#MileagePlan

[phonemantra-blog]

Calling all travel enthusiasts with London on their bucket list! Alaska Airlines has just announced an exciting expansion of its partnership with British Airways, a founding member of the Oneworld alliance. This collaboration allows you to seamlessly book convenient, nonstop flights to London directly on AlaskaAir.com. Alaska Airlines and British Streamlining Your Journey: Direct Bookings for British Airways Flights Previously, booking British Airways flights required navigating a separate website. Now, with this enhanced partnership, Alaska Airlines guests can purchase British Airways tickets directly through AlaskaAir.com, creating a smoother travel experience. This simplifies the booking process and allows you to access all your flight information in one convenient location. Unveiling Popular Routes: One of the most exciting aspects of this partnership is the range of routes offered. Flyers can now book British Airways nonstop flights directly on AlaskaAir.com from key West Coast gateways to London Heathrow: Seattle (SEA) – Two daily flights Portland (PDX) – Daily flight San Francisco (SFO) – Two daily flights Los Angeles (LAX) – Three daily flights San Diego (SAN) – Two daily flights Looking to connect from the East Coast? No problem! Direct British Airways flights are also bookable via AlaskaAir.com from: Chicago (ORD) – Three daily flights New York JFK (JFK) – Eight daily flights A Match Made in Travel Heaven: Why This Partnership Matters This partnership offers several key benefits for Alaska Airlines guests: Convenience: Book both Alaska Airlines and British Airways flights on a single platform, streamlining the booking process. Direct Access: Effortlessly purchase British Airways tickets directly through AlaskaAir.com, eliminating the need to visit separate websites. Popular Routes: Enjoy convenient nonstop flights from major West Coast and East Coast hubs to London Heathrow. A Global Gateway Awaits: London is consistently one of the most sought-after international destinations on AlaskaAir.com, particularly for travelers in the Pacific Northwest. This partnership provides travelers with seamless access to this vibrant city, allowing them to explore its iconic landmarks, rich history, and vibrant culture. Earning Rewards Every Step of the Way: Mileage Plan Good news for Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members! When you book British Airways flights directly through AlaskaAir.com, you can earn valuable rewards: Earn 100% of Miles Flown: Rack up significant Mileage Plan miles on your London adventure. Every mile you fly translates to one mile plan mile earned (excluding Saver or basic economy fares). For long-haul flights, this translates to thousands of miles to put towards future travel. Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) Boost: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members earn 100% of elite qualifying miles (EQMs) when booking British Airways flights through AlaskaAir.com. This helps you progress towards higher Mileage Plan elite status, unlocking additional benefits like priority boarding and complimentary upgrades. Status Matching: Your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan status seamlessly translates to matching tier status within the Oneworld alliance, offering additional perks like priority check-in and lounge access across various airlines. Triple the Rewards with the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card Take your travel rewards to the next level with the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card. This card allows you to earn triple miles on all flights booked through AlaskaAir.com, including overseas flights on partner airlines like British Airways. Every dollar spent on flights translates to three Mileage Plan miles earned, accelerating your journey towards free travel experiences.

[economiles]

Alaska Elites' Status Extended Thru April, But December 2022 for Canadians

U.S. Based Alaska Airlines Elites Get Status Extension Through April 2022 - While Canadians Get Extended Through December 2022. Is that fair? #alaskaair #alaska #alaskaairlines #flying #travel #status #usa #canada

Some big news out of Alaska Airlines today! They updated their Mileage Plan membership benefits page with information about status extension. However, there is more to this, especially if you are Canadian, in which case, the news is much better for them. MVP Status Extended Through April 30, 2022 for Americans To begin with, only MVP members who held elite status on January 1, 2021 will have…

[avgeek789]

#Virlaska or #VirginAlaska? I'm too old for the music video safety demo. Ugh! . . #VirginAmerica #AlaskaAirlines #Elevate #MileagePlan #ElevateGold #MVPGold #維京美國航空 #空中巴士 #空中巴士A320

[deathrid]

[time limited offer] Alaska Airlines Visa® Credit Card 40,000 miles + 100 statement credit

[time limited offer] Alaska Airlines Visa® Credit Card 40,000 miles + 100 statement credit

算是滿高的 offer. 要申請的參考這邊 (time limited offer)

卡片特色:

開卡 90 天內花 USD 2000 可以得到 40k miles 跟 USD 100 的 statement credit (不是直接給你錢, 是給你 credit 折抵).

每年繳完年費(含開卡年)可以花 USD 121 (USD 99 plus taxes and fee from USD 22) 的同行機票 (俗稱基友票), 適用所有的 Alaska 航線.

Alaska Airlines 相關消費 得到 3x Alaska miles, 其他消費得 1x.

Free checked bag (最多六個同行者).

新增福利: 50% off 的 Alaska Lounge 以及 20% back on all Alaska Airlines inflight…

[irvinenewshq]

Now reside: Cathay Pacific awards bookable on the Alaska Airways web site

There was numerous information surrounding Alaska Airways’ MileagePlan loyalty program. Final week, Alaska introduced there could be some modifications with associate bookings. Whereas a number of the modifications sounded constructive, we’ll see Alaska Airways change associate award pricing on some routes by the top of the yr. The primary change went reside right now. Cathay Pacific redemptions are actually bookable on-line by way of MilegePlan. Join our each day publication Associated: Chasing elite standing on Alaska Airways? A flight to California this fall might assist The fundamentals As of right now, Alaska Mileage Plan has added on-line bookings for Oneworld associate, Cathay Pacific. Beforehand, you wanted to name Alaska to e book any awards with Cathay so this will positively be seen as a step in the appropriate route. Though it is a good factor for some, others argue that award availability tends to be tougher to seek out. ALASKAAIR.COM ALASKAAIR.COM Candy spots for Cathay Pacific redemptions Traditionally, utilizing Alaska miles for Cathay Pacific redemptions has been probably the greatest makes use of of Alaska miles. A few of the greatest Cathay Pacific redemptions with Alaska miles embrace: Between the U.S. and Asia for 50,000 miles in enterprise class and 70,000 miles in firstclass. Between the U.S. and Australia or New Zealand for 60,000 miles in enterprise class and 80,000 miles in firstclass. Between the U.S. and Africa, India, South Asia or the Center East for 62,500 miles in enterprise class and 70,000 miles in firstclass. Alaska additionally lets you add free stopovers on worldwide award tickets — together with on one-way tickets. This presents a possibility to get a second vacation spot for no extra miles, permitting you to create some implausible itineraries. For instance, which means you may fly all the way in which to South Africa, with a stopover in Hong Kong for under 70,000 Alaska miles in premium cabins. That is my favourite use of Alaska miles. However e book these awards rapidly. As mentioned, Alaska will change award pricing by the top of the yr on some routes. Based on the airline, “associate award ranges could range relying on a number of components together with route, distance, or demand.” Associated: The right way to earn miles with the Alaska Airways Mileage Plan program Backside line It’s now attainable to redeem Alaska Mileage Plan miles for journey on Cathay Pacific on-line. Though that is usually a step in the appropriate route, Alaska has mentioned that there might be extra modifications transferring ahead relating to associate award pricing. Utilizing your Alaska miles for Cathay Pacific redemptions has usually been probably the greatest makes use of of the MileagePlan program. Originally published at Irvine News HQ

[theworldtraveladventurers]

When it comes to #luxuryfamilytravel, our approach from the very beginning has always been about doing it in a way that’s not only sustainable for the long run but also highly rewarding. There is surely more than one way to use #alaskaair miles but booking 4 #firstclass tickets to Tokyo on the #japanairlines Boeing 777-300ER still ranks as one of our best ever uses of our valuable miles. For the 14+ hour flight out of JFK, we would have had to shell out over $55,000 for the 4 of us. Instead, for 70,000 Mileageplan miles/pp and only spent $18 in taxes/fees each, we had the whole cabin to ourselves and got to enjoy $500 salon champagne and a fancy 8 courses meal while the kids were being pampered by the excellent flight attendants... Not bad at all! Planning travel for 1 or 2 people is quite easy, planning for 3 or more is insane but families looking to give the gift of experiences to loved ones would be best served by strategizing about ways to stretch the value of their hard-earned miles and points. What was your best travel experience to date and how did you plan for it? #WorldTravelAdventurers (at Tokyo, Japan) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLj5co6JPPY/?igshid=9us25dq3w313

[financialthreesixfive-blog]

My 2019 Charge Card Method

I went through most of Express Platinum Card. The sole function for this application was to use the Platinum Concierge to acquire an appointment at The French Laundry. And that's the only brand-new card I believed I 'd get in 2018. But then the revised American Express Gold Card came out. At initially, I was on the fence about getting the card, but eventually, I went for it. And after that, thanks to a pre-approval and an increased signup benefit offer, I got the complimentary Hilton Honors Amex Card. Finally, due to the fact that I got the Gold Card, I devalued my EveryDay Preferred to the no yearly charge variation. So, today, the cards that reside in my card are the Amex Gold, the Amex Platinum, the Hilton Formality Amex, the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the Chase Flexibility, the Chase Freedom

Unlimited, the Marriott

Premier Visa, and the Alaska MileagePlan Visa. How I'm Utilizing My Cards Regardless of the new cards, my usage method hasn't changed all that much. The Platinum Card gets utilized just when I utilize the Platinum Concierge. My Gold Card, however, probably sees the most use nowadays, as I use it for all dining and grocery invest. However, my Chase Flexibility still sees usage for its quarterly perk categories.

[vincenzabartl]

The Most Rewarding Airline Loyalty Programs In 2017

For the first time in four years, JetBlue's True Blue loyalty program beat out Alaska's MileagePlan to take the award for most satisfying. from Forbes Real Time https://www.forbes.com/sites/grantmartin/2017/11/18/the-most-rewarding-airline-loyalty-programs-in-2017/ via IFTTT

[thepointsmom]

https://goo.gl/ejheCq

[touristguidebuzz]

Alaska Airlines Now Lets New Parents Keep Elite Status for an Extra Year

Alaska Airlines will let new parents extend their elite status by one year. It is the first U.S. airline to create such a policy. Alaska Airlines

Skift Take: This makes perfect sense, and can't cost Alaska Airlines much in revenue. Why don't other U.S. carriers do the same thing?

— Brian Sumers

Not long ago, a new mother contacted Alaska Airlines, asking if she could extend her elite status for one year because she recently had a baby and wouldn’t travel much in 2017.

Some airlines outside of the United States regularly make concessions for new parents. They know new moms and dads don’t travel often, and some carriers calculate they can drive loyalty by letting them put elite status on hold for a year.

But no U.S airline had a similar policy, something that did not make sense to Alaska executives, including Alison Carpentier, Alaska’s director of brand loyalty and a mother of two. So on Thursday, Alaska changed its rules.

New parents who take work leave in 2017 — and can prove it — will have elite status expire at the end of 2018, rather than this year. Parents will be eligible for the perk as many times as they need it, provided they re-qualify for elite-level status between children. Virgin America frequent flyers are also eligible, though they’ll get Alaska status for the extra year, since Virgin America’s loyalty program will disappear on Jan. 1, 2018. 

“Having a new child in your household — whether it’s the first, second or fifth — is hard,” Carpentier said in an interview. “It puts your life on pause. You can’t do all the things you did before. You’re not traveling at the pace you did previously. There’s no need to punish folks for taking time off to care for their family.”

The change comes as Alaska strengthens its loyalty program, MileagePlan, with the carrier betting it can win customers by offering more generous perks than competitors do. Alaska is the only U.S. airline to allot customers miles based on how far they fly, rather than how much money they pay for their tickets. Most flyers earn more miles with Alaska than on any other U.S. carrier.

Several other airlines, including Air Canada, British Airways and Qantas, have recently enacted similar policies for new parents. British Airways announced its change on May 3, with new parents eligible for two status freezes within a five-year period.

“Just because they’re not flying for awhile, doesn’t mean their loyalty and new arrival shouldn’t be celebrated and rewarded,” British Airways CEO Alex Cruz said in a release.

At Air Canada, relatively few flyers have taken advantage of the change announced last year, said Mark Nasr, managing director for loyalty. “I would put the number in the hundreds, but growing,” he said.

But the customers who take advantage tend to be loyal, he said.

“We are typically a part of their life,” Nasr said. “If that’s the case, we need to do what we can to fit into their lifestyles. It is really important. We want to make absolutely sure we can do what we can to make sure they have one less worry.”

Most airlines spin this decision as the right thing to do, but it’s not bad business. Frequent flyers take elite status seriously, and as long as they have it, they’ll likely remain loyal to receive free upgrades to premium economy and first class.

“I think frequent flyers in general are obsessed with their status and don’t want to lose it,” Carpentier said.

But once it’s gone, they’re free agents. A former Alaska elite member based in Seattle might decide to give Delta Air Lines a try, since both carriers have hubs there. Or an ex-Virgin America loyalist in San Francisco might give United Airlines a chance.

“When you have lost all your benefits with one, you’re kind of fair game,” Carpentier said. “But that piece was not the primary motivation for it.”

[phonemantra-blog]

Travelers in Seattle rejoice! Alaska Airlines welcomes STARLUX Airlines, offering exciting new nonstop flights to Taipei and convenient connections across Asia. This article explores the partnership, flight details, and the luxurious travel experience STARLUX provides. A New Gateway to Asia: STARLUX Takes Off from Seattle Seattle-based Alaska Airlines expands its global network with a strategic partnership with Taiwan's premier international airline – STARLUX Airlines. This exciting collaboration brings nonstop flights between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) starting August 16, 2024. New Nonstop Service with Alaska Airlines The new route marks a significant development for both airlines: Enhanced Connectivity for Alaska Passengers: Alaska Airlines passengers gain convenient access to STARLUX's extensive network throughout Asia. This opens doors to over 20 destinations, including popular tourist spots like Bangkok, Hanoi, Penang, Cebu, Singapore, Macau, and various cities in Japan. STARLUX Expands U.S. Presence: The Seattle route strengthens STARLUX's commitment to the U.S. market, following their successful launch of transpacific flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco in 2023. Seamless Travel and Rewarding Miles: A Win-Win Partnership The Alaska Airlines and STARLUX partnership offers numerous benefits for travelers: Convenient Booking: Travelers can now seamlessly book STARLUX flights from the West Coast to Taipei directly through Alaska Airlines' website (alaskaair.com), including the new Seattle route. This eliminates the need to visit multiple websites, streamlining the booking process. Mileage Plan Benefits: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members can earn and redeem miles on STARLUX flights. This allows frequent flyers to maximize their travel rewards and unlock valuable benefits like flight upgrades and lounge access. A Celebration of Partnership and Premium Travel Both Alaska Airlines and STARLUX emphasize their commitment to a superior travel experience: Alaska Airlines' Perspective: “We’re proud to be STARLUX’s first airline partner,” says Brett Catlin, Vice President of Loyalty, Alliances, and Sales at Alaska Airlines. “STARLUX delivers an exceptional experience in all classes of service, but if you're fortunate enough to fly in first or business class, prepare to be pampered.” STARLUX Airlines' Vision: STARLUX CEO Glenn Chai emphasizes the partnership's significance: “We believe STARLUX and Alaska Airlines will provide seamless service to travelers seeking to reach Asia ... and to building bridges between these dynamic and vibrant regions.” Soaring Above the Clouds: The STARLUX Experience STARLUX Airlines takes pride in offering a luxurious in-flight experience. Here's a glimpse of what awaits passengers on their journey: Modern Aircraft: STARLUX operates the transpacific route with Airbus A350-900 aircraft, known for their fuel efficiency and passenger comfort. Luxurious Cabin Options: The aircraft features a four-class layout, catering to diverse travel preferences: First Class: Enjoy ultimate privacy with a sliding door, and flat seats with Zero-G mode for maximum relaxation. Business Class: Indulge in spacious seating with full-flat capabilities for a restful journey. Premium Economy: Experience extended legroom with comfortable Recaro seats and amenities designed for added comfort. Economy Class: Economy class cabins offer comfortable leather headrests and ample legroom, making your journey enjoyable. Culinary Delights and Personalized Service: A Focus on Comfort STARLUX prioritizes passenger comfort and satisfaction through thoughtful amenities: Delectable Cuisine: Indulge in a curated selection of Taiwanese dishes and international specialties. First and business-class passengers can savor gourmet creations by renowned chefs and local Taiwanese delicacies. A signature dish, the "yakiniku donburi," is a must-try for all foodies on board. Pre-Order Meals: Personalize your travel experience by pre-ordering meals online. This allows you to enjoy your desired options upon boarding, eliminating any dietary concerns. Attentive Service: Experience exceptional service from the friendly and attentive STARLUX cabin crew, ensuring a relaxing and enjoyable flight.

[avgeek789]

#VirginAlaska cruising west. I have not flown a westward day flight for a while. Lol. 😁 . . #VirginAmerica #AlaskaAirlines #Elevate #MileagePlan #ElevateGold #MVPGold #維京美國航空 #空中巴士 #空中巴士A320

[avgeek789]

Spot the #AlaskaAirlines #Boeing #B737 approaching Kahului? 😁 #MileagePlan #AvGeek #737

[touristguidebuzz]

Alaska Air Focuses on Customer Experience and Loyalty as it Integrates Virgin America

Alaska Airlines is switching to a smaller plane, the Embraer E175, on some flights from Dallas Love Field. The company has been reaching out to customers who may be upset. Alaska Airlines

Skift Take: Alaska Airlines has always taken customer experience more seriously than other carriers, but historically, that's been easier, since Alaska has been smaller than its competitors. It's good to see Alaska still placing a major emphasis on customer satisfaction after its Virgin American acquisition.

— Brian Sumers

Earlier this month, in a bid to boost revenues, Alaska Airlines said it will cancel some Virgin America flights from Dallas Love Field over the next year, replacing them with smaller jets operated by SkyWest Airlines under Alaska’s brand.

It was a move Alaska, which finalized its acquisition of Virgin America in December, said it had to make. Virgin America’s flights to New York, Washington, D.C, Los Angeles, and San Francisco have been losing money, both because of stiff competition from Southwest Airlines, and because the carrier was using Airbus A320s with too many seats. Changing from 149-seat jets to 76-seat Embraer E175s on many New York and Washington-bound flights should help profitability, Alaska executives said.

Merging airlines swap aircraft often, and usually executives don’t worry whether passengers will mind flying on another airline owned by the same company. But Alaska wants to retain as much of Virgin America’s loyal customer base as possible, so it tried something unusual — it had reservations agents contact affected customers. Passengers booked in the first class even got their ticket costs refunded, but were permitted to stay in first class on the Alaska-branded flights.

“We actually called everyone personally,” said Shane Tackett, Alaska’s vice president for revenue management and e-commerce. He said most of the interactions were “super positive” and passengers did not mind switching airlines.

In an industry that has become increasingly impersonal — that’s what happens when just four U.S. airlines control the vast majority of the domestic market — Alaska, now the fifth-largest carrier, is trying to stand out by emphasizing customer experience and loyalty. Speaking Wednesday on the company’s first quarter earnings call, executives said they plan to continue to counter trends that have led many airlines to offer detached service and remove loyalty perks from all but their most profitable customers.

Again on Wednesday, Alaska’s Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Harrison defended the airline’s decision to not copy every other U.S. airline and change its policy for how customers acquire frequent flyer miles. Alaska still awards miles based on how far a customer flies, not how much money a passengers pays for the ticket. The most frugal consumers tend to do best under this system, which American, Delta and United all had as recently as two years ago.

Customers seem to be responding well, Harrison said. In March, he told analysts, the Alaska’s MileagePlan enrolled more new members than in any month in the history of the program. Many of the new members were California based, and they may have flown Virgin America in the past. (Virgin America’s loyalty program will disappear next year.)

“We have a huge percentage of our guests who are earning miles and using miles, and that’s equally as important as how much you actually paid for that ticket,” Harrison told analysts. “We all have different business models but at the end of the day, we believe that a generous loyalty program for our business …. will be a very very good thing for us longer term and for our investors.”

Alaska has a similar philosophy on first class upgrades. Alaska executives said Wednesday the carrier is still selling only 35 to 40 percent of all first class seats. At another carrier, such as Delta Air Lines, which in late 2015 said it wanted to increase its paid first class load factor to 70 percent by 2018, Alaska’s paltry first class sales would be a disappointment.

But Alaska executives insist that giving first class seats to road warriors — even ones who buy cheaper tickets — drives loyalty. “The philosophy for us is to have a generous upgrade policy,” Harrison said.

Operational challenges

To be sure, not everything is rosy at Alaska. CEO Brad Tilden said Alaska and Virgin America struggled with on-time performance in the first quarter, with Alaska completing 78 percent of flights on time, and Virgin America completing just 65 percent of flights on time.

Tilden said Alaska’s hubs in Seattle and Portland had five times as much freezing rain and snow versus last year, but suggested the airline still could have handled it better. “Even accounting for this, our performance is still disappointing,” he said.

Executives said the company is evaluating its winter operations plan, and may make changes to how it de-ices aircraft.

“We are committed to doing a better job getting our guests to their destinations on-time regardless of the weather,” Tilden said.

On the call, Tilden credited the company’s social media team for its work during irregular operations, saying it responds to most customer queries in fewer than five minutes. Other airlines, he said, take more than an hour to respond.

He said the quick response should help Alaska’ retain key West Coast customers.

“When the operation is under pressure, guests often post on social media and they expect a quick response,” Tilden said. “Given the tech savvy nature of many of our West Coast guests, this is an important and growing part of the customer experience and it’s one we remain focused on.”

Profitable Quarter

For the first quarter, Alaska reported net income of $99 million on revenues of $1.75 billion. Its passenger revenue per available seat mile — a closely watched metric that shows much much money an airline makes for each seat it flies on mile — decreased 4.9 percent, year-over year. Non-fuel costs decreased slightly, but Alaska paid 38 percent more for jet fuel than in the same period last year.

Alaska executives predicted a strong second quarter, and they said they expect PRASM will increase substantially, year-over-year. Harrison said the airline is seeing “solid demand,” and noted that other airlines are adding new fewer flights in Alaska markets.

[touristguidebuzz]

The Top 9 Low-Fee Credit Cards for 2017

Are you unwilling or unable to pay a high annual fee for a travel rewards credit card? There are lots of reasons to avoid paying hundreds of dollars a year to use a credit card, and many people still refuse to pay any annual fees at all.

Believe it or not, there are plenty of low-fee cards that allow you to earn some of the most valuable points and miles available. In today’s post, I’ll take a look at the hottest travel rewards cards available in 2017 with low annual fees, or none at all.

Top Low-Fee Cards

1. Chase Sapphire Preferred 2. Citi ThankYou Premier Card 3. Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express 4. Amex EveryDay Credit Card from American Express 5. Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card 6. JetBlue Card 7. Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard 8. Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature Card 9. IHG Rewards Club Select Credit Card

1. Chase Sapphire Preferred ($0 for the first year, then $95)

This card was incredibly popular for years, until the Chase Sapphire Reserve became a smash hit in 2016. But if the Reserve card’s $450 annual fee is not in your budget, the Sapphire Preferred is definitely worth considering. It provides exceptional rewards for a low fee of $95, which is waived the first year.

You can earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first three months of account opening. That’s $625 in travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Those points can also be worth much more when transferred to the Ultimate Rewards program’s airline and hotel partners.

You’ll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining purchases, and Chase has a very wide definition of travel. According to TPG’s latest monthly valuations, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth 2.1 cents each, which means you get an outstanding return of 4.2% on all your dining and travel purchases. That’s not as good as the 6.3% return you’ll get on these same categories with the Sapphire Reserve Card, but for the much lower annual fee the Sapphire Preferred is hard to beat. And as a premium travel rewards card, the Sapphire Preferred also comes with trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage, baggage delay insurance and trip delay reimbursement. You also get primary rental car insurance, and there are no foreign transaction fees.

2. Citi ThankYou Premier Card ($95, waived the first year)

This card earns points in Citi’s ThankYou Rewards program, which continues to become more valuable. With the addition of JetBlue as a partner, it now offers 15 different options for transferring your points. You can also redeem points for 1.25 cents each toward airfare purchased through Citi’s ThankYou Rewards Travel Center. According to TPG’s latest monthly valuations, Citi ThankYou points are worth 1.6 cents each.

To get you started earning ThankYou points, the Citi Premier card offers 30,000 bonus points after new cardholders spend $3,000 within three months of account opening. You also earn 3x on travel expenses, 2x on dining and entertainment and 1 point per dollar spent elsewhere. There’s a $95 annual fee for this card (waived for first 12 months), and no foreign transaction fees.

3. Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express ($95, waived the first year)

This is another long-time favorite travel rewards card that just keeps getting better. Shortly after Marriott acquired the Starwood brand in 2016, SPG members could transfer 1 Starpoint to 3 points in the Marriott Rewards program. According to TPG’s valuations, Starpoints are worth 2.7 cents each, while accordingly Marriott Rewards points are worth 0.9 cents each.

With this card, you can earn 2x points on purchases at Starwood hotels and 1 point per dollar spent elsewhere. You’ll currently receive 25,000 Starpoints after you make $3,000 in purchases within three months of account opening, plus an additional 10,000 Starpoints when you make another $2,000 in purchases in the first six months for a total of 35,000 points. Other benefits include free premium in-room internet and Gold elite status when you spend $30,000 during a calendar year. There’s a $95 annual fee for this card that’s waived the first year, and no foreign transaction fees.

4. Amex EveryDay Credit Card from American Express (no fee)

Though this card has no annual fee, it still offers rewards points that can be transferred to airline partners (without requiring you to hold another card with an annual fee). This card offers 2x points for up to $6,000 spent at US supermarkets each calendar year, and 1 point per dollar spent elsewhere. You can also get a 20% bonus on the points you’ve earned each statement period when you make at least 20 transactions. As a result, you can earn an effective 1.2x on all purchases and 2.4x at US supermarkets.

Rewards are earned as American Express Membership Rewards points and can be transferred to miles with 17 different frequent flyer programs. TPG values American Express Membership Rewards points at 1.9 cents apiece, so this equates to a fantastic 4.56 cents in value per point when shopping at US grocery stores and earning the 20% bonus. While there’s no annual fee for this card, unfortunately purchases abroad will be subject to a foreign transaction fee of 2.7%.

5. Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card ($75)

The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature is a great option for earning award flights on the carrier and its various partners.

This card is a great way to earn Alaska miles, which can be redeemed for award flights on many partners, including the recently added JAL. This card offers 3x miles for spending with Alaska, and 1 mile per dollar spent elsewhere.  According to TPG’s latest valuations, Alaska MileagePlan miles are worth 1.8 cents each.

You also get 30,000 miles and an annual coach companion fare for $121 when you make $1,000 in purchases within 90 days of account opening. Finally, you and up to six traveling companions on the same reservation get a free checked bag on Alaska flights. There’s a $75 annual fee for this card, and no foreign transaction fees.

6. JetBlue Card (no fee)

There are very few airline credit cards that have no annual fee, and almost none of them are worth having. The exception is the JetBlue Card from Barclaycard. It offers 3x points on all JetBlue purchases, 2x points at restaurants and grocery stores and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.

According to TPG’s valuations, JetBlue points are worth 1.2 cents each, which means you get a healthy return on your dining and supermarket purchases, as well as when you buy flights through JetBlue. Other benefits include a 50% savings on in-flight purchases, and a sign-up bonus of 5,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on the card within 90 days of account opening. There are no foreign transaction fees.

7. Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard ($89, waived the first year)

The Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard waives its annual fee the first year, and it earns 2x miles on all purchases.

This is a fantastic card for beginning award travelers, and even experienced award travelers can use these miles to pay for the taxes and fees on their awards and other out-of-pocket travel expenses. With the Arrival Plus, you earn double miles on all spending, and your miles can be redeemed for 1 cent apiece as statement credits toward any travel purchase. In addition, you receive 5% of your miles back every time you redeem them.

Currently, this card offers new applicants 50,000 miles, worth $500 in travel statement credits, after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days. There’s an $89 annual fee for this card that’s waived the first year, and no foreign transaction fees.

8. Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature Card (no fee)

Just as it’s unusual to find a no-fee airline credit card that’s worth having, it’s also pretty rare to find a good no-fee card that earns hotel points. This card offers 75,000 bonus points after new applicants spend $2,000 within three months of account opening, and it has some generous bonus spending categories.

You’ll earn 6x points on Hilton charges, 3x points at restaurants, gas stations and supermarkets and 2x points for all other spending. Cardholders also receive automatic HHonors Silver status and an upgrade to Gold status when they spend $20,000 in a calendar year or complete four paid Hilton stays within 90 days of account opening. Plus, you can earn 10,000 bonus points when you use your card to spend at least $1,000 at Hilton properties in a calendar year. There’s no annual fee for this card, but there is a 3% foreign transaction fee.

9. IHG Rewards Club Select Credit Card ($49, waived the first year)

Finally, here’s a low-cost hotel card that features impressive benefits. New applicants earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Earn 5x points at IHG hotels, 2x points for purchases at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants and 1 point per dollar spent elsewhere.

You also get a free night each year of cardmembership, which can be extremely valuable. Other benefits include automatic Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a credit cardmember and a 10% rebate on your points redeemed, up to 100,000 points per year. There’s a $49 annual fee for this card that’s waived the first year, and no foreign transaction fees.

What’s your favorite low-fee credit card?

[touristguidebuzz]

Excellent Japan Airlines Award Availability Between US and Japan

Whether it’s in first class, business class or even economy, one of the best ways to fly over the Pacific is Japan Airlines. And, today, award availability on Japan Airlines just opened up significantly! We’re seeing award availability on many of Japan Airlines’ US routes, with the best availability between New York’s JFK and Tokyo’s NRT.

Routes

Fly in economy, premium economy or business class on Japan Airlines’ 787-9 Dreamliner from Boston (BOS) to Tokyo (NRT):

Economy, premium economy or business on the 787-8 Dreamliner from Dallas (DFW) to NRT:

But, the best award availability seems to be between New York’s JFK and NRT. For example, many Sunday-Thursdays have award availability in May:

There’s availability on most flights and in most of the cabins:

Miles To Use

One of the top ways to book Japan Airlines flights is also the newest: using Alaska MileagePlan miles. Not only are the rates very reasonable, but you can also add a free stopover in Tokyo on your way to or from another destination in Asia.

Cabins

Japan Airlines features one of the better economy-class products.

The Japan Airlines economy product is excellent. This is especially true on JAL’s 787 Dreamliners, since Japan Airlines only installed eight seats across vs. nine-wide on most other airlines.

Japan Airlines premium economy is worth the extra miles.

However, splurging an extra 5,000 miles for premium economy is miles well spent. In addition to better food, drink and service, you’ll also get a very comfortable seat with a fair amount of privacy.

Business class on the 787.

As with most award redemptions, premium cabins are where you’re going to get the most value. And Japan Airlines features some of the best premium cabins in the sky, as you can see in this review.

Bottom Line

Japan Airlines is an excellent way of flying between the US and Japan. And booking Japan Airlines flights with Alaska miles is a great use of Alaska miles — especially if you maximize the booking by adding a stopover. So, this is a great deal. As award availability can dry up at any time, make sure to move quickly if you’re interested in booking these awards.

H/T: View from the Wing