Elite status tips

Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week.

United has decided to delay implementation of its low-frills economy product, according to Skift.

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.

Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week.

Marriott’s acquisition of Starwood has left one key group vocally underwhelmed: members of Starwood’s Preferred Guest program, particularly Starwood elites who have become accustomed to perks and services that play no part in Marriott’s Rewards program.

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.

With 7,800 properties in more than 70 countries, the Wyndham Hotel Group is the world’s largest hotel network. That’s right: bigger than Marriott, even after it absorbs Starwood. Bigger than InterContinental. Bigger than Hilton.

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.

Are you a current or prospective Hilton loyalist? If so, a credit card linked to Hilton’s HHonors program is a no-brainer. And, for a limited time, one of the HHonors no-annual-fee cards comes bundled with a particularly generous sign-up bonus.

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.

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.

Basic economy fares may be sweeping through the industry, but one airline says it’s staying out.

With Alaska Airline’s acquisition of Virgin America, it was just a matter of time before Virgin’s loyalty program, Elevate, was terminated and its members folded into Alaska’s Mileage Plan program. In the meantime, the programs were somewhat integrated, allowing reciprocal mileage earning. And beginning on January 9, 2017, Elevate members will be able to convert their points at a 1:1.3 ratio to miles in Mileage Plan, and have their Virgin status matched in Alaska’s program.

JetBlue is on a promotional tear. Triple points for June flights. A fast track to elite status. Matching points for Virgin America flyers.

Want to fly Virgin America as an elite member of the airline’s Elevate program? If you’ve already earned elite status with American, Delta, Southwest, or United, Virgin America will match that status, for three months.

American’s AAdvantage program isn’t the only loyalty scheme converting to spend-based points accrual later this year. Starbucks, the world’s largest purveyor of coffee-based beverages, has announced plans to make a similar change to its Rewards program, effective some time in April.