www.CostaRicaTicas.com

It's not just your imagination. There really are less free seats available.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/200 ... usat_x.htm

An excerpt from that article:

More options for miles.
Airlines have been offering new ways for frequent-flier members to burn miles, such as hotel rooms, rental cars and unusual excursions, such as rides in a flight simulator. United auctioned two Chrysler Crossfires last fall. One sold for 1.4 million miles, which United believes is a record for a single mileage purchase. The carrier plans more such offers.


1.4 million miles, that must've been his life savings. (that's about 400 cross-country flights)

Since that is most likely more miles than he can use in his lifetime why not use them to get a new car? Anyone who accumulates that many miles most likely can replenish his stash fairly quickly.

Another excerpt from the same article:



United happens to be one of those troubled airlines. I think the guy did the wise thing in getting the car.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Orange wrote:


Not necessarily. Most frequent flyer programs call for 25,000 miles for a domestic ticket. 1,400,000 / 25,000 = 56 trips (Cross country or around the corner). Incidently, most programs charge 35,000 miles to Costa Rica from the states which would only = 40 Round trips.

Going the other direction, that is earning the miles, a person traveling from New York City to Los Angeles will earn about 5,000 miles R/T, add 125% for their elite bonuses (and they would be at the top elite level if they had that much activity in one program, particularly in the same calendar year), and another 1,500 for booking and checking in online and they would earn about 14,000 miles for the one trip. If they paid w/ a mileage credit card the bonuses would be even higher (or rented a car, paid for a hotel, or ate a meal in an Idine restaurant, etc.). But even w/ just the 14,000 miles for airline activity the flyer would earn 1,400,000 miles in just 100 trips.

I personally earned 250,000 miles in 2005 on strictly leisure travel w/ the bulk of it from monthly trips to San Jose.

Airmiles seats are definitely getting harder to come by to San Jose as it is getting so popular with tourist.It is about impossible to get the nonstop out of Dallas.I earn miles any way I can but use them to more expensive destinations often for less miles than required to San Jose using the credit card discounts. AAlines offers each quarter.I have been to Dominican on 17500 going to Peru this month on 22500 miles and planning on Colombia,Nicuargua or Peru again late march for same miles.TYhese are all significantly more costly routes for me for less miles than San Jose. I use San Jose trips to earn miles. rbc100

_________________
In Search of Fine Kittens,
Please... Bring back the Muff

Ah yes the good ol rewards programs.

Ive been waiting ages to find an empty seat with air miles to SJO. I use my Gold Mastercard pretty much for every imaginable purchase and then some, and rack up a decent amount of points.

Everytime I go to book a flight to any real destination, Im always told they have no seats.

At the same time though the program does have its benefits. Coming from Eastern Canada I can fly to New York or Miami with Air Miles, then just pay for my air fare to wherever, which is ALOT cheaper then flying direct from Halifax.

Ive been looking into joining the Aeroplan program with star alliance. Its pretty much the exact same as AA advantage but offered through CDN banks. I'd love to join up with CITI and gain those 15,000 AA points, but nooooo CDN's arent allowed.



Whats everyone on here use for rewards programs? AA or Air Miles?

AAdvantage - Citibank Platinum MasterCard - AA

_________________
You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

AA and US Air

AA and US Air

See I use Air Miles but thought about switching to aeroplan

Aeroplans pretty cool, has Air Canada, Thai, BMI, United, US airways and a couple other big names in there.

Im trying to figure out which one to actually focus on strictly as going back and forth between the two isnt to productive.

1.4 Million Miles. Remember most awards programs you must use the miles within 36 month's or lose what you have left. I would purchase a flight the 35 month just to keep them active, that is if United is still flying in 3 years. Lionking

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"You can only keep a secret between two people if the other one is dead." Ben Franklin

I just used 35,000 on Continental to fly a friend down next week. The last minute price from Newark to SJ was $800. The prices have risen significantly in the last month for the high season. If you keep all your traveling on one or two airlines seems to get me great benefits. Ive used at least 500,000 Miles traveling around the world in the last 7or eight years. The airlines are making it more difficult than others to redeem miles. Continental seems to be in better financial shape than some of the other airlines. They added a second flight during season to SJ from Newark every day. It also helps if you have Elite status with the airline that you are redeeming miles from. There are more seats set aside for Elite members than non-elite (silver, Gold or Platinum). Tux

I read an interesting article yesterday on frequent flyer miles yesterday that contained some interesting points:

1. There is a collective backlog of 1 Trillion unspent air miles...a huge liability to the airlines.
2. Several large airlines have as many as 1500 air mile partners (banks, mortgage companies, hotel chains, car rental companies, etc.)
3. Many of these air mile partners own pre-paid miles to give away as incentives...most notably the credit card companies. In effect, these "partners" are bank-rolling the airlines, with upfront cash, to the tune of several million $ each.
4. Yes, it is true...finding tickets using award travel is becoming more difficult as airlines need to squeeze more revenues out of each flight.
5. Many frequent flyers are becoming frustrated with the lack of award travel opportunities, and are beginning to drop the high interest rate, air mile credit cards for lower interest, non-air mile cards.
6. Because of this, banks issuing air mile credit cards are reconsidering their strategy of using air miles as an incentive for drawing customers and increasing credit card usage. The article suggests that there may be a trend towards more air mile partners becoming unpartnered with the airlines.
7. Air miles are rapidly becoming a worthless commodity...so don't horde them! If you can find a free ticket that comes close to suiting your needs, grab it.

For the heck of it, I searched the USAIRWAYS website today for a standard 30,000 dividend miles PHL-SJO fare. I came across nothing but red x's for the months of February and March...and finally struck some gold in April. I found 4 dates (during a weekday) that were in the green. I probably would have come across more green dates if I opted for premium award travel...60,000 miles...but I didn't bother.

_________________
Blue Devil

Pura Vida...enjoying life to the fullest...

Lionking wrote:


Many program require some sort of "mileage activity" in a 36 month period. If you meet that requirement most program's miles will never expire. You don't necessarily have to fly, usually a hotel or car rental or even the purchase of a dozen roses can qualifiy as "mileage activity" if done with your frequent flyer number.

Anyone who does not have a credit card tied to a Frequent Flyer program is, in my opinion, throwing miles right out the window.

Not only do you get anywhere from 10,000 to 17,500 miles just for getting the card and using it once (depending on issuing bank, airline and card level) but you also get miles for every dollar you spend. You can also get double miles for certain purchases and for every dollar you spend on that airline.

Every month that you have usage on the card also extends your FF mile expiration date so in essence the miles SHOULD never expire.

Yes, there is an annual fee but it's usually waived for the first year. The fee is based on the card you get (regular, Gold or Platinum). There are also perks like Citibank's American Airline quarterly reduced mileage awards to certain cities. These come with your bill and are posted on their website.

Some current reduced AA awards are USA to Medellin or Cali, Colombia for 25,000 miles (22,500 if you have Gold or Platinum). The regular rate is 35,000 miles.

I've had some great service from AMEX using my Delta Skymiles card on settling disputes (always in my favor).

Also is you have an AMEX Delta Skymiles Platinum card you receive a voucher good for a companion ticket each year on your renewal date, as long as you pay your annual dues ($135).

For my money if you use a credit card and EVER fly it's a pretty good deal.