Hotel Points Transfers Earn More American Miles

Converting hotel points to airline miles is something I don't often discuss in these posts, because such transfers are mostly not worth discussing.

It's like buying airline miles: You can do it, and it might make sense in rare circumstances, but it's normally a bad deal.

Sometimes, however, a special offer changes the equation enough to make point conversions worth considering.

American's new transfer bonus aims to do just that.

Offer Details

Through June 30, AAdvantage members will receive a 25 percent bonus when converting up to 20,000 hotel points to miles, and a 35 percent bonus when converting more than 20,000 points.

The bonus applies to transfers from most AAdvantage hotel partners, including Best Western, Choice, Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, La Quinta, Starwood, and Wyndham.

Deal or No Deal

While in percentage terms, the bonuses are considerable, this is not the most generous current promotion of its kind. US Airways is offering a 50 percent bonus for hotel points transferred before July 31.

Which raises an interesting question: Are American miles worth more than US Airways miles? And if they are, how much more?

I won't presume to answer that question here, but there's a recent study that ranks US Airways last among U.S. airlines for award availability. The point, in any case, is that bonuses are only as valuable as the miles you're getting more of.

Then there's the question of hotel points versus airline miles. Which are more valuable to you? With hotel rates still depressed and airfares on the rise, airline miles are gaining in value, relatively speaking. But the hotel programs' differing conversion rates make meaningful comparisons difficult.

The best transfer deal has traditionally been from Starwood, which converts points 1:1 into many airline programs, and adds a 5,000-mile bonus when 20,000 points are transferred. So with the American promotion, a 20,000-point transfer would net 33,750 AAdvantage miles.

Finally, this offer may have particular resonance with customers of Marriott, which will sever ties with American's program on June 30. If you're an AAdvantage member who's planning to shift from Marriott to an alternative hotel network that's still aligned with American, this represents a good opportunity to make the break a clean one. (Given the timing of this promotion, I suspect that American's goal here is at least partly to give Marriott customers an easy way to disengage from Marriott.)

Reader Reality Check

Will you take advantage of this offer?

If so, which hotel points will you be converting to American miles?

Refunds for Cancelled Spirit Flights? Six Days, Five Different Answers

If you weren't paying close attention, you might think that Spirit's dedicated strike webpage was being updated solely to reflect the expected duration of the strike, and the associated flight cancellations.

So, were were initially advised, the projected cancellations were limited to Saturday's flights.  Then it was extended to include Sunday as well.  Later, the page was updated to show cancellations through Tuesday.  And most recently, flyers were advised that Wednesday and the Thursday flights were scratched as well.

Those changes are important, to be sure.  But the webpage has been evolving in another, more insidious way as well.

1. Saturday

At first, on Saturday, Spirit promised to refund all affected passengers the full amount of their tickets, plus a $100 flight voucher.

2. Sunday

On Sunday, with no notice or fanfare, the verbiage had changed.  The new promise: All affected passengers would be issued flight credits -- good only for use on Spirit, naturally -- plus the $100 voucher.  If the customer preferred a cash refund, he was advised to call the airline's toll-free number: "If you would prefer to receive a full refund instead, please call 1 (800) 772-7117 and one of our Customer Service Representatives will assist you."  (See screenshot to the left.)

3. Monday

As of Monday, the promise had been further downsized to delete entirely any mention of the cash refund.  (Screenshot to the right.)

4. Wednesday

On Wednesday, the website had again been modified, this time to add back the offer of a cash refund for those willing to endure the phone queue.  But they added this as well: "Customers who prefer to receive a refund instead of a future flight credit will not receive the additional $100 future flight credit."  (Screenshot to the left.)  

5. Thursday

Finally, on Thursday, with an agreement in place from pilots to return to work the next day, Spirit again changed the offer to stranded travelers.  This line had been deleted: "Customers who prefer to receive a refund instead of a future flight credit will not receive the additional $100 future flight credit." (See screenshot to the right.)

So, do refund-requesters also receive a $100 flight credit or not? Maybe, maybe not.  Yesterday they didn't.  Today, well, Spirit isn't saying.

Stranded customers will still have to call Spirit to specifically request a refund, so they might as well request the credit as well.  And they might get it -- Spirit seems to be making it up as they go.

Take the Money

Five different policies in six days, the most generous of which requires a phone call to a reservations center that must be overwhelmed with panicked calls from angry, frustrated customers ...

Assuming you charged your Spirit ticket to a credit card, my advice is to bypass Spirit altogether and contact the card issuer to have the charge reversed.  Even if you think you can convince Spirit to honor its on-again-off-again promise to refund your money, you'd first have to take your place in a long telephone queue just to make your case to a customer service agent.

Take your money and run!

With US Airways' Trial Elite Status, the Perks Come Easy

Elite promotions are always a double-edged sword.

From the airlines' standpoint, more elite members means more customers with an extra-compelling reason to fly. And more perks translates into more loyalty, which in turn translates into more ticket revenue.

For travelers who stand to qualify for elite status as a result of the extra miles or easier qualification requirements, elite promotions mean an easier route to upgrades and other elite benefits.

So far, it's win-win.

But for program members who already hold elite status, opening the door to more elite members means a dilution of the benefits they earned the hard way. In particular, there are a limited number of elite upgrades to go around, so more competition means everyone gets somewhat less.

It is because of the potential to degrade the experience of existing elites—disgruntling their best customers and jeopardizing their future loyalty—that airlines are generally reluctant to make elite status easier to attain.

Nevertheless, US Airways has opened the door wide, at least on a limited-time basis, to new elites.

Offer Details

US Airways is awarding trial Silver Preferred status for 90 days to Dividend Miles members who register by August 15 and purchase a non-refundable ticket for travel beginning by September 15.

Qualifying tickets must be purchased on usairways.com for travel on US Airways or US Airways Express within the U.S.

Elite status will be extended for the rest of the year if you fly the required miles or segments during the 90-day trial period.

Not eligible for this offer: "Members who have been granted Preferred status as a result of having elite status in another airline's program in the last 24 months; members who did not requalify for the same Preferred status in 2010 as 2009; members who have participated in US Airways Preferred trial program any time in the last 24 months."

Deal or No Deal

If you already plan a domestic flight on US Airways over the summer, you can easily justify signing up for this on the basis of the elite perks for the qualifying flight alone—checked bag-fee waiver, priority check-in and boarding, and an upgrade (not likely) or Preferred seat (more likely).

Is this offer enough to warrant switching from another carrier to US Airways? There's no easy answer to that question—there are too many factors to consider. But it is worth considering.

Reader Reality Check

If you're already a US Airways elite, how do feel about this promotion?

If you're not a US Airways elite, is this offer a reason to fly US Airways to qualify for the trial?

Update: Spirit Flight Cancellations Extended Through Thursday

Spirit has updated its website to indicate that flights have now been cancelled through Thursday, June 17.

For the latest strike information, Spirit is posting updates here.

Want a cash refund for that cancelled flight? Check out this post.

If you're a Spirit customer whose flights have been cancelled, did Spirit notify you of these cancellations?

Spirit's Pilots Strike; All Saturday Flights Cancelled

If you were booked on a Spirit flight today, Saturday, June 12, you're out of luck.  The airline's pilots went on strike early this morning and all flights have been cancelled for the day, and possibly longer.

In the run-up to the strike, Spirit had made vague allusions to contingency plans involving "partnerships."

The implication was that Spirit had arrangements in place with other airlines to absorb Spirit's passengers in the event the carrier was grounded by a walk-out.  Those assurances turn out to have been specious.

While the airline's website promises a full refund, plus a $100 credit toward a future flight, Spirit is not offering any assistance with rebooking stranded travelers on other airlines.  They'll have to make their own arrangements, and could be forced to pay pricey walk-up fares to travel.  And with summer flights already running close to capacity, Spirit customers may find it difficult to book alternative flights at any price.

Strikes are never easy, for travelers or for the affected airlines.  Spirit's handling of this strike is a case study in dissembling and obfuscation -- a bad situation made worse.

Delta Expands Shuttle to Chicago, Offers Triple Miles Through Summer

Mention the Delta Shuttle and the natural thought is of the hourly flights between New York and Boston, and between New York and Washington, D.C.

The flights, and a competing shuttle service flown by US Airways, are a staple of business travelers, connecting three of the east coast's largest metro areas.

As an historical note, east coast shuttle services began in 1961, when Eastern launched hourly Lockheed Constellation and Electra flights linking New York with Boston and Washington, D.C. Eastern sold the operation to Donald Trump in 1989, and it was later sold to US Airways.

Delta's shuttle traces its roots back to 1987, when Pan Am started its own shuttle service to compete with Eastern's. Pan Am sold the shuttle operation to Delta in 1991, in the early stages of the asset sale that culminated in its bankruptcy and liquidation.

Beginning on June 14, after almost 50 years, the definition of "shuttle" will change as Delta adds a new leg to its Shuttle service, between New York and Chicago O'Hare. Like its other Shuttle flights, the new Chicago service will operate hourly, with 11 flights every weekday.

The move is part of Delta's effort to solidify its position in the New York market, an especially high-priority goal in light of the upcoming merger of United and Continental. The seriousness of Delta's purpose is underscored by its aggressive mileage bonus for summer Shuttle flights.

Offer Details

From Delta's press release:

To mark Delta's continued growth in the New York market, the airline is offering SkyMiles members triple flown miles and triple Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) on all Delta Shuttle flights connecting LaGuardia to Boston-Logan, Washington-Reagan National and Chicago-O'Hare airports between June 14 and August 31, 2010.

Members must register for this promotion at delta.com/shuttlepromo. This bonus is in addition to the minimum 500 SkyMiles earned for each Shuttle flight traveled. SkyMiles members traveling between Chicago and New York can earn nearly 4,400 miles round-trip while customers traveling on Delta Shuttle's New York-Boston and New York-Washington, D.C. routes can earn 3,000 miles for each round-trip.

There's no limit to the number of bonus miles that can be earned.

Deal or No Deal

Triple elite-qualifying miles? Even on relatively short shuttle flights, the numbers are compelling.

For the new Chicago flights, six round-trips are worth 26,400 miles, enough for a free award ticket and entry-level elite status.

And with the 500-mile minimum for Boston and Washington, D.C., flights, you earn 3,000 redeemable and elite-qualifying miles for every round-trip.

By any measure, those are significant bonuses.

They're so significant, in fact, that I'd be surprised if US Airways doesn't match this offer for its own shuttle flights. And United might feel compelled to counter with bonuses for New York-Chicago flights as well.

Good times for shuttle customers!

Reader Reality Check

If you're a US Airways shuttle customer, or fly United between new York and Chicago, will this promotion change your travel plans?

And if not, why not?

This Summer, One Free Night After Two Best Western Stays

For hotel customers, this has shaped up as The Summer of Free Nights.

Among the major hotel chains offering free nights for stays this summer:

• Carlson - One free night after two stays between June 1 and August 31.
• Hilton - One free night after either four qualifying stays or 10 nights through June 30.
• Marriott - One free night after three stays through August 31.
• Omni - One free night in conjunction with a paid weekend night through September 6.
• Starwood - One free weekend night after every three stays through July 31.

Now Best Western has added its name to that list.

Offer Details

Between June 20 and August 15, Best Western Rewards members can earn a free night after two qualifying paid stays. The free night voucher must be redeemed by December 25, 2010.

There's a limit of one free night per regular Rewards member, two free nights for elite members.

Registration is required.

In addition to the free night, Rewards members who qualify for the promotion will receive a one-time 250-mile bonus for booking the stays at bestwestern.com, and 1,000 bonus points for charging their stays to a Best Western Rewards MasterCard.

Deal or No Deal

With so many free nights on offer, from so many hotel chains, the question for summer travelers isn't whether the Best Western offer is attractive, but whether it's more or less attractive than competing offers.

If you aren't a Best Western loyalist, then depending on your travel budget and where you're traveling, the Carlson and Omni offers are also worth a look.

If you're already planning to stay at Best Westerns, then this promotion is icing on the cake.

Reader Reality Check

Free nights, anyone?

From US Airways: More Frequent Flyer Miles for Shopping

Has US Airways gone bonus-crazy?

They're currently offering a 100 percent bonus on purchased miles, double miles on all flights, and a 50 percent bonus for car rentals and hotel stays.

That's a whole lotta bonuses. And it's not all.

Dividend Miles members whose shopping lists include non-travel items can also earn a 50 percent bonus for a wide range of online purchases.

Offer Details

Through June 30, Dividend Miles members can earn a 50-percent mileage bonus for purchases made at participating online merchants, including FTD, Barnes & Noble, Home Depot, Red Envelope, and all the 200-plus other retailers in the Dividend Miles shopping mall.

In combination with a separate promotion for elite members of US Airways' program, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Chairman's Preferred members will also earn bonuses of 25, 50, 75, and 100 percent, respectively, for purchases at the Dividend Miles shopping mall.

A maximum of 10 transactions will earn bonuses during the promotion period.

Registration is required.

Deal or No Deal

For US Airways loyalists, this promotion is a good opportunity to add to their Dividend Miles account balances. With so many products available from so many merchants, there's a high probability of meeting your shopping needs at a bonus-eligible retailer. And if you qualify for the elite shopping bonus as well, this is an unusually lucrative opportunity indeed.

If Dividend Miles isn't your primary program, there may be better online shopping bonuses from other airlines, especially in the run-up to Father's Day. So check and compare before hitting the "Buy" button.

Reader Reality Check

Do you regularly earn frequent flyer miles for shopping? If not, why not?

Is this offer enough to get you buy, buy, buying?

This Summer, Comfort and Frequent Flyer Awards Will Both Be Scarce

Comfort and the availability of frequent flyer award seats have something in common. They both rise and fall according to how full the airlines' planes are.

The industry measure of aircraft occupancy rates is the load factor, the percentage of seats occupied over an airline's entire route network.

When load factors are high, planes are chock-a-block with passengers, which means boarding and deplaning are prolonged, overhead bins are full to overflowing, and seating is uncomfortably cramped.

High load factors also mean fewer seats for frequent flyers trying to redeem their miles for free trips, as the airlines try to squeeze as many paying passengers as possible onto every flight.

What can flyers expect this summer?

I don't have access to the airlines' advance booking data, but over the past few days many airlines have released their load factors for last month. And what we can say with a high degree of certainty is that loads will be even higher during the peak summer months of June, July, and August.

To give you an idea of what's to come, following is a list of the load factors of the largest U.S. airlines that have so far reported their operating performance for the month of May:

• Alaska Airlines - 81.4 percent, up 4.6 percentage points over May 2009
• American - 82.8 percent, up 3.6 points
• Continental - 83.8 percent, up 2.9 points
• Delta - 83.9 percent, up 1.6 points
• Hawaiian Airlines - 85.5 percent, up 2.2 points
• Republic - 82.0 percent, up 6 points (Republic owns Midwest, Frontier, and several regional carriers)
• Southwest - 77.2 percent, up 2.6 points (and the 11th straight record-high monthly load factor)
• US Airways - 82.9 percent, up 0.1 point

Two things stand out. First, all are up over the year-ago load factors, pretty significantly in some cases. And second, with the exception of Southwest's, all are over 80 percent.

That means that both comfort and frequent flyer awards will be scarce this summer.

How scarce? Well, if you flew last summer, or tried to cash in miles for flights, you have some idea. Except this summer, it will be worse.

Consider this a heads-up. I'll have some tips on making the most of summer travel in an upcoming post.

Reader Reality Check

Have you tried to redeem frequent flyer miles for summer flights? If so, how readily available were award seats?

How do you cope with the discomfort associated with packed planes?

Last Day to Book Discounted United Award Flights to Alaska

If you can book by the end of the day today, Monday, June 7, you can save 5,000 miles on the price of an award trip from the Lower 48 to Alaska.

Offer Details

Mileage Plus members can book a round-trip coach-class United award flight between the continental U.S. and Anchorage for 20,000 miles, a 5,000-mile discount from the 25,000 miles normally required.

Travel must be completed between June 14 and August 22, but reservations at the discounted rate must be made on united.com by end-of-day today, June 7.

Deal or No Deal

This is the tenth time United has offered such an award discount, firmly establishing a pattern that Mileage Plus members must applaud.

Of the recent discounts, however, this is among the least compelling. Trips to Alaska, after all, aren't at the top of most travelers' to-do lists.

On the other hand, a flight to the far north is exactly the sort of opportunistic trip—last minute, to an offbeat destination, at a great price—that could turn out to be a memorable experience as well as a solid value.

Reader Reality Check

Alaska anyone?

Have you taken advantage of any of United's previous award discounts?