A fourth airline alliance? Etihad Partners

I received an email recently about a new program being put together by Etihad, called Etihad Airways Partners. From the looks of it, you could deduce that Etihad might be wanting to create its own special airline "alliance" based out of the Middle East.

You can read more about it here.

I'm not that opposed to such a notion - in fact, with American Airlines being an Etihad partner, there might be a future option to make use of a variety of different airline partners should they join in.  Making connections to Doha or even the Maldives is appealing for my travel options, and I imagine others would find similar synergies.

Can't wait to see how this is received - and if other airlines join!

My next travel adventure: Uber!

I know it's not a glamorous flight or hotel, but I'm pretty stoked to have been recently approved to be an Uber driver!  My travel will be local to San Diego, and I'm excited to see how it works from the other "side".  I've used Uber for my own travel needs in the past and I know it's completely different when you are in the drivers seat.  Plus, I'm curious about the revenue aspects of this whole thing - I'm hopeful that my driving will earn me enough to plan some fantastic trips in the future!

Stay tuned for more info - I'll be posting about my first experiences once I have the hardware and am ready to go.

Planning my next trip: Zurich!

I make no attempt to hide the fact that I love visiting Zurich - it would be a dream for me to get a job and work in Zurich (maybe at the University!) down the road.  So I'm always planning for my next trip over - and if I'm lucky, I can squeeze in a side trip to Gimmelwald while I'm at it.

The trick is to find a good time to go.  Summer flights are typically so expensive that the only good option is to redeem miles if you can find the flights.  Also, summer in Gimmelwald is very busy, and finding a place to stay can be tricky.  I usually prefer to stay at the Mountain Hostel to save $, but they sell out quickly.  Another good option is Esther's Guesthouse - book early!  Jimmy tried to get me to hike the Schilthorn the last time we were there...begin your training early if you want to make the trek all the way up.

Miles/points options are plentiful for European travel.  Star Alliance seems to have the best choice, so using United.com to find availability is a great option.  OneWorld might also be possible, but watch out for fuel surcharges across the carriers.

For stays in Zurich proper, I try to use my Hyatt points at the Park Hyatt Zurich.  I also enjoy the Hotel Sunnehus, which is a bit off the trail but a quiet stay.  And breakfast is amazing.

But if you're looking for other options, I also like the IHG properties (you can use points if you get their credit card), located in and around the city center.  They occasionally run sales - for pre-flight departures, the Zurich Airport Holiday Inn is close.  For stays next to the main train station, there is a Crowne Plaza nearby. 

New addition to my earning game: IHG

I successfully added another travel/points option to my portfolio this month - the IHG Mastercard.  While most of the main points bloggers tend to look down on the value of these points, I see a great card that will help with grocery purchases as well as supplement my stay options at hotels overseas.  I always seem to run into Holiday Inn or Intercontinental properties, so why not have that option?

Here were the details:

60,000 Bonus Point

After you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. This bonus offer is available to you as long as you have not received a new cardmember bonus for this product in the past 24 months.

Earn 5 points per $1 spent when you stay at our hotels

Earn 2 points per $1 spent on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants

Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases

10% rebate on IHG Rewards Club point redemptions

- Up to 100,000 points back each year.

Annual Free Night Worldwide (no property restriction!)

No Foreign Transaction Fees

Platinum Elite Status for as long as you're a cardmember

Not bad!

What to do with United flights? Credit to Singapore!

I've been trying to decide what to do about flying United in the future - the prospects of getting status back are slim, given the recent addition of spending requirements for each level.  Even though I've been flying American primarily, I'm sure that United flights are in my future.  What to do with the earning though?

I think the best way might be to credit the flights to Singapore - they allow for 100% earning across all fare buckets:

As a reminder, KrisFlyer miles are valid for three years before they technically expire.  An extension is possible upon request.

Are you currently crediting your UA flights to SQ?  What has your experience been?