Mid-Year 2024 Travel Check

Travel continues to be significant for many this year - planes are full despite high inflation and fares.  I'm curious how long this trend will continue.  United just advised this week they expect seat loads to decline next month.  My pattern has completely changed this year and am no longer flying each week. 

American

I still have Gold status and expect this will end next year.  I'm still flying AA to get home when possible.  

United

United is my first choice for flights though with decreased flying per week it's unlikely that I'll make 1K next year.  Upgrades are still limited but I've had a few more CPU's clear over the last few months.  I still use the Club Card which helps during longer layovers.  I'm thrilled to be nearing 1M miles on United and hope to time the milestone with an overseas segment. 

Hyatt

This year will likely be my last as a Globalist unless there are particular promotions that work for my planned travel.  I'm still finding excellent point deals for our primary locations and hope there won't be many property changes this year.  

Hilton

I no longer have Diamond status and will likely have Gold until the end of the year.  My stays at Hilton have mostly stopped outside of point redemptions.  I've also reduced my credit card count and will likely prioritize Hyatt stays for the time being. 

What are your travel plans this year?  

Hertz Makes a Customer-UNfriendly Change to Points

I was very disappointed to receive an email from Hertz today detailing a change to their rewards program.  Starting December 31st of this year, points will now expire after 5 years from when they were originally earned.

Effective December 31, 2024, points will expire after 5 years from when they were earned, regardless of rental activity.^* This means that any points that have been in your account for 5 years or longer will expire and be removed from your account if not used prior to December 31, 2024 — you currently have points set to expire by this date. But don’t worry! You’ll have almost 6 months to use those points to book free rental days through 2025. And you can transfer points to an immediate family member who is also a Gold member.^**

This change is in addition to the current policy in which points will expire after 12 months of no rental activity.

This is a very customer-unfriendly change.

Many programs have moved to no expiration for points/miles including Jetblue, Delta, and others.  It's disappointing that Hertz would penalize loyal customers who chose their program for travel.

I'll be shifting my business completely away from Hertz as a result. Unfortunately, Avis also has a similar expiration policy so Enterprise will likely be my preferred program moving forward. 

Etihad Expands Flight Options to Boston

This is great news! (especially if you have credit card points or specifically Jetblue points):

Etihad is expanding its flight options to Boston and moving to daily flights.  The announcement is here: https://www.etihad.com/en/news/etihad-doubles-down-on-north-america-launching-daily-flights-to-boston-and-bringing-its-a350-to-toronto

Using Jetblue points may be an excellent way to fly business class to the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent - I always like finding great ways to get to the Maldives as well.

New Hyatt Promo: Double points at Hyatt House/Place

Hyatt has been rolling out a number of promos in the last few months - some seem great and others not as beneficial.  This one in particular seems positive if you stay at Hyatt House or Place properties:

Earn double points for qualifying stays completed between July 9, 2024, and October 15, 2024, at 550+ participating Hyatt Place and Hyatt House hotels worldwide.
Earn up to 25,000 Bonus Points.

Register by September 15, 2024.

Link: https://world.hyatt.com/content/gp/en/offers/hyatt-place-hyatt-house-double-points.html

3rd Quarter Card Bonuses

For those keeping track, the following are planned point bonuses in the 3rd quarter 2024:

Chase Freedom:  Gas, EV Charging, Live Entertainment, Movie Theatres

Discover IT Miles: Walmart and Grocery Stores

Other standard card bonuses still apply!  It's unfortunate not to see any special restaurant promotions.

Future flights to PQI

These past years I've enjoyed being able to get to northern Maine regularly flying United.  Prior to United being granted the EAS contracts, I recall having to survive small PenAir turboprop planes which wasn't ideal.  Even though the United flights were through Newark (and for some reason occasionally Dulles), they were mostly on-time and also included the customary PQP/PQF which helped for requal each year.

The United contract was due for review and potential new bids by the DOT this past spring.  The major carriers reapplied and for the first time Jetblue made a bid.  The support seen online and in the news was mixed between both United and Jetblue - my hope was that United would get the contract.  

Unfortunately, the DOT decision was released at the end of May and Jetblue was awarded the contract starting September 1st, 2024.  It's important to note they were the low bidder between the applicants.  The City of Presque Isle has the news here.  I'm disappointed since Jetblue is only scheduled to fly one flight a day (United had two) and the times are very late/early.  If there are any operational impacts, passengers could be stuck.  Prices will likely be lower to start - I'm curious how these might change over time.  And, I'll be missing out on United credit for the flights. 

The Race to 1M

It's actually not a race per se, more of a marathon ...

I recently crossed the 900k mile mark flying United.  Not redeemable miles, but actual 'I sat on the plane' miles.  There are many that probably wouldn't care about this, except, in the flying world one million miles is a milestone.  There's even one person that has flown over 24 million on United!

Each of the carriers in the US have a program for million mile flyers.  There are benefits at each tier, though the first million means you no longer have to chase initial airline status and you get that level indefinitely.  For United, the benefits for one million include Premier Gold, Star Alliance Gold (which allows access to international airport lounges), and companion access for another individual.  

In hindsight, I should have achieved this milestone a year or so ago.  Due to program changes about 10 years ago, I had a brief stint flying American which was more convenient at the time.  During that timeframe I flew nearly 300k miles on American, which is great, but not helpful for the closer million mile marker.  

One neat thing that often happens when you cross the million mile marker is a small recognition from the flight crew (which is why many plan their million mile flight for a longer overseas segment).  Some people have reported getting a special coin and/or a signed flight plan from the crew noting where you crossed the threshold.  I'm hopeful that I can plan a similar trip around the same time! 

Infocomm 2024

Another successful Infocomm gathering has come to a close!  I'm in transit back east after several days onsite meeting with vendors and other tech partners.  Even though I typically attend every other year, this is a highlight to see new technologies and hear about what may be on the horizon for teaching, learning, and professional applications.  I also enjoyed catching up with friends and colleagues from my previous institutions to hear about new projects and summer construction plans. 

I'm thrilled I managed to make this schedule and travel work post-Bachfest with multiple flights and connections.  United again for the win!

...and a last minute upgrade

The upgrade process for United in general is much more difficult than past years.  Even though PlusPoints are plentiful, the number of people traveling and willing to pay for any ticket in any cabin means fewer seats available for upgrade.  Pre-pandemic it seemed as though my upgrade chances were quite high; these days it's often last minute to get a final upgrade if available.

I was fortunate to get upgraded on my EWR-ZRH flight yesterday during pre-boarding.  I started at #2 and ended #1 on the upgrade list with 4 seats open.  Luckily the gate agent was also willing to put me in 1F which is the bulkhead seat with extra foot room.  Thank you United!

Off to Bachfest

Time to hit the road!

I'm off to BachFest in Leipzig this week with a brief stopover to acclimate before taking the ICE up to Germany.  I was hopeful for a potential use of PlusPoints on the outbound flight though it appears most seats are now taken.  Summer travel on United!

If you're interested, Emmanuel Music of Boston is scheduled to perform on Sunday 6/9: https://www.bachfestleipzig.de/en/bachfest/emmanuel-music-boston-usa

Citi Premier is now Citi Strata Premier

Citi recently announced updates to the Premier card - this has been an excellent complimentary choice for earning points along with most other point systems.  ThankYou points can be transferred to travel partners in the same way and have unique choices compared to the other programs.

New travel protection benefits include:

• Trip cancellation and trip interruption
• Trip Delay
• Lost or Damaged Luggage
• Primary Car Rental Coverage

Additional benefits:

• 3x ThankYou points per dollar for EV charging
• 10x points per dollar on hotels, car rentals, and attractions through the Citi portal

More info can be found here:

https://www.citi.com/usc/lpaca/citi/rewards/stratapremier/ps/index.html

Travel Ahead

May is here!  I'm looking forward to finishing the semester and have a number of trips on the schedule through the summer.  Some highlights ahead:

- Memorial Day to Maine

- BachFest in Leipzig

- InfoComm 2024 

I'm also planning to be back in WI - will be fun to get together with family!

Hyatt Update: Mr. and Mrs. Smith properties now available

I received great news today that Mr. and Mrs. Smith properties are now part of World of Hyatt!  This is a new partnership (that in some ways replaces the Small Luxury Hotels of the World partnership that just ended).  

More information here: https://world.hyatt.com/content/gp/en/landing/mr-and-mrs-smith.html

Hilton Summer Points Promo

Hilton has shared the Summer 2024 points promotion and I have to say it's a bit underwhelming:

Earn Double Points on stays completed between May 2nd and September 2nd, 2024.  Register first!  

Offer valid for stays completed May 2 - September 2, 2024 (“Promotion Period”) at any hotel or resort within the Hilton Portfolio. Hilton Honors™ members must first register at HiltonHonors.com/DoublePoints prior to completing a stay within the Promotion Period. Registered Hilton Honors members checking in before May 2, 2024 will receive Bonus Points for their stay if the stay is completed on or after May 2, 2024 and prior to or on September 2, 2024. Registered Hilton Honors members will earn Double Points per stay during the Promotion Period. “Double Points” means members will receive Bonus Points equal to the number of Base Points earned during a stay. There is no limit to the total amount of Bonus Points that may be earned during the Promotion Period with this offer. However, there are restrictions on the number of Base Points that can be earned on a single stay at certain brands.

Trip Recap: Brussels and Maldives

We just recently returned from an amazing vacation trip to Brussels and the Maldives!  Overall we didn't experience any flight challenges and had a very positive experience flying United, TAP Portugal, and Qatar Airways.

As a reminder, this was our primary initial routing:

BOS-IAD:

Very smooth flight with no issues - we stopped in at the United Lounge before departure and enjoyed some snacks.

IAD-BRU (which turned out to be IAD-LIS-BRU!):

We made it the gate after a brief lounge visit, and heard the agent asking for volunteers since the flight was oversold by 6.  This is the most I've ever heard for an international flight!  They were offering $1000 and rerouting either that night or the next day.  Initially this seemed too low so we didn't jump. However, after a second call I went to the desk and offered to help though noted the amount seemed too low.  The agent was able to increase the voucher amount and route us from Dulles to Lisbon and then on to Brussels that same evening.  Perfect!  We now had vouchers as well as a routing that wouldn't make us late for Sunday.  We went back to the Polaris lounge for a bit and then on to the later flight.  Arriving to Lisbon we went through security, passport check, and then visited the TAP lounge which was very crowded.  After a brief breakfast we walked to the gate and onward via a TAP Portugal flight (new airline!).  Arrival at Brussels was easy with a quick walk to the train which looped us downtown quickly.  

We had the evening in Brussels and once checked in to the Hilton Grand Place walked and had dinner at Mokafe.  I had visited this restaurant during my trip to ILA and it was great to stop again - the service and food were excellent.  We also walked to the main square and tried some waffle!

BRU-DOH-MLE:

The next morning after breakfast we zipped back to Brussels Airport via train, checked in with Qatar Airways, then off to the lounge for lunch before departure.  We used miles to fly Business Class to Doha and it was a very smooth flight that had amazing food/drink choices.

Arriving at Doha we had quite a walk to get to our gate though did stop and see the Orchard.  Once onboard we found our seats and I tried to sleep. Unfortunately I had an issue occur with the individual sitting behind me who decided to kick my seat forward twice while I was sleeping since apparently there wasn't room to eat.  Even though I had a right to recline, the individual kept doing this and so I ended up with poor sleep for the entire segment.

At the Park Hyatt Maldives:

Our typical transfer process went quickly (lounge/flight/boat) and soon we were onsite and could relax!

MLE-DOH-BRU-EWR-BOS:

Leaving is always the most difficult thing to do.  We ran to late brunch and then off on our standard boat ride followed by flight from Koodhoo to Male.  In Male we had a bit of a wait though soon we were off on a fairly full flight to Doha.  Arriving Doha we quickly went through security again and then visited the Business Lounge before walking again to our C gate.  We had Business Class again using miles back to Brussels so it was time to sleep!  

Arriving Brussels was fast with a quick visit to security and then off to our gate.  We were not able to visit any lounges since access is restricted to Business class only (no *A or Gold possible).  Boarding was completed quickly and we were off to Newark.  We were able to get quite a bit of work done on the flight and kudos to United for another smooth flight.  No delay for Global Entry this time and we stopped by the United Club before departing to Boston.

Recap:

It was an amazing trip.  We had multiple segments though didn't have any delays or issues on transfer.  Using points and miles was really helpful and we hope to get back to the Maldives soon!

The Rise of the Do-Nothing Vacation

Most trips I take have a specific idea or plan in mind.  Whether that is to participate in activities or view unique cultural offerings, a defined purpose has often been a part of how I hope to visit a destination (and often collect/use points!).  However...given the hustle/bustle of work, market volatility, and increasing stress due to local factors (including commute, inflation, etc), it's sometimes nice just to go on a vacation and do nothing.

In the past I've been asked why I might travel as far as I sometimes do only to get to a place and do nothing.  There's a simple answer for that: it's to disconnect.  I also happen to enjoy being on planes which for me is part of the disconnect process.

A recent WSJ article highlights this increasing travel trend: https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/travel/vacation-trends-resorts-all-inclusive-relax-ce3f9026

Travel is the ultimate break!

Hyatt Award Chart Changes March 2024

Hyatt has announced changes to award categories for free night stays.

You can find the full list here: https://world.hyatt.com/content/gp/en/landing/award-category-chart-updates.html

Generally these types of changes are negative especially when categories move out of 4 to 5 (free night cert) and from 7 to 8 (also free night cert).  

Some things to keep in mind:

• When you book before March 26, your reservations will follow the current free night award chart found here.
• Reservations made or modified on or after March 26 will follow the new free night award chart and incorporate the updates noted below.
• Existing reservations for nights on or after March 26 will receive a refund for the point difference if the hotel moved to a lower category.

Next Travel Adventure: Maldives!

Yes, you read that correctly!  I'm on a days countdown now until departure for Maldives via Brussels.  Looking forward to being back in the air internationally and also stopping over in a new city for HBB.  Here's how the journey will look from Gcmap.com:

Once again this type of itinerary is not possible without the use of points and miles.  The breakdown:

Park Hyatt Maldives (4 nights): 120,000 Hyatt points 

With Globalist status, our breakfasts will be free and we typically treat it as brunch so dinner ends up being the only expense.

BRU-DOH-MLE plus return: 170,000 American Miles for two people with Qatar Airways QSuites included BRU-MLE and regular Business on the return.  

Our overnight in Brussels at the Hilton Grand Place was a cheap rate so no need to use points for that.  

Since this is likely my last year of having Hyatt Globalist status, we need to take advantage of the extra perks (food plus room upgrades).  Should be a fun and relaxing trip!

AA Enhances Service to LSE

Good news this week for flyers to LSE!  From social media:

We're excited to announce that coming in April, American Airlines will add an additional flight each day. Then, in May, they will have larger aircraft (E170/175) for two of the three flights each day! This will provide additional connectivity for our passengers as well as more seats in our market. It is an important step in our air service efforts to prove the Coulee Region's demand for travel!

As we continue to pursue more routes and airlines, please consider clicking the link below and tell us where you'd like to go. The information we get from you will help us razor target specific destinations and carriers. Let's get moving!

I'm glad that AA is committing more seats to the Coulee region.  Now I wish United would restart service!

AA Takes a Step Back with Earning

I was pretty disappointed to receive an email update from American Airlines recently detailing an update on earning miles and Loyalty Points.  The banner reads they want to 'reward loyalty', however, the changes mean less opportunities to earn miles and points:

•   Book directly with American and our eligible partner airlines

•   Book travel anywhere as an AAdvantage BusinessTM member or contracted corporate traveler

•   Book through our preferred travel agencies

In other words, you may not be able to earn miles/points any longer when using sites like Orbitz and Kayak.  

Worst part, they don't even bother to say which are the preferred agencies!  (list promised end of April).

Terrible in my opinion.

Jetting on the Blue

Today is my first time flying Jetblue in quite some time - in 2011 I was able to take advantage of the Jetblue All You Can Jet program (Blue Pass) which allowed unlimited travel between select destinations for a one time cost over three months.  The locations at that time were amazing and I was even able to schedule a quick run to Bermuda over a weekend!

I'm flying BOS-MKE on one of the newer Airbus 220-300 series and I have to say I'm pretty impressed.  Decent legroom in economy (I didn't pay for more space), seatback system that is new with included wifi and entertainment choices through Directv, and overall excellent cabin service.  I was in one of the last boarding groups but was still able to find a spot for my backpack.

I still have some Jetblue points available though I may need to try and get a few more in the future.

Sad News: TAMU-Q to close in 2028

Cross-post from Linkedin:

I have different emotions reading the news today that Texas A&M in Qatar will be winding down operations by 2028. In my opinion, a sad day for the students and families in Qatar and MENA region. The opportunity for students to study engineering in this setting was meaningful and established positive connections around the world.

Personally, TAMU-Q along with the other universities present in Education City hosted by Qatar Foundation, played an instrumental role for me as I conducted my doctoral research and participated in the QF-sponsored Young Professional's Institute. Our first global study trip to the region offered insight into how we can establish new connections and build teams that support students. The loss of TAMU-Q will be felt by many over time. I hope I can return to Doha soon for additional research.

https://theeagle.com/news/a_m/texas-a-m-to-close-its-qatar-campus-by-2028/article_c8e58538-c6c3-11ee-94a7-b366bd04f334.html

Feb travel ahead

February is here!  I feel as though January took forever.  

I'm looking forward to some travel planned for this month - the holiday weekend will see me on the road again between the NE and MKE.  Hopefully there won't be many weather impacts!

How the Challenge resolved

My last post detailed how I had booked a backup option via United from SFO-PHX - I was very confident this would be a solid option to get me to Phoenix.  However, I was surprised when I received a text notification from United saying the flight had been cancelled due to the Max 9 issues.  The assigned plane wasn't a Max 9 though...maybe other network impacts caused the cancel?  In any event, the rebook was for the evening which wasn't going to work.  

After a check of options, I had no choice but to work through the cancels of these flights and rebook on a direct American option.  It wasn't my first choice but I was able to land later morning which gave me time back.  Lesson learned - always be prepared with other connect options!

Challenges due to 737 Max 9 being Grounded

The news in the past week or so about Alaska 1282 has caused quite a few travel impacts as all 737 Max 9 aircraft are still grounded.  United is a major customer of the Max 9 with nearly 80 aircraft not flying.  Last year I recall a fair percentage of my transcon flights were the Max 9 and I never had any problems in-flight or after.  

My Alaska flight this weekend to Phx is impacted by the grounding - after a quick check I realized it is showing as a Max 9.  While not cancelled yet, I expect it to occur at any time.  Thankfully I had booked a backup staging option and should be able to get to Phoenix a bit later than I had first planned.  

Make sure to check your itineraries in advance to make sure you can still get to your destination!

Cards in My Wallet Right Now (2024)

Happy New Year!  I'm pleased that my overall spending pattern was about even throughout the year and I was also able to gain one new card given my frequent flights - the United Club card gives lounge access and was very helpful for my longer trips last year.  As always, if anyone is interested in referrals please let me know!

Cards in my Wallet:

Chase Sapphire Reserve - one of the best earning cards with 3x points for travel and 3x for dining; No Foreign Transaction Fee

Chase Freedom - Quarterly bonus categories give 5x points and pairs with Sapphire

Chase World of Hyatt - 4x Hyatt points per stay make this one of the best for hotel stays, 2x for restaurant/transit; No Foreign Transaction Fee

Chase IHG Rewards Club Select (no longer available) - Platinum Elite status plus free night every cardmember year

Chase United Mileage Plus Select (no longer available) - 3x miles on United purchases plus EQM, 2x gas/grocery/dining + Star Alliance purchases

Chase United Club Infinite - 4x miles on United, 2x miles on other travel, 2x on dining, United Club membership

Chase Biz Plus (replaced with Business Preferred) - 5x points at office supply and phone, 2x on gas station and hotel; No Foreign Transaction Fee

Chase Biz Cash - 5x points at office supply and phone, 2x points on gas stations and restaurants

Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless - 6x points at Marriott properties; 3x Gas/Grocery/Dining up to $6k, 1 Elite Night credit per $5k spent; 2x points on other purchases; No Foreign Transaction Fee

Chase British Airways - 3x Avios on BA purchases; 2x on hotels; No Foreign Transaction Fee

Citibank Premier - 3x points on travel including gas stations and grocery; 2x on dining/entertainment, No Foreign Transaction Fee

Citibank AA Biz Platinum - 2x American Airlines miles on purchases plus free checked bag and priority boarding; 2x on gas stations, No Foreign Transaction Fee

Citibank AA Mileup - 2x American Airlines miles on flights, plus 2x miles for grocery purchases, No Annual Fee

Citibank Double Cash - 2% cash back on all purchases, though the transfer option to Citi ThankYou Points makes this card strong for all non-category spend, No Annual Fee

American Express Hilton card - 7x Hilton points on stays, 5x points dining/gas/grocery, 3x all other purchases, complimentary Silver status, No Annual Fee, No Foreign Transaction Fee

American Express Hilton Surpass - 12x Hilton points on stays, 6x points on dining/grocery/gas, 3x points on all other purchases; complimentary Gold status, No Foreign Transaction Fee

Discover It card - 5x points/cash on quarterly bonus categories, link to Amazon.com purchases, No Annual Fee

Bank of American Alaska Airlines card - 3x miles on Alaska purchases, $99 companion fare


I still value many of these for the no annual fee and other free night perks. There's a good chance I'll consolidate several this year as my flight frequency has been reduced.