Although the ultimate affordable travel option is free travel via airline member programs, most travelers have to rely on cheap travel deals such as cheap airplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, discount travel packages, and cheap vacation packages when vacationing.
For those lucky enough to be in a position to redeem miles for free airplane tickets, they should be aware that several United States airlines, including American, Delta, JetBlue and United have announced changes to their existing mileage programs.
Some changes are for the better such as earning miles on partner airlines, exchanging hotel stays for airline miles, and access to more lounges. Other changes are not positive such as more expensive award ticket fees, minimum annual spending requirements, and disappearing bonuses.
The following are highlights of changes in US airline loyalty programs:
American Airlines and Marriott Hotels are working together again. Members of both the AAdvantage and Marriott Rewards loyalty programs can now earn miles during future hotel stays. You now can convert Marriott Rewards Points to AAdvantage Miles, so long as you have at least 10,000 points which equals 2,000 American miles.
American is now code sharing with Seaborne Airlines (based in St. Croix). Code sharing enables American to directly sell Seaborne flights using an AA codes and flight numbers.
Delta Air Lines purchased a 49 percent equity stake in Virgin Atlantic in June resulting in a code share agreement across 108 routes in North America and Britain, making Delta a more meaningful competitor to the American Airlines and British Airways alliance.
Now loyalty members of Delta and Virgin Atlantic have reciprocal access to Delta Sky Club and Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse lounges for Upper Class and Business Elite passengers, as well as Flying Club Gold, SkyMiles Platinum and Diamond members. Delta SkyMiles and Virgin Flying Club members can earn bonus miles on all Delta and Virgin Atlantic flights.
As of September 1st Delta will implement a new partner airline mileage earning chart that in some cases eliminates elite mileage bonuses for Medallion members.
JetBlue Airways has announced that TrueBlue loyalty program members points will never expire during a members lifetime.
As of the beginning of 2014 Uniteds MileagePlus loyalty program will require minimum annual passenger spending in addition to existing minimum mileage requirements. For example, in addition to having to fly 25,000 qualifying miles or 30 segments to achieve 2015 Premier Silver status, passengers will have to spend at least $2,500 on tickets.
In addition to spending requirements, United has increased fees for MileagePlus award tickets. Through June passengers at the general member level could make changes to award tickets booked more than 20 days in advance of the date of travel free of charge so long as there was no change to the origin or destination of the flight. Such changes now cost $75.
Changes made less than 21 days prior to travel cost $100 vs. $75 before. The cost of canceling an award ticket and requesting the miles be re-deposited have increased to $200 vs. previously costing $150.
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