Even if it can be a bit cumbersome to use, I have found ANA’s award search tool to be the single most accurate source of Star Alliance award availability for several years. Singapore Airlines space has been problematic–ANA automatically...
Politicians, Twitter, and United Airlines
Two former United States Senators have sounded off on Twitter today against United Airlines, including a six-tweet diatribe by former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) regarding a lost first class seat on a flight to the Dominican Republic....
Scavenging for the New United Amenity Kits
I flew from Washington Dulles to Frankfurt in United BusinessFirst yesterday and was pleased to receive one of the new special edition amenity kits. I was hoping for either the DC or LAX tins and received the DC one, which...
Delta Restricts Lounge Access, Will United and AA Follow?
Because gutting the Skymiles program twice without notice just was not enough, Delta Air Lines used this fine Friday to announce a major devaluation of its Sky Club lounge access policy. Oh, you have a guest? That will be $29....
My Day Trip to Washington to be an Escort
My family and friends know me as the guy who loves to fly, so I get a lot of requests for travel tips and sometimes even more. Like yesterday, where I spent my entire day between consecutive late-night transcon...
Special Edition Amenity Kits from United Airlines
Through 01 March 2014, United Airlines is offering customers in BusinessFirst and Global First special edition tin amenity kits that highlight its seven U.S. mainland hubs. These special edition amenity kits will be available on longhaul international flights departing...
United Eliminates Free Alcohol in Transpacific Economy Class
Effective 01/01/14, United Airlines has quietly eliminated free alcoholic beverages on transpacific flights. This comes just days after Delta Air Lines’ recent announcement that it will expand its free beer and wine offerings on all longhaul international routes to cover spirits...
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Top 10 Airline Award Redemptions for January 2014
With the new year here and many changes negatively affecting airline loyalty programs now in effect or shortly taking effect, there are still a number of superb deals available. Here are my top ten award travel bright spots for...
Additional Business Class Saver Award Space for Elite Members of United MileagePlus Program
United is massively devaluing its award chart at the end of the month and has instituted a minimum-spend requirement for elite qualification in 2014. With deep cutbacks to the domestic front cabin product and few flights with internet, questioning...
Reminder: New Aeroplan Award Chart Takes Effect on 01/01/14
Aeroplan is updating its award chart on January 01, 2014 and the changes are both good and bad. The Good: One-way awards at half the round-trip cost Right now Aeroplan charges 67% of the r/t price for a one-way...
The Night Before Christmas: United Airlines Edition
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the air,The United executives stirred in despair;The stock had grown on the NYSE with fanfare,In hopes that great profit soon would be there;The Chairman was nestled all snug in his bed;While...
Singapore Airlines Accuses United Airlines of Lying About Pulled Online Award Space
Last week, United announced that it would no longer offer online searchability for Singapore Airlines award space. United stated this was a “mutual” decision but implied that Singapore had requested that United remove the space. Hi everyone, I wanted...
Generous Lufthansa First Class Award Availability between Tokyo Haneda and Frankfurt
When Lufthansa recently announced new service between Mexico City and Munich as well as Toronto and Munich, premium class award seats were released on every flight. Even first class, which is normally only released to Star Alliance partners two...
Star Alliance Should Pursue Alaska Airlines
For all the complaints about US Airways being a “low-cost carrier” or offering an inferior in-flight product, the carrier has been a valuable member of Star Alliance that will be missed tremendously. With a healthy European route network and...
Hitting the Million Miler Mark on United Airlines
My first United Airlines flight was from Los Angeles to Denver in the winter of 1995, but I did not start seriously flying United until 2005, the year I decided I did not want to sit behind the curtain...
Delta Actually Improves Skymiles Program with Attractive Upgrade Options
Delta Air Lines has led the U.S. airline loyalty industry in duplicity and penny-pinching for several years running (even with a commendable challenge from United last month) so a day in which positive news is announced is quite rare....
United: US Airways Award Flights Bookable through March 30, 2014
United Airlines released an update concerning its future relationship with US Airways– As you’ve undoubtedly seen, American Airlines and US Airways closed their merger today. While our partnership with US Airways will be ending on March 30, 2014, it’s still...
Man Wakes Up Onboard Dark, Empty, United Express Plane in Houston
A man buys a United Airlines ticket from Louisiana to California via Houston on United. He boards the first leg and being an extraordinary sleeper, falls into a deep slumber on an Embrarer regional jet, one of the most...
United’s IDB Nightmare: 90-Year-Old Pearl Harbor Veteran Among 41 Bumped Off Flight to Honolulu
United Airlines is facing another firestorm over news that a 90-year-old Pearl Harbor veteran bound for Honolulu was among 41 passengers bumped when bad weather necessitated severally weight restricting a 737-800 aircraft at Los Angeles International Airport. Ewalt Shatz travels...
Why I’m Not So Optimistic About Jeff Smisek Anymore
On October 12, 2010 I wrote a post entitled, “Why I’m Optimistic about Jeff Smisek Leading United Airlines.” Based upon an inflight anecdote in which Smisek engaged both crew and customers, I posited that “he appears to be laying...
