FrequentFlier.com: January 2012

Renew Elite Status from American, for a Price

Posted by Tim Winship on January 18, 2012

If you fell short of earning elite status during 2011—25,000 elite-qualifying miles (EQMs) or 30 elite-qualifying segments (EQSs) during the calendar year for Gold; 50,000 EQMs or 60 EQSs for Platinum—American is offering you a chance to close the gap after the fact.

For a price, naturally.

Offer Details

American AAdvantage members who held elite status during 2011 (based on 2010 activity) but failed to qualify for 2012 status (based on 2011 activity) can buy elite status for 2012 between January 26 and April 30. During that time, a dedicated website will be available to eligible program members.

There are four price points, depending on members' status and elite-qualifying activity during 2011, as follows:

Gold elites with fewer than 20,000 EQMs or 24 EQSs during 2011 can purchase 2012 Gold status for $559.
Gold elites with more than 20,000 EQMs or 24 EQSs during 2011 can purchase 2012 Gold status for $409.
Platinum elites with fewer than 40,000 EQMs or 48 EQSs during 2011 can purchase 2012 Platinum status for $769.
Platinum elites with more than 40,000 EQMs or 48 EQSs during 2011 can purchase 2012 Platinum status for $619.

To be eligible for the pay-to-renew service, AAdvantage members must have flown at least two EQSs during 2011.

Deal or No Deal

As is always the case with status-for-sale offers, the value ultimately depends on the frequency and duration of your upcoming flights. If you're planning a significant number of longish flights between now and February 28, 2013 (when 2012 status ends), elite perks may be worth paying for. Otherwise you may be overpaying.

Muddying the waters somewhat is American's bankruptcy, which injects an element of uncertainty into any calculation of the value of future benefits. At the very least, American's route network will be pared back somewhat, to reduce costs. Another scenario: American is acquired by Delta or US Airways, in which case your status would transfer to one of those airlines' programs. Worst case: If American were dismantled and its parts sold off piecemeal, elite perks would be meaningless.

My best guess is that any AAdvantage elite status purchased today would still be viable a year from now, but there are no guarantees.

Reader Reality Check

Worth it?

Are American's uncertain future prospects of concern to you?

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Another Hilton 1st Quarter Bonus: Airline Miles

Posted by Tim Winship on January 17, 2012

No interest in Hilton's bonus-points promotion for first-quarter stays?

If double or triple airline miles are more in keeping with your loyalty program strategy, one of these bonuses may fit the bill.

Offer Details

Between January 1 and March 31, Hilton HHonors members can earn bonus airline miles for stays at participating Hilton, Conrad, Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Grand Vacations Club, Homewood Suites, and Waldorf Astoria hotels, as follows:

Air Canada - double miles
American - double miles
Delta - 2,012 bonus miles for two-night stays
US Airways - triple miles

Be sure to check the list of participating properties as fewer than 500 of the chain's roughly 3,700 hotels award the Air Canada, American, and US Airways bonus miles. The good news for U.S. travelers: The great majority of the participating hotels are in the U.S.

More good news: The airline-mile bonuses may be combined with Hilton's "More Points" promotion, in effect during the same period.

Deal or No Deal

Stays at most Hilton hotels earn 500 miles with the above four airlines. So double miles would be 1,000 miles per stay, while triple miles would be 1,500.

By themselves, the mileage bonuses are of only moderate interest. However, when combined with the "More Points" promotion—and especially the 5,000-point bonus for weekend stays—these airline offers are worth a serious second look.

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Win a 1-Week Trip to Fiji for 4 People

Posted by Tim Winship on January 17, 2012

Enter Dole's "Warm Up & Win" sweepstakes by March 31 for a chance to win the grand prize: a trip for four to Fiji, including air, six nights' hotel, and $500-per-day spending money.

Runner-up prizes include down comforters, winter coats, and coffee makers.

To enter, provide the requested information (name, zip code, etc.) on the sweepstakes landing page, press "Enter," and follow the prompts.

The Fine Print

Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the 50 United States who are at least 18 years of age at the time of entry.
Limit: one entry per person per day during the sweepstakes period.
Approximate Retail Value ("ARV") of the grand prize: $17,800.

Somebody has to win. Might as well be you.

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Psst, Wanna Buy American Airlines?

Posted by Tim Winship on January 13, 2012

US Airways' Doug Parker has been beating the drum for airline-industry consolidation for years, and has made unsuccessful bids for both Delta and United, both in bankruptcy at the time. More recently, he mused that if United, Delta, or American were interested in a merger, US Airways would be the logical choice of partners.

So with American now in bankruptcy, and hence vulnerable to a takeover, it's been assumed that the most likely merger scenario was a tie-up between American and US Airways, with Parker at the controls. The new bulked-up company would be larger than Delta and challenge United as the world's largest airline, a title that once belonged to American.

Adding substance to the speculation, it's been reported by Bloomberg that US Airways has indeed hired consultants to advise on just such an acquisition.

Bloomberg further reports that investor group TPG, headed by David Bonderman, is looking into taking a stake in American, or buying the airline outright.

Separately, and perhaps most interesting of all, the Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reports that Delta is considering a bid for American as well.

Frequent Flyer Prospects

There's no telling what might happen to American in the event of a buyout by the likes of a TPG. But if either Delta or US Airways were to acquire American, there's no doubt the combined companies would look a lot more like Delta or US Airways than American. And for members of American's AAdvantage frequent flyer program, that would be a definite downgrade.

While there's no definitive ranking of the airlines' loyalty programs, a study last year by industry consulting company IdeaWorks deemed Delta and US Airways next-to-worst and worst, respectively, when it came to award availability, reporting success rates of just 27.1 and 25.7 percent when booking awards. By contrast, the researchers were able to successfully book awards on American 62.9 percent of the time.

So, to the extent that the value of frequent flyer miles depends on their redeemability for free flights, the conversion of American miles to miles in the programs of either Delta or US Airways would be a significant devaluation.

There are other considerations, to be sure. US Airways miles can be earned and redeemed for flights on airlines in the Star Alliance, a more robust group than American's alliance partner, oneworld. However, oneworld is generally regarded as superior to SkyTeam, the alliance co-anchored by Delta.

And American is stingier with elite upgrades than Delta or US Airways.

But overall, based on IdeaWorks' findings and on more anecdotal data, American simply does a better job of meeting the expectations of AAdvantage members than Delta or US Airways do in meeting the expectations of their program members.

Watch, Wait, Redeem

It will be months before American's future prospects come into sharper focus. Other suitors may step up, possibly to derail the efforts of US Airways and Delta (United?). Issues of industry consolidation and regulatory approval will arise. American's own plan will get a hearing.

AAdvantage members will have to wait and watch. But they should also be planning an exit strategy, in case it begins to look as though their program is likely to be merged into the program of Delta or US Airways. Then, the choice would be clear: Redeem their AAdvantage miles sooner, while they can; or wait, and find their Delta or US Airways miles much harder to use.

There has always been a strong argument for using miles sooner rather than later. American's uncertain prospects make that argument more compelling than ever for AAdvantage members.

Reader Reality Check

What's your plan for maintaining the value of your AAdvantage account?

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Carlson's May Be the Best Winter Hotel Promotion

Posted by Tim Winship on January 12, 2012

Double points. Double points after the second stay. Double airline miles after the second stay. Two thousand bonus miles after the second stay. Triple points after three or more nights. Those are among the bonuses on offer from major hotel chains for winter stays.

Triple points for every stay would trump them all. And that's exactly what Carlson is offering.

Offer Details

Between January 10 and March 16, Club Carlson members can earn triple points for stays at all Radisson, Radisson Blu, Country Inn & Suites, Park Plaza, and Park Inn hotels.

Advance registration is required.

Deal or No Deal

As alluded to above, Carlson's offer is the best currently available combination of a significant bonus (triple points) with ease of earning (each and every stay, at all properties).

The promotion's only negative is its short duration -- just over two months, versus a full three months or more for most competing offers.

So if you're already a Carlson partisan, you can continue booking Carlson-affiliated hotels secure in the knowledge that you're maxing out on loyalty-program benefits.

And if your loyalty lies elsewhere, this offer might be good reason to consider Carlson for hotel stays this winter.

While Carlson's network of just over 1,000 hotels is much smaller than those of Hilton, InterContinental, and Marriott, it's roughly the same size as Starwood's, and twice the size of Hyatt's.

And if this promotion and Carlson's concurrent bonus for award stays are any indication, Club Carlson (which replaced the goldpoints plus program on March 31, 2011) is going to be among the most generous of the larger hotel chains' programs.

Reader Reality Check

Is Carlson among the hotel chains you first think of when making your travel plans?

Of the current hotel promotions, which offer you the best value?

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Win a 13-Day South Africa Tour for 2

Posted by Tim Winship on January 11, 2012

Enter Friendly Planet's "Win the World" South Africa sweepstakes by January 31 for a chance to win a 13-day South African tour for two people, including air from New York and flights within Africa, hotel, all breakfasts and some other meals, tours, and safaris.

To enter, "Like" the Friendly Planet Travel Facebook page, click on the "Enter Now!" button on the Sweepstakes page, and complete the entry form.

The Fine Print

Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the 50 United States, including the District of Columbia, and Canada who are at least 21 years of age at the time of entry.
"By entering, entrants are automatically subscribed to the Friendly Planet Travel Hot Deals email list, and will receive regular emails (approximately two a week) promoting Friendly Planet Travel's products and services. Entrants may unsubscribe from this list at any time."
Approximate Retail Value ("ARV") of the prize: $8,598.

Somebody has to win. Might as well be you.

Want to get away for free? Check out our picks of the best current travel rewards sweepstakes.

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Spring/Summer 2012 Hotel Promotions, Compared

Posted by Tim Winship on January 10, 2012

The chart below summarizes key details of the system-wide hotel promotions for winter/spring 2012. (Click the image for larger view.)

We'll update the chart as additional hotel promotions come online.

Summer 2012 Hotel Promotions Reviewed in Depth

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Priority Club's Winter Promotion: Double Points or Miles

Posted by Tim Winship on January 10, 2012

With the addition of Priority Club's upcoming bonus, the list of winter stay promotions now includes offers from Carlson, Choice, Hilton, InterContinental, Marriott, and Starwood.

Offer Details

Between January 23 and April 30, Priority Club members can earn double points or double airline miles for the second and subsequent stays at InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, Express by Holiday Inn, and Holiday Inn Club Vacations hotels. Members earn double points or miles for every stay, including the first, at Staybridge Suites or Candlewood Suites hotels.

There's no limit to the number of times the bonus may be earned during the promotion period.

Advance registration is required.

Deal or No Deal

This is a modestly rewarding offer, on par with modest offers from other major hotel chains.

If you're a Priority Club loyalist, the bonus is probably enough to keep you from straying. If you're program-agnostic, the bonus should put InterContinental hotels on the list of contenders for your winter hotel stays.

Bear in mind that the bonus doesn't kick in until the second stay at most Priority Club hotels, so the offer is moot if you won't be making at least two stays by April 30.

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United Discounts Awards to Europe, Africa

Posted by Tim Winship on January 09, 2012

It's been awhile, but it looks like United is back in the business of regularly discounting award flights.

In 2009 and 2010, United offered limited-time discounts on award flights no fewer than 12 times, establishing itself as the industry leader in award discounting.

But, perhaps distracted by the exigencies of merging the United and Continental frequent flyer programs, the discounting was suspended until the very end of 2011, when United and Continental jointly offered a 20 percent discount for award flights in "select markets."

With this new promotion, United will have offered two award discounts in two consecutive quarters, a good start on reestablishing its previous pattern.

Offer Details

MileagePlus and OnePass members can save up to 25 percent on restricted coach award tickets between the U.S. and Europe or Central/South Africa booked by January 16 and completed between January 27 and March 22, as follows:

A 20 percent discount on peak travel days (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
A 25 percent discount on off-peak travel days (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday)

Only MileagePlus miles may be redeemed for discounted United flights; and only OnePass miles may be redeemed for Continental flights. But you can easily transfer miles back and forth between the two programs, so the restriction is moot.

The fine print:

Peak and off-peak flights may be combined.
Bookings must be made at least 21 days in advance.
No stopovers permitted.
A Saturday-night stay is required.

Deal or No Deal

A significant discount on a significant number of routes during a significant time period. Nice, nice, and nice.

Meaningful award discounts like this add real value to MileagePlus miles, and to the program itself.

Reader Reality Check

Award trips to Europe, anyone?

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Priority Club Award Prices Will Increase

Posted by Tim Winship on January 06, 2012

Award price changes are a fact of loyalty program life. And history shows that when changes are made, the net effect is usually an overall increase in the price of a program's awards.

Among the major hotel programs, Marriott raised award prices at 350 hotels and lowered them at 100 hotels in March of 2011. And Hilton in early 2010 raised award prices at 82 percent of its properties.

But that's not the whole story. Even as Marriott was raising prices, Starwood revamped its award chart, moving 93 hotels into lower (cheaper) categories, and 84 hotels into higher (more expensive) categories. Net effect: an average price decrease, albeit a small one.

And while Hilton was ratcheting up its award prices, Carlson was cutting the prices of free stays at more than 300 of the 1,000-plus hotels participating in its goldpoints plus program, since renamed Club Carlson. Another price decrease.

Higher Priority Club Award Prices

On January 18, we can add InterContinental's Priority Club Rewards to the list of programs that have raised award prices. According to Don Berg, InterContinental's V.P. of loyalty programs, approximately 25 percent of the program's hotels will increase their award prices, 20 percent will decrease them, and 55 percent will keep them the same.

While the net effect is an increase in award prices overall, in terms of the number of affected hotels, it's pretty modest percentage-wise. What the numbers fail to clarify, however, is the change to the average award price, pre- and post-change. There's a troubling lack of transparency on Priority Club's part in not publishing a comprehensive before-and-after list of award prices. Anything less amounts to evasion and obfuscation.

Priority Club members who've already booked award stays at the current rates can re-book at the new lower rates, where applicable, by calling the customer service center within two months of the new rates' effect date.

Which raises another question. If there's effectively a two-month grace period, why not just make the effect date March 18, rather than give members such short notice? Or, for that matter, why not automatically convert existing award bookings to the lower prices instead of forcing program members to compare rates and call the service center?

All in all, this is an unfortunate move, if not an unexpected one. It's made doubly unfortunate by the lack of transparency, scant advance notice, and lackluster member communication.

Reader Reality Check

How do these changes affect your relationship with the Priority Club program?

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24 posts from January 2012

01/18/2012

Renew Elite Status from American, for a Price

01/17/2012

Another Hilton 1st Quarter Bonus: Airline Miles

Win a 1-Week Trip to Fiji for 4 People

01/13/2012

Psst, Wanna Buy American Airlines?

01/12/2012

Carlson's May Be the Best Winter Hotel Promotion

01/11/2012

Win a 13-Day South Africa Tour for 2

01/10/2012

Spring/Summer 2012 Hotel Promotions, Compared

Priority Club's Winter Promotion: Double Points or Miles

01/09/2012

United Discounts Awards to Europe, Africa

01/06/2012

Priority Club Award Prices Will Increase