Educational Posts on Loyalty Programs

You may not be familiar with it, but Malaysia Airlines is one of the largest airlines in the world. It’s a member of the oneworld alliance, and flies to 60 destinations in 28 countries. Unfortunately, its four U.S. routes were recently eliminated because of financial issues and restructuring.

You probably have a short list of favorite airlines for free award flights. That’s all well and good, but it pays to have a cursory knowledge of a lot of different programs. That way, when the time is right, you’ll be ready to take advantage of terrific deals that will help you travel the globe. If you don’t know about Flying Blue and its monthly Promo Awards, which offer up to 50 percent off award flights, you need to read this article.

Thanks to partnerships between airlines and charities, you have the opportunity to reap reward miles for your generosity. Call it aviation altruism, if you will.

Air New Zealand is a global airline based in Auckland. It flies to four cities in the United States: Honolulu, Los Angeles, Houston and San Francisco.

Saudia, the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, is the third-largest airline in the Middle East. Its main hub is Jeddah, with secondary hubs in Riyadh, Dammam, Medina  and Abha. The airline flies to 80 countries, including destinations in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. In the U.S., it flies to Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando and Washington, D.C.

If you’re looking for a great travel rewards credit card and aren’t sure which one offers the best perks, keep reading. Three American Express cards are adding a suite of new services and benefits for cardholders, including double reward points, trip planning, luggage fee reimbursement, and more. These are in addition to the great rewards already offered by American Express, making the cards even more valuable for the casual or frequent traveler.

Spring break has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities to be rewarded for travel to sunny southern destinations. If you’re ready for a relaxing beach vacation, or looking for an excuse to explore the cities of South America, you can earn major bonus miles.

Aeromexico is Mexico’s largest airline, with 14 non-stop routes between Mexico City and the United States. Its extensive network also makes it easy for U.S. travelers to fly to Central and South America with one connection in Mexico City.

Aerolineas Argentinas, the country’s flag carrier, is the largest airline in Argentina, flying to 24 cities in 14 countries. The airline also has an extensive domestic network connecting Buenos Aires to 35 cities. From its hub in Buenos Aires, it flies to two U.S. destinations: Miami and New York.

When you want a good seat at a restaurant, schmooze with the maître d’. When you want a great seat at a concert, it helps to know the performer. When you want a seat on a plane, however, no amount of schmoozing or name dropping works. Moreover, no amount of points or miles can get you on a flight without available award seats.

Whether you’re in the mood for native bratwurst and sauerkraut, or Oktoberfest just isn’t coming soon enough, it might be time for a trip to Germany. There are many ways to earn bonus miles while you’re there, so you’ll be that much closer to your next excursion by the time you get home. So don your lederhosen and say danke schön for bonus miles.

Etihad Airways is the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates. It flies to over 120 destinations around the world, and it’s growing rapidly. In 2014, the airline carried almost 15 million passengers, which is roughly a 22 percent increase from the year before.

China Airlines, Taiwan’s flag carrier, began operating charter flights in 1959 with fewer than 40 employees. Today’s China Airlines, which employs about 11,000 people and serves more than 100 destinations across Asia, Europe, North America and Australia, has come a long way from its humble beginnings. It flies to 10 cities in the continental U.S.: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Seattle. China Airlines also serves Anchorage, Honolulu and Guam.

You’re probably already planning your annual summer vacation. Have you considered going someplace you can’t drive to? It might be time to think outside the box and visit a far-flung destination.

Frontier Airlines and its EarlyReturns frequent flyer program underwent a considerable overhaul in March 2015, putting it firmly on the path of becoming a true ultra-low-cost carrier. Fortunately, the EarlyReturns award redemption levels have not changed even though the economy rates are getting a bit harder to find nowadays.

Aeroflot is Russia’s flag carrier and one of the oldest and largest airlines in the world, flying to 123 cities in 52 countries. From Moscow, Aeroflot flies to four cities in the U.S. including New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and Miami. It also serves 47 destinations in Europe and 13 in Asia, making the airline a good option for connecting flights between the U.S. and those regions.

Memorial Day is here and people are packing up and taking off. If you are planning a road trip this summer and would like to pump up your miles in the process, there are several deals to be had.

Asiana Airlines is Korea’s second largest carrier after Korea Air. Asiana Club, the airline’s loyalty program, offers members exceptional deals on certain routes, including flights between the U.S. and Korea, Europe, and parts of South America. The program also has some unique perks, like its generous family mile sharing and pooling program and the ability to pay for excess baggage with miles.

Asiana’s program isn’t the most flexible, though. It doesn’t offer miles plus cash awards or free stopovers. You can book complex itineraries, but you have to call and you’ll probably have to pay extra. Fuel surcharges, however reasonable, are also levied on all Asiana flights and most partner airlines.

Asiana Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance and one of the two major Korean airlines. The airline is well-respected by both industry insiders and passengers for its excellent service and product.

There was a time when airports had very little security. By the late 1960s, terrorists recognized how vulnerable civil aviation was. Skyjacking reached a crescendo of 40 attempts on U.S. planes in 1969, forcing the implementation of new security measures designed to protect the flying public.