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. How to Travel the World…
It’s doubtful the creators of Airmule intended the company’s name to bring drug mules to mind, but the association is unavoidable. That’s unfortunate from a branding standpoint. But it’s a useful link nevertheless, as Airmules and drug mules perform essentially the same service. According to Airmule: Whether across the country or the world, Airmule connects…
While JetBlue’s new elite status-match campaign isn’t overtly directed at any single airline, its underlying goal is almost certainly to wean away current Virgin America elites in the run-up to that airline’s merger with Alaska Airlines. Status Match Through May 31, JetBlue will award complimentary Mosaic (elite) status to travelers with current elite status on…
Through August 31, members of InterContinental’s IHG Rewards program can earn a free night at any IHG hotel after completing three consecutive nights at The Venetian or The Palazzo hotels in Las Vegas. Qualifying stays must include either a Thursday or a Sunday night and be booked direct with IHG at Best Flex or Smart…
American Airlines’ AAdvantage program is 35 years old this month, and to promote that milestone, the airline is giving away miles: A chance to win 350,000 AAdvantage miles by entering the “Miles for Milestones” sweepstakes 350 AAdvantage miles for describing “what milestone you’re saving for and when it is” on the promotion landing page, plus…
What’s better than a hotel stay paid for with loyalty-program points? The same stay paid for with fewer points, of course! That’s the premise underlying InterContinental’s popular PointBreaks rewards: a selection of hotels, which changes quarterly, offering award stays for just 5,000 points per night. That’s really cheap, to be sure. But those deals are…
Hilton’s new systemwide promotion is very much like its last one. And the one before that. There’s no shame in repeating an offer, if it’s a particularly generous one. What’s being reprised here, however, wasn’t worth getting excited about the first time; and it still isn’t. Offer Details Between May 1 and August 31, Hilton…
In the world of hotel marketing, offering special rates for loyalty-program members who book direct with the hotels is the tactic du jour. Since Starwood deployed its members-only rates late last year, Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott have followed suit. To that list can now be added InterContinental Hotels Group. Beginning this week, members of InterContinental’s…
Enter the Tommy Bahama “Escape to St. Kitts” sweepstakes by May 31, 2016, for a chance to win the grand prize: a five-day trip to St. Kitts for two, including air, hotel, spa treatments, a $1,000 Tommy Bahama gift card, and a $1,000 Belk gift card. To enter, provide the requested contact information (name, email,…
While airline-related complaints filed with the DOT are at a 15-year high, the news isn’t all bad for flyers. One bright spot: baggage handling. According to the just-released Sita Baggage Report 2016, the number of mishandled bags per thousand passengers in 2015 was the lowest ever, down 10.5 percent from 2014 and less than half…
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. Travelers More Satisfied with Airlines…