Posts that Caught my Eye
Qantas and American Airlines announces new routes
American Airlines announced they will be flying a 777-300ER from LAX-SYD starting in December. This is good news since it is yet another flight you can redeem miles on. Of course, premium cabin space will most likely be hard to find. Also, Qantas announced a new route from SYD-SFO beginning in December being operated by a 747-400.
25% TRANSFER BONUS FROM CITI THANKYOU POINTS TO VIRGIN ATLANTIC
This is exciting if for no other reason than it opens up the possibility of future bonuses for other carriers. Virgin Atlantic charges fuel surcharges, so I probably won’t be redeeming on them, although I know Greg at Frequent Miler is happy since it will help him in his quest to visit Necker Island.
Don’t Hit that 5x NBA Card Too Hard…
I’m really not surprised that people are having issues with this card. I actually applied for it twice, but both times their website had an error and when I called they had no record of anything so I gave up. The 5X offer during the NBA Finals is amazing, but I have other avenues that are nearly as lucrative right now, so I’m glad to not be dealing with the headaches. (Says the guy without the card 🙂 )
New SPG card benefits: Do they work for award stays? Authorized users?
So this is from Frequent Miler, which is a site I also write for, but Greg was the only one who dug into the terms of the new SPG card changes. He did a great job of breaking down which benefits apply when and for which cardholders. For me, the big news was that Sheraton lounge access only applies to the primary cardholder on eligible stays.
Deal Updates
- The $100 BP Card for $90 deal is still alive. I wrote this morning why I think it is so good, even if you never plan to use the cards to purchase gas.
- Also don’t forget that Staples has a negative cost MS deal all week.
One Offs
- There were reports of American Airlines not being able to see Etihad first class award space. Apparently the glitch has corrected itself and all is right with the world again.
Have a great evening!
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The QF-AA joint venture is being broadened by quite a bit with the introduction of AA on the LAX-SYD route, and the re-introduction of QF to SFO-SYD (a route they discontinued twice since 2000) The deal is far broader than what people currently expect – as it is a broad unilateral joint venture, covering not only the direct routes, but also the connecting routes from SYD & LAX/SFO which will now be direct offerings, rather than via the older OW alliance pairs (AA will now buy space on each of the major connecting flights in SYD, as will QF on routes from LAX on AA.) In addition, all future LAX/SFO-South Pacific routes that AA or QF add will be part of the joint venture, which leaves the door wide open to AKL, CCH, & other cities that may be added in the near future from the LAX base on AA. Throughplane routings are also covered by the JV, such as LAX-NDI-SYD, which allows for a true single-plane alliance, something neither AA or QF have had to date beyond their own borders. It is a first-strike salvo in the start of a much broader battle which will see a three-way fight between Virgin/Delta, United/ANZ & AA/QANTAS tying up any loose ends fast before too long. With Virgin’s growing alliances with Delta & SkyTeam, this could be a impetus to expand their own joint flying, and to further expand their current south Pacific route networks.