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Subscribe in your readerMar
13
Following are policy changes to the US Airways frequent flyer program:
Tickets purchased on or after March 1, 2008 for travel on US Airways on/after May 1, 2008 will earn the actual number of miles flown and will no longer earn a minimum of 500 miles per segment.
Tickets flown on partner airlines after May 1, 2008 will earn the actual number of miles flown. Tickets purchased prior to March 1, 2008 will continue to earn the 500 mile minimum for travel after May 1, 2008. Accrual on flight segments greater than 500 miles in length are not impacted by this change. Members redeeming miles for award travel online within 14-days of departure will be assessed a quick ticketing fee of $50 per ticket.
A quick ticketing fee of $75 per award ticket will continue to apply for award tickets purchased from US Airways Reservations. Chairman’s and Platinum Preferred members booking within 14-days (both online and by phone) are exempt from the fee.
Many business travelers are taking a ho-hum attitude about staying connected to the office while in flight.
According to a survey by Orbitz for Business, 44% of business travelers would alter their flight plans to have a wifi connection available while airborne, but only 8% would sacrifice convenience or pay more to get a flight with Internet access.A majority of business travelers polled, 56%, don’t see an airborne wifi connection for laptops, phones and PDAs as a necessity.
Thirty-six percent said they would look for a wifi connected flight but would not sacrifice schedule convenience and price to get one.
Several carriers plan to test wifi connections, even as the debate over the security of air-to-ground wireless communications continues.
The results of the Orbitz survey would indicate that public pressure to provide wireless service in the air may be lower than anticipated, at least among business travelers.
“Technological advances have made business travelers today more productive than ever before,” said Dean Sivley, chief operating officer at Orbitz for Business. “While there are those who use flight time to catch up on work, and wifi will enhance that ability, there are also many who view it as valuable downtime.”
The survey found 57% are opposed to cell phone use in flight. The debate around cell phone use continues to center on the privacy of other passengers and the annoyance level although security concerns also remain.
“If ever endorsed, many travelers feel it would be hard to rest with the person next to them talking on a cell phone,” Sivley said. Business travelers generally see themselves as respectful of others, according to the survey; 84% said they tried to be as quiet as possible when making a wireless call in a public place, and said that those who didn’t extend that courtesy were intrusive.
Some business travelers look forward to a flight as quiet time.
Twelve percent of respondents said they used travel time to relax from the cares of work and didn’t want to talk on the phone.
Nov
7
Exchange Skymiles
Filed Under Frequent Flyer | Leave a Comment
Delta Air Lines is extending its online Medallion Marketplace to Silver and Gold Medallions, offering all U.S. based SkyMiles Medallion members access the Marketplace. Medallion members let their fingers do the shopping to redeem miles or miles and money for travel and non-travel merchandise including:
- Plasma screen TVs, DVD players and a wide variety of electronics
- Experiential packages with fighter pilot simulations, hot air ballooning, whitewater rafting, rodeo riding and NASCAR driving opportunities
- Hotel or condo stays at some of the finest locations in the world
- Access to some of the top golf courses in the country
- Gift cards from more than 100 vendors including popular stores, restaurants and movie theater chains
"The Medallion Marketplace is very popular among our members and we’ve received a very positive response from Gold and Silver Medallions during promotional periods, so we are opening this benefit up to them all the time," said Jeff Robertson, managing director of the SkyMiles Program. "This is another step in continued efforts to provide our customers more choice in using their valuable frequent flyer miles."
Medallion members may log on to delta.com/medallionmarketplace at any time with their SkyMiles number and PIN to browse, shop and redeem miles online for a variety of items which they can purchase for themselves or as gifts for others. Items offered are worth a range of miles - from movie passes for fewer than 1,000 miles, to a full day of driving a NASCAR stock car for about 250,000 miles.
from Delta Airlines
Jan
27
Delta Skymiles Medallion Benefits
Filed Under Frequent Flyer | Leave a Comment
Delta´s Medallion program offers loyal customers benefits to improve the entire flying experience. From receiving unlimited complimentary domestic upgrades (subject to availability) to enjoying priority boarding, mileage bonuses, and discounts on Crown Room Club® Membership.
Medallion Qualification
Members will qualify for 2007 Medallion status based on activity or miles earned in the 2006 calendar year.To qualify for 2007
- Silver Medallion Status, you must earn 25,000 Medallion Qualification Miles.
- Gold Medallion Status, you must earn 50,000 Medallion Qualification Miles.
- Platinum Medallion Status, you must earn 75,000 Medallion Qualification Miles.
To qualify for Silver, Gold or Platinum Medallion status, simply earn the required number of Medallion Qualification Miles between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2006.
SkyMiles Medallion Benefit
Special Check-In Privileges
Security Lines for Platinum and Gold Members
Priority Boarding
Priority Baggage Handling for Platinum Members on International Flights
Complimentary Upgrades
Complimentary Companion Upgrades
Platinum Medallion Upgrade Certificates
Crown Room Club Membership Discount
Access to International Airport Lounges
Preferred Seating
Priority Waitlist Status
Medallion Mileage Bonus
Special Member Services Line
Helpful Links
See how Medallion Qualification Miles are calculated for Delta, SkyTeam partners and Alaska Airlines across all classes of service.
Delta for Purchase tickets, view flight schedules, choose your seat, download timetables, departure and arrival information and find out which movie is playing on your flight
Check in for your domestic flight
Redeem miles for Award Tickets
Nov
28
United Airlines this summer became the first U.S. based Star Alliance member to join the alliance’s Upgrade Awards mileage-redemption program. Star Alliance said it is the first major alliance to offer such an option—available on member carriers ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, TAP Portugal, Thai and now United.
Star Alliance CEO Jaan Albrecht said other alliance carriers soon would join the program. With United’s participation in Star Alliance Upgrade Awards, our customers have a much larger number of flights on which they can choose to redeem miles for upgrades, especially across the Americas, as well as on transatlantic and transpacific routes, Albrecht said.
Star Alliance Upgrade Awards require a confirmed booking prior to travel, which can then be upgraded through the existing FFP redemption channels through calling reservations or visiting a Web site, depending on carrier’s offer. United senior vice president of worldwide sales and alliances Graham Atkinson said, Participation in Star Alliance Upgrade Awards greatly enhances the benefits our Mileage Plus program offers United frequent flyers. Our customers can now upgrade on other Star Alliance member airlines using miles from their United Mileage Plus account.