Tagged With "Award Chart"
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Re: Controversy in What City is #1 in Foreign Tourists
This feud is now drawing comparisons on which city is better. The London Telegraph did a fun photo chart.Of course London won on their chart lol. To me its like comparing apples and oranges. Both great cities. And only Megabus ride apart! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tra...r.html?frame=2796448
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Re: The World's Best Airlines
Grouchy, I thought you had a magic carpet and didn't need to bother with such trivialities as plane flights
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Re: United's Award Chart: Premium Award Cost Goes UP
I've seen a lot of "award creep" in my days, and I think there's more to come. A "mile" is worth less and less all the time. It's clear that airline miles aren't worth banking for any period of time. Use them when it's logical to do so. They likely will be worth less in the near future. Thanks for the link, PHeymont.
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Re: United's Award Chart: Premium Award Cost Goes UP
Not sure I agree with the "burn 'em" philosophy. At the premium class end, there's certainly been a lot of creep, but not so much in coach, which is more price-sensitive, even for awards. True, summer awards to Europe have generally gone from 50K to 60K, but on the other hand, off-season at American went DOWN to 40K--and with the flexibility of taking one-way awards and combining them in interesting ways...it's actually a better situation. Also, there are some card-linked sales on flight...
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Re: United's Award Chart: Premium Award Cost Goes UP
I think you'll find reward trips from the Western USA are harder to get for European travel than from the East coast. But if your schedule is flexible, you could be lucky.
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Re: United's Award Chart: Premium Award Cost Goes UP
I think for premium travel,it makes sense. It has always surprised me that premium travel is so much cheaper from a frequent flier perspective (2:1) vs economy than when you actually buy the ticket. Just as a side note, aeroplan has recently reduced miles required on some of their reward charts as well.
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Re: United's Award Chart: Premium Award Cost Goes UP
John's point about the ratio between the two tiers is interesting (we looked at that a little in a forum post this week on value of miles). My guess--and it's just that--is that the same kind of yield-management used to set prices has taken a look at this and is carefully balancing loyalty vs. burn... I can't really compare East vs West availability personally; my school schedules have defined when I can travel well enough that I'm able to start hunting tickets 330 days out, when the...
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Re: Waived Booking Fees on AA Award Travel
Really good news, because some of those partner flights are hard to book online even when you know they exist. This should make it easier to make connection to a number of areas in Europe without having to do Heathrow...
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Re: Airfares have remained flat for 20+ years
I'm with 90% on that survey. Domestic Airline prices did rise steadily from 2009 to 2014 (even adjusting for inflation) according to the DOT. I do think we've had a price break this year because of the steep drop in oil prices. I'm not surprised most customers feel like they are paying more because of what they are getting now. Planes are packed, there's less seat space and a whole array of fees. http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/airfares/national/chart
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Re: Baseball Hall of Fame - Cooperstown, New York
Thanks Samantha, I'd love to visit Cooperstown. When I saw Hank Aaron's boyhood home at Mobile's minor league stadium with all it's incredible baseball memorabilia, I knew I had to see the Baseball Hall of Fame one day. Thanks for showing me what to expect!
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Re: Baseball Hall of Fame - Cooperstown, New York
Hi Rob, it is a really cool place to visit. I had been to the Negro Hall of Fame in Kansas, but not the one in Cooperstown. It was so worth the wait! Thanks for mentioning Aaron's home in Mobile. I would like to see it someday too. Have a great weekend
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Re: Baseball Hall of Fame - Cooperstown, New York
You can't help but be impressed with the Aaron family after seeing the place! Glad to see the Hall of Fame has a great Hank Aaron section too! My blog on Hank Aaron's childhood home: https://www.travelgumbo.com/blo...ron-s-childhood-home
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Re: Tips on Getting FF Seats.
That's good advice in her column! I've often had success calling back when I didn't get the "right" answer the first time helps...and the night shift often has the most experienced agents. Other useful tips, aside from being the most pleasant if sadly disappointed customer they've had all day: Plan early, book early. If you really want to fly to Paris in late July on the cheapest FF tickets, your best bet is late August: the airlines generally open seats 330 days ahead, and if you can be...
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AirBerlin Black Friday: $499 to Europe R/T!
AirBerlin, a OneWorld member, is offering a $499 roundtrip to several European destinations at cut-rate prices from now to Tuesday, with flights from Jan. 12 to Mar. 22. The $499 rate is for Berlin from Chicago, and Stockholm or Copenhagen from NYC....
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Update: Loyalty Programs and Credit Cards
For some of us, credit cards are more than a convenient way to pay—they are the lifeline to free travel through loyalty programs. Between points for purchases and bonuses for opening or upgrading credit card accounts, it's possible to get quite...
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The World's Best Airlines
Conde Naste has published this year's Reader's Choice Awards, a broad range of awards but the one people most notice are the ranking of airlines. This year's top international airline, yet again, is Singapore Airlines. This year's top...
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United's Award Chart: Premium Award Cost Goes UP
United Airlines has released a new award chart that bumps up the miles required for nearly all business and first-class awards, and (for the first time) makes flights on its Star Alliance partner airlines cost more miles than on United. Details HERE
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Waived Booking Fees on AA Award Travel
This may not be news to some of you, but it is new to me. Heading to the AAdvantage webpage to see what flights might be available, I discovered a notice informing us that American now waives fees when booking by phone, starting today, when reserving...
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United shakes up its award program
United introduces flexible (and potentially higher) award pricing and a new way to qualify for stopovers.
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£99 Europe-to-America on BA's new airline Level
Whether you think of it as discount British Air or long-distance Vueling, Level is a new airline with some interesting twists in its plans.
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Top five reasons to visit Baltimore, Maryland.
Why should you visit Baltimore? Stephanie outlines the top things to see and do in this charming city.
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October 11, 2017: Beautiful Boston Harbor and Long Wharf
Boston's historic Long Wharf impresses Samantha for its views, and as a place to relax and watch the harbor and airplanes.
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Anchorage Airport's moment in the sun
The virus crisis with its uneven effects on airlines, has boosted Alaska's main airport to the top of the world heap.
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A new category grows: Loyalty award consultants
If you've gotten confused at times by all the changes in airline and other loyalty-points plans, and been dazzled by the constantly-changing stream of offers and bonuses—you're not alone, and a small industry of consultants has risen up to show...
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Norwegian Wins Europe's Best Low-Cost Airline Award
Norwegian Air Shuttle has been named Europe’s Leading Low-Cost Airline by the World Travel Awards for the first time. They beat out Aer Lingus, Air Berlin, easyJet, Monarch, Ryanair and Vueling. Norwegian's CEO, Bjorn Kjos,...
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Alaska and Icelandair shake (cold) hands
Two specialists in cold homelands, Alaska Airways and Icelandair, have signed a deal for code-shares and for reciprocal mileage earning in their loyalty programs. The upshot should be increased availability for Americans visiting Iceland, and more...
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U.S. taxes on flying among world's highest
How much of your ticket is tax? Not all the expensive add-ons for your ticket are airline bag fees and fuel surcharges; according to a new report, another big factor is high government charges, among the world's highest. Each ticket starts out...
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And then there were none: AAdvantage shifts to points-per-dollar
American Airlines' AAdvantage program, the last major U.S. holdout of the once-traditional one-point-per-mile-flown loyalty system has announced that starting midyear next year it will be shifting to a model that rewards those who spend the most, not...
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Resorts take an (added fee) idea from airlines
Package tour operators are adding fees for reserving loungers and picking rooms.
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Welcome to world's most- and least-crowded places
Feeling a little squeezed? Here's where to find elbow room—or lots of companions—based on figures from the UN Population Division.
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American, Marriott Tops Again in Loyalty Awards
American Airlines (for the third year in a row) and Marriott (for the seventh) have taken the Freddie Awards for best loyalty programs. Winners in other categories included KLM, Southwest and Virgin Australia. The awards are named for the late Sir...
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Another round of airline ratings: Air New Zealand on top
AirlineRatings.com releases a new year's worth of airline ratings, with a 4-time winner continuing at the top.
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Cheapest airlines may not be the ones you think!
Sharpen your pencil: The discount and ultra-lowcost carriers are not always the cheapest choice!
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World's best hostels named—and honored
Like everything else these days, hostels, too have ratings and annual rewards. See who came out on top...
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To make your vacation cool, try these Apps
Everyone is leading a stressful life, their work life demands a lot from them. A peaceful and happy life has become days of past. Most of us are living mechanical and sedentary lives. Once in a while, we feel like taking a break and go on a vacation. A long trip within India or foreign countries will help us to let loose and become stress free. Traveling and exploring is always an adventurous task. Going on trips with our family or friends is completely a different kind of experience. It is...
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5 Top Destinations for Rainy Season in India
If there is any season that brings in romance and happiness in the air, then rainy season is one of them. If you love to holiday in this season, then India is a place to be. Lot of people from abroad, travel to India between June and August every year. This is because India is known and famous for the rainy season. Imagine, mountains in the view, your cottage well located with hot coffee in hand and rain outside – isn’t it a worthwhile view to watch? If you do not mind getting a little wet...
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Lufthansa tosses the fixed award charts
Lufthansa is switching the awards earned with its 'Miles and More' program from fixed prices to awards that vary with demand, following similar moves by U.S. carriers.
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Madrid: Old rules, new smog
Madrid's new mayor lifts the city's anti-pollution rules, and pollution levels spike dramatically.
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Guest Post is easy Way To Rank Site? Best Guest Post Tips
Two cases about posting a guest The fastest way to post a blog around the world is to post invitees. The most difficult way to create a blog all over the world is to post invitees. Publishing a guest is not easy and requires a great deal of work. To help you make publishing easier, you've taught a tutorial on how to find, secure, and follow up on premium partnerships. This precise strategy was used to move from 2,000 to 10,000 subscribers in a six-month gaming blog, and the number of...
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United dumps award chart, AA may follow
United follows Delta into the world of variable points prices for award travel.
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YOU CAN'T FUEL ME! BA fliers sue over high surcharges
British Airways is known for the steepest "fuel surchages," especially on award tickets--but a group of frequent fliers has sued, pointing out that the fees seem to bear no relation to fuel costs at all. A senior judge in the U. S. District...
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USAir Frequent Flyer Mile-Share Bonus: Up to 100%
Buying frequent flyer miles is usually not a great deal, since the airlines sell them at a premium and charge a fee for the transaction (usually only makes sense if you need that last couple of thousand to claim an award). But, through Dec. 6, USAir...
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Delta Updates Award Chart for 2015
Delta, which recently made a big change in how Skymiles are earned on flights, has made some little changes and one big one in how Skymiles can be used for flying in a new award chart that takes effect in 2015. The one big change is that members will...
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Tips on Getting FF Seats.
I've always liked Wendy Perrin's column in Conde' Nast Traveler magazine. Often she discusses things from a point of view with a bigger budget than my own, but today's newsletter points us to her tips on how to help get the airline award seats...
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Turkish Lira Tumbles Yet Again
The Turkish Lira again hit a record low against the US Dollar. Travelers, take note of the bargain airfares also offered to Istanbul. It makes it an excellent time to plan a trip to Turkey Read more and see the ...
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Dynamic Currency Conversion: The Little Nibble That Can Eat Your Vacation Budget
“Dynamic Currency Conversion” (DCC) is a sneaky way for merchants, and now banks as well, to make a little extra out of every transaction while you travel. It masquerades as a convenience for you “so you’ll know how much you...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov. 16, 2015: Franklin Automobiles in Tucson, Arizona
1932 Model 163 Deluxe Pursuit One of things I love about traveling is discovering new things. I've loved old cars my whole life, but still learn about auto manufacturers I previously...
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Iiyama: Hometown Japan
A small town in Japan struggles with declining population, and pins its hopes of growth on tourism and the recent arrival of a 'bullet train' station.
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Baseball Hall of Fame - Cooperstown, New York
For Samantha, a huge baseball fan, a visit to baseball's Hall of Fame at Cooperstown was a dream come true, and one she shares with us.
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A Rambler in Amsterdam
PHeymont shares some of the sights and 'seens' of a few days wandering the Dutch metropolis.