I flew paid business class and didn’t credit the flights to any frequent flyer program. But hear me out.

Now, with promotions I always tell people to sign up/register. Even if you don’t think you’re going to take part in the qualifying activity. Perhaps you’ll get re-routed on another airline during irregular operations, or connect in a city you hadn’t planned. Perhaps you’ll be forced to overnight somewhere, and while airline-provided hotel nights don’t generally earn points I’ve seen points credit anyway. It can’t hurt to be registered, I’ve seen too many people lose out on miles they would have received just because they didn’t register, thinking they wouldn’t have earned the bonus.

Granted, registration takes a few moments, but if it’s a promo I mention here on View from the Wing complete with link and all how many seconds does it take?

Well, the same advice should apply to frequent flyer programs generally, and even more so.

I hear people all the time, “Oh I didn’t bother signing up for their frequent flyer program, I don’t fly that much” or “… I never fly X airline.”

And usually either (a) it doesn’t matter whether they fly a particular airline a lot, accumulate the miles little by little and keep them from expiring and eventually they’ll be worth something, or (b) it’s possible to credit activity to a program that a person does participate in.

But.. Philippine Airlines domestic.. Mabuhay Miles.. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it! A first for me.

The most common question being asked is, “What happened to my 500-mile upgrade certificates?”

For elites, those all went poof. General members and Premier Associates (“3P”’s) keep theirs and can still use them as before, through the end of their validity date. No more electronic 500-mile upgrade certificates are being sold.

Elites who back in 2007 registered to continue having their 500 mile upgrade certificates converted to miles upon expiration should still see that happen — in a week or so. Certs have gone poof, miles not yet in account, indication is that they will be, but of course only for those who (a) registered to continue to receive the miles on expirattion of the upgrade certains and (b) who have remained elite Mileage Plus members continuously since that time.

When the 500-mile upgrades were paper, you could mail them in on expiration for 250 miles. Then when they went electronic, expiring 500 mile ugprades were worth 500 miles in the Mileage Plus program, and converted automatically. United announced that they were pulling this benefit and elites revolted — imagine an Australia-based elite member with virtually no opportunity to use their 500 mile upgrades but earning perhaps 40 per year. Eliminating the benefit would have cost them 20,000 frequent flyer miles per year, a real kick in the guts. So United said that those who were unhappy with the change and who knew about the offer could register. Those who didn’t, and whose e-500s are expiring now, don’t receive anything.

I really do think that with United’s “p.s.” service flights between New York-JFK and San Francisco/Los Angeles not eligible for unlimited domestic upgrades, that they should have allowed electronic 500-milers to continue so that elites could at least continue to use those on p.s. flights.

Soon United elites and Continental elites will have upgrade reciprocity (with United Premier Executives trumping Continental Golds on both airlines!). That means that United elites will have a chance (albeit a remote one!) of upgrading automatically from Newark – Los Angeles/San Francisco on Continental… but not JFK-Los Angeles/San Francisco on United. Surreal. (Of course, United elites will be able to upgrade on United flights in and out of Newark.)

One other minor item — since the upgrades are automatic, with no request necessary, if you don’t want the upgrade then you have to contact United reservations to have them cancel the request.

Also, remember that while these are referred to as Unlimited Domestic Upgrades they’re actually ‘Region 1‘ upgrades, so Mexico/Canada/Carribean/Central America are eligible.

For United elites flying in the next few days, how is the Unlimited Domestic Upgrade program working for you?

If you haven’t already entered to win one of two 2-night Hyatt Place stays and personal assistant services for two months, just leave a comment here.

I recently teased an upcoming high-end laptop bag giveaway and another Hyatt Place free-night giveaway via Twitter (you’ll want to follow @garyleff).

But here’s a really great one, first mentioned a week ago: a trip for two to Australia’s Gold Coast including air and seven nights hotel (all mileage-earning), meals even, and cash and gift cards as a kick-in to cover taxes on a trip that’s otherwise valued at over $10,000.

Entries in this contest are only about three days away. Beginning on March 22 there will be several BoardingArea bloggers participating in this giveaway. Each blog will be able to select one reader for the final drawing. There are about 20 participating blogs, I believe, so by reading several of the blogs you have more chances to win and by being selected on one of the blogs you have about a 1 in 20 chance of winning.

Here’s the part I’m not particularly keen on — the contest will only be open to those 18 years of age and older and to US residents only, not even open to our friendly Canadians or to residents of U.S. Territories (but then does the US really need to maintain its hegemony over the Northern Marianas?).

Since the contest is being sponsored by American Express and their Premier Rewards Gold card (a great card for folks who buy plenty of airline tickets, since those purchases earn triple miles), they’re all into the legal niceties of such things. Their prize money, their lawyers, there ya go.

Official entry threads will be coming March 22. I’ll keep you up to date here, and also on the threads where you can enter on other blogs as well. Meanwhile, the contest website is up if you want an additional head start on the details.

Now, one bit of full disclosure, and a reason why I really hope that my blog readers win: I’m told that the blogger whose reader wins the prize will receive an iPad.

Usually I give away the extra benefits offered my way for participating in contests, e.g. the Hyatt Place folks offered me a free two-night stay and personal assistant services in addition to a prize to give away to readers. Instead, I converted it into an extra giveaway for y’all.

If I win the iPad, on the other hand… Well, then perhaps I get something back for everything I try to do for you, my wonderful readers.

Registration for the offer is required and the offer is valid through April 30.

I wouldn’t make a transfer just to take advantage of this bonus, in general I find maintaining the flexibility of points to be hugely valuable. But if you’re considering or even potentially might transfer miles into Aeroplan, you should certainly register.

And Aeroplan is in general a great place to accumulate points (though you need activity in your account at least once a year to keep it active, and all points expire if unused after seven years). Their award chart pricing is good, they don’t block partner award availability as Star Alliance member United does, and their routing rules are great (eg US to South Asia via the Atlantic or Pacific or cross one ocean in each direction plus you get two stopovers rather than just one).

So far the two pieces of interest are How to Maximize Your Miles and a related sidebar on the pluses and minuses of various North American airline mileage programs plus American Express Membership Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest for their ability to transfer points to a wide variety of airlines.

In the mileage advice piece, Randy Petersen and I are interviewed extensively for advice. Pick your program wisely so that it meets your destination needs at a good mileage price, with a program that offers good award availability. The best mileage program may not belong to the carrier with the biggest presence at your home airport. Consider earning flexible points where you can transfer to an airline later. Be sure to check partner awards and be creative in your routings.

In the sidebar, I manage to point out United’s Starnet blocking and the limits of Delta Skymiles. I point out “[l]imited premium-class award availability internationally,” suggest crediting to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan when flying Delta, and offer this faint praise as the program’s best feature: “Decent availability of coach award tickets.”

I think that Aeroplan, Continental, and US Airways come out the best in the sidebar. And that using American miles to fly British Airways from Canada, Mexico, and the Carribean is good advice (since the miles can’t currently be used to fly between the US and London on BA). As well that the Alaska Airlines $99 companion certificate from Bank of America is a good tip as well.

Check out the two pieces, and I’ll be interested to see if the article they were considering comparing paid award booking assistance services winds up in the magazine’s current issue or not.

Offer expires March 31.

Earn double points on qualifying Amtrak travel from March 22 – May 7, 2010 and earn triple points on qualifying Amtrak travel from May 8 – May 29, 2010.

Registration is required using code 32210

(Hat tip Dan R.)

participating Regent Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Edwardian Hotels, and Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts

In addition, there’s a 25% discount at “participating Country Inns & Suites By Carlson and Park Inn hotels.”

This is valid for stays between April 1, 2010 and May 31, 2010.

Now, I don’t have a ton of Goldpoints, and I generally consider their progam to be the weakest (plus I’m not a fan of most Radisson properties), though the program has recently increased the value of points. But this could be a good opportunity to use any stray points, and there’s a free silver status promo that’s still live and which many have used. Plus that gets you “Our World, Your Lounge” benefits in Europe, Middle East, and Africa: elite members are welcome any time in any hotel for a free coffee, tea or hot chocolate for two people and to use free wireless internet.

For a limited time United is offering their Door-to-Door baggage service for $25. That’s the same price as actually checking the first bag, and cheaper than checking the second bag (for those of you that are stuck paying bag fees).

The United site says this service is normally $79 or $99 (or depending on where on the page you look, normally $149). You’re without your bags longer, but it’s a decent deal, and you don’t have to do the schlepping. Not bad.