Educational Posts on Loyalty Programs

In our weekly roundup column we look at what’s happening around the world that is of interest to miles and points collectors.

While Citi’s credit card application rules aren’t as complicated or restrictive as some issuers, they can still be confusing. It’s important to know these rules or else you risk being denied for a new card or forfeiting a sign-up bonus. In this post we‘ll cover the basics for applying and some strategies for insuring that you get the bonus.

One of the most valuable features of many airline  loyalty programs is the ability to book a stopover during your itinerary. How does a stopover differ from a regular connection? Usually you must arrive and depart within 24 hours during international connections (or within 4 hours during domestic connections).

Everyone talks about the amazing trips you can take by redeeming frequent flyer miles, but just how much value do they really provide? This article takes a closer look at ten great ways to redeem miles through Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. What, you’ve never flown on Alaska? It doesn’t matter. They have almost a dozen international partners, including American Airlines and Delta Airlines, which makes it easier than you’d expect to earn and redeem miles.

This week has been full of travel news for points and miles collectors. These are some of the latest tidbits to get you up to speed.

American Express is one of the most restrictive card issuers in terms of application rules.  Not only does Amex limit how many cards you can have and how often you can apply, but it also has restrictions on who qualifies for sign-up bonuses. Let’s take a closer look at these rules and see if you’ll get a bonus with your next card.

You may have been using a particular credit card for a while, but the time may come when you’re not happy with it anymore. There are potentially many very compelling reasons to get rid of a card, including a reduction of benefits and changes in your own lifestyle and travel habits. Sometimes you simply want to get one that is a better fit for your travel goals. You can check RewardExpert to see if a different card might help you achieve your travel dreams sooner.

Admirals Club access for Citi Prestige

If you hold the Citi Prestige card, you’re about to lose an important benefit. Starting July 23, 2017, American Airlines Admirals Club access will no longer be a feature of the card. Of course, there is still Priority Pass membership as a benefit, which provides access to hundreds of lounges, but there are not as many in the U.S. For the $450 annual fee, this is a big loss for domestic travelers that fly American frequently.

There are two ways to use your Citi ThankYou points to fly to Europe: booking your ticket with the Citi Travel Center and transferring ThankYou points to one of the Citi partner airline programs. If you want to maximize the value of your hard-earned Citi ThankYou points, the approach your take might depend on several factors.

Have you ever wanted to transfer points or miles to another person? Maybe a family or friend needs a few extra miles to get an award ticket. Or perhaps you want to send points to a relative so they can buy a ticket to visit you. What are the restrictions on transferring points to other people, and how strictly are they enforced?

In the world of general travel rewards credit cards, there are three competing programs that dominate the market:

• American Express Membership Rewards
• Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Citi ThankYou

Citi ThankYou Rewards are not as well known as Ultimate Rewards (Chase) or Membership Rewards (American Express), but the program has been growing in recent years, significantly increasing its appeal. Many readers may also find themselves newly flush with ThankYou points after applying for a credit card such as the Citi Prestige® Card, which offers benefits like airport lounge access, a $200 annual airline credit, and the fourth night free at participating hotels.

Based in Germany, air berlin is expanding their existing services to North America. Most recently, they launched flights to San Francisco, CA (SFO) and Boston, MA (BOS) and increased frequencies to other destinations. It’s yet another way for you to cross the Atlantic Ocean and redeem your miles.

Keep those miles and points balances full with these latest and greatest mileage promotions and travel news.

Not long ago, I was planning a trip to visit some friends in Colorado. I had some extra Delta miles, so I checked out the availability for a long weekend in October. Round-trip tickets cost 10,000 miles or $275 in cash.

The British Airways loyalty program, Executive Club, offers some unique value propositions. Partnerships with American Airlines and Alaska Airlines in the United States, as well as the rest of the oneworld alliance, provide ample opportunity to put it to good use. The airline also has a U.S. credit card, and you can transfer additional points from Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership rewards. Thus, flying on British Airways isn’t necessary to earn or redeem Avios points.

Last month a new airline arrived at JFK Airport giving you another means of crossing the Atlantic from New York and possibly using your miles. The new airline is Air Serbia currently operating five times a week except Sundays and Wednesdays.

You can redeem your frequent flyer miles for some amazing trips, but just how much value are you getting? This post examines ten great ways to redeem miles through the Delta SkyMiles loyalty program.

If you’re amassing American Express Membership Rewards points, it’s because you know how valuable it is to have flexible points that can be transferred to a number of different airlines and hotel chains, or even used to pay down the cost of a trip booked through American Express’ travel portal. If you’ve got Membership Rewards points and you want to book a getaway to Hawaii, look no further than transferring those points to Hawaiian Airlines’ loyalty program: HawaiianMiles.

How much value are you able to find when redeeming your frequent flyer miles? Quite a lot, it turns out. Here we takes a close look at ten ways to redeem miles through the United MileagePlus program to get an incredible deal.