In 2014, at the behest of Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.), the DOT’s Office of Inspector General began an audit of U.S. frequent flyer programs, and the DOT’s monitoring thereof, with a particular focus on unfair and deceptive practices (summary, with a link to the full .pdf report, here). The audit results were published this month, with the following headline: “Improvements needed in DOT’s process for identifying unfair or deceptive practices in airline frequent flyer programs.”
Alaska Air Enhances Mileage Program with New Europe Partner
27.07.2023 - 18:49 / smartertravel.com / Tim Winship / Thomas Cook / With New
By traditional measures, Alaska Airlines is a carrier of decidedly modest size, even after its acquisition of Virgin America. Its own flight network is small, compared to those of American, Delta, and United. And it’s not a member of one of the three global airline alliances.
In spite of those shortcomings, Alaska has managed to cobble together marketing partnerships with 16 airlines, serving more than 900 destinations worldwide. Which is great for members of its Mileage Plan program: They can earn miles and take award flights on Air France, American, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Delta, JAL, KLM, Qantas, and several others.
To that impressive list can now be added Condor Airlines, Germany’s third-largest carrier. Condor, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Thomas Cook, flies to 75 destinations in Europe, the U.S., Africa, and Asia. By this summer, Condor will serve 16 North America cities, including flights between Frankfurt, Germany, and Seattle, San Diego, Las Vegas, Portland, Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Vancouver.
Related:Who Has the Newest Planes? (And Does Anyone Care?)Beginning today, Mileage Plan members can earn miles for Condor flights. Better still, miles earned for Condor flights count toward earning Alaska elite status.
Condor flights will be available for award travel “at a later date,” yet to be announced.
The addition of Condor is more good news for members of Mileage Plan, which is already one of the industry’s top loyalty programs. In addition to earning miles for flights, Mileage Plan members earn miles for stays at 10 major hotel chains, seven rental-car companies, more than 800 online retailers, and so on.
But what gives Mileage Plan its biggest value advantage over competing programs is its adherence to traditional mileage-earning rules. Program members still earn flight miles according to the distance flown, rather than according to the price of their tickets. For the average traveler, Mileage Plan delivers more free flights, faster, at less cost.
Reader Reality Check
Are you a Mileage Plan fan?
More from SmarterTravel: New Airline Offers More Cheap Seats to Europe Is Any Rewards Card Worth a $550 Annual Fee? Travel Hackers Beware, American Express Has Its Eyes on YouAfter 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.
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27.07.2023 / 18:54
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smartertravel.com
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smartertravel.com
27.07.2023 / 18:51
Bad News: Alaska Air’s New Earning Rates for American Flights
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smartertravel.com
27.07.2023 / 18:50
New Airline Offers More Cheap Seats to Europe
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27.07.2023 / 18:50
Alaska Air, Delta to Cut Ties. Who’s the Biggest Loser?
Ever since Delta began ramping up operations in Seattle, Alaska Airlines’ hometown and main flight hub, the relationship between the two airlines has been disintegrating. And there was plenty to disintegrate. The carriers were long-time partners in each other’s frequent-flyer programs, and they code-shared on a host of flights. They were, in the industry vernacular, preferred marketing partners.
smartertravel.com
27.07.2023 / 18:49
On Alaska Airlines, e-Chatting Is Now Free
Wi-Fi access isn’t free on Alaska Airlines flights. But at least for the next year, the airline’s passengers can use inflight Wi-Fi to send and receive unlimited texts for free.
smartertravel.com
27.07.2023 / 18:45
New InterContinental Promotion: ‘At Least’ 65,000 Bonus Points
InterContinental Hotel Group’s next points promotion, Share Forever, begins next month and features bonuses for both the member’s own IHG Rewards account and to share with other program members.
smartertravel.com
27.07.2023 / 18:45
Win a 7-Night Trip for 2 to New Zealand
Enter the Babich Wines “Trip to New Zealand” sweepstakes by August 31, 2016, for a chance to win the grand prize: a seven-night trip for two to New Zealand, including air to and within New Zealand; hotels in Auckland, Marlborough, and Queenstown; choice of activities; and a NZD$1,000 gift card.
smartertravel.com
27.07.2023 / 18:45
Limited Time: Delta Discount on Europe Award Flights
Overall, Delta’s SkyMiles program has established itself as one of the industry’s least generous loyalty schemes. To play, you’ll pay. But with this limited-time award sale, you can at least pay less.
smartertravel.com
27.07.2023 / 18:43
Alaska Air Has a New Mileage Partner: Japan Airlines
I recently dubbed Alaska Airlines’ loyalty program, Mileage Plan, the “Best Mileage Program for Average Travelers.” It’s a hard-won honor, awarded for two principal reasons. First, Alaska has chosen to retain Mileage Plan’s distance-based earning scheme, even as most other airlines have adopted less generous spend-based earning. And second, Alaska has cobbled together a roster of earning and redemption partners that rivals those of the world’s largest airlines.