Intelligence – September, 23 2010

Intelligence – September, 23 2010

Southwest Airlines and Starwood Preferred Guest are now partners. SPG members can earn 0.5 Rapid Rewards credit for each stay at a Starwood Hotel or transfer 1,500 points for one credit, plus a bonus of 3.5 credits when you transfer at least 20,000 points. …

Frontier Airlines is moving its seasonal service between Milwaukee and Tampa service to the St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport, which is 12 miles away from the Tampa airport. In addition to the Milwaukee service, Frontier will begin seasonal nonstop service between St. Petersburg/Clearwater and Omaha on Jan. 16, 2011. …

American Eagle has launched nonstop service between New York LaGuardia and Charlotte, N.C. with CRJ-700 jet aircraft that now feature nine first class seats. …

Southwest Airlines’ CEO, Gary Kelly, says that the airline will have a “bigger push and stronger message for business travel over the next 12 months.” The airline will offer wireless Internet onboard by 2013 and revamp its frequent flyer program. …

Aeromar and Continental Airlines have signed a frequent flyer program agreement. OnePass members can now earn and redeem on flights operated by Mexico’s Aeromar and Continental international first and business class passengers, Presidents Club members and Star Alliance Gold customers may access Aeromar’s Salon Diamante lounge in Mexico City. …

Air Canada is adding daily nonstop flights between Toronto and New Orleans starting Oct. 30, 2010. …

Brazil’s TAM and Chile’s LAN have entered into a preliminary agreement to merge under a single company called LATAM Airlines Group, although officials said that both airlines would retain their existing identities and continue to operate separately, each with its own management. …

The number of international airline travelers who flew first and business class during June 2010 posted a 16.6 percent year-over-year gain, according to the International Air Transport Association, and the number of economy flyers rose 9.5 percent in June. …

JetBlue plans to launch daily service from New York (JFK) to Providenciales (PLS), in the Turks & Caicos Islands effective in Feb. 17, 2011, subject to government approval and seasonal (November through April) Saturday only service from Boston Logan International beginning Feb. 19, 2011. …

Delta will begin nonstop service this fall between Honolulu and Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Seattle, San Francisco and Salt Lake City. Delta also has announced plans to add nonstop flights between Honolulu and Nagoya, Japan, effective Dec. 22, 2010. …

Delta Air Lines now serves more than 160 million customers each year. …

Joint venture partners British Airways and American Airlines are expected to co-ordinate their schedules as of next year and add new destinations in the U.S. and Europe. …

Alaska Airlines’ new nonstop service between Bellingham, Wash. and Honolulu will begin Jan. 7, 2011. …

Aeroplan members can now book hotel stays at aircanada.com and earn one mile per $1 CAD spent for each “Best Value” hotel stay booked online.