Jet Airways Revamp
Jet Airways JetPrivilege has made changes to the program including adding a minimum miles component and a new mileage redemption structure. Last month, the program put into effect a minimum mileage earning of 500 miles for Jet Airways flights of 500 miles or less (375 minimum miles for JetKonnect flights).

For flights of more than 500 miles, JetPrivilege members will continue to get 100 percent of the miles flown on Jet Airways flights and 75 percent of miles flown on JetKonnect. As of Sept. 1, 2014, JetPrivilege members can redeem fewer miles for award flights starting at 5,000 JPMiles for domestic and 6,000 miles for international flights. All charges for award flights other than applicable airport and departure fees and other statutory taxes will be eliminated. Some sectors will see a rise in mileage redemption. “This announcement kick starts the first of the various program enhancements that we plan to unveil at regular intervals for our JetPrivilege members over the next few months,” explained Manish Dureja, managing director of JetPrivilege.

INSIDE|Point: From April 21, 2014, JetPrivilege is a stand-alone company,  Jet Privilege Private Limited (JPPL), resulting from its reorganization with Etihad Airways as a strategic partner. Etihad Airways now holds 50.1 percent of the shares of JPPL while Jet Airways holds the rest. Members retained all of their accrued miles through the transition and will see various changes to the program over the coming months. Those who fly short distances often will especially appreciate the changes to the program and the elimination of extra award charges are always welcome. The program looks to become a more friendly experience for their members.

Qantas and Golf Australia
Qantas Airways and Golf Australia have teamed up to offer Frequent Flyer points to golf aficionados. Qantas Frequent Flyer members who sign up for premium membership in the new online community, Qantas Golf Club, will get 5,000 points. Premium membership comes with access to an official handicap and you must be a resident in Australia and pay for your membership within two months of the launch of Qantas Golf Club. There is also a basic free membership.

Qantas Golf Club members can earn points for playing golf and have the ability to book tee times online at golf courses in Australia, earn Qantas points when playing golf, take advantage of exclusive invitations to attend golf events and participate in tournaments and have access to travel packages to some of the world’s best golf courses. Click HERE to learn more. Qantas Frequent Flyers can also join the annual Qantas Golf Challenge in Queenstown Nov. 23-27, 2014.

Finnair Games
Angry Birds, anyone? If you’ve got a few Finnair Plus points you’d like to burn, you can now spend them on online games through a new partnership with Social Party. The digital media store features games, apps and iTunes gift cards. The Game Shop features Angry Birds Star Wars II for 400 points—less than what members earn from a one-way domestic flight in Finland. To learn more, go HERE.

Asiana AMEX
Through Dec. 31, 2014, Asiana Club members can get up to 38,000 bonus miles after qualifying purchases. You’ll get 10,000 miles after your first purchase plus a further 15,000 miles if you spend $2,500 with the card in the first 90 days for a total 25,000 miles. And if you purchase a roundtrip Asiana ticket by Dec. 31, 2014, from any U.S. gateway city to any destination, you’ll get 13,000 more miles. The card offers three miles for every dollar you spend on Asiana Airlines purchases, two miles on gas and grocery store purchases and one mile for all other purchases.

Benefits include two lounge invitations every year, 10,000-mile bonus certificate every year and an automatic $100 annual rebate on Asiana Airlines ticket purchases which will basically cover the cost of the card with its $99 annual fee. The foreign transaction fee is one percent.

JAL Miles for Athletes and AA Bonus
JAL Mileage Plan members can donate their miles in 2,000-mile donations to sports charities, where JAL will match the donated miles with a one-to-one cash equivalent to be used to support the purchase of sports equipment, help fund travel expenses and sports tournaments and otherwise help support the partner sports associations. You can donate your miles for soccer, rugby, triathlon or para athletes. Go HERE to learn more and donate your miles. JAL Mileage Bank members can earn double miles for American Airlines flights between Dallas and Hong Kong or Shanghai or between Chicago and Shanghai through Dec. 6, 2014. You must register before the flight departure and fly eligible booking classes. go HERE to learn more and to register for the promotion.

JAL Award Sale on US Airways
JAL Mileage Bank members can spend fewer miles for US Airways domestic U.S. economy class flights completed by Oct. 3, 2014. Roundtrip flights up to 1,000 miles (like Los Angeles-Phoenix) are 10,000 miles, down from 15,000 miles; flights from 1,001 to 2,000 miles (like Chicago-Philadelphia) are 15,000 miles, down from 20,000 miles; flights from 2,001 to 4,000 miles (like Chicago-Phoenix) are 16,000 miles, down from 21,000 miles and flights between 4,001 and 6,000 miles (like Los Angeles or San Francisco-Philadelphia) are 27,000 miles, down from 37,000 miles. Fuel surcharges and other taxes will be collected where applicable. Reservations may only be accepted until noon four days (not including the day of departure) before the first segment of the departure date. Go HERE to learn more. JAL is also offering an award sale on LAN and TAM Airlines tickets through Oct. 3, 2014. Roundtrip LAN award flights start at 10,000 miles, down from 15,000 miles (like Lima-Cusco), up to 45,000 miles, down from 55,000 miles (like Los Angeles-Lima). Go HERE to book. TAM Airlines tickets start at 10,000 miles, down from 15,000 miles up to 30,000 miles, down from 40,000 miles for flights between 8,001 and 10,000 miles. Visit HERE to book discount TAM tickets.

Accorhotels’ Get Double Campaign
Le Club Accorhotels members can get double points for eligible stays in Asia Pacific through Nov. 1, 2014. More than 500 of Accor’s Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Sebel, Grand Mercure, Novotel, Mercure and Ibis hotels across Asia Pacific are taking part in the promotion. Bookings must be made through www.accorhotels.com.

Qantas Ends Partnership
As of Oct. 1, 2014, Qantas will non longer partner with South African Airways. The partnership included earning Frequent Flyer points when traveling on SAA domestic flights and members could also redeem points for SAA flights.

INSIDE|Point: SAA has shown favor to Virgin Australia over Qantas so we won’t be surprised if a stronger partnership with Virgin Australia is announced soon. SAA belongs to the Star Alliance but has partnerships with several airlines outside that alliance, including Emirates, EL AL, Etihad and Virgin Atlantic.

Etihad Guest Cargo Miles
Etihad Guest members can now earn miles when transporting pets or personal items like furniture or a car via Etihad Cargo. Members earn tier miles as well as award miles with the shipments according to category. Personal effects earn 1,300 Guest miles and 1,000 tier miles, pets earn 3,000 Guest miles and 3,000 tier miles and vehicles earn 38,000 Guest miles and 9,000 tier miles.

Pets must be sent from Chicago or New York (JFK) only and miles for personal cargo are only offered on freighter routes through Washington, D.C. for members resident in the U.S. It takes up to 45 days after the cargo has been transported for the miles to show up in your Etihad Guest account. To learn more about this new way to earn miles, go HERE.

Avianca LifeMiles Award Changes
As of Oct. 15, 2014, Lifemiles is changing the mileage redemption for Avianca and Star Alliance member airlines. Some mileage amounts will remain the same, some will increase while others will decrease. There is a chart with the new redemption amounts at www.insideflyer.com/link/?11662; but although it displays the new redemption amounts, it does not display the old, so it’s not easy at first glance to see what the changes will be. The only way to determine the current amount is through the online calculator, or you can visit this link that shows the amount that the different awards are going up or down HERE.

Avianca reports that Star Alliance member airlines roundtrip award flights from North America will increase up to 13,000 miles in economy class and up to 26,000 miles in business class. Roundtrip award flights from Mexico on Star Alliance carriers will decrease up to 15,000 miles or increase up to 14,000 miles in economy and decrease up to 20,000 miles or increase up to 28,000 miles in business class.

In other news, LifeMiles announced an increase when buying miles. Until Sept. 30, 2014, the price is 1,000 miles for $30, plus taxes. From Oct. 1, the cost will increase to $33, plus taxes.

INSIDE|Point: The amount of miles required for an award ticket is calculated based on origin and destination and can vary depending on date. To determine the exact amount required for the tickets you would like to redeem for, consult the calculator HERE. LifeMiles says, “To maintain a reasonable relation between the miles we charge for redemptions and the commercial fares available in the market, adjustments are necessary at times.” Although this is mostly bad news for members, with more award flights increasing than staying the same or decreasing, at least the program gave members ample notice. You can book awards at the current levels until Oct. 15, 2014.

Choice Europe
Choice Privileges members in Europe can get enough points for a free night at over 100 participating hotels in Europe or more than 3,400 hotels worldwide after two separate qualifying stays with arrival between Sept. 1 and Nov. 12, 2014. Book at ChoiceHotels.eu or by calling 00800 800 44 800.

Accor Avios Bonus
Book and stay at Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Mecure or Adagio participating hotels and get 1,500 bonus Avios through Sept. 30, 2014. Even a one-night stay qualifies for the 1,000 bonus Avios, there is no limit the bonuses you can earn, but the offer is for new bookings only and advanced reservations are required. Avios must be your earning preference in your Le Club Accorhotels account. Go HERE to learn more.

airberlin topbonus Bonus
You can get an easy 1,000 topbonus award miles by registering with Heinemann & Me Duty Free shops in Germany, Austria or Italy by Dec. 31, 2014 or online at heinemann-shop.com when entering your topbonus card number. Your 1,000 bonus miles will post within two months. Go HERE.

INSIDE|Point: You do not have to purchase any duty free to get the bonus miles. Additionally, when you shop at Heinemann Duty Free, you’ll get one topbonus award mile per euro spent. And if you use your airberlin Visa Card at Heinemann Duty Free, you’ll get an additional two miles through Dec. 31, 2014.

Air Asia and WCT
Air Asia BIG Loyalty Programme and WCT Group of Companies (WCT) have launched a joint loyalty program where members can earn Air Asia BIG points when shopping, dining and hotel stays. The program includes properties under the WCT umbrella such as Paradigm Mall Petaling Jaya (two BIG points for every RM1 spent), Premiere Hotel in Klang (one BIG point for every RM1 spent, up to 1,000 points per receipt on rooms and food and beverage) and the newly opened gateway@klia2 shopping mall in KLIA2 (Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2; one BIG point for every RM1 spent, with daily maximum of 1,000 points per receipt). To sign up for the WCT-AirAsiaBIG card, proceed to the concierge counter located on Level CC of Paradigm Mall or at Level 2 and 3 Concierge Counter, gateway@klia2; or at the reception counter of Premiere Hotel Klang.

Air New Zealand AMEX Card
American Express and Air New Zealand have launched the first annual-fee free Airpoints card. New Zealanders can enjoy the card with no annual card fees, membership or joining fees. Cardholders earn one Airpoints Dollar for every NZ$100 spent on the card, with an additional Airpoints Dollar per every NZ$100 spent at airnz.co.nz for the first 12 months of card membership. To apply for the card, go HERE.

Flying Blue’s Opinion Rewards Club
AIR FRANCE / KLM Flying Blue members can earn 250 miles when joining Opinion Rewards Club and completing your first survey. As you continue to take surveys with subjects ranging from travel experiences to business trends, loyalty programs and more, you’ll earn more miles. You’ll earn around 50 miles with each survey with a 100-mile bonus after you’ve completed your 10th survey. Click HERE to sign up. You must be a Flying Blue member and reside in the United States.

Czech Gothenburg Bonus
Czech Airlines OK Plus members can earn bonus miles on new Gothenburg routes. Fly between Prague and Gothenburg, Sweden or between Hamburg, Germany and Gothenburg  and you can earn double miles for flights purchased in business, economy flex, economy plus and economy standard. OK Plus members must purchase the flights by Nov. 30, 2014 and complete travel by Dec. 31, 2014. Registration for the bonus promotion is required. Go HERE to learn more.

Qantas, Buy Business, Get First
Qantas flyers who buy a business class flight can get first class in one direction between Sydney and Hong Kong through Sept. 28, 2014. The fare classes eligible for the deal include J, C, D and I. First class provides a fully flat, extra wide bed and restaurant-style dining designed by Neil Perry. Go HERE to learn more and to book your flight. You will get points and status credits at the first class earning rates on the upgraded flight sector.

Etihad Airways’ Investments
Etihad has announced a 560-million euro tie-up with Alitalia and is acquiring 75 percent of Alitalia’s frequent flyer program. Etihad plans to add two new non-airline partners into Alitalia’s program (as yet unnamed) to move the program from a frequent flyer program to a “lifestyle” program. James Hogan, Etihad Airways president and chief executive, was asked at a press conference if the airline is planning to also buy a stake in Philippine Airlines or Malaysia Airlines.

Philippine Airlines has been struggling and is looking for an equity investor. Hogan said, “We’re not having any talks with Philippine Airlines.” Malaysia Airlines is also struggling and Hogan said that they have not spoken to that airline, but, “[If] it integrates with our network, has minimal overlap and we believe we can see synergies we’ll consider it.”

INSIDE|Point: Etihad Airways owns portions of Jet Airways and airberlin’s frequent flyer programs and both programs are continuing under the same name.