Happy Christmas from GIB

US Airways Leaves Star Alliance March 31

US Airways is leaving the Star Alliance to join oneworld March 31, 2014.  This all is happening very quickly.  Star Alliance miles can be used for flights after March 31 if the flights are booked before March 31; everything else goes away.  No lounge access, no earning miles, no free checked bags, no early boarding, no nothing after March 30 for Star Alliance members.  Also US Airways miles won’t work for Star Alliance flights booked after March 30. 

New Paint Coming Soon

I liked having US Airways around to inexpensively acquire United elite miles.  It was also nice to have because they served Long Beach, have a red eye Denver to Charlotte, and better served Savannah. US Airways used to be a miserable experience 8 years ago when they were racing to the bottom and charged even for water.  That strategy didn’t work and the airline improved their onboard experience to be comparable or slightly better to other major US carriers.  They also purchased dozens of new Airbus jets, further improving their product.  I’ll miss flying them.

A New Logo Fixes Everything

I was on the oneworld website today (they won a few more 'best alliance' awards) and spotted a tail icon I did not recognize.  

Finnair, ???, JAL, LAN

Unknown to me, Iberia rebranded.  I liked their old logo, so this is unwelcome news.  The airline won't work any different, but a new logo fixes all the structural problems facing legacy flag carriers. I included a video about the new logo if you are really interested.  

United Selling Elite Miles at Check In

Need some extra United elite miles, but don't want to spend a day or two flying around?  Well United is happy to sell you elite miles, five for a dollar.  Yes, 20 cents a mile.  That's a miserable rate.  I booked a mileage run for December at only 5 cents an elite mile, but that earns redeemable miles too.  The amounts they offered to sell me also don't get me across any particular mileage threshold either.  You also have to buy the same number of redeemable miles in the same transaction, further increasing the cost.  Sounds like a great idea ruined by a bad pricing model.

Miserable Value - United Trying to Sell Elite Miles

Frontier Airlines Discount Code December 2

Save 15% on your next Frontier Airlines flight with the coupon code CYBER15.

Frontier A319 at Denver

Frontier Airlines will offer a 15% discount on domestic fares on Monday, December 2, 2013. Tickets must be purchased by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on December 2, 2013. The discount will apply to regular and sale fares for domestic travel from January 6, 2014, through March 5, 2014, for flights operating Monday through Saturday. Blackout dates of February 13-17, 2014, as well as all fare rules will apply.

Long Way To Go In 2013

I need to fly 16,200 miles to reach my status goal before the end of the year.  Put another way, that's a round trip from EWR to HKG (a flight United has, but I have not booked).  To make this math worse, I am not flying this week.  I can make it though and have 90% of those miles booked.  I just need a work trip or some very good luck finding out of the way standby options. I'm not too worried, it is only a game after all.

A few trips on a 767 will help

US Airways Company Store Sale

US Airways' company store is offering free shipping on orders greater than $25 and 20% all items with coupon code HOLIDAY.  I've purchased from them before and they do a great job; it also might be one of the last opportunities to buy US Airways branded gear.

US Airways A320's at CLT