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Odds are my Alaska A319, on a flight later this month, will be red and white.

Flow Control

Low clouds around SFO caused a 2 hour delay for me last night. I had an open middle seat, so it wasn't all bad.

143 Seats - Not All Full on My Flight

LAX-SIN

That's a long flight in Economy Plus, but it will help lock down lifetime status.

Free Shipping at the Boeing Store this Weekend

Just in time for my birthday, the Boeing Store is offering free shipping this weekend.

Free Shipping Offer Not Valid on Aircraft

More Travel Planning

Where to go for Thanksgiving? I like going places that don't celebrate the holiday.

I Won't Take Spirit There

Mismatched Nose Cones

Why buy mismatched nose cones? Basic white would never work with United colors.

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Not much interesting going on. Just planning a trip for my brother.

Likely to Include an Air Canada Component

Glad I Have Lifetime SPG Status

I'm glad I grabbed lifetime Platinum status with SPG last year and it will transfer to the combined Marriott program. The new numbers for lifetime Marriott status are a huge hurdle.

Next Up - Lifetime United Status

Tax Haven Travel - Portland

Portland, OR is a great city for a weekend of beer, food, and shopping, especially since there is no sales tax. Downtown has a large mall and an Apple store. A little bit north, there are more brand specific shops and breweries. I enjoyed my stay the The Nines hotel and the MAX light rail is a great way to get into town from the airport and hop around central Portland. 

Horizon Q400 Departing Portland

The Portland Japanese Garden is a bit out of the city center, but a great morning or afternoon of tranquility. The airport has shops after security that sell beer and wine if you'd prefer to carry on liquid souvenirs. 

Another Photo PostSFO

SFO Plane Spotting

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Enjoy.

Fun Name

AA Award Changes

My American Airlines saver award trip has changed 5 times in as many weeks. My original arrival time was backed up over 4 hours and I didn't want the new 5 hour connection, so I called reservations. Since the arrival time was greater than 4 hours different, I could pick any available flights to make my trip work, not just saver award flights. This was great news, because I could switch from an obnoxiously early departure time to a reasonable time. Added bonus, the new flight was on an A330 with flat bed seats. This was better than I booked.

Old Flat Bed Seats

Then my flight changed again. The connecting aircraft changed to an all coach E145 and arrival moved back 2 hours to 11:04PM. I booked first class and a 5:30 arrival originally. This was a non-starter and I call AA reservations. I was looking to cancel and rebook for an alternate airport.

No First and No Fun Over 60 Minutes

The reservations agent let me change my arrival airport and pick from any flight with seats. This was great, so I booked a reasonable flight and hope it will stick. I'm also back in first for both segments. The key is being persistent and having flight options to suggest to the phone agents before calling. Also 4 hours difference is the magic number for American agents to offer you anything reasonable.

No Flat Bed Seats, but Open Bar

New CRJ Cabin

The tube is the same diameter, but new CRJ 700's, 900's, and 1000's can have larger bins and in seat power as part of a cabin refresh from Bombardier. Offer not valid on CRJ 200's.

Delta Will Have New Cabins on 20 new CRJ's

Antonov Volga Dnepr

Fun sighting.

Dash-8 Tribute

Great 30 minute tribute to the Dash-8 from Piedmont Airlines.

Boeing 737 MAX Selling Well

The Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are a tweak of the previous version. They are quieter and more efficient, but still the same basic design (just lengthened tube) from before I was born. The new model is also selling well. That's too bad for passengers. Boeing needs a sales flop before they will take out a blank sheet of paper. The 737 is cramped and a fresh design would be more comfortable for passengers. 

737-500, Close Enough

Retro Photo Post

I Enjoy Retro Schemes

Hilton Points are Almost Worthless

Hilton out did Delta. Hilton award nights are dynamically priced and wildly expensive. I'm an SPG guy, but was looking around to see if better hotel program value could be found. It's been a while since I looked at Hilton and YIKES, awards got expensive. I think I'll go Marriott and Hyatt.

Delta Also Has Wildly Expensive Awards

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I miss the old United look

Farewell Crossover Rewards

The SGP - Delta Airlines reciprocal benefits program ends July 15th. I got a few free checked bags and some bonus points from it. I was also 1 away from clearing an upgrade. I'm an infrequent Delta flyer, so it was of limited value to me. Still, I'd rather have it than not.

Still Sitting in Back

Wasn't bad at all

My carry on baby was a great flyer yesterday. She didn't mind it at all or make a peep. There were loud children and people watching TV without headphones, far worse to sit next to than my kid.

Sorry Fellow Travelers

Sorry to everyone on my Southwest flight, I brought an 8 week old as my carry on item.

Pilatus is an interesting aircraft company based in Switzerland. They have always been the rugged option for operations in less than idea areas. Here's a video of their new PC-24 taking off and landing on a dirt strip.

JP Morgan Reserve Card Guide to Benefits

JP Morgan mailed me an updated guide to benefits outlining changes coming in August to the Reserve card. I don't have a JP Morgan Reserve card. It does look cool.

Boeing Buys Embraer - Kinda, Not Really

Boeing is taking over Embraer's commercial aircraft operations, kinda through a joint venture. I guess it was cheaper than designing a new aircraft like the 717 and smaller than the 737-700. This is a response to Airbus taking over the C-Series aircraft. It's all confusing, but blank sheet aircraft design for Airbus and Boeing is only for wide bodies these days.

Happy America Day

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Happy travels.

Delta Airlines GDPR Request

As an Irish citizen, I made a GDPR request to Delta Airlines through their web form (Ask A Question > Privacy & Data Protection) last week. Delta rejected my request because I don't live in the EU. Some companies read the law to include EU citizens out of the EU, but Delta apparently does not agree. 

Contact privacy@delta.com with any GDPR questions.

Farewell Fairmont President's Club

FPC was the best value in rewards programs when I started travelling for work. 10 nights earned a free night starting with night 30. Didn't matter the rate or hotel, it was great. They also gave out spa/restaurant certificates. I also enjoyed the bag tags that Fairmont would pay to FedEx the bag it was attached to back to my house if it was lost and found.

I also miss Dividend Miles

Dear Andrew Bussa, 

We wish to inform you that effective 2 July 2018, Fairmont President’s Club will be integrated with the award-winning loyalty program, Le Club AccorHotels. As you may know, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts was acquired by AccorHotels in 2016, a global travel and lifestyle group based in Paris, France.

As a result of this change, your membership in Fairmont President’s Club will be replaced with a membership in Le Club AccorHotels on 2 July 2018.
Please note the following:
• As of 2 July 2018, your membership to the Le Club AccorHotels loyalty program will be governed by the terms and conditions of the program available here. If you benefit from your program after this date, this will indicate your agreement with these terms and conditions. You are of course free to decline to take advantage of the benefits of Le Club AccorHotels by informing us here. You would then lose the benefits that you could have acquired as part of Fairmont President’s Club.*
• To enable us to continue to best respond to your needs, to measure your satisfaction, to improve our customer knowledge and to personalize our offers and the commercial communications that we may send you and, if relevant, to manage your membership of the Le Club AccorHotels program, the personal information that you have provided as part of your relationship with Fairmont and Fairmont President’s Club will be transmitted to the entities of the AccorHotels group. Of course, you are free to decline transmission of this information by informing us here. Objecting to this transmission will automatically result in you being unable to benefit from the changeover to the Le Club AccorHotels program.*
Your Fairmont President’s Club profile indicates you have declined the option to receive marketing information from Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and/or Fairmont President’s Club. Le Club AccorHotels will continue to respect your privacy and communication preferences. 

For more information, you may wish to visit the Fairmont President’s Club Members’ Integration Website. 

Thank you for your loyalty. We look forward to welcoming you at Fairmont again very soon.

Remember to get Rebates from Online Shopping

I love Mr Rebates for online shopping rebates. Airline mileage malls are great when there's a bonus offer.

Cash Back Works on all Airlines

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Simplify Your Credit Cards

There are some many cards out there with different bonus categories that it is difficult to keep a clear view of what's the best card to go with a purchase. Simply your wallet. Focus on 2 or 3 core cards and relax a little.

Another key tip is to use a card at every opportunity. Cash doesn't earn points.

Farewell eMiles

eMiles seems to be shutting down. I haven't used them in a while since it was a poor return on my time.

I did earn some United miles from them.

Airline GDPR Requests

I'm testing the waters for airline GDPR requests. American Airlines and British Airways are the most promising, but I haven't made it to the end of either. I have an open request with Delta and Lufthansa Group. United replied to me with a change of address link, I don't think they knew what I was asking.

Stay tuned! I'll share the results and process.

Fun Picture

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Cool, but I'd Rather Not Go for a Ride

JW Marriott Contest

Sign up to win a bed or 3 night stay.

Fiji Airways to be first oneworld connect partner

The first airline to join in the new capacity as a oneworld connect partner will be Fiji Airways.

Fiji 737 Tail Detail

oneworld connect partners will provide select alliance benefits to frequent flyers from any oneworld member airline travelling on their flights, with a more extensive range of benefits offered with their oneworld sponsors.

oneworld aircraft

Customers with Emerald, Sapphire or Ruby status in any oneworld member airline’s frequent flyer programme will be able to use priority check-in desks, where available.  Also, customers with Emerald or Sapphire status will be offered priority boarding.

Also oneworld

The additional benefits offered by oneworld connect partners to customers from their oneworld sponsors and vice versa include, through check-in of passengers and their baggage for journeys including connections between a connect carrier and any of its oneworld sponsors, the ability to earn and redeem frequent flyer rewards, and earn frequent flyer status points, for eligible flights. 

oneworld again

Frequent Flyer Packing Post

I was included in a write up on frequent flying packing tips.

The Key is to Relax

Transferring Hertz Points

I didn't know this was an option from Hertz. The Southwest partnership looks like the only enticing value. As with most transfer opportunities, don't transfer points unless you need them or there's a limited time bonus. Always remember the relative point values. 

Hertz Values

Time to start thinking about holiday award travel

I like to star planning early and am thinking about Thanksgiving and Christmas season travel later this year. I have a few ideas and a few programs with miles, so it gets complicated quickly.

I Feel Like I Have Too Many Delta Miles

Southwest Airlines Infant Fare

The Southwest Airlines infant fare isn't really a deal. I love the idea of having a row to ourselves as a family of three and I called reservations to ask how much an infant fare would cost. The Wanna Get Away fare was $205 round trip. The infant fare is a modest discount off the Anytime fare of $716. It's not worth buying if a Wanna Get Away fare is available.

I Hope The Infant in Arms Family Has an Open Middle Seat