Guides & insights on how & when to use travel rewards points
Ideas on how to travel well using hotel points & airline frequent flyer programs;
Travel tips, including finding “better” deals;
Destinations to make your soul sing and boost your well-being;
Wellness as part of your travel.
Welcome to points N places, your ultimate resource for mastering the art of smart travel.
We believe that every journey should be an enriching experience that doesn't compromise your well-being or your bank account.
Whether you are a seasoned globetrotter looking to optimize your loyalty program strategy or a wellness-conscious traveler seeking
to maintain balance on the road, our mission is to equip you with the knowledge you need.
Here, we bridge the gap between the technicalities of points and miles and the holistic joy of discovering new destinations,
ensuring you travel further, better, and healthier.
Top Tips For Travellers' Health
There's an ever-expanding body of scientific evidence that (whether behind a desk at work or during a long plane trip or
train ride), being seated for prolonged periods can be harmful. We provide tips to boost your health and reduce the
harmful impact on your body while travelling.
Looking forward to a staycation / city break? Accor has a choice of over 100 hotels to choose from in
Australia and New Zealand in their Black Friday sale.
Accor APAC Members receive early access to the sale. Register & book before 25 November to get 30% off the
price of their stay and earn 2X Reward points. Accor Plus members receive an additional 10% off.
The member-only sale ends midnight on 25 November 2021, and public access starts 26 November and ends 1 December
2021.
Stays must be completed between 01 December 2021 & 28 February 2022.
.
Further T&C's apply.
Read More…
GHA makes new Discovery
GHA flagged the revamp of its loyalty program Discovery in September. With its December launch under the new branding of GHA
Discovery now
imminent, details are starting to emerge.
The main changes are:
1) the move towards a points earning system.
2) the Discovery experiences will now be able to accessed at all status tier levels. 3) you
won't have to book flights or nights to enjoy your membership. The new DISCOVERY will offer exclusive benefits both with or without a
stay.
Previously,
key differentiators from other hotel loyalty programs were the absence of points and tier level based on stays being rewarded for upper tier members by tailored travel experiences, rather than discounted or award stays. So this is a major change in philosophy by
the group.
Points earning will be in the form of "Discovery Dollars" or D$.
From their very first stay, members will earn D$ at 4% to 7% (depending on tier status) of their total bill and D$1 = 1
USD, so the value is clear. D$ will be able to be spent flexibly across the hotel, toward spending on a room, dining, spa or golf.
Members simply apply their D$ as a form of payment at check-out.
So the revised Discovery program has some similarities with Accor's ALL - a fixed redemption rate (value of USD 1 or EUR 1
respectively) and a fixed earning rate that increases with tier status (4% to 7% depending on tier status).
Tier qualification requirements will also change.
An additional tier level is being introduced (from Gold, Platinum & Black to Silver, Gold, Platinum & Titanium). Qualification will
be based on either Nights/Stays, spending or number of brands stayed at. The latter looks to be the easiest route to top tier status:
Gold – Stay 2 times or spend $1,000
Platinum – Stay 10 nights, spend $5,000 or stay at 2 brands
Titanium – Stay 30 nights, spend $15,000 or stay at 3 brands.
Previously, the 2 top-tier members received complimentary Local Experiences with their stays (different Local Experiences depending on tier
level. Now, all members will have the option to choose to redeem D$ for them (D$100 for what was a Platinum-level
experience or D$200 for a Black-level experience), or apply their D$ on other items. In Australia, the GHA brands include Atura, Avani,
Oaks, Pan Pacific, ParkRoyal, QT and Rydges, with the more leisure-based Oaks being the most plentiful. In total there are 117
hotels
to choose from.
Travellers to Asia will fare best, as there are 142 hotels under the brands of Anantara, Araiya, Avani, Capella, Kempinski,
Leela, Marco Polo, NUO, Niccolo, Pan Pacific & ParkRoyal.
Options in the US with 14 locations are more limited, under the brands of Meritage,
Outrigger, Pan Pacific, Viceroy & Doyle Collection.
UK travellers may find it even more limited, as the brands there are currently limited to Corinthia, Pan Pacific, Doyle Collectiion
& Campbell Gray in a total of 7 locations.
GHA Discovery has not yet communicated what benefits loyalty program members at each tier will receive. Further details will be released
soon, particularly in regard to benefits usable without a stay.
Whether or not status-matching from other programs will be possible is yet to be revealed.
Stay tuned!
Qantas offering status ‘fast track’ | access OneWorld benefits
Qantas is once again running a status ‘fast track’ offer for elite tier members of 16 competitor airline loyalty programs. People who hold
eligible loyalty status with a qualifying airline program are invited to switch to Qantas and get Qantas Gold status.
All you have to do is register for this promo by 30 November and earn 100 status credits between 1 December 2021 and 28 February
2022.
This equates to (eg) 5 return economy trips between Sydney & Melbourne, but for more ideas you can use the Qantas
points and status credits calculator.
During this period, Qantas will provide you with a ‘taste of Gold’ by way of complimentary Qantas Club access and extra checked baggage.
Note that:
1) registrations are only open to individuals with an Australian or New Zealand home postal
address. You’ll need to provide evidence of your existing status with an eligible airline.
2) Those wishing to transfer from a higher tier – Platinum and Platinum One equivalents – will only be able
to transfer to Qantas’ Gold
status, rather than have their status matched. Reaching a higher frequent flyer status with Qantas will require members to earn the normal
status credits, so this is a “fast track” rather than a “status match” promotion.
Full Gold tier benefits with Qantas include:
* lounge access across Qantas and oneworld airline lounges globally
* preferential seating and priority access to reward seats
* priority check-in, boarding and upgrade requests.
If you are an elite member with an airline in either the Star Alliance or SkyTeam alliances, this is an opportunity to gain access
to lounges of OneStar alliance members.
No, not the rock band….Cathay will include free of charge, a carbon offset for each fare purchased as part of this promotion - hence
"Green" Day rather than Black Friday.
In Australia & NZ, it offers big savings on its Two Together companion offer to several destinations in UK, Europe and
North America. Book a special Two Together fare, and you’ll get up to 50% off the second ticket.
If travelling from the UK, it's even better. You'll get 50% off the second ticket or if you’re travelling with friends and family,
get 25% off each ticket, including children’s tickets, when 3 or more people travel together. In addition, they're offsettingdoublethe carbon emissions.
In the Asia region (eg Singapore) the offer is different again. You need the Cathay discount code and then if you buy one and get
the second ticket 10% off in Economy (+ 500 Asia Miles if a member) or 15% off Premium Economy Class (+ 800 Asia Miles if a member) or 15%
off if you are both flying Business Class (+ 1,000 Asia Miles if a member). Again, offsetting doublethe
carbon emissions.
From the US, there are discounted fares for a Black Friday sale - there doesn't appear to be any carbon offsets.
Book by 29 November 2021 for travel between 1 March and 21 October 2022. T&C's apply.
Don't miss out as seats are limited!
You can also jump to our summary of the best Black Friday deals for accommodation, luggage and other items to make your travel
smoother and more enjoyable.
Virgin Australia's loyalty program Velocity has announced a flash sale of award seats for its members.
Until midnight 23 November 2021, you can redeem Points for a Reward Seatonevery
Economy seat on
the Virgin Australia domestic network, for travel between 1 December 2021 to 31 March 2022.
Yes - even during peak travel periods like Christmas and New Years!
All eligible Virgin Australia Reward Seats will also earn you Status Credits for travel until 31 March 2022.
T&C's apply. There isn't much time for this promotion, so get in quck! Read More…
4X boost for your AeroMexico Club Premier points with nH Hotels stays
4x Club Premier points for stays at NH Hotels Worldwide. Simply choose Club Premier as your earning preference when you book
online at NH Hotels for destinations like the NH Plaza Collection Santiago (pictured).
AeroMexico is a member of the Skyteam alliance (which includes Delta, Air France/KLM, Argentinian Airlines and Garuda Indonesia.
Bookings must be made by 30/11/2021 for stays between 23/11/2021 and 31/03/2022 both inclusive. Additionally, these
bookings must be made at least 7 days before the check-in date.
Participating hotels included in the promotion of hotels
* The Americas - Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, USA, Mexico, Uruguay; and main
* Europe - Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Amsterdam, Venice, Rome Munich, Lisbon, Brussels, Budapest, Copenhagen, Porto, Vienna,
Nice.
During November 10 to 16 the hotels belonging to NH Collection México do not participate in the present
promotion.
The NH Collection Mexico City Airport T2 hotel is excluded from the promotion.
Buy Hyatt Bonus Points at 30% off
World of Hyatt is quietly having a sale on bonus points.
Purchase at least 5,000 points per transaction to receive a 30% price discount, which is equivalent to
receiving 42.9% bonus.
The effective price you will pay is USD 16.38 per thousand points, which is slightly better than our estimated fair value of USD 17.00, so you should comfortably find good value redemptions opportunities.
The maximum number of points you can purchase in a calendar year is 55,000. This is more than enough for 2 nights in a luxury category 6 hotel (St James Hotel & Club or Dukes in London, or Hyatt Union Square or The Beekman in NYC).
This promotion ends 11:59 pm on 30 December 2021,so
buy your Hyatt points now(advertiser). May make a nice present for the festive season...
Black Friday 2021 - how to use SkyScanner to find the best flight deals
You can also jump instead to our summary of the best Black Friday deals for accommodation, luggage and other items to make your
travel smoother and more enjoyable.
Accor & Qantas commence their dual earning alliance
Today marked the launch of the "crossover" alliance between the Accor Live Limitless and Qantas Frequent Flyer programs.
Under their agreement, you must be a member of both programs, then you can earn points under both programs:
1) from Qantas flights around the world if they hold at least either ALL Gold or QFF Platinum tier status; 2) from stays at Accor properties, regardless of tier status, but only for stays in the APAC region.
Two Scottish hotels join WorldHotels, with a new one in Phuket slated for end--2022.
WorldHotels announced today the addition of three new hotels to the brand’s global portfolio. It has expanded its presences in Scotland by
the addition of the Kingsmills Hotel and Ness Walk Hotel in Inverness, to WorldHotels’ Elite and Luxury collections,
respectively. In addition, Layan Green Park in Phuket, Thailand will become part of WorldHotels’ Distinctive collection.
Situated in the Scottish Highlands, the Kingsmills Hotel features luxurious accommodations, two stunning indoor restaurants and a heated
outdoor Garden Restaurant. The Kingsmills Hotel is also located near five of Scotland’s world-class golf courses,
allowing guests to easily access the country’s national game.
Ness Walk is an idyllic five-star retreat just a short distance from Loch Ness. Originally constructed as a 19th century
house, it is situated near the North Coast 500, a 516-mile journey set in the Scottish Highlands that provides magnificent
views of Scotland’s landscape and lochs.
Guests will be have convenient access to be able to enjoy the stunning Scottish scenery, golf courses and whiskey distilleries, plus more.
In addition to WorldHotels’ growing presence in Scotland, the brand has added Layan Green Park in Bangtao Beach in Phuket, Thailand. The
hotel is scheduled to open its doors in December 2022 and will be a four-star property located in Phuket, one of the world’s top vacation
destinations.
WorldHotels is owned by Best Western. You can redeem BW Rewards points for stays at both the Kingsmills
Hotel (12,000 per night) and Ness Walk Hotel (28,000 per night).
Six Senses Ibiza - anti-ageing program in a luxury spa retreat
Six Senses Ibiza (pictured) is the first sustainable BREEAM certified resort and residential community in the Balearics, occupying a breathtaking position in Xarraca Bay. It has teamed with RoseBar to
offer a residential anti-ageing health & wellness program.
At the time of writing, prices per night were from EUR 595 in early December 2021 and EUR 925 in mid-June
2022, including airport transfers. Alternatively, in both cases, 150,000 IHG Rewards points.
If you buy
IHG Rewards
during a promotion, you could enjoy a wonderful, luxury break to invest in your personal health & wellness - possibly the best
investment you can make!
IHG Rewards extends Elite Status & Points expiration
Once again, IHG Rewards is extending the elite status that members earned in 2019. This time the extension is good until February 2023.
Previously, elite statuses were extended through January 2022.
In addition, IHG is extending some free night certificates and its pause on the expiration of points until 31 December 2022.
Easy way to book your next skiing holiday at any one of 6 beautiful destinations on the French alps
Feeling the temperature dropping in Britain and wanting to organise your next ski vacation?
Wish there was an easier way?
Only 1 operator offers all-inclusive rail to ski packages that depart from London so you can have everyone and everything arrive together at
your chosen French skiing destination.
They make it easy to do it all online with only 5 clicks.
Bonvoy bonus points promotions - 45% bonus when you buy
Bonvoy members receive a 45% bonus when you buy or gift 2,000 or more points now through 8 December, 2021.
This
equates to a price of USD 8.62 per thousand. Still higher than our valuation of USD 7.50 per thousand, but a
relatively cheap opportunity for small quantities to top up a balance to get you your next planned stay. T&C's apply, which are shown
when you login to your account and buy Bonvoy points through the manager
of the Bonvoy program.
Bonvoy members can soon be "putting on the Ritz" at sea! .
Marriott Bonvoy has announced that the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection joined the Marriott Bonvoy program, effective from 9 November 2021.
Bonvoy members will be able to earn and redeem points for voyages and associated hotel stays from 6 May 2022 when
booked through Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.
This is a unique option for Bonvoy members. Voyages at the Ritz-Carlton level will be reminiscent of the hey-days of luxury
cruising. Is it a valuable benefit for Bonvoy members?
Read More…
Accor extends ALL points expiry...another 12 months
Accor has announced a further extension for the expiry of its ALL members points.
Back in March this year, ALL points expiry was extended to 15 December 2021. Ths has now been further extended to 15 December 2022
This complements the tier status extension that was announced in October (also to December 2022).
A welcome development for Victorians, who have just come out of lockdown and in time for summer breaks. Also for members in the
Americas, where Accor's footprint is smaller and there is less opportunity to earn points to extend the life of accrued points.
bonza New Australian Domestic Airline On Track For 2Q2022 takeoff
Australian start-up airline Bonza says more than 35 airports have so far expressed interest in hosting its flights as it look to finalise
its domestic network in readiness to start services in the second quarter of 2022.
The start-up is seeking regulatory approval to start services on routes to regional and leisure destinations.
Bonza believes there is scope for a new ultra-low-cost entrant in the Australian market despite the existing battle for market share between
Qantas, Regional Express and Virgin Australia.
Its stated plan is to fly “point-to-point” on leisure routes not serviced by the 3 incumbents, using a fleet of two
to three new 737 MAXs
limited to a handful of services each week.
It’s a very competitive market so our fingers are crossed for them.
(photo courtesy of Bonza Airlines)
Alaska Airlines & BA Expand Codeshare Routes
Alaska Airlines continues to deepen its integration into the OneWorld network.
Since joining the OneWorld alliance on March 31 this year , it has quickly moved to forge partnerships with fellow members Qatar Airways and
Iberia Airlines.
It now has expanded its codeshare routes with long-term partner British Airways to 16 additional markets. The new
destinations connect its network beyond Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles to BA’s nonstop service from London Heathrow.
These BA codeshares combined with the new partnerships of Qatar Airways and Iberia Airlines together with the
existing partnerships with American Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Finnair combined will offer 16 daily international flights
to Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles – enabling seamless connectivity to Alaska’s comprehensive
network up and down the West Coast.
Alaska and its regional partners offer overseas passengers more than 120 destinations across the United States and
to Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica. So this development extends BA's reach into the Americas.
The ability to earn (and burn) miles with these partners provides great flexibility for Alaska Mileage members and a well connected network
into Europe.
2021 Black Friday & Cyber Monday Deals
Yes it's that time of year again (already !) Strange things happen around the last Friday of November. Including some amazing
offers for all manner of deals.
We list ones that offer exceptional value for travellers, from special rewards points offers, discounted accommodation, to sales on items to
make your travel more pleasurable, such as noise-cancelling headphones (great on planes or trains) & luggage. New offers will be
added as we find them (so make a note to revisit our page).
All are available for a very limited time. We hope you don't miss out!
Hyatt acquisition positions it as leader in all-inclusive resort
Hyatt yesterday confirmed that it has comp[leted the acquisition of Apple Leisure Group (ALG).
1) Hyatt is doubling its global resorts footprint through the addition of ALG’s AMR Collection brand portfolio,
which comprises approximately 100 hotels and resorts operating in 10 countries.
2) Hyatt now offers one of the largest collections of luxury all-inclusive resorts in the world, including new
destinations
for Hyatt such as Acapulco, Curaçao, the Canary Islands, Menorca and St. Martin.
3) Hyatt has added properties in 11 new European markets and expanded its European brand footprint by 60%.
In addition there are
Unlimited Vacation Clubby AMR™ Collection, an exclusive membership club whose members enjoy preferred
rates and other benefits at participating AMR Collection properties
ALG Vacations®, one of the largest packaged vacation providers and leisure travel distribution platforms in North America
serving the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean.
The acquisition boosts Hyatt's presence in areas in key markets, boosting benefits and attractive destinations for World of Hyatt members.
What remains to be seen is the integration into the program and the points costs. Hyatt has been successful in integrating SLH properties
(which are not part of Hyatt owned subsidiary), so we anticipate this should go smoothly.
United's Mile Play promotion - earn bonus miles by completing tasks via MilePlay promotion
United has just launched the latest version of its “MilePlay” promotion.
Through 31 January 2022, eligible MileagePlus members can earn bonus miles by completing various tasks (typically set based on their flying history).
Note that
You need to logon to your account & register for the promotion by January 31, 2022.
All promotion activities must be completed by January 31, 2022.
Only activities booked after registration are eligible for the promotion.
Allow six to eight weeks after the end of the promotion for the bonus miles to post to your account.
i Prefer offering TopTier status for stays before year-end
i Prefer is running a Where Next 2021 campaign for travelers keen for a break before year-end.
If you book and stay of at least 2 nights prior to 31 December, you receive
1. daily breakfast for 2;
2. upgrade to Elite Member (top tier) status for the duration of your stay; and
3. a travel experience unique to the hotel of your choice.
Fairmont announces offers showcasing links between its sustainable properties & nature
Since its creation in 1907, Fairmont has developed magnificent destinations from the big city sights of New York to the spectacular
landscape of Canada’s Rocky Mountains.
Fairmont was the first luxury hotel brand to adopt a global sustainability program (now incorporated into Accor’s dedicated program, Planet
21). Today,
Fairmont has a portfolio of over 80 properties where sustainable development has been a key element.
With this campaign, the brand reveals breathtaking images that connect natural landscapes to Fairmont destinations in the desert,
the mountains and tallgrass prairies.
Over the coming months, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts around the world will unveil “The Grandest of Escapes Exclusively by Fairmont”
- a series of offers that through a series of "unique and exciting experiences that will breathe new life into adventurers’ souls and
the need to reconnect with nature”.
Accor ALL members and Fairmont fans should keep their eyes peeled for future announcements…
Marriott (again) extends elite status, Free Night Awards & other elite perks
Despite the closet points devaluation associated with a move to dynamic pricing, it's not all bad news coming from Marriott Bonvoy.
Points Expiration — paused through 31 December 2022. At that time, your points will only expire if
your account has been inactive for at least 24 months. Diarise to buy the minimum points required to "refresh" them then.
Elite Status extended -—Your 2019 earned status, already renewed through February 2022, or your 2020 status, will be
extended through February 2023.
Suite Night Awards with an expiration date of December 31, 2021, will be extended for an additional six months —
to 30 June 2022.
Free Night Awards — also extended to 30 June 2022. From early 2022, you will be able to add points to your FNA
to redeem for higher value, providing greater redemtion flexibility.
Nice and welcome changes given the lack of travel due to covid-19......but only temporary.
It has just announced that the Bonvoy program will move from award tables to dynamic pricing for award stays, where the amount of points you
pay is based on the demand and cash price of the room.
While the devil is in the details (which haven't yet been fully released), this is similar to the pricing model used in Hilton Honors
and IHG Rewards.
Thankfully, the change isn't immediate. For details...
Read More…
American Airlines today announced that effective from 1 January 2022, its loyalty program will move from their current approach
to AAdvantage Loyalty Points: a unified program where each eligible mile earned equals one loyalty point.
Members earn Loyalty Points whenever they fly, use an co-branded credit card for purchases, or earn eligible miles with AAdvantage partners.
A general member will earn 5 base points per eligible dollar spent. Loyalty Points will also determine tier status.
30,000 points = Gold Status = 40% tier bonus
75,000 points = Platinum Status = 60% tier bonus
125,000 points = Platinum Pro Status = 80% tier bonus
200,000 points = Executive Platinum Status = 120% tier bonus.
The elite status calendar will also be undergoing some changes:
The status qualification year will no longer be based on a calendar year. Instead, it will begin on March 1 and run through
the last day of February of the next year.
Elite status will be valid through March 31 the following year.
Hyatt members can earn 1,000 bonus AA miles per stay.
World of Hyatt members can earn 1,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles per qualifying stay for a limited time.
The offer varies slightly by region, but you must be a member of both World of Hyatt and American Airlines AAdvantage and register for the
offer using both membership numbers.. The differences are:
* 130 hotels in 30+ countries across Europe, Middle East, Africa and India participating. You must
complete your qualifying stays by December 19, 2021
* 190 US
Hyatt properties participating and you must register by 15 December and qualifying stays must occur between 1
November, 2021, and 31
January, 2022.
You can see the lists of participating hotels after you register. Read on for more
details on the offer
targetted for you and T&C's.
Hyatt peak/off-peak pricing preparing to launch - Act NOW
Hyatt peak/off peak pricing is about to launch. This change was announced in December 2019, but implementation was deferred in March
2021 and again later due to the impact of the global covid-19 crisis.
Hyatt will enact these changes on Tuesday, October 26, 2021. If you have been meaning to book a Hyatt property,
it may be time to do it now, rather than later. Details and suggested strategies remain the same as when we first looked
at Hyatt peak/off peak pricing in detail.
In summary:
peak pricing will only affect nights starting 1 March, 2022.
Award stays will remain at the Standard rate for nights stayed through 28 February, 2022.
The new structure applies to all award nights, regardless of room type.
Points + Cash awards will also use the Hyatt off-peak and peak pricing.
Free Night Award certificates, which are category based, will not be affected by these changes. These
certificates are earned either though holding a branded credit card or Milestone Rewards.
Australian members of ALL can earn 3x the normal number of points when renting a car through Hertz.
Book before 30 November and rent before 15 December 2021 to enjoy:
* 15% off the base rental rate
* triple rewards points.
When you make your booking you must quote:
CDP
code: 840267 PC code: 203530 and provide your ALL membership number.
Read more to go to the Hertz site to make your booking.
Read More…
Accor changes rules so ALL points are now easier to retain
Good news for Accor Live Limitless (ALL) members.
Now any points earned will extend the life of all your points.
Previously points expired after 365 days unless you had made an eligible stay or participated in the Accor Dining
Offer.
Points may be earned from stays, shopping with retailers on the Accor portal, using one of their partners' products (eg car rental with
Europcar or Hertz) or dining in one of the many participating restaurants, bars and cafes.
500 Good Reasons to try new Hyatt hotels
World of Hyatt members can earn 500 Bonus Points for qualifying nights at new Hyatt hotels around the world this year,
within the first few months of opening.
Earn 500 Bonus Points for qualifying nights at new hotels during specified offer periods
There’s no need to register and you can earn on top of other offers.
Currently there are 26 hotels participating in this offer, with differing offer periods and more are being added.
Pictured is the patio at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun, one of the participating hotels.
For the 6th year in a row, Hilton has been recognised as one of the world's top 25 workplaces.
Hilton ranked #3 on the 2021 Fortune Magazine / Worlds Best Workplaces awards announced today and remains the only
hospitality company on the list.
Congratulations to Hilton, its managers and team members !
For travellers, my experience is that happy employees result in exceptional service. To experience this yourself, take
advantage of the latest Hilton Honors promotions.
It seems October is the month for Travel Industry awards.
The 2021 World Spa Awards were also announced tis month.
There were far too many categories for afull list of winners here, so we have selected a few that you should consider for
your next escape.
Learn which are the best spa's by country and region and which brands feature. Hint: Anantara, Banyan Tree, Kempinski, Mandarin
Oriental, One&Only. Six Senses, St Regis and Waldorf Astoria. are on the list.
Read More…
Get some sun on your bones! Escape the winter blues with a holiday at a resort in sunnier climes.
We look at a smaller chain and Iberostar Horizons, its simple to use loyalty program to see what it can do for you.
Read More…
Embrace the Unforgettable - earn EXTRA POINTS for stays with Marriott brands
For Australian Bonvoy members, Marriott has launched a new promotion whereby members can earn extra points per stay.
You must register first, then you can earn an extra 1,500 points for each stay at a Marriott property, or 3,000
points
for stays at the newly launched All-inclusive by Marriott resorts.
You must register by 28 November, 2021 then book for stays between now and 12 December, 2021.
Hilton Honors has launched its latest promotion, where you can purchase up to 160,000 points and they will match it 1 for 1 with
100% bonus points.
This offers good value at an effective price of USD 5.00/ thousand, which is less than our valuation of USD 5.50/ thousand
- especially for Elite Tier members who combine this offer with their 5th night free benefit for a handy discount for
their next lovely stay.
T&C's apply, including that you must buy:
at least 15,000 points
before 7 December 2021
no more than 160,000 points - double the usual limit.
Click below to see our analysis and recommendation for the Hilton Honors 100% bonus points offer.Read More…
For the coming holiday season, Gaylord Hotels (a Marriott brand) is offering a variety of family-friendly holiday packages "So.Much.Christmas"
with events and original experiences at each of its five resort locations located in the US. Pictured is Gaylord Rockies.
Dates for stays vary slightly across the properties but generally must be from mid-November through 2 January 2022 (31
December 2021 @ Gaylord National).
Bookings are open now, so if you're looking for a magical holiday break with your little ones, this offer may be perfect for you. Especially
if you book before October 17 to Stay 2 nights & Save 15%, or Stay 3 nights, Save 20%.
Hit the button below to learn more and for the T&C's.
Note that Marriott is one of our advertisers and should you use the link on this page to make a booking, then at no additional cost to
you we may receive a small compensation. You don't have to use our links, but we appreciate your support when you do.Read More…
Marriott Bonvoy Get Vaxed, Win Big competition
Marriott Bonvoy has a competition for Australian members fully vaccinated against covid-19. There are 5 prizes with stays at
each of 9 Marriott (category 5 or 6) properties in Australia and Fiji. Ensure
you don't miss out…
Marriott launches all-inclusive brand
Yesterday, Marriott launched a new brand for all-inclusive resort stays - All-inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy.
At
launch there are 30 destinations in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Mexico, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Saint Lucia,
with more in the pipeline. Royalton, Saint Lucia is pictured.
20 of the initial 30 destinations are Blue Diamond resorts (the fastest growing
resort chain in the Carribbean). These resorts will continue to be independently owned and operated by Blue Diamond Resorts under Marriott's Autograph Collection name. They will also be integrated into the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, providing very attractive
new options for Bonvoy members. Although the Upgrade Awards, Cash + Points Awards, Suite Night Awards, and Instant
Redemption Awards features
of the Marriott Bonvoy program are not available, the Stay for 5 pay for 4, Points Advance and
PointSaversare available. More information regarding use of these features is in ourcomprehensive
guide to Marriott Bonvoy
Guests may make bookings through the resort websites, the All-inclusive
by Marriott Bonvoy
portal, or marriott.com (which must be used for awards bookings).
Alaska Airlines and Iberia launch new codeshare agreement
Alaska Airlines yesterday further cemented its place as a member of the OneWorld alliance.
Following on from its codeshare agreement announced in July 2021 with Qatar Airlines, Alaska has further expanded its global reach with the
announcement of a new codeshare agreement with Iberia Airlines, providing flyers with exciting and convenient travel
options.
The agreement allows passengers on Iberia to book travel and easily connect to more than 40 routes throughout Alaska's network effective October 7, 2021. Iberia operates three weekly return flights between Madrid and Los Angeles, using Airbus A-330-200s (and a seasonal service between San Francisco and Barcelona). Iberia passengers
can now connect to more than 20 additional routes on the West Coast and Hawaii served by Alaska Airlines, including Anchorage, Fresno, Honolulu, Kona, Las Vegas, Portland, Reno-Tahoe, Seattle-Tacoma and Salt Lake City.
The partnership enables Alaska's Mileage Plan and Iberia Plus members to earn miles on each other's flights while
enjoying reciprocal elite benefits, including preferred seat selection; priority check-in, security clearance and boarding; lounge access; and extra baggage allowance.
SLH Considerate Collection - sustainable with intent
SLH today launched a collection of destinations curated with an explicit intention for sustainability.
Shangri-La extends status of its Diamond & Jade members until end of 2022 !
Shangri-La's Golden Circle has extended tier status for all of its Diamond and Jade members globally. With this extension, all Golden Circle
Diamond and Jade members will maintain their current tier status and benefits until 31 December 2022.
American
Express Platinum (multiple jurisdictions) members had the Golden Circle Jade status benefit discontinued on 31 March 2021, so this tier
extension is definitely welcome news. Golden Circle members typically need the following stays and nights to qualify or maintain their
status in the year ahead - Diamond: 50 Nights or 25 Stays or Jade: 20 Nights or 10 Stays.
But the Shangri-La status does not just have benefits by itself, but also, it has many associated perks which come with it, including:
1. Short-cut to Star Alliance Gold status - Shangri-La Jade-tier and Diamond-tier members receive instant KrisFlyer Silver
status once they join up their Shangri-La Golden Circle and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer accounts. After that, Shangri-La Jade
Members need to take 3flights on Singapore Airlines, or just 1 flight as a Diamond member to receive KrisFlyer Gold status.
Once you have KrisFlyer Gold status, you have the equivalent of Star Alliance Gold status, which means you unlock the
associated benefits on flights on Star Alliance members across the globe.
2. Enjoy Taj InnerCircle Gold status - Under the terms of a strategic alliance between Shangri-La Golden Circle and Taj
Inner Circle, there is an automatic status match between the tiers of the programmes. Golden Circle Jade members match to InnerCircle
Gold and Golden Circle Diamond members match to InnerCircle Platinum (and vice-versa).
While Taj InnerCircle is mostly an Indian hotel company’s loyalty programme, Taj also has hotels in various countries worldwide, such as the
US, UAE and UK.
Shangri-La will also waive the cancellation charges regardless of booking channel for all guests, if cancelled more than 24
hours prior to arrival date. The hotels reserve the right to contact all inbound international guests at least 30 days prior to their
arrival dates to confirm or cancel their reservations.
These changes are part of the Shangri-La Cares program.
The 2021 Skytrax World Airline Awards winners were announced this week. ....and the winner of the 2021 Airline of the Year goes to...Qatar Airways. Singapore Airlines ranked 2nd, and ANA All Nippon Airways in 3rd place. Qantas
was ranked 8th
Qatar Airways also received the awards for the World’s Best Business Class, the World’s Best Business Class Seat and
the Best Airline in the Middle East.
Singapore Airlines, ranked No 2 worldwide, won the top accolade for the World’s Best Cabin Crew and was
also honoured with awards for the World’s Best First Class, the Best Airline in Asia and the World’s Best First
Class Seat.
ANA All Nippon Airways maintained its No 3 global ranking from last year and also won the World’s Best Airport
Services award. Winning the 2021 award as the World’s Cleanest Airline is a particularly important success during the global pandemic.
Best First Class class was awarded to Singapore Airlines, with Lufthansa and Emirates second and third
respectively.
The rankings for Best Business Class were identical to the overall rankings - Qatar, follwed by Singapore
and then ANA.
Virgin Atlantic was named the World's Best Premium Economy Class airline, ahead of Singapore Airlines in 2nd place and Lufthansa in 3rd position.
For more details, or to see how your favourites fared, click below.Read More…
Cathay Pacific recently announced that it will integrate its Asia Miles program (used for award flights) with its Marco Polo Club
program (broader rewards and tier benefits). Over the coming months, Cathay Pacific will be rolling out a range of new offers –
and these will culminate in a refreshed program ("Cathay") in the first half of 2022.
We will provide more details as they are released, but for comparison follow the link to see an infographic summarising the Cathay Pacific
programs as at June 2021.
Read More…
In its most recent annual report on the most valuable and strongest hotel brands, BrandDirectory found Taj Hotels to
be the strongest hotel brand for 2021. This provides a huge vote of confidence for travellers.
According to the report, Taj is renowned for its world-class customer service and the luxury hotel chain scores very well
for consideration, familiarity, recommendation, and reputation especially across its home market of India.
Extending the appeal further through Asia, Warmer Welcomes is an alliance between the loyalty programs of Taj and Shangri-La,
adding versatility.
Read More…
Today, as part of the launch of its "Department of Epic" program, IHG Hotels & Resorts announced a contest that will give one
lucky US-based traveller
the chance to win back a year of missed adventures with 365 days worth of epic hotel experiences at various IHG locations around the world,
including InterContinental, Kimpton and Holiday Inn Express.
Pictured above is the InterContinental Bora Bora resort and Thalasso Spa - just one of many possibilities.
Read on for more details and how to enter.
Read More…
Free Virgin Australia flights on offer for Australians who receive jab
Virgin Australia will join Qantas in offering free flights as an incentive for Australians to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Under the airline’s VA-X & Win promotion, there'll be one major prize of 1 million Velocity Frequent Flyer points, "dozens of
free business class flights" as well as a range of other prizes.
A separate competition will be launched for team members, with prizes including additional annual leave, Lounge memberships, and free
business class flights.
For travellers with young families wanting to book a holiday, Hilton has launched a new family-friendly booking feature.
Confirmed Connecting Rooms will enable individuals to easily book and instantly confirm at least two
connecting rooms (at participating hotels, which I expect will increase as the technology is rolled-out). This will reduce the
potential stress both at the time of booking adn during your stay, as anyone who has holidayed with particularly a younger family will
appreciate.
While I see it as ideal for young families, it is also a boon for other multi-generational holidays, friend groups,
wedding attendees and other travel parties who wish to stay near one another rather than potentially be spread across multiple floors.
In the past there have always been many benefits to staying in connecting guest rooms—but the booking process wasn’t always seamless.
Hilton seems to have overcome this with a smart, easy-to-use solution. Hopefully others will follow Hilton's lead.
For more details, or to make a booking at participating hotels with Hilton Confirmed Connecting Rooms, use the
link below. Read More…
Marriott Bonvoy has an Earn, Eat, Enjoy promotion to 'Holiday Here This Year' for Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Samoa. Book
now using the Promotional Code: B1818 and for stays completed by 31 December 2021, you receive:
* 2X Marriott Bonvoy points;
* breakfast for 2 adults and 2 children (up to age 12);
* daily hotel credit to use at restaurants & bars.
You can see the T&C's or make bookings using the link below.
Read More…
Alaska and Qatar code-sharing
Alaska Airlines and Qatar Airlines have applied to codeshare on a number of routes operating in the Americas. Under the proposal, most routes are out of Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles with direct flights from Doha into those 3 "hub" cities.. The code-sharing opens up routes for Qatar into Mexico and Hawaii. For Alaska Airlines, it demonstrates its commitment as a new member of the OneWorld alliance and also provides a handy feeder into its US network. For more details, use the link below.
Qatar offer discount to Alaska MP members
Qatar Airways has launched a new coupon discount offer for Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members. You must book prior to 11
July 2021
and travel is to be completed by 11 July 2022. You can save $63 to $550 on ex-US itineraries depending on the class of
service and whether a one-way or return.
The promo code ‘MPMEMBERS’ must be entered at the time of flight search.
The promo code is valid for bookings on all Qatar Airways operated itineraries worldwide originating from the
United States only.
Through 31 July 2021, MVP Gold and MVP Gold 75K members flying on Emirates on a paid ticket, no matter the class, will receive lounge access at the Emirates Business Class flagship lounge in Dubai International Airport (DXB).
There remains a small window of opportunity. Award redemptions on Emirates are available through July 31, 2021. For future travel,
changes made to a booked award on Emirates on or after August 1, 2021, will require cancellation of the award and re-booking on a different
Alaska Airlines partner.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given it is another OneWorld member, award bookings for Qatar will become available in August 2021.
Earn Velocity points at 7-Eleven
Velocity has welcomed 7-Eleven as a new partner. Velocity members will now be able to earn points when purchasing fuel or convenience
items at any of the 700+ convenience stores located around Australia.
This will provide an easy way for Velocity's 10 million members to boost their points balance, in anticipation of when we can more easily take to the skies again.
Velocity members will earn:
2 Points per $1 on eligible 7-Eleven in-store purchases;
2 Points per litre on premium fuel at 7-Eleven; and
1 Point per litre on regular fuel at 7-Eleven.
Plus, Velocity members will earn 711 bonus Points on their first eligible purchase at 7-Eleven made by 28 June
2021.
For Velocity members to take advantage of this partnership, you will need to:
Have your Velocity membership details handy;
Download the My 7-Eleven appand follow the steps to link your Velocity
account to their My 7-Eleven My Card;
Make an eligible purchase from a 7-Eleven convenience store or fuel station and upon payment scan, your Velocity linked My 7-ElevenMy
Card.
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There's an ever-expanding body of scientific evidence that (whether behind a desk at work or during a long plane trip or
train ride), being seated for prolonged periods can be harmful. We provide tips to boost your health and reduce the
harmful impact on your body while travelling.
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