Ramsey Qubein 
Comments
July 21, 2020 
Delta is surprising us with a Cyber Monday mileage sale; it’s not often that Delta lowers the price of a mileage ticket. And JetBlue is helping us to feel extra thankful this season by matching our TrueBlue point donations to charity.
Hawaiian partners with Disney for new inflight experiences
Hawaiian Airlines has launched a partnership with Disney to bring the characters from its new motion picture Moana to life this winter. Through March 2017, three decaled aircraft will fly to the airline’s various destinations including Beijing, Los Angeles, New York JFK, and Sydney. What’s especially cool is that people can follow the three planes online as they crisscross the planet. Like EVA Air’s Hello Kitty-themed planes, each aircraft features Moana-themed amenities, inflight entertainment, exclusive welcome videos, and other themed, limited-edition products.
Delta offers Cyber Monday mileage sale
Between now and Nov. 28, you can book SkyMiles awards at a discount (as low as 5,000 miles). It’s hard to know what is a discount these days with Delta since the airline made the sneaky decision to delete award charts altogether. This leaves travelers at a loss not knowing how many miles to save up for a dream trip. But, this Cyber Monday sale seems to target short-haul routes with some good deals, and it could be worth taking advantage of since travel can take place any time between Dec. 12 and next summer save for a few blackout dates. It’s certainly worth a look!
Delta Sky Club prices rise and fall…again (depending upon how you pay)
Just last year, Delta substantially increased the prices of its Sky Club membership. Apparently, that wasn’t enough. In 2017, Individual memberships (no companion permitted) rise from $450 to $495 while Executive memberships (which allow up to two companions) go from $695 to $745. Delta has gone to great lengths to improve its clubs with impressive food and beverage options. The good news is that if you have plenty of SkyMiles you can redeem them for membership, and the cost has actually gone down. Starting next year, Individual memberships go for 47,000 miles now (instead of 70,000 miles), and Executive memberships go for 70,000 miles (instead of 110,000 miles).
Donate JetBlue points and the airline match it
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, JetBlue will match any donations from TrueBlue members to a qualifying charity through its website. JetBlue For Good, which handles the carrier’s social and corporate responsibility, will match up to one million points to charities. What’s particularly notable is the variety of charities available including the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and AmeriCares among others. Be sure to make the donation by Nov. 30 to have points matched.
British Airways Visa continues 10% discount
If you book a British Airways flight with the British Airways Visa Signature credit card, travelers can take 10% off the cost of the flight. This could be a very valuable perk for cardholders if they travel frequently. Travel must commence by Dec. 31, 2017 and be booked via the special card website using offer code CARDOFFERU. One caveat is that all flights must be on Open Skies or British Airways operated and marketed flights.
Earn 5,000 bonus HHonors points per stay, even on award nights
This offer could be a real winner. First, download the Hilton HHonors app, and then book stays via the Hilton app and pay with a Visa card to receive 5,000 points when you check out. The best part is that it works even on award stays, but be sure to at least put some spending on your room so that your Visa card can activate the promotion. Or book a cash and points award or simply pay for any reservation to qualify. Stays between now and Jan. 31 are eligible for this promotion, and be sure to register before making the booking.
American offering elite status extensions for cash
American is sending offers to boost your account to the next elite level for a fee. It depends upon how close you are to the next level, but the variable prices can be quite high. It might make more sense to book more travel with American or its partners before the end of the year, but if that’s not possible, this might make sense. The status is valid through the end of January 2018. One example is to extend Gold status (American’s lowest level) for another year for $499. It’s always worth it to study your options.
Important reminder for holiday shopping!
When it comes to buying gifts for family and friends this year, you may be passing up on a huge opportunity to earn miles and points. Using online shopping portals is a great way to rack up miles, and with so many online merchants offering free shipping or coupon codes for the holidays, it adds to the benefits. Be sure to review various portals to make sure you are getting the most miles possible. Plus, United MileagePlus X is an app that allows you to purchase credit through the app for bonus United miles. Then, you can get a double whammy by using those store credits through online shopping portal retailers.