As if earning 5,500 United miles per Hyatt stay wasn’t generous enough, there’s now also a promotion for 2,500 bonus miles for every two Hyatt stays (registration required). That means as a United 1K you’re earning 6,750 miles per stay, which is insanely good. Unfortunately this promotion is not combinable with Faster Free Nights, which starting on October 1 is probably a better value if you have good use for free nights between now and next March.

Marriott is offering new members that stay twice by November 15 a free night certificate. As far as I can tell this can be earned from stays at any of Marriott’s brands, but unfortunately the free night can only be redeemed at a maximum of a category four property.

(Tip of the hat to Loyalty Traveler and Gary)

There’s something United does better than any other US airline. Specifically, they know how to coddle their elites. Let’s use my flight today from Washington to San Diego as an example. This was an Airbus 319 and unfortunately my upgrade didn’t clear. I was kind of dreading the flight, although in reality I did end up in first class. No, I didn’t actually sit in a first class seat, but based on the way the 1K’s aboard were treated, we might as well have been. I got to the gate with my boarding pass for seat 6D, which is a great seat in the first row of Economy Plus with ample legroom. One of the nicest agents at Dulles happened to be working the flight, and I asked whether I had an empty middle seat next to me. She responded “yes, I changed around a few seat assignments to make sure everyone in Economy Plus has an empty middle.” Yes, you heard right, that’s proactive customer service.

Then I get aboard. As expected, there are four people seated in row six. As the flight attendant comes through the aisle with the menu consisting of all the food options, she asks those of us in row six if we’d like anything. I asked for a southwest chicken salad and the person seated across from me asked for a snack box. When we pulled out our credit cards to pay she said “you’re all 1K’s, it’s on us.” Wow! When the purser finished her service in first class she came back to the four of us in row six (the only 1K’s in coach), addressed us by name, thanked us for our loyalty, and asked if she could get us anything to drink. Again, that’s what I call taking care of the customer.

So I really am in first class here. I have more legroom than first class, have an empty middle seat, and had a salad which is the same thing they serve in first class.

Add to that the fact that Channel 9 is on, the aircraft is in pristine condition, and our flight arrived early, and I have to give United huge thumbs up. And best of all, this isn’t a one off. It’s a trend I’ve been noticing lately.

Anyone else?

Thanks to Jacqueline for sending me this “Fifth Estate” special about Canada’s airport security. It’s definitely worth watching if you have some free time.

And never before have I seen the TPA airport so empty…

Well, there’s going to be a new “reality” show on the CW entitled “Fly Girls,” which will be about the lives of Virgin America flight attendants. I couldn’t help but chuckle at this:

“This show is about real, down-to-earth young women who happen to have landed in an exceptionally glamorous, high-flying career filled with exotic locations and handsome strangers,” said Kristen Vadas, Senior Vice President, Alternative Programming, The CW. “We’re thrilled to be working with Virgin America for this unique peek into a whirlwind lifestyle that shows how tough it is to be grounded when you work 35,000 feet in the air.”

Glamorous jobs? Exotic locations? Handsome strangers? All this about the US airline industry of 2009?

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about British Airways’ new Club World London City service, an all business class A318 that will fly between New York JFK and London City Airport. I’m excited about the launch next week since I’m sure we’ll see firsthand reviews and more pictures, but in the meantime, British Airways was nice enough to send along a few pictures for me to share.

Aircraft being built in Hamburg, Germany

Aircraft being built in Hamburg, Germany

What a cutie!

Seats…. look comfortable

Through December 31, passengers using gogo in-flight wifi for the first time can get a free session by entering promo code “DELTATRYGOGO”.

(Tip of the hat to Pat)

It’s time for a reader photo. Thanks to Daniël for sending in this one.

Correct Answer: Okavango Delta
Winner: gluedtothewindow

If you’d like your photo featured, please email it to me at onemileatatime@hotmail.com, along with the correct answer.

The Sky Steward has an interesting post about BBS, or Big Ball Syndrome:

With so many airlines like Virgin America, United, and JetBlue offering enhanced coach products that provide extra legroom, there is still the problem of BBS (Big Ball Syndrome) which causes many gentlemen to keep their legs spread wide apart. This causes major discomfort to the passengers on both sides of the BBS sufferer. It must be mentioned that symptoms of BBS are often simply imagined by men that wish they actually had BBS.

Hmm, no comment personally since I’m rarely in a middle seat, but I can’t say I’ve noticed this a whole lot. Beyond that, I think the person in the middle seat should have BBS all they want. After all, they’re in the middle, so let them try to make themselves as comfortable as possible.

Thoughts?