Educational Posts on Loyalty Programs

On April 4, Alaska Air Group Inc. announced it will purchase Virgin America Inc. in a $2.6 billion deal that vaults the combined company to the top carrier on America’s West Coast.

Do you have an American Express business credit or charge card? If so, have you delved into everything the company’s OPEN program offers? Probably not because it’s not as sexy as earning a ton of points via a sign-up bonus. But, you can definitely earn additional Membership Rewards points through the program so let’s talk about how you can benefit from some other really valuable Amex perks.

Singapore Airlines and TAM became the newest airlines to join the A350 flying family, taking delivery of their aircraft on March 2, 2016 and December 17, 2015 respectively. Singapore Airlines is the second airline to fly the planes in Asia and TAM is the first in South America.

A tip of the hat is deserved toward Delta Air Lines for being the first of the major North American carriers to heavily invest in reinventing its lounge network.

United flyers have been pleasantly surprised over the past year thanks to significant investment being made in the airline’s club network and amenities. When the airline merged with Continental years ago, it acquired several more clubs into its vast network, which spans North America and many international locations including Hong Kong, London’s Heathrow, and Tokyo’s Narita.

If you’re a member of Virgin America’s Elevate loyalty program you can get up to 2,500 points when you refer your friends, and if you’ve been thinking of joining, its a good time to get started because you’ll get 500 Elevate Points as a sign-up bonus.

American has a strong roster of airport clubs, which ballooned in number when it acquired the network of former US Airways Clubs. Now, all are known as Admirals Clubs, which offer a slew of benefits for those with access. This guide gives you the ins and outs of how to get in, what to enjoy inside, and some tips on the best clubs and discounts to enjoy them.

Booking flights with SPG Starpoints is easy. They have over 32 airline partners, including several international carriers. They also offer a fixed-price booking option. This allows members to book any flight on any airline with no blackout dates.

One of the most luxurious options for redeeming American AAdvantage miles is on Etihad Airways, which operates out of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Etihad has received significant press for The Residence, a private three-room cabin on its Airbus A380 aircraft.

In addition to saving up miles for a “free” trip, don’t forget to consider the taxes, fees and fuel surcharges you may have to pay. It’s impossible to avoid government taxes and fees, but the fuel surcharge is very dependent on the specifics of your ticket.

There are two types of travel rewards credit cards. Airline and hotel co-branded cards help you earn miles or points in one frequent flyer or hotel loyalty program. General rewards credit cards, on the other hand, let you use the points you earn on any kind of travel, be it airlines, hotels, cruises, or car rental.

Paying a fee to check your luggage on any airline can seem insulting. After all, you paid good money for your ticket and now you have to shell out more dough just to check your luggage. It’s a drag but it’s a reality in air travel today. JetBlue levies various fees for checked bags—regardless of if you booked a Blue, Blue Plus, or Blue Flex fare. We’ll tell you how to avoid those fees.

It may seem like a bit player in the U.S., but Alaska Airlines has long offered more flights between Hawaii and the mainland than any other carrier—yes, even more than Hawaiian Airlines. This is in addition to its extensive network throughout the West Coast and the State of Alaska.

Once American Airlines devalues their award chart on March 22 you’ll find that the cost of many tickets becomes less than affordable. First class awards, for example, are increasing between 20% and 63% on flights originating in the United States. Is this going to be your last chance to experience some of the best premium cabin products in the sky on American? Not necessarily.

American Airlines is making several significant changes to its award chart for travel booked on or after March 22. Fortunately, American allows customers to book flights up to 331 days in advance. The last day to book before the devaluation takes effect is on March 21, 2106, meaning you could lock in current rates for travel through February 15, 2017. 

American Airlines will be changing the award chart for its AAdvantage frequent flyer program on March 22. Many award levels will be going up — some by over 60% — and this could make it more difficult to book your dream vacation. If you’ve been stockpiling miles in your account, consider redeeming them for an award now before those miles lose value next month.

It looks like U.S. Bank is no longer taking applications or has at least temporarily suspended taking them for the Avianca LifeMiles Visa credit card, a lucrative credit card. This could mean that the issuer and Avianca are ending their partnership. If so, a new provider has not yet been announced.

Mileage Plan elite members can check a certain amount of luggage for free on Alaska Airlines flights. The rest of us may need to cough up some cash. Here’s a look at how much checked bags cost on Alaska Airlines and ways to skirt the fee whenever possible.

Frontier Airlines has some ambitious expansion plans for 2016.

Starting this spring, the discount carrier will add a plethora of new routes to cities where it sees unrivaled potential to undercut the industry’s biggest players.

Delta Airlines is not immune to the dreaded checked bag fee. If you aren’t careful, you could pay a ton when checking bags on your next Delta flight. Here are a few methods to help you avoid those extra fees.