Fairmont Rewards Chase Credit Card Program

Fairmont Presidents Club (FPC) is less about rewarding spend and more about customizing the onsite experience (I did score a four night stay in Barbados from them for spending 61 nights in a year along with 4 other free nights and several meals, so it is somewhat rewarding).  Since free nights are awarded based on number of nights stayed, not dollars spent, this model doesn't work for a credit card points program. Rather than fit into FPC, Chase made up their own program.  I confirmed with Fairmont that FPC is not switching to Chase's model and all hotels will be ranked the same in FPC.  I don't think Chase's chart is the most rewarding award chat around, but it isn't terrible. The sign up bonus is two free nights, not bad, but I don't need to stay at a Fairmont any time soon, so I won't get the card.  Also, The Plaza in New York has special rules constraining awards, so don't plan on booking a free night there soon.

View from Outside the Fairmont San Francisco

Here's the trick for booking The Plaza.  There is a limited number of free nights Fairmont is allotted at The Plaza per month. You can call Fairmont, find a month that's open, usually six or more out, and book a room for the number of nights you want.  This holds those free nights for you.  Call back later and shift the reservation to another time that month when your plans are finalized, the nights are yours and you can use them any time that month.  There is no fee and as long as standard rooms are available on your new dates, no hassle.  

Heineken Slushy - United First Class Drink

The Heineken Slushy is an off menu drink item for United Airlines first class customers. It's a frozen can of Heineken that comes out in a slushy consistency.  United puts their beer on top of the ice in the catering carts and if the beer sits there long enough, you get a Heineken slushy.  I've only had these as pre-departure drinks and only with Heineken.  Some passengers may find it a nuisance, but I like the humor of it.

United Airlines' Heineken Slushy, Off Menu

Spending Miles On Short Notice

Yesterday a friend sent me a note saying he has July off and was wondering if I would like to go on a trip.  Absolutely was my answer (not taking summer classes, so I have a bit of free time).  I started looking on United.com for long haul award flights to see where we can go (long haul flights are the biggest constraint in planning, getting from your home city to the gateway airport is easier).  The key here is tracking the results, because you can only search one day at a time.  Here’s an example of my tracking format.  Dates are on the left and the different routes across the top.  I track the class availability in the cells with a little code for cabin and connections (Y for direct coach, Cc for connecting Business, Y(UA) United 747 coach warning).  The data can change at any time, but it is static enough to not need to refresh daily, but just before calling to book.

Availability Tracking Example

World's Most Valuable Boarding Card from Austrian Airlines

"World's most valuable boarding card" is one of my favorite ongoing promotions by an airline.  Austrian Airlines wanted to promote a free stopover in Vienna, similar to Iceland Air and others, but Austrian took the extra step of turning their boarding pass into a tourist discount card.  Discounts are available at numerous attractions, shops, and restaurants around town.  Here’s the current list.  The promotion has extended to other Austrian destinations too.  If you are going to Vienna (my favorite capital in Europe), I recommend their Vienna Card too.

Nice View Of Vienna

Lets Play On The Slide

Is American offering rides on the slide?  Count me in!

American Airlines 757 With Emergency Slide Deployed

There's No Hope

I'm traveling for work this week and there is no hope for an upgrade.  Two US Airways segments then three Delta segments; I'm doomed to coach.  I'll be going through Milwaukee and Frontier's recent move to stop almost all Milwaukee flying is having an immediate impact by limiting my options and increasing my costs.  I never knew how much I depended on Midwest Express until they disappeared.  They also gave out warm cookies in coach, I could sure use one this week.

US Airways A319 at CLT

United Airlines A319 First Class Lunch / Dinner

Even the flight attendants are excited about the shrimp salad.  It’s also the most consistent offering for lunch or dinner, so you won’t be surprised like with strange looking wraps.  I was flying from John Wayne to Denver around lunch on a United Airbus A319.  The first class lunch offerings on the two hour flight were a warm wrap or a cold shrimp salad, both came with soup.  I went for the salad.  It has six peeled shrimp on a large collection of lettuce and other salad parts.  It is a filling portion size and fairly colorful and diverse.  It came with two vinaigrette dressing cups, croutons, small side of fruit, roll, and a delicious gumbo soup.  United’s soup is superb and the gumbo, Cajun something at least, is the best yet. 

United Airlines First Shrimp Salad Lunch

The flight was fairly bumpy once we got over Colorado.  The crew made a quick and friendly service in the 8 person first class cabin.  Once the turbulence started, everyone took their seats and buckled in tight.  We also had an aborted landing due to unfavorable winds.  On the glide in, the engines suddenly wound up and we gained altitude and made a 90 degree turn.  We landed on the second try and the cabin applauded (this was more unsettling for me than the textbook go around just executed).  The cockpit crew explained what happened once we pulled onto the taxi way and made this irregular operation seem commonplace.  The professionalism of United’s pilots is second to none.