US Airways Star Alliance Award Blocking

I just got off the phone with US Airways reservations and am furious.  I found a flight on Swiss in business class with availability, confirmed on United.com and ANA, that I wanted to book.  The US Airways agent found the connecting flight fine, but the Swiss long haul flight came back empty.  US Airways must be blocking Star Alliance awards from their reservation system to save cash.  This is frustrating and devalues their award miles.  I'll have to call back on the first of the month and try again in Q3.

US Airways is heading backwards

Mitchell Gallery of Flight - My Favorite Airport Museum

Quite a few airports have museums or historical displays and most are quite interesting.  San Francisco Airport’s museum is the most famous and accredited; they have changing exhibits spread across the airport.  A recent favorite of mine was TV’s over time and historic racing motorcycles.  SFO has a large budget and lands high profile exhibits worthy of any museum.  The disappointing aspect is there are rarely aviation themed displays. 

Early Television at SFO Museum

Classic Racing Motorcycles at SFO Airport Museum

Milwaukee has a permanent museum dedicated to aviation.  Most of the items are related to Milwaukee aviation or local famous aviators.  The Mitchell Gallery of Flight is my favorite airport museum.  The displays are relatively static (the Midwest meal service display is gone and an Airtran case is new) and generally interesting.  The museum is located in the main terminal outside security, can’t miss it.  The celebration of flight is everywhere and makes me enamored of the museum.

Mitchell Airport Museum, Milwaukee

Billy Mitchell Portrait

There is an impressive display on Billy Mitchell, famous WWI aviator and military aviation pioneer.  There is also a display of the evolution of flight and the growth of Milwaukee’s airport.  Jim Lovell, Gemini and Apollo astronaut and Naval aviator, has lent two cases of personal items from his flying career to display.  Most airlines operating from MKE have cases with model planes and information about their service.  Unique artifacts and models abound. 

Midwest Express, Now Aviation History

Mitchell Airport Museum Displays

Phoenix’s museum tries to be a local art gallery.  SFO tries to be a downtown museum.  ORD has a Hellcat bomber and a small case on Butch O’Hare.  Other airports follow suit with little or nothing on display, but only Milwaukee dedicates their museum (well Montevideo too) to the wonders of flight.  The Mitchell Gallery of Flight is worth a visit and don’t be surprised if you spend 15 or 30 minutes looking around.

Capt. James Lovell's NASA Gear on Display at MKE

Fairmont Rewards Chase Credit Card Program

Fairmont Presidents Club (FPC) is less about rewarding spend and more about customizing the onsite experience (I did score a four night stay in Barbados from them for spending 61 nights in a year along with 4 other free nights and several meals, so it is somewhat rewarding).  Since free nights are awarded based on number of nights stayed, not dollars spent, this model doesn't work for a credit card points program. Rather than fit into FPC, Chase made up their own program.  I confirmed with Fairmont that FPC is not switching to Chase's model and all hotels will be ranked the same in FPC.  I don't think Chase's chart is the most rewarding award chat around, but it isn't terrible. The sign up bonus is two free nights, not bad, but I don't need to stay at a Fairmont any time soon, so I won't get the card.  Also, The Plaza in New York has special rules constraining awards, so don't plan on booking a free night there soon.

View from Outside the Fairmont San Francisco

Here's the trick for booking The Plaza.  There is a limited number of free nights Fairmont is allotted at The Plaza per month. You can call Fairmont, find a month that's open, usually six or more out, and book a room for the number of nights you want.  This holds those free nights for you.  Call back later and shift the reservation to another time that month when your plans are finalized, the nights are yours and you can use them any time that month.  There is no fee and as long as standard rooms are available on your new dates, no hassle.  

Heineken Slushy - United First Class Drink

The Heineken Slushy is an off menu drink item for United Airlines first class customers. It's a frozen can of Heineken that comes out in a slushy consistency.  United puts their beer on top of the ice in the catering carts and if the beer sits there long enough, you get a Heineken slushy.  I've only had these as pre-departure drinks and only with Heineken.  Some passengers may find it a nuisance, but I like the humor of it.

United Airlines' Heineken Slushy, Off Menu

Spending Miles On Short Notice

Yesterday a friend sent me a note saying he has July off and was wondering if I would like to go on a trip.  Absolutely was my answer (not taking summer classes, so I have a bit of free time).  I started looking on United.com for long haul award flights to see where we can go (long haul flights are the biggest constraint in planning, getting from your home city to the gateway airport is easier).  The key here is tracking the results, because you can only search one day at a time.  Here’s an example of my tracking format.  Dates are on the left and the different routes across the top.  I track the class availability in the cells with a little code for cabin and connections (Y for direct coach, Cc for connecting Business, Y(UA) United 747 coach warning).  The data can change at any time, but it is static enough to not need to refresh daily, but just before calling to book.

Availability Tracking Example

World's Most Valuable Boarding Card from Austrian Airlines

"World's most valuable boarding card" is one of my favorite ongoing promotions by an airline.  Austrian Airlines wanted to promote a free stopover in Vienna, similar to Iceland Air and others, but Austrian took the extra step of turning their boarding pass into a tourist discount card.  Discounts are available at numerous attractions, shops, and restaurants around town.  Here’s the current list.  The promotion has extended to other Austrian destinations too.  If you are going to Vienna (my favorite capital in Europe), I recommend their Vienna Card too.

Nice View Of Vienna

Lets Play On The Slide

Is American offering rides on the slide?  Count me in!

American Airlines 757 With Emergency Slide Deployed