One of the nice things about having a large stash of frequent flyer miles is that you can dream about going almost anywhere in the world, and then actually do it. Travelers who love to collect points and miles end up going to some of the planet’s most far-flung destinations just because they can. The Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa, definitely rates as one of those distant destinations.
Fly to the Seychelles on an Award Ticket
Alaska Airlines and Emirates Are Flying Together
Alaska Airlines has been busy this season. After recently announcing a codesharing agreement with Icelandair, which includes reciprocal frequent flyer perks, the carrier is now expanding its relationship with Emirates, a Dubai-based airline.
United Is Adding Three More Transatlantic Routes This Year
United Airlines is turning up the heat next summer with new daily nonstop transatlantic routes bound for three European hot spots: Athens, Barcelona and Lisbon. Flights between New York and Athens will run from May 25, 2016, to October 5, 2016. Service from Washington, D.C., to Barcelona and Lisbon starts on the same day, and ends on September 6.
Marriott and Starwood Hotels Are Merging
The surprise news this month is the merger of Marriott and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. Members of both rewards programs–Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest–are wondering what it will mean for them. Details are scarce, with both programs promising to release more information soon. Let’s take a look at what we know right now.
United Adds a Trio of Destinations From San Francisco
United Airlines is expanding its global reach with three new nonstop routes from San Francisco to Auckland, New Zealand; Xi’an, China; and Tel Aviv, Israel.
Travel Better With the Right Credit Cards
Without question, we all like free stuff. It’s simply the way we’re hard-wired. But it’s not just the free stuff that gives us an emotional charge, especially when it comes to reward programs. That feeling of being appreciated and the kind of “thank you” that goes along with it really add to a satisfying travel experience.
Go on Safari in Botswana
It’s surprising that we don’t hear about more frequent flyers booking award tickets to Botswana, Africa. It’s a great destination, offering some of the most beautiful wilderness on the planet. And if you want to go on safari, you can’t do much better.
Use Free Stopovers on Alaska Airlines’ Partners
Alaska Airlines’ generous booking policies allow you to make one free stopover per one-way domestic award ticket, or two stopovers per roundtrip. But you also get free stopovers on award flights booked with Alaska’s excellent international airline partners, including Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Qantas.
A Trio of Hotel Offers to Boost Your Flying Blue Balance
Flying Blue, the frequent flyer program for Air France and KLM, is offering three ways to earn bonus miles when you stay at hotels around the world. So if you’re planning a holiday getaway, make your reservations count for a little more, and earn enough miles to take another trip in 2016.
JetBlue Goes Country With New Routes to Nashville
JetBlue has set its sights on Music City, USA, with the announcement that it will fly to Nashville from Boston and Fort Lauderdale. The nonstop flights will begin on May 5, 2016.
See the Pacific Northwest With Free Stopovers on Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines’ generous stopover policy allows you to take one stopover per one-way flight, or two per roundtrip, without adding any cost to your ticket. The best part is that the rule also applies to domestic flights, not just international itineraries. In this post, we’ll look at how to take advantage of these rules to visit three destinations in the U.S. for the price of one round-trip award flight.
Qatar and Asiana Now Flying the Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a massive wide-body jet that is the world’s largest passenger airliner. Since we last reported on who was flying it, Asiana Airlines and Qatar Airways have added the A380 to their fleets.
AAdvantage Program Changes for 2016
American Airlines is changing how you earn miles and qualify for elite status, as well as adjusting some of its redemption rates for award flights. These changes, which have been rumored for months, will hit the AAdvantage program starting in March 2016.
Using Stopovers on Alaska Airlines to See More
Alaska Airlines has a generous booking policy that allows passengers to make a stopover on a one-way ticket. That means that you can make two stopovers on a round-trip ticket, which is even better than United’s policy, which allows for one. In this post, we’ll show you how to use that rule to see more places without spending
Porter Airlines Delivers a New Route From Toronto to Orlando
Just in time for Christmas getaways, Porter Airlines is introducing nonstop flights from Toronto to sunny Orlando, the home of Disney World and all things Mickey Mouse. The new route starts on December 19.
Johannesburg: Gateway to Safari Country
If you’re traveling to South Africa from the United States, it makes sense to stay a while and see as much as you can, since it takes a long time—about 15 hours from New York—to get there. Many travelers fly into the city of Johannesburg before embarking on a safari adventure in Kruger National Park or one of the nearby private reserves, such as Sabi Sands or Timbavati.
More Transatlantic Flights From Delta
Delta has announced that it will be rolling out two new trans-Atlantic routes from the Midwest to Italy and Germany. The new flights are from Minneapolis-St. Paul to Rome, and Detroit to Munich. Both are slated to start on May 26, 2016.
Drive Up Your Flying Blue Balance
If you’re traveling this holiday season, you can earn major bonus miles by taking advantage of the latest offers from Flying Blue, the loyalty program of Air France and KLM. Rent a car and earn enough miles to fly to Europe for spring break.
Using Open Jaws on Delta to See More: Europe
Delta’s free open jaw on round-trip award tickets will allow you to see more while paying the same price in miles and cash. But the airline’s booking policy is important to know about if you’re traveling to Europe, since it adds fuel surcharges to one-way flights that originate there.
New Route for National Airlines: Orlando to Windsor, Ontario
The winter in Windsor, Ontario, gets mighty cold, so enjoying some fun in the sun can definitely take the edge off. Beginning on December 15, travelers in the area will have more choices, with a new year-round route between Orlando and Windsor from National Airlines.