Update: FARE is GONE!!!   

Remembrance of Days Past. This fare has been hanging around and I think it is time to travel for spring break to London.

Expedia has a fare for London listed as Iberia but actually on British Airways. Fly Houston – London Heathrow nonstop for $294 all in for dates through March or San Francisco-London Heathrow (LHR) nonstop for $420 all-in.

An extra $7 and you can fly American Airlines out of SFO with a connection in Chicago or New York.

I favor nonstop myself from San Francisco.

Update: Feb 14, 8am EST Fare is gone.

Wendy Perrin, writer of the “Perrin Post” for Condé Nast Traveler and Steve Belkin, frequent flier legend and founder of Competitours, have teamed up for the “Maximize Your Miles” Contest for 250,000 frequent flier miles sponsored by Condé Nast Traveler.

Just share your best frequent-flier success story — a true-life example of how you engineered a free ticket, upgrade, or other miles- or points-related victory against the odds. Tell us, in 200 words or less, what you got, how you got it, and the lesson that the rest of us can learn from it. The person with the best frequent-flier triumph and tip wins.

Post your comment on the Perrin Post by April 30 at 11:59pm Eastern time. Multiple entries are allowed.

The prize is 250,000 miles. You decide where you want to go and Steve Belkin will book mileage award tickets for you. The tickets must be booked by December 31, 2010 for travel before October 31, 2011.

Contest is open to legal residents 18 years and older of the USA and Canada, except Quebec. 

Official Comment posting site for this contest. (Only 90 comments so far) 

I have a few comments to write.

Update 10-7-09: 

I initially wrote this blog post yesterday stating the Dusseldorf Special offer was good for travel from USA to Germany. I realized shortly after posting that I had been looking at the Germany and Austria Miles&More website promotions and subsequently edited this post to state “Germany to USA”.

Further research today and I found these same discount awards on the USA Miles & More promotions page.

My original post may have been correct after all. I do not have the miles in my account to test the award availability. I would appreciate some insight from anyone inclined to test booking this promotion for flights from USA to Dusseldorf.

A phone call to Miles & More to check on the eligibility of the Dusseldorf Special 35,000 mile Business Class promotion for US residents for travel from Chicago or Newark to Germany did not resolve that question.

My conversation revealed a similar Dusseldorf Special Business Class promotion for Chicago-Dusseldorf at a slightly higher cost of 45,000 miles that may be appearing next month with different booking dates and travel dates.

45,000 miles Business Class Award Travel (must be booked online)

Chicago - Dusseldorf, LH 436 and 437 flights only

Booking period: November 26-December 27, 2009

Travel Period: December 3- December 28, 2009

This promotion gives Starwood Preferred Guest members even more time to rack up some Starpoints for a Miles & More transfer or earn Miles & More credit over the next two months if you are flying Star Alliance carriers and want to take advantage of this award offer.

************************************************

Lufthansa Miles & More has a 67% discount offer at just 20,000 miles for roundtrip economy award travel for flights between Germany and USA during a booking period from October 14 to November 25, 2009. Travel is allowed from October 21 to November 26, 2009. 

USA Lufthansa Miles & More Promotion link.

Starwood Preferred Guest hotel points can be exchanged for Miles & More on a 1:1 ratio. Transfer 20,000 Starpoints to Miles & More and you get 25,000 miles.

One economy class ticket between USA and Germany is 20,000 miles. Exchange 35,000 Starpoints to Miles & More and you will have 40,000 miles – sufficient for two tickets between the USA and Germany.

Taxes and fees on the award ticket are additional and may run several hundred dollars, but this still could be a bargain compared to the prevalent airfare from many locations.

30,000 Starpoints for Business Class from Dusseldorf to Chicago or New York (Newark EWR)

Business Class from Dusseldorf to Chicago (ORD) or Newark(EWR) is only 35,000 miles (30,000 Starpoints). These flights price out around $4,000.

This may be a good time to start earning some Starpoints with hotel stays or just buy 20,000 points for $700.

Dusseldorf Special (I am still unclear if US residents can book this special from the USA to Dusseldorf.)

Booking dates: Oct 14 – Nov 25.  Travel dates: Oct. 21 – Nov. 26

http://www.miles-and-more.com/online/portal/mam/us/spend/special_offers/offer?nodeid=2701437

The little nuisances of travel purchases and loyalty programs rear their ugly heads when it comes time to cancel, change, or follow-up on missing credit, points, miles, and refunds.

I know some of you out there must be like me and blow off  some miles, points, or cash now and then just because it is too time consuming to track down the travel details and receipts to seek a fair solution.

As consumers we play with a double-edged sword on the travel field. We have an expectation that we will receive benefits automatically and we trust our points and miles will post correctly without our intervention. The sharper edge of travel is when we need personalized attention and just want a rational response to exigent circumstances that require a change of travel plans.

All too often we then face the travel rule book known as the “terms and conditions” or “fare rules”. Bending the rules in favor of customer service can be a daunting journey for the traveler consumer.

I have loads of travel issues going on currently that many other travelers face at some time or another.

Trip Cancellations

First on my travel woes is canceling our sub-$500 V Australia tickets to Sydney, Australia next month.

Last October I landed the incredible fare launch with V Australia, the new low-cost airline for Australia and the USA. The deal was a $185 fare + $300 tax for a $485 roundtrip ticket Los Angeles – Sydney, Australia for two weeks in July.

After calling to check my ticket options I was informed that I can have a whopping $97 credit on my ticket or rebook for a change fee of $100, but the trip has to begin by October 2009. The young woman at V Australia told me it was 4am in Australia and perhaps a supervisor can provide more assistance if I call back in another five hours.

I’m pulling the cancer card and hoping to get some relief. After missing a half year of work for cancer treatment scheduled to end in September, my wife will not be excused from her classroom to use her $500 ticket to Australia for a much needed vacation in October. The Sheraton Noosa and Noosa Beach must be grand in October. I’ll have to be a sweet talker to work this one out.

Cancellation Fees

Starwood Preferred Guest free weekend nights are supposed to be about planning that dream night in a favorite city. Well, I had no problem making a reservation at the lovely St. Regis San Francisco using one of my free nights earned last month (I am currently at 7 free nights).

The lowest room rate currently listed for the St. Regis San Francisco comes in at $397 all-in per night for a AAA rate Superior room. On the other rate extreme is $1,017 all-in per night for a high floor Metropolitan Suite.

So here is the part of the dream hotel stay that gives me a cold sweat. The cancellation penalty is a stellar $649 for the night if I no-show for the hotel.

Is there tax added to that?

I can imagine a San Francisco car crash (it seems I narrowly avoid one every drive into the city) and telling the ambulance driver – “Please stop off at the St. Regis so I can check-in, and then take me to the hospital.”

Missing Points

After 16 nights in Starwood Hotels in May 2009 I went through my points earned. The new Starwood Preferred Guest activity listing specifying hotel name and points earned or redeemed certainly is an improvement for the member tracking hotel activity.

I was missing about 8,000 points from 5 different hotel stays in May.

I probably spent close to 30 minutes with the Starwood Preferred Guest Platinum desk agents. I am confident the points will post over the next week, but tracking down points and miles is just another chore that is an inherent task in maintaining a loyalty program account.

Overcharges – Last week I paid $58 for parking at the Burlingame Parking Center for a week. That is an incredible deal for parking at San Francisco Airport. My issue was that this great deal was actually advertised as $40 per week on the sign at the parking lot entrance. The entire lot is automated so I could not complain about the overcharge when I paid the fee with my credit card.

At home I call the number on the parking lot receipt. The number is the parking lot ticketing machine company and they are simply equipment suppliers. I look up Burlingame Parking on the web. The contact number does not work as a functioning business number. The message just loops and never connects to a person.

I call the website number listed for persons needing after-hours parking lot pick-up service. I am surprised to reach the front desk of the Sheraton Gateway San Francisco Airport. I guess Burlingame Parking is owned by the hotel owners. I explain that I have been overcharged and she connects me with a hotel accountant. Supposedly I will receive a credit to my credit card. 

Something else I need to follow-up on and verify next month. 

(Update: the credit posted on my card within one day of my call.)

OMG – I am Passport-less

My passport expired two weeks ago. I am trapped in the USA.

Trying to get an appointment at the San Francisco Passport Agency, but the process requires having a ticket for a trip out of the country within 14 days.

The passport renewal fee is $75 whether by mail or in person at an agency.

There is a $60 expedite fee for mail-in applications for passports and this speeds up the process from 4 to 6 weeks down to 2 to 3 weeks.

Alternatively, there is only a $25 fee to get a same-day passport at a U.S. Passport Agency.

I have a feeling I won’t be canceling that July 2009 travel V Australia ticket just yet.

Noosa Beach, Queensland, Australia

The registration page is uploaded for this double elite qualifying miles offer from American Airlines.

Registration code: DBEQM

Basic terms:

1.    Registration required for double EQM. No credit for flights taken before registration.

2.    Offer applies only to new ticket reservations purchased and traveled between March 18 and June 15, 2009.

3.    Only elite qualifying miles are doubled. There is no doubling of redeemable miles for awards.

Basic benefits: link to AAdvantage Elite Member Guides

1.    12,500 flight miles will earn AAdvantage Gold.  Lots of fee waivers for the periodic traveler.  The savings on baggage fees alone may justify a mileage run trip.

2.    25,000 flight miles will earn AAdvantage Platinum and 100% redeemable mileage bonus. Oneworld Sapphire benefits including complimentary airport lounge access when flying international.

3.    50,000 flight miles will earn Executive Platinum and eight complimentary systemwide one-way upgrade certificates.  Your elite status and certificates will be valid through February 2011.

This just might be the offer that gets me back in the skies. I voluntarily grounded myself in summer 2007 after back-to-back trips to Buenos Aires over an 11 day period in which I spent nearly 20 hours sitting on airplanes on runways at Atlanta, Washington DC Dulles, and New York JFK.  I went from Star Alliance Gold back to driving myself in my car along the west coast for staycations.

Executive Platinum at 50,000 flight miles is economical for a somewhat frequent traveler.

The benefits are huge with waived fees galore and complimentary international upgrade certificates for this year and next.  Spend $2,500 over the next three months, or even less if you have time to fly the really cheap fares, and you can be looking at numerous flights in the front cabins for the next two years.

It has been a while since I did 50,000 miles in economy class, and this deal may not be workable for me due to the family illness. And if it turns out I go on a ticket buying spree, my wife will certainly have sanctioned my absence.  She knows the value of international upgrade certificates awarded to Executive Platinum members.  

For my wife, flying 50,000 miles in economy during a calendar year, let alone three months, is an unfamiliar experience.  She has flown over 50,000 miles in a calendar year during many years, however, the majority of her travel was in Business or First Class. My sheer butt pain from long-haul economy class travel over the years has been her sheer lie-flat bliss in the skies.

Update: March 19 – United Airlines matches with its own Double EQM offer through June 15: http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,52639,00.html

A nod to TravelZoo for this Qantas Airlines Australia sale fare alert, as low as $700 all-in :

http://www.travelzoo.com/Newsflash.ashx?553523-24703020

Art on Yarra Riverwalk, Melbourne, Australia 

It’s been a while since I planned a trip of a week or more out of the country.  Airfare to Europe has been low priced recently.  2008 was the first year since 1996 that my wife and I did not vacation in Europe.  Those fuel surcharges were just too much.  Seeing a $400 fare with $500 in taxes and fees tacked on made for a lot of wasted hours searching flights. 

Step # 1: Get airline tickets, and the hotel planning will follow.

My budget constraint is about $2,000 and I want 8 nights in Europe. I may not be able to finance a European vacation for two on $2,000 if I pay for both airfare and hotels, but in personal economics you need a travel budget to project your travel costs and then make appropriate compromises to stay within the budget.

Look for value. Do not book a 7-segment flight to Europe to save $30 unless you are doing it for miles. The more connections you have, the increased probability you will miss a flight, and possibly lose an entire day of your vacation in Europe.

From San Francisco, I look first for a nonstop or one-stop in Los Angeles. San Francisco and Los Angeles do not have frequent major storms most of the year and the chance of missing your Europe flight are low.

San Francisco to Chicago flights in winter or summer can result in a night spent at a Chicago Airport hotel due to weather delays. 

Every year for the past decade there have been airfares at $400 all in for west coast to Europe.  The travel class is economy, the routing may not be convenient with two connections on route or an overnight in exorbitantly priced London or New York City, but it sure is cheap travel.  In years past these flights were available briefly for one of two days each month at really low all-in cost.

2009 is abundant in low fares.  All kinds of low airfares for global travel to Europe, Asia, and Australia/NZ abound over the past three months. Unfortunately, I am locked into the Easter week holiday of the school schedule when prices tend to be a bit higher.  Airfares to Europe are relatively low out of San Francisco.  I am looking at fares for April 10-18 and see offers like these:

All fares shown include total airfare with taxes for travel April 9-18, 2009

·         San Francisco (SFO) – Frankfurt (FRA) $475 Northwest

·         San Francisco (SFO) – Dublin (DUB) $547 American  ($523 for 7 flight segment itinerary)

·         San Francisco (SFO) – London (LHR) $557 Continental

·         San Francisco (SFO) – Brussels (BRU), Belgium $600 Delta

·         San Francisco (SFO) – Rome (FCO) $624 American

·         San Francisco (SFO) – Paris (CDG) $686 American

·         Monterey (MRY) – Frankfurt (FRA) $642 American

·         Monterey (MRY) – Brussels (BRU) $730 American

·         Monterey (MRY) – London (LHR) $760 US Airways

·         Monterey (MRY) – Dublin (DUB) $818 Continental

·         Monterey (MRY) – Rome (FCO) $872 American

·         Monterey (MRY) – Amsterdam (AMS) $930 Continental

·         New York (JFK)-Amsterdam (AMS) $450 Delta

·         New York La Guardia (LGA) – Rome (FCO) $390 American

·         Los Angeles (LAX) – Rome (FCO) $613 American

Europe is low-cost right now.  If you can get to New York airports cheaply, then $400 all-in gives you options to fly to many cities in Europe. West Coast has some bargain spots like Dublin, London, and Frankfurt, yet getting to places like Paris and Rome for around $650 during Easter week is a really good airfare deal relative to the past few years.

A person flying American Airlines to Europe from the west coast will earn over 10,000 redeemable miles. AA miles can be exchanged for Hilton HHonors points at the rate of 1 AA mile = 2 HHonors points. Fly American to Europe and you can convert 10,000 of your earned miles for 20,000 HHonors points ($200 value). That is a good rebate on one $600 flight ticket for someone who may not have use for 10,000 AA miles.

The airfare is low, but unless I plan to sleep in youth hostels I need to budget lodging expenses.

When airfare looks like a deal too good to pass up, my advice is consider your hotel stay options before booking your cheap flights. I have canceled tickets more than once when I bought a great airfare and then realized I just couldn’t justify spending the money for the room rates hotels were charging.

Priceline doesn’t go everywhere I want to go.

And couch-surfing was something I was happy to move beyond many years ago.

Part 2 of European Vacation Travel Planning is a look at hotel affordability.

A couple of days ago I went on a rant about my United Airlines experience this year.  I was asked to FAX my credit card statement to start trying to get back $500 in overcharges from United.  I sent the FAX machine to my wife’s school classroom last year since the school copier kept breaking down and she needed a photocopier in her classroom.  I’ll try the snail mail service option.

I hope United Airlines does not decide to ban me for bitching on my blog.  These things do happen.  I read one of the more popular blog posts on Tripso.com today that tells the story of a couple banned from Royal Caribbean cruise lines for complaining too much about trips and posting to CruiseCritic.com, the internet bulletin board for the world of cruisers.

Today I was looking at United Airlines website and the “Travel Options by United” program.

I currently have no elite status with United Airlines in 2008 after being 1K elite for half of this decade.  I just stopped flying in 2008.  Three trips to Denver and a flight to Las Vegas is the sum of my air travel for 2008.  My air travel carbon footprint went way down.  This is the first year ever that my wife has out flown me.

In June 2007 I flew Air France Business Class from Buenos Aires to Santiago on a $550 bargain Delta Business Class roundtrip fare from Buenos Aires to Washington D.C.  I luxuriated with a half-dozen other passengers in Business Class.  No passengers were seated in the four seat first class cabin.  I read through the flight magazine while dining on damn good cuisine for plane food.  The carbon calculator article in the flight mag blew me away with the statistical impact of air travel compared to other polluting processes. 

Maybe it was the wine or maybe it was the Andes Mountains views, but I had a revelation and thought I should reduce the impact of flying around the world for the sake of flying to attain elite status and lots of wonderful cost-saving, travel-pleasing benefits like a much more pleasant airport experience with First Class check in lines, priority security and boarding, and airport lounge access for free food, drink, and showers.  Not to mention complimentary domestic and international flight upgrades. 

Over the past year the divide has grown immensely between benefits the airline provides to an elite traveler compared to a frequent flyer program general member or non-member general public flyer.

Many benefits come complimentary for the loyalty elite members.  

For the rest of the airline’s flyers there is a pay for access airline industry model of revenue enhancement compared to air travel of a few years ago.  You now have fees and pay for priority line access, baggage handling, airline lounge access, plane boarding order, seat and row position on the aircraft, food if the plane has any for sale, soda, water, nuts, online ticket purchase, offline ticket purchase, phone ticket purchase, airport ticket purchase, credit card purchase, and frequent flyer miles purchase.

We used to enjoy all the soda, water, and juice we could drink when flying cross-country.  Now cough up $2 or $3 a soda can and fork out another $6 to $8 for some food.  We used to get complimentary alcohol to be buzzed enough to pass out in an economy upright seat when flying abroad.  Now it is “credit cards only.  We don’t handle cash.”

I fondly remember flying back from Heathrow Airport, London after our honeymoon in the UK in 1989, flying Pan Am on a 747 to San Francisco with a group of British bikers heading to Laguna Seca Raceway here in Monterey.  We partied with the bikers and there were 12 cases of ale consumed between 20 to 30 people on that 10 hour flight.  The beer cases were actually stacked on the floor of the galley which is how I know there were twelve when we started.  We ran out of beer before landing in San Francisco. 

The flight would probably not have been so jovial if we had received a $1,500 drink payment due upon landing.

Travel Options by United

And now back to the point.  Today I was looking at United Airlines website and the “Travel Options by United” program.

The ticket for a two-hour economy flight I have to Denver next week can be customized.  I feel like I am in the Build My Own Custom Computer upsale game.

For $39 each way I can upgrade my seat to Economy Plus.  $78 added to my ticket.

For $115 I can buy an Award Accelerator of 3,840 miles.  This is 3 cents per mile or about $750 to buy the miles for a 25,000-mile domestic economy award ticket.  Award Accelerator is not an economical way to accumulate frequent flyer miles, however, it is a “green” way to earn miles.  Frequent flyer miles have always been equated to currency by frequent flyers, and now they are truly a currency commodity in the drive to sell flyers more miles for flying.

The award accelerators used to be handled with frequent flyer promotions. I preferred the good old days when the miles came free with promotions, like in 2004 when United gave elite flyers who met the qualifying criteria of flying 10,000 miles in January 2004 an opportunity to earn quadruple miles in spring 2004. 

The customize your flight options makes me think United Mileage Plus will move to fewer promotions as miles and services are pay-as-you-go and available to the infrequent flyer.  Complimentary benefits of air travel are more tightly restricted to elite flyers today and these elite flyers see the benefit of maintaining elite status to avoid the myriad of fees bestowed on the infrequent flyer. 

I wonder if the value difference between elites and non-elites will be narrowed now that programs like Travel Options by United are in place. There may be downward pressure on current prices in this deflationary travel economy.  The $39 each way Economy Plus fare could drop by half, if the number of Mileage Plus elites drops in 2009 and the Economy Plus section of the planes are not full. 

Still I guess this is good news for elites as the perks should be more accessible to lower elite members if the number of high elites declines in 2009 and 2010.

Denver for the Holidays

Monterey-Denver ticket price $314 round trip each ticket for two passengers

This is the simulated reality of a general member trying to fly United Airlines for holiday travel to see family and exchange gifts.  Hey, I’m a cheap ass and I don’t plan to pay for any of these add-ons.

United Travel Options: $626 in add-on fees and I still can’t get in the Red Carpet Club lounge.

$156 Economy Plus, $39 each way or $156 total for E+ seating both flight segments for two passengers.

$230 Award Accelerator – 3,840 Award Accelerator miles for each flyer’s account in addition to the 1,920 frequent flyer miles we earn for the base flight miles.  5,760 redeemable miles per account.

$80 Premier Line – $40 each passenger to access Premier check-in at Denver Airport, priority security line in Denver, and Seating Zone 1 boarding in Denver.   Monterey is a first in line, first served kind of airport.

$60 First Checked Bag Fee – $15 each way for one checked bag for two passengers.

$100 Second Checked Bag Fee – $25 each way for second checked bag and each passenger has a 2^nd checked bag to hold all the holiday gifts.

Elite is still cheap

US Airways has had flights in the past two weeks for $400 all-in between San Francisco and Dublin, Ireland for the next three months.  Two roundtrip flights for a total cost of $800 and credit United Airlines Mileage Plus.   As a Mileage Plus Premier elite you will receive $400 of the above fee related services and benefits for free.  This is why there is still a community of frequent flyer mileage runners.

Is United creating a smart marketing environment to promote becoming an elite flyer?  Time will tell.

Puddle jumping across the USA and over the pond may not be the wisest idea during the winter holiday travel season, but it sure is a cheap fare.

American Airlines routing SFO-SNA-DFW-ORD-DUB-ORD-STL-DFW-SFO

Can you say “flight delays”?

San Francisco – Dublin, Ireland over the winter holidays

for $480 might be worth the weather delay risk

When prices fall this low, can you afford not to travel? 

V Australia was selling roundtrip tickets from Los Angeles to Sydney for most of the day yesterday as low as $185 base fare, or $484 after taxes.  The airline is scheduled to start service at the end of February 2009 and tickets were available for most dates from March through July.

Considering the website advertisement for $1,759USD all-in for flights from February 28-April 30, 2009 the $484 all-in is quite a discount.

V Australia homepage promotional fare is $1,769USD all-in. 

Yesterday’s fare shaved the price to $484USD all-in.

Onward travel within Australia from Sydney is available on the cheap using the Virgin Blue Airpass .

V Australia Airlines is a new international airline start-up of Virgin Blue, the Australian discount airline founded by Virgin Airline’s Richard Branson back in 2000.  Initial flights are scheduled to operate between Los Angeles – Sydney and Los Angeles – Brisbane, Australia.

Sydney Skyline from Ferry, July 2003

The fare was posted on this FlyerTalk thread at 10:20am California time Thursday morning and the fare was available for at least 6 hours after that.  I purchased tickets at 4:30pm after several unsuccessful attempts during the day to get the credit card processing to work from my wife’s work computer.  It was quite aggravating to click purchase and see the processing page frozen in time.  Back at home the processing worked fine and I received the ticket purchase confirmation page.

Sailing in Sydney Harbour, July 2003

The fare booked as a V Saver, which is not even the lowest fare class.  According to the ticket rules, the V Saver fare is allowed date changes for $100 per person per change.  Rules state passenger must pay fare difference between original and new fare, so this might be an expensive change to make, but at least it is an option. 

The ticket has a $300 cancellation fee.

Sunset over Sydney Opera House

Aircraft is supposed to be a 777-300ER.  A 15 hour flight in economy is an endurance test, however, after our trip to Australia in 2003 I swear that Australia is a trip to be made in your lifetime if you have the opportunity.  We found the abundant wildlife, even in downtown Sydney with cockatoos and grey-headed flying fox bats, makes Australia an exciting vacation destination.

Flying Fox Bats in Sydney

My intrepid animal-loving wife braving Cockatoo love in a Sydney park

One Stay at Holiday Inn or HI Express Earns Voucher Award to Buy a USA-48 Airfare for $198

The Holiday Inn Stay to Fly promotion (promotion link) was mentioned 31 days ago by Mrp Alert on FlyerTalk (FT link to promotion discussion), but I just saw it today in my Priority Club email.  As an aside to this promotion, there is an interesting link in the signature of FlyerTalk member Mrp Alert.  The link is for an InsideFlyer interview article telling how this frequent traveler earned 105,000 miles renting cars for 45 days for only $1150.  That’s great travel planning.

Holiday Inn Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, California

The Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express Hotel Stay Flight Voucher Promotion:

Step 1: Read the terms and conditions carefully for this promotion.

Step 2: Book a hotel stay at a Holiday Inn brand hotel or a Holiday Inn Express brand hotel for a stay between September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2008.  Over 1,500 IHG brand hotels in North America participating in the Stay to Fly promotion.

Step 3: Each guest who books and stays at least one night on the “Stay to Fly” rate will receive one “Flight Voucher Award” within three weeks of the qualifying stay. One Flight Voucher Award will be earned for every eligible stay during the promotion and up to four Flight Voucher Awards can be redeemed for the same itinerary.  Flight Voucher Award recipient must be one of the passengers.

Step 4: Flight Voucher Award is valid for one coach class adult round-trip ticket for $198 within participating airports in the lower 48 USA.  Award recipient will receive a $50 refund check if base fare for flight is $248 or less.

Travel from lower 48 USA to Canada or Mexico is allowed between participating airports for a $298 ticket fare. 

Hawaii or Alaska Travel

Flight Award Voucher is valid for a $99 refund on the ticket price rather than a set rate fare.

International Travel

Intra-Canada or roundtrip travel from Canada to USA 48 is allowed for $298 CAD. USA 48 to Mexico or Mexico to US 48 travel is allowed for $298USD roundtrip. 

Ticket taxes and fees are additional.  Passenger is responsible for payment of any fuel surcharges.

[LT note –  $198 ticket only applies to base fare for airline ticket.  Fuel surcharges can impact fare price. 

Travel agency fee too?  No info yet as to ticketing fees charged by travel agency.]

I find contradictory terms when reading the rules for this promotion.  One term states a $99 refund on travel between Continental USA and Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, or Canada.  Another term states the fare is $298 USD for travel to Mexico or Canada.

Step 5: Flight Voucher Award contains ID numbers which must be registered at www.HIAirAward.com within 30 days of receipt of email notification for Flight Voucher Award.

Step 6: Flight must be booked within three months of online registration (Step 5) and travel must be completed within six months of booking ticket with travel agency used for this promotion.  Travel agency has discretion to choose airline carrier and routing for award travel.

Step 7: Flight requires 21-day advance purchase and must include a Saturday night stay.  “Flights will be extremely difficult to obtain during major holiday periods.” as quoted from promotion terms for Stay Here, Fly There.

[LT note – Lack of award tickets during major holidays is to be expected as the conditions of 21-day advance and Saturday night stay are the lowest fare booking codes.  Peak travel holidays will not have these low fare tickets.  The airlines have to make money sometimes.]

Step 8:  Travel arrangements must be made Monday through Friday, between hours of 8:30am – 5:00pm Pacific time when the travel agency has open hours.

Important to Note: 

Flight Voucher Awards are non-transferable, but recipient can fly with up to three other passengers on same itinerary.  (Three additional persons can travel on same itinerary with someone who earns and redeems four award vouchers.  Family trip time.)

Hawaii, Alaska and International Travel to Mexico or Canada:  Travel voucher discount between any eligible airport in Continental USA and Alaska or Hawaii or Canada or Mexico is good for a $99 refund on the itinerary cost rather than a $198 fare ticket. 

Travel to Canada from Continental USA:  Fare is $149 USD each way, plus taxes and fees.

Canada Originating Travel:  Travel within Canada or from Canada to the Continental USA 48 and back to Canada will be a $149 CAD each way fare ticket. Flights must be from major airport serviced by both Air Canada and WestJet.  Flights between Mexico and Canada are not allowed.

This Holiday Inn deal has loads of fine print on travel certificate redemption.  Some of it seems unclear to me.  Overall looks like a good deal for someone who wants hotel stays in 2008 and wants to fly on a cheap ticket outside holiday periods over next six months.

Step 6 as I show above states the passenger can only choose dates of travel and departure-arrival cities for award flight.  The travel agency can book any airline carrier for the flight at their discretion.  The ability to earn frequent flyer miles is undetermined since terms are unclear if flight will be eligible for earning miles as a paid flight or booked in some type of award/consolidator booking code.

Holiday Inn Express San Jose Airport has a “Stay to Fly” rate for $109 this weekend.  The lowest available rate is $89.  Basically there is a $20 surcharge for the “Stay to Fly” promotion.

Monterey, California (MRY) to Portland, Maine (PWM) is a $397 base fare for a flight in February.  After taxes and fees the ticket is $532. 

The “Stay to Fly” flight voucher rate should be something like $198 base fare and the same $135 in taxes and fees and perhaps a travel agency booking fee (estimate $20).  Including the extra $20 for the “Stay to Fly” hotel rate, the overall savings might be something like $353 MRY-PWM ticket price + $20 higher hotel rate = $373. 

This sample MRY-PWM itinerary might save me $179 through the Holiday Inn “Stay to Fly” promotion. 

Real Travel Numbers: