Clarification On The United Airlines Mileage Plus Post…
I’ve gotten quite a few emails from people confused over what I wrote about United’s mileage program last monday.
The main point was not that the Mileage Plus program is going to become worse than the other programs, rather that it will now come in line with rates from other programs.
Until now the Mileage Plus program had some great advantages over the other programs, it offered cheaper awards, and didn’t charge expedite fees. However now it will simply be “just another program.”
Also, there was a lot of confusion over the 2 kinds of mileage awards.
In short, every airline offers a 2 tiered system of mileage awards. The lower tier (Or in United’s nomenclature: Saver Awards)offers lower rates, but are capacity controlled and may be subject to blackout dates, and often aren’t available for your preferred travel date. Except for Australia, United left this tier mostly unchanged.
The higher tier (Standard Awards) are available whenever you want to go somewhere without restrictions. These are the true bargains of mileage travel, as last minute tickets can be astronomically priced-as much as 10 times the cost of a ticket bought in advance, but with mileage they are just double or so the cost of a regular mileage ticket. This is the tier than United made much more expensive across the board.
So, should this stop you from earning miles in the Mileage Plus program, or from earning 20,000 miles for opening a United credit card?
Absolutely not.
Should you go and book that vacation to Australia before rates skyrocket?
Sure!
30% Off At Eddiebauer.com!
eddiebauer.com linky
Coupon Code(Exp. 05/01): 30FRIENDS
thx to the “other guy” for the comment…
Get Ready For A Mileage Deal Filled May! AA Celebrates 25 Years Of AAdavantage!
American pioneered the mileage concept May 1, 1981.
In celebration of the 25th anniversary there will be a deal a day from May 1-May 25.
AAdvantage AAnniversary Website Linky
Also, according to a reliable source, during May there will be a mileage sale for award travel during the fall to the US, Canada, and the Caribbean for 25% off the normal rates…
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Hurry and catch some hot closeout deals before they sell out!!!
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Reconditioned Closeouts Linky
Free Prints And Free Shipping Codes For Snapfish!
Free shipping for 25 4×6 prints(Exp. 04/30): FREESNAP
20 Free 4×6, 1 Free 5×7, 1 Free 8×10(Exp. 05/02): APRAFF0406
Also new customers automatically get 20 free prints…
Buy 1 American Greetings Card-Get 1 Free!!!
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Valid at American Greetings and Carlton Cards stores only…
Hot! 30% Off At Borders!
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Borders Rewards Membership(Free!) Is Required…
43% Of You Guys Still Use Internet Explorer???
According to google analytics 53% of ctownbochur.com readers use firefox, while 43% use IE.
My only question is why do so many of you guys still use IE???
I don’t even understand now can you surf the internet without tabbed browsing, and I won’t even get into the other firefox features like the incredible live bookmarks(try it yourself for ctownbochur.com-it’s awesome!!!) and the integrated search engine feature…
-Because you like using a browser prone to adware/spyware/pop-ups/viruses, etc?
-Because you dont like browsers that allow to surf the web faster?
-Because you like viewing a distorted version of ctownbochur.com?
Or probably because 43% of you are just too lazy too download firefox, (now 7% of you still connect via dial-up so I have a whole different issue with you guys!)
Anyway, Click here to get on the boat and download Mozilla Firefox for free right now!
5% Off Select Electronics At Amazon.com!
Use code: SAVECEEVENTT
Coupon expires 05/08/06
Coupon Details Linky
And as always, please go to amazon by searching for any product in the amazon search box in the sidebar!
Back Again! $25 Certificates To Kosher Restaurants For Just $4!
Be sure to use the link below so you can support this site while you save!!!
Kosher restaurants include:
New York:
-Park East Grill
-Talia’s Steakhouse
Los Angeles:
-Delice Bakery
Restaurant.com Linky
To get the $4 price on the new york restaurants, you must purchase a $25 gift certificate for a “friend” in the “give a gift” section, and then redeem that restaurant.com GC for the actual restaurant certificate that you want…
Code expires 04/30/06
Use code: 78440
Erewards.com-Earn Miles For Taking Surveys!
erewards.com linky
Just sign up and they’ll send you surveys, then save up your reward dollars and you’ll be able to choose various rewards like miles and other stuff…
Categories…
I have categorized my posts from March and April. The only problem is that when you click on the category it takes you to the oldest post instead of the newest post, so I’m not going to go any further back than March for the time being…
The categories should help you even if a particular deal is dead(as many of them will be as hot deals don’t have a tendency to stick around for too long) because you will be able to know what was a good deal for something you’re looking to buy.
I have posted this in the right sidebar, under the hit counter for now.
Please comment for any suggestions to organize this list!
Category Links:
Advanced Warning: Severe United Mileage Plus Program Inflation Effective October 16th!!!
For all of you who have been netting 20,000 bonus miles for opening the free united credit card every 90 days your miles are about to become less valuable.
In March I made a comparison chart ranking the various mileage programs in which United did very well compared to its’ competitors due to 3 main factors, namely:
-No mileage award expedite fee for booking a mileage ticket close to the day of departure.
-Very low mileage required for tickets to the land Down under.
-Low mileage premium class awards.
Now United is doing away with all that and more…
1st the only good news: Every flight is now guaranteed to have “Saver Award” availability…however what exactly that’s going to mean (1 seat per flight???) is anybody’s guess.
Important Notes:
1.Saver awards refer to the typical capacity controlled mileage award ticket. Standard awards refer to the unrestricted, always available mileage award.
2.The following, unless otherwise noted, assumes the US48 as the point of origin.
3.Changes effective 10/16/2006 mean that in order to lock in the current rates, ticketing must occur by 10/15/2006, travel is permitted up to 330 days after the day of ticketing.
4.The following will outline the mileage cost, whether changed or left the same, to all major destinations served by United only, not by partner airlines
——————————————————————-
1-Starting 10/16 there will be a $75 charge (in addition to the mileage required) for travel ticketed six days or less prior to departure and $50 for travel ticketed 7-13 days prior to departure.
2-Australia takes a big hit…
Currently-Saver Awards:
Coach-60k
Business-90k
First-120k
Eff. 10/16
Coach-80k
Business-110k
First-140k
3-Intra-Hawaii saver flights double from 5,000 miles to 10,000 miles
4-The domestic short-haul award of 15,000 miles for all flights 750 miles or less is reduced to 700 miles or less, eliminating popular routes such as Chicago to New York LaGuardia(733 miles)
5-Nearly all Standard awards get much pricier:
Domestic:
Currently:
Coach-40k
Business-80k
First-120k
Eff: 10/16
Coach-50k
Business-90k
First-120k
-Hawaii:
Currently:
Coach-60k
Business-120k
First-160k
Eff: 10/16
Coach-70k
Business-150k
First-190k
South America:
Currently:
Coach-60k
Business-120k
First-160k
Eff: 10/16
Coach-100k
Business-180k
First-220k
Europe:
Currently:
Coach-80k
Business-150k
First-200k
Eff: 10/16
Coach-100k
Business-180k
First-220k
Asia:
Currently:
Coach-100k
Business-150k
First-220k
Eff: 10/16
Coach-120k
Business-200k
First-240k
Australia:
Currently:
Coach-100k
Business-150k
First-200k
Eff: 10/16
Coach-150k (50% increase!!!)
Business-220k
First-270k
6-Saver Awards(excluding the aforementioned Australia) don’t change too much for the most part:
Domestic:
Currently:
Coach-25k
Business-40k
First-60k
Eff. 10/16
Coach-25k
Business-45k
First-60k
Hawaii:
Currently:
Coach-35k
Business-60k
First-80k
Eff. 10/16
Coach-35k
Business-75k
First-90k
South America:
Currently:
Coach-50k
Business-80k
First-100k
Eff. 10/16
Coach-50k
Business-80k
First-110k
Europe:
Currently:
Coach-50k
Business-80k
First-100k
Eff. 10/16
Coach-50k
Business-80k
First-125k
Asia:
Currently:
Coach-60k
Business-90k
First-120k
Eff. 10/16
Coach-60k
Business-90k
First-120k (Cheaper than Europe-Go figure???)
Conclusions:
-Coming out from bankruptcy United has brought its’ once superior Mileage Plus program for the most part in line with its’ peers. However the AAmerican AAdvantage program now becomes the clear leader as the best program in which to accumulate miles, for reasons which are too many to enumerate in this posting.
-People hoarding United miles should act fast in redeeming miles for saver tickets, as many members will soon be rushing to cash in their miles at the current rates, which may dry up United’s typically so-so saver inventory for the near-term future.
©2006 Ctownbochur.com, please refer back to this site when quoting any portion of this article.
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Available from Zipzoomfly or Newegg, choose your preferred retailer!
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Get Lifetime Elite Status On Airtran If You Are Currently Elite On Any Airline!!!
Usually elite status on an airline lasts for about a year, and along with it come some great benefits depending on what level of elite status you have.
Airtran has the industry’s only elite status program in which if you earn elite status once you keep it for the rest of your life!
Elite status on Airtran gets you among other things:
-The ability to get an upgrade the day before a flight
-Premium check in lines
-Premium security lines no matter what airline you’re flying!
-free name changes on tickets
-ability to transfer mileage credits to another member
All you have to do is open an A-Plus Account online at airtran.com and then send a fax to them at: 912-966-6378
and tell them
-That you plan on flying them a lot in the near future out of ‘xyz’ airport
-The airline that you are currently have elite status on
-Documentation of elite status
-And that you would like a elite status match on airtran and you will start booking flights
Then just check back online 24 hours later and you should see your status upgraded to elite!
As an elite i get upgraded for free nearly every time i fly on airtran too so lifetime elite status is quite a worthwhile!
Not elite on any airline? You could still become one by flying to dallas 12 times for $400 and earn 2 trips to europe in the process…
dallas linky 1
dallas linky 2
Free 2 Liter Of Diet Coke At Target!
Current price should be $1, and here is a coupon for $1 off!
Coupon Download Linky
Limited Updates This Month..
This notice will remain at the top until it no longer applies. Please scroll down for current deals.
April 2:
Over the next week, starting today I’m going to be criss-crossing the country on some 20 flights!
Obviously my ability to update this site will be limited due to that for the next week, and in the weeks after that, as I am going away for pesach as well.
G-d willing I will find time to update this growing site as time allows, just be aware that it will be less updated over the next 3 weeks.
Thanks,
Daniel
Have A Happy And Kosher Pesach!
Wishing all of my readers a happy and kosher pesach.
Once again I apologize for the lack of updates this month, but it is simply impossible for me to do much better until the 25th of April.
May we merit to all meet for tonight’s seder in Jerusalem!
HOT! HURRY!!! 5 Megapixel Canon Digital Elph SD450 Camera And A 15 In One Memory Card Reader For $205 Shipped After Coupons+$15 Rebate!!!!!!
Canon SD450 Digital Camera Linky
Hi-Speed All in One USB Digital Media Linky
$15 Rebate Linky
Use the following coupon code at your cart:
20% Off: 8LQ3VXXWGCTDVJ
Then you need to buy a $35 off $300 coupon which will stack with the 20% off coupon, Read this post for info on how to get it!
AAmreican AAirlines AAdvantage ChAAlenge—The Fast-Track To Elite Status!
Every major airline has special elite level programs for top flyers that offer various perks, such as free upgrades, ability to pre-reserve premium seats, expanded reward travel availability, priority boarding, and additional bonus miles.
Usually these program require between 25,000 and 100,000 actual flying miles (No, those credit card miles wont count for this…)
American has an undocumented program call “The Challenge” which was designed for travelers who wanted to switch their business to AA, but didn’t want to have to wait until they fly 25,000 miles to become elite.
American has 3 elite program levels, Gold, Platinum, And Executive Platinum.
The gold challenge requires you to attain 5,000 Q-points in a 90 day period.
The platinum challenge requires you to attain 10,000 Q-points in a 90 day period.
The executive platinum challenge is by invitation only(if it actually exists…)
Here’s how Q-points work:
-Every flight segment earns a minimum of 500 Q-points. Example: A one way flight from New York to Chicago with a stopover in Cleveland will earn you 1000 Q-points even though the actual flown mileage is only about 750.
-On flights longer than 500 miles the Q-points are dependent on the class of service you bought( to check the class of service just go to the reservation you have online)
These letters earn 1.5 Q-points per actual flight mileage: A, F, P, D, I, J, B, or Y
These letters earn 1.0 Q-points per actual flight mileage: H, K, L, M, V, or W
These letters earn 0.5 Q-points per actual flight mileage:G, N, O, Q, or S
Mileage Checker Linky
Another benefit of the Dallas flights I took last week (besides for the 10,000 mile per flight dallas bonus) was that I got gold elite status from the gold challange(12 flights x 500 Q-points=6000 Q-points)
To sign up for the challenge just call 800-421-0600 and ask to sign up for whichever challenge you believe you can qualify for!
Deal Update: $250 Amex Card Credit Posted Immediately!!!
I posted a deal about 10 days ago to receive a $250 credit when signing up for a free amex.
I got the card, spent about $1 on it, and i just checked my current balance, and it is…….
Negative $248.50!!!
Congratulations to all who got in on the deal before it died!!!
HOT!!! $100 Coupon Off Annual Membership To Purchase Gas At 15% Off!!!
Membership linky
Annual fee is normally $110, with this coupon it’s only $10!
You are able to get 15% off by prepaying for gas at the following gas stations:
Amoco
Arco
BP
Chevron
Citgo
Exxon
Marathon
Mobil
Shell
Speedway
Sunoco
SuperAmerica
Texaco
Prepaid cards of less than $1000 cost $1.50 to ship, more than $1000 comes with free shipping.
Use coupon code: GC0406
25% Off At Borders!
Coupon Linky
Borders Rewards Membership(Free!) Is Required…