's announcement takes our transformation one step further.

Our changes on the outside reflect how we're evolving on the inside. Our new logo and the refreshed exterior of our planes represent more than a change of symbol, but a symbol of change in our path to modernize and innovate.

See how we're making history at aa.com/newamerican and enter for a chance to win 1,000,000 AAdvantage miles.

Thank you for your loyalty, and for putting your trust in American Airlines.

Tom Horton
Chairman & CEO
American Airlines

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1. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR CLAIM PRIZE. 2. OPEN TO/ENTRY DETAILS: Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia and of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) who are at least 18 years of age (19 in Alabama and Nebraska, 21 in Mississippi) at time of entry. 3. Sweepstakes/Prize Draw begins at 8:59:59 a.m. Central time ("CT") January 17, 2013 and all entries must be received by 11:59:59 a.m. CT time on February 5, 2013 in the US. Sweepstakes/Prize Draw begins at 2:59:59 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time ("GMT") on January 17,2013 and all entries must be received by 5:59:59 p.m. GMT on February 5, 2013 in the UK. 4. PRIZE DETAILS: Six Prizes consisting of American Airlines AAdvantage® miles and pre-paid gift cards. 5. ODDS: Odds of winning depend on number of Eligible Entries. 6. ELIGIBILITY: Employees and agents of Sponsor, Administrator and affiliates, agencies, distributors, wholesalers and retailers, and members of such employees' and agents' immediate families and individuals living in the same household with such employees or agents, are not eligible to win. 7. Void where prohibited. 8. Participation is subject to complete Official Rules by which all entrants are bound. Available at https://secure.fly.aa.com/newjourney. 9. Entrants release all parties from all claims/liability arising from this Sweepstakes or acceptance/use of any Prize. 10. Sponsor: American Airlines, Inc. 4333 Amon Carter Blvd., Ft. Worth, Texas 76155. Administrator: The Marketing Arm Inc., 1999 Bryan Street, Suite 1800, Dallas, TX 75202.

This email was sent because you subscribe to AAirmail^SM or AAdvantage^® eSummary^SM.

This email has been sent on behalf of AmericanAirlines. We are happy to help you with any questions or concerns you may have. For all inquiries about American Airlines or the AAdvantage® program, visit www.aa.com/contactaa, send an email to webmaster@aa.com or contact us in writing at American Airlines, 4255 Amon Carter Blvd., MD 2400, Fort Worth, Texas 76155-2603.

American Airlines reserves the right to change the AAdvantage^® program and its terms and conditions at any time without notice, and to end the AAdvantage program with six months notice. Any such changes may affect your ability to use the awards or mileage credits that you have accumulated. Unless specified, AAdvantage miles earned through this promotion/offer do not count towards elite-status qualification or Million Miler^SM status. American Airlines is not responsible for products or services offered by other participating companies. For complete details about the AAdvantage program, visit www.aa.com/AAdvantage .

American Eagle service is operated by American Eagle Airlines, Inc., Executive Airlines, Inc., Skywest Airlines, Inc., or ExpressJet Airlines, Inc. The AmericanConnection service is operated by Chautauqua Airlines, Inc.

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Gate upgrade BOS-IAH finally!

2013-01-16T11:55:00.000-06:00

Just boarded on my Airbus 319 plane from Boston back to Houston on my quick United turn. On the outbound, my DFW-IAH upgrade cleared in advance (1K on an 5:20am... No competition really). I grabbed a bagel to eat from the United Club to eat on the plane.

My IAH to BOS is a different story. I got seat 8D (economy plus) with an empty seat next to me so it felt more like an Euro Business seat to me. The guy sitting in 8F slept the whole time so it was an uneventful flight. I had some food in the United Club and bought 2 tacos before boarding the plane. It was about 85% full in coach.

I did have Craig (purser from my First Class flight on Jan 3 IAH-BOS) again on the flight but this time in Coach. There were 2 beverage services and a water/orange juice service in between. I did have a chat with him and Nancy while waiting for the lavatory to become vacant. They flew in from SNA (Orange County-John Wayne Airport) last night and were done after the flight.

From Boston to Houston to Dallas... The end of an 16 hours travel day

2013-01-09T20:25:00.000-06:00

I ended up #8 on the upgrade list with First class checked in full. Due to the inbound aircraft (that I was on) being 15 minutes late, we had a late departure from Boston of 35 minutes.

The reason we arrived late into Boston was that there was sever weather activity in southeast US so we had to fly north and then east to avoid it causing a late arrival into Boston and we had to wait for them to recalculate to get more fuel as well due to the overflying.

Seeing as my upgrade on the BOS-IAH very unlikely, I went to the United Club to use the Internet/wifi and relax before flying again. I also stopped by Panda Express to grab some food to eat on board.

The new posted departure time was initially 1:13pm but that became 1:36pm because we had to get more fuel since the flight time would be increased to about 5 hours. The weather in Boston was clear.

The service was good even in coach as there were 2 main beverage services, 2 water services, and a coffee service. I even managed to redeem a drink chit from 2010 as well. The subsidiary mainline Continental flights accepted old Continental Currency coupons as well last fall.

The flight was bumpy and the seatbelt sign came on several times for short time periods. The last 40 minutes were very rough. We had to slow down as we got closer to Houston as there was a lot of delays for arriving planes.

Up in the air again

2013-01-09T11:42:00.000-06:00

It's great to fly again. I had to take the brother to the airport for his trip to Peru. We ended up on the same flight from DFW-IAH. I got upgraded to First the flight the day before on the CRJ 700.

After a quick stop at the United club, my favorite agent was able to get my brother better seats for his United flights. The 6AM flight was delayed so a lot of passengers were able to get stand by on my flight and we were maxed out at 60 passengers.

Due to expected rough air, we had the beverage service during boarding. The flight was quick and we arrived into Houston on time.

We made our way to the Terminal E United club near the gate where my brother would be departing from for his flight. After guested him in and a brief tour of the facilities, I bid him farewell.

I hustled to Gate C21 and was one of the lat passengers on the plane. I found an overhead space available above the bulkhead coach seat. I got upgraded on the flight the day before and was in seat 3E on the airbus 320. I somehow ended up in 1F on the airbus 319 after an aircraft swap.

First day of flying done!

2013-01-03T19:25:00.001-06:00

No upgrade for me on my BOS-IAH as there is only 8 seats on the Airbus 319 in First. No big deal, I got an aisle exit row economy plus 20C for the flight. I managed to catch up on old newspapers I had left over from my trip in November.

My 8PM flight from IAH to DFW was delayed 1 hour due to inbound aircraft. The 7pm was pushed to 8pm. I used a kiosk machine confirm a seat on 6pm flight. Shows on time for now. Lost my first class seat though on the later flight.

Up in the air again!

2013-01-03T06:53:00.001-06:00

While 2013 is only 3 days in, I just got off my first flight of the year. UA 2529 from DFW to IAH operates by SkyWest on a Canadair Regional Jet 200 series.

I woke up at 3am and it was freezing outside. A few changes this year, per check now available at E15 (Delta gates), remodel of DFW United Club almost finished, and United drops the amount of Premier Qualifying miles for most partner airlines (those not involved with Joint Business Venture).

It's off to Boston for me after a stop at IAH Terminal C South United club. Best part is that the upgrade cleared 4 days before departure. Bad part is that my return does it look promising. I'm still number 1 on the list (for now).

The route is usually on a Continental 737 with more first class seats (16 or so). Right now, it is a United Airbus 319 with 8 seats. I have an exit row Economy plus seat right now. If not upgraded, it will be lunch from Wendy's or Panda Express for me.

I did book my first fun trip yesterday. I booked the trip on AA/BA next month. DFW-MIA-JFK-ZRH // IST-LHR-DFW. Upgrades waitlisted both ways for the transatlantic portion. Here's to the upgrade clearing sooner than later.

I will have to make my own way between ZRH and IST... Using miles. More on that later.

Safe travels!

2012 End of Year Summary- Hotel and Credit Card Edition

2012-12-25T18:48:00.001-06:00

I got Hyatt Diamond Status back from an Elite Challenge in July with the last stay being at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong that would last me until February 2013. They did give me 60 days to complete the challenge and temporary Diamond Status during the trial period (along with 4 suite upgrades). I requalified with my 25th stay (and last suite upgrade) at the Hong Kong Regency Sha Ti n but I needed 1 more night to get 12,000 Hyatt Gold Passport Points for their fall promotion that ended on November 30th.

So I ended up with 26 stays and 38 nights for the year. I got in 15 nights (out of the maximum 35 allowed) for the Fall "Imagine The Possibilities" promotion so I ended up with 25,000 bonus promotional Hyatt points and an additional 5,000 Hyatt points for having the Credit Card as well.

I just started using Bluebird for boosting my Hilton HHonors points balance and looking to becoming a Diamond member with Hilton as well via Credit Card spending on my AMEX card.

This year, I applied and got approved for several credit cards and of course, bonus sign-up points! In January, I got the Continental OnePass Card (now known as MileagePlus Explorer Card) with a sign up bonus of 50,000 miles after 1st purchase and first year free (and a $60 credit for being a United 1K member). In March, I got the Chase Sapphire Visa card with 50,000 Chase Ultimate Reward Points after $3,000 spending. I also canceled my Chase Continental Airlines Presidential Plus Credit Card due to the annual fee and transferred the credit line to my Chase Marriott Rewards card.

In May, I was approved for the Citi American Airlines AMEX card with 50,000 AA miles after $3,000 in spending. I was also approved for American Express Mercedes Benz Platinum Card with 50,000 AMEX points after $1,000 in spending. In July, I was approved for the Hyatt Visa card that gives me 2 free suite nights at any Hyatt Worldwide (valid for a year) after first purchase. I also canceled my regular American Express Platinum Card since the annual fee was due upon renewal.

In August, I downgraded my Barclays US Airways card to a regular Barclays card since the annual fee was not waived. I also canceled both of my American Express Starwood Prefered Guest Personal and Business Credit Cards since the annual fee of $65 each was not waived.

In November, I was approved for a Barclays US Airways card with 40,000 miles after first purchase. I also was approved for Citi HHonors Visa Card with 50,000 Hilton HHonors points after $1,500 in purchases and also a Citi Business Visa card for 50,000 AA miles after $2,500 in purchases. All my of spending requirements were met after 2 weeks. In December, I down graded my Citi American Airlines World Mastercard to a fee-free Bronze Mastercard (1 mile per $2 spent) to keep my credit history with Citi. I also canceled my Citi American Airlines Signature Visa card as well since the annual fee was not waived. Finally, I canceled my American Express Delta Airlines Business Credit Card as well due to the annual fee not being waived (and to free up the amount of credit American Express has extended to me.)

The first thing I will due in the New Year will be to upgrade my American Express Hilton HHonors card to a Surpass card for 50,000 HHonors points (after meeting a $3,000 spending requirement) and a chance to earn Hilton HHonors Diamond Status as well. For new cards, I am planning on getting a Chase Priority Club Credit card for Platinum status and 60,000 (or 80,000) points. Also, I am planning to downgrade my Chase MileagePlus Explorer Card to a Chase Freedom card before the annual fee is due. I want to get a Chase Ink card as well for additional Ultimate Reward points.

The Citi American Airlines World Mastercard and American Airlines Signature Visa cards are my radar for next year. Likewise, the American Express Starwood Prefered Guest Personal and Business Credit Cards is a likely target for me when the annual summer 30,000 SPG sign up promo appears.

I am looking forward to taking advantage of my miles, points, and statuses for next year again!

2012 Year End Summary- Flights and Aiports Edition

2012-12-25T18:48:00.000-06:00

Here are my Travel Statistics for the year (includes revenue and award travel):

Here's my Domestic Travel Map this year:

Here are my International Travel Maps this year:

US Centric Map ( (includes Puerto Rico)

Asia Centric Map ( (includes Puerto Rico and Hawaii)

What a great year it has been again (and how fast it went by) for earning and redeeming miles! Not only did I requalify for Executive Platinum status on American Airlines back in May, I also made Premier 1K on United Airlines as well but in November this year. I status matched to Turkish Airlines Elite (Star Gold) and requalified as well within a few months.

I also got British Airways Silver (via match from British Midland International Silver from acquisition) good through Feb 2014, Marriott Rewards Platinum (Elite Challenge), Hyatt Diamond (from elite challenge and requalifying via stays for next year) and Starwood Preferred Guest Gold (from American Express Platinum Card).

I have domestic lounge access when flying American Airlines next year from my American Express Credit Card and British Airways Silver Card. I also get free access to Priority Pass lounges from my American Express Credit Card as well (especially for foreign airport lounges).

I also have domestic lounge access when flying United Airlines next few years from Turkish Airlines Elite Card.

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas

2012-12-25T13:58:00.000-06:00

It is officially snowing in Texas!

	You are one of our most loyal customers, and we're excited to share with you another significant step forward on our path to build a new American. After more than four decades, we're revealing a new look, which represents our evolution toward the modern, world class global airline worthy of the name American. We've been hard at work to create a fresh, comfortable travel experience — bringing you hundreds of new planes, cutting-edge technology, and more ways to stay comfortable and connected throughout your travels. Today's announcement takes our transformation one step further. Our changes on the outside reflect how we're evolving on the inside. Our new logo and the refreshed exterior of our planes represent more than a change of symbol, but a symbol of change in our path to modernize and innovate. See how we're making history at aa.com/newamerican and enter for a chance to win 1,000,000 AAdvantage miles. Thank you for your loyalty, and for putting your trust in American Airlines. Tom Horton Chairman & CEO American Airlines

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