Unfortunately the 2,000 points per stay don’t kick in until your second stay. So if you have five stays coming up, you’ll earn only 8,000 bonus points.

In addition, the 2,000 points for each new brand only kick in on your second brand, and only if you have a Marriott credit card. If all of your stays are at Courtyard by Marriott, you won’t get any bonus. But if you stay at a Courtyard, a St. Regis, and a W hotel then you’ll earn 4,000 bonus points (2,000 each for stays two and three).

Overall it’s kind of a lackluster promotion that won’t drive me to book any more stays that I already have planned. But it’s better than nothing. Definitely register for the promotion now in case you do end up traveling more than already planned.

Read the rest of this article at New Marriott Promo Offers up to 4,000 Bonus Points per Stay.

Right now Southwest is offering a great deal: Fly just one round-trip ticket and you’ll get a Companion Pass good for two months, from January 4 through March 4, 2023. Complete details are on the registration page.

1. Register for the promotion starting today through September 8, 2022.
2. Purchase a Southwest revenue flight (one round trip or two one-ways), starting today through September 8, 2022.
3. Travel on those booked reservations between September 6 and November 17, 2022.

It’s not a full year, but it is a taste of what could be. You might be motivated to fly more next year and earn a normal Companion Pass. Meanwhile you could easily save hundreds of dollars if you have some winter travel planned and can take advantage of these free two months.

Some people use credit card sign up bonuses and time their activity to earn a pass at the beginning of the year, letting them get effectively two years of value from their pass. More about that in my post on Southwest Airlines elite status.

Read the rest of this article at Earn a Southwest Companion Pass after Just One Trip!.

United MileagePlus was the first to follow Delta down the revenue-based rabbit hole. I say this because Delta still tracks elite qualifying miles but was the first to make a clean break and stop publishing an award chart. Meanwhile, United doesn’t track miles at all. You’ll earn Premier Qualifying Points and Segments, along with Premier Qualifying Dollars that track how much you spend. It was one step further than Delta was willing to go.

There are still some good redemption opportunities on United even with these changes. But I usually point to them and American Airlines whenever someone needs evidence that earning status has become a little too complicated.

How to Earn Qualifying Points and Segments

A couple years back United stopped tracking elite qualifying miles and switched to Premier Qualifying Points and Premier Qualifying Flights. PQFs are fairly straightforward and represent the number of individual flight segments you travel. If you have a round-trip flight, that’s two segments. If you make a connection each way, that’s four take offs and landings for a total of four segments.

Once you get past PQFs, however, things get complicated.

Premier Qualifying Points are based on the cost of the ticket (base fare and surcharges, excluding some taxes and fees). You’ll also earn PQPs on upgrades and preferred seating in coach. These accrue at a rate of 1 PQP per dollar. So if you book a $300 ticket that includes $20 of taxes and fees, you’ll earn 280 PQPs. United displays the number of PQPs you’ll earn during the booking process.

While it’s true you can earn PQPs on partner carriers, the amount is capped. For most MileagePlus partners, you can earn a maximum of 500 PQPs in economy and premium economy class or 1,000 PQPs in first and business class. Certain airlines are “Preferred Partners” and earn a maximum of 750 or 1,500 PQPs, respectively.

Finally, you can also earn PQPs with a United co-branded credit card. For 2022 cardmembers can earn 500 PQPs for each $12,000 spent. This isn’t a lot, so I don’t recommend you rely heavily on this approach, but it could be helpful if you’re still not traveling as much as you used to pre-pandemic.

Qualification Criteria for Elite Status

You can qualify for elite status using just Premier Qualifying Points or you can use a mix of Premier Qualifying Points and Premier Qualifying Flights. When you rely entirely on PQPs the threshold is higher, so try to boost the number of flights you take if you can.

You’ll also need to complete at least four flights marketed and operated by United Airlines (with a UA flight number and United’s logo on the side). This requirement applies to every status tier.

Always remember to include your United Airlines loyalty number in your reservation if you want to earn credit for your travel. You can confirm this by reading your ticket details on confirmation online. It’s difficult to get credit if you use a different airline’s loyalty number by mistake. As a last resort, get it fixed when you check in for your flight or at the gate.

Benefits of United MileagePlus Elite Status

United’s benefits are consistent with those at Delta Air Lines and American Airlines. I’m particularly pleased by the use of Plus Points to allow more flexible upgrade options, which I’ll discuss at the end.

Premier Silver Benefits

• 40% bonus (7 miles per dollar) on flights
• 1 free checked bag
• Discounted CLEAR membership
• Complimentary upgrades to first class 24 hours before departure
• Complimentary preferred seating at booking and Economy Plus at check-in
• Instant upgrades on Y and B fares at booking

Premier Gold Benefits

• 60% bonus (8 miles per dollar) on flights
• 2 free checked bags
• Discounted CLEAR membership
• Complimentary upgrades to first class 48 hours before departure
• Complimentary preferred seating and Economy Plus at booking
• Instant upgrades on Y and B fares at booking
• Marriott Bonvoy Gold status

Premier Platinum Benefits

• 80% bonus (9 miles per dollar) on flights
• 3 free checked bags
• 40 Plus Points
• Discounted CLEAR membership
• Discounted United Club membership
• Complimentary upgrades to first class 72 hours before departure
• Complimentary preferred seating and Economy Plus at booking
• Instant upgrades on Y and B fares at booking
• Marriott Bonvoy Gold status

Premier 1K Benefits

• 120% bonus (11 miles per dollar) on flights
• 3 free checked bags
• 280 additional Plus Points
• Complimentary CLEAR membership
• Discounted United Club membership
• Complimentary upgrades to first class 96 hours before departure
• Complimentary preferred seating and Economy Plus at booking
• Complimentary snack and drink in economy class
• Instant upgrades on Y, B, and M fares at booking
• Marriott Bonvoy Gold status

More about Plus Points

Rather than issue upgrade certificates or awards, United provides its elite members with Plus Points. These are a sort of mileage currency on their own. You can redeem frequent flyer miles for a free flight, and you can redeem Plus Points for an upgrade to business or first class.

For example, a short flight might cost 20 Plus Points to move from economy to first class. An international flight might cost between 30 and 80 Plus Points to move up to business class, depending on what fare you originally booked. Plus Points can also be redeemed on certain flights operated by ANA, Lufthansa, and Copa.

Read the rest of this article at How to Earn Elite Status on United Airlines.

Those testing requirements have been weakened over time, and as of April 1 vaccinated travelers will only be required to take a single PCR test before departure with no testing on arrival. Additional travel insurance is required in case of any COVID-19 complications during your visit (see complete requirements). Singapore Airlines will also be scrapping its VTL flights, so you don’t need to worry about booking the right one.

I’m feeling pretty hopeful at this point about booking my trip. It helps that Singapore is offering a promo right now with discounted award travel from certain U.S. gateways to Singapore. You could pay just 66,500 miles in business class or even less in economy. Discounted bookings are valid for travel between April 1 and May 31. Check out James’s review of Singapore Airlines business class.

Unfortunately my own desire is to take Singapore’s fifth freedom route from Houston to Manchester, book a stopover so I can travel up to Scotland, and then continue on to Singapore. This roundabout trip is much longer than flying over the Pacific but costs roughly the same number of miles. Singapore offers a similar itinerary from New York via Frankfurt. The latter is discounted but not the Manchester route.

Read the rest of this article at Singapore Relaxes Entry Requirements for Vaccinated Travelers.

One of the longstanding benefits of Rapid Rewards was that you could purchase any ticket with points; there were no blackout dates, which wasn’t always true of traditional loyalty programs from legacy carriers. With increasing monetization of those competing programs this is no longer much of a benefit of Rapid Rewards. I’ll refer you to my earlier article about the difference between loyalty and rewards programs.

United, American, Delta, and even Alaska Airlines will let you book pretty much any flight with miles. It may not be available at their cheapest award level, but then again Southwest won’t give you a discount either. More expensive flights booked closer to departure tend to cost more no matter which program you use. In this regard Southwest is no longer unique.

Where Rapid Rewards does excel is in its transparency. It is a very explicit revenue-based program. You earn points based on how much you spend and redeem them at a specific dollar value for the flights you want. There are no upgrades available or partner airlines to game your strategy.

How to Earn Qualifying Points and Segments

You can achieve Rapid Rewards elite status using either tier qualifying points or segments. Points can be accrued either by purchasing paid flights or using your Southwest co-branded credit card. Tier qualifying points from travel depend on which type of fare you purchase.

The cheapest “Wanna Get Away” fares will earn 6 points per dollar, while the most expensive “Business Select” fares will earn 12 points per dollar, with “Anytime” fares in between at 10 points per dollar. You’ll see the exact amount of tier qualifying points displayed online when you book your flight to avoid any confusion. Points are earned on base fares only, excluding government-mandated fees. (There’s also a new Wanna Get Away Plus fare, but it’s not for sale yet.)

In addition, you can earn tier qualifying points from spend on a certain Southwest credit cards (the Rapid Rewards Plus version does not earn tier qualifying points). Every $10,000 you spend earns 1,500 tier qualifying points with no cap. You could potentially make good progress toward elite status with credit cards alone, just like in the new American AAdvantage program.

Note that any bonus points you earn from every day spend, elite status, or most partners won’t count as tier qualifying points but will help you book an award flight that much sooner.

Qualification Criteria for Elite Status

Southwest’s two elite tiers require either 35,000 or 70,000 tier qualifying points. You can also qualify with flight segments instead, completing either 25 or 50 paid flights. Points reset each year on January 1, following a standard calendar schedule. When you earn status or a Companion Pass you’ll enjoy the benefits fro the rest of that year plus all of the next year.

The Southwest Companion Pass is sort of separate from elite status, as it doesn’t confer any actual benefits aside from a free companion when you book a trip. It also has a separate category of points that are separate from Tier Qualifying Points. You’ll need 125,000 Companion Pass Qualifying Points or 100 segments to earn the Companion Pass. More details at the end about how these qualifying points are separate from tier qualifying points.

Benefits of Southwest Rapid Rewards Elite Status

Southwest doesn’t offer first class, and it doesn’t charge for checked baggage, so there isn’t a whole lot that it can offer to members who earn elite status. However, priority boarding does make it a whole lot easier to get your preferred aisle or window seat on the plane without worrying about being first to check in. You can also benefit from free same-day standby on an earlier flight without having to pay the difference in fare.

Often when people seek status in Rapid Rewards, what they’re really after is the Companion Pass. You and a designated companion can travel for the whole year while paying for only one person (the companion still pays taxes and fees). This is potentially thousands of dollars in savings depending on your travel habits.

A-List Benefits

• Automatic priority boarding, providing better access to your preferred seat
• 25% bonus on redeemable points
• Free same-day standby (excluding flights booked with points)

A-List Preferred Benefits

• Automatic priority boarding, providing better access to your preferred seat
• 100% bonus on redeemable points
• Free same-day standby (excluding flights booked with points)
• Free inflight WiFi

Companion Pass Benefits

• Designate one person who may book a free flight (excluding taxes and fees) every time you purchase or redeem points for a flight
• Your Companion Pass benefits last for the rest of this year plus all of next year

What Counts toward the Companion Pass?

Since it’s an important benefit, it bears further discussion which points count toward earning the Companion Pass and which do not. You can earn tier qualifying points toward the Companion Pass with nearly any activity such as booking flights, booking hotel and car rental reservations through Southwest’s travel portal, purchases through Southwest’s shopping portal, or using a Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card (including bonus points).

Note that this list of qualifying points is somewhat more expansive than the ways you can earn tier qualifying points for A-List and A-List Preferred status. You can actually earn most of the miles needed for a companion pass just from credit cards if you include the sign up bonuses, which count as Companion Pass qualifying points but not tier qualifying points.

Southwest is very clear about what doesn’t count toward earning the Companion Pass:

The following do not count as Companion Pass qualifying points: purchased points; points transferred between Members; points converted from hotel and car loyalty programs, e-Rewards®, Valued Opinions, and Diners Club®; points earned from Rapid Rewards program enrollment; tier bonus points; flight bonus points; and partner bonus points (with the exception of the Rapid Rewards Credit Cards from Chase). No points nor tier or Companion Pass qualifying points will be awarded for flights taken by the Companion when flying on a Companion Pass reservation.

Read the rest of this article at How to Earn Elite Status on Southwest Airlines.

Today the program is little changed. Status is still earned with either elite qualifying miles or elite qualifying segments even as other big carriers like United and American have switched to more explicit revenue-based programs that issue “points.” But on the other hand the qualification criteria for top-tier status are quite arduous. Be sure to look into getting a Delta credit card to help earn additional qualifying miles.

How to Earn Elite Qualifying Miles and Segments

You’ll need to earn a certain number of elite qualifying miles or segments by flying with Delta or its partners, or using a Delta co-branded credit card. Delta calls these “Medallion Qualifying Miles” and “Medallion Qualifying Segments”. Segments are simply the number of individual flights you take, while qualifying miles are determined as a percentage of the miles you fly. That percentage increases with more expensive fare classes.

Redeemable miles are completely separate, and are the miles you earn and redeem for free award travel. Customers earn 5 miles per dollar based on the ticket price, excluding certain fees, with bonuses for elite status.

In addition, U.S.-based customers are required to track “Medallion Qualifying Dollars,” which is the amount of money you spend on Delta base fares excluding taxes and fees. Your ticket must be marketed by Delta, meaning it has a “DL” flight number. Some partner airline tickets also count toward MQDs, but they earn just 20%. So Delta is really tracking your spend twice, by adjusting the number of MQMs you earn for more premium fares and separately counting the number of MQDs.

You can waive this MQD requirement altogether by spending at least $25,000 in a calendar year on certain Delta co-branded credit cards, but this will only apply to Silver, Gold and Platinum Medallion status. To waive the MQD requirement for Diamond Medallion status, you’ll need to spend $250,000.

MQMs, MQSs, and MQDs are accumulated during the calendar year from January 1 through December 31 and reset each year. When you reach the criteria for elite status, that status will start immediately and last through January 31 of the following year. This potentially gives you an extra month of elite status if you fail to requalify. Delta will also allow you to rollover any unused MQMs to the next year.

Qualification Criteria for Elite Status

Medallion Qualifying Miles, Points, and Dollars are earned on a calendar year from January 1 through December 31. Your status, once earned, will be valid immediately until January 31 of the following year. This gives you an extra month in case you did not satisfy all the requirements to requalify.

Remember, you need to satisfy either (1a) the Medallion Qualifying Miles requirement OR (1b) the Medallion Qualifying Segments requirement. You also need to satisfy (2) the Medallion Qualifying Dollars requirement unless you have an MQD exception from using your Delta credit card.

Always remember to include your Delta Air Lines loyalty number in your reservation if you want to earn credit for your travel. You can confirm this by reading your ticket details on confirmation online. It’s difficult to get credit if you use a different airline’s loyalty number by mistake. As a last resort, get it fixed when you check in for your flight or at the gate.

Benefits of Delta Medallion Elite Status

Delta SkyMiles has relatively generous benefits, such as companion upgrades for lower tier Silver Medallion members and free CLEAR membership and Hertz status for higher tiers. There is also some flexibility with Choice Benefits that mirror the Loyalty Choice awards issued by American AAdvantage. The redeemable miles earned, between 5 and 11 per dollar spent, are consistent with other major airlines.

Delta Silver Medallion Benefits

• 40% bonus redeemable miles (7 miles per dollar instead of 5)
• Complimentary upgrades to first class or Comfort+ on domestic routes for you and a companion starting 24 hours before departure (excluding Basic Economy)
• Complimentary upgrades on select Aeromexico flights starting 24 hours before departure
• Discounted CLEAR membership
• SkyTeam Elite status

Delta Gold Medallion Benefits

• 60% bonus redeemable miles (8 miles per dollar instead of 5)
• Complimentary upgrades to first class or Comfort+ on domestic routes for you and a companion starting 72 hours before departure (excluding Basic Economy)
• Complimentary upgrades on select Aeromexico flights starting 72 hours before departure
• Discounted CLEAR membership
• SkyTeam Elite Plus status

Delta Platinum Medallion Benefits

• 80% bonus redeemable miles (9 miles per dollar instead of 5)
• Complimentary upgrades to first class or Comfort+ on domestic routes for you and a companion starting 120 hours before departure (excluding Basic Economy)
• Complimentary upgrades on select Aeromexico flights starting 120 hours before departure
• Once-annual 20,000 bonus SkyMiles
• Opportunity to gift Silver Medallion status to a friend
• 4 Regional Upgrade certificates
• 1 Choice Benefit
• Discounted CLEAR membership
• SkyTeam Elite status
• Hertz President’s Circle status

Delta Diamond Medallion Benefits

• 120% bonus redeemable miles (11 miles per dollar instead of 5)
• Complimentary upgrades to first class or Comfort+ on domestic routes for you and a companion starting 120 hours before departure (excluding Basic Economy)
• Complimentary upgrades on select Aeromexico flights starting 120 hours before departure
• Once-annual 25,000 bonus SkyMiles (in addition to 20,000 mile Platinum bonus)
• Opportunity to gift Silver Medallion status to a friend
• 8 Regional Upgrade certificates (or 4 Global Upgrade certificates, or 2 Global + 4 Regional)
• 3 Choice Benefits
• Complimentary CLEAR membership
• SkyTeam Elite status
• Hertz President’s Circle status

Delta Million Miler Benefits

You can earn Million Miler status by accumulating 1 million or more Medallion Qualifying Miles throughout your lifetime. These are not quite miles flown, since MQMs will also vary with fare class.

One million MQMs earns lifetime Silver Medallion status, 2 and 3 million MQMs earn lifetime Gold Medallion status, and 4 million MQMs earns Platinum Medallion status. You’d need to accumulate 6 million MQMs to get lifetime Diamond Medallion status.

Read the rest of this article at How to Earn Elite Status on Delta Air Lines.

You’ll continue to earn redeemable miles (or what most people just call “miles”). Redeemable miles are the miles you use to book free tickets. One of the convenient things about loyalty points is that you’ll earn them at the same rate as redeemable miles. In other words, if you earn 1,000 miles you’ll also get 1,000 loyalty points.

Why have loyalty points then? Well, sometimes you’ll get bonus miles for a particular offer, and that won’t necessarily early loyalty points. And while points expire every year when status resets, miles can be extended indefinitely as long as you keep active in the program by earning and redeeming.

How to Earn Loyalty Points

One of the simplest ways to earn miles and loyalty points is by flying, and member with existing status will earn even faster. This means you’ll face an uphill challenge the first year but should find it easier to requalify in subsequent years.

Miles and points are earned based on the price of your ticket, excluding certain taxes and fees. You can earn as little as 5 or as much as 11 points/miles per dollar as a top-tier Executive Platinum member.

• General Member – 5 miles and 5 loyalty points per dollar
• Gold – 7 miles and 7 loyalty points per dollar
• Platinum – 8 miles and 8 loyalty points per dollar
• Platinum Pro – 9 miles and 9 loyalty points per dollar
• Executive Platinum – 11 miles and 11 loyalty points per dollar

Always remember to include your American Airlines loyalty number in your reservation if you want to earn credit for your travel. You can confirm this by reading your ticket details on confirmation online. It’s difficult to get credit if you use a different airline’s loyalty number by mistake. As a last resort, get it fixed when you check in for your flight or at the gate.

Non-Travel Opportunities

You can also earn loyalty points through a number of other activities. For example:

• Fly on partner airlines such as members of the Oneworld Alliance or other non-alliance partners including JetBlue and GOL Airlines.
• Purchase items with a co-branded AAdvantage credit card. Examples include the Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard and the Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard.
• Book vacations, hotels, car rentals, and cruises through American Airlines.
• Make purchases with other retail partners such as FTD on American’s partners page.
• Use the AAdvantage eShopping and AAdvantage Dining portals.

As you can see from this list it’s possible you could spend $200,000 on an AAdvantage credit card and earn enough loyalty points for Executive Platinum status without actually flying a single mile.

Unfortunately any bonus miles from a sign-up offer or even category bonuses (think 3X miles on airfare) do not count. Some cards do offer bonus loyalty points, but it must be made explicit, such as the 10,000 bonus loyalty points awarded each year with the Citi/AAdvantage Executive card. To avoid spending your way to bankruptcy most of you will want to combine this with other earning methods, including some flying.

I actually think the closest comparison to American’s new loyalty points system is Southwest Rapid Rewards, which also issues the same number of redeemable points and tier qualifying points. But American is unique in letting you earn through so many non-travel opportunities. More about Southwest later this week!

Qualification Criteria for Elite Status

Once you start earning loyalty points you’re going to need to know how many are required for elite status. Points reset each year on March 1, so you have one year from March 1 through February 28 (or 29) to earn as many as possible. Hit the threshold required and you’ll earn status in one of the following tiers:

When you reach the threshold, your status should update immediately and will continue until March 31 of the following year. Notice there is a one-month shift in the calendar between when you earn points and when you benefit from status. Another way to think about this is that you’ll have an extra month during March to enjoy your status even if you didn’t earn enough points by the end of February to requalify.

Your loyalty points balance and progress to elite status will be reflected on your AAdvantage account dashboard when you log in at American Airlines.

Benefits of American AAdvantage Elite Status

American Airlines is one of the world’s largest airlines, and since their alliance partner Alaska Airlines is also a large U.S. carrier, you have lots of choices to earn and redeem miles. Earning AAdvantage status means you accumulate miles and loyalty points more quickly, so it’s easier to keep in future years.

American also recently relaxed its domestic upgrade rules so that all elite members have a chance at first class without needing to earn and redeem cumbersome certificates.

American AAdvantage Gold Benefits

• Complimentary upgrades on domestic flights, beginning at 24 hours before departure
• Complimentary seating in Main Cabin Extra if seats are available at check-in, and complimentary Preferred seats at booking
• 1 free checked bag
• 40% bonus miles and loyalty points (7 points per dollar instead of 5)
• Oneworld Ruby status

American AAdvantage Platinum Benefits

• Complimentary upgrades on domestic flights, beginning at 48 hours before departure
• Complimentary seating in Main Cabin Extra and Preferred seats at booking
• 2 free checked bag
• 60% bonus miles and loyalty points (8 points per dollar instead of 5)
• Oneworld Sapphire status

American AAdvantage Platinum Pro Benefits

• Complimentary upgrades on domestic flights, beginning at 72 hours before departure
• Complimentary seating in Main Cabin Extra and Preferred seats at booking
• 3 free checked bag
• 80% bonus miles and loyalty points (9 points per dollar instead of 5)
• Oneworld Emerald status

American AAdvantage Executive Platinum Benefits

• Complimentary upgrades on domestic flights, beginning at 100 hours before departure
• Complimentary seating in Main Cabin Extra or Preferred seats at booking
• Complimentary food and drink items when seated in the Main Cabin
• 3 free checked bags
• 120% bonus miles and loyalty points (11 points per dollar instead of 5)
• Oneworld Emerald status, and the ability to upgrade to first class on Alaska Airlines

American AAdvantage Million Miler Benefits

In addition to the standard elite tiers, you have the opportunity to earn Million Miler status, which means you’ve flown a million miles. This is still measured by actual miles flown and not using loyalty points. American AAdvantage tracks both your actual distance flown on American Airlines-operated flights as well as base miles (excluding bonuses) on eligible partner-operated flights.

One million miles flown will earn you lifetime Gold elite status and 35,000 bonus redeemable miles. Fly two million miles to earn lifetime Platinum status. You’ll also get 4 one-way systemwide upgrades every year.

Loyalty Choice Awards

And just when you thought loyalty points made it so simple, ditching miles and segments out the window, American introduced Loyalty Choice Awards. These require both loyalty points AND a minimum of 30 qualifying flight segments. You get additional choices each time you reach a new tier.

• Level 1: 125,000 points and 30 qualifying flight segments
• Level 2: 200,000 points
• Level 3: 350,000 points
• Level 4: 550,000 points
• Level 5: 750,000 points

So you see it’s possible to get level 1 as a Platinum Pro member if you also fly 30 segments, and levels 1 and 2 as an Executive Platinum member. While you could potentially earn these elite tiers without setting foot on a single plane, you wouldn’t earn Loyalty Choice Awards if you took that approach.

Level 1 earns a single choice, while each additional level earns two more choices. Choices include such perks as system wide upgrades, bonus redeemable miles, Admirals Club day passes, $200 trip credits, or gifting elite status to a friend.

Read the rest of this article at How to Earn Elite Status on American Airlines.

Either way you cut it, this is a pretty lucrative deal. At 15,000 miles for $119 you’re paying about 0.8 cents per mile, and I consider United miles worth about 1.5 to 2 cents each. That’s enough miles to redeem for a free one-way domestic flight!

CLEAR is a pre-screening service that works in addition to TSA checkpoints, saving you the time you wait in line to check your ID and boarding pass. You still need to go through the actual security screen, which may involve taking off your shoes and belt if you’re not signed up for TSA PreCheck. I don’t think CLEAR makes sense for everyone. Some airports are pretty efficient. But at my home airport in Austin, Texas, the security lines are often insane and full of tourists. CLEAR easily saves me 10 minutes or more on every trip.

I already have a CLEAR membership that I got for free through an American Express promotion, and if you’re an American Express Platinum Card member then you can get the CLEAR membership fee reimbursed as part of your regular card benefits. For those who don’t have one of those perks, this sign-up offer is one of the better ones out there and may be worth it just to get the miles even if you don’t see yourself using the membership.

Read the rest of this article at Earn 15,000 United Miles When You Join CLEAR.

The Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program is one of the few to still issue elite qualifying miles based on the distance you fly rather than the amount you spend for your ticket. Alaska also is the only carrier that still publishes a fixed award chart — although not all redemptions are a great value. This makes it appealing to those who aren’t a big fan of measuring their loyalty in dollars.

Elite qualifying miles are tracked separately from redeemable miles, which are the kind you redeem for free flights and other awards. Redeemable miles are also a lot easier to earn, with frequent bonuses, travel partners, shopping portals, and through credit card spend, etc.

Meanwhile, elite qualifying miles are pretty much only earned by flying. There have been a few limited promotions that let you earn qualifying miles with a credit card, but these are often targeted and only started appearing in the last year. It’s not clear that they will become a frequent occurrence so you should not rely on them.

In addition to elite qualifying miles there are elite qualifying segments, which are individual flights flown regardless of distance. Segments may be useful to track if you often take short flights or trips with lots of connections. You only need to qualify for elite status using miles or segments, not both.

However, there is one additional requirement that applies to all elite status tiers: You must take a minimum number of flights marketed and operated by Alaska Airlines. You could theoretically earn a lot of elite qualifying miles and segments by flying exclusively on Alaska’s Oneworld Alliance partners, but that wouldn’t be enough. You need to have a certain minimum number of flights on Alaska itself, and those flights need to be issued by Alaska (with an Alaska flight number) and not a codeshare.

How to Earn Elite Qualifying Miles and Segments

Elite qualifying miles are fairly straightforward to earn on Alaska Airlines. Every mile flown is a mile earned, and you can see the number of miles when you book or look it up on a tool like GCMap. Certain premium fares earn bonus elite qualifying miles, such as first class tickets that earn between 50% and 100% bonus miles. That means if your flight was 2,000 miles and you purchased a full-fare J ticket in first class, you’d earn 4,000 total elite qualifying miles, plus one elite qualifying segment (there’s no bonus on segments).

All flights on Alaska Airlines have a 500-mile minimum. You will always earn at least 500 redeemable and 500 elite qualifying miles.

Earning elite qualifying miles on a partner airline is more complicated. Many adjust the number of miles both up and down depending on which fare you purchase. Some highly discounted flights on American Airlines in the N and O fare classes earn just 25% of the distance flown, for example. But it’s still based on distance and not price. In the unlikely event that you find a very cheap ticket in a premium fare class, you could do well.

Qualification Criteria for Elite Status

Remember, you need to satisfy either (1a) the Elite Qualifying Miles requirement OR (1b) the Elite Qualifying Segments requirement. You also need to satisfy (2) the Alaska-operated flights requirement. Flights marketed and operated by Alaska Airlines will have a flight number beginning with “AS” and Alaska’s name is on the side of the plane.

Always remember to include your Alaska Airlines loyalty number in your reservation if you want to earn credit for your travel. You can confirm this by reading your ticket details on confirmation online. It’s difficult to get credit if you use a different airline’s loyalty number by mistake. As a last resort, get it fixed when you check in for your flight or at the gate.

Benefits of Alaska Mileage Plan Elite Status

Alaska Mileage Plan status is unusually generous when it comes to domestic routes because the carrier has a limited international network. That includes perks like complimentary first class upgrades at booking, lower elite qualifying requirements, extra bonus miles, and free lounge access included with first class tickets. All members can also enjoy Alaska’s unique Parental Leave policy that extends your status when you have a new child.

MVP Elite Benefits

• Complimentary upgrades on all flights, excluding a companion, beginning at 48 hours before departure
• Complimentary upgrade at booking for Y and B fares
• Complimentary seating in Premium Class at booking on Y, B, and H fares
• 2 free checked bags
• 50% bonus redeemable miles
• Oneworld Ruby status

MVP Gold Elite Benefits

• Complimentary upgrades on all flights for you and a companion, beginning at 72 hours before departure
• Complimentary upgrade at booking for Y, B, H, and K fares
• 4 one-way guest upgrade certificates on Alaska Airlines
• Complimentary seating in Premium Class at booking on Y, B, H, K, M, L, V, S and N fares
• Complimentary drink in Main Cabin
• 2 free checked bags
• 100% bonus redeemable miles
• Oneworld Sapphire status

MVP Gold 75K Elite Benefits

• Complimentary upgrades on all flights for you and a companion, beginning at 120 hours before departure
• Complimentary upgrade at booking for Y, B, H, K, and M fares
• 4 one-way guest upgrade certificates on Alaska Airlines and 1 systemwide upgrade certificates on American Airlines
• Complimentary seating in Premium Class at booking (any fare except Saver)
• Complimentary drink in Main Cabin
• 3 free checked bags
• 125% bonus redeemable miles and a once-annual bonus of 50,000 miles upon qualifying
• Oneworld Emerald status

MVP Gold 100K Elite Benefits

• Complimentary upgrades on all flights for you and a companion, beginning at 120 hours before departure
• Complimentary upgrade at booking for Y, B, H, K, and M fares
• 4 one-way guest upgrade certificates on Alaska Airlines and 2 systemwide upgrade certificates on American Airlines
• Complimentary seating in Premium Class at booking (any fare except Saver)
• Complimentary drink and stack in Main Cabin
• 3 free checked bags
• 150% bonus redeemable miles (plus the once-annual 50,000 miles earned upon qualifying for 75K)
• Oneworld Emerald status

Mileage Plan Million Miler Benefits

In addition to the standard tiers, you have the option to earn Million Miler status with Alaska Mileage Plan, which means you’ve flown one million miles on Alaska-operated flights. Partner flights don’t count, nor do bonus miles or credit card miles. Million Miler status includes MVP Gold status for life but confers no other special perks. At this time there are no benefits for earning two million miles or more.

Alaska Lounge Membership

It’s worth noting that Alaska Airlines is also pretty generous with access to its Alaska Lounge network. All elite tiers get a discount on annual membership, ranging from $50 off for MVP Gold to $150 off for MVP Gold 75K and 100K members. The network isn’t large, but for an additional charge you can purchase an extended membership that also includes access to American’s Admiral Club network and a few other partner lounges.

Not feeling spendy? In an unusual perk for a domestic airline, all first class customers receive complimentary Alaska Lounge access, but only if you actually pay for first class. Upgraded passengers must have a membership or day pass.

Read the rest of this article at How to Earn Elite Status on Alaska Airlines.

You need to book by March 22, 2022, stay between April 1 and May 31, and use the promo code PRIVATE to enjoy these discounts. Keep in mind that some room rates must be pre-paid and are non-refundable. Complete terms are on the Hyatt offer page. Here’s a summary:

• Americas — Full prepayment is required, but you can cancel up to 72 hours before arrival for no charge. There is no food and beverage discount.
• Europe, Africa, Middle East & Southwest Asia — Like the Americas, full prepayment is required with the ability to cancel up to 72 hours before arrival for no charge. Breakfast is included, and there is a 20% food and beverage discount at select on-property restaurants.
• Asia-Pacific (excluding mainland China) — One-night prepayment is required and will not be refunded if you cancel. There is a 10% food and beverage discount at select on-property restaurants.
• Mainland China — Not participating.

You can get discounts at some of Hyatt’s best properties, too, like the Alila Marea Beach Resort near Encinitas, California. Standard rates are $681, but World of Hyatt members who log in can pay $650. Use the promo code PRIVATE to save even more and pay just $511. The rate may be pre-paid, but the terms clearly state it’s refundable if you cancel with enough notice.

Another example is the Grand Hyatt Singapore (and the nearby Andaz Singapore). It’s one of my favorite hotels in Southeast Asia and where I usually stay when visiting the city. Singaporean hotels are already quite cheap due to the limited tourism and business travel, but rules are loosening and there are now flights on Singapore Airlines specially dedicated to vaccinated travelers. You can pay as little as USD$143 with the PRIVATE discount code, plus enjoy an additional 10% off food and beverage. The specific restaurants aren’t named, but I’d bet they include the Straits Kitchen, which offers a selection of hawker market-style cuisine.

Read the rest of this article at Hyatt’s Private Sale (25% Off) Ends This Weekend.

The current mask mandate was recently extended to April 18 by executive action. This bill is essentially seeking to overrule President Biden’s authority to enforce such a mandate. However, it’s not clear that the U.S. House would even bring the measure up for a vote or that it would pass if it did.

Frankly, I think it’s more likely that the existing mandate will expire as planned next month. It’s true that it was extended several times before. But this latest extension was only for a month. When I heard about it I saw it as sort of a punt. Whatever your views on the effectiveness of masking, there are some reasonable political and public health calculations that probably justified it.

It’s probably not great politically to be the first ones to repeal a mandate. Let someone else go first. The U.K. has done that. It’s also probably not wise to repeal the mandate right in the middle of spring break, especially with so much of the recent uptick in travel happening around tourism, not business travel.

Finally, I personally wouldn’t repeal the mandate without a plan made in concert with airlines. Much as the Federal Reserve signals interest rate increases months before actually voting on it, I view this as a signal while the Biden administration discusses with the FAA, CDC, and airlines on how to roll out a repeal.

I’ve flown several times during the mask mandate and never felt particularly afraid of getting sick, though I have noticed spotty enforcement by airports and airlines recently. I also don’t think it’s much of a burden. I mean, come on folks, you have to wear pants to get on an airplane, what’s so hard about wearing a mask on your face for a few hours?

But this has become an emotional battle, not a rational one. Whether it’s by repeal or expiration I look forward to the end of masks just so there’s one less thing to argue about.

Read the rest of this article at Senate Votes to Repeal Travel Mask Mandate in Latest Vote.

Witness American Airlines revamping its loyalty program, and even Alaska Airlines offering a (limited) means to acquire elite qualifying miles through credit card spend. Even Hilton has become more transactional instituting a fixed daily food and beverage credit instead of offering “complimentary” breakfast.

But if you’ve been reading my posts for a while – I started blogging in the heady days of 2010 – you’d know that I’m squarely in the loyalty camp.

There will always be “rewards” programs that provide transactional benefits equivalent to a cash back card if only more complicated. United, Delta, and American all have rewards programs that issue miles based on how much you spend, and now that they’ve ditched published award charts, you’ll tend to redeem miles relative to price, as well.

Loyalty is something else. Loyalty is when you choose a provider not because of cost but because of service. The only way to return that loyalty is in kind: more of that quality service, not quality or discounts.

Hilton and American Airlines are two of the quintessential rewards programs.

You can essentially buy Hilton Honors Diamond status with a credit card for $450 a year, less if you net out the free nights and other credit card benefits. Actual upgrades are rare, and the other perks like breakfast, as I mentioned, are dollar-denominated. Is this bad? No. I have a Hilton credit card and book with them fairly often. But I don’t call it loyalty.

American Airlines, meanwhile, is well known for having a huge liability on its books from all the miles issued through AAdvantage. Award prices seem random – you could end up with a 20,000-mile web special award to Cancun one day or a 100,000-mile award in economy the next just due to inventory fluctuations.

Southwest, despite good service, has had an explicit rewards program for years now. Even same day changes aren’t “free”, they just don’t tack on a fee after you pay the fare difference — which may be much higher than some other airlines’ change fees. Hotel chains like Marriott have steadily drained the goodwill from acquisitions like Starwood. InterContinental Hotels is another example that explicitly sells status.

None of this is intrinsically bad. Some people like the transparency. Some people will never save up for the free business class flight to Bora Bora. But it doesn’t mean traditional loyalty programs are dead.

What evidence do we have that loyalty is still with us? You won’t like the answer. A lot of it has to do with policies against extending status, points, and reward certificates. Because when everyone has status, it isn’t really loyalty is it? Free status is just a way of driving more incremental revenue from customers who might shift a little more business your way.

Earned status is a commitment over the course of a whole year before you actually get to enjoy the benefits. You’re essentially slogging through 50 nights or 50,000 miles of being treated like an ordinary customer before you finally reach your qualifying tier. Only then do you get to enjoy the benefits next year. And the perks aren’t worth anything if you just stop traveling and coast, so you’re promising yourself (and the business) that you’ll do it all over again.

Miles to Memories wrote a post criticizing elite status after I drafted my own article. It raises some good points but ultimately describes a twisted version of loyalty that I don’t recognize.

I stay loyal to Alaska because I actually get upgraded on my cheap flights and don’t worry about hotel suites, unless the hotel is literally the destination, such as Bali or the Maldives. I generally book non-stop, using miles when my favorite carrier isn’t available, likewise booking boutique hotels if there’s no Hyatt. Three of my four suite upgrades expired worthless last year. There are plenty of ways to stay loyal without it distorting your decision making ability.

What makes it worthwhile? First, the service better be good enough as an ordinary customer without status. Second, there need to be few enough loyal members that you stand out from the crowd. Not everyone can be special.

For the business, it’s a gamble. Your program needs to offer richer rewards to match the effort required, so is it actually going to pay off when competitors are offering diamond and platinum cards to anyone with a pulse? In some cases, yes. There’s a whole study of customer lifetime value that touches on psychology and probability theory.

Add to that the value of being different. You can’t stand out in a competitive marketplace when everyone is doing the same thing. What exactly is the difference between United and Delta, or between Hilton and Marriott, aside from trivial issues of convenience and location. They have become essentially interchangeable. A traditional loyalty program, while requiring more effort and risk, may be exactly what helps drive customer engagement.

I’m fortunate to have good contacts at Alaska Airlines who have all consistently stated their desire to stick with a milage-based loyalty program. You earn miles proportional to how far you fly, albeit some discounted tickets earn at a reduced rate and premium cabins earn bonuses. Hyatt relaxed its threshold for requalifying in 2021, but it didn’t offer blanket extensions or issue extra elite qualifying nights like others.

You know what else is unusual about these programs? People like them. I know there are people who think Alaska Airlines is only in Alaska, but it’s a huge West Coast airline that has a very loyal following in the Pacific Northwest in particular. (For my New York readers: think JetBlue but bigger.) Hyatt, meanwhile, has been on an expansionist binge, buying up smaller chains while actually raising the requirements for status. Yet it continues to be first on everyone’s mind when they get frustrated with benefit cuts elsewhere.

Loyalty doesn’t work when you hate your travel provider, or when you resignedly stick with them just because of convenience or price. That’s not loyalty. That’s a lack of decent alternatives. Loyalty is when you take an extra connection or stay 20 minutes outside of downtown because you won’t put up with another crappy flight or missed upgrade.

And loyalty has to be earned at some point. I coasted at the start of the pandemic because I already had a status extension from Alaska Airlines when my son was born. Then everyone got another extension because they couldn’t travel. Now the TSA is actually screening more passengers on a daily basis in 2021 than they were in 2019. There has been some relaxation but no outright extensions for 2022.

Guess what? I got my butt in a seat and flew. Not quite enough to meet the usual requirements but enough when including the 50% bonus and credit card miles offered on a one-time basis. Likewise, I stayed with Hyatt. Not the full 60 nights, but at least 30. I’ll keep Globalist status even if I don’t get all the suite upgrade awards.

I’ve also kept my status with a few other chains through more generous extensions. The service hasn’t been anything spectacular. You’d almost think they don’t want my business. But they probably have so many elite members, and corporate knows I didn’t do much to earn it.

I haven’t felt that way at Hyatt. I haven’t felt that way at Alaska Airlines. We’re loyal to each other. They’ll keep my business far beyond this pandemic because they’ve never treated it as a purely transactional relationship.

Read the rest of this article at It’s too Soon to Declare the End of the Frequent Flyer.

It comes on the heels of a much more generous offer last fall when you could earn 2,500 elite qualifying miles for every $2,500 spent — a 1:1 ratio instead of the new 1:5 ratio. However, the old offer was capped at 20,000 elite qualifying miles over a brief two-month window. This new offer is unlimited and runs through the end of the year. It’s very similar to how the Hyatt Visa from Chase offers one elite qualifying night toward status with every $5,000 spent. You won’t easily earn status through credit card spend alone, and it’s not a great offer. But it makes the card more compelling than it was before.

It used to be that, as a general rule, credit cards didn’t help you earn elite status with the airline. Miles were classified as either elite-qualifying (good for status, but little else) or redeemable (good for awards, but not status). Credit cards, flying, just about everything under the sun earns redeemable miles — and still does. But elite-qualifying miles could only be earned by flying.

Now more airlines are blurring the lines. Delta has long offered a few thousand elite qualifying miles (EQM) with its Amex cards. American has started using credit card spend as a way to earn elite qualifying “loyalty points,” though it will take an awful lot of spend to get yourself all the way to Executive Platinum.

Alaska has long had a weak credit card in my view. As much as I love the airline the card isn’t good for much since it earns just one mile per dollar on non-airline spend and doesn’t provide many benefits you can’t already enjoy as a member with elite status. I keep it solely for the annual companion fare, which could potentially save a couple hundred bucks on high-value destinations like Hawaii and Latin America.

These recent offers to earn elite qualifying miles are tempting me to start spending more on my Alaska Airlines credit card, but only temporarily. To start including it in my regular rotation we need to see something more permanent. I mentioned the similarities to Hyatt’s credit card benefits. I have used my Hyatt card to cover large purchases in the past for this exact reason, and I used my Alaska Airlines card for a similar purpose last fall to maximize the offer. Hopefully this gets rolled out to all cardmembers and becomes a regular feature in future years. The current offer may be a test run before such a change.

Read the rest of this article at Another Chance to Boost Elite Status with the Alaska Airlines Credit Card.

You’ll earn 2,500 bonus points for each stay completed between January 1 and May 1, 2022, which means you must check out between those dates. You must also register for the promotion before your stay. Bonus points do not count toward elite status, and other rules may apply.

If you don’t already have a Hilton Honors account, there’s also a promotion on the front page of Hilton.com advertising 5,000 bonus points on each of your first two stays when you enroll.

2,500 bonus points per stay isn’t a lot. If you think points are worth about 0.5 cents each, that’s $12.50 per stay. However, with some cheaper hotels charging around 25,000 points a night a better way of thinking about this may be that you can complete 10 stays and get one night free. For more expensive properties charging 50,000 points a night it’s buy 20 stays, get one night free.

As you can see, it really helps those who have lots of short stays rather than a couple of longer stays. Remember that checking in and out of the same hotel on subsequent dates may not be considered separate stays. Frequent business travelers who have many short stays may benefit the most.

Read the rest of this article at Get 2,500 Bonus Points per Stay with Hilton Points Unlimited.

One of the best features of National’s Emerald Club loyalty program is the ability to choose your vehicle from the Emerald Aisle. Because the keys are already in the vehicle, it’s made those frequent trips much faster and more convenient. I can walk off a five-hour flight and get to the hotel in under an hour without ever waiting in line for my car.

But as business travel returns, it hasn’t been easy to qualify for status the regular way by completing rentals over the course of a year. Emerald Club tier status was set to expire in February 2022, but National has extended it for members until the end of February 2023. That means your status today will last another 14 months at least. Still have some free days sitting in your account? Those were extended before and will be extended again until December 31, 2022.

And the best part is that you don’t even need elite status to enjoy many of the best perks. Every Emerald Club member can choose a car from the Emerald Aisle (where available) when they reserve a midsize vehicle or above. And after seven rentals, you can redeem a credit for a free day! Features like these have led to National’s Emerald Club earning the top spot on Newsweek magazine’s 2021 list of America’s Best Loyalty Programs in the Car Rental category. Emerald Club ranked first in its category based on Ease and Enjoyment, Benefit, Overall Satisfaction, Customer Support, and Trust.

More frequent renters like me can work their way up to elite status with even greater benefits. Executive and Executive Elite tiers earn free rentals faster and receive guaranteed upgrades in the US and Canada. Executive status begins after just 12 paid rentals and top-tier Executive Elite after 25 paid rentals.

For all the attention given to airlines and hotels, I really think that car rentals deserve a little more priority in your travel plans. You’ll probably spend more time driving in a rental than you will sitting on the plane, and a comfortable upgrade requires a relatively small premium compared to a first class ticket.

And unlike most flights, rental cars are easy to book and cancel as plans change. I love that all of National’s reservations are pay-on-arrival so I’m not locked in should my travel change. Some car rentals have been more expensive lately due to pandemic-related inventory issues across the industry, so I recommend you book early. Overall, I’ve still found that when renting from National Car Rental, I find a great selection to choose from in the Emerald Aisle.

In the past, most of my travel has been leisure oriented. I’ve even rented cars to take one-way road trips down the California coast or to see national parks in the Rockies. It’s the best of both worlds to see the scenery along the way while not having to worry about the long drive back. Size and comfort also matter when you have to pack your own gear, which is a concern for us given we own a small sedan.

My wife, on the other hand, travels frequently for business to different cities all over the country, typically just a night or two. She values the ability to choose the same make and model every time so she’s already familiar with the handling and how easy it is to park. Plus, driving a rental is almost certainly safer than rideshare options as the pandemic remains a concern. It’s almost like having a second family car.

With all of these regular bookings, my wife easily earns a couple of free days per year that she can redeem on a family vacation to Hawaii or something similar. Remember, all members get a free rental day after seven paid bookings. But Executive members get a free day after just 6 bookings, and Executive Elite after five. That means Executive Elite members are potentially earning five free days (25 qualifying rentals divided by five rentals per free day) just in the ordinary course of requalifying for status.

Be sure to sign up for the National Car Rental Emerald Club if you haven’t already. All it takes is providing your credit card and driver’s license info, which you’d need to do anyway during your next rental.

With your details on file, you’ll never have to wait at the counter again at locations that have an Emerald Aisle. Just book at least a midsize rental and pick the vehicle you like. Even though upgrades are only guaranteed for Executive members, I’ve still found small SUVs and sports cars in the Emerald Aisle, which makes for a great free upgrade on special trips. Our next reservation with National will be at Salt Lake City for a family ski vacation. Four-wheel drive will definitely be appreciated on any icy roads.

It’s still unclear where the travel industry is heading in 2022. I remain optimistic about the continued return of both leisure and business travel. Status extensions have been the only reason I’ve been able to keep my position in multiple loyalty programs in the meantime, so I’m thankful to companies like National Car Rental for giving customers another year to get back on the road.

Read the rest of this article at National’s Award-Winning Emerald Club Extends Elite Tier Status Until February 2023.

Eligible stays include nearly any points redemption including Free Night Awards, Points + Cash stays, room upgrades, and points redeemed for dining and spa services. The points must be redeemed at properties in one of Hyatt’s Independent Collection brands, including The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, Destination by Hyatt and JdV by Hyatt.

Hyatt has been on an acquisition spree in recent years with several new brands under its belt. It also tried to differentiate them from each other by grouping them into three buckets: the Timeless Portfolio (e.g., Park Hyatt and Hyatt Regency), the Boundless Portfolio (e.g., boutique properties like Andaz and Thompson), and the Independent Collection.

I’ve personally had a few good stays at properties in the Unbound Collection, which includes stand-outs like the Royal Palms Resort & Spa. I have less experience with Destinations by Hyatt except for being aware of the properties before they became part of Hyatt. They also include many condo/timeshare properties in Maui if you’re looking for an alternative to a pricey hotel.

Joie de Vivre is completely foreign to me. I can’t recall being aware of the brand prior to its acquisition. However, they’re opening some new hotels such as the Mission Pacific Hotel in Oceanside, CA, adjacent to another property part of Destinations by Hyatt. My family was planning a trip to San Diego this summer to escape the Texas heat, and I think heading up to Oceanside sounds more pleasant than the busy city. I know some people are talking up the recently opened Alila nearby, but that seems a better option for couples, not a boy prince who demands bananas at 4 AM.

Don’t forget you can redeem points for a free night award and still apply a Globalist suite upgrade to your stay. There are many good opportunities to take advantage of this promotion even though it applies to just three of Hyatt’s several brands. Hyatt is taking this opportunity to remind people that they now have more hotels in more destinations, including existing properties and new construction.

Read the rest of this article at Hyatt Will Rebate 25% of Points on Summer Stays at Select Brands.

For the 2021 program year, World of Hyatt elite status qualifications will be reduced 50% whether you choose to earn your status with qualifying nights or base points. (Base points are calculated on the amount you spend at Hyatt properties, regardless of how many nights you stay, and do not include bonus points.)

Reduced 2021 World of Hyatt elite status qualifications include: 

• Discoverist – Stay five Tier-Qualifying Nights or earn 12,500 Base Points
• Explorist – Stay 15 Tier-Qualifying Nights or earn 25,000 Base Points
• Globalist – Stay 30 Tier-Qualifying Nights or earn 50,000 Base Points

This is great news. A 50% reduction in qualification criteria acknowledges that some travel is resuming even if we don’t know yet how long it will take to return to normal. I think the recent announcement of multiple Covid-19 vaccines is a promising sign, but it isn’t going to fix things overnight. It could take months and likely more than  a year to manufacture and administer these vaccines to a global population.

I personally achieved Globalist status this year through almost exclusive use of my World of Hyatt credit card to pay for new furniture and a home remodel, while also making it my primary card for many everyday purchases. The card offers 2 qualifying nights per $5,000 spent and for a time this summer was offering a bonus night — total of 3 nights — for each $5,000. So you can definitely earn status without a lot of nights in a hotel. But I don’t expect that spending spree to continue, so lower qualification criteria are welcome.

And remember that Hyatt has already announced that stays booked this fall through the end of the year will count twice for earning status in the 2020 and 2021 program years. Bonus Journeys includes double elite night credit, plus 3X points on every stay. That means a recent night I booked at a Hyatt House over Thanksgiving will earn me a credit now and again next year. I’ll also get 5 nights at the start of 2021 thanks to my World of Hyatt credit card from Chase.

So that puts me at 6 nights already without completing a single stay in 2021. Since Hyatt is lowering the qualification requirements by 50%, I’ll need a total of 30 nights — 24 more in my case — to re-qualify for Globalist next year. That should be pretty easy to swing. Resorts in Hawaii are beginning to reopen, and my wife and I really hope that we can take our son there next year. Hyatt is currently offering between 15% and 25% off free night redemptions through February, and recent rule changes mean that award nights count toward status, too.

What are your plans for 2021? Do you see yourself beginning to travel more often, or have you already hit the road? How much will these new lower criteria help your strategy to maintain status in an age of reduced travel and social distancing?

Read the rest of this article at Hyatt Providing Faster Path to Elite Status in 2021.

So it’s great news that any current Executive or Executive Elite members in National’s Emerald Club will receive an automatic extension of their status through February 28, 2022. Furthermore, any free rental days you’ve already earned as part of this award-winning loyalty program will be extended with a new expiration date of December 31, 2021. Together this will make it easier than ever to maintain your loyalty even if it’s more difficult to travel right now.

Status with Emerald Club normally runs through February of the following year, and free rental days normally expire in December. This decision effectively provides an extra year of benefits without having to complete any paid rentals and gives you more time to use the free rental days you’ve already earned.

Many travel providers have been extending status to their members this year, and National is now the first rental car company to extend its benefits for a full year. This has been great for me, personally since I have top-tier status with . Earlier restrictions on travel would have made it challenging to keep my 2020 status active with my favorite airlines and hotels. A rental car is also an important part of many trips. Who wants to step off their upgraded flight and get into a sub-compact?

When programs like Emerald Club extend their benefits, it’s the best example of loyalty between a brand and its customers because it acknowledges that this relationship extends beyond a single program year. We all need to stick things out together, making compromises until the situation improves.

Paid Rental Credits Roll Over to 2021

National’s announcement is even more generous than the title suggests. Let’s say you did manage to get some travel in before the spring lockdowns or perhaps you’ve been willing to take a few excursions as things have opened back up. As a result, the paid rental credits you’ve earned and any free rental days could roll over to the next program year.

For example, if you already have Executive status with Emerald Club and have earned 15 rentals this year, then you would only need 12 rentals to maintain your Executive status. Because your Executive status has been extended through February 2022, the extra three  rentals will roll over to the 2021 program year. You would only need nine more rentals to renew your status through February 2023.

That means even if you haven’t been traveling as much as you expected during 2020, any trips you still manage to take would give you a head start on earning status during 2021.

Emerald Club Saves Time, Even for Infrequent Renters

National Car Rental’s Emerald Club is one of the best choices in the industry because of the convenience and choice it provides its members. As someone who’s been traveling over 100,000 miles a year for nearly a decade, I can tell you that convenience matters more to me than anything else when choosing a loyalty program. All those little time savers really add up.

But National isn’t the only rental program that keeps your information on file so you can skip the line. That’s why choice is also important.

Many of National’s locations in the U.S. and Canada have an Emerald Aisle that lets you select any vehicle you like when you reserve a midsize car or above. This is available to all members just by signing up for a free Emerald Club membership.

You can keep moving faster by confirming your rental and payment details with Emerald Checkout, which provides an easy mobile option instead of handling paperwork at the exit booth. You’ll also start earning one free rental day with every seven qualified car rentals.

Automatic Upgrades for Elite Members

Executive members who complete 12 paid rentals or 40 paid rental days earn free rentals even faster and get to choose their car from an exclusive Executive Area with guaranteed upgrades in the U.S. and Canada.

But here’s a thought: National is offering to roll over some excess rental credits to the 2021 program year. Instead of just setting a lower bar to keep your existing status, you could use this as an opportunity to move up a rung to Executive Elite.

What It’s Like to Travel during 2020

The last several months have been trying times for many of us. Austin is one of the lucky places with a flattening curve of new infections, but my wife and I have still been working from home since March – much of that time without childcare for our toddler – and had to cancel some travel plans.

But there have also been some positive signs. My family took two short trips over the summer and were impressed by how carefully travel providers were implementing their new safety and cleanliness protocols, such as National’s Complete Clean Pledge with attention to over 20 high-touch surfaces. I just got back home after a solo road trip from California to Texas, renting a car and staying in five hotels along the way. I can tell you that everyone is taking this seriously.

Now we’re thinking of renting an SUV for a family road trip to see nearby national parks over the holidays. There are certainly ways to travel safely, with or without flying, and these experiences have given my wife and I confidence that we don’t need to stay at home all the time. National already announced that members can use their free rental days at neighborhood Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations for reservations made by the end of the year, which is perfect for this kind of road trip.

We all play a part in continuing to live and travel safely until we see this through. Meanwhile, extending elite status and free rental days is a nice touch that rewards long-term loyalty.

Read the rest of this article at Sponsored: National’s Emerald Club Tier Status and Free Rental Days Extended a Full Year.

This two-day buy one, get one sale allows travelers to “Get the Row” by paying just the taxes and fees for a second seat when they fly with Alaska Airlines through October 31. The middle seat is already blocked on most aircraft, so you needn’t worry about someone sitting next to you. Take advantage of that when you fly with a companion! Book a second person and pay just the taxes and fees so you two get the entire row to yourselves.

“Get the Row” sale pricing applies for travel between August 7 and October 31 and must bet purchased by 11:59 PM Pacific Time on August 9, 2020. You’ll still pay the taxes and fees on the second ticket, but no base fare will be charged This makes it an even better deal than the Alaska Airlines Visa card’s annual companion fare, which has a $99 base fare.

Here’s how it works:

1. In the booking form on this page, enter your departure and arrival cities, dates, and 2 travelers.
2. Enter GETTHEROW into the discount code field, and then click “Find flights” to start your search.
3. Be sure to select your window and aisle seats.

This deal offers a great way to rebook your vacation plans along with the comfort and reassurance that Alaska Airlines takes physical distancing seriously. (Unlike some carriers that have decided to pack them as full as possible.)

Alaska plans to continue blocking middle seats through the end of October and will reconsider the policy as necessary. Even on smaller planes like the Embraer 175, I’ve noticed that the aisle seats are blocked on one side of the aisle, creating a 1-2 configuration throughout the entire main cabin, not just first class.

Other health and safety measures include stronger face mask policies that apply to all travelers over the age of two with no exceptions. That applies onboard as well as ticket counters and gate areas. Travelers who refuse to wear a mask will not be allowed to fly. Flight attendants can issue a yellow card–just like in soccer–to warn passengers who disregard this requirement. And what happens next?

Going forward, if a guest chooses not to comply after receiving the yellow card, his or her travel with Alaska will be suspended immediately upon landing.  Any remaining portion of the guest’s itinerary will be canceled – including connecting or return flights – along with any future trips the guest has booked. The guest will be provided with a full refund for any unused travel and will be responsible for making their own travel arrangements from that point.

The airline continues to use enhanced cabin cleaning procedures like electrostatic disinfectants and will be extending its Peace of Mind waiver for flights booked by September 8, waiving change and cancellation fees if travelers need to change their plans.

BOGO Discount Terms & Conditions

Buy one coach class ticket at the regular price and get a second ticket on the same flight for just the taxes and fees. Discount code is valid for 50% off Main base fare levels published at alaskaair.com. Valid for itineraries with exactly two people, traveling together and booked and ticketed at the same time in the same reservation and at the same fare; valid for one-way or round-trip travel. Not valid on Saver or First Class fares.

Discount code is valid between all Alaska Airlines cities, excluding Prudhoe Bay (SCC). Not all flights operate on all days. Discount does not apply to government-imposed taxes and airport fees. Cannot be combined with other promotions. Discount code must be applied towards purchase of ticket by 11:59 pm PT on August 9, 2020.

Travel is valid now through October 31, 2020. Travel to Hawaii or Mexico is valid Sunday through Thursday, travel from Hawaii or Mexico is valid Monday through Friday, and travel between all other cities is valid Monday through Thursday, and Saturday.

Valid for new ticket purchases only.  If the itinerary is canceled or changed, any refund or credit issued will be for the discounted price for each ticket.

Read the rest of this article at Alaska Makes It Cheaper to “Get the Row” with New BOGO Sale.

Free Nights on Sale

First, Hyatt is offering a 15% rebate on all award redemptions. That means when you book a free night using 20,000 points (for example), you’ll get 15% returned to you after you complete your stay. That’s 3,000 points you can use again for something else.

And if you’re a World of Hyatt or Hyatt Credit Cardmember, then you actually get 25% instead of 15%. Using the above example, 5,000 points returned instead of 3,000.

This is a very generous promotion offering essentially 15-25% off all points redemptions when you book free night awards.

Note that you must register by September 1 to be eligible for the rebate. Members can register online. This promotion applies when you redeem points for free night awards, points + cash awards, spa treatments, etc. that are booked on or after July 8 and completed by October 8, 2020. The bonus points will be automatically deposited about 8 weeks after your stay is completed.

I actually have an award stay coming up this weekend, but I booked using the Category 1-4 free night awards that come with my World of Hyatt credit card rather than points. It’s not a bad deal for a hotel normally charging $288 per night plus tax.

If you’re not a Hyatt loyalist or if there aren’t any Hyatt properties in your desired location, don’t worry. There are plenty of other ways to find great hotel deals. Consider using a website like ThisHotel.com, which allows you to compare prices and amenities across different hotel chains and independent properties. You can also read reviews from other travelers to get a sense of what to expect before you book. By doing your research and taking advantage of promotions like Hyatt’s 15-25% rebate, you can save money on your next hotel stay without sacrificing comfort or quality.

Free Parking Benefit Extension

Fortunately, I’ll still get to enjoy free parking during my upcoming stay. Hyatt is offering this to all customers enjoying a free night, making their stays truly “free.” This used to be a perk only extended to Globalist members. As recognition that Globalists are loosing some exclusivity, they will be receiving free parking on paid stays, too. Parking benefits apply for stays from July 8 through October 8, 2020.

Note that this only applies at properties where parking is billed directly to the hotel. I had a stay at the Thompson Seattle earlier this year where the valet parking was operated by a third party. It’s not always obvious, so do ask before booking if this is important to you.

Dine Local, Earn Triple Points

Though not everyone is comfortable traveling right now, some are still willing to dine out at restaurants. You can visit your local Hyatt property and enjoy triple points when you dine-in or order takeout or delivery, even if you aren’t staying the night. If you use your World of Hyatt credit card, which already earns 2 points on dining, that’s a total of 5 points per dollar.

I’m not sure how excited to be about this particular offer. It’s a great deal in some places, as I know a few Hyatt properties with excellent restaurants. None of them are in Austin. Hopefully you’re in a better position than I am to take advantage of this offer.

Read the rest of this article at Hyatt Launches New Promos During Travel Slowdown.