Feb 9th, 2011 at 8:00AM: The lists are almost comical. All over the travel web, you'll find articles about how to scam score an upgrade from an airline, and invariably, one of the items involves attire. If you dress well, the thinking goes, you'll be treated better, ostensibly because airline employees judge books by their covers. But, does it really work?
There are a lot of variables that are much more important than ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
elitestatus posts
Do airlines care how you're dressed?
Feb 9th, 2011 at 8:00AM: The lists are almost comical. All over the travel web, you'll find articles about how to scam score an upgrade from an airline, and invariably, one of the items involves attire. If you dress well, the thinking goes, you'll be treated better, ostensibly because airline employees judge books by their covers. But, does it really work?
There are a lot of variables that are much more important than ...Hilton gives free internet access by status
Aug 3rd, 2010 at 4:30PM: The elites get free internet access at Hiltons, and the rest can eat cake ... which is how it should be. The hotel company has decided to reward its best customers with this perk, which translates to between $10 and $15 a night in value. To qualify, you need to be gold-level or above. Internet access is one of the more unpopular extra charges, especially for business travelers who have no choice ...United creates Optathlon games for day-of-departure prizes
Jul 26th, 2010 at 5:00PM: It's a long shot, but if all of your attempts to find a better seat, upgrade and improve your upcoming trip on United Airlines have failed then there's one last thing you can do. Last week, United launched a series of video games on their website with prizes aimed at traveling customers.
What can you win? Among other things, it's possible to earn the opportunity to skip those pesky long lines ...Christopher Elliott on the reality of frequent flier programs
May 17th, 2010 at 11:00AM: Few people know the airline industry as well as Chris Elliott - he's a regular contributor on MSNBC, The Washington Post (and Gadling) - so when I came across one of his columns on frequent flier programs, I paid close attention to what he had to say.
In his article, Elliott makes a very valid point that airline loyalty really only works one way. Millions of people work hard to earn airline ...Ask Gadling: How do I extend the benefits of my elite status?
May 5th, 2010 at 12:00PM: This week's question comes from Julie in Ann Arbor, Michigan
"This year I have Gold Medallion status on Delta, which I probably won't ever have again. Are there any good programs or perks that I qualify for now that I won't in the future and should consider taking advantage of?"
Gadling: The Gold Medallion status that you've earned on Delta Airlines is a valuable perk. With it, you're entitled ...Get free Hyatt Platinum Status ( = free stuff!)
Feb 22nd, 2010 at 9:30AM: We've touted the value of elite status here at Gadling numerous times, whether it's as part of an airline, hotel or car rental program. It's one of the few ways to make travel worth your while and a bit less expensive in the process -- hold a bit of loyalty direct a few dollars in the right direction and the corporate monster reciprocates, right?
Needless to say, there's usually there's some ...An inside look at off-the-books elite airline programs
Dec 18th, 2009 at 1:00PM: Imagine an airline experience free of middle seats, standing in line or dealing with nut-job flight attendants who withhold orange juice, water and any other service not related to "safety." Tom Stuker, it seems, doesn't have to close his eyes and pretend: he lives the dream. He's spent 700,000 in non-middle seats this year alone, with complimentary cocktails, a hidden check-in process and a taste ...Are you planning a mileage run? Four reasons to rush to the airport
Dec 5th, 2009 at 12:30PM: There are only a few weeks left in 2009, and frequent travelers across the country are staring more intently at their mileage statements than Santa does at the naughty/nice list. The stakes are high: miss the elite cutoff, and a year of upgrades, accelerated check-in and other perks disappear. For passengers who see gold or platinum status levels within reach, year-end "mileage runs" can make a ...Don't become a hermit: eight tips for solo business travelers
Nov 17th, 2009 at 8:00AM:
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Solo business travel can be downright depressing. Even if you hate team dinners (and your colleagues), don't mind dining alone and prefer a bit of privacy, frequent individual business trips can turn you into a hermit. After a while, you socialize ...Airline elite status - does it still have any value left?
Oct 19th, 2009 at 2:30PM: When I started my frequent flying back in 1998, obtaining elite status on an airline was not really high on my list of achievements. Then, when I started to pay attention to the people around me, I realized I was wrong. Back then, elite status on an airline was the one thing that helped make flying even more enjoyable. Forget good food or a snack at the airport - getting preferential treatment ...Earn elite status on US Airways for 7,500 miles
Sep 20th, 2009 at 10:00AM: The jockeying for elite passenger revenue continues. Earlier this year, most of the major carriers announced double "elite qualifying mile" promotions, specials that drastically reduced the number of airline miles that one needed to fly to enjoy special perks. Usually, one needs to fly at least 25k miles to start earning low level perks such as bonus miles, preferred seats and upgrades. With those ...Get double miles elite on American Airlines flights through December 15!
Sep 2nd, 2009 at 1:00PM: They've done it again! Earlier this year, American Airlines launched a pomotion to double elite miles on all AA operated flights. These special miles are the gateway to elite status, where tiers of rewards such as upgrades, bonuses and free drinks await savvy travelers. In the several months that followed the initial promotion, travelers booked all sorts of tickets to maximize miles and earn ...Status seekers pulling back
Aug 11th, 2009 at 1:00PM: It's not just the travel companies' bank accounts getting hit in this market – loyalty programs are getting spanked, too. The management consultants, investment bankers and attorneys – now fewer in number than a year ago – who accumulate elite status quickly aren't spending as much time on the road. With considerably less travel time being logged, the folks who used to have ...American Airlines passengers: Get double elite miles
Mar 19th, 2009 at 2:00PM: Now that the economy is low and demand is tapering off, airlines are doing whatever they can to encourage passengers to return to flying the friendly skies. Sure, oil has come down from it's all time high of $5000/barrel, but without passengers to fill airplanes, some equipment has to be shelved, and that's never good for profit. What to do? Incentivize. A deluge of fare sales including dirt cheap ...Update on your Northwest and Delta miles
Jan 2nd, 2009 at 2:30PM: As we barrel forward into 2009 and the processing merger between Delta and Northwest Airlines, small facets of the company are slowly being integrated. Just a few weeks ago, the first NW 747 was repainted in DL colors, and ever so gently the NW routes are starting to disappear. Throughout the year, mileage accounts between the two airlines will also be integrated, with the joint rules pulling from ...Delta flyers: Get double elite miles through June 30
Mar 31st, 2008 at 12:30PM: You're probably tired of me yammering on about elite status and how useful it is and how I wear my collar popped every time I go through airport security. I apologize. But there are a lot of benefits to keeping loyalty in an airline that you just don't realize until you've reached greener pastures. If you think that you can't get to the minimum 25,000 mile threshold to reach status and you fly on ...Why elite status works
Mar 11th, 2008 at 1:20PM: I suppose I've been a little spoiled over the last few years, flying almost exclusively on one airline and all. After reaching a certain threshold of miles, I've been upgraded to first class on 90% of my domestic flights, while the other 10% I've spent in either a bulkhead or an exit row seat. It was a novelty at first, but after a dozen or so legs I've sort of become used to it. In that light, I ...Virgin Atlantic Flyers: Get free Silver status with your Amex
Feb 16th, 2008 at 9:00AM: You've probably heard me preach about the virtues of elite status when flying around the world: shorter security lines, first class upgrades, lounge membership and free drinks await those willing (or forced) to spend extra time in the skies. It takes a fair amount of work to achieve status though -- more time than the average bear has. Unless you can find a shortcut, that is. Luckily, we have ...Gadling's guide to mileage running -- maximizing miles and segments page 2
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Dec 17th, 2007 at 12:00PM: Something else to bear in mind is that for each segment you fly, something could potentially go wrong. I mean this in the best possible way; any one of your flights could be overbooked and you could take a 300$ voucher to take the next trip home. Weather could cause delays, resulting in a reroute through another city and additional miles. It's important to remember that once you book an itinerary ...Gadling's guide to mileage running -- maximizing miles and segments
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Dec 17th, 2007 at 12:00PM: Now that you've got a fare or a city-pair picked out, you need to book your ticket. Another tip is that ticketing rules often dictate that you can add extra segments (stopovers) to your itinerary. For example, if I have a flight from DTW-LAX, I might read the fine print and see that I can book up to two stopovers for that fare. So I can price out a DTW-MEM-MSP-LAX flight for the same price as the ...
