Category Archives: Alaska Airlines

Spring Break to Maui: Introduction & Planning

Posted on April 24, 2013 by | 48 Comments

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Over Spring Break in March, Emily and I visited Maui in Hawaii.  This was our first time to Hawaii so we were very excited!  We spent only $570 dollars for a trip which has a retail cost of $8,731 for some Big Travel with Small Money!

Of course we wouldn’t pay the retail price ourselves, which is why we collect miles and points.

Can't Wait to Go Back!

Can’t Wait to Go Back!

I always thought that I’d “save” Hawaii for when I retire because it would be relatively easy to visit and explore later in life.  But one of the most common reader questions is “How do I get to Hawaii?”

And almost everyone who has visited Hawaii wants to go back (if that isn’t a ringing endorsement, what is?) so we decided to go!  As luck would have it, I fell sick the first 2 or 3 days, but still had a wonderful time. Continue reading →

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Posted in Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Citi American Airlines, Hilton HHonors, Hyatt, Ink Bold, Southwest, Trip Reports, United Airlines

Credit Card Update: 25,000 Alaska Air MileagePlan Miles & $100 Statement Credit

Posted on April 21, 2013 by | 10 Comments

[Disclosure:  Emily and I do NOT get a commission for the link to the Alaska Airlines Visa card in the post as of the post publication date.]

Alaska Airlines Visa with 25,000 Miles Bonus & $100 Statement Credit

Via One Mile at a Time, Alaska Air has an offer for 25,000 Alaska Air Mileage Plan miles (after 1st purchase), plus a $100 statement credit after spending $1,000 within 3 months.  The regular offer is for 25,000 miles after your 1st purchase, but you don’t get the $100 statement credit.

Alaska Air Visa

Alaska Air Visa with $100 Statement Credit

You have to purchase a flight to get the offer for 25,000 miles plus the $100 statement credit, but here’s a direct link to application page.  If you do apply, please take lots of screen shots.  A reader didn’t get the $100 statement the last time this was available, so as always, your miles may vary. Continue reading →

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Posted in Alaska Airlines, Credit Cards

News You Can Use – Marriott Award Increases & Alaska Airlines Redemptions on Iceland Air to Stop

Posted on February 14, 2013 by | 5 Comments

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1.   Marriott Award Increases

Loyalty Lobby has a detailed analysis of increases in Marriott hotel award chart and points out that 36% of Marriott hotels will require more points to redeem for a free night and that only 1% of hotels will require fewer points!  However, you can make bookings up to May 16, 2013 (~ 3 months away) at the old rate.

If you have a Chase Marriott credit card, you get a free night each year which can be used in any category 1 to 5 Marriott hotel.  But, according to Loyalty Lobby, 190 hotels are increasing from category 5 to 6 which means fewer hotels to use those free nights. Continue reading →

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Posted in Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Marriott, Uncategorized, VIrgin America

What to do with 75,000 to 100,000 American Express Membership Rewards Points? [Expired]

Posted on January 25, 2013 by | 39 Comments

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Readers have been asking what they can do with 75,000 to 100,000 Membership Rewards points.  A few weeks ago there was a 100,000 point American Express Platinum card and up to January 28th there is a 75,000 point Business Gold card available.

1.   Travel Using Pay With Points

The simplest way to use Membership Rewards points is to use the “Pay with Points” feature and get 1 cent per point towards air travel booked through the Membership Rewards portal.  You get less than 1 cent per point if you book hotels and car rentals through the portal, so best to use Pay with Points for air travel.

This means that 75,000 membership Rewards points will get you $750 and 100,000 Membership Rewards points will get you $1,000 towards air travel expenses.

Membership Rewards Points Value 2

Using Pay With Points For 1 Cent Per Point

The advantage of using Pay with Points is that you get lots of flexibility with booking your travel because you don’t have to search for only low availability flights.  If there is a flight for sale, you can use points to book it.  You will also earn miles on the flight you book.

Continue reading →

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Posted in Aeroplan, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, American Express, ANA, British Airways, Delta Skymiles, Lufthansa, United Airlines, US Air, Virgin Atlantic

News You Can Use – Priority Club & Starwood Award Changes, Iceland Air Redemptions, & Staying Healthy with a Points Obsession

Posted on January 19, 2013 by | 13 Comments

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1.   Priority Club.   Via Mommy Points, Priority Club announces their new award chart.  And the bargain hotels, like the Priority Club hotels in New York now require more points.

Priority Club hotels include Candlewood Suites, Crowne Plaza,  Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Hotel Indigo, Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts, and Staybridge Suites brand hotels.

However, TJ on Miles & Points writes that there are some deals to be had like the InterContinental in Tahiti or Bombay for 25,000 points.

Loyalty Lobby has a list of the old award rates.  If the number of points for a hotel has decreased, just cancel your existing award and rebook at the lower rate.

If the amount of points for a hotel which you wanted to book has increased,  call Priority Club (before March 18, 2013) and ask them to book you at the lower rate.

2.  Starwood Cash & Points Award Change.   One of the best hotel deals is the Starwood Cash & Points awards where you can book a room at a Starwood hotel with a combination of Starwood points and a cash co-pay.  These awards let you stretch out the value of your Starwood points, and Emily and I spend a lot of time in Europe after I graduated thanks to cash and points awards. Continue reading →

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Posted in Alaska Airlines, Iceland Air, Priority Club, Starwood (SPG)

Credit Card Updates: American Express Hilton With 50,000 Points & Alaska Air Credit Card with 25,000 Miles + $100 Statement [Expired]

Posted on January 14, 2013 by | 39 Comments

[Disclosure: None of the credit cards in this post earn me a referral.]

1.   50,000 Point American Express Hilton.   Up to February 28, 2013, you can get 50,000 Hilton points instead of the regular 40,000 points with the no-fee American Express Hilton card.

I like having this card because it gets me access to discounted AXON awards.  Hilton points are usually very easy to earn since there are many different ways to earn them.

2.   25,000 Miles + $100 Statement Credit. 

Update:  Looks like the $100 statement credit offer is no longer working.

Million Mile Secrets reader Daron (thanks!) writes in with a link to an Alaska Air credit card.  Besides the 25,000 Alaska Air miles after approval, you also get a $100 statement credit after spending $1,000 within 3 months.  The card also has a $99 companion pass which is valid in coach.  The $75 annual fee is not waived for the first year. Continue reading →

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Posted in Alaska Airlines, American Express, Bank Of America, Hilton HHonors

How To Keep your Airline Miles From Expiring Without Flying!

Posted on January 3, 2013 by | 49 Comments

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airline miles expiration

Readers often ask how to keep their airline miles active if they don’t fly on a particular airline.  Miles expire in most US based airline program after 18 months of no earning or redemption activity.  Award Wallet is a good tool to track your miles and points balances and expiration dates.

Airline
Expiration Policy
Alaska Airlines24 months of no earning or spending miles
American Airlines18 months of no earning or spending miles
British Airways36 months of no earning or spending miles
DeltaMiles Never Expire
Frontier Airlines18 months of no earning miles
Southwest24 months of no earning or spending miles
United18 months of no earning or spending miles
US Airways18 months of no earning or spending miles

But it is really, really easy to keep your miles active WITHOUT flying!

Sometimes, all you need to do is earn or redeem 1 mile to reset the mile expiration clock.  You can easily do this by buying a $1 iTune, making a $1 donation from the airline’s online shopping mall, downloading the airlines’ shopping toolbar and making a few searches, or using a credit card to keep your miles active!

1.   Alaska Airlines Continue reading →

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Posted in Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Delta Skymiles, Frontier, Southwest, United Airlines, US Air

News You Can Use – 25% Discount on British Airways Avios Redemptions, Buy Delta Elite Miles & 30% Alaska Air Discount

Posted on November 16, 2012 by | 10 Comments

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 1.   25% Discount on British Airways Avios Redemptions.  One Mile at a Time writes that up to November 19, 2012, British Airways is offering 25% off on the amount of Avios points needed for a redemption.  Unfortunately, this discount doesn’t apply to the high fuel surcharges (~$400 per long-haul segment to Europe).

This means that it costs 45,000 Avios for a 1-way First Class award from New York to London instead of the regular 60,000 points.  The discount is also valid for bookings made with the British Airways Travel Together ticket which you earn after spending $30,000 within 1 calendar year. Continue reading →

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Posted in Alaska Airlines, American Express, British Airways, British Airways, Delta Skymiles

$0.88 Debit Card Fee = LOTS of Delta & Alaska Air Miles For Mortgage, Car & Student Loan Payments!

Posted on October 8, 2012 by | 63 Comments

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It is usually hard to earn miles and points for making mortgage, student and car loan, and utility payments.  Sure, you can pay a fee to use a credit card which earns miles and points, but you usually will also pay a ~3% convenience fee which is almost always worth more than the miles and points earned.  However, it could make sense to pay the convenience fee to help get the sign-up bonus from a credit card.

I wrote earlier about using ChargeSmart to pay student loans, and how to reduce the cost by using the Chase Ink Bold or American Express Blue Sky Preferred.  But that isn’t always convenient.

Well, here’s an easier way!

Wal-Mart Money Center

Wal-Mart has a Money Center where you can cash checks, buy money orders, and pay bills through their Bill Pay service.

Walmart Money Center

Walmart Money Center

The Money Centers are usually located in the customer service center or next to it.  You have to go a physical Wal-Mart store to use the Wal-Mart Bill Pay service.  You also have to have a debit card with a PIN to use the Bill Pay option and you can’t use a credit card to pay bills. Continue reading →

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Posted in Alaska Airlines, Alaska Airlines Debit Card, Delta Skymiles, Suntrust Delta Debit Card

My Experience Using Venmo with Debit Cards

Posted on September 12, 2012 by | 14 Comments

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I earlier wrote about using payment services with the Alaska Air and Delta airline debit card.  I also transferred money to Emily via Venmo with the Alaska Air and Delta debit card and here are my results!

There is a $2,000 monthly limit on the amount you can transfer using a debit card with a Venmo account for free. Continue reading →

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Posted in Alaska Airlines, Alaska Airlines Debit Card, Delta Skymiles, Suntrust Delta Debit Card