Up to 18,000 bonus points for flying on the US Airways Shuttle

US Airways has a promotion out offering up to 18,000 bonus points for just six segments on the Shuttle between Washington, DC, New York City and Boston. The promo is split in two phases, offering 6,000 points for the first three segments and 12,000 more for the next three segments flown. And it includes flights through January 31, 2013.

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Registration is required for the promotion.

This is a pretty rich deal, especially considering the off-peak fares for shuttle flights. My first ever mileage run was on the US Airways shuttle back in 2003. Might be time to relive the good old days.

JetBlue offering up to 50% bonus for buying TrueBlue points

JetBlue has joined the parade of airlines offering bonus points to customers buying extra points to close out the year. Their TrueBlue program is offering up a sliding scale of bonus points based on the number purchased and maxing out at 50% extra. Here’s the breakdown:

  • Buy between 5,000 – 9,500 to get 20% bonus points
  • Buy between 10,000 – 19,500 to get 30% bonus points
  • Buy between 20,000 – 29,500 to get 40% bonus points
  • Buy 30,000 to get 50% bonus points

Like most programs buying the points outright isn’t generally a great value. For some programs the bonus can work to make the price point pretty reasonable. For JetBlue’s TrueBlue program, however, that price point still probably doesn’t work. The points generally cost 3.76 cents each. At the max value (i.e. buying 30,000 points) the price gets to just a hair under 2 cents per point. The problem with that valuation is that the point redemption value is pretty much maxed out near 1.6 cents each (at least last I checked) so that means it will be very, very hard to arbitrage the points in a way which is financially sound.

In many cases one can justify buying the last few points to top off for an award at a price point which is greater than the “true” value just so you can redeem out the points you’ve already earned, hopefully at a better rate. But because this 50% bonus only kicks in when you’re buying a LOT of points it is unlikely that even that approach will work well.

If you are looking to top off and have a small amount to purchase then certainly the bonus is better than nothing. But I’d be rather hesitant about buying up to the 50% bonus level. Odds are you’re losing money on that deal.

US Airways offering discount on club membership plus bonus PQMs

Buying a airport lounge membership just got a tiny bit more cost-effective with this week’s offer from US Airways. The carrier has put up a discount valid through 18 November 2012 which will waive the $50 initiation fee and discount the annual fee. A one year membership is only $400 rather than the normal $500 for a Dividend Miles member without elite status. In addition, joining during this promo period will earn members 5,000 Preferred Qualifying Miles towards elite status. The promo code for these benefits is 5KPQM.

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While not the most generous offer US has had for their lounge membership it is the one available this year. And it isn’t completely horrible, though still more than I’d generally pay for a lounge membership.

Earn points for supporting Hurricane Sandy relief efforts

Looking to earn a few extra points and also help out with the recovery from Hurricane Sandy? Lots of airlines and hotels are getting in on the action, offering to match donations or bonus points if you give. Some have enabled points to be donated and others are looking at cash donations instead. All of them are worth looking at. I compiled a list the other day on The Wandering Aramean and I’m reporting it here now, too:

The other thing worth mentioning is that a group of 6 bloggers on Boarding Area (including me) are cooperating to generate donations for relief efforts. Just leave a comment on the posts there and each comment will represent a one dollar donation. Generating $6 in donations couldn’t be easier!

Double miles for some from American for the rest of 2012

When the operational issues started to flare up at American Airlines more than one person suggested that the best outcome for passengers would be a promotion to attract customers back. Apparently the folks running the show agree, in a big way.

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American is offering double elite miles AND double award miles for all flights through the end of the year. The catch, however, is that you have to already have elite status with the carrier to get the full benefit. For AAdvantage members who are not already elite the promo offers double elite miles through the end of the year but only 10 days of double award miles around Thanksgiving.

I’d say this is unnecessarily confusing but no one really asked.

This is great news for elites looking to stock up at the end of the year. And for non-elites it doesn’t particularly such, though as a non-elite I’d prefer DRDMs not DEQMs. Maybe that’s why they didn’t offer it that way.

Registration is required for this promotion using code AATHX.

Earn 33% bonus when buying AAdvantage miles before 15 November 2012

American Airlines has announced a bonus of 33% for buying miles over the next two weeks, assuming you buy at the correct number of points. Here’s the breakdown:

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The pricing comes out to around 2.3 cents per mile, assuming you buy right at one of the thresholds. That’s not great, but it beats the last two promos (August & October) which were only 25% each.

Related Posts:

  • American Airlines’ October buy miles promo: up to 25% bonus
  • Save up to 25% on AAdvantage Miles purchases

Bonus miles for transferring from hotels to United's MileagePlus

United has a promotion out this weekend offering bonus miles for transferring points from various hotel programs into the MileagePlus program. Register and transfer by 30 November to earn up to 15,000 bonus points, on top of the points the transfer generates. Bonus points should post by 31 January 2013.

To get the most value from the promotion you have to gross 50,000 or more points from the inbound transfer. Here are the tiers (note that you only earn one tier, not cumulative as you progress through them :

  • 1,000 bonus miles will be deposited when Award Miles earned from cumulative Qualifying Activity is between 5,000 and 9,999;
  • 2,500 bonus miles will be deposited when Award Miles earned from cumulative Qualifying Activity is between 10,000 and 19,999;
  • 5,000 bonus miles will be deposited when Award Miles earned from cumulative Qualifying Activity is between 20,000 and 49,999;
  • 15,000 bonus miles will be deposited when Award Miles earned from cumulative Qualifying Activity is 50,000 or greater.

The catch (there always is one, right??) is that the transfer rates aren’t really all that great. The bonus rates are OK, but the transfer rates make it hard to justify.

Looking at the list of transfer conversion rates here’s what I can come up with as the earning numbers:

Marriott:

  • 20,000 Marriott Rewards -> 5,000 + 1,000
  • 30,000 MR -> 10,000 + 2,500
  • 70,000 MR -> 25,000 + 5,000
  • 125,000 MR -> 50,000 + 15,000

Hilton:

  • 10,000 HHonors -> 1,000 UA. To get the 15,000 bonus you’d have to convert 500,000 HH points resulting in 65K total points.

Starwood:

  • 2 Starwood Preferred Guest -> 1 UA. To get the 15K bonus you’d have to convert 80,000 SPG points (I think that’s how the 5K bonus for 20K thing works) resulting in 65K total points. While probably the best deal you’ll get on SPG->UA anytime soon it still isn’t very good.

Priority Club:

  • 30,000 PC -> 6,000 UA + 1,000
  • 50,000 PC -> 10,000 UA + 2,500
  • 125,000 PC -> 25,000 UA + 5,000
  • 250,000 PC -> 50,000 UA + 15,000

Club Carlson:

  • 8 CC -> 1 UA. To get the 15,000 bonus you’d have to convert 400,000 CC points resulting in 65K total points.

Hyatt:

  • 50,000 Gold Passport -> 25,000 UA + 5,000
  • 100,00o GP -> 50,000 UA + 15,000

Choice (I only listed the big and small; the middle ones are there, too):

  • 25,000 Choice Privileges -> 5,000 UA + 1,000
  • 250,00 Choice Privileges -> 50,000  UA + 15,000

Wyndham Rewards:

  • 17.500 WR -> 7,000 + 1,000
  • 30,000 WR -> 12,000 + 2,500
  • 128,000 WR -> 51,200 + 15,000

So, looking at these numbers I cannot find any of them which make me think it is a good idea to do the transfer. But if you are looking to empty out a hotel program account and cannot come up with anything better I’d say first to look harder but then consider this as better than what you would have otherwise managed to eke out.

It is possible to mix-and-match between the different programs as the bonus is based on the gross; the above numbers should provide some guidelines on how that would work out.

Make sure to register BEFORE initiating any transfers, just to be safe, and definitely before November 30.

Triple TrueBlue points through November 15, 2012

JetBlue is currently running a triple points promo for all travel through 15 November 2012. That’s 12 points per dollar spent, assuming you book online. Registration required prior to booking. The TrueBlue program cannot be gamed the way some of the others can but this promo significantly increases the return on bookings, at least for the next few weeks.

Bonus TrueBlue points on Emirates flights to/from Dulles

A mighty specific market being targeted here, but the bonus points are decent enough to mention. Customers traveling on Emirates between Dubai and Washington-Dulles between now and 30 November 2012 and who choose to credit their flights to JetBlue‘s TrueBlue program can earn bonus miles for the IAD-DXB segments, up to triple points depending on the fare class purchased:

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Registration is required.

Double miles (or more) on Air Canada to Sydney

Air Canada has a new promo available, offering double or triple miles to Sydney depending on the purchased fare class. Purchases in Tango or Latitude (i.e. not the cheapest economy fares) will earn double points. Business Class flights will earn triple points. The promo is valid for travel between December 14, 2012 and January 31, 2013. Registration is required.

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