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First Class Flyer

Domestic

10/01/2009

Fly the A380 Business Class for Free on Miles from New York to Paris

Learn how to fly Air France’s new A380 from New York to Paris for free using miles. more >>

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09/29/2009

Choose Your Airfares Wisely with These Money-Saving Tips on Getting the Best Fare Deals

Choose your airfares wisely with these money-savings tips on getting the best airfare deals. more >>

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09/26/2009

Escaping the Airlines' Minimum-Stay Requirements

Thankfully, the airlines’ minimum-stay requirement does not apply to all flights and routes so choosing your route and airline wisely can save you money. more >>

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09/24/2009

Learn the Secrets of Your Home Airport Terminal

Every airport terminal has faster ways in and out, quiet places to work, free amenities. Here are some tips to discover them. more >>

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09/22/2009

Can Bing.com’s Farecast Really Predict Future Airfares?

Farecast, a feature on the Bing.com travel site, says it can tell how fares will change in the future. How valid is their claim? Depends on whose data you use. more >>

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09/19/2009

Can You Negotiate Directly With Your Airline?

Do you have to be travel agency or major consolidator to cut your own discount deal with the airlines? Here’s what one expert says. more >>

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09/17/2009

Losing Track of Your Miles and Points? Acruw.com May Help

New Web Site Acruw.com offers a centralized location to track, coordinate, and make the best use of miles and points from multiple travel award programs. Reviews are positive. more >>

Tags: Miles
09/15/2009

Insider Tips to Reach Elite Status Sooner

Practice these Wing Tips exclusive strategies on becoming an elite flyer and see how fast you can get to the front of the plane. more >>

Tags: Airlines
07/14/2009

The Smart Strategy That Avoids Airline Fees

Airline ticket prices are becoming complicated with added fees for almost everything it seems. Are bathroom fees the future? Ryanair thinks so. But, fear not. There is hope for becoming a fee-free flyer. more >>

07/11/2009

Don’t Toss That Boarding Pass

These days, a boarding pass can do more than just get you on the plane. Check out its new multi-faceted (and sometimes electronic) persona. more >>

07/09/2009

Card Issuers Wage a 'WorldPerks War' for Your Business

When Delta acquired Northwest, SkyMiles credit card issuer American Express looked to add millions of former WorldPerks program members. But WorldPerks issuer U.S. Bank had other ideas. Here’s how their battle affects you. more >>

07/07/2009
06/05/2009

The A380 Super Jumbo: What It’s Like to Fly

What would it be like if ocean liners could fly? Passengers are finding out aboard Airbus's massive new A380. Here’s a hint of what it's like. more >>

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06/04/2009

Tips to Tame Troubles at the Terminal

Air travel today means running an obstacle course before you ever get on the plane. Use these tips to tame those troubles at the terminal. more >>

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06/02/2009

Tips to Survive Corporate Travel Cutbacks

Companies are cutting back, but that needn't force you to the back of the plane. Here are some strategies to keep both you and your CFO smiling. more >>

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06/01/2009

Corporate Travel Cutbacks: How They Affect You

Faced with recession, corporations are cutting back on travel. Here are the compromises business travelers are being asked to make. more >>

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05/29/2009

Four Ways to Win with Customer Service

You can make airline customer service live up to its name, if you know the rules of the game. more >>

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05/28/2009

Finally: An End to Tarmac Torture?

With Congressional action pending, some airlines have moved to alleviate the pain of waiting endless hours on the tarmac during flight delays. more >>

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05/27/2009

The Delta/Northwest Merger: Marriage Made in Heaven or ...

By merging with Northwest, Delta will become the world’s biggest airline. But the record of airline mergers warns of pitfalls Delta—and you—need to watch out for. more >>

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05/26/2009

Upgrade Strategies That DO Work

Just looking good or talking tough won’t get you that coveted lie-flat seat, but here are ideas that might … including some that have worked right at the airport. more >>

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05/25/2009

The Free Upgrade: Can You Really Get One?

Are there surefire ways to be upgraded free on your flight? Well, yes and no and maybe. Today, let’s eliminate the no’s. Tomorrow, hope springs eternal. more >>

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05/22/2009

Ticket Price Drop? Award Seats Open? Yapta Tells All

There’s a new website in town that tracks airline ticket price drops even after purchase and alerts frequent flyers when award seats open. Yapta.com is its name. more >>

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05/21/2009

Fight the Fees: Top Tips

Once “a la carte pricing” applied to restaurants. Now the airlines are using it to set up an endless set of fees, and they’re lunching on your credit card. Here are some tips to forestall their appetite. more >>

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05/20/2009

New TSA Program Threatens Your Award Status

Are points or miles missing from your latest statement? Something called Secure Flight may be the reason. more >>

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05/19/2009

Airline Alliances Create Mismatches...and Free Upgrades for You

When airlines partner in alliances, their rules often don’t match up. That creates loopholes you can tunnel through right to the front of the plane … if you know how. more >>

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05/15/2009

Business Class Seat Upgrade Strategy: Change Your Return Flight and Increase Your Chances

Here’s a Business Class Seat upgrade strategy that works more often than not. If your elite upgrade hasn’t been confirmed in the permitted timeframe, get creative by calling the airline to see if there are flights on your date of departure with Business Class seat upgrades... more >>

04/30/2009

My Favorite Domestic Business Class Upgrade Strategy on American Airlines

It enables you to mysteriously get a free Business Class upgrade airfare on American Airlines’ routes on which the carrier uses Boeing 777s and 767-200s configured with three cabins… more >>

03/30/2009

Pay Through the Nose with Delta/Amex "Pay with Miles" Program

Delta’s literature describes Pay with Miles as “a whole new way to use your miles, touting the benefits of innovative mileage-redemption options, but for consumers there's generally more cloud than silver lining ... more >>

11/18/2008

Shared "Inventory Code" Makes Booking First Class Upgrades and Discount Fares Easier

We've discovered something interesting and unique in one of American Airlines' "booking codes" or "inventory codes" for domestic First Class travel that helps identify flights with mileage upgrade availability. more >>

09/16/2008

Making Your Miles Go Further In These Hyperinflationary Times

Have you noticed it’s getting harder to ‘spend’ your airline miles? (That’s a rhetorical question.) And that even when you can spend them, how they seem to buy less? The aviation industry is fast becoming the inflation industry – make that the hyperinflation industry – when it comes to frequent flyer miles. It now has 15 trillion unredeemed miles on its books. more >>

09/03/2008

Up to 10,000 Bonus OnePass Miles on Continental Business Class to Asia

If you plan to visit the Far East from the East Coast, here’s a way to make a nice deposit to your OnePass miles account in the process ... more >>

08/20/2008

Rare Domestic First Class Airfare War through Friday

It’s been a long summer with little relief from high fares, as airlines have made hanging onto a buck into an Olympic sport. Four airlines, however, are loosening the grip on premium fares to close the season with a rare special on domestic Business and First Class travel, offering fares as low as $134, one-way. more >>

08/11/2008

Mileage Purchase 50% Off With Delta’s SkyMiles

For first-time mileage buyers, Delta Airlines will double the miles you receive for purchases made though Aug. 30... more >>

07/21/2008

Continental’s OnePass Mines Silver and Gold Elites for Fees

With most major airlines finding new ways to tax the loyalty of their mileage program members (of little value to economy class travelers nowadays), Continental had been unexpectedly quiet … until now. more >>

06/25/2008

United and Lufthansa Announce Corporate Mileage Plan Merger

United Airlines and Lufthansa have combined their corporate mileage plans for small and medium-sized businesses. Operating under United’s existing PerksPlus brand, the joint program works in addition to both airlines’ frequent flyer programs (United’s Mileage Plus and Lufthansa’s Miles & More)... more >>

06/24/2008

Free Elite Status with United, In the Mail

While this is sure to upset those who’ve earned it the hard way, United Airlines has mailed a promotion to receive free Premier Executive elite status membership for 90 days. It’s a good reason to keep an eye out in your mailbox because... more >>

06/13/2008

Elites Status Party Over at US Airways?

US Airways’ balance sheets are apparently showing so much red ink that the carrier is implementing a “new business model,” detailed in a recent press release today. more >>

05/02/2008

V Australia to Challenge Qantas and United in Battle over the Pacific

Australia’s Virgin Blue has announced that its new international wing, V Australia, will begin service in Dec. 2008 with a daily direct flight between Sydney and Los Angeles ... more >>

03/27/2008

American Airlines' AAirpass Program

The American Airlines AAirpass Program card can be used for domestic or international travel on all American Airlines flights. The card is offered in one- and two-year versions ... more >>

03/14/2008

Find Northwest Airlines’ Latest Upgrade Opportunities in Your Inbox

In an effort to introduce new members to the Northwest Airlines WorldPerks mileage program, and rein in some who have strayed, the carrier is running a promotion where teamwork can help participants score up to 20,000 bonus miles ... more >>

03/13/2008

Getting an American Airlines upgrade without paying for an upgrade

This strategy works on American Airlines flights using 777s and 767-200s configured with three cabins (coach, Business Class, and First Class), on which the carrier only sells economy and First Class ... more >>

03/10/2008

Scoring Stop-overs and Side Trips on American Airlines Flights to Europe

Airlines with non-stop flights between North America and Europe allow you to choose nearly any city in Europe as your destination and another city as your free stop-over ... more >>

03/07/2008

Looking for an Inexpensive Airfare? Consider the Season

Certain airlines have Business Class airfares as low as $900 round-trip to Europe during holiday periods when business travelers tend to stay home. Look for reduced Business Class airfares on sale ... more >>

Tags: Miles
03/07/2008

Buy Miles or Points to Upgrade

There are three ways of accruing enough frequent flyer miles to get Business Class and First Class tickets and upgrades. Everyone knows the first two: fly or spend (using an affinity credit card). But there's also a little-known third route ... more >>

Tags: Miles
03/05/2008

Credit Cards to Avoid When Booking Air Travel

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 ... more >>

03/05/2008

Redeem Miles Early to Get Cheap Business and First Class Airline Seats

When redeeming miles, it pays to book award tickets and upgrades as far in advance as possible, particularly when you’re after the coveted Business and First Class airline seats ... more >>

03/04/2008

Using Points to Get Your Next Air Travel Upgrade

Many frequent flyers fail to note the differences between one airline’s mileage award program and another that can yield valuable air travel upgrades. A credit card points strategy is key to getting Business and First Class upgrades ... more >>

03/04/2008

Consider Premium Economy Seats

As an alternative to a Business or First Class upgrade, Premium Economy seats are the hot ticket. They’re certainly better than coach. You get more of the one thing that matters most on a long international flight: legroom ... more >>

03/03/2008

Last Minute Deals: Air Travel Cash Upgrades

When it's better to spend cash than frequent flyer points. Last-minute Business and First Class upgrades that are great values and worth the extra expenditure of real money vs. miles ... more >>

02/21/2008

US Airways' Dividend Miles Program to Give Less Dividend, Fewer Miles

In a news release issued late last week, US Airways' Dividend Miles Program announced two policy changes: One will make it more difficult to accrue miles, the other will make it more costly to redeem them ... more >>

01/30/2008

Last Chance to Beat OnePass First and Business Class Award Rate Hike

For Continental OnePass members seeking First Class and Business Class award seats at current rates, time is running out. New higher rates apply for bookings on or after Feb.1 ... more >>

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12/24/2007

Continental Airlines' OnePass and Budget Team for 9,999 Bonus Miles Promo

For a limited time, you can earn 9,999 bonus miles when you rent with Budget for five consecutive days or more. That’s a tempting offer¬—let’s look at the fine print... more >>

12/06/2007

Continental Business Class Flights Skyrocket with OnePass

Continental Airlines recently announced "'updates" to its OnePass mileage program, making an uninviting program more costly. Effective Feb. 1, 2008, the changes (mainly increases in reward levels), primarily target Business and First Class travelers. more >>

12/05/2007

Piggy-Bank Fares on Spirit Airlines ... BOOK NOW!

Spirit Airlines has some empty seats, and by offering promotional fares as low as any you're ever likely to see, they'll probably fill them fast... more >>

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11/05/2007

How to Achieve Discount First Class Travel Using American Airlines Flight Certificates

Do you own a business, large or small? Or know someone who does? If so, the following offer can net you First Class domestic fares for $1,099 round-trip, up to 50% off published fares depending on the route… more >>

09/24/2007

The United Airlines Business Class Seat Aboard a B757 is More Spacious than Expected

United Airlines offers “premium service” (p.s.) aboard B757s between New York and Los Angeles and San Francisco. The Business Class cabin on these flights feels extraordinarily roomy, owing to a seven-foot open area between rows eight and nine to serve the emergency exits. more >>

08/07/2007

Discount First Class travel without using any frequent flyer miles (Aruba for less than free)

The first rule of discount First Class travel is try to make your destination into a stopover point and you can often get a reasonable fare plus a free side trip beyond. You can work this strategy for many destinations. more >>

Interesting items, information, insights and intelligence (plus the occasional upgrade freebie) from the First Class Flyer team.

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