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2008-01-28T22:51:00.000-05:00

Save 50% on your weekend rental at Enterprise.com. Great Cars. Low Rates. Most Cars. Most Weekends.

2008-01-13T00:59:00.000-05:00

Most cars. Most weekends. Most neighborhood locations.

"We think weekends are meant to be special. So at Enterprise, we've made our rates special. Just rent from Friday to Monday, and you’ll save 50% on most cars, most weekends, at most locations.

It’s just another way we pick you up."

The Pointswizard.com Spin: Click on blue line above for more info

Hilton is giving away a trip to the Grammy Awards! Enter for a chance to win

2008-01-02T17:25:00.000-05:00

Enter for your chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the 50th Annual GRAMMY® Awards. Book your Hilton stay from November 28, 2007 through January 16, 2008, enter promo code GRAMMY, and you’ll automatically be entered for a chance to win.

Grand Prize A VIP Trip for Two to the 50th Annual GRAMMY AwardsTwo tickets to the event, walk the red carpet, a VIP Hilton Party at a Hilton featuring live music performances from Josh Radin and Brett Dennen, round-trip airfare to Los Angeles, 2-night stay at the Hilton in Los Angeles and transportation.

Additional Prizes Winners will be selected to receive one of the following:Ten (10) First Prizes: Hilton Branded Guitar and Grammy CD’sFour (4) Second Prizes: Three (3) night room stay at any participating Hilton hotel within United StatesNineteen (19) Third Prizes: Hilton Music Library featuring Hilton’s Emerging Artists

The Pointswizard.com Spin: Click blue line above for the details- no purchase needed

Enroll in The Extra Mile program and earn up to 15,000 bonus miles

2007-12-29T18:17:00.000-05:00

Enroll in The Extra Mile program by Dec. 31, 2007 and receive 50 percent more miles for every eligible fare* you purchase.
The program lets you earn miles between Jan. 1, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2008.

Choose from three offers:
Offer 1 Pay $50 and receive a 50% mileage bonus on all flights up to 5,000 bonus miles.Register for Offer 1 using registration code AC8M01.

Offer 2Pay $100 and receive a 50% mileage bonus on all flights. Cap of 10,000 bonus miles.
Register for Offer 2 using registration code AC8M02.

Offer 3Pay $150 and receive a 50% mileage bonus on all flights. Cap of 15,000 bonus miles.
Register for Offer 3 using registration code AC8M03.

Pointswizard.com Spin: An inexpensive way to get extra OnePass miles. Click blue line aboveto get to the offer

How do I save my expiring frequent-flier miles? Year End Alert!!!!

2007-12-27T22:35:00.000-05:00

AP) – Q: My frequent-flier accounts have been inactive for too long, and my miles are going to go down the drain. What’s an inexpensive last-minute save?A: Inactivity periods can creep up on frequent-flier members, especially since some major airlines have been reducing the amount of time fliers’ accounts can rest idle — no miles earned or redeemed — before wiping clean program members’ accounts.

American Airlines’ 36-month inactivity period switched to an 18-month limit on December 15, United Airlines will make the same switch on December 31 and Alaska Airlines will cut its inactivity period from three years to two years starting April 1, 2008.Other airlines’ inactivity periods range from JetBlue Airways’ one-year expiration date to Continental Airlines’ indefinite commitment.But saving miles is easy — no need to rely on travel to earn miles. A program member can shop, eat out, take a survey, watch an online ad, donate miles to charity or order magazine subscriptions to add mileage to an account in small increments, keeping it alive.

“It’s hard to believe that we would be talking about frequent-flier programs and someone’s worrying about their miles expiring,” said Randy Peterson, publisher of InsideFlyer magazine. “Virtually any activity counts toward extending your miles, all of which are pretty easy and pretty everyday.”Leisure-time solutions such as holiday shopping with the airlines’ retail partners or eating out at one of the thousands of restaurants linked to major airlines’ flier programs require little extra effort or spending.”All of the big programs these days have what I call mileage malls, which are networks of online retailers,” said Tim Winship, a frequent-flier program expert. “The larger such malls comprise up to 200 and more online retailers.” To use these malls, program members must first go to the Web site of the airline on which they want to accrue miles and click through to the retailer’s site via the mileage plan window.To use a dining program, register a credit card number with a mileage plan (free), then pay for meals with that card.Purchasing groceries can also net miles — United, for example, has a relationship with several major grocery chains.

Transferring miles to another account or buying up miles are not good deals, said Winship and Peterson.Many airlines charge 1 cent per mile transferred, with an additional transaction fee. On Northwest Airlines, for example, transferring the minimum 5,000 miles would cost $75, with no additional miles gained.Alaska requires a 1,000-mile minimum purchase when buying miles directly — not a bad deal for $25, plus taxes — but gaining free miles via regular purchases and activities has more value.”You would be hard-pressed to think of anything that you might want to buy that you couldn’t earn miles for,” said Winship. “Many of these online malls have in place right now bonus mile promotions that go through Christmas”Many major airlines’ program members can also sign up with Web sites e-rewards.com and e-miles.com.

Sitting through a short ad or filling out an online survey posts 10-15 miles per activity to a previously-specified airline, ensuring that infrequently-used mileage accounts don’t die.And while miles stored in American’s mileage program expired on December 15 if the last activity registered was in June 2006, the airline offers a one-month grace period, until January 15, 2008, for program members to redeem or earn miles and win back expired accounts.If all else fails, some airlines offer mileage reactivation.American can retrieve expired miles through December 2008, at a cost of $50 for every 5,000 miles, plus a processing fee; Alaska’s reactivation, available up to a year from the day of expiration, costs a flat $75.United does not currently offer a reactivation plan. (via -AP- cnn.com)

The Pointswizard.com Spin: click blue line above to see this article

The stars flock to exotic places over the festive season

2007-12-26T15:56:00.000-05:00

While SIR PAUL McCARTNEY is a Christmas-time regular at the Hilton resort on Rangali Island in the Maldives where he enjoys snorkelling and swimming, this year he is staying closer to home. The music legend is spending Christmas Day in the UK with four-year-old daughter Beatrice. McCartney is planning a family Christmas at his Peasmarsh estate in West Sussex, along with children Heather, Mary, Stella and James. Paul has another reason to be near home - he is about to become a grandfather again. Mum-of-two Stella (Miller, two, and Bailey, one) is expecting her third child with husband Alasdhair Willis around Christmas Day.

Paul’s ex-wife HEATHER MILLS is expected to be nearby. The former model owns a home just 15 miles down the road from the McCartney estate and will undoubtedly want time with her little girl as well. Shortly after the festive period, Heather is rumoured to be heading off to her holiday home in Slovenia for a winter break.

Despite their recent move to LA, VICTORIA and DAVID BECKHAM are coming home to England for Christmas. The pair are planning a typically Beckham overthetop celebration with their three children and families. Currently in the middle of her Spice Girls world tour, Victoria has the week off, and the Beckham brood will be staying in their mansion in Sawbridgeworth, Herts. Sons Brooklyn, eight, Romeo, five, and two-year old Cruz will be joined by Victoria’s parents Tony and Jackie, along with her sister Louise and David’s mother, Sandra. MADONNA will be spending Christmas ………….(via Dailymail.co.uk)

The Pointswizard.com Spin: click blue line above to read the whole story

Enter for a chance to WIN 1 million Marriott Rewards points and 1 million Frequent Flyer Miles

2007-12-23T21:15:00.000-05:00

Prizes

SWEEPSTAKES GRAND PRIZE:One (1) Grand Prize will be available to be awarded in the Sweepstakes, consisting of a Marriott “Millionaire’s” Package, including One Million Marriott Rewards Points, One Million Frequent Flyer Miles from winner’s choice of participating airlines, and a $25,000 Marriott Gift Card. The total approximate retail value of the Grand Prize is $51,050.INSTANT WIN PRIZES:

FIRST PRIZE: One (1) First Prize is available to be awarded. The First Prize consists of 1,000,000 Marriott Rewards Points.The approximate retail value of the First Prize is $9,000.

SECOND PRIZES: Ten (10) Second Prizes are available to be awarded. Each Second Prize consists of 100,000 Marriott Rewards Points.The approximate retail value of each Second Prize is $900.

THIRD PRIZES: Five (5) Third Prizes will be awarded. Each Third Prize consists of 50,000 Marriott Rewards Points.The approximate retail value of each Third Prize is $450.

FOURTH PRIZES: Eighty-four (84) Fourth Prizes are available to be awarded. Each Fourth Prize consists of 10,000 Marriott Rewards Points.The approximate retail value of each Second Prize is $90.

The Pointswizard.com Spin: click blue line above to get started

The Black American Express Card ( Centurion)now has a Bulletin Board on the Internet

2007-12-21T14:42:00.000-05:00

The famous Black Amex Card (Centurion) now gets even cooler with its own forum on the internet.

"Travel Perks

Gold Status for Delta, Continental and US Airways

Centurion cardholders qualify for Gold status for Delta Skymiles, Continental Onepass and US Airways Dividend Miles program automatically without having to fly the required miles or number of flights. Gold status brings its perks like check in at First Class counters, double miles when you fly, free upgrades.

New : Gold Elite Status with Virgin Atlantic Airways

Centurion has just announced that cardholders will now automatically qualify for Gold Status in the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club program. Being a Gold member allows you to earn 50% extra Virgin miles and other extra perks. Secondary cardholders also get this benefit.

Centurion Airport Lounge

Cardholders can also access Continental’s Presidents Lounge, Delta Crown Room Club and NorthWest Airlines World Club when you are flying on their airlines. You also get access to Priority Pass Lounges regardless of which airlines you fly. Priority Pass has over 450 airport lounges worldwide.

Elite Car Rental Program

Complimentary memberships are available to centurion holders for both Avis and Hertz.

Elite Hotel Status

The elite status available to centurion members has been the latest controvesy among cardholders. When the centurion card was first marketed, cardholders automatically qualified as Diamond (Elite) status for Hyatt, Gold Status (mid-tier) for Hilton HHonors program, Platinum status for Starwood Preferred Guest Program, and also elite status for Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts.

The perk that was coveted by centurion members was the Platinum Status of the Starwood Preferred Guest program. That was because Starwood has probably the best hotel frequent guest program with no blackout dates and suite upgrades for platinum members. Centurion cardholders often sited the room upgrades from Starwood Hotels essentially cover the cost of the card. Starwood also allows members to transfer points into airmiles at very favorable terms.

However, there has been some changes (or rather reduction) to the elite status perks that cardholders now get that has infuriated many centurion members. Firstly, Hyatt is no longer a partner with the centurion program. Hence, cardholders no longer get Gold status membership with Hyatt. But the most important changes are that from February 2007, centurion cardholders will no longer be automatically qualified for platinum status for the Starwood Preferred Gues Program. Instead, they now only qualify for gold status. Gold status can be easily gotten just by having a Starwood Preferred Guest credit card and just charging it in one calendar year. It is harder to get room upgrades and many centurion members are upset about this.

Fine Resorts and Hotel Program

Centurion has over 550 hotel partners around the world. When you make a reservations through centurion travel service, you will receive room upgrades at check-in when available, continental breakast for two, guaranteed 4pm late checkout and complimentary amenities depending on the hotel property.

But the most important perks under this program comes from the Mandarin Oriental and Ritz Carlton. When you book a room at the Ritz Carlton, you will get a room upgrade at the time of your reservations and you will also get a $50 spending credit. For any reservations at the Mandarin Oriental, you will get a room upgrade upon reservation and also another room upgrade at check-in (ie 2 upgrades). You will also receive from centurion a “Buy One Get One Free Night” coupon for each and every Mandarin Oriental Properties (except Mandarin NY). So, if you travel a lot and stay at the Mandarin Oriental, you will get a fantastic deal for each Mandarin Hotel that you stay in.

New : Relais & Chateaux Club 5C

Centurion has also just announced that cardholders can enroll in the Relais & Chateaux Club 5C program without fulfilling the standard spend and stay requirements. But firstly, what is Relais & Chateaux? It is an association of 460 independent luxury hotels and restaurants with an average capacity of 30 rooms in 51 countries in 5 continents. Their properties are known for their charm, exclusivity and great culnery experience. Relais Gourmands, which is a group within the association, consists of the world’s finest dining establishments.

The Club 5C is Relais & Chateaux royalty program. Its main benefits are the VIP Welcome and Discovery Privilege. The VIP Welcome is a special welcome from the staff of the property. The Discovery Privilege is a customize experience prepared for members during their stay. It includes thngs like a perfume customized specially for you, behind-the-scenes tour of the kitchen, fine wine tasting, and sybaritic spa treatment.

Annual Travel Benefit

Centurion cardholders will get a $100 statement credit when they book a qualifying vacation package with Centurion Travel service. This benefit can also be combined with other centurion travel benefits like the Cruise Privileges Amenities and Centurion Destination Vacations. This benefit is also available to Platinum Cardholders.

Centurion Cruise Privileges and Centurion Destination Vacations

Cruise privileges simply mean you will get a $500 shipboard credit when you book a cruise through Centurion Travel service. You can also earn up to 50,000 membership reward points when you book a one-of-a-kind taylored vacation through centurion travel to one of their exclusive resorts.

Baggage Insurance

If you book your travel tickets using your centurion card, you have up to $1,250 in baggage insurance for your carry-on luggage and $500 in checked-in luggage in addition to the insurance provided by the carrier. Tyler found this feature very helpful as he has had a few experience where he had a couple of damaged items on board a plane with his carry-on bags. American Express promptly reimbursed him the amount to replace his damaged items.

New : Domestic Companion Airfare Program

Both the Platinum and Centurion Card have just announced a new domestic companion airfare program. Under this program, you can get a free companion airfare when you use your centurion card to buy a ticket (which cost at least $299) on any of the big six carriers. You can request up to four complimentary tickets a year. You have to book through Airlines Promotion South Inc (API) and you have to meet a few restrictions. These include :

1. Ticket having to be roundtrips (multi-city, one-way and open jaw does not count)

2. 7 days advance booking

3. Saturday night or 2-night midweek stay.

4. A few fare restrictions and blackout dates

International Airline Program

This feature is actually also available to Platinum cardholders. This is how it works. For every full fare business or first class ticket that you purchase using the centurion card (using centurion travel service), you will get a free companion ticket. Tyler has not used this feature so far. On surface, it looks like a great benefit, but there are many occasions where 2 discounted business class tickets will cost cheaper than one full fare business class tickets. If you always book your tickets last minute and travel business class, you may find this a useful feature.

Centurion Villas

Centurion has partnered with a few very exclusive partners which enables cardholders to stay at the following exclusive places. They include the Four Seasons Residence Club, LaCURE, The Mansion at MGM Grand in Vegas (you cannot book at stay there even if you wanted to) and other Villas of distinction throughout the world.

Exclusive Resorts

Centurion has also partnered with many exlusive resorts in over 25 worldwide destinations. These can be booked through centurion travel service.

The Limousine Program

Booking a limousine through centurion travel service allows you to earn 3 membership reward points for every dollar that you spend on the service. The Limousine can be booked at 1-800-AXP-LIMO or through the centurion travel service.

International Communications Solutions

This program allows you to receive special pricing when you buy a GSM cellphone (GSM works in more international countries) and use phone plan from Vodafone (at reduced rates). You also get to rent a GSM phone for free is you use the centurion card for 60 days when you are going overseas. I don’t think this is a feature that will be used too often by cardholders though.

Private Jet Service

The Centurion program has partnered with six leading private jet companies. If you decide to enroll in any of them either through charter, membership or fractional use, you will get extra benefits when you enroll with the centurion card.

Space Adventure Spaceflight Club

Centurion members receive a complimentary membership with Space Adventures, the world’s premier space tourism company (according to Amex - and probably the only one!). This club is obviously for space enthusiasts, where you get private tours of launch facilities and other perks. Plus you get annual credits that you can use to pay for a suborbital flight!.

New : Tour GCX Membership

Tour GCX is a membership that provides individual and corporate members with unique access to private golf clubs and other golf experiences. They are able to provide this service because of marketing and business relationships with various prestigious private golf clubs.

Centurion cardholders who purchase the membership is allowed to reserve up to 5 tee times (foursomes) at select private golf clubs. The membership cost $3,125. Members also have special access to unique golf experiences like tournaments, pro-ams, clinics, outings and travel packages. Most of the courses are located at the New York Metropolitan areas like Long Island, New Jersey, Weschester County. Courses are also available at Florida, Las Vegas and D.C.

Lifestyle Perks

Centurion and Departure Magazines

Centurion members will get two magazines. The first is the Centurion magazine which is published four times a year. This is kinda like a Robb’s Report on the world of travel, food, wine, fashion and culture. You also get the Departure magazine, which is published seven times a year. Platinum Card members also get the Departure magazine, which is a magazine on luxury lifestyle.

Equinox Fitness Club

Centurion members who purchase a membership at the Equinox Fitness Club get a centurion preferred rate and receive a package of additional benefits like complimentary personal training sessions, spa treatments, guest passes, Kids’ Club certificates. Platinum members also get this benefit.

By Invitation Only, Destination Shopping, Premium Seats and Luxury Seats, Gold Card Events

As a centurion card member, you will be getting lots of mails and invitations to exclusive events. Firstly, there is an By Invitation Only which apparantly has access to exclusive once-in-a-lifetime events. In their brochure, amex mentions events like sports, performing arts, epicurean delights, business symposium with distinguish speakers, private vineyard tours during harvesting season! According to Tyler, an example would be a semi-private meal with chef Thomas Keller at Per Se in NYC (I believe it was $1300 per person), or VIP tickets to Sting and backstage passes to meet him (Tyler can’t remember the pricing).

Members will also get access to premium seats and luxury suites for sports, entertainment and live events at venues in Los Angeles and New York. You can also have access to the Platinum Lounge from Amex at the STAPLES Center in LA.

Centurion has also partnered with many high end retailers where you will receive unique in-store amenities and perks like personal shoppers, VIP rooms, exclusive in-store events, private viewings of collections, trunk shows and private sales. Partners include Bergdorf Goodman, Bulgari, Ermenegildo Zegna, Gucci, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.

You will also get access to Gold Card Events where you will be given a chance to buy tickets to sports and entertainment events before tickets go on sale to the public. Amex Gold Card members already have this privilege and perk.

Personal Concierge Service, Dining Reservations, Centurion Travel Service

While the Platinum Card and other credit cards offer concierge service, the Centurion goes one step further by assigning you your own personal concierge. Tyler told me that all you have to do is to tell them what time are you most likely to call and Centurion will arrange for a concierge personel who works in the same time zone shift to be your personal concierge. That way, you will most likely to be speaking to the same person who will get to be familiar with your special requests, needs and querks! This is part of the package that Tyler likes the most because he says they are really good. For example, he mentions that on numerous occasions, he was able to get seats in very hard to get restaurants. They may not be the best seats, but at least, he got a table when normally there was no way that was going to happen. He also mentions another occasion where he had a show ticket in Vegas cancelled for no good reason, and conturion concierge managed to get him center seats on the eighth row!. On occasions where his personal concierge was not available, he did experience a couple of incidents where he felt the concierge personel could have done better, but these occasions (according to him) were rare.

Other Improved Features from Gold Card

The Centurion card also has features that are found in the regular gold card and even the Platinum Card. However, you get slightly better perks with the Centurion Card. For example, on the Buyers Assurance Plan, centurion cardholders get double the manufacturers warranty for up to five years. For the Gold and Platinum Card, the extention for warranty is only for one year.

On their purchase protection plan, centurion members are covered for any product that they purchase on their card for up to 90 days if they are lost, stolen or even damaged by accident or vandalism. You are covered up to $10,000 per occurance and up to $50,000 per year per cardholder account.

Their return policy is similar to the Platinum and Gold Card in that you can return an item you bought and if they retailer or manufacturer refuses to accept it, Amex will refund you for up to $300 per item. You have to return within 90 days. You are allowed to claim up to $1000 a year." (via http://blackcardforum.com)

The Pointswizard.com Spin: Click blue line above to go to the forum

Earn 25,000 Delta SkyMiles With a Car Rental

2007-12-20T20:34:00.000-05:00

Escaping the cold this winter? Budget helps warm you up by awarding 25,000 bonus SkyMiles on all Budget by the Month rentals in Florida.

This offer is valid on all car groups on rentals greater then 59 consecutive days at participating Budget airport locations in Florida through March 31, 2008. Reference coupon #MUAZ111 when making your 24-hour advance reservation.Choose from a large selection of cars, at the most convenient airport locations and enjoy the great value and service you expect from Budget.

The Pointswizard.com Spin: click headline above to get all the details

Texting your way to a toilet in London

2007-12-20T01:01:00.000-05:00

“ A new service promises Londoners they’ll never have to spend much time looking for the loo.

Westminster City Council, which covers London’s bustling Oxford Street, the West End, and the Houses of Parliament, on Thursday launched “SatLav” — a toilet-finding service for mobile phone users.Harried theatergoers, distressed shoppers and hard-pressed bar patrons in London’s West End can now text the word “toilet” — and receive a text back giving the address of the nearest public facility.” (via www.iht.com)

The Pointswizard.com Spin: Click blue line above to read the whole story

WIN A TRIP FOR TWO TO Cabo San Lucas AND STAY AT THE BEAUTIFUL Pacifica Resort

2007-12-19T00:26:00.000-05:00

ENTER TO WIN A 5-DAY/4-NIGHT STAY AT THE PACIFICA RESORT IN CABO SAN LUCAS*INCLUDING ROUND-TRIP AIRFARE FOR TWO courtesy of usairwaysmag.com

The first and only wellness-oriented resort exclusively for adults in Los Cabos, Pacifica is a secluded haven of tranquility and pleasure dedicated to the holistic concept of unity of body, mind, and spirit. From the clean-lined grace of the resort’s beautiful architecture to the harmonious simplicity of its unique gardens, Pacifica surrounds you with a sense of peace and beauty.

Situated on a stunning expanse of pristine white beach and surrounded by desert-inspired landscaping, this elegant and stylish retreat inspires total relaxation and self-renewal.

The Pointswizard.com Spin: Click on headline to enter. Entries must be received no later than midnight, December 31, 2007. We visited here for a day a few weeks ago - This resort is fantastic. Good Luck

Type your opinion here.

Delta Airlines Screws up again!!

2007-12-15T01:30:00.000-05:00

We were booked on a recent Delta Airlines non-stop JFK to Cabo San Lucas, Mx. a few Saturdays ago. Yet again Delta Airlines screwed up the flight, our day and the start of our vacation. After sitting in our seats without taking off for almost an hour after the 9AM take off time an announcement was made. - the fire extinguisher in cargo area was not working and a service truck had hit the plane. Due to these problems we got off the plane a little after 10AM (the only food voucher all day was for $7.50). A replacement plane was flown to Kennedy from La Guardia and we took off for Atlanta because the replacement plane couldn’t make the whole trip. The usual crackers and such were served.

Changing planes in Atlanta was long because boarding passes had to be reissued even though at Kennedy we were told that wasn’t going to happen. On the flight to Cabo we again had crackers etc. You would think that we would of gotten some real food when our plane left Atlanta in the late afternoon due to the Delta Airlines caused delays. We arrived in Cabo - SIX hours late, missing an afternoon of our vacation.

What did Delta do to say we’re sorry?? NOTHING - no free ticket or $300 off your next flight. Where is the new attitude they talk about in their ads?

The Pointswizard.com Spin: Click on blue line above to see our post a few months ago about Delta problems.

Free Rick Steves’ Travel Book

2007-12-12T01:06:00.000-05:00

Free Rick Steves’ Travel BookPosted By: PointsWizard Published in travel, EUROPE
11
Dec
“Followers of Rick Steves, whose guides to Europe are packed in many a bag of globe-trotting Americans, will like this offer.Rick is giving away free copies of his 63-page, summer 2007 personal European travel journal. It’s an inside look at where he goes, how he travels and what he’s thinking as he trots from Rome, to Spain, to Croatia, among other places. Included are memorable hotel stays, including one at a former convent in Florence. The Loggiato dei Serviti sounds Old-World wonderful. Beamed ceilings, parquet floors, heavy curtains with tasseled sashes, views over an ancient square. In winter, you can book a double for about $140, which is a very good price in these days of the doleful dollar. .” (via usatoday.com)

The Pointswizard.com Spin: get your free copy - click on headline above

Your favorite wines at 30% off, plus 25 miles per dollar

2007-12-06T00:42:00.000-05:00

Hartwick and Grove Wine Merchants. This month They have selected some great wines as features, each of these wines is available with a 30% discount in addition to 25 miles per dollar spent.

To qualify for the discount please use coupon code UA3SD7 at checkout. 30% discount is only available on featured wines listed below. When creating an account please have your Mileage Plus Frequent Flyer number available, without this we can't give you all those miles.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Expires 12/31/2007.

Redeem Your Marriott Rewards Points for Great Gifts This Holiday Season!

2007-12-04T10:42:00.000-05:00

Tis the holiday season to shop for everyone on your list including yourself! Best of all, you can use your Marriott Rewards points, save time and money. Don't know what to get or don't have the time to get it? Marriott Rewards has done the shopping for you and put together a large assortment of gift ideas ideal for everyone on your list. Be sure to place your order soon to receive before the Holidays!

Redeem from great merchandise such as:
Garmin Nuvi 200
Sony 32" Bravia Flat Panel LCD HDTV
Dooney & Bourke CROCO Hobo Bag
Nikon D40 Digital Camera – 157,000
Tag Heuer Formula One Chronograph Watch
Sony 60GB Handycam Camcorder
Callaway Big Bertha 460 Driver

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Finally a use for the Marriott points I never seem to use.

HOT DEAL-Five Days for the Price of Three at the Disneyland® Resort

2007-12-01T06:42:00.000-05:00

Book your vacation today and get 5-Day Park Hopper® Tickets and a four-night hotel stay all for the price of a three-night vacation package with tickets — starting at just $247*! Enjoy two free days in the Parks and one free night at a participating Disneyland® Resort Good Neighbor Hotel!

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
For vacations booked by April 21, 2008 with travel completed by April 28, 2008. The package includes a 5-Day Park Hopper® Ticket for the regular price of a 3-Day ticket.

Warnings on frequent-flier miles

2007-11-30T01:11:00.000-05:00

"Next month, United Airlines and American Airlines will strip frequent-flier miles from accounts that have been inactive for 18 months, half the time they had been letting accounts sit idle previously.

Infrequent fliers can preserve their miles by taking action that adds to or subtracts from their account balance before the deadlines.

American and United are among many airlines that are cracking down on casual customers by shortening the time an account can remain dormant before miles disappear.

The old industry standard was 36 months. Now, most major airlines require action every 18 to 24 months. Among old-line carriers, only Northwest is still at 36 months. Continental says it has never expunged miles from accounts, although it reserves the right to do so after 18 months of inactivity.

The good news is, you usually don't have to take a trip to generate activity in your account. "
[Via www.sfgate.com]

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
To read the rest of this article click blue line above.

Don't miss the chart at the bottom of the article that gives you all the airlines and their expiration policies.

Flight canceled?? What Rule 240 means for you

2007-11-28T22:48:00.000-05:00

"Know if your carrier adheres to this rule — it could be your saving grace

Even though U.S. airlines have weakened the Rule 240 clauses in their contracts of carriage, it still pays to have a copy with you to show the airline's ground service agents what your rights are when your flight is badly delayed or canceled.

Before the deregulation of the U.S. airline industry in 1978, every U.S. airline had to follow the same set of rules — including those dealing with "irregularities" such as canceled flights.
In those days, airline fares and routes were regulated by the Civil Aeronautics Board, the predecessor to today's Federal Aviation Administration.
One of these rules, number 240, specified that if an airline couldn't get you to your destination on time, it was required to put you on a competitor's flight if it would get you there faster than your original airline's net flight. Airlines were even required to put you in first class if that's all that was available.

They rarely advertised this perk, however, since airlines naturally didn't want to fork over scarce cash to fly customers on a rival carrier. But seasoned road warriors have always known they could approach the counter and say the magic words "240 me" to be put on the next flight out.

Airlines formed after deregulation — such as JetBlue, Southwest, and Spirit — were never required to follow these rules. Even so, some of these newer airlines may attempt to put you on another airline if there's no other choice.
"While we don't have a traditional Rule 240, we will purchase confirmed seats as necessary on another airline to get customers to their final destination in the event of irregularities within our control," Todd Burke, JetBlue Airways' vice president for corporate communications, told Airfarewatchdog.com.
In addition, if there's a "significant delay," JetBlue's compensation may include a "partial or full refund," in addition to accommodation on another airline.

However, in recent years, as "legacy" carriers such as American, United, and Delta have struggled to remain profitable, and some have slashed costs to emerge from bankruptcy, many have quietly weakened their Rule 240s.

United Airlines, for instance, no longer states in its contract of carriage that it will fly you in first class on a competitor, if that's all that's available, although it will transport you in coach class on another airline.

Although Delta Air Lines still has a Rule 240 in its contract, it no longer makes any mention of transporting passengers on other airlines in the event of a flight disruption.

Continental Airlines will upgrade a delayed passenger only on its own flights—not on a competitor's—and only if doing so will get you to your destination earlier than would otherwise be the case.

US Airways has nothing in its terms of transportation concerning Rule 240, though spokesperson Amy Kudwa said the airline still applies the rule on all flights except international flights.

The good news is that Northwest Airlines still has a very traditional contract, little changed from the days of regulation. It will put you on another airline, in first class if necessary, if your original flight is delayed 60 minutes or longer.

It's important to emphasize that these rules generally apply to situations within the airline's control, such as mechanical problems. But if the flight irregularity results from a "force majeure event" such as bad weather, a riot, or a work stoppage, then all bets are off. And the legacy carriers may not have agreements with their newer competitors such as JetBlue and Southwest, so that they might not re-route you on those carriers.

Even if you are flying an airline that adheres to Rule 240, its employees may be reluctant to rewrite your ticket on a competitor because of the financial implications of doing so. So it pays to print out and carry a copy of the contract of carriage and present it to the gate agent if necessary." By George Hobica [Via msnbc.msn.com]

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Know your rights. We did another post on this topic on April 7. 2007

click this to go to our temporary web site

2007-11-26T04:01:00.000-05:00

To register a trip outside the U.S. with the U.S. State Department takes only about 5 min. You can do it on line. They ask for only your passport number, an address where you are going, and the names and passport numbers of the people you are traveling with. Should there be an emergency where Americans need to be evacuated, the State Department then knows how to contact you. If someone desperately needs to contact you, the State Department knows how to do it. go to https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
In the event of a hurricane, etc., if they don't know where you are, you are left with trying to find out where they are and adding yourself to the list of Americans they are compiling; it's much better, to be on the list to start with. Click blue line above

Win a London Trip or a Simulator Flight Experience from American Airlines

2007-11-24T01:41:00.000-05:00

Enter American Airlines' "Depart from the Ho Ho Hum" sweepstakes by December 31 for a chance to win one of five grand prizes, including two first-class tickets to London, hotel, and tickets to a soccer match; a one-year Admirals Club membership plus 500,000 AAdvantage miles; a flight simulator experience; etc.

GO 4 TIMES AS FAR—EARN QUADRUPLE MILES

2007-11-22T01:06:00.000-05:00

Quadruple Miles, Quadruple Smiles

This winter, go global and earn four times the miles!

Between December 1, 2007 and February 29, 2008, stay at participating Hilton Family hotels worldwide and earn quadruple miles with Delta Air Lines®.

Just pick a global destination - you have six continents to choose from! Remember, wherever you go, there'll be a Hilton Family hotel nearby.
Quadruple Miles, Quadruple Smiles

This winter, go global and earn four times the miles!

Between December 1, 2007 and February 29, 2008, stay at participating Hilton Family hotels worldwide and ean quadruple miles with Delta Air Lines®.

Just pick a global destination - you have six continents to choose from! Remember, wherever you go, there'll be a Hilton Family hotel nearby.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Be sure you have Delta as the airline frequent flyer program with Hilton Honors.

3 Nights for the Price of 2 with American Express and W Hotels

2007-11-21T00:39:00.000-05:00

Escape to a W Hotel and experience a unique mix of innovative design, comfort, and cultural influences from fashion to music to art, and everything in between. It gets even better. When you book a two-night stay with W Hotels using any American Express® Card, you'll enjoy a third night on us.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Book and stay by December 31, 2007.
Deals like this don't come along that often. (New York City hotels are among those included)

Hotels outshine airlines in rewarding customer loyalty

2007-11-18T00:02:00.000-05:00

"In fact, many smart travelers are converting at least part of their loyalty to the hotels. How does it work?

Well, if you're on the road quite a bit, chances are good you're staying a hotel. If you're traveling around the country, you might have developed a good relationship with one or more hotel chains. Almost every chain has a loyalty program these days. Most are linked at some level with the airline programs.

But here's the important point: take a look at your total travel bill. Chances are good that your hotel costs were more than the charge for your airline ticket.

So the question is this: how can you leverage your hotel cost for discounts and freebies in the future?"
[Via www.adn.com]

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Click blue line above to read the whole article

Save up to $30 & Earn Up to 1,000 Miles on a car rental

2007-11-17T01:08:00.000-05:00

Enjoy the savings and earn double miles on weekend rentals of 2 or more days, or rentals of 5 or more days, at a participating airport or off airport location in the U.S., Puerto Rico or Canada.

That’s 100 miles per day on weekend rentals and 1,000 miles on rentals of 5 or more days.

To reserve this offer online:
* Click on blue line above to go to offer page
Click on the applicable "Quote It" button
* Your Discount CDP Number 391867 and Promotional Coupon (PC) Number will automatically be applied to
your reservation.
* Select "Continental Airlines" from the drop down menu in the "Frequent Traveler" field,
and enter your OnePass number in the "Frequent Traveler Number" field.

Participating Locations in U.S., Puerto Rico & Canada

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Save this one-good from Now through December 31, 2008

BREAKING NEWS! - Bush Aims To Prevent Air Travel Meltdowns

2007-11-15T10:19:00.000-05:00

Nov. 15, 2007/10:19AM
"Will Announce Air Traffic Control Changes Before Thanksgiving; Targets Northeast

President Bush Thursday will announce a sweeping government response to record flight delays, reports White House correspondent Peter Maer. A White House official tells CBS News the plan will confront next week's holiday rush. It will also deal with longer-term issues.

The administration will call for new FAA air traffic control efforts to respond to non-weather-related delays. In a radio interview with CBS News, Air Traveler's Association president David Stempler said the administration "will make some quick air traffic control improvements to try to get a lot more efficiency for the Thanksgiving and holiday period." Stempler said future plans include new approaches and departure paths at New York's JFK Airport and access to air space currently used by the military.

Many of the immediate fixes and long range proposals target what the administration describes as "the most overstressed" part of the system, the frequently-clogged Northeast Corridor. Many flight delay problems start in the New York City region. The administration says up to a third of the nation's air traffic flies through the area and two-thirds of all flights nationwide can be affected by delays around New York City airports. The administration has considered fining airlines for operating chronically delayed flights. " [Via cbsnews.com]

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Click blue line above to read the whole article

All Cell Phone Carriers Cave on Early Termination Fees

2007-11-15T05:14:00.000-05:00

"Users hate early termination fees that come with their mobile service contracts. Now, in part because of pressure from lawsuits filed challening the practice, all four major U.S. wireless carriers are softening the blow.

Verizon Wireless was the first to prorate early termiantion fees last year. at&t Wireless did so in October. T-Mobile and Sprint now also say they will start prorating their early termination fees in the first half of next year.

The fees aren't gone. But the amount will decrease the closer you get to contract end date. Sprint also says it will allow allow users to change plans without renewing the contract, something Verizon started doing in October.

All the moves are user friendly. Look for more signs of "friendliness" as use of unlocked phones starts to spread, open source Android phones start to make their appearance and, just maybe, a new carrier decides to push the envelope even more."
[Via ipcarrier.blogspot.com] published Nov. 9, 2007

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
click on blue line above to see the original article

WIN A TRIP FOR TWO TO MESA, ARIZONA AND STAY AT THE BEAUTIFUL ARIZONA GOLF RESORT

2007-11-14T01:37:00.000-05:00

WIN A TRIP FOR TWO TO MESA, ARIZONA AND STAY AT THE BEAUTIFUL ARIZONA GOLF RESORT
Plus round-trip airfare for two courtesy of usairwaysmag.com

VACATION PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• 4 DAY/3 NIGHT STAY FOR TWO AT THE ARIZONA GOLF RESORT

• UNLIMITED GOLF FOR TWO AT THE ARIZONA GOLF RESORT

• ROUND OF GOLF FOR TWO AT LONGBOW GOLF CLUB

• DINNER FOR TWO AT BROADWAY PALM DINNER THEATER

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Entries must be received no later than midnight,November 30, 2007.
from US Airways Magazine
click blue line above to get started

How to beat Priceline

2007-11-12T01:19:00.000-05:00

"If you're a frequent user of Priceline like I am, you know there are bidding restrictions. These restrictions can lead to overbidding.

You may still get a pretty good deal, but not the lowest rock-bottom price that Priceline has hidden in its computer system.

You can't simply increase your bid by $1 after each rejection. If you don't want to change your dates of travel or hotel class or add an additional hotel zone, Priceline makes you wait 24 hours before you can bid again.

But there is a way to manipulate your bidding, find the cheapest price offered, get around the 24-hour rule and stay exactly in the area you want. "
[Via komotv.com/news]

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
To see the rest of the article click on blue line above

AAdvantage Shopping Double Miles + Bonus

2007-11-10T23:36:00.000-05:00

Earn double miles when you use your MasterCard® card at the AAdvantage eShopping Mall at 25 select Merchants between 11/1-12/31. Plus a bonus for spending thresholds -

Spend $250 and get 500 bonus miles
$500 and get 1,500 miles
$1000 and get 4,000 miles

The 25 Merchants are -

GiftCertificates.com
JCPenney
Barnes & Noble
Kodak Gallery
Land's End
J&R Music World Computer World
Blue Nile
Macy's
BOSE
Drugstore.com
Circuit City
Overstock.com
Eluxury
Sears
eToys
redEnvelope
Eddie Bauer
Staples
Gap
Dell
Harry and David
Cabela's
The Sharper Image
Saks Fifth Avenue
TigerDirect.com

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Click blue line above for AAdvantage website

Want even more miles??
Step 1- pick out merchants you are interested above
Step 2- go to www.giftcertificates.com and order a gift certificate for the merchant with a mileage or
points earning credit card
step 3- pay for AAdvantage Shopping purchases with the gift certificate

Remember the merchant has to be on both sites to get even more extra miles

Delta Airlines under fire for frequent flier change

2007-11-08T15:25:00.000-05:00

"Delta Air Lines Inc.'s top executives, looking for a way to bolster the bottom line, are retooling the carrier's frequent-flier program, and it could mean that booking award flights -- already a daunting task -- could get even harder.

That could alienate the airline's most loyal travelers, who according to industry watchers, are already wandering.

Delta will implement a change Dec. 1 that will make fewer award seats available on popular flights, even for loyal customers willing to redeem double the miles to get a "free" ticket.

Delta will also start passing along a "surcharge" for miles tickets booked on SkyTeam airline partners.

In an Oct. 30 interview, Lee Macenczak, Delta's executive vice president of sales and marketing, said that, "90 to 95 percent of people using SkyChoice," Delta's premium award level, won't be affected.

"We perceive it to be a minor change, but it's elicited a much more emotional response," he said.

Travel industry watchers have been complaining, saying the move could be matched by other legacy carriers.

In other words, it's a "race to the bottom," said one industry observer.

"The real trend in the industry is to just make fun of people, basically," said Atlanta consumer advocate and WSB radio talk show host Clark Howard.

"They say, 'Hey look, how'd you like to get a free trip to Italy? Just kidding,' " said Howard, who decried Delta's move as the latest trick on people lured into loyalty programs that never really pay off.." [Via www.bizjournals.com/atlanta]

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
We hope other airlines don't follow this bad move by Delta.
To see the original story click on blue line above

GOOD NEWS- Hilton Hotels new owners will put their Luxury properties into Hilton

2007-11-07T01:48:00.000-05:00

Blackstone (who just bought Hilton) intends to incorporate a significant portion of its existing portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts onto the Hilton platform, adding to the luxury offerings available to Hilton customers. Blackstone’s holdings include such upscale properties as The Boulders Resort and Spa (Arizona), The El Conquistador Resort (Puerto Rico), and The Boca Raton Resort and Club (Florida).

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Click blue line above to see LXR portfolio of luxury hotels.
The big question is will we be able to use Hilton Honors points for stays. It would seem a very good possibility. They may become members of the Waldorf=Astoria Collection

Get 2,000 OnePass miles with the option of getting a free iPod® shuffle or $50 Holiday Cash

2007-11-05T01:57:00.000-05:00

Select from our list of over 6,000 stocks and ETFs
Schedule investments on a weekly, biweekly or monthly basis
Invest any dollar amount on Tuesdays exclusively online

Open a new OnePass ShareBuilder account and you’ll receive 2,000 OnePass miles after your first stock purchase.

Plus, get a free iPod® shuffle when you subscribe to the Advantage Pricing Program for the first three months.

Open a new OnePass® ShareBuilder account and get 2,000 miles after your first trade. Also, subscribe to the Advantage Pricing Program for three consecutive months, and earn an iPod® shuffle or $50 in holiday cash (good for movies, DVDs, music and books)

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Offer ends 12/31/07.

Redeem your HHonors points for tickets to top Broadway shows! or hottest merchandise from top names at The Hilton Grand Rewards store

2007-11-04T01:23:00.000-04:00

Hilton HHonors proudly presents the Grand Rewards store in the heart of New York City. It’s a brand new way to redeem your HHonors points—in person...in the Big Apple...at your convenience.

The Grand Rewards store features access to Broadway theater tickets and top brands like Gucci(R), TaylorMade (R), Apple(R), and much more*.

So look, touch and listen while you shop your heart out with your HHonors points. The store is located at 569 Lexington Ave, between 50th and 51st.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Now Open! Just in time for holiday shopping!

From American: frequent flyer miles for restaurant gift cards

2007-11-02T11:35:00.000-04:00

"If you read this blog regularly, you know I'm a big fan of earning miles for dining. And I practice what I preach, typically eating at two restaurants a week which award miles. As an elite member of the dining program, I earn 10 miles per $1 spent.

So I was intrigued by the latest from American: AAdvantage miles for buying gift certificates from restaurants participating in AAdvantage Dining. I can easily imagine giving restaurant gift cards as Christmas presents, and earning miles in the process makes the prospect that much more attractive.

Note that the gifts are restaurant-specific. Not all restaurants offer gift cards or gift certificates. And the AAdvantage Dining website doesn't help determine which ones do and which ones don't—you'll have to contact the restaurant and ask.

And to earn miles, you'll have to purchase the gift certificate with a credit card already on file to earn dining miles, and make the purchase on a day when miles are normally awarded for dining (some restaurants only award miles on slower days).

Notwithstanding the limitations, this is a solid earning opportunity. While it's currently being offered only by American, it's likely to be adopted by other airlines with dining-for-miles programs as well." by Tim Winship (via Smartertravel.com)

The Pointswizard.com Spin: with the holidays coming- Buy these cards as gift and you benefit from the miles.

FREE! Travel and Leisure Golf Magazine subscription -from American Express

2007-10-30T21:49:00.000-04:00

TRAVEL + LEISURE GOLF Magazine is published bimonthly except monthly in September and October by American Express Publishing Corporation.

The Pointswizard.com Spin: These offers don't last long - subscribe today!!!

Here’s Your Chance to be a Million-Air / Win a Million Continental OnePass® Miles

2007-10-30T01:02:00.000-04:00

Plus receive 5,000 OnePass bonus miles.
Book a Continental Vacations package of three nights or more to Las Vegas by Dec. 17, for travel Sept. 20 through Dec. 20, 2007, and you will be entered to win:

* 1 Million OnePass Miles
* Round-trip tickets for two to Las Vegas on Continental Airlines
* Three-night stay at the Wynn Las Vegas
* Limousine transportation to/from airport
* Dinner for two at one of the Wynn's award-winning restaurants
* A $1,000 shopping spree at the Grand Canal Shoppes

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Book your Las Vegas trip today.

Take the wheel of a Formula 1™ race car, indulge in French wine tasting or let your child adopt a wild animal by using your Hilton HHonors® points!

2007-10-29T00:42:00.000-04:00

Looking for the perfect gift experience for any occasion is easy with Golden Moments! Whether you are buying a gift for your family, adding an activity day to your Hilton Family hotel stay or surprising a loved one, we guarantee a memory that will last a lifetime!
4 steps to a great day out
1) Choose the perfect gift for you or a loved one
2) Login to your Hilton HHonors account
3) Redeem your HHonors points for an experience reward
4) Enjoy a fantastic day out

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Click on blue line above to get all the info.

American AAdvantage Miles expiring at the end of December?

2007-10-25T04:27:00.000-04:00

In order to provide you with a more personalized travel experience, we’re inviting you to fill out our Travel Survey. Doing so will help us better understand your travel interests and allow us to serve up deals and promotions that are more customized to your needs. And we’re offering you 250 AAdvantage miles just for completing the survey and opting in to our email! It’s our way of showing how much we appreciate your time.

The Pointswizard.com Spin: T
Do the survey - keep your miles in good standing.
Customers must stay opted in to the American Airlines Vacations email for three months to receive the offer.

CBS News Disaster Links - A must for your favorites or bookmarks list or folder -one of our most popular posts

2007-10-23T01:46:00.000-04:00

Hundreds upon hundreds of links arranged by category. We hope you don't need it -but it's a great site to have.

Click on blue line above to take a look. Scroll to bottom right for section on wildfires.

Enjoy Better Trips With All Your Info In One Place

2007-10-21T01:29:00.000-04:00

Enjoy Better Trips With All Your Info In One Place
TripIt is a new kind of online travel service that automatically organizes all your travel plans into one master online itinerary with everything you need for your trip – including travel confirmations, daily weather, local maps, city guides and more.

With TripIt it's easy to...
Access all your travel plan / Get the most out of each trip
Save time planning trips / Share trips with your friends

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
What a great idea!!!

Enter the Westin Heavenly Comfort contest, you will be eligible to win a complete Heavenly Bed ensemble

2007-10-18T09:13:00.000-04:00

Wake refreshed and invigorated each day—even between stays at your favorite Westin Vacation Ownership resorts—with your own Heavenly Bed®.

By entering the Heavenly Comfort contest, you will be eligible to win a complete Heavenly Bed ensemble—including all 10 layers of Pure Comfort—to enjoy in the privacy of your own personal space. The grand-prize winner will receive their choice of a king- or queen-sized mattress and box spring, sheets, pillows, a comforter and duvet cover—a retail value of up to $3,235.

experience renewal with additional prizes

Each quarterly prize winner will receive other invigorating items featured in The Westin Heavenly Bath®, including two Heavenly Bath Robes, two White Tea Candles and a White Tea Potpourri—a retail value of more than $300.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
contest ends at 11:59 p.m. PST on 3/31/08

Get 50% more hotel points with select partners when you transfer American Express Membership Rewards® points to frequent guest programs

2007-10-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

Relax, unwind, and just get away. You can get 50% more hotel points with select partners when you transfer Membership Rewards® points to frequent guest programs. Just click on blue line above to see the hotel partners involved in the transfer of points. Hotel bonus points will be awarded within 10-13 weeks after you transfer points.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Now through November 30, 2007. Thanks again to our reader Rob. F for the tip.

JetBlue will start Non stop service JFK to St. Maarten and JFK to Puerto Plata in January

2007-10-15T08:55:00.000-04:00

JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq:JBLU), the low-fare, low-cost airline with the most flights to the Caribbean, today announces it will add new service this winter to two more island destinations: St. Maarten in the Netherlands Antilles and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. The award-winning airline will offer one daily nonstop flight between Puerto Plata and New York/JFK effective January 10, 2008, and one daily nonstop flight between St. Maarten and New York/JFK effective January 17, 2008*

The Pointswizard.com Spin: click blue line above to see the whole story

goldpoints plus is reinventing itself on October 28!

2007-10-14T13:09:00.000-04:00

Big changes are coming to the goldpoints plusSM program on October 28. We're adding more hotels worldwide and 50-100% more points for every stay. And that’s just the beginning. Learn more about what our program enhancements will mean to you!

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Earn points twice as fast now at Regent® Hotels & Resorts, Radisson® Hotels & Resorts and Park Plaza® Hotels & Resorts

Tips to help with the upgrading your airline seat

2007-10-13T10:15:00.000-04:00

"By James Gilden
Special to the Chicago Tribune

Scoring a free or low-cost upgrade from coach to business or first class is among the most coveted of traveler perks. And these days, airlines are offering fliers more ways than ever to fill their first- and business-class seats.  Frequent-flier miles, upgrade coupons and vouchers, last-minute paid upgrades and the ever more rare "operational upgrade" are some of the more common paths to a more comfortable flight. All these options and each individual airline's policies around them have made winning the upgrade game a confusing and sometimes frustrating undertaking.

The rules of the game can change even when you are flying on the same airline.  A colleague of mine was flying from Chicago O'Hare to London's Heathrow Airport in August on British Airways. She had purchased discounted tickets for her and her husband in World Traveller Plus, BA's business-class lite, which comes with a bit more leg room than a regular economy class seat. 

Four days before her flight she called BA to inquire about an upgrade to business class. For an additional $200 (cost to change the ticket) plus 15,000 frequent flier miles each, she secured business-class seats between Chicago and London.  Upon arrival in London, she inquired at the BA service desk at Heathrow about doing the same for her return flight to Chicago. She was confused and disappointed when she was told no, that only the flights from the States offered that type of upgrade.  Despite repeated queries to a BA spokesman and visiting BA's Web site, it is about as clear as mud what exactly my colleague paid for and why it was not available on her return flight.

  Unraveling all the various rules regarding upgrades is a challenge, even for someone who devotes his life to it.  "Do I get confused? Yes," said Matthew Bennett, a.k.a. "Mr. Upgrade." He is the publisher of the Web site FlightBliss.com and the monthly newsletter First Class Flyer, which has about 15,000 subscribers, he said.  "It takes time to understand them," he says, likening upgrade policies in their complexity to insurance policies. "That's our job to unravel them."  The newsletter is written more for the frequent flier and business traveler, not the average leisure traveler. A one-year subscription costs $97. But FlightBliss features a free blog where Bennett weighs in with some of the latest news and tips on upgrades.  My colleague's upgrade from the States was actually typical if unusual in that it was unavailable on her return flight.

Most airlines these days will not allow passengers who have purchased many types of discounted tickets to use miles to upgrade, especially on international flights. Some, like BA and American Airlines, charge an added fee to upgrade. Others, such as United, only allow upgrading on certain types of fares.  If you are booking tickets on United's Web site, there is an option to book an upgradeable fare. But for the uninitiated, the array of seven choices is confusing.  I decided to test United's upgradeable fare options for a flight from O'Hare to Heathrow in mid-November (these fares are for comparison only and may no longer be available).

When I clicked the first category of upgrades using miles -- an alphabet soup of 10 fare types -- I received a message saying that option was not available. The second option, "miles-MH," yielded a round-trip economy class "upgrade eligible" fare of $822, or $340 more than the lowest non-upgradeable fare of $482. That is in addition to 30,000 frequent flier miles each way.  But here's the rub. Even if you pay the extra $340, you are not guaranteed an upgrade. And if your upgrade is waitlisted and does not go through, you are not entitled to a refund even though the only benefit to the higher fare is the ability to upgrade.  Knowing the ins and outs of a particular airline's policies is key to increasing the odds of getting an upgrade." [Via chicagotribune.com]

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
To see the whole article -click blue line above

Starbucks - Free iTunes Songs

2007-10-12T10:05:00.000-04:00

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Reports from our readers are -just walk in and ask for the free iTunes card. Some are also getting iTunes buy one-get one free in October coupon. Get all the details by clicking on blue link above.

Available Till Nov.7th.

Need a few more Marriott Rewards points for a dream vacation? Buy Them

2007-10-11T08:01:00.000-04:00

Need a few more Marriott Rewards points for a dream vacation? Marriott offer a variety of ways to help you, your friends and loved ones get there faster.

Purchase Points
Don’t have enough points for a specific reward? You can purchase up to 50,000 points per calendar year for yourself.

Gift Points
You can also buy up to 50,000 points for another member. It’s the perfect gift for any occasion – and it’s always the perfect fit.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
You can buy up to 50,000 points per calendar year. If you need more, do it in Dec 07 and Jan 08. $625 this year and $625 in Jan.
Click blue line above to get the details.

Enter to win a New York getaway & more.....

2007-10-09T01:13:00.000-04:00

New York City getaway with airfare and hotel for two

(4 days/3 nights)
$1,000 to spend in style – at a Broadway show,
a 5-star restaurant, Fifth Avenue shopping
1-hour style consultation with Tim Gunn
$500 Liz Claiborne wardrobe

Other prizes will be awarded daily. You might win a signed copy of Tim Gunn’s book "A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style,” another great book on style, or a Liz Claiborne gift certificate.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
ends on October 12, 2007 at 11:59 p.m. ET

Enter to Win Tickets for Life from Delta Airlines

2007-10-08T10:07:00.000-04:00

You've got the whole world ahead of you—and a lifetime to enjoy it. For the third year in a row, Delta brings you Tickets for Life. Enter for your chance to win the grand prize of 2.5 million miles and $25,000 in spending cash. Or, you could become a daily prizewinner of 50,000 bonus miles.

Register to win then purchase a round-trip ticket at delta.com by December 15, 2007, and fly by January 15, 2008. Use any American Express® Card to purchase your tickets, and you can get an additional entry each time you book.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
No purchase necessary. The Tickets for Life Sweepstakes is sponsored by Delta Air Lines. The promotion begins on 9/25/07 and ends on 12/15/07. Click blue line above to go to registration page.

Going to St. Maarten this winter? Read this Eye-opening Article

2007-10-06T01:31:00.000-04:00

(Written by a reporter for Jewelry News)

"In St. Maarten, the majority of ALL jewelry retailers are owned and operated by those of Indian decent. This reporter has come to the conclusion (unconfirmed as to number of members) that the majority of Indian owned and operated jewelry retail stores are members of the Indian Merchant Association and many are partners and/or even related in many cases.

Walk from one jewelry store into another and no one is fighting for your business, as if store number one does not close the sale, store number, two, three, four, five, six (and so on) are waiting just a few steps away, ready and waiting to lure consumers into their establishments with a "so-called" great deal on loose diamonds and gemstones or finished jewelry.

What's truly sad about the situation in St. Maarten is that the locals (natives) are struggling to earn a living however, those from India live in palatial homes and send their children to private schools through monopolizing the retail jewelry business on St. Maarten (specifically Front Street).

Front Street is the main thoroughfare, where the majority of tourists disembarking from cruise ships are deposited. While Diamonds International has a firm presence on the island, it is the members of the Indian Merchant Association who are reaping the benefits of ZERO import duty on goods and taking advantage of the open border between the French and Dutch side of the islands and three month stays.

While three year "stay" limits may or may not (yet) apply, anyone can visit St. Maarten for three months, leave, come back and complete process over and over again...

Interviews with locals reveal that many are aware of the Indian Merchant's Association however, do not understand how those who come to live, work and set up retail jewelry businesses are bypassing normal channels to do so. No doubt, a few of these businesses were founded before St Maarten was established as a "must see" port of call for the cruise ship industry. The fact that the Indian Merchant's Association even exists should send up a few red flags among those in government.
" [Via jewelryblogger.com]

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
to read the whole article -click blue line above

Navigate your travel with American Airlines and Alamo for a chance to win a brand new GMC Acadia and a Garmin StreetPilot navigation system!

2007-10-04T20:09:00.000-04:00

When you enter the "Find It. Book It. Win It!" sweepstakes, you'll have the chance to learn about the new AA.com(R) Price & Schedule booking feature as well as the new Alamo self-service kiosks. Now, navigating every aspect of your next trip is more convenient than ever!

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
For your chance to learn more and win, enter before November 16, 2007. Click blue line above

Hilton Garden Inn: Free Yamaha Speaker w/3-Night Stay in October

2007-10-01T01:09:00.000-04:00

If you book online and complete a stay for a minimum of three consecutive nights at any Hilton Garden Inn® throughout the United States between October 1 and October 31, 2007 and enter the offer code OHMS you will earn the new Yamaha NX-U10 USB speaker. (Approximate retail value of $150.00.)

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Click blue line, then scroll down to bottom right and and click on " click here- how to book"

Win a FREE TRIP to EUROPE!!!

2007-09-29T01:48:00.000-04:00

Enter the “Celebrate the Grape” Sweepstakes
Sponsored by the Center for Wine Origins

Three grand-prize winners will win a getaway for two to Champagne, France, Porto, Portugal, or Jerez, Spain.

Champagne, Port and Sherry are century-old discoveries that continue to endure as symbols of taste and style. Now is your chance to experience first-hand the origin of each of these legendary wines—from the wine caves of Champagne, to the steep terraces of Portugal, to the stunning bodegas in Jerez.

The Pointswizard.com Spin: brought to you by France, Spain and Portugal.

US Airways' cash-and-miles deal fails to deliver real value

2007-09-28T04:13:00.000-04:00

"Mixing cash and frequent flyer miles as payment for a ticket has always been an alluring idea, bordering on the inevitable. Both, after all, are forms of currency, and currencies ought to be combinable. In fact, to a limited extent, they have been. Northwest has allowed members of its mileage program to use cash and miles for tickets for years. Other airlines have flirted with the idea as well.

Now, according to the following news item from USA Today, US Airways will add its name to that list next month: "Beginning October 22, US Airways customers will be able redeem 10,000 miles to reduce the cost of a round-trip ticket by $50, the airline says in an e-mail to its frequent fliers. The offer will be valid on all published US Airways round-trip fares flown in January and February and requires a 14-day advance purchase."

Having established that you can combine cash and miles for US Airways tickets, the question then becomes: Should you?

In this case, the answer is a resounding "No."

The math is straightforward. Exchanging 10,000 miles for a $50 discount amounts to realizing a value of one-half cent per mile redeemed. Tellingly, if you were to buy miles from US Airways, they would charge you 3.5 cents per mile. So by US Airways' own assessment of the value of their miles, you're either getting way too little by cashing them in for a discount, or grossly overpaying by purchasing them directly from US Airways.

In fact, both indictments are valid. According to my analysis, which puts the average value of a frequent flyer at around 1.2 cents, neither US Airways' cash-plus-miles promotion nor its ongoing miles-for-sale offer are good deals for consumers.

Getting good value for frequent flyer miles is simple. In the most basic scenario, redeem 25,000 miles for a round-trip coach ticket for travel within the continental U.S. If a comparable paid ticket would have cost $300, you'll have reaped a per-mile value of 1.2 cents (actually a bit less, when the difficulty of obtaining a capacity-controlled award seat is factored in).

That 1.2 cents figure can be used as a general guideline for the value of miles. If an airline suggests that you receive significantly less value when using your miles, or pay significantly more to buy miles, the proper response is a healthy dose of skepticism—because not all promotions are "deals." [Via smartertravel.com]

Coming Soon...Wyndham ByRequest Members Earn Points for your Stays!

2007-09-27T10:57:00.000-04:00

Soon, all Wyndham ByRequest members will be able to earn valuable TripRewards points for stays at participating hotels in addition to personalizing your stays at Wyndham Hotels and Resorts around the world.

You can use points towards a variety of exciting rewards such as free nights, dining and shopping gift certificates, and more. TripRewards is the world's largest hotel rewards program with over 6,000 hotels throughout the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, China and Germany.*
You'll also continue to receive the same ByRequest benefits such as:
Free internet access
Free domestic long distance calls (US & Canada)
Access to your hotel receipts online
You'll enjoy a welcome snack, drink, plus room preferences and extras

You won't need to do anything to start enjoying these benefits. Just keep an eye out for your new membership kit.

The Pointswizard.com Spin: This is great news. Join now if your not a member. Click blue line above.

Earn 1000 Bonus Delta SkyMiles when you order from Shutterfly

2007-09-26T00:35:00.000-04:00

The Pointswizard.com Spin: Click blue line above to get started.

Disney to train Miami Airport (MIA) personnel!!!

2007-09-25T05:44:00.001-04:00

"LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) -- Walt Disney World calls its workers, from actors in Goofy outfits to laundry workers, "cast members" to make them feel part of the show. There's a garbage can every 25 steps, so litter will be tossed not dropped. There's a polite way to answer one of the park's most asked questions: "What time is the 3 o'clock parade?"

These nuggets are part of corporate customer service training offered by Disney Institute, a Florida-based unit of the Walt Disney Co. that has coached thousands of executives and front-line workers from other companies and organizations since 1986. Customers have included Delta Air Lines, IBM Corp., General Motors Corp., Chrysler Corp. and even the Internal Revenue Service and cigarette maker Phillip Morris Inc.

Now the Institute has taken another client: Miami International Airport, which many travelers will tell you needs customer service training like an airplane needs wings. Surveys rank its service among the nation's worst.
The airport's terminal operations employees are taking classes taught by Institute instructors, learning leadership practices, team building, staff relations and communication skills -- many formulated by Walt Disney himself.

"Many organizations think they're different from Disney, and therefore can't learn from an entertainment or a parks and resorts business," said Bruce Jones, programming director for Disney Institute. "But then when they get here and work with us a little bit, they find out ... these principles and similarities are transferrable across industries, across cultures, and across different sizes and shapes of organizations.
"Just think of the airport business. The reality is both businesses have millions of people each year waiting in line for a ride."
Disney World and the airport have more in common, including dealing with ground transportation, parking and retail sales. So, it made sense for the airport to seek out Disney Institute.

"They understand how to minimize the inconvenience and maximize the entertainment value," airline industry analyst Bob Mann said of Disney. "It's a reasonably good move" for the airport to hire Disney.
Miami International Airport is a gateway to and from the Caribbean and Latin America. About 32.5 million passengers passed through the airport in 2006, including more than 14 million international passengers. But among 18 U.S. airports with 30 million or more passengers per year, only three airports performed worse in J.D. Power and Associates' 2007 North America Airport Satisfaction Study.

"The customer service needs to improve," said Sarah Abate, who oversees commercial services at the airport and took a training class. "Passengers need to understand that Miami is a friendly airport, and we are passenger friendly. Now, people don't get that, or the perception from the passenger is not the same as what we are trying to convey."
Disney started the Institute after it realized it was getting questions from other companies about its customer service. After offering some behind-the-scenes educational tours, the Institute developed its first professional development program 21 years ago.." [Via biz.yahoo.com]

The Pointswizard.com Spin: To see the whole article click on blue line above

Visit Bose Store, See Demo, Earn 500 American Advantage Miles

2007-09-24T00:09:00.000-04:00

Click blue line above to find your nearest Bose store.
American Airlines AAdvantage® members: Earn miles just by learning about the innovative Bose® Lifestyle® 48 and 38 DVD home entertainment systems. Earn even more miles by purchasing one of these premium systems.

Change the way you think about movies,
music … even your CD collection. With Bose® Lifestyle® 48 and 38 DVD home entertainment systems, enjoy movies, store hundreds of hours of music and savor every nuance with compact speaker arrays.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Miles offers for purchasing Lifestyle® systems are valid from September 20 through October 4, 2007.
All miles must be redeemed by November 15, 2007.

Earn Delta miles for activating your new DHL account.

2007-09-23T01:05:00.000-04:00

Earn miles for activating your new DHL account. Simply send an express shipment or purchasing ShipReady and earn:

• 1,000 miles when you ship for the first time on your new DHL account or for your first purchase of ShipReady
• 1 mile for every $1 spent on your DHL Express shipments
• 2 miles for every $1 spent on DHL Express ShipReady prepaid overnight envelopes

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Click blue line above for all the details

What's wrong with Delta Airlines ???

2007-09-21T01:30:00.000-04:00

We keep hearing complaints about Delta Airlines playing with their schedule.

We recently went to Dallas for a family party and Delta Airlines changed 3 different family members flights from non stop to one stop ( no bad weather and from different cities ). Unfortunately they were traveling with small children.

Delta Airlines claimed in one case they called a phone number to inform my cousin but it wasn't the number he had given Delta. Another cousin got the call at 4:30 AM for a 7:00 AM flight that they were no longer on a non stop.

We have a Delta Airlines November flight that has gone from 9:15AM to 6:30 AM to 7:45AM. Currently set to leave at 9:00 AM. Hope it stays a non stop.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
9 Airline's Email Addresses for your complaints.
click blue line above or go to
http://www.elliott.org/category/help

5 days and 4 nights at a Marriott in Orlando for $299 and 5,000 American Advantage Miles

2007-09-20T01:17:00.000-04:00

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
You must use special reservation number at bottom of screen - just click blue line above

Getting Married in Jamaica? Check Air Jamaica for a Business Class Airline Ticket Upgrade

2007-09-20T00:11:00.000-04:00

"Tie the knot in one of the Caribbean destinations served by Air Jamaica and you can get a free Business Class airline ticket.

To qualify for the airline’s new Executive Business Class, the bride and groom must book a minimum of 22 seats (including themselves) through Air Jamaica’s group sales office at (800) 523-6805, or groupsales@airjamaica.com.

The Business Class airline tickets are processed once the entire group is ticketed. Air Jamaica provides 300 non-stops weekly, from Atlanta, Baltimore/Washington, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York (JFK), Orlando, and Philadelphia in the United States.

Also Toronto in Canada; and from London in the United Kingdom to Montego Bay and Kingston.

Air Jamaica also offers daily non-stop service between New York/JFK and Barbados, and direct service between JFK to both St. Lucia and Grenada.

It offers intra-regional service with flights between Jamaica and the Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, Cuba, Curaçao, Grand Cayman and St. Lucia." (via flightbliss.com)

Save miles with off-season frequent flyer awards

2007-09-19T01:53:00.000-04:00

"Autumn is one of the best times of the year to use miles. Airline load factors drop after Labor Day, and less crowded planes mean more available award seats. If you've been frustrated in your attempts to use your miles for winter or summer travel, you may have better luck with a fall getaway.

Fall travelers can also make their miles go farther if they book award travel in the American AAdvantage or US Airways Dividend Miles programs. Both airlines offer special off-peak awards at discounted prices. You can save between 5,000 and 20,000 miles off the regular award rates.

During the month of September only, US Airways offers award tickets between the U.S. or Canada and the Caribbean for 25,000 miles in coach and 50,000 miles in business or first class. Regular peak-season prices are 30,000 and 60,000 miles, respectively.

American has a more robust off-peak award program. Here's how much you'll pay for flights from the U.S. and Canada:

25,000 miles to the Caribbean and Mexico between September 7 and November 14 (regularly 30,000 miles)
30,000 miles to Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela between September 7 and November 14 (regularly 35,000 miles)
40,000 miles to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay between August 16 and November 30 (regularly 60,000 miles)
40,000 miles to Europe between October 15 and May 15 (regularly 60,000 miles)
50,000 miles to Japan between October 1 and April 30 (regularly 65,000 miles)
Other destinations may be off-peak at other times of year, so don't forget to check the American AAdvantage site again. With the miles you save on your fall off-peak travel, you may be able to afford a second trip courtesy of American or US Airways. That is, if you can find an available award seat during the rest of the year." ( via smartertravel.com )

The Pointswizard.com Spin: Check award availability today for best selection.

Win a stay at Hilton Namhae Golf & Spa Resort

2007-09-18T11:50:00.000-04:00

Here's your chance to WIN a 3 night/4 day trip to experience some
of the most beautiful natural scenery and best golf in the whole of
the Asia Pacific with a stay at the Hilton Namhae Golf & Spa Resort.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Your days on the enchanting Island of Namhae, off the coast of South Korea, are spent amongst some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the whole of the Asia Pacific. Surrounded by mountains, forests and waterfalls, the island has been preserved as a National Park.

The architecture of the resort is stunning; from the cliff side villas with breathtaking views to the innovative clubhouse that unfolds like a prism. Tee off on the pristine seafront 18-hole championship golf course, with year round playability.
The private marina offers a wealth of water and boating activities, whilst the resort’s world-class spa provides a full range of treatments to nurture the body and soul.
After a day full of activity, your villa is the perfect oasis to unwind in, with panoramic views over the Straits of Korea, and contemporary design. This truly is paradise.

A Blackberry Pearl for free and 5,000 miles

2007-09-17T01:13:00.000-04:00

Mileage Plus Wireless would like to extend this exclusive, limited-time offer to members:

BlackBerry Pearl, FREE *after instant discount and rebate,
with a new account from AT&T and other major carriers like t-Mobile

Plus
5,000 bonus miles for every new rate plan activated

The super-slim, ultra-light BlackBerry Pearl keeps you productive and entertained with features like its powerful email client, 1.3 Megapixel camera, MP3 music player and Bluetooth capabilities.

BlackBerry Pearl includes:

* Powerful on-the-go email solution
* HTML browsing for full internet experience
* Streaming multimedia support
* Built-in voice-activated dialing
* PC synchronization

Plus, you'll earn 5,000 bonus miles for every new rate plan activated!

Sign up today to get the BlackBerry Pearl and 5,000 bonus miles.

The Pointswizard.com Spin: Already a customer and want to upgrade?
Fill in info on the first screen and then go to" already a customer" section on the second screen

Eight ways to avoid air travel delays

2007-09-14T04:10:00.000-04:00

"These days it may feel like a miracle if your flight arrives on time, but the truth is flights have always been subject to delays—whether they're caused by stormy weather, mechanical problems, or something else entirely. When one airport experiences delays, it can cause a ripple effect across the entire country within minutes. You've experienced the ripple effect if you've been told that weather delays in Orlando are holding up your flight from Las Vegas, where the skies are sunny.
But it's not your imagination if you suspect the delays have gotten worse in recent years. Doug Church, spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, attributes "overscheduling [at the] busiest airports" to increased delays. Church explains that "at New York (JFK), the airlines have scheduled more than 50 flights to depart in one hour's time on weekday mornings. Yet the airport can only safely depart 45 aircraft when the weather's good. The resulting overflow of delayed aircraft spills into the next hour, and the next, and so on."

Throw in pilots reaching their maximum work-hour limits, and other crew and employee shortage problems ... and you have the summer of 2007. There is no flexibility left in the system, either the airlines' operations, or the busy airports."

Lisa Wright, a captain for Delta Connection carrier Big Sky Airline, says "from my perspective, weather is primarily the cause for delays. The next most frequent cause would be [equipment breaking], and the next would be crew availability and scheduling issues."

What are your rights if your flight is delayed?

The Aviation Consumer Protection Division of the Department of Transportation (DOT) explains that because airlines don't guarantee their schedules, passengers don't have many—if any—rights when delayed. The federal government does not require airlines to compensate passengers affected by a delayed flight. If your flight is cancelled, however, most airlines will re-route you on another flight.

Instead of simply praying for an on-time arrival or departure, practice the following defensive measures before you travel to help ensure you aren't negatively affected by air-travel delays:

1. Avoid delay-prone flights: Airlines publish on-time averages for their flights. Before you book, make sure you're on a flight that has a decent chance of arriving on time.

2. Know your airline: Certain airlines (ahem, Northwest) are known for labor disruptions and major incidents of flight cancellations and delays. Save yourself the hassle and fly another carrier whenever possible. The DOT publishes a monthly Air Travel Consumer Report http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/ with statistics of delayed and cancelled flights. Try to avoid the worst offenders.

3. Book a non-stop: If your flight goes directly from City A to City B, you won't get stuck in a connecting city along the way. Remember that a direct flight is not non-stop.

4. Fly mornings: Whenever possible, book the first flight of the day. Delays tend to worsen throughout the day, so if you're first in the air, you'll be able to avoid many delays. Additionally, since the busiest times to travel are Mondays through Fridays from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., traveling on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays may improve your odds.

5. Leave enough time for connections: When booking, assume that your departing flight will leave late and plan your connection time accordingly. Schedule at least one hour for a connection—particularly important if your itinerary calls for stops in Atlanta, Chicago (O'Hare), Los Angeles, or any of the New York area airports. Give yourself even more time if you have to change airlines or go through security again.

6. Use small airports: Avoid airline hubs whenever possible. "Secondary" airports are usually less congested and less prone to delays.

7. Know the rules: Familiarize yourself with your airline's rules for identification, baggage limitations, and check-in and gate times. If you're late checking in or showing up at the departure gate, you may miss your flight. Late passengers are also the first to be involuntarily bumped. Having to gate-check your too-large carry-on can cause delays as well.

8. Be early: Arrive at the airport with plenty of time to park, check in, and pass through security. You can find average TSA wait times for every airport in the country before you leave for the airpor" [Via USATODAY.COM

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Go to the website below and print out and take with you a copy of Rule 240 for the airline you are traveling on.
http://www.mytravelrights.com/travellaw.cfm?ai=3

1 Free Night at a Marriott Caribbean Resort

2007-09-13T11:11:00.000-04:00

From the brilliant hues of the buildings to the laissez-faire allure of the locals, the Caribbean’s charms go beyond its beaches. Make your next vacation more magical with Marriott. Just reserve these select resorts in the Caribbean, and you could get a free night and $100 food and beverage credit. You’ll be able to play on the playa a little longer and toast the sunset every night for free.

Register now to earn 5,000 bonus miles when you dine in the NYC and LA areas!

2007-09-13T02:11:00.000-04:00

It's as easy as 1-2-3.
1. Register for the Coast-to-Coast Bonus.
2. Then dine five times and spend $15 or more each time at any participating restaurants in the NYC Tri-State and Southern California areas before 9/30/07 on a day when benefits are being offered.*
3.Earn 5,000 Delta SkyMiles bonus miles!

The Pointswizard.com Spin: You must register-Click blue line above

FLY AWAY TO CHINA SWEEPSTAKES

2007-09-10T00:38:00.000-04:00

Each month, the Global Trends in Travel video series airing on Continental Airlines takes passengers to exotic destinations around the world. Now you can visit one of these incredible destinations yourself by entering the FLY AWAY SWEEPSTAKES, courtesy of In-Flight Media Associates (IMA).

This month IMA and the China National Tourist Office invite you to visit China. And Continental Airlines - with more international destinations than any other U.S. airline - is the carrier that gets you there.

Enter the FLY AWAY SWEEPSTAKES now and get ready to experience your own trends in travel today!

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
All entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on September 30, 2007 to qualify for the Grand Prize.

Enter to WIN 600,000 Starwood Hotels Starpoints

2007-09-09T00:02:00.000-04:00

Click on blue line above to enter

Earn award travel faster with AddMiles

2007-09-07T01:07:00.000-04:00

As a valued United® Mileage Plus member, we offer you a special opportunity:
Receive an extra 1,000 bonus miles on your next United roundtrip for just $20.
Simply register and pay $20, and your account will be credited with 1,000 bonus miles after your next paid, qualifying flight on United, United Express® or TedSM.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Members must register for this offer between August 10, 2007 and December 31, 2007. Click blue line above

Faster Free Nights(TM) and OnePass triple miles.

2007-09-06T05:17:00.000-04:00

This fall, Hyatt Gold Passport members will earn triple miles on every Hyatt stay, plus a free night after every two Hyatt stays paid for with a MasterCard® card.
These offers are valid from Sept. 1 through Nov. 30, 2007.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
The number of Free Night Awards you can earn is unlimited

Travel Accessory Review: Bose SoundDock Portable speaker system (with iPhone)

2007-09-05T10:21:00.000-04:00

What: Bose SoundDock Portable, $399 (www.bose.com).

The good: The SoundDock Portable weighs under five pounds, has strong volume and bass, tight design and solid construction. Bose reports up to three hours of use on the rechargeable battery when listening at full volume. The company says lowering the volume provides longer battery life but does not cite specific estimates. In my test with the iPhone, I was able to receive calls while using the SoundDock Portable; like the iPhone’s headphones, the music fades to silence to take the call, then fades back when the call ends.

The not so good: The power adapter is big and clunky, and while a groove to wrap the cord is nice, the shape and size of the adapter makes it an unpleasant travel partner. The iPhone’s volume control is deactivated when plugged into the SoundDock, so you’ve got to use the remote to raise and lower the volume. The iPhone’s other controls work fine, and the remote lets you also pause, play and skip tracks. Lastly, as with certain other Bose products, there’s no bass or treble control and the bass is very heavy while the treble not fine enough. Since female vocalists like Joni Mitchell, Rickie Lee Jones, Nina Simone and Alanis Morisette are my favorites, treble matters to me; I managed to improve the sound of the ladies’ voices by changing the iPhone’s EQ setting to Acoustic (Vocal Booster and Treble Booster both gave too much treble).

Bottom line: Great room-filling sound with lots of bass, acceptable treble when adjusted via the iPod or iPhone’s EQ setting, but traveling with the clunky adapter is a bummer. Dedicated fans of Bose products will be pleased with the SoundDock Portable, while others may want to consider the less expensive Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere Compact Speakers ($149), which though not as loud and bassy, do produce good sound and are easier to travel with.

Big Shout out to JoeyGadget.com for all your gadget info. Check Joey out!

Free upgrades - business flights on economy fares

2007-09-05T00:30:00.000-04:00

"We've all heard stories from friends or colleagues who have received free upgrades to business class, but is there anything you can do to improve your chances of being upgraded? According to Emirates Airlines, there is no sure-fire way to get upgraded unless you've paid for it, or earned it through frequent flyer miles.

Being a member of a frequent flyer programme greatly increases your chances, as these passengers are usually the first to be offered an upgrade if economy class is overbooked. If no frequent flyer passengers are onboard, travelers who paid full price for an economy class ticket will have priority over those paying a discounted fare.

If your schedule is flexible and time permits, you can also volunteer to be bumped in return for an upgrade to business class on the next flight, rather than an airline voucher towards a future trip.

It is always a good idea to dress smartly and carry professional looking luggage if you want to get upgraded to business class. You might be passed over if you don't look the part. It also helps to travel solo and light. The easier you are to accommodate, the more likely it is that the gate agent will make an exception for you.

Explore cheap business class fares
Don't automatically assume that business class is out of your budget, advises Girish Deshpande, branch supervisor at Al Rostamani Travel and Holidays, a Dubai-based travel agency. Depending on special discounts or promotions that might be available, the difference between a full coach fare and business class might be less than a few hundred dollars. Try to get quotes from one or more business class consolidator specialists.

Also consider the new generation of all-business class discount carriers, such as Maxjet and Silverjet, which currently fly between the UK and the US, but are looking to expand their destination portfolio to include locations such as Dubai.

Consider premium economy
A less expensive alternative to business class is premium economy, which is offered by such carriers as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. One step above basic economy class, premium economy offers more legroom, wider seats, and laptop connections. Prices for premium economy class tickets are about 30-40 per cent higher on average than full fare economy tickets. Also, because these seats are limited in number, any overbooking in economy class could mean you being bumped up to business class.

Choose your seat carefully
If economy class is your only option, you can help make your journey more comfortable by choosing the best available seat, Deshpande said. Customers can reserve seats online on most airlines up to 24 hours before boarding, and careful seat selection is critical because not every economy seat is the same.

Websites such as Seatguru.com, Seatexpert.com, and UK-air.net provide detailed seating information for most major airlines with regard to leg room, seat width, recline level, and pitch (the distance between rows). Finding a seat with just a few extra inches of legroom can make a huge difference on a long flight. (Here's a tip: there is extra space in the final rows of a Boeing 747 because the tapering of fuselage means there is one less seat on each side.)

Unfortunately, not all seats can be booked in advance, Deshpande points out. Emergency row seats usually cannot be reserved because airlines need to ensure that these passengers are physically able to help out in an emergency. Also, bulkhead rows are typically set aside for frequent flyers and families with small children.

If seats in these rows have not been pre-booked, it is best to arrive early at check in because they will be issued on a first-come first-serve basis. Keep in mind that some airlines, such as Virgin, charge a fee of up to $100 to reserve an emergency row seat, while bulkhead seats are usually free.

If all else fails, keep an eye out for an empty row nearby and stake your claim once the flight doors are closed, then stretch out, relax, and enjoy your good fortune. ." [Via ameinfo.com]

The Pointswizard.com Spin: To see the original story and more click blue line above

Win a Trip for 2 to West Palm Beach, Florida

2007-09-03T01:31:00.000-04:00

Enter Choice Hotels' "Points of the Game" sweepstakes by October 1 for a chance to win a trip for two to West Palm Beach, Florida to attend the 2007 LPGA ADT Championship, including air, four nights hotel, a set of golf clubs, and tickets to the event.

* Grand Prize: A trip for two (2) to the 2007 LPGA ADT Championship. Trip package includes roundtrip airfare, five (5) day/four (4) night hotel accommodations at a Choice hotel property, tickets to the ADT Championship, a set of PING® golf clubs, two (2) golf lessons with an LPGA Teaching and Club Professional and $1,000 spending money. See Official Rules for prize details.
* One (1) First Prize: A set of PING® golf clubs, golf lessons by an LPGA Teaching and Club Professional member and a $100 Choice Hotels Gift Card
* One (1) Second Prize: A $200 Choice Hotels Gift Card and a Golf Prize Pack

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
click blue line above to get details and enter by Oct. 1

Imagine what you can do with your miles!

2007-09-02T00:02:00.000-04:00

Fall cruising means falling prices—sail away on an award-winning ship and get the best value for your vacation dollar.

And for a limited time you'll get up to 30,000 DeltaSkyMiles!

Choose from hundreds of voyages aboard the world's top fleets and you'll earn up to 10,000 DeltaSkyMiles based on the length of your cruise. Book a balcony or suite by September 30 and earn triple miles. That's up to 30,000 SkyMiles just for cruising—at the best prices guaranteed!

The Pointswizard.com Spin: Great deal- Cruise and get a lot of miles!!

FREE Sample of ARM and HAMMER Toothpaste- perfect for you travel kit

2007-09-01T00:49:00.000-04:00

-click on blue line above
-when screen loads click on skip to the right of the person talking
-on the top left go to choose a solution
-go to oral hygiene-after a few seconds a choice on the left will say
-click on a free sample

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
You always need toothpaste for your travel kit.

World Series 2007-You could WIN A TRIP FOR TWO to Game 4

2007-08-30T14:01:00.000-04:00

click on blue line above to enter

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Enter by September 21, 2007 at 11:59 p.m. EST

WOW!! Earn up to 25,000 Continental OnePass Miles by opening Chase Bank account

2007-08-28T01:10:00.000-04:00

Here are the details you need to know

-Open a Chase checking with a $100 deposit and get 10,000 Continental OnePass Miles

-Get another 7,500 bonus OnePassmiles and earn 1 mile for every $1 in qualifying purchases with the Chase Continental Airlines Preferred Banking Card for a $65 annual fee per checking account or choose a lower annual fee option and earn 1 mile for every $2 in qualifying purchases with the Chase Continental Airlines Banking Card for a $25 annual fee per checking account.

That's 17,500 OnePass miles at the bottom of the webpage is this offer for 7,500 OnePass miles
-You can also add up to three additional cards for others on your joint checking account and pay no additional annual fees. Plus each new cardholder will receive 2,500 bonus OnePass miles for an additional 7500 miles

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
you must print out certificate on the webpage (click on blue line above)
this account can't be opened on the internet, it must be done at a Chase branch

Book online and enjoy up to 5,000 Delta SkyMiles Bonus at Swissôtel Hotels

2007-08-28T00:46:00.000-04:00

To make your stay even more rewarding, this distinctive group of deluxe hotels is extending double miles per night to SkyMiles members!

Whether traveling on business or leisure, Swissôtel Hotels and Resorts invites you to experience the renowned Swiss touch with its fresh, modern and contemporary hotel design.

And those double miles add up — that's up to 5,000 miles!

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
This offer extends through November 30, 2007.

Spirit Air CEO Learns The Dangers Of Hitting "Reply All" When Callously Responding To Consumer Complaints

2007-08-26T01:17:00.000-04:00

"This is how Ben Baldanza CEO of Spirit Air responded to a complaint letter from a first-time customer:

"Please respond, Pasquale, but we owe him nothing as far as I'm concerned. Let him tell the world how bad we are. He's never flown us before anyway and will be back when we save him a penny."

Which might have been ok, had the email stayed inter-office, but Baldanza seems to have hit "reply all" and accidentally sent the message back to the original complainant. Oops.
Even if you read the original complaint and agree with Baldanza in principle, that's a pretty jerkoff way to respond to a customer and if he had any balls, he would apologize and refund the twenty-two cents or whatever the passenger paid to ride on Mr. Baldanza's discount thrift store flying claptrap.." [Via consumerist.com]

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
see the rest of the story and comments - click on blue line above

At United, a Short Flight Equals a Sweet Deal - United Airlines Temporarily Reduces the Amount of Miles Needed for FREE travel

2007-08-24T01:46:00.000-04:00

"CHICAGO, Aug. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- United Airlines and Mileage Plus are proving that redeeming frequent flyer miles is short and sweet by offering its members more value for their loyalty. United Airlines is temporarily reducing the amount of Mileage Plus miles needed to redeem award travel on some of its shortest flights.

For a limited time, certain United Economy(R) Saver award travel booked on united.com will be available for 15,000 redeemable miles instead of 25,000 miles *. This award travel is for nonstop, roundtrip flights that are 700 miles or less each way on United, United Express or Ted flights." [Via money.cnn.com]

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Tickets must be booked on united.com by Dec. 12, 2007 for travel between Sept. 1, 2007 and Dec. 14, 2007
Click blue line above for all the info.

Southwest Airlines - Enroll in the College Rapid Rewards Program! Get 1 roundtrip FREE when you buy 3

2007-08-23T05:33:00.000-04:00

With Southwest Airlines' Rapid Rewards program, it's easy to go someplace fun for free! It usually takes only 8 roundtrips (16 credits) for an Award, but since you are a college student between the ages of 18 and 23, we've got a special offer for you.

You'll get 4 bonus credits just for enrolling in Rapid Rewards. Then all you have to do is fly 3 roundtrips purchased at southwest.com (4 credits for each roundtrip) in the next 24 months, and you'll automatically qualify for 1 free roundtrip Award valid for travel to any of our over 60 destinations.

Do The Math. Take A Break!

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
As a College Rapid Rewards Member, you’ll also continue to receive double credit on all flights booked at southwest.com while in the college program. That means you’ll be getting 4 Rapid Rewards credits (vs. the standard 2) for each roundtrip.

Frequent-flyer game can be a lot like hide-and-seek

2007-08-22T04:16:00.000-04:00

"My wife's grandfather, Sam Valencino, had a wonderful saying that he'd repeat often with a deep Southern drawl and a large scoop of sarcasm: "Everything's up but wages."
The thing is this, however: We all know it's true. When it comes to travel, it seems no fuel surcharge is high enough. No rental-car tax is too high. No hotel "resort fee" will go uncollected. Never mind fares. Now we're seeing the same upward creep in frequent flyer mileage plans.
So here's the nagging question: Now that we've spent our way to the poorhouse to build up this big bank of miles, why can't I find "saver tickets" for the family to fly from Anchorage to Miami and back? Huh? Inquiring minds want to know.
Welcome to the hide-and-seek game of frequent-flyer redemption.
I spend most of my time trying to game the system over at Alaska Airlines, since that's where I have most of my miles. In fact, I just ordered a bunch of magazines with the remainder of my Delta miles, which were set to expire. My choices included Men's Health, Nursing Week, Teen Cosmo and Spin. Woo-hoo.
In case you didn't notice, the cost to call in to Alaska Airlines and book a mileage ticket went up by 5,000 miles. If you can massage the Web site, www.alaskaair.com, you still can nab some of those saver awards for 20,000, plus the obligatory taxes. But this is one example where Alaska is able to offset the millions and millions of miles people are earning by charging up their credit cards.
Oh, don't worry too much, though. Alaska and partner Bank of America actively push the credit-card deals, including having Alaska flight attendants hawk the cards on every flight.
The credit cards, the phone tie-in with GCI, the groceries at Carr's and the partnership mileage arrangements with other airlines all add up to a mileage-churning machine that adds thousands of people into the qualifying pool of travelers that have 20,000 miles and want a free ticket on Alaska Airlines. There are tie-ins with mortgage companies, wine clubs, florists and most hotels and car rental companies.
In fact, Alaska Airlines is offering 20,000 bonus miles if you sign up for one of its credit cards on their Web site. That's a free ticket. If you can find one.
Many travelers, myself included, have struggled to find the 20,000-mile tickets during the busy summer travel season. On two occasions this summer, I pulled the trigger and booked first class on Delta, which cost me 45,000 Alaska Airlines miles each.
But as we ease into the fall, more of these seats tend to open up. Just today, I found 20,000-mile tickets in August and September from Anchorage to Orlando and Newark. To Chicago and Boston, the total went to 25,000 miles because at least one segment was on Delta or American, two of Alaska's partner carriers.
If you're having trouble finding the right date weeks or months in advance, you might have better luck waiting until the week before you travel. Personally, I hate to play "chicken" with travel reservations. But it's true that more mileage-redemption inventory appears just a few days before departure. And since there's no advance purchase requirement on mileage reservations, that's a real option for flexible travelers." [Via Anchorage Daily News]

The Pointswizard.com Spin: To read the rest of the article click on blue line above

Enter to win - Smucker's® LPGA Fantasy Golf Getaway Promotion

2007-08-20T07:52:00.000-04:00

Correctly answer our weekly on-line LPGA trivia question for a chance for you and 3 friends to watch the year's best lady golfers compete for the 2007 ADT Title.
One Grand Prize:
One winner will receive a trip for four people to the 2007 ADT Championship, scheduled for November 15-18, 2007 in West Palm Beach, Florida.

12 First Prizes:
Each winner will receive a Simply Smucker's® gift basket valued at $50.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
You must register.Enter by Aug. 31, 2007. Click on blue line above.

Want to earn American AAdvantage miles without going anywhere?

2007-08-19T01:58:00.000-04:00

In order to provide you with a more personalized travel experience, we’re inviting you to fill out our Travel Survey. Doing so will help us better understand your travel interests and allow us to serve up deals and promotions that are more customized to your needs. And we’re offering you 250** AAdvantage miles just for completing the survey and opting in to our email! It’s our way of showing how much we appreciate your time.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
A great way to keep your account active for 18 more months or to pick up an easy 250 miles

World's Best Low-Cost Airlines

2007-08-17T02:28:00.000-04:00

"Unless you count the trail mix, you can't get a free meal on a domestic flight with a major carrier anymore. A bottle of water will cost you, and forget about a movie.

Why the skimpy offerings?

Cost-conscious mainstream airlines are trimming the fat, otherwise known as amenities, to provide the lowest fares possible. But as the flagships slim down, the category of low-cost carriers is rapidly beefing up, giving passengers the option of flying both comfortably and affordably.

Low-cost carriers tend to keep their prices down by flying out of fringe airports, relying on online booking and providing just the necessary level of onboard services. Many stock their fleets with one type of aircraft to minimize the amount of training for crews. As part of the discount category, the airlines also can operate without union agreements and employment contracts that often trouble legacy carriers.

A Growing Category

Starting out in 1971 as a small carrier in Texas with only three jets, Southwest Airlines is credited with giving birth to the low-cost-carrier phenomenon. Its founding mission was to fly passengers to short-haul destinations, on time and for the lowest fare possible. Nearly 36 years later, countless carriers have copied the philosophy.

Global flight information company OAG released a 2006 report identifying 40 low-cost carriers in Europe alone. It also revealed that Ryanair, a low-cost heavyweight based in Ireland, was carrying more passengers per month than British Airways.

And the number of passengers interested in booking with low-cost names is on the rise. The low-cost sector accounted for 16%, or 416,000, of the 2.6 million flights scheduled for July 2007, according to OAG's Quarterly Airline Traffic Statistics. Last month, 309.7 million seats were offered worldwide, of which 20%, or 61.9 million, were on low-cost carriers. In July 2006, low-cost seats made up only 16% of the 289.8 million airline seats on offer.

"There seem to be new low-cost [carriers] appearing every week," says Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax, a London-based air transport research company. Simply being low-cost doesn't guarantee success, however. "Each year that goes by you see anywhere from four to eight new low-costs that can't keep the business model running and disappear after 12 months."

The Best of the Best

For its annual survey of the best low-cost airlines in the world, Skytrax examined commercial and front-line factors, surveying the accessibility and quality of Web sites--crucial for carriers that rely on online booking--and, perhaps most important, the clarity of prices and fares.

Because standards vary around the world and there are so many low-cost carriers, Skytrax named a global top three-- Jetstar Airways, Air Berlin and easyJet--and broke down the remaining results by region. Southwest Airlines, the carrier that started it all, ranked second in North America, falling behind JetBlue.

To assess what people are getting for their money, Skytrax also took into account consumer surveys. While some low-cost carriers offer complimentary entertainment like satellite television and snacks, as on Austrian-based NIKI, many grant passengers only a seat, a reading light and a smile.

The low-cost category remains the most competitive in Europe but is growing fastest in Asia, if for no other reason than that it has the biggest market. At the other end of the spectrum, South America and the Middle East emerged with only two top carriers each in the rankings, rather than three. Both regions have several other carriers, but they were deemed too small for inclusion.

New Options

As the low-cost sector continues to heat up, so do the options in terms of seating and routes. While many traditional carriers offer one class, Jetstar offers a StarClass premium cabin, while Oasis Hong Kong gives passengers a choice between Business and Economy.

The introduction of classes in low-cost travel is the result of carriers taking on longer-haul flights. While flights under two hours are most profitable, as more travelers look to fly farther afield, these airlines want a piece of the action. Oasis Hong Kong already flies from Hong Kong to London and may offer flights to the U.S. shortly.

So if you can travel substantial distances for paltry prices aboard a low-cost carrier, why opt for a big name airline?

"[People] might choose them because of the miles or because the major carrier can come pretty close to matching the low-cost carrier in price," says Tom Michelson, vice president of operations for Airtreks, a team of travel consultants and experts that provide multistop international air travel service and technology. "Given the choice between the two, the traveler might want to go with the known entity."

But with low-cost carriers such as JetBlue providing complimentary, 24-channel, live satellite TV on every seat back, the unknown is looking better every day." [Via finance.yahoo.com ]

The Pointswizard.com Spin: TTo see more click on blue line above

American Express high-end users can use American Airlines' Admirals Clubs - + 3 other airlines

2007-08-15T07:18:00.000-04:00

"Holders of the most exclusive American Express cards get a new perk starting today – free access to American Airlines Inc.'s airport clubs worldwide.

American Express Co. and American will announce today that Platinum and Centurion cardholders can get into American's Admirals Clubs on days that they travel on American.

Holders of those American Express cards already get access to a number of other airlines' airport clubs, but until now, about the only way they could get into an Admirals Club was to buy their way in.

Simon Kahn, vice president of Platinum and Centurion marketing for American Express, said its cardholders let American Express know what they wanted.

"We talk to our card members all the time," he said. "One of the things we hear from them is that they want access to American Airlines lounges. In research study after research study, American Airlines has come out as one of the most popular carriers for our base. We just think this is a terrific additional benefit for those cardholders."

The Platinum and Centurion cardholders – whether consumer, business or corporate members – tend to spend a lot of money. American Airlines spokesman Charley Wilson said the relationship will work to American's benefit as well.

"It provides American Express' Platinum and Centurion cardholders access to our clubs, and it also provides American Airlines an opportunity to talk to them and expose our products and services to them," he said.

To gain access to an Admirals Club, a traveler must show an American Express Platinum or Centurion card and an itinerary showing that he is flying on American that day. The cardholder can bring two guests.

Normally, American charges $50 for a one-day pass or $300 to $450 to join for one year, depending on frequent-flier status, with renewal costs of $250 to $400 a year. Its AAdvantage frequent-flier club members can also trade in miles for Admirals Club memberships.

Of course, getting in through an American Express card won't be free, either. Holders of the Platinum card pay a $450 annual fee, and the more exclusive Centurion card reportedly costs $2,500 a year.

The free access applies only to the cards issued directly by American Express, not to cards issued by bank partners such as Citibank." [Via Dallas News.com]

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
It's good to see an expansion of benefits for Amex's two most expensive cards. Delta, Continental and Northwest Airlines also have this benefit already.

Stock up on Your Miles

2007-08-14T10:42:00.000-04:00

TD AMERITRADE has teamed up with United to bring you a special offer. Open and fund a TD AMERITRADE account by September 30, 2007, and earn up to 25,000 United Mileage Plus bonus miles. The more you deposit, the more miles you earn.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Ends September 30, 2007

Paradise is calling - Mexico Award Sale

2007-08-13T08:37:00.000-04:00

Save 10,000 miles on awards to Mexico

Mexico Award SaleSave 10,000 miles off the regular 30,000-mile Mileage Plan Coach Saver award when you fly on Alaska Airlines from the Continental U.S. and Canada to Mexico.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
This offer is available for booking beginning July 25, 2007, and is valid for travel between September 3, 2007, and October 31, 2007.

Save up to $35 & Earn up to 1,000 Miles

2007-08-11T01:46:00.000-04:00

Save up to $35 & Earn up to 1,000 Miles.

Plus, earn an additional 500 miles* on any rentals booked here!

Now through December 31, 2007, enjoy the savings below and earn double miles on weekend rentals of two or more days or weekly rentals at a participating airport or off airport location in the U.S., Puerto Rico or Canada. That's 100 Mileage Plus miles per day on weekend rentals or 1,000 Mileage Plus miles on weekly rentals.

The Pointswizard.com Spin: click blue line above to get more details

Orlando Super Saver Deal - Our #1 Insider Vacation Deal

2007-08-11T00:06:00.000-04:00

Take advantage of this great Orlando offer.

The Pointswizard.com Spin: Bonus Cancun, or Puerto Vallarta Mexico certificate. Click blue line above to get details.

Traveling to N.Y.? read this - A Steak Shortage Hits New York

2007-08-09T06:37:00.000-04:00

"The country's effort to move away from a dependence on foreign oil and embrace green initiatives appears to be behind a change in one of New York's purest traditions, the menu of the classic steakhouse.

The production of ethanol, which is made from corn, is one major reason classic cuts of prime beef are becoming more and more expensive, an analyst at the cattle market analysis firm Cattle-Fax, Tod Kalous, said.

"It's getting worse," the owner of Ben Benson's Steakhouse, Ben Benson, said. "The problems the ranchers are having are making it more difficult because feed is getting more expensive."

Brooklyn's Peter Luger Steakhouse now serves a rib eye. On some nights at Ben Benson's in Midtown, diners can order buffalo steak. The Old Homestead of the meatpacking district serves one of the city's best Kobe burgers.

The new menu items at some city steakhouses are a result of an increase in the price of top-notch beef and a decrease in its availability.
Corn is the primary feed for cattle that produce USDA-grade prime beef. Corn is also the main ingredient for what many believe is the fuel of the future, ethanol. The production of ethanol has not only increased the demand for corn, it has made harvests more profitable for farmers, who receive the fruits of government subsidies when it is sold to ethanol producers." [Via NYSUN.COM]

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Well, There's always Ranch1 for chicken.

Earn 2000 FREE Delta miles

2007-08-08T15:22:00.000-04:00

You can have the vicarious pleasure of watching other people travel to incredible places, do amazing things and occasionally embarrass themselves in public.

Here's the fun part:
You watch the travel videos of the teams in each destination. Then, you vote for the video that most makes you want to travel to that place.
The team with the fewest votes gets eliminated from the Challenge! (Ouch.) The other teams go on to the next round.
There are four rounds in all.
You can get 250 bonus miles for every round you vote in.
Plus, you can get an extra 1,000 miles if you vote in all four rounds—for a total of 2,000 bonus miles.
But there's even more to the Challenge than experiencing travel by proxy, influencing the fate of others and getting bonus miles:
You can find out all the inside dirt on the teams' blogs.
And, you can put in your two cents in the forums.

Destination 1 Voting August 6,7,8
Destination 2 Voting August 20,21,22
Destination 3 Voting September 3,4,5
Final Destination Voting September 17,18,19

As part of the SiteSeer Challenge, American Express® Cardmembers can also earn double flown miles! Register right here between July 25 and September 19, 2007, and then use any American Express Card to purchase a ticket on delta.com. This offer is available for flights between July 25-September 30, 2007. All travel must be completed by September 30, 2007. All Delta SkyMiles program rules apply. To review the rules, please visit delta.com/memberguide. After all, the Challenge contestants aren't the only people traveling this summer.

The Pointswizard.com Spin: Remember you must register/Find Play at Home box on right side of screen and click on register

American Airlines prepares for on-board Internet

2007-08-07T17:08:00.001-04:00

American Airlines is going to become the first U.S. carrier to offer broadband Internet access to customers on its planes.

The service is expected to begin early in 2008 and (at this point) mainly on coast to coast flights. We would have thought Jetblue would have been the first but congrads to American Airlines for having the b*lls to be the first.

AirCell, a provider of aviation communications systems, said Wednesday that it will team up with American to test its new system for providing on-board Internet access -- AirCell's first partner on the project. AirCell says its system, which is based on cellular technology, is less bulky and much cheaper than Boeing's old satellite-based service.AirCell Chief Executive Jack Blumenstein told Reuters that the equipment costs about $100,000 per plane and that airlines can offer the service for about $10 per flight.

We think people would easily paid $3.95 an hour or $9.95 unlimited internet service.

Spitzer signs air passengers' rights into law

2007-08-04T07:45:00.000-04:00

"Beginning Jan. 1, airlines operating at New York airports will be required to provide passengers who are delayed on planes for three hours with water, snacks, and working toilets under the first law of its kind in the nation, which was signed Wednesday night by Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

But an organization representing major airlines, the Washington, D.C.-based Air Transport Association, said yesterday it may file a lawsuit to block the new law, dubbed the Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights. A spokesman said the is "disappointed" in the law and thatlegislating such services is not practical.

The law creates an Office of Airline Consumer Advocate within the state Consumer Protection Board. The advocate will refer any violations to the state attorney general's office, which can seek a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per passenger per violation by an airline.

The law grew out of widespread passenger complaints after huge delays during the winter at some airlines, including JetBlue Airways Corp. of Forest Hills and American Airlines, the world's largest carrier. JetBlue stranded thousands at Kennedy Airport on Valentine's Day after a snow and ice storm blanketed the East Coast.

Federal law restricts what states can do when it comes to air travel, specifically prohibiting states from requiring that passengers be allowed to get off airliners delayed on the ground for hours. But states can require airlines to provide amenities for air travelers, according to the bill's two sponsors -- state Sen. Charles Fuschillo (R-Merrick) and Assemb. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria). Fuschillo is chairman of the Senate Committee on Consumer Protection.

"Anytime something is done that makes big business unhappy, their first response is to go to court and challenge it," said Gianaris. "I'm very confident the new law in New York State is legally sound and will withstand any challenges from the industry."
Fuschillo said he was delighted the legislation was signed into law. "Consumers pay a lot of money to fly," he said. "They should be treated with a lot better respect than they have been."

David Castleveter, the ATA spokesman, insisted the New York State law is pre-empted by the federal Airline Deregulation Act of 1978. Under deregulation, Castleveter said, government cannot regulate fares or service. "We're reviewing our options, including the possibility of a legal challenge," he said." [Via Newsday.com]

The Pointswizard.com Spin: Check out:
A JetBlue Airlines Nightmare Story

Save On Airline Tickets, Shop On Saturday Morning

2007-08-03T00:42:00.000-04:00

"Saturday morning is the best time to find a deal on airline tickets, according to CNN Money. Most airfare sales are released to the Airline Traffic Publishing Company on Friday evening, and then forwarded to travel sites and agencies. With 200 million fares in circulation at any given moment, CNN has a novel solution for ferreting out the best deal:

Okay, you're at your computer in prime travel-shopping time. Where to go first? Not to one of the big three travel-agency sites. You instead want to visit ITA Software (itasoftware.com), a Boston company that developed QPX, a travel search engine that powers other search engines.
Primarily, it's a business-to-business site with no frills, but you can log on (as a guest) and search fares, even including those of some discount carriers.

Once you enter the usual information, QPX produces a list of flights with prices, departure and arrival times and warnings about inconveniences such as long layovers. You can also search for the lowest fares at any time during a month and for deals if you stay over a weekend.

You can't purchase a ticket through ITA, but you'll receive "booking details" that instruct you how to secure the flight you want. ITA Software lets you send an e-mail to your travel agent (a living, breathing one, not a Web site) to request the specific ticket it found. Or you can print out the details and then hunt for the same flight on a travel Web site where you can make a reservation.

To find an even better deal, be flexible like a gymnast. Fiddle with flying times and airports - anything to squeeze extra savings from the airlines." [Via consumerist.com ]

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Some very good advice.

NASCAR Ford 400 Race - Enter to win FREE TRIP!!!

2007-08-02T01:28:00.000-04:00

NASCAR Grand Prize: Grand Prize is a three (3) day/two (2) night trip to Miami, FL between November 17 -19, 2007 for Winner and one (1) Guest to attend the NASCAR stock car race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2007.
The Prize consists of round-trip coach air transportation between major commercial airport nearest winner’s residence and Miami, FL, two (2) nights hotel accommodations

Two (2) tickets to the NASCAR stock car race on November 18, 2007, two (2) NASCAR pit passes for November 17 - 18, 2007 and $500 spending money.

Two (2) First Prizes: Each First Prize is one (1) Samsung 50” Slim Depth 720p DLP HDTV Television.

(450) Second Prizes: Each Second Prize is one (1) Hall of Fame Racing T-Shirt.

Five Hundred (500) Third Prizes: Each Third Prize is one (1) Hall of Fame Racing hat.

3,500 Fourth Prizes: Each Fourth Prize is one (1) Hall of Fame Racing coozie.

The Pointswizard.com Spin:
Entry ends for this NASCAR race contest at 11:59:59 PM EDT on September 30, 2007

Dreaming of bonus miles?

2007-08-01T00:38:00.000-04:00

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It’s easier than ever to take advantage of a great opportunity to earn rewards. From May 14 – August 31, 2007, you’ll earn 500 bonus miles for every second qualifying night at any of more than 3,700 hotels — up to 5,000 bonus miles.
Where will your rewards take you?
Any InterContinental Hotels Group Brand Worldwide
InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Hotel Indigo®, Holiday Inn® ,Holiday Inn Express®,. Staybridge Suites®,, Candlewood Suites®

PARTICIPATING AIRLINES/PARTNERS
Americas
Aeromexico®
Air Canada Aeroplan®
AIR MILES®† Rewards Program
Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Continental Airlines®
Delta Air Lines®
GlobalPass®
LAN Airlines
Mexicana Airlines
Northwest Airlines®
Southwest Airlines®
United®
US Airways®

The Pointswizard.com Spin: To see other partners and be able to register just click blue line above

Travel and love Sports?

2007-07-31T01:55:00.000-04:00

Here is a site to help you plan your trips around future sports events. Check it out...
johnnyroadtrip.com™ is created and run by sports fans like you. We are your one-stop source for all the travel and sports information needed to make your road trip fun, exciting, and memorable!!
But johnnyroadtrip.com is more than just a travel web site. We provide schedules, message boards, tailgating tips, city information, and major sporting event information, as well as links to every league, organization, pro team, plus other great sports-related web sites.

Pointswizard.com Spin - Click on blue line above for more info