a seat in an airplane

How to use Citi ThankYou Points to book great value American Airlines awards

One of the oddities in the miles and points world has long been the fact that Citi's ThankYou points don't transfer over to the American Airlines AAdvantage program. For years, Citi had a monopoly on the issuance of American Airlines co-branded credit cards (it still issues four of the airline's six available credit cards) but apart from a brief period in 2021, AAdvantage has never been a full-time ThankYou transfer partner.
a close up of a seat

Indirectly, British Airways is now a Citi ThankYou transfer partner

An important change that took place in the miles and points world earlier this year had the knock-on effect of making Citi's ThankYou points a little more valuable and it's that knock-on effect that I'll discuss in this article.
Singapore skyline with the marina

Singapore Airlines Spontaneous Escapes continue to disappoint…and they now cost more!

Singapore Airlines has published its Spontaneous Escapes deals for travel in August and while the airline is still offering an attractive 30% discount on awards booked on select routes, the number of routes offering discounted Business Class awards and/or discounted Premium Economy awards continues to be disappointing.
an airplane on the runway

2,500 bonus miles for checking in early with Etihad

In anticipation of a very busy July, Etihad has been trying to improve the check-in facilities that it offers at Abu Dhabi International airport and it has brought back a check-in option that we last saw back in December. This time, however, that check-in option also comes with a bonus offer.
tail fin of an airplane

Air Canada & Emirates announce a new partnership (reciprocal benefits on the way)

Air Canada and Emirates have announced a new 'strategic partnership' that the airlines say will create more options for customers when traveling on both of the carriers’ networks and which is expected to improve the customer experience for members of Aeroplan and Emirates Skywards.
a group of airplanes on a runway

Qatar Airways is posting bonus Avios from Citi transfers

Last month, Qatar Airways ran a promotion in which it was offering bonus Avios for transfers from various worldwide partner banks to its Privilege Club loyalty program, and for some, those bonus Avios should now have appeared in their Privilege Club accounts.
a sign on the ceiling

My first-world lounge problem when traveling as a family

I'm flying over to London at the end of this week to catch up with some friends and to attend the unveiling of Virgin Atlantic's new Business Class seat for its A330 aircraft. On my outbound journey, I'm traveling alone but when I return home, I'll be accompanied by four other members of my family and this has thrown up a very first-world problem for me.
a close up of a sign

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club improves award availability…but it’s not enough

Virgin Atlantic has announced that its Flying Club loyalty program is following in the footsteps of the British Airways Executive Club and, with immediate effect, will release a minimum number of Economy Class, Premium Economy, and Business Class awards on every flight that it operates as soon as flights are loaded in the reservation systems. For fans of Virgin Atlantic, this will sound like good news but the harsh reality remains - this move doesn't go far enough.
a person on a snowboard

Last Day: 40% bonus Avios for Citi transfers to Qatar Airways

For the past month, Qatar Airways has been offering Privilege Club members around the world a bonus of up to 40% when they convert various banking currencies into Avios. That offer ends today and for readers with Citi ThankYou Points, this means that time is rapidly running out to top up an Avios balance with a very nice bonus added in.
a room with chairs and tables

Is this easy path to oneworld Sapphire status now dead?

Historically, those of us who are in a position to book premium cabin flights for travel between Europe and Asia have had a very easy path to oneworld Sapphire Elite status courtesy of one of the world's best airlines - Qatar Airways. Now, however, it's starting to look like that path may have been shut down.
a large white airplane with red writing

Odd. I think Iberia part-suspended my Iberia Plus account

While British Airways holds the dubious honor of having unquestionably the worst IT systems of any of the major airlines (they're a disgrace), its sister airline, Iberia, has its share of IT problems too and that's led me to believe that two issues that I've been having with my Iberia Plus account were down to IT incompetence. It turns out, however, that assumption may only have been partly correct.
a seat in a plane

Good news: British Airways reduces surcharges on Iberia bookings

For quite a few years, there have been a number of reasons why it has been a good idea for flyers to have an Iberia Plus account as well as a British Airways account despite the fact that BA and Iberia are sister airlines and share the same rewards currency. Quietly and without any apparent notice being given, British Airways appears to have removed one of those reasons.
a seat in an airplane

Buy Alaska Airlines Miles with a 50% bonus [possibly targeted]

Alaska Airlines has launched a new mileage sale in which it is offering targeted members bonuses of up to 50% when they purchase a minimum of 30,000 miles. This sale is running through 25 June so while there's no need to hurry, now may be a good time to perform a few award searches to see if miles purchased in this sale could save you money on your next trip.
a large airplane at an airport

KrisFlyer Spontaneous Escapes for July 2022 are live (don’t get your hopes up!)

Singapore Airlines has now published its Spontaneous Escapes deals for travel in July and while the airline is still offering an attractive 30% discount on awards booked on select routes, the number of routes offering discounted Business Class awards and/or discounted Premium Economy awards has dropped dramatically since Spontaneous Escapes first came back (in full) back in March. Impressive isn't a word that anyone will be using to describe this set of deals.
a blue sky with clouds

This is how airline elite status can make flying with a low cost carrier...

There's no doubt that the rise of the low-cost carriers has had a significant leveling effect in the travel world with airlines like Spirit, Frontier, EasyJet, and Ryanair all helping to make travel considerably more affordable for a huge number of people. For those of us with mid-tier or higher airline elite status, however, choosing a low-cost carrier over the airline with which we hold elite status can often be a poor decision. This is why.
a row of seats on an airplane

Chase & British Airways improve the Travel Together companion voucher

Earlier today, I wrote about British Airways improving the Companion Voucher issued by UK-issued American Express cards and while that news probably wasn't particularly interesting to US-based readers, the follow-up news that Chase and British Airways have improved the Travel Together benefit that comes with the British Airways Visa Signature® card will probably attract more attention.
a room with a bed and a glass door

Earn 1,000 bonus AAdvantage Miles per stay with Hyatt this summer (USA only)

Hyatt has announced a new promotion, in conjunction with American Airlines, which sees it reprising an offer we last saw back in October of last year. Starting on 5 July, members of the American Airlines AAdvantage program will be able to earn a bonus of 1,000 AAdvantage miles per qualifying stay at over 150 participating Hyatt hotels in cities across the U.S.
a plane flying in the sky

How to transfer Avios between Aer Lingus & British Airways (A Step By Step...

Because Aer Lingus is now part of IAG Group (which includes the likes of British Airways and Iberia) the airline uses Avios as its loyalty currency and there are a number of reasons why it can be very useful to know how to transfer Avios between Aer Lingus and the British Airways Executive Club (transfers can go in either direction).
tail fin of an airplane

American Airlines & JetBlue add more reciprocal elite benefits

Today, American Airlines and JetBlue have taken another step towards cementing their alliance (despite the fact that the DoJ is actively trying to break the alliance up) by announcing further reciprocal status benefits for their elite flyers and by confirming that customers flying with JetBlue will finally be allowed to use their Admirals Club memberships to access American's lounges.
a group of airplanes on a runway

Get 2,500 Avios when you sign up for a free Qatar Airways Privilege Club...

As of yesterday, the Qatar Airways Privilege Club uses Avios as its currency of choice and also as of yesterday, Qatar Airways Privilege Club accounts and British Airways Executive Club accounts can be linked and Avios transferred back and forth between them. That's what makes the current new member sign-up bonus that Qatar Airways is offering so attractive.
a person on a snowboard

Fantastic: You can now link your British Airways & Qatar Airways accounts + combine...

Last month, Qatar Airways announced that its Privilege Club frequent flyer program would be replacing Qmiles with Avios as its currency and as of today, that transition appears to be complete. As importantly, not only do flights credited to the Privilege Club now earn Avios but flyers with British Airways Executive Club and Privilege Club accounts can now link those accounts and move Avios between them.
Singapore skyline with the marina

Great Deals: Singapore Airline Spontaneous Escapes are back!

I don't think I've seen a proper set of Singapore Airlines Spontaneous Escapes since the last quarter of 2019 but (and I still can't believe that I'm getting to finally type this again) the Spontaneous Escapes are now back with a bang and there are some great deals on offer.
a close up of the tail fin of a plane

Reminder: Why it can be important to credit at least 1 Avios to the...

Normally, when you see an article or blog post reminding you to credit some activity to your rewards accounts it's because the author doesn't want you to accidentally allow your hard-earned balances to expire. This article, however, isn't about that. Instead, this article is meant to remind British Airways Executive Club members of another reason why crediting at least one Avios to your account every year could be important.
a white airplane on a runway

Grrr…apparently oneworld elites cannot reserve seats on the Alaska Airlines website (+ 1 more...

Alaska Airlines has been a member of the oneworld alliance for almost exactly a year so with that 12 month anniversary approaching, I don't think it's unreasonable for a customer to expect the airline's website to be able to deal with all of the more basic benefits that the oneworld alliance offers. Apparently, however, this is too much to ask.
a person on a snowboard

Huge News: Qatar Airways will adopt Avios as its loyalty currency

In an announcement that's nothing short of stunning, Qatar Airways has confirmed that it will be adopting Avios as the currency for its Privilege Club loyalty program from late next month. Qmiles are going to be history and going forward, Privilege Club program members will earn the same currency as members of the British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, and Aer Club.
Independence Hall with a clock tower and flags

Why you shouldn’t book Aer Lingus awards through British Airways

Over the weekend, British Airways finally updated its booking engines to allow customers to book Aer Lingus awards through ba.com using Avios. Unfortunately, while the ability to see and book more awards on ba.com is always welcome, anyone booking Aer Lingus awards this way may end up paying considerably more than they should be.
a seat on an airplane

Alaska’s Mileage Plan adds Malaysia Airlines awards…but it may as well not have bothered!

In the past 24 hours, Alaska Airlines has added another oneworld partner to its Mileage Plan program - Malaysia Airlines - but now that I've seen the levels at which the awards have been set, I can't help but wonder why the airline bothered.
a blue sky with clouds

Ignore this terrible advice from a Twitter travel chat

Yesterday, I happened upon a scheduled Twitter chat that was covering the miles and points world and I watched as various contributors answered questions that were designed to give less experienced miles & points enthusiasts some ideas on how to get good value out of their balances. Usually, I ignore these kinds of chats but on this occasion, I watched this chat long enough to see a truly terrible bit of advice being handed out.
a group of airplanes parked at an airport

British Airways increases surcharges on most Business Class long-haul award bookings (ex. UK)

If you're a British Airways flyer based in the United States, the airline showed its disdain for your loyalty a little while ago when it increased the surcharges for award travel originating on this side of the pond without any notice. Now, in what appears to be BA's version of 'leveling up', the surcharges for Business Class award travel originating in the UK have also been increased without warning.
Virgin Atlantic A350-1000 Upper Class Cabin

Buy Virgin Atlantic Points with a 60% or 70% bonus (potentially a great deal)

Virgin Atlantic's has brought back the same points sale that we saw it running in December and for once, a lack of innovation is a good thing as this is one of the best deals that we've ever seen the airline offer. All Virgin Atlantic Flying Club members can buy points with a 60% bonus while Gold members are being offered a 70% bonus so, with points available from 0.89 pence each for UK accounts and from 1.60 cents each for US accounts, there's a lot of scope to book some great deals courtesy of points purchased in this sale.
a blue airplane in the sky

Highly unexpected efficiency from ITA Airways (a status match success + what to expect)

ITA is still offering a status match to its new loyalty/rewards program and despite the fact that this offer has been available for at least a couple of months, it's one that I hadn't remembered to act upon until recently. When I finally got around to submitting my details, I fully expected to have to wait weeks (possibly months) before I heard back but much to my surprise, it looks like ITA is taking this promotion seriously.
the tail of an airplane

British Airways extends elite status for some & lower tier targets for all

British Airways has just unwrapped a couple of early Christmas presents for members of its Executive Club - some members will now have their elite status extended by a further 12 months while all members will now have a reduced tier point target to requalify for elite status this year. 
airplanes parked at an airport

American Airlines ends Award Wallet access

For a little over 8 years, Award Wallet has had an agreement in place with American Airlines which has allowed it to access flyer data via an API that, in turn, allowed it to keep members informed of any changes to their flights and AAdvantage account balances. As of today, that access has been revoked and Award Wallet members can no longer use the application to track their American Airlines flights or AAdvantage accounts.
a group of airplanes with faces on the tail

Alaska’s Mileage Plan will make it even easier to requalify for elite status

Alaska's Mileage Plan program has been doing its best to take care of its frequent flyers this year. Not only have all Mileage Plan elite statuses been extended through April 2022, but members have also been able to earn 50% bonus elite miles all year long so earning and retaining Mileage Plan elite status hasn't been particularly challenging (for most) this year.
a close up of a sign

Virgin Atlantic expands status match criteria (more airline programs now qualify)

Virgin Atlantic ran an excellent status match promotion in the first two months of this year but, unfortunately for most readers, it was a match that was aimed solely at British Airways Executive Club members. Now a new status match offer appears to have been launched which is considerably more inclusive.
a plane parked at an airport

Get a 50% discount on United Airlines miles (ends Friday)

United MileagePlus has launched a new flash sale ahead of Black Friday in which it's offering a discount on the cost of miles rather than a bonus. The discount being offered is 50% and while this reduces the cost/mile to levels that may tempt quite a few people, you should think carefully about how many miles you'd like to buy before participating in this sale.
the tail of an airplane

The British Airways Executive Club is still down but here’s a workaround

Last Saturday, British Airways closed down access to its Executive Club and access to all Avios-related functionality as part of a planned outage that was supposed to end yesterday morning. Well, at the time of writing, access to the Executive Club is still down but there's a workaround that may be of help if you're desperate to make a reward booking or to access your account.
an airplane parked at an airport

Fast-track to American Airlines elite status with Business Extra

Earning or retaining American Airlines Advantage elite status has never been easier than it has been for most of this year but for business travelers who have somehow missed out on the promotions, deals, and extensions, the airline has just rolled out yet another way to lock in AAdvantage status in double-quick time - a fast-track offer has been launched.
two airplanes flying in the sky

Qatar Airways & JetBlue now offer reciprocal mileage earning

Earlier this year, Qatar Airways and JetBlue announced that their "strategic partnership"  would be expanding with the airlines codesharing on more routes and with reciprocal loyalty program benefits on the way for Privilege Club and TrueBlue members. As of yesterday, one of those reciprocal benefits was finally delivered with JetBlue and Qatar Airways flyers now able to earn points/miles on both airlines.
a plane flying over mountains

A good Alaska Airlines mileage sale that you should avoid (for at least 10...

Alaska Airlines has launched a new mileage sale that runs through most of December and which is offering a solid bonus of up to 50%. Ostensibly this is a perfectly good sale, but while I'll provide you with all the details you need about it in the post below, be aware that I think that this is a sale that most people should be avoiding for at least the next 10 days.
a close up of the tail fin of a plane

Reminder: The big British Airways outage starts tomorrow

British Airways is having extensive work done to the systems that control the British Airways Executive Club and with the works scheduled to start tomorrow, this is a reminder that the next ~24 hours will be the last opportunity for flyers to access their BAEC accounts and to perform a variety of Avios related tasks until the works are completed.
an airplane with seats and a few seats

3 days left to transfer Citi points to American Airlines AAdvantage (should you transfer?)

It was a nice surprise when back in July, Citi suddenly announced that its ThankYou Points would be transferable to the American Airlines AAdvantage program for a limited time and as no other bank's transferable currency has a partnership with AAdvantage, this has been a very useful transfer option to have for the past few months. Sadly, with no signs that Citi will extend this offer, ThankYou cardholders have just three days left to make the most of this opportunity.
a beach with umbrellas and chairs on a sandy beach

A beautiful sweet spot in the Iberia Plus award chart (Europe – Caribbean)

The Caribbean is a hugely popular destination for travelers from both sides of the Atlantic but not only can it be an expensive place to stay, but it can also be an expensive place to fly to in any kind of comfort. Fortunately for miles & points fans, there's at least one very economical Business Class award available for travel between Europe and the Caribbean and it's an award that can open up travel to multiple destinations.
the tail of an airplane

Virgin Atlantic lowers elite status targets & offers Tier Points on Virgin Holidays bookings

Virgin Atlantic has just announced that it is lowering the elite status targets for the 12 months from 1 April 2022 as well as making elite status easier to earn for travelers who book through Virgin Holidays. The airline has also announced a gift and a nice bonus for Silver Card holders as well as a points promotion open to all that runs through March next year.
a seat in an airplane

Purchases of United Airlines miles will now code as United Airlines purchases (apparently)

Earlier, I reported that United's latest mileage sale ends later today but it was something that I noticed in the terms and conditions that stuck out a lot more than the sale itself. According to United, purchases of Mileage Plus miles will now be recognized as United Airlines purchases and code as such with the credit card companies.
an airplane with a chair and windows

Deal: Fly Miami – Europe in Business Class from 88,000 Amex points + taxes...

As part of the first semi-meaningful Promo Awards that we have seen in over 18 months, Flying Blue (the Air France/KLM rewards program) is currently offering 25% off award bookings to/from Miami. If you stack this with a current Amex promotion, 88,000 Membership Reward points combined with the taxes and fees that Flying Blue charges, will be enough to book a roundtrip Business Class fare between Miami and a number of cities in Europe.
an airplane flying in the sky

American Airlines just made Lifetime Elite status a little more valuable (in one way)

American Airlines recently ripped up the rules surrounding elite status qualification for the AAdvantage program and introduced a whole new system through which its flyers can earn elite status. For some, the fact that the new system will probably create more low-level elites means that Lifetime Gold and Lifetime Platinum status has just been devalued (more competition for benefits). For others, however, Lifetime AAdvantage Elite status will have just become more useful.
a beach with waves crashing on the shore with Bondi Beach in the background

This was my ‘panic’ American Airlines award booking

On Monday afternoon, I wrote that I was looking at different ways in which I could spend the 170,000 AAdvantage miles that were sitting in my account and I mentioned a number of options that I had been considering. At the time, I had no idea which option (or options) I most wanted to go for and I was prepared to keep thinking things through for a few more weeks. A tweet that I saw on Monday evening quickly changed all of that.
an airplane at an airport

Singapore Airlines is offering a 15% Transfer Bonus (Amex, Chase, Citi & more)

Singapore Airlines has brought back a promotion that we last saw in November last year (I think) in which it's offering bonuses to KrisFlyer members who transferring points from most (possibly all) of its bank partners around the world. In the case of the US, transfers from Amex, Citi, Chase, Capital One appear to qualify but with over 40 participating banks around the world, most readers should be able to make the most of this offer if it works for them (some may be able to get a 20% bonus).
the side of a plane

American Airlines extends elite statuses & allows a ‘double dip’ for status earning

Yesterday, the big talking point for American Airlines flyers was undoubtedly the news that American has completely reinvented how elite status is earned in the AAdvantage program. There were, however, a couple of other pieces of news that were put out at the same time that cover the current elite qualification period and the start of the next, and those pieces of news are covered here.
airplanes parked at an airport

Huge News: American Airlines reinvents how elite status is earned

Today looks like it's a day for surprises. I didn't expect Marriott to announce the huge Bonvoy devaluation that we've seen, while the cataclysmic changes that I was expecting American Airlines to make to its awards charts never materialized. Instead, what American Airlines announced today was a wholesale change to how AAdvantage elite status is earned.
an airplane wing and clouds

How would you spend 170,000 American Airlines Miles?

A few weeks back I picked up 150,000 AAdvantage miles at a nicely reduced rate and by doing so, I immediately broke a cardinal rule of the miles & points world because I had no real plan for what I was going to do with the miles. I had a few ideas, but the truth is that chance to buy miles at 1.36 cents each was too big a temptation and I was happy to risk an AAdvantage devaluation before I got a chance to burn the miles in return for such a good deal.
a map of the world with different colored lines

Qantas has confirmed 12 international routes will return by January

With Victoria now joining New South Wales in saying said that it plans to open up to vaccinated visitors from 1 November with no quarantine requirements, and with the Australian government under increasing pressure to open up its borders to international travelers, Qantas is pushing forward with getting its global route network restored and it has now confirmed the international routes that it will start/restart in the coming months.
the tail of an airplane

Cathay Pacific eliminates waitlists for standard award bookings

Earlier this year, Cathay Pacific eliminated two types of awards and brought its Miles Plus Cash option online allowing customers to pay for any available seat using a mix of Asia Miles and cash. Now, a little over 6 months later, Cathay Pacific has made a further change to its loyalty program by announcing that the ability to waitlist for a standard award is being removed with immediate effect.
a seat with a tv on the side

Is British Airways paying out the wrong number of Avios on Qatar Airways Business...

The title of this post is a question to which I don't have an answer but it's a question that has come to light as a result of the recent changes that Qatar Airways made to how its Business Class fares are structured and how many Avios British Airways now says that Qatar Airways Business Class fares will accrue. If you're flying in Qatar Airways Business Class and crediting your flights to the Executive Club, this is something to look out for.
a row of seats in an airplane

Qantas announces “Massive Release of Reward Seats” for 2022

We've already seen evidence of Qantas chomping at the bit to get flyers traveling internationally again when it brought forward the resumption of two key routes last week, and now the airline has shown more evidence of wanting to get people back in the air by announcing that it has released more award seats than ever before for travel in 2022.
a blue airplane in the sky

This apparently pointless status match may not be quite as pointless as it seems

Alitalia, as an airline, may be officially dead, but its spirit is very much alive within the newest Italian flag carrier ITA Airways. Over the weekend, news emerged that ITA is offering an elite status match to just about anyone and on the face of things, this looks like a pretty pointless status match (I'll explain why in a moment). Having thought this offer though a bit more, however, I'm starting to think that it may have its uses.
a seat in a plane

Phew! British Airways didn’t drop the hammer when Qatar Airways refreshed its Business Class...

The title of this post probably should read "...and breathe" because ever since we heard that Qatar Airways was refreshing its Business Class fare structure for the thousandth time, I've been holding my breath and waiting for British Airways to destroy what is undoubtedly one of the easiest routes to earning valuable elite status. Fortunately, my fears appear to have been unfounded.
tail fin of an airplane

American Airlines & JetBlue now offer reciprocal elite benefits (award bookings are on the...

American Airlines and JetBlue first announced their (slightly surprising) partnership back in July last year but other than offering members of each other’s loyalty programs the ability to earn their preferred currency when flying, so far the partnership has offered little in the way of reciprocal elite status benefits. Starting this today, however, that has all changed.
a seat in a plane

I’m amazed that American Airlines honored last week’s points sale error

Last Friday, American Airlines launched yet another points sale which, on the face of things, looked very similar to a lot of the other points sales that we usually see it running. The sale was offering up to 35% off the regular cost of miles and should have priced American's currency at over 2 cents per mile. But it didn't. It priced it far lower.
a blue sky with clouds

Why Does Alaska Airlines Have A High Segment Requirement For Top-Tier Status & American...

Last week we finally got to find out a lot more about the new top-tier elite status that Alaska Mileage Plan first mentioned back in January and one of the bigger surprises that we were given was the news that to earn top tier MVP Gold 100K status, flyers will have to book 24 segments that are marketed and operated by Alaska Airlines. In this post, I speculate on what the key driver of this requirement may be and why American Airlines doesn't have a similar requirement.
a room with chairs and tables

Uh-Oh! Qatar Airways Is Changing Its Business Class Fare Structure (Again)

It was only last November when we saw Qatar Airways first introduce its version of an unbundled Business Class fare which no longer offered free seat selection or lounge access as part of its benefits package. Now, less than a year later, Qatar Airways is overhauling its Business Class fare structure once again and the latest changes could spell the end of the line for those of us accustomed to earning valuable elite status by booking the best deals that Qatar Airways offers.
a group of airplanes with faces on the tail

Alaska Airlines Has Now Revealed Details of Its New Top-Tier Elite Status

At the very beginning of this year, Alaska Airlines announced that it would be creating a new top-tier elite status level for the 2022 qualification year but the airline wasn't forthcoming with any details of what the new status tier would offer or what the qualification requirements would be like. Now, with a little over three months to go before the 2022 qualification year begins, a lot has been revealed.
a group of airplanes parked at an airport

This is why Avios collectors should have an Iberia Plus account

Iberia Plus is, you'll be unsurprised to hear, the loyalty program of Iberia - a sister airline to British Airways. Just like the British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus uses Avios as its currency of choice but there are a few significant differences between the two that should make Iberia Plus very useful to Avios collectors.
a view of a sunset from a glass door

Good Deal: Transfer Marriott Bonvoy Points To United With A 30% Bonus

United Airlines is currently offering its flyers a 30% bonus when they transfer various hotel currencies across to their MileagePlus account and while I wouldn't recommend that readers transfer over points from programs like Hilton Honors, the World of Hyatt, or IHG Rewards, a transfer from Marriott Bonvoy can make a lot of sense.
a close up of a sign

Virgin Atlantic Extends Flying Club Elite Statuses…Again

Following two 6-month status extensions in 2020 and 3-month extensions in February and May 2021, Virgin Atlantic has decided that the continuing barriers to travel faced by a lot of its customers warrant a 5th round of elite status extensions.
the inside of an airplane with seats and a person in the back

Upgrade A British Airways Booking With Avios (A Step-By-Step Guide)

Compared to a lot of major airlines, British Airways makes it relatively easy for passengers to upgrade their bookings to the next cabin of service so as upgrades can be one of the better ways to get the most out of an Avios balance, I thought I'd post a simple step by step guide to show how you can upgrade an existing British Airways booking with Avios.
a blue sky with clouds

A Good Indicator That A “Best…” List Is Utter Nonsense

If you're immersed in the miles and point world and aren't blinkered in your approach to the various loyalty programs that are available (i.e you don't blindly "love" a single program and see no wrong with it), you probably have a good idea which loyalty programs are good and which are second rate. Unfortunately, a lot of people aren't so fortunate and they often rely on the various "top" and "best" lists that get published all too frequently.
a blue sky with clouds and a blue sign

Earn 1,000 Bonus AAdvantage Miles Per Hyatt Stay (Select Regions)

Hyatt is currently sending out emails to members of its World of Hyatt program offering them 1,000 bonus American Airlines miles for every qualifying stay they make at properties in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India. Registration is required so make sure you check the details below if you think that you'll be able to make the most of this offer.
the side of a plane with blue writing on it

Generate 8,000 – 72,000 United Miles At 1.86 Cents Each (Limited Time)

When United Airlines sells its miles with a 100% bonus (the best bonus the airline offers) the cost per mile usually comes to somewhere around 1.88 cents. Unfortunately, anyone wishing to buy miles at that price usually has to buy at least 40,000 miles - smaller purchases come at a higher cost/mile - but, for a limited time, there's now a way to generate as few as 8,000 United Miles at just 1.86 cents each.
a seat in an airplane

British Airways Devalues JAL & Cathay Pacific Partner Awards (Another No Notice Devaluation)

Sadly, the headline says it all. British Airways has increased the cost of select Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific partner awards without giving Executive Club members any notice whatsoever. The changes only affect short-haul flights of up to 2,000 miles but with some awards now costing over 50% more, this isn't good news for Avios collectors.
a close up of an airplane

Citi Transfers To American Airlines Don’t Appear To Be Instant

Over the weekend, Citi gave those of us in miles and points world a very nice surprise when it announced that, for a limited time, its ThankYou Points would be convertible into American Airlines AAdvantage Miles. Considering Citi's close relationship with American Airlines I had assumed that transfers to AAdvantage would be instantaneous (as they are for a number of other ThankYou partners) but early indications appear to suggest otherwise.
a blue sky with clouds

Two Recent Small Changes In The Miles & Points World Really Helped Me Out

This weekend saw two small changes occur in the miles & points world that shared two things in common. Both were a little surprising and both turned out to be especially good news for me.
a tail of an airplane with a red white and blue stripe on it

Unexpected Enhancement: You Can Now Transfer Citi Points To AAdvantage (For A Limited Time)

Citi’s ThankYou Points can be incredibly useful in certain situations but up until now I have  found them to be less useful than the points issued by Amex and Chase. Now, however, courtesy of a very surprising program enhancement (of the good kind!) Citi’s ThankYou points have suddenly been made considerably more useful…albeit for a limited time only.
a blue sky with clouds and a blue sign

They’re Back: Hyatt & American Airlines Are Offering Targeted Elite Status Challenges

Hyatt and American Airlines have just announced that they're once again offering elite status challenges to members of each other's loyalty programs. From today, select AAdvantage and World of Hyatt members will be offered the chance to earn elite status in the other's loyalty program through January or February 2023. Challenges are targeted, require registration, and are appearing on dedicated American Airlines and Hyatt web pages.
a bed with headphones on it

You can now book JetBlue Mint with Emirates Skywards Miles

It would appear that at some point in the very recent past, Emirates quietly updated its JetBlue partner award chart to include the option for Skywards members to redeem their miles for travel in JetBlue's highly lauded First/Business Class "Mint" cabin. Economy awards have been bookable with Skywards miles for years (JetBlue and Emirates have a longstanding partnership) but this new development appears to have come out of nowhere and is very welcome news to those of us immersed in the miles & points world.
an airplane flying in the sky

Retain American Airlines status through credit card spending from next week

Throughout the pandemic, all the major US airlines have taken measures to try to keep their frequent flyers happy and American Airlines has, for the most part, been at the forefront of some of the better initiatives that we've seen. This is a reminder that one such initiative will be live in just 7 days' time.
a plane on the runway

Flash sale: Buy Alaska Airlines Miles with a 50% bonus

Alaska Airlines is back with a new mileage sale and just as we saw back in March, this will be another short sale from the airline (this may be a new trend). This latest sale sees the airline carry on offering what was, pre-pandemic, its best-ever deal - a 50% bonus - and with more and more people now apparently comfortable with traveling once again, this may end up being the best deals we see going forward.
airplanes parked at an airport

Earn elite status quicker with these American Airlines promotions

At the end of April, United Airlines offered its customers three different promotions which all gave flyers a chance to boost their progress along the path to elite status, and now American Airlines appears to have followed suit. The key difference here, however, is that flyers can sign up to all three of American's promotions while United asked flyers to choose one from three.
an airplane flying in the sky

Earn 25% Bonus AAdvantage Miles When You Convert Select Hotel Currencies

American Airlines has published a new offer which we last saw in October 2020 and which sees the airline offering a 25% bonus to AAdvantage members who choose to convert IHG Rewards points or World of Hyatt points into miles.
the tail fin of an airplane

Earn Double Tier Points With British Airways Holidays

If the last British Airways status extension wasn't as generous as you would have liked or if you're hoping to earn British Airways elite status, the news that the airline is now offering double Tier Points for select bookings covering an upcoming three and half month period may be something that brightens up your day.
tail fin of an airplane

American Airlines & JetBlue Now Offer Reciprocal Mileage & Elite Qualifying Credits On Most...

American Airlines and JetBlue have today announced that they are now offering near-universal reciprocal mileage earning and elite status credit accrual for members of the AAdvantage and TrueBlue programs. Flyers from both airline programs can now choose whether to earn AAdvantage Miles or TrueBlue points when they book with either airline and depending on which they choose, they'll also earn credits towards elite status too.
a sign on a building

Virgin Atlantic Extends Elite Statuses & Vouchers By Another 3 Months

Virgin Atlantic has taken another look at the travel landscape and decided that the time is right to offer frequent flyers yet another helping hand. Following on from the two 6-month elite status extensions that Virgin Atlantic offered Flying Club members in 2020 and the 3-month extension announced in February, the airline is now extending elite statuses for the fourth time.
airplanes at an airport

Iberia Plus Devalues Select Award Sweet Spots (No Notice Given)

Over the weekend, it looks as if Iberia Plus took a leaf straight out of the IHG playbook and made a number of changes to the cost of select awards without giving members any notice at all. While it's always disappointing to see the cost of awards increasing, in this case it's especially disappointing as the changes see Iberia eliminating a number of especially good sweet spots.
the tail of an airplane

United Is Offering MileagePlus Members A Choice Of New Offers (Earn Bonus EQP)

United has announced that it has launched three new promotions and that it's giving MileagePlus elites the choice of which one promotion they'd like to participate in. Two of the promotions give flyers a chance to boost their Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) balances while the third promotion offers an opportunity to earn bonus redeemable miles through MileagePlus X.
a house with a pool in the back

Earn Thousands Of American Airlines AAdvantage Miles When You Buy Or Sell A Home

Every year we seem to hear of new ways for people to earn miles and points from sources that have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with travel, and while I have no idea how long this source of miles has been around, I've just discovered that you can earn a substantial number of American Airlines miles when you buy or sell a home.
a group of airplanes with faces on the tail

Alaska Airlines is offering a mystery bonus when you purchase miles

In the past 12 months, we've seen Alaska Airlines offer up a variety of mileage sales and on at least two occasions it has offered the very best deals we have ever seen that airline offer. Now the airline is back with a sale that runs through the middle of May and it's a sale that sees Mileage Plan members being targeted for mystery bonuses.
a plane flying in the sky

Earn 2,000 Bonus Alaska Miles For Flying With American Airlines & Alaska Airlines

Ok, in the grand scheme of things this isn't exactly a super-generous promotion and it's certainly not going to get people rushing to book new trips, but if you're going to be flying with Alaska Airlines & American Airlines between May and December you may as well pick up the easy miles that are on offer.
a pool with palm trees and a building in the background

New Promo: Earn 1,000 American Airlines Miles Per Night With Hyatt [Targeted]

Back in November, Hyatt launched a promotion in which it offered 1,000 AAdvantage Miles per night for stays at select Hyatt resorts, and now that that offer has ended (it ended on 4 April), Hyatt is back with a bigger and better (albeit targeted) deal - earn 1,000 AAdvantage Miles per night at hundreds of World Hyatt properties around the world.
Southwest airplane on a runway

Earn Up To 5,000 Bonus Points When You Join Southwest Rapid Rewards

Southwest is currently running a promotion in which it's offering up to 5,000 bonus points as an incentive for people to sign up to its loyalty program (Rapid Rewards) and fly a couple of roundtrip flights. If you're not a Rapid Rewards member already and were planning to make the most of some of the good fares that Southwest is currently offering, this may be an easy path to 5,000 points.
a person in a scuba suit swimming with fish

Earn Up To 20,000 Bonus Virgin Points On Flights To The Caribbean [UK Only]

The UK may have just come out of full lockdown but international travel is still band for all but a few, but that hasn't stopped Virgin Atlantic from launching a new promotion in which flyer can earn up to 20,000 bonus points per roundtrip made between the UK and the Caribbean.
a tail of an airplane

Huge Promo: Fast Track To Delta Medallion Status With Bonus Elite Credits (Includes Award...

Delta has launched a new promotion with which it's giving flyers the opportunity to fast-track their way to Medallion status through bonus Medallion Qualification Miles, Medallion Qualification Segments, and Medallion Qualification Dollars. Also, rather amazingly, Delta is also offering elite status credits for award bookings.
a group of airplanes with faces on the tail

Alaska Airlines Flights Now Earn British Airways Tier Points (First Class Earns Fewer Avios)

Today is 31 March, and that means that after a slightly longer process than was first anticipated, today is the day that will finally see Alaska Airlines join the oneworld alliance as a full member. We've already seen Alaska Airlines make changes to its award chart as it prepared to join the alliance, and now British Airways has updated its systems to reflect Alaska Airlines' new status as a member of the oneworld alliance.
the tail of an airplane

Buy Virgin Atlantic Points & get a bonus of up to 50% (great deal...

Virgin Atlantic has launched a new points sale and this may be the first sale that we've seen from the airline in over a year (the last sale I recall seeing was back in February 2020). For some, the long wait for a deal may have been worthwhile as Virgin is offering the highest bonus that we generally see it offer (50%), and it has raised the limit on the number of points that Flying Club members can buy during a calendar year.
a white airplane on a runway

You can now buy United Miles with an 85% bonus

United MileagePlus is currently selling miles with a bonus of up to 85% and an annual purchase limit of 175,000 miles. This isn't the best deal we're likely to see United offer before the end of the year (we've already seen a 100% bonus offer earlier this month) but as the math will show, there are definitely going to be times when miles purchased in this sale will save you money.
a group of airplanes parked at an airport

SALE: Get A 50% Bonus On Avios Purchases

British Airways has launched a new Avios sale in which it's offering its top bonus (50%) on all Avios purchased made through 11 April. Considering the uncertainty that's still surrounding travel in 2021 and considering the flexibility of Avios bookings, this may be a useful sale to use to top up an account.
a close-up of a plane

Flying Blue is offering an 80% bonus if you buy miles before 11 April

Flying Blue has launched a new mileage sale which sees the Air France/KLM loyalty program offering members a bonus of up to 80% on miles purchased through 11 April 2021. While not the best deal that we've ever seen offer, this sale can still represent a good opportunity for anyone who needs to top up an account.
a blue airplane on a runway

FLASH DEAL: Get 20% Off All Southwest Award Bookings

Southwest Rapid Rewards has announced a quick-fire promotion in which it's offering all members a 20% saving on awards booked by 25 March for travel through 30 April 2021. As the value of Rapid Rewards is more or less fixed and as points can be used if a cash fare is available, this could be a great time to use some points.
an airplane flying in the sky

Sale: Buy American Airlines Miles with a 40% discount

American Airlines has launched a new mileage sale in which it is offering a discount of 40% on the regular price of miles. There's nothing majorly complicated about this sale as for once, this is an AAdvantage sale in which it doesn't matter how many or how few miles you buy, the cost per miles doesn't vary.
a close up of the tail fin of a plane

No Notice Devaluation: British Airways Increases The Cost Of Some Short-Haul Awards

In a move that's very true-to-form, British Airways has quietly and without any notice to Executive Club members, increased the cost of some of its short-haul awards. The increases are already in effect (so there's no way to avoid them) and they affect most of the routes that British Airways operates within Europe.

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