Monthly Archives for November 2016.
It goes without saying that the Thanksgiving holiday is among the year’s most stressful travel periods, not least because of the airport experience. Long lines, chaotic gate areas, more toddlers and teens, fewer road warriors. Another holiday travel irritant, flight delays, is a double whammy, both dialing up the anxiety level and prolonging it. There’s…
Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week. If it was a good deal—or a notably bad deal—from an airline, hotel, or car rental loyalty program, you can read all about it here, and plan your travel accordingly. The Trump Effect on Travel:…
I’ve been on the receiving end of more AARP promotional mailings than I can count, having passed the 50-year milestone some years ago. Periodically I’ll read the latest brochure, on the chance that there’s something on offer that would justify my paying the modest $16 annual membership fee. So far, disappointingly, nothing. While the association…
InterContinental is reprising its so-called Priceless Surprises promotion from last year. Offer Details Between December 1, 2016, and February 15, 2017, IHG Rewards members who use a MasterCard to pay for two stays, one of which is at least two nights, can earn a MasterCard gift card worth up to $100, as follows: $50 gift…
Donald Trump. Love him or hate him—and the U.S. election results suggest you’re as likely to do one as the other—he’s become a fact of everyday life. And not just for Americans. His election has reverberated throughout the world. Although it’s unclear exactly how, his policies regarding government regulation, trade, and immigration are sure to…
Free Uber rides from the airport? Yes, if you use an American Express card to pay for them. Offer Details Through December 31, Uber customers can get two free rides from select airports, worth up to $65 apiece, when charging the rides to an American Express card. To receive the discount, Uber users must enter…
Warren Buffet is famous for being one of the world’s savviest investors, earning billions for himself, and plenty for his stockholders as well. As chief of the Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate, he’s been accorded the honorary title of the Oracle of Omaha. He is also famous in investing circles for his decades-long aversion to airline stocks,…
AirlineRatings.com, which bills itself as “the world’s only safety and product rating website,” is best known for its airline safety ratings. But it also rates airlines on other dimensions of interest to a broader segment of the traveling public. Its just-published Airline Excellence Awards goes beyond safety, in an attempt to identify the world’s top…
If so-called basic economy fares aren’t yet a pervasive fact of travel life, they soon will be. The stripped-down fares, which Spirit famously refers to as Bare Fares, are designed to appeal to the most price-sensitive consumers, who are willing to forego such niceties as seat selection, boarding priority, changeable tickets, and so on in…
Enter the Scentbird “Thanksgiving St. Lucia Getaway” sweepstakes by November 30, 2016, for a chance to win the grand prize: a four-night trip to Saint Lucia for two, including accommodations at the new Royalton Saint Lucia Resort, $1,500 in gift cards to cover airfare, and a $500 Cynthia Rowley gift card. To enter, provide the…
Last week, Alaska Airlines made two significant announcements. First, the airline will be making changes to its upgrade policies and procedures. And second, it will be rolling out a premium economy product worthy of the “premium” designation. The announcements were newsworthy not because they nudged Alaska ahead of the competition – they didn’t – but…