As with most debit card airline rewards programs this year, Citibank recently announced they’ll be ending mileage-earning capabilities December 9, 2011. It’s no longer profitable for banks to bestow mileage on us for our checking account debit purchases due to the Durbin Amendment. I’m sad to see this perk go and the cost for buying…
Mileage Run Opportunity: $206.20 nets 6,164 American EQMs SFO-LAX-ORD-MSY
American Airlines has a fare out there today in the San Francisco to New Orleans market that nets 6,164 elite qualifying miles. Here are the details: [Edited 12:18pm PDT 10/14/11: This fare has been removed] Routing: San Francisco to New Orleans via Los Angeles and Chicago Travel period: Through end-of-schedule Fare basis: QA07ERP1 (7-day advance…
Travel tips from an expert murderer: Showtime’s Dexter Morgan
I’m a huge fan of Dexter on Showtime and when I saw an article this week entitled “Travel Tips From Dexter Morgan,†I had to find out how the author linked the gruesomeness of the character with travel tips. If you watch the show you know Dexter follows a code to avoid having his “dark…
Vintage Airline Seat Map: United Airlines Boeing 727-100 from 1978
Narrowbodies deserve their love here on my blog and this one definitely comes in as one of my favorites given its generous seat pitch pre-deregulation. This United Airlines Boeing 727-100 seated a total of 96 passengers, 10 in First Class and 86 in Coach. I flew on a slew of United’s 727-100s when I first…
Mileage Run Opportunity: $190.80 nets 5,374 Delta MQMs SFO-CLE via ATL
[As of my check at 6:20pm PDT today October 11th, this fare is no longer available. Pretty typical with uber cheap ones often designed to be a temporary retaliatory response to another carrier’s similar deal somewhere.] Delta Air Lines has a fare out there today offering a “decent” cents-per-mile mileage run opportunity. Here are the…
American Airlines Citi Executive MasterCard givaway event in L.A. through Thursday
In August and September this year, United Airlines held a special event promoting their new Chase Explorer credit card in various cities where they gave away prizes and oodles of Mileage Plus miles. American Airlines is now also holding an event in Los Angeles tomorrow through Thursday similarly plugging their Citi Executive AAdvantage World Elite…
Booking airline tickets online: Easy or irritatingly difficult?
As a blogger I bookmark and follow a huge amount of travel-related websites that feature news and reviews in the airline and travel industry. One of them is Tnooz.com whose tagline is “Talking Travel Tech.” It really is a fantastic site and they frequently cover global distribution system (GDS) issues and stories for which I…
United Airlines to order Airbus A321neo aircraft as eventual 757 replacements
Last month a story was leaked claiming United Airlines will be placing a major order for narrowbody aircraft early next year. Industry analysts predict it will be for up to 200 aircraft in what would equate to a list price deal of approximately $18 billion. The article also notes Boeing and Airbus will be pitted…
Vintage Airline Menu: United Airlines Business Class – Paris to Chicago 1991
In 1991 I flew from Chicago to Paris to spend a couple of weeks with the family of an exchange student I befriended in high school. It was my first international trip (besides Canada) and I was so excited to finally leave North America. On the day of departure I got a phone call advising…
Trusted travelers, antiquated ATC, rising airfares, American’s troubles, ads everywhere, Qantas’ woes and Expedia gets fined
In other airline, hotel and travel industry news this week… The Transportation Security Administration has officially started a “trusted traveler” program this week. According to the TSA, “This pilot program will help assess measures designed to enhance security by placing more focus on pre-screening individuals who volunteer information about themselves prior to flying in order…