Archive for » 2012 «

19 May 2012

The benefits for booking through the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection …

A few days ago I
wrote about American Express Fine Hotels Resorts and Virtuoso, which are two methods of making reservations that can get you additional benefits on stays at hundreds of high end hotels.

Some of you brought up
Visa Signature’s Luxury Hotel Collection, so I figured I’d make a follow up post about it. This is a bit smaller scale of a program that’s available to anyone with a US-issued Signature Visa credit card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, British Airways Visa, Hyatt Visa, United Explorer Visa, etc. To take advantage of this benefit you have to reserve and pay for hotel stays with a qualifying credit card.

The benefits for booking through the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection are as follows:

  • Best available rate guarantee
  • Automatic room upgrade upon arrival, when available
  • Free in-room Internet or Valet parking
  • Complimentary continental breakfast
  • 3PM check-out, when available
  • VIP Guest status
  • $25 food or beverage voucher

To break that down a bit further, it seems like the best rate guarantee applies exclusively to the prevailing or best flexible rate. In other words, when booking through this program you can’t use an advance purchase/AAA/senior/government/corporate rate, so in many cases the savings that can be had there might more than compensate for the extra benefits.

I think most of the other benefits are pretty self explanatory, though the one I find especially intriguing is “free in-room internet or valet parking.” If the hotel offers both you can choose, and if you choose valet parking it can be a value of up to $50 per day. The Andaz West Hollywood is part of this hotel collection, so between the free valet parking (if you rent a car) and food and beverage credit, booking through here would likely be consistently cheaper than booking an otherwise discounted rate.

Anyway, the program itself consists of over 800 hotels, and while they have a lot of luxury hotels, they also seem to include a few more mid-range properties than Virtuoso, which is probably useful for many of us. For example, all the US Andaz hotels are included in the collection. The website lets you search hotels either by their brand, name, or location, which is pretty useful, and the website is as easy to use as just about any booking site.

The results page will list all hotels in the area (I searched Los Angeles) along with their corresponding prices.

If you click on “See Rooms Rates” you’ll see all the room options along with the corresponding benefits.

The cool thing is that at no point in the booking process do you have to log in (though you can choose to have a username and password so your info will be saved). On the next page you simply have to complete the purchase with a Signature Visa credit card, and your reservation will be confirmed.

I actually hadn’t known about this program until a few weeks ago, and it really pained to me to think for how long I’ve been missing out on these benefits for the Andaz hotels I’ve been staying at.

As always you should look at all the options before making a booking, including advance purchase rates, AAA rates, etc. But in many cases the additional benefits with this program may total $100 per night. I think the biggest potential benefit here is free valet parking for up to a $50 per day value, which both American Express Fine Hotels Resorts and Virtuoso don’t offer as a benefit. So while I still generally prefer the offerings of those two programs, I can see many circumstances under which I’d use the Signature Visa program instead.

Happy booking!

©
One Mile at a Time, a
BoardingArea Blog

Category: Hotels  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment
19 May 2012

The benefits for booking through the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection …

A few days ago I
wrote about American Express Fine Hotels Resorts and Virtuoso, which are two methods of making reservations that can get you additional benefits on stays at hundreds of high end hotels.

Some of you brought up
Visa Signature’s Luxury Hotel Collection, so I figured I’d make a follow up post about it. This is a bit smaller scale of a program that’s available to anyone with a US-issued Signature Visa credit card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, British Airways Visa, Hyatt Visa, United Explorer Visa, etc. To take advantage of this benefit you have to reserve and pay for hotel stays with a qualifying credit card.

The benefits for booking through the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection are as follows:

  • Best available rate guarantee
  • Automatic room upgrade upon arrival, when available
  • Free in-room Internet or Valet parking
  • Complimentary continental breakfast
  • 3PM check-out, when available
  • VIP Guest status
  • $25 food or beverage voucher

To break that down a bit further, it seems like the best rate guarantee applies exclusively to the prevailing or best flexible rate. In other words, when booking through this program you can’t use an advance purchase/AAA/senior/government/corporate rate, so in many cases the savings that can be had there might more than compensate for the extra benefits.

I think most of the other benefits are pretty self explanatory, though the one I find especially intriguing is “free in-room internet or valet parking.” If the hotel offers both you can choose, and if you choose valet parking it can be a value of up to $50 per day. The Andaz West Hollywood is part of this hotel collection, so between the free valet parking (if you rent a car) and food and beverage credit, booking through here would likely be consistently cheaper than booking an otherwise discounted rate.

Anyway, the program itself consists of over 800 hotels, and while they have a lot of luxury hotels, they also seem to include a few more mid-range properties than Virtuoso, which is probably useful for many of us. For example, all the US Andaz hotels are included in the collection. The website lets you search hotels either by their brand, name, or location, which is pretty useful, and the website is as easy to use as just about any booking site.

The results page will list all hotels in the area (I searched Los Angeles) along with their corresponding prices.

If you click on “See Rooms Rates” you’ll see all the room options along with the corresponding benefits.

The cool thing is that at no point in the booking process do you have to log in (though you can choose to have a username and password so your info will be saved). On the next page you simply have to complete the purchase with a Signature Visa credit card, and your reservation will be confirmed.

I actually hadn’t known about this program until a few weeks ago, and it really pained to me to think for how long I’ve been missing out on these benefits for the Andaz hotels I’ve been staying at.

As always you should look at all the options before making a booking, including advance purchase rates, AAA rates, etc. But in many cases the additional benefits with this program may total $100 per night. I think the biggest potential benefit here is free valet parking for up to a $50 per day value, which both American Express Fine Hotels Resorts and Virtuoso don’t offer as a benefit. So while I still generally prefer the offerings of those two programs, I can see many circumstances under which I’d use the Signature Visa program instead.

Happy booking!

©
One Mile at a Time, a
BoardingArea Blog

Category: Hotels  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment
19 May 2012

Frequent flier miles tips: How to amass travel rewards quickly

Airline loyalty: Pick one airline and fly only it or its partners, and have all your miles funneling into a single account. Fliers generally pick airlines based on hubs in their city. There are three major airlines based or with a major presence in Washington: United Airlines at Washington Dulles, Southwest Airlines at BWI Marshall and US Airways at Reagan National, where it will expand again this summer.

Earning status: Elite status offers many perks, including free checked baggage, first-class upgrades and bonus frequent flier miles. Since completing its merger with Continental, my chosen carrier, United, has a new four-tier system: Premier Silver status, earned by flying 25,000 milesin a year and offering a 25 percent frequent flier mileage bonus; Premier Gold, offering 50 percent for flying 50,000 miles; Premier Platinum, offering 75 percent for 75,000 miles; and Premier 1K, offering 100 percent for more than 100,000 miles.

Credit cards: Airline credit cards, if used enough, can provide huge mileage bumps for a nominal annual fee. These cards usually come with large up-front bonuses (United’s card offers 25,000 miles after first use, and American Airlines’ card awards 30,000 miles after $1,000 in purchases). I use my card in place of a debit card and pay off the bill at the end of the month. Generally you earn one frequent flier mile for every dollar spent. These miles, however, don’t count toward status, which can be earned only by flying.

Partnerships: Need to send flowers? Buying a new computer? Renting a car on vacation? Most airlines have non-airline partners that will offer you miles for your business. For example, a floral delivery company may offer you five miles for every dollar you spend. By sending a $100 bouquet of flowers and using your airline credit card, you can earn 600 miles without stepping onto a plane.

E-mail deals: Sign up for airline e-mails to see the latest specials, discounted fares and other offers that might not be broadcast on an airline’s home page. Read the fine print on everything in your airline’s frequent flier program. Knowing the rules inside out will help you become a better mileage hoarder.

Category: Airline Travel  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment
19 May 2012

Tickets go on sale Friday for Sept. 8 Elton John concert at $91, $151

Examiner takes to streets to ask people if they’re worth the price

By SARAH DEETH Examiner Staff Writer

Posted 6 hours ago

What do you charge to see an icon? How much would you spend to see a musical legend step on stage in your hometown?

When The Examiner learned the ticket prices for Elton John’s Sept. 8 show — $91 and $151 — we took to the streets to see if people are willing to cough that up for a seat in the Memorial Centre.

Carolyn Hagg, 42, had to think about it for a minute.

Hagg said she’s always wanted to see Elton John perform. But the ticket prices seemed a little on the steeper side.

“To see him in the city, that’s a chance I can’t pass up,” she said.

For 27-year-old Jane Latimer, the cost was more than steep. It was downright prohibitive.

“Honestly, I am not able to afford that,” the mother of three said.

“Honestly, I am not able to afford that.”

Jane Latimer

It’s really too bad. Latimer said she’s a big fan, and her children know a lot of the songs John’s written for Disney movies.

Jasmine Livermore wouldn’t necessarily pay $151 to see John, unless he sang only his classic songs and stayed away from any new material.

“It it’s all of his old stuff, then yes,” she said.

But Sara Beatty, 19, thought the cost is just too high for city the size of Peterborough.

After all, she said, John will play the Memorial Centre, not a major facility such as the Molson Amphitheatre or the Air Canada Centre.

“I kind of think that in a smaller town, it should be cheaper,” she said.

Mike MacLean, 56, isn’t a huge Elton John fan, but he enjoys his music.

When told what the ticket prices were, he gave a small shrug.

“I’m considering it,” he said.

An Elton John show in Peterborough may be something he won’t be able to pass up, he said, adding that he paid more for a ticket to go see Bruce Springsteen this August.

Some, like Peter Miller, couldn’t believe an international legend like Elton John was coming to Peterborough.

But he couldn’t get past the cost of the ticket.

As a senior on a budget, Miller, 76, said it’s just not doable.

“I can’t afford that,” he said.

Neither can 80-year-old Stella Towner.

Towner said she loves Elton John’s music and owns several of his albums.

“But that’s not in my budget,” she said. “I just don’t have the money to go.”

Paul and Mary McKinnon, both 60, initially balked at the thought of $91 and $151 tickets.

“It’d be better to watch him on television,” Mary said.

Then the couple thought about it for a second.

Mary said they grew up listening to Elton John. Maybe, when you think of it like that, paying $151 to see an icon isn’t too shabby.

“Then yes, as long as the sound system was good, and your seat was good,” she said, while Paul nodded in agreement.

Both Kristi Turner and Karen Li, both 21, gasped when The Examiner told them the singer was coming to Peterborough, and both immediately said they wanted to go.

Then they heard the prices. Their faces fell.

“I think that’s reasonable, though, for Elton John,” Li said.

Turner agreed.

She said she may not pay that much to see Elton John, but would spend that much to go see a band she really liked.

It was a sentiment 60-year-old Gary Rose could agree with.

Paying $151 for Elton John is absolutely outrageous, he said.

“The only band I would ever pay that much to see is Rush,” Rose said, before listing everything he liked about the iconic Canadian rock band.

Rose also expressed his concern that ticket scalpers and ticketing agencies would drive up that ticket cost.

Sue Diamond was shocked to hear that she would have to pay at least $91 to see one of her favourite musicians.

She’s a lifelong fan, she said, and was hoping to pay $60 to $70 a ticket.

“I was hoping it wouldn’t be that expensive,” she said.

Diamond said she’d have to purchase at least two or three tickets, and at $91 each, the cost was just too much.

John Balfour scoffed at the prices, telling The Examiner it was ludicrous to spend that much money on any show.

“People pay that to see the Toronto Maple Leafs, and that’s always a losing proposition,” he said.

Balfour, 58, said he’d have just a good a time sitting at home and listening to an Elton John CD.

Nineteen-year-old Scott Delyea had to think about it.

He wouldn’t pay that, he said, not for Elton John.

But if it was your favourite singer or band, he said, the cost would be worth it.

Delyea pointed out that a lot of long-standing artists charge significantly more for their tickets.

Clifford Maynes, 59, echoed those comments, pointing out that The Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney charge hundreds of dollars per ticket.

Maynes found the news a little disheartening.

Rock ’n’ roll is fluid, he said, a constant musical revival.

Older acts, like John and McCartney shouldn’t be charging the big bucks for their shows, Maynes said.

It should be the younger bands, the new ground breakers, who are charging more for tickets, he said.

At the end of the day, Maynes said, it’s up to fans and consumers to decide if the price is worth the ticket.

“I guess, really, the ultimate decider is if people buy the tickets,” he said.

sarah.deeth@sunmedia.ca

Advertisement

Category: Tickets  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment
19 May 2012

Foreign travel expenses shoot up 20% on falling rupee

NEW DELHI: The depreciating value of the rupee has made outbound travel for Indians at least 15-20% more expensive. In India, domestic travel too is suffering because of an increase in airfares as Kingfisher and Air India reduce their inventory.

The summer break in India sees a huge number of Indians travelling internationally for an average of 12-13 days to long haul destinations in Europe and Americas. This summer, though, might be different. Many travellers, especially from the middle class, are shifting towards shorter breaks of an average 8-9 days and to shorthaul destinations in the Far East, which are comparatively less impacted by currency movements.

“Outbound travel is having a severe impact as it has become more expensive for people to travel abroad,” says Dhruv Shringi, CEO, Yatra.com. Short to medium haul destinations like Mauritius, Malaysia, Thailand, Macau and others are doing well this season.

“Longhaul is getting converted into shorthaul, which is benefiting destinations like ours,” says Manoharan Periasamy, director for India at Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board. He is expecting incremental business for his destination from India. Rajeev Nangia, associate director of operators at Trac, which represents Mauritius, too has seen an increase in enquiries for the destination. “We expect a better turnaround for the destination this year,” he says.

Rajji Rai, special advisor to the Travel Agents Association of India , says business is down this summer season and the ratio of longhaul to shorthaul travel has changed from 50:50 earlier to 40:60 now. “People do not want to venture towards Europe and the US because of high cost,” he says.

For domestic travellers, the last few months have seen a dramatic increase in airfares as Kingfisher Airlines and Air India reduced their inventory. “Other airlines have increased prices which is hurting domestic travellers this summer. Hotels too are experiencing lower levels of business,” says Arjun Sharma, managing director at Le Passage to India Tours Travels.

The price of a return ticket between Delhi and Goa has jumped by 25-30% in the last one month and such increases have prompted many travellers to curtail or postpone their travel plans. Many last minute travellers have changed their plans, says Rai.

The devaluation of the rupee has shaved off a neat 15% of profits for travel agents and tour operators, who had contracted rates with their vendors in international destinations almost a year ago. Rates were fixed at Rs 45-47 a dollar.

Category: Destinations  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment
19 May 2012

Discounts for travelers, from hotels to cruises and safaris

Here are some of this week’s travel bargains:

Spend two consecutive weekend nights at any IHG hotel and receive a $75 prepaid MasterCard. The Vacation Pay promo is valid Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights through Sept. 3. More than 4,500 hotels and all of the company’s brands — InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites — are participating. Up to $300 awarded. You must register at https://vacationpayregistration.ihg.com. Info: 877-424-2449, www.ichotelsgroup.com.

REI Adventures is taking 20 percent off its Kilimanjaro Climb and Safari Extension trip departing Oct. 6. With the deal, the nine-day mountain climb in Tanzania costs $3,499 per person double; the usual cost is $4,399. The add-on safari goes for $2,899, down from $3,599. Travelers can opt for the climb only or the two adventures for $6,398. The nine-day climbing trip, rated strenuous, includes five nights in a mountain hut, three in a hotel and one day room; most meals; park fees; airport transfers; climbing guide, cook and porters; group camping gear; safari driver/guide; taxes; and tolls. The six-day “relaxed” safari visits the Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti National Park and Lake Manyara National Park, and includes accommodations (tents and lodge), meals, guides, transfers and more. Best rate is for REI members; a lifetime membership costs $20. Book by May 28. Info: 800-622-2236, www.rei.com/adventures.

European Waterways is offering $1,000 off per cabin on cruises in France’s Alsace-Lorraine aboard its new 12-passenger hotel barge, Panache. The six-night cruises from Strasbourg to Mittersheim run mid-June through October and include all meals, open bar, daily excursions, and fees and taxes. Rates are $4,190 per person double (normally $4,690) for June, July, most of August and October; and $4,890 for late August and September (normally $5,390). Book by May 31. Info: 877-879-8808. www.gobarging.com.

Variety Cruises, a small-ship cruise line, has specials on select 2012 and 2013 itineraries, including two-for-one rates and no single supplement, and half-price for the second passenger and 25 percent single supplement. Discounted sailings are for such destinations as Greece, the French and Italian Rivieras, the Seychelles, the Arabian Gulf and the rivers of West Africa. For example, the eight-day Romantic Rivieras, which sails round trip from Nice, France, starts at the two-for-one price of $2,990 per couple, plus $700 in port charges. The single supplement of 50 percent is waived. Depart July 14 or Aug. 11. Book by June 15 for all cruises except Arabian Journeys, Antiquity to Byzantium, and the Seychelles, which are available for bookings through Aug. 31. Use reference code SPECIAL OFFER/MAY 2. Info: 800-319-7776, www.varietycruises.com.

With Lion World Tours, save $900 off the regular price of a nine-day safari to Kenya. The company is also waiving the single supplement, normally $690. Starting at $2,899 per person double, the package includes round-trip air from Washington Dulles to Nairobi on Ethiopian Airlines, six nights’ luxury accommodations in Kenya, game viewing, guides, meals, transfers and taxes. Four departures in November. Info: 800-387-2706, www.lionworldtours.com.

Category: Hotels  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment
19 May 2012

Delta Air Lines says airfare searches were skewed as it tried out a new vendor

On Friday, Delta offered its first detailed explanation of what went wrong.

Delta and other airlines use third-party companies such as Expedia, Orbitz and Google’s ITA Software to deliver results when customers search for flights. Those search providers sift through all the available seats, possible connecting flights and different fares to show flight options to customers.

Delta was thinking about switching search providers, so starting on April 20 it ran a side-by-side experiment, Bob Kupbens, the airline’s head of e-commerce told The Associated Press. People who logged in with their frequent flier number saw results from the airline’s current search provider. People who searched anonymously got results from the experimental provider. Delta declined to name either company.

“We don’t want to take all of our best customers, who we care the most about, and put them immediately onto a new search engine,” Kupbens said. Ultimately, he said, the airline hoped the switch in search companies would provide travelers with faster and more-relevant search results.

The problem was that one of the search engines included flight possibilities that the other one didn’t, Kupbens said.

For example, one search might include a cheaper flight with a less-desirable connection, while the other one didn’t include that option. A customer would see that one result had cheaper options than the other.

Kupbens said the airline never sold customers the same exact roundtrip flights at different prices.

“To be clear, we never — and couldn’t have, based on the technology — we never sold the exact same itinerary for a different price. So what customers were seeing was a difference in search results, not a different price for the same itinerary,” he said.

Delta ended the side-by-side test on May 9.

Kupbens said the problem was not with the experimental search provider, but with the way Delta asked it to assemble its results. The new search provider is still being considered for a switch, he said.

The airline industry has long been criticized by customers for a lack of transparency in its pricing. Airfares change from hour to hour and it’s often not clear how many seats are left for sale on a specific flight.

This latest snafu just feeds into customers’ fears that they aren’t always getting the best price.

“When it comes to prices, it’s time for airlines to start telling the whole truth,” Charlie Leocha, director of the Consumer Travel Alliance said in a statement. His group and the Business Travel Coalition on Friday called for the Department of Transportation to review price-display practices for airfares and the growing number of fees for services such as checked baggage and seat assignments.

Shares of Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines Inc. closed down 28 cents, or 2.7 percent, at $10.13.

___

Mayerowitz, who reported from New York, can be reached at http://twitter.com/GlobeTrotScott .

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Category: Airline Travel  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment
« Previous Entries
Next Entries »
  • Social Slider