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Add to del.icio.usWhether booking by phone or online, air travel tickets and upgrades require a flexible program
One of the biggest mistakes you can make if you want to earn Business or First Class upgrades, is building your frequent flyer mileage account with credit cards that offer their own mileage programs, such as those from MBNA or Capital One.
While these cards sound seductive—as they often don’t impose blackout dates, and miles are valid on multiple carriers—they leave out one big detail: The points earned usually are not valid for Business or First Class upgrades. Or, if the points can be used for premium air travel, it’s at a very poor redemption rate.
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Another mistake: Don’t carry the co-branded card marketed by your preferred airline. Why? Because it earns miles in only one program.
The key to making a credit card pay off is to get one (or more) that earns points in numerous airline programs, including that of your preferred carrier. One of the most flexible credit cards a traveler can carry is Amex’s Starwood Preferred Guest Card.
This article is adapted from the FlightBliss Special Report Seven Common Air Travel Mistakes to Avoid.
For more techniques on getting Business and First Class upgrades and award seats, along with the latest news on fares and comfort upgrades, subscribe to First Class Flyer.
If you have american express card how to use the points for upgrade?
If you have american express card how to use the points for upgrade?
I also want to know the best way to use AMEX points to upgrade. I am planning to go from the DC area to Madrid and Barcelona next spring, and would like to upgrade the transatlantic portion. What would be the best airline to use in order to utilize the AMEX points to upgrade?
Recently I made an online booking, SFO to FRA on Orbitz. After purchasing the ticket I found out it is not upgradable.Thus I had to cancel the ticket, pay the change fee, have my money sitat Orbitz and purchase an upgradable ticket from United directly. How can I avoid these mistakes in the future and find out what the booking codes are? Or, do I need to avoid online bookings completely? Thank you. HGF
Will be flying to Hawaii in 5/09 and want to get into business or first. Have 140k in mileage plus and I am premier. What is the best way to do this?
I book travel quite a lot and always use miles to upgrade to First Class. You can avoid booking a flight that does not have an upgrade available by simply calling the airline once you have narrowed down what flight you wish to take. Being a little bit flexible with your arrival and departure time helps as well. Call the airline and ask "what flights do you have that still have upgrades available on (Date) around (time)?" You'll go nuts otherwise just working off what the website shows they have available and most of the time the agent will tell you just how many upgradeable spots they have left as well.
To answer those folks asking about the way you use AMEX points to upgrade: Note that the article stipulated using the AMEX Starwood card. This allows you to earn Starwood points, which can then be transferred to any of some 30 airline partners which you choose. Currently (Jul08) they are even offering a bonus of giving you a 25% bump on the points you transfer to airlines. Link: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/account/starpoints/transfer/airline_partner_list.html
BUYER BEWARE! Avoid bargaintravel.com for discounted business & first class tickets. Beware of farebuzz.com, the cost is higher than being on-line directly with the airline's site> Example: August booking for 2 wks. on farebuzz looks like savings over the direct site of Swiss Air. Farebuzz.com at $3,065, Swiss Air $3,197.Looks great BUT in the small, very small print is the fact that taxes and fees are not included on farebuzz and they are on the Swiss Air site on-line. What you see is not what you get if you push that check-out button on the farebuzz site. Beware... Wolf in Sheep's clothing here....we ended up over $400 more than booking directly on the airline site and will now spend numerous hours and penalties to not do business with them. DCerasani
I have a Delta Plainum AMEX card. I am wondering if someone can explain in simple terms if the AMEX Starwood would be a better choice and why? Thank you DCerasani
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