JetBlue Adds Shopping Miles to TrueBlue Program

In recent years, all the largest airline frequent flyer schemes have launched mileage malls, networks of online retailers that award miles in their programs.

And now, JetBlue has a mileage mall of its own.

Through the new ShopTrue online mall, TrueBlue members can earn points when shopping at over 800 retailers, including Office Depot, Nordstrom, Best Buy, Macy's, Apple, Gap, Sears, Target, and Walmart.

If size matters, ShopTrue rules. With those 800-plus participating merchants, ShopTrue features one of the most extensive retailer collections of any airline mileage mall.

On a down note: "Points will be awarded to your TrueBlue account within 45 days." That's a long time to wait for your points.

A quick perusal of ShopTrue found that most retailers are offering one point per dollar spent, although I also found payouts of as much as 16 points per dollar (eHarmony), and as little as one point for every $4 spent (Office Depot). So if you're not a JetBlue die-hard, there's a good chance you can earn more miles by buying through other airlines' malls.

Overall, though, this is a significant step forward for TrueBlue, a program I've repeatedly criticized for its paltry partner line-up.

The program is still woefully lacking in travel partners, but at least now program members can earn points when purchasing khakis at Gap.com.

Dining-for-Miles Bonuses From American, US Air Net 30 Miles Per Dollar Spent

In a recent blog post, I lamented the decline in the lucrative miles-for-dining bonuses that were once a fixture of the travel rewards landscape.

As if to prove me wrong, American and US Airways are offering 500 bonus miles for dines at Rewards Network restaurants where program members have not previously earned miles.

Offer Details

The bonus is 500 miles, and both offers require that a dining survey be completed within 30 days, but the two offers differ slightly in the minimum spend requirement and the promotion's end date, and in the maximum earning, as follows:

• American - 500 bonus miles for every new restaurant dine of $25 or more by September 30
• US Airways - one 500-mile bonus for a new restaurant dine of $30 or more by August 31

Again, the bonus is for dines at restaurants at which you haven't earned miles in the past.

The new bonus can be combined with the ongoing double-mile promotion (double miles for dining on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, and filling out a restaurant review).

Deal or No Deal

If you live in an area where there are just a handful of Rewards Network restaurants, or you're simply not a miles-for-dining fan, this offer probably won't whet your appetite.

For the rest of us, though, the math is pretty mouth-watering, especially if the two current promotions are combined.

Let's say you spend $25 for a Monday lunch at a new restaurant, and fill out the online review form for that restaurant. By qualifying for the early-week promotion, you earn 10 miles per dollar spent, or 250 miles. Add to that the 500 miles from the new promotion, for a total of 750 miles. That's 30 miles for every dollar spent.

Reader Reality Check

I'm writing up a list of restaurants that will qualify for this bonus. And I plan to visit them on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Wednesdays.

You?

Delta Now Says "Never Mind" to Award Policy Change

Remember that new Delta policy scheduled to take effect in August, the one that would require a Friday or Saturday night stay when booking low-priced SkyMiles awards within 21 days of departure?

The one that appeared on Delta's website with no warning or explanation?

Well, it appears there no more.

Nothing, zilch, nada.

In response to my email query to the airline, a Delta spokesperson offered the following:

The information related to overnight stay requirements for frequent flyer awards was published on our website in error. Delta apologizes for the unintended miscommunication as well as any confusion that it may have caused our customers. Overnight stays are not required for award redemptions. If this requirement changes in the future, we will communicate accordingly.

That's clear, as was the policy statement on Delta's website that this statement overrides. What's less clear is what's going on here. Why the flip-flopping?

Such policy changes are not made without due deliberation. In this case, given the recent public discussion of Delta's alleged award unavailability, such an obviously controversial change would naturally have been subject to extra internal scrutiny and debate.

And from an operations standpoint, putting a new policy in place requires that software be reprogrammed; that customer-service personnel be briefed; that program rules be revised and, where necessary, reprinted; and so on.

In other words, the appearance of the weekend-stay policy on Delta's website can hardly have been the result of someone's having mistakenly hit the "O" key instead of the "P" key on his computer keyboard.

The good news is that a bad policy decision was reconsidered -- presumably in light of negative pushback from SkyMiles members -- and reversed.

The bad news is that Delta seriously considered it at all. And that they may be considering it still.

US Airways' New Elite Promotion Is Not for the Faint of Flying

Last year was a bonanza for bonus elite-qualifying miles (EQMs), with double-EQM promotions in place at several major carriers for fully six months.

So far, this has been a leaner year for EQM bonuses.

US Airways awarded double EQMs for all flights, for two months, ending June 15.

American, Delta, and United are fighting it out with triple EQMs for flights between New York and Boston, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.

And Delta and American are using double EQMs to boost traffic from Nashville, Raleigh, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis.

The latest EQM promotion is again from US Airways.

Offer Details

Between July 7 and October 10, Dividend Miles members will be awarded one credit for each completed flight within 20 categories: North America, east; North America, west; Europe; Shuttle; new routes; and so on. Four credits earn Silver Preferred status, or a one-level bump for members who already have elite status. Eight credits earn a two-level status bump. Twelve credits earn a three-level bump. And sixteen credits earn a four-level bump, to Chairman's Preferred.

Status earned through the promotion will remain in effect through February 29, 2012.

Deal or No Deal

Unlike the other current EQM promotions, which target specific routes, the US Airways offer is system-wide. That's both a strength and a weakness. Because flights within the same category only count once, it would be necessary to complete flights over most of US Airways' network to earn the maximum 16 credits. Even for the most frequent flyers, that's a highly unlikely scenario.

On the other hand, earning four credits—enough for entry-level elite status, or to upgrade to a higher tier if you're already elite—shouldn't be too difficult.

So, if you're already a US Airways customer, this is an offer worth considering. It might even make sense to take an extra flight, if the price is right, to snag that fourth credit. Or even the eighth credit, if you travel often and widely enough.

But for those vested in another program, or who are airline-neutral, this promotion sets too high a hurdle to bother with.

Reader Reality Check

Any takers on this? How high do you plan to aim?

If you already have elite status in US Airways' program, how successful have you been in getting elite upgrades?

The Covert Mileage War Between Delta and American

In mid-June, I heard from a reader that Delta was offering significant bonuses—up to 50,000 redeemable miles plus double elite-qualifying miles (EQMs)—for flights from a handful of selected cities.

The specifics were murky, but the bonuses were big. Worth looking into.

As I normally do in such situations, I checked Delta's website, assuming that such significant bonuses would be aggressively touted. But on the page listing the airline's current flight bonuses, no such promotions were to be found. So I sent an email to Delta requesting confirmation and details.

Two weeks went by with no response from the airline. Perhaps, I thought, my recent coverage of Delta's P.R. problems had landed me on its persona non grata list.

Not to be deterred, further digging uncovered mileage deals for flights from four airports—Nashville, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, and St. Louis—booked by November 30 and flown by December 31. Registration is required, using the above links.

And the bonuses were indeed significant:

• 5,000 bonus miles plus double EQMs for round-trip flights to Delta hub cities (Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis, New York/JFK, Salt Lake City)
• 10,000 bonus miles plus double EQMs for round-trip flights to all other cities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean
• 25,000 bonus miles plus double EQMs for round-trip international coach flights
• 50,000 bonus miles plus double EQMs for round-trip international flights in BusinessElite

So, why the secrecy?

While the bonuses are not strictly limited to SkyMiles members residing in designated geographic areas, as is the case with a current geo-targeted United promotion, my guess is that Delta limited its communication of the offers to residents of the targeted departure cities and surrounding areas. And their non-response to my query was in keeping with that strategy of message containment. Perhaps this was all about hiding the promotions from other airlines, hoping to prevent, or at least delay, a competitive response.

Mystery solved. Maybe.

Secret marketing initiatives rarely remain secrets for long. American responded to Delta's promotion with a simpler and, in most scenarios, less generous offer of its own: triple redeemable miles plus double EQMs for round-trip flights from the same four airports, booked between July 2 and November 30, and completed by December 31.

As with Delta's promotion, you'll have to register to earn the bonuses, using the following links: Nashville, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, St. Louis.

For travelers flying from any of the four targeted airports through the end of the year, these offers are a welcome opportunity to bolster their account balances, and accelerate their progress toward elite status.

My only quibble, and question, is the requirement that qualifying flights begin and end in the four cities. Generally, such promotions are neutral as to the customer's starting point. After all, filling seats is filling seats, no matter where the passenger originated his travel.

Oh well, a new mystery to be solved. Maybe I'll try sending Delta another email.

Q&A: Do 10,000 Bonus Points Make the JetBlue Credit Card a Good Buy? Maybe.

Question from Leda

JetBlue is offering 10,000 TrueBlue miles upon first purchase for people who open an instant credit card account.

Now, the miles are nice for just making a first purchase and would even come in handy for a trip to San Francisco I was considering in the fall. But I'm really not sure what the benefits would be in the long run if I open a JetBlue credit card account. I'm also quite wary/weary of the idea of it being an American Express JetBlue card.

Is it wise to open this account, or bad credit waiting to happen?

Answer

First, for perspective, most airline credit cards offer hefty incentives for new account holders. Sign-up promotions featuring enough miles for a free ticket are pretty much the rule. And even better deals appear with some regularity. British Airways, for example, recently promoted its Executive Club Visa card with a stunning 100,000 bonus miles for new cardholders who charged $2,000 during the first three months.

The JetBlue 10,000-point bonus might be enough for a free ticket, as the airline's website suggests, but probably not.

TrueBlue award ticket prices are based on the market price of the airline's paid tickets. Take your trip to San Francisco as an example. Assuming you were flying to San Francisco from New York, departing on Friday, July 9, and returning on Monday, July 12, the lowest price I found was 28,400 points for the outbound flight, and 17,200 points for the return (on a red-eye). That's a total of 46,500 points for the round-trip. The 10,000 points earned for using the credit card would be only a small step in that direction.

On the positive side, TrueBlue awards do not have blackout dates or capacity controls. And the card's $40 annual fee is lower than many other cards'.

In short, the JetBlue offer, while attractive, is no more attractive than offers for cards linked to many other airline programs. And it may even be less so.

So much for the offer itself. It's also worth looking at the TrueBlue program, because ultimately the value of a travel rewards card depends on the value of the program it's affiliated with.

While JetBlue is a fine airline, TrueBlue is a weak program, with limited opportunities to earn points (JetBlue flights, charges to the JetBlue credit card, Hertz rentals, Hilton stays) and redeem them (JetBlue flights).

With the program's redesign and relaunch last year, TrueBlue is now a revenue-based scheme, awarding points according to how much members spend, and pricing award tickets according to market demand and price. In practice, that makes for a program that works well for business travelers, who travel frequently and on higher-priced tickets. For infrequent travelers, good value is harder to come by. That should factor into your thinking if you're contemplating a long-term relationship with the JetBlue card and TrueBlue program.

And finally, if you're thinking of signing up just for the bonus, and doing the same for other credit card bonuses, remember that having too many active credit card accounts may negatively affect your credit score, which in turn can increase the rates you pay for car loans, credit cards, and mortgages, or make obtaining loans or credit more difficult.

While 10,000 bonus points—which JetBlue touts as "enough for a round-trip Award Flight"—may make for eye-catching ad copy, there's more to credit card bonuses than just credit card bonuses.

This article originally appeared on SmarterTravel.com.

From Hilton: Double Miles or Points Through September

As I've noted elsewhere, this has been the Summer of Free Nights for members of hotel loyalty programs.

There are currently promotions built around free nights (stay twice to earn a free night, for example) available from Best Western, Carlson, Marriott, Omni, and Starwood.

Hilton had its own free-night offer—a rather ungenerous one night after four qualifying stays or 10 nights—which ended on June 30. For their follow-up promotion, they've chosen to break ranks with the free-nighters.

Offer Details

Between July 7 and September 30, Hilton HHonors members can earn double airline miles or HHonors base points for stays at eligible rates at more than 3,600 Hilton family hotels in 81 countries, including Hilton, Conrad, Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Garden Inn, Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites, Hilton Grand Vacations Club, and Waldorf=Astoria Collection hotels.

Program members must register their choice to earn either miles or points before the first qualifying stay, and that choice will remain in effect for all subsequent stays completed during the promotion period.

Deal or No Deal

Hilton's recent bonus offers have tended toward the lackluster. This promotion, while unspectacular, is at least a decent bonus. Although free nights make good marketing headlines, the option to earn extra points or airline miles gives the offer a welcome added dimension.

In fact, with most other hotels still leveraging their low occupancy rates to offer free nights as incentives, the double-mile aspect of Hilton's offer should make it a real contender for travelers whose priority is accruing airline miles rather than hotel points.

And whichever bonus you choose, Hilton's extensive portfolio of hotels, including brands at all price points, makes it easy to earn it.

Reader Reality Check

Free nights or bonus points—which do you prefer?

Delta Will Require Weekend Stays for Some Awards

Among this morning's emails was a note from a longtime Delta loyalist that included the following: "Did you hear, Delta plans to require Friday or Saturday night stays for their cheaper awards? Skypesos indeed!"

While the note came from a reliable source, I was skeptical. Why would Delta be indulging in such gratuitous nastiness, especially now, when the airline is running a goodwill deficit?

But sure enough, on Delta's website, in the "Award Travel Rules & Conditions" section, is this:

Minimum Stay (Effective in August 2010)

A minimum of a Friday or Saturday night stay will be required for Award tickets booked within 21 days from departure. Minimum stay will not apply to the following:

• Awards booked by Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion members
• Awards booked by Delta Reserve, Platinum and Gold primary cardmembers
• Awards priced at mid or high tier levels

So, unless you're an elite SkyMiles member (but excluding Silvers) or carry a SkyMiles credit card, you can only book low-priced awards (normal awards, by most members' reckoning) within 21 days of departure if the trip includes a Friday- or Saturday-night stay.

There's no sugar-coating it: This is another bottleneck to using Delta miles.

Why is Delta making it more difficult to redeem miles? And perhaps more importantly, why are they doing it now?

The reference to Skypesos is an allusion to Delta's fall from grace, particularly when it comes to SkyMiles award availability. A recent study found Delta's to be the second-stingiest U.S. mileage program. And a surge in negative feedback from Delta customers (including my correspondent) tends to confirm the study's findings.

On the other hand, Delta assures me that award seats are as available as ever, and that their own surveys of SkyMiles members reflect high levels of satisfaction.

I've heard Delta's side of the story, and I've heard from consumers whose first-hand experience flies in the face of Delta's claims. I don't have access to the data needed to adjudicate between the competing claims—Delta does, and they're not sharing. But I do know that where there's smoke, there's usually fire.

What's incontrovertible, however, is that Delta is in a P.R. hole. And this new policy can only make that hole deeper.

Reader Reality Check

Were you aware of this new policy?

Are you surprised? Outraged? Indifferent?

How much harder will this new restriction make it to redeem your Delta miles?