Educational Posts on Loyalty Programs

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Data Platforming Helps FareCompare Reach Consumers

farecompare

Planning a trip can be a real hassle, starting with choosing which airline would provide the most bang for its buck.

Luckily, things are arguably easier than ever before thanks to companies like FareCompare, which doesn’t sell plane tickets but does allow travelers to compare ticket costs.

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How to Get the Southwest Companion Pass Before the Rules Change

Earning a Southwest Companion Pass will get more difficult at the end of March 2017, but luckily you still have a chance to earn it one of the easiest ways possible. Here’s what you need to know.

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ItsEasy: Expediting Passports and Visas Since 1976

itseasy

If you’ve ever applied for or renewed a passport, you’re probably well aware that the process is neither simple nor fast. According to the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, routine processing times for passport services are currently six weeks from the time of application—and that’s only if you completed everything correctly the first time around. If you need to obtain a tourist or business visa for your destination, the process will take even longer.

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Status Matches From Alaska, Southwest, JetBlue and Virgin America

elite status

If you’ve worked hard and earned elite status at one airline, you may be able to use that as leverage to quickly earn status with another carrier. Find out what status match and challenge offers are available from regional and low-cost carriers and how to take full advantage of them.

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Travel Mamas: Family Vacation Planning Tips and More

Travel Mamas

According to AAA, 35 percent of Americans will travel as a family in 2017. While these excursions can be a great way to unplug, relax, reconnect and make memories, they can also be stressful—especially when children are involved.

From diverse preferences regarding destinations, accommodations and activities, to backseat disputes over who gets a window and who is touching who, planning a family getaway that makes everyone happy can feel downright impossible.

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How Delta One Compares to Other Premium Cabins

Among the major U.S. airlines, Delta has long had the best economy class product. In fact, their major competitors, United and American, really aren’t close at this point.

However, in the premium cabin market, things aren’t as clear cut, and competition has been heating up lately. One key item to note up front is that while the name Delta One sounds like a name for a first-class product, Delta One is actually a business class product. This applies to both the transcontinental and international versions. Therefore, when making comparisons to other premium cabin products, business class is the proper benchmark.

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How to Get a Free Honeymoon with What You Spend on Your Wedding

How to Get a Free Honeymoon with What You Spend on Your Wedding

Planning the wedding of your dreams isn’t complete without the perfect honeymoon. So, what will it be? Will you wine and dine your nights away in Paris? Or just lounge on the beach in Bali?

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Finding the Best Travel Deals with GoSeek

hotel booking

When looking for hotels, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the options. With each site claiming to have the lowest price, how does one know they’re actually getting the best deal? Even if you’re a veteran trip planner, you could still be missing out and not even know it.

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How to Use Chase Ultimate Rewards or Citi ThankYou to Fly Delta

delta transfer partners

Delta is a transfer partner of the American Express Membership Rewards program, but it is not a partner of either Chase Ultimate Rewards or Citi ThankYou. You can still use TY or UR points to fly on the airline though by booking the carrier through a partner airlines. We will show you how.

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Status Matches From American, Delta and United

Elite status with an airline can get you some fantastic benefits: free upgrades, discounts, bonus points and more. While status is generally limited to those who earn the hard way—through flying and spending—you shouldn’t forget about status matches and challenges. These offers can be a quick way to get status with an airline, particularly if you plan to do a lot of traveling in a short period of time.

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Free Miles for New JetBlue Flyers and Expanded Perks for Best Western Rewards Elites

This month, there are several bonus offers for those with specific credit cards; don’t miss out! And learn how Best Western elite members are getting some extra perks for their loyalty.

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Turo: Rent Your Dream Car for 35 Percent Less

turo

Maybe you’ve flown across the country and want a car for tooling around town. Perhaps you’re planning a road trip and need a vehicle that can hold your passengers and gear. Whatever the reason, you’ve found yourself at the counter of a car rental company, answering the inevitable question: do you want economy, standard or full size? If you have your heart set on a specific make, model or color, you’re likely out of luck—unless you choose to rent from Turo.

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Priority Pass: Why You Want It and How to Get It

Priority Pass hit a milestone last year by offering members access to over 1,000 lounges worldwide. That makes it the most comprehensive independent airport lounge network available, all but guaranteeing that you’ll have a comfy place to relax, snack or get a little work done at any major airport in the world. The best part? You can get a free membership with the right credit card.

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SkyGuru Gives Anxious Travelers Peace of Mind

The days of sitting in an airplane and worrying about your possible demise are over.

SkyGuru, a company that provides flight travelers with real-time aviation data, is the first iPhone app that merges mobile technology and professional aviation to analyze and predict fight process. It guides passengers through potential anxieties that come with traveling in the clouds. Denis Frolov, a representative for the company, talked to RewardExpert.com about the benefits.

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Which Credit Cards Help You Avoid Baggage Fees

It might be hard to believe, but there was a time when you could check a bag on any airline for free. These days it will cost you at least $25 per bag on nearly all domestic flights. Each airline has its own policies, and some will even charge you for carry-ons. We have some suggestions for getting around those fees.

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Tips for Choosing Delta Choice Benefits

delta airlines

In a rare win for travel hackers, recent changes to the Delta Medallion program actually increase the value of top tier Diamond elite status, without reducing benefits for lower levels of status. The main change was that for the 2018 Medallion year they substituted an automatic Sky Club membership for a third Choice benefit, whereas before Diamond members only got two Choice benefits.

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TripSee: Helping You Plan Your Next Adventure

While taking time away from the daily grind to explore a new destination can be an exciting and invigorating way to recharge and unwind, the pre-trip planning process is often overwhelmingly stressful. Fortunately, the developers of TripSee have found a way to eliminate the need for the cumbersome spreadsheets, endless email chains, and stacks of written notes many of us previously relied on when creating a family or group vacation itinerary.

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What You Need to Know About Basic Economy Fares and How To Get Around Them

American started rolling out its basic economy fares this month, joining the other two major legacy airlines in their attempt to compete with ultra-low cost carriers. That means service aboard domestic flights has taken another hit, but there are ways to get around at least some of the drawbacks of flying.

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New Cash + Points Options for Hilton Honors and Basic Economy Fares Abound

Hilton Honors is about to add its newest feature with cash and points redemptions, which is exciting for many travelers. Plus, there are some new routes for mileage earning and redemption that are worth exploring, but beware the basic economy fares that seem to be expanding from third-party sites.

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It’s a Family Affair for Taking the Kids

In the world of travel, children are a top priority. However, the process of traveling is like raising children themselves: messy, fun and a brand new adventure every day.

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