Frequent Flyer tips

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.

Tickets go on sale today from a brand-new airline.

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.

It’s been a long time coming, but it’s now a bare fares world.

Hilton titled the news release announcing upcoming changes to its Honors loyalty program as follows: “Hilton Honors Delivers Even More to Its Members in 2018 with Industry-Leading Earn Rates and New Benefits.”

Earlier this year, Starbucks made a move that will be all too familiar to travelers: The company converted its loyalty program to a spend-based scheme, rewarding members according to the amount of their purchases rather than the number of their visits.

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.

In the world of hotel marketing, offering special rates for loyalty-program members who book direct with the hotels is the tactic du jour. Since Starwood deployed its members-only rates late last year, Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott have followed suit. To that list can now be added InterContinental Hotels Group.

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.

I’m not a fan of flash sales or flash promotions. I understand the motivation from the travel suppliers’ standpoint, but snooze-you-lose offers are manipulative and disrespectful.

Enter the Wyndham “Have Points, Will Travel” sweepstakes by March 31, 2016, for a chance to win the grand prize: 1 million Wyndham Rewards points.

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.

I should do this. I should do that. Yada-yada-yada. Blah, blah, blah.

In the news release touting its new promotion, Wyndham calls it “the richest offer of the year.” That doesn’t bode well for members of Wyndham’s Rewards program.

Headed Down Under? Delta has announced a new bonus-mile promotion for Australia flights. But it’s not the only option.

All travel suppliers want consumers to book direct, making their reservations on the company’s website, via the company’s smartphone app, or by phone through the company’s reservations center. Direct booking means the airlines and hotels pay no commissions to intermediaries, so the full price of the flight or room night flows to the provider, not to Expedia or a Main Street travel agent.

Yep, that’s “billion” with a ‘b’.

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