Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week.
27.07.2023 - 18:51 / smartertravel.com / Tim Winship
Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week.
If it was a good deal—or a notably bad deal—from an airline, hotel, or car rental loyalty program, you can read all about it here, and plan your travel accordingly.
The Uber Dilemma: To Tip, or Not to Tip
Uber suggests customers not tip drivers. Uber drivers complain that they need tips to make an adequate living. What to do?
Congress Suspects Airlines Are Impeding Customer Complaints
Are the airlines hampering flyers’ efforts to share their gripes with the DOT? A California Congresswoman thinks so, and wants them to stop.
American Ups the Ante for Premium Airport Lounges
To capture the hearts, minds, and expense accounts of the travel universe’s most privileged 1 percent, American is raising the bar for airport lounges.
Strike Fears Loom as United Mechanics Reject Contract
In a setback to United’s new management team, the airline’s mechanics today voted to reject the company’s “final offer” and to authorize a strike.
American May Replace Gogo for Faster, Cheaper Inflight WiFi
Tired of slow, expensive inflight WiFi? So is American, and it’s suing Gogo, to either up its game or allow American to switch providers for 200 of its planes.
Hilton’s New Direct-Booking Discount Comes with Caveats
Hilton is promising room-rate discounts to encourage travelers to book direct. Consumers should read the fine print before buying in.
Coming: Higher Award Prices at 13% of Marriott’s Hotels
Marriott’s just-published list of award-price changes for 2016 amounts to yet another decrease in the value of Marriott Rewards points.
Starwood Follows Marriott in Raising Prices for Award Nights
Starwood is the latest to announce new award prices for 2016. Predictably, Starwood’s upcoming price increases far outnumber price decreases.
Win a 4-Night Trip for 2 to Glasgow, Scotland
Enter the AFAR Media “Glasgow Getaway” sweepstakes by March 14 for a chance to win a trip to Glasgow, Scotland, including air, hotel, airport transfers, tours, one dinner.
Somebody has to win, right? Might as well be you.
More from SmarterTravel: Airlines to Harried Flyers: ‘Relax, Have a Pretzel’ How Did American Become the World’s Most Profitable Airline? Delta Plans to Displace Elites with Paying Passengers in First ClassAfter 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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Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week.
Is the state of air travel improving? Not according to the DOT, which just released its Air Travel Consumer Report for 2015.
Bad news for the airlines often translates as good news for travel consumers.
Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week.
With the high probability of Virgin America’s being folded into Alaska Airlines within the next two years, Virgin loyalists are in the market for an alternative. And JetBlue wants to be that alternative.
Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week.
In a first for a U.S. airline loyalty program, Alaska Airlines is offering members of its Mileage Plan program the option to redeem miles to pay for TSA PreCheck service.
Flying to Europe between now and July 31? Good. Flying on a first-, business-, or full coach-fare ticket? Even better. Because, bonus miles.
American Airlines’ AAdvantage program is 35 years old this month, and to promote that milestone, the airline is giving away miles:
Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week.
Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week.
Enter the United Airlines “Billion Mile Giveaway” sweepstakes by September 30, 2016, for a chance to win one of 100 grand prizes of 1 million United MileagePlus miles, plus $750 to cover taxes, each. Runner-up prizes include smaller numbers of miles. In total, 1 billion miles will be given away.