This is a quick example of what I've observed for a while - that since last year, AA award availability has improved from the pathetically lacking state of a few years ago. It's still not always great, but it's much more plentiful than during the said terrible state. Doctor of Credit reminded us this week of the AA Reduced Mileage Awards. If you have the … [Read more...]
Marriott Makes it Harder to Find Hotels in Reward Categories
I haven't looked at the Marriott reward category composition for a while, but I have looked at it extensively in the past to find sweet spots, and there was definitely a link in the reward chart to the hotels in each category. Now there isn't. Now, the reward category info is just a popup with no link inside. The chart still lists the points requirement, but now … [Read more...]
Discomfort matters little when you’re happy
When I tell people I took a 9 hour train across Sri Lanka, half of the time standing on the jam-packed car without air conditioning, almost unable to move an inch, the reactions from people are natural: "are you crazy?" and "why would you do this?" To be honest, I did it because I couldn't get a reserved seat in any class - something hard for a non-resident to do. So I … [Read more...]
My 10 Favorite SPG Low Category Redemptions
SPG is my favorite program for low category hotel redemptions. They have the most such properties that are interesting throughout the world - even in Western Europe, as you'll see below. Here I list my top 10 - all in category 1 or 2 (2,000 - 4,000 points per night). For reference, here's the SPG award chart: The only difference between weekday and … [Read more...]
Amex Hilton ASCEND 75k Upgrade Offer – No Lifetime Clause
Some people, including myself, are seeing a 75k offer for upgrading their no-annual fee Amex Hilton Honors card to the $95 annual fee Ascend card (aka Surpass refresh). Importantly, our offers lack the "once in a lifetime" language, so we should be able to get the bonus even if we've had the Surpass card before. You'll want to make sure this is the case with your … [Read more...]
Data Point – Amex Gives You Extra Time to Complete Spending Requirements
I've now had 2 cases where I didn't complete a spending requirement on an Amex card until 15-20 days after the official deadline, but the bonus posted automatically anyway. I thought I'd let you guys know. The first case was for a minimum spend requirement on a Hilton card; I actually did complete MSR on time, but Amex stopped counting the source as eligible spend, and … [Read more...]
My Experience as Hilton Diamond – Meh
The "meh" is compared to the easy-to-obtain Gold status. I've been Hilton Diamond for 2 years. During this time, I've had the following stays booked from my Diamond account: 2 DoubleTrees in Southeast Asia 2 Hiltons in the US - both paid 1 Curio Collection in the US - paid 1 Hampton Inn in the US So, I had 6 stays, 5 of which were at full service 4-star … [Read more...]
Singapore Airlines – Meh
Singapore Airlines has a reputation as one of the best airlines in the world. I've flown them a few times over the years and have never been too impressed. A few days ago, I flew their long haul 777-300ER business class for the first time. I very much looked forward to experiencing something special, given the reputation associated with the airline. … [Read more...]