- Hyatt’s Faster Free Nights is back!
Hyatt Gold Passport members can earn a free night after every two stays before Sept. 30 when they pay with a MasterCard. This perennial Freddie Award contender remains one of the best values in the industry. Free nights must be redeemed before Nov. 30. Registration is required at http://www.goldpassport.com.
- Double Points or Double Miles from Priority Club has returned! Through Aug. 31, stay at any InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites or Candlewood Suites, and you’ll earn twice the miles or points beginning with your second stay. Register at http://www.priorityclub.com/double, or call (888) 560-5660 and enter promo code 8932.
- Northwest WorldPerks’ Fly Free Faster promotion is back. Here’s how it works: Register for the promotion, then complete one qualifying activity and earn five partner credits between June 1 and Aug. 31 to earn 10,000 bonus miles. To register and read complete details, visit http://www.nwa.com/offers/fff2004 and enter registration code 8645.
- Though these credit card bonuses rank at number four on our list, we’re calling them our “Sweet Fifteens” (as in 15,000 miles/points).
Delta SkyMiles: Sign up for the Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card by American Express and earn 15,000 bonus miles with your first purchase. To apply, visit http://www.delta.com or call (888) 225-4311 and use promo code 1NK.
Marriott Rewards: Apply for the Platinum Business card and earn 15,000 bonus points upon first purchase. To apply, visit http://www.marriott.com. And if you apply for the Marriott Rewards Visa Signature card, you’ll not only earn the bonus with your first purchase, you’ll also receive a complimentary upgrade to Silver elite status. Call Bank One at (888) 624-9604 for more information.
- Southwest is extending its online bonus credit offer until Dec. 31. Rapid Rewards members who book online at http://www.southwest.com will receive one bonus credit for each roundtrip booked and flown by the end of the year (a half-credit bonus will be awarded if a one-way travel segment is booked). This adds up to a total of three credits for a roundtrip flight booked on the site.
- Plan your next siesta south of the border at one of Frontier’s five Mexico destinations — Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta or Ixtapa/Zihuatenejo — and, from July 7 through Oct. 10, you’ll only need to use 15,000 Frontier EarlyReturns miles to get there. Flights must be booked by Sept. 1 and travel must be completed by Oct. 10. Offer good only on flights via Denver International Airport.
- So Southwest thinks it can come to Philly witout a fight? Not so fast.
To keep the low-fare competitor at bay, the US Airways Dividend Miles program is offering double and triple miles for flights between Philadelphia and Birmingham, Ala., Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Mo., Little Rock, Ark., Los Angeles, Manchester, N.H., Nashville, Tenn., New Orleans, Orlando, Fla., Phoenix, Providence, R.I., Raleigh/Durham, N.C., San Diego, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa, Fla. and West Palm Beach, Fla.
Through Sept. 1, all those flights will earn double miles; if booked online, they’ll earn triple miles. Check out the offer at http://www.usairways.com/dividendmiles/9512.htm.
- Through July 15, members of Best Western’s Gold Crown Club International program can earn one free night for every two stays paid for with a MasterCard. Unfortunately, the free night can only be earned once, but a one-for-two deal is still darn good. Registration is required at http://www.goldcrownclub.com. Use promo code MC2X (get it?) when registering.
- For the second straight year, Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan program took home the Freddie Award for Program of the Year. One reason for that success could be that they offer so many award sales. For this year’s summer award sale, travel between Seattle, Portland or San Francisco and Palm Springs, Calif., or Sun Valley, Idaho, has been reduced to 13,000 miles. This reduced-mileage award is valid for travel through Sept. 2, and travel is not permitted on July 2, 3 or 5. And by booking award travel online, members receive 1,000 bonus miles.
- For a limited time, American Express and Delta are offering a 15-percent bonus for all point-to-mile transfers — just in time for summer vacation.
American Express Membership Rewards members who convert their points into SkyMiles before July 15 will receive a 15-percent bonus.
The process involved is relatively straightforward. To be eligible for the bonus, members must first register for the promotion at http://www.delta.com/amexbonus.
Once registered, go to http://www.americanexpress.com/rewards or call (800) 297-3276 to complete the transfer. A one time 15-percent bonus will be applied to any Membership Rewards points transferred during the promotional period.
Best Bets – June, 29 2004
