It’s pretty rare these days for an airline loyalty program to offer a compelling new member bonus. An exception has recently been the Qatar Airways Privilege Club, which has been offering bonuses for new members for several months. The bonus for new members of Qatar AirwaysAt this moment The Qatar Airways Privilege Club offers new members up to 7,500 bonus miles and 50 Qpoints. This is how the bonus is distributed for those who register with the promotion code OAT3SMQ121:
There are a few terms that you should be aware of as you would expect:
Qatar Airways miles expire after three years of inactivity. In other words, the 2,500 bonus miles that you receive as part of the bonus won’t expire on you anytime soon. For context, here are the common Qpoints requirements for different status levels to give you an idea of how far 50 Qpoints will get you: As you can see, silver status typically requires 150 Qpoints, so with 50 Qpoints you can go a third of the way to get there. Is this offer worth it?While I love flying Qatar Airways, the Privilege Club program hasn’t historically been high on my list of most popular frequent flyer programs. There have been better frequent flyer programs around the world in terms of mileage opportunities and elite perks. Besides that:
Earn bonus miles when you sign up for the Privilege Club Bottom lineQatar Airways offers members who register with no activity requirements 2,500 bonus miles as well as an additional 5,000 miles and 50 Qpoints after completing a flight with Qatar Airways. This is a solid offer, especially for those who could potentially benefit from the Qatar Airways student frequent flyer program (which in and of itself is a reason to join the Privilege Club). Are non-Privilege Club members planning to take advantage of this promotion? Via https://globalconnekt.com/qatar-airways-privilege-club-new-member-bonus/
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An Air France 777 was just destroyed by Greenpeace at Charles de Gaulle Airport. Greenpeace “paints” Air France 777 greenToday a group of Greenpeace protesters painted an Air France 777 green at Charles de Gaulle Airport. It is unknown how exactly they managed to bypass security and get onto the tarmac (but that seems like a security risk and someone should be held accountable) but they did. They sprayed the plane for quite a while in white suits with the words “Greenwashing in Progress” written on it.
The aircraft that was spray painted was an Air France 777-200ER with registration code F-GSPB. The plane was delivered to the airline in 1998 and has not flown for almost a year. The last flight for this aircraft was on March 17, 2020 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Greenpeace, it is a non-governmental environmental organization that calls itself “non-violent creative action to pave the way for a greener, more peaceful world and to face the systems that threaten our environment” describes. What was Greenpeace’s motive?Greenpeace is angry because the organization believes that a significant reduction in air traffic is needed to address climate change. This is how the Greenpeace website describes its actions and attitudes:
In particular, Greenpeace argues that:
If you are wondering how politicians are taking this feedback, the answer seems to be “not very good”. Greenpeace France tweeted to French Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, saying the following:
Djebbari simply replied to this tweet by saying:
Bottom lineGreenpeace managed to break into the safe area of Charles de Gaulle Airport and spray an Air France 777 green as part of an environmental protest. The organization does this a few days before the French government discusses a climate change law.
Via https://globalconnekt.com/air-france-777-destroyed-by-greenpeace/
Man, and here I was thinking the nasal coronavirus test was awkward. China’s Controversial Coronavirus Anal TestChina’s borders are largely closed to foreigners, and those arriving from abroad are subject to closely monitored quarantine. The quarantine is now not only up to 21 days, but also includes several tests during the entire quarantine. It is reported that China recently began rigorously demanding anal swab tests for COVID-19 at certain airports, which has sparked complaints from tourists, diplomats and others. The Japanese government recently complained about this policy after some Japanese visitors said they were in “severe mental pain” as a result of the tests. This way, a sterile cotton swab is inserted 3 to 5 centimeters (1.2 to 2 inches) into the anus before twisting and then removing it. As an alternative, and in response to objections from some governments, selected foreign visitors are now allowed to submit stool samples. The anal coronavirus test is in addition to the nasal test – for example, during a 21-day quarantine it may be normal to do two nasal tests as well as two anal tests. Why analThe alleged reason for these anal swabs is that traces of coronavirus are detectable in the anus for much longer than in the airways. The virus lives longer in the anus than it does in the airways, which means anal tests may give fewer false negative results. The general strategy seems to be to do a breath test first and then an anal test in the following weeks. A positive test doesn’t necessarily mean someone can spread the virus – it’s believed that inactive traces that can’t replicate can also show a positive result. Bottom lineWhile China’s borders are largely closed, those traveling from abroad will not only be placed in quarantine for up to 21 days, but will also be asked to perform multiple anal coronavirus tests. A cotton swab is inserted 3-5 centimeters into the anus, twisted and then removed. I am curious how long this test guideline will last. We hope that coronavirus sniffers are the future of testing and not these anal swabs … Via https://globalconnekt.com/china-needs-anal-coronavirus-test-for-travelers/ American Airlines just gave employees an incentive to get vaccinated after Marriott made a similar announcement yesterday. American Airlines promotes vaccination for employeesAmerican Airlines employees who receive the COVID-19 vaccine will get an extra day of vacation in 2022 and $ 50 in non-stop Thank You Credit Points. This incentive is available to all US-based principal and wholly-owned subsidiaries. Obviously, not everyone is eligible for the vaccine yet, so this is an opportunity that will continue to be available once the vaccine becomes available to everyone. This was disclosed in a notice to employees of American Airlines CEO Doug Parker and American Airlines President Robert Isom, which read in part as follows:
American Airlines encourages employees to get vaccinated Well done Americans!Just like I said about Marriott yesterday, I think this concept is well thought out by Americans. We’ve seen a lot of travel brands talk about the importance of vaccinations, but we haven’t seen them create incentives for vaccinations. For example, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has stated that he would like vaccination to be mandatory for all employees. He stated that other companies would have to adopt a similar stance to do this or United would not be able to “get away” with it. I think American is taking exactly the right approach here – they are giving employees an incentive to get vaccinated without forcing them first. Ultimately, it is important that employees in the travel industry are vaccinated – it’s not just about protecting them, it’s also about protecting travelers, as most early studies suggest that vaccinated people are less likely to spread coronavirus as well. While this is a nice initiative on the part of the Americans, there are some airlines that have achieved more impressive milestones (ultimately due to vaccination progress in other countries). Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi, was recently the first major airline to vaccinate all pilots and flight attendants. The company has not mandated this, but has stated that those who fail to get vaccinated will not be entitled to sick leave or health insurance benefits from the company in the event they contract a coronavirus. All Etihad pilots and flight attendants were vaccinated A few days later, Israel-based EL AL was the first major airline to vaccinate all employees with customer contact. The United Arab Emirates and Israel were the top two countries in terms of vaccination per capita. Bottom lineAmerican Airlines is offering employees an incentive to vaccinate by offering an extra day of vacation in 2022 and a $ 50 reward. While the reward won’t be life changing, it’s a nice touch and more than we’ve seen from any other US carrier. What do you think of America’s vaccination incentive? Via https://globalconnekt.com/american-airlines-employee-vaccination-incentive/ While miles and points are the focus of this blog, sometimes it is fun to check out some of the other travel experiences. With that in mind, I wanted to take a closer look at the Four Seasons private jet, which is a pretty unique (and expensive!) Experience. It’s an especially exciting time for this concept as Four Seasons will fly a brand new jet with its upcoming trips. What is the Four Seasons private jet?Four Seasons is known for its world class hotels and many people follow the brand almost blindly and will visit somewhere because there is a Four Seasons. Well, in 2014, Four Seasons took its hospitality concept to the next level with the launch of the Four Seasons private jet. The concept is simple – Four Seasons essentially developed some kind of luxury air cruise concept – a few dozen people can travel the world on a semi-private jet, experiencing all kinds of amazing destinations and hotels in the process, without the hassle that comes with it. I think the main attraction of this concept is how seamless everything is – you just pop up and all the other details are taken care of for you. If you are a very independent traveler who loves planning your own itineraries, or if you are looking for the lowest possible price, this concept is probably not for you. New Four Seasons Private Jet (A321LR)Previously, the Four Seasons private jet was a Boeing 757-200 with 52 seats. Well, Four Seasons is getting a completely new plane. From 2021, the new Four Seasons private jet will be an Airbus A321LR. This is currently the most widespread version of the popular Airbus A320 Family aircraft, with a range of up to 4,000 nm in a standard configuration (the range of this aircraft is likely to be significantly greater as it has fewer passengers) Four Seasons private jet Airbus A321LR exterior The Four Seasons A321LR will only offer 48 fully flat seats spread across 12 rows in a 2-2 configuration.
Not only does each seat transform into a bed, but the stools are even designed so that a guest can sit on them for personal interactions.
These aren’t the most private business class seats you will find there. Note, however, that they plan these itineraries so that the flights are not too long as they move around the globe in logical order (unlike some others, which are in miles & points). The A321LR will also have a bar and social area. According to Four Seasons, this area is used for “craftsmen to showcase their talents and their craft in interactive workshops”. In the social area, too, the guests have “the opportunity to meet Four Seasons master chefs and mixologists, wellness experts as well as art and culture lovers and learn from them in order to have an enriching flight experience.”
The bathrooms are also designed to be some of the largest you will find on this type of aircraft and to make you feel more homely.
This is a ridiculously fancy Airbus A321. La Compagnie has an A321neo in a business class configuration with fully flat seats, but this aircraft has 76 seats. The fact that this aircraft only has 48 seats gives you an idea of how spacious and exclusive it is. Here is a video about the new Four Seasons private jet: Here’s how the Four Seasons Hotel Operations President describes the Four Seasons private jet experience:
Four Seasons private jet travelFour Seasons typically releases private jets up to two years in advance. Most trips take about three weeks. Some focus entirely on specific regions while others are truly global. As mentioned above, the Four Seasons private jet flies only during the day and generally aims to arrive at its destination in the late afternoon. The overnight stay is usually in the Four Seasons. In places where Four Seasons doesn’t have accommodations, stay at another five-star hotel instead. Obviously, some of the upcoming trips are likely to be in the air due to travel restrictions due to the coronavirus. Four Seasons will reschedule all itineraries as needed and also currently offer a flexible booking policy. Here are the upcoming Four Seasons private jet trips: Four Seasons World of Adventure 2021The “World of Adventures” Four Seasons private jet trip will run from May 28 to June 20, 2021 and will cost $ 170,000 per passenger (based on double occupancy). This trip takes you from Seattle to Kyoto, Bali, the Seychelles, Rwanda, Marrakech, Bogota, the Galapagos Islands and Miami. Four Seasons Ancient Explorer 2021The private jet tour “Ancient Explorer” Four Seasons will operate from October 5-28, 2021 and will cost US $ 167,000 per passenger (based on double occupancy). This trip leads from Miami to Mexico City, to Easter Island, to Bora Bora, to the Great Barrier Reef, to Bangkok or Koh Samui, to Jordan, to the pyramids, to Athens, to Madrid. Four Seasons International Intrigue 2021The “International Intrigue” Four Seasons private jet tour runs from November 27th to December 20th, 2021 and costs USD 163,000 per passenger (based on double occupancy). This trip leads from Seattle to Kyoto, to Hoi An, to the Maldives, to Serengeti, to Marrakech, to Budapest, to St. Petersburg, to Paris. Four seasons of timeless encounters in 2022The Timeless Encounters Four Seasons private jet cruise runs from March 14 to April 6, 2022 and costs USD 168,000 per passenger (based on double occupancy). This trip leads from Kona to Bora Bora, to Sydney, to Bali, to Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai, to the Taj Mahal, to Dubai, to Prague, to London. Four Seasons Ancient Explorer 2022The “Ancient Explorer” Four Seasons private jet tour will run from April 8 to May 1, 2022 and will cost $ 170,000 per passenger (based on double occupancy). This trip leads from Miami to Mexico City, to Easter Island, to Bora Bora, to the Great Barrier Reef, to Bangkok or Koh Samui, to Wadi Rum and Petra, to the pyramids, to Taormina, to Madrid. What Does Four Seasons Private Jet Travel Include?Of course, the price of the Four Seasons private jet is high, but luckily there is a lot in it. All Four Seasons private jet experiences include the following:
The Four Seasons private jet has a crew of 14 What is not included in the Four Seasons private jet?
My take on the Four Seasons private jetI have some general thoughts on the Four Seasons private jet concept in no particular order:
Bottom lineThe Four Seasons private jet is sure to be a fascinating concept, especially when Four Seasons upgrades its jet from a 757-200 to an A321LR. It goes without saying that this is not for everyone, both in terms of budget and travel style. If money is not an issue, you want to visit some pretty great places and have all the details done for you, I can’t think of a better way to travel than this. But luckily, if you don’t have tens of millions of dollars and / or are more of an independent traveler, there are plenty of other great experiences out there. What do you think of the Four Seasons private jet concept? If money weren’t an object, would you book a trip like this or would you rather plan it independently? Via https://globalconnekt.com/guide-to-four-seasons-private-jet-experiences/
In the interest of full disclosure, OMAAT will receive a referral bonus for anyone approved through some of the links below. These are the best publicly available offers (terms apply) we’ve found for any product or service. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, not those of the bank, credit card issuer, airline, hotel chain or product manufacturer / service provider and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these companies. For more information on our partners, see our Advertiser Policy. Thanks for your support!
Delta SkyMiles is not my preferred mileage currency, but one of the things I love about SkyMiles is that they have a higher “floor” value for miles than American and United. This means you may be able to “cash out” SkyMiles for the cost of a ticket at a cheaper rate than AAdvantage and MileagePlus. All of this is thanks to Delta’s “Pay with Miles” feature, with which you can redeem miles for the cost of a Delta purchase at the cost of one cent each. In this post I wanted to see how that works. Delta Amex cards with special bonusesWe’ll talk more about Delta Pay With Miles below. The basic idea, however, is that if you have a co-branded Delta Amex card, you can redeem your SkyMiles for a dime for a Delta ticket. This is useful in connection with the currently increased bonuses on Delta Amex cards, which are valid for applications through April 28, 2021. These offers include the following:
As you can see, these bonuses offer 70,000 to 90,000 SkyMiles, enough to travel with Delta worth at least $ 700 to $ 900. And that doesn’t even include the bank statement balances or elite miles on some cards. How much are Delta Miles worth?Personally, I value Delta SkyMiles at just over a cent each. I’m conservative about how miles are valued simply because you’re sticking to a currency that can be easily devalued (and in the case of SkyMiles, in fact, it is devalued a lot, especially with international affiliate awards). I always hope there are good deals on redeeming in international business class, either traveling with Delta or traveling with a partner airline. However, this is not always possible these days.
For many people, it’s much more practical to redeem for domestic travel only anyway. This is one of the areas where Delta SkyMiles can be a great program. I know a lot of people get frustrated by miles, so I don’t think it’s worth earning miles with some airlines, be it flying or credit cards. Delta Pay With MilesThe good news is that unlike some other point currencies, SkyMiles has a legitimate minimum value as SkyMiles can be redeemed as cash for the cost of a ticket. If you have a Delta co-branded credit card, this is what you can do Redeem SkyMiles for one penny for the cost of a ticket in increments of 5,000 miles. In other words, if a ticket is $ 200, you can choose to:
Best of all, these are still considered “paid” tickets for all practical purposes. Let’s look at some details about how this program works. Who is Eligible for Delta Pay With Miles?The Pay With Miles benefit is only available to those with Delta co-branded credit cards. This includes all seven co-branded cards, including the blue, gold, platinum, and reserve business and personal cards (the blue only has a personal version). If you have Elite status in and of yourself with Delta, you will not have access to this program.
Do you earn MQMs / MQSs on Delta Pay With Miles Tickets?Yes, you can earn Delta Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQMs) and Medallion Qualifying Segments (MQS) for tickets booked through Pay With Miles. This is one of the reasons the program is particularly popular with elite members. The tickets that you redeem your miles for can still help you qualify for elite status. Do you earn MQDs on Delta Pay With Miles Tickets?Delta Pay With Miles tickets can earn Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs), but only for the portion of the ticket that you are paying for in cash and not the portion of the ticket that will be used in miles. Do you earn redeemable miles for Delta Pay With Miles tickets?Delta Pay With Miles tickets can be earned for redeemable miles. However, you will only earn these miles based on the part of the ticket for which you paid cash. As a reminder, SkyMiles members earn the following number of redeemable miles:
Can you upgrade Delta Pay With Miles Tickets?Delta Pay With Miles tickets are no different from any other cash upgrade ticket. If you are a Medallion member who would otherwise be eligible for free upgrades, you are also eligible for a Pay With Miles ticket. The exception is if you are using Pay With Miles to offset the cost of a basic economy ticket as these tickets cannot be upgraded. Delta Pay With Miles tickets can be updated in the same way as paid tickets Is there a limit to the number of tickets that you can purchase with Miles Tickets?No, as long as you have enough SkyMiles, you can use the option for as many tickets as you want. How do I book a Delta Pay With Miles ticket?The process is really simple. First, you will need to log into your eligible SkyMiles account on delta.com (this applies to the account linked to your credit card). Then just search for flights as usual. “Pay with Miles Eligible” will be displayed under the eligible itineraries. Once you have selected the flight and fare you want, switch to the trip overview page. If you scroll down you can choose how many miles to redeem to offset the cost of the ticket. Once you’ve selected the miles you want to redeem, you’ll even see how many redeemable miles, MQMs and MQDs you will earn. For example, if you want to redeem 50,000 miles for the above first class ticket, you pay just $ 26.20. Then you would collect MQMs for the ticket as usual, but not earn MQDs or redeemable miles, as the entire ticket costs (minus part of the taxes and fees) are covered by miles. Is Delta Pay With Miles Good Business?People have very different attitudes towards this program. I know some Delta Loyalists who always redeem their miles this way, while personally I wouldn’t redeem my miles that way. Why Some People Love Delta Pay With MilesIn many cases, it appears to be Delta’s most loyal customers who like Pay With Miles. One of the big challenges that many frequent flyers face is that they earn tons of miles but don’t really want to spend them as they are on the hamster wheel with elite status and want to earn elite miles for their trip (as well as being able to Deltas credit cards also help you achieve elite status, this program is a great solution for these people. Likewise, this is a useful program for casual flyers who don’t want to deal with the complexities of frequent flyer programs. There is something to be said that there is a minimum value for miles because I can see a lot of people redeeming American and United miles for well under a cent worth per point. Why I don’t think Delta Pay With Miles is good businessPersonally, I like to try to redeem miles for international first and business class tickets where I can get oversized value. If you get a full penny per SkyMile when you redeem with Pay With Miles, I’d say that’s pretty solid value, but that doesn’t take into account the miles you forego with Pay With Miles. For example, let’s say you redeem 10,000 miles to save $ 100 on a ticket. If you fail to pay that $ 100 in cash, you will forego: In other words, you’re sacrificing 1,000-1,600 points by not spending that $ 100 on flights. Ultimately, you have to subtract this from what you otherwise get, and as a result, I would say that with this method you get closer to 0.8-0.9 cents worth per mile. That being said, partner withdrawals are nowhere near as good as they used to be. There are definitely still ways to get more than a penny per mile value, but SkyMiles takes some effort. Bottom lineMany people choose not to earn SkyMiles because they think affiliate redemptions are hard to come by and expensive. While this is largely true, there is something to be said that there is a minimum value for SkyMiles. In the context of these Delta Credit Card Welcome Bonuses, it means that with these offers (and potentially many more) you can get trips with Delta worth anywhere from $ 700 to $ 900. For those with SkyMiles, do you use your miles for Pay With Miles or do you prefer to use them? Via https://globalconnekt.com/delta-pay-with-miles-everything-you-need-to-know/
Via https://globalconnekt.com/12-most-famous-paintings-of-all-time/ The excellent American Business Extra program is currently offering a great bonus for new members who register and fly within 90 days. Once you fly, you’ll earn enough points to upgrade within the US. What is American Business Extra?For those of you who are unfamiliar, Business Extra is American Airlines’ small business rewards program. This is done on top of AAdvantage, which means you get double immersion – you can earn miles with AAdvantage and earn points with Business Extra on a specific flight. This program earns you two points for every $ 10 you spend on eligible flights. While you won’t earn as many points as you would with AAdvantage, the redemption rates are also much lower. The other cool thing is that you can have points added to your Business Extra account from multiple people and you should see rewards build up over time. You can redeem your Business Extra points for all kinds of things, from free flights to upgrades, nominating a person for AAdvantage Gold status, to Admirals Club memberships. Here is a guide to the program that is easy to join if you are eligible. Earn 650 points for joining Business ExtraAs View from the Wing notes, Business Extra currently has a great sign up bonus:
Since you typically earn one point for every $ 5, this is the same as the points you would normally earn for $ 3,250. My preferred use of Business Extra points is to redeem them for BXP1 which requires 650 points (just like this bonus). With a BXP1, you get a segment and cabin upgrade in the US. There are some restrictions on fare classes, but I find this to be a great option for securing upgrades on routes that I don’t think I would apply for a free upgrade on. Bottom lineYou can earn 650 Business Extra bonus points if you sign up for the program by March 31, 2021 and fly within 90 days. If you are not a member but are traveling in the coming months it can be extremely worthwhile (although it may be worth pausing registration as you will have to fly within 90 days). Will anyone take advantage of this American Business Extra promotion? Via https://globalconnekt.com/american-airlines-business-extra-bonus-for-new-members/
In the interest of full disclosure, OMAAT will receive a referral bonus for anyone approved through some of the links below. The information and related card details on this page for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card have been independently collected by OMAAT and have not been verified or provided by the card issuer. These are the best publicly available offers (terms apply) we’ve found for any product or service. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, not those of the bank, credit card issuer, airline, hotel chain or product manufacturer / service provider. They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these companies. For more information on our partners, see our Advertiser Policy. Thanks for your support!
In mid-January, Hilton Honors launched its current Point Purchased Promotion, which corresponds to the best promotions offered by the program. This is a reminder as the current offer will expire in a few days. Buy Hilton Points with 100% bonusUntil Friday, March 5, 2021, Hilton Honors is offering a 100% bonus to members Purchase points. With this promotion you will receive a 100% bonus as long as you earn at least 10,000 points in a transaction prior to the bonus. A 100% bonus is as good as buying Hilton points, and we see this promotion from Hilton quite a lot. The cost of buying points at Hilton is usually one cent per point (including tax) which means that with a 100% bonus you would only pay 0.5 cents per point. When you’ve made the most of this promotion, you can earn a total of 160,000 Honors Points for $ 800. Nowadays, Hilton accounts allow you to combine accounts across accounts for free. So in reality, you can buy a lot more points simply by buying them across accounts and then consolidating them. This can also come in handy when you find yourself in a situation where a friend or family member is getting a bigger bonus than you. Hilton Honors points will expire after 12 months of inactivity, although any type of activity will reset the expiration of your points. Should you buy Hilton Points for 0.5 cents each?A few years ago, Hilton radically changed its Honors program. Hilton got rid of its traditional award table and switched to more variable prices. The good news is that there is still value to be had, and the program has for the most part limited how many points hotels cost. The highest cost for a standard room is 95,000 points per night (note that some hotels have higher rates, but only if no standard rooms are available). The two exceptions are the Waldorf Astoria properties in the Maldives and Los Cabos, which cost 120,000 points per night. Both before and after the changes, I value Hilton Honors Points at ~ 0.5 cents each, so this price is exactly what I estimate for them. However, there are instances when you can get a lot more value with Hilton points. For example, I was at Conrad Bora Bora at the end of 2018 and had a spectacular stay. Cannot recommend this hotel enough and plan to return. The prices for points vary throughout the year, although accommodation generally costs 80,000 to 85,000 points per night. If you are an Honors Elite member, receive the fifth night free on award redemptions. So if you stay five nights and get a fifth night free at 85,000 points per night, you will pay an average of 68,000 Honors Points per night. At 0.5 cents per point, that’s the equivalent of paying $ 340 a night, which is spectacular. Let’s compare that to a normal price paid in the off-season. If you stay five nights and book the absolute cheapest prepaid rate, you’ll pay just over $ 4,000. Alternatively, you can redeem 320,000 Honors Points. If you purchase these points for ~ 0.5 cents each, that equates to paying $ 1,600. Not only is this a 60% discount, it also gives you a much more flexible cancellation policy. There are also many circumstances in which you can add value in mid-sized hotels. For example, I also redeemed 30,000 Honors Points for one night at the Tallinn Hilton if the price paid had been over EUR 500. Talk about a damn good deal. In addition, Hilton has adjusted its Points & Money rewards, which now allow you to redeem Partial Points and Partial Funds for any redemption. There are many cases where this system can give you a value well in excess of 0.5 cents per point. Which credit card should you use to purchase Hilton Points?Hilton point purchases are processed by points.com, ie they do not count as a hotel purchase for the purposes of credit card issuance. So I would recommend using a card that you try to meet the minimum spend or otherwise a credit card that maximizes your return on daily expenses, such as a credit card Chase Freedom Unlimited® (Review) or Citi® Double Cash Card (Review). In this post, you will learn more about which credit cards are best for purchasing points. Earn Hilton points with great Amex card dealsIf you’re looking for another way to earn Hilton Honors Points without buying them directly, there are great welcome bonuses available right now for the four co-branded Hilton Amex cards: This post is everything you need to know about Hilton Honors credit cards. Buy Hilton Points SummaryHilton Honors offers a 100% bonus when purchasing points, which amounts to 0.5 cents per point. If you’ve thought about this promotion but haven’t made a purchase, this is your last chance. This is the lowest cost you will see for Hilton points purchased, so deals don’t get any better. In many circumstances, it can make sense to purchase Hilton Points at this price. Hilton Honors has grown a lot, especially thanks to the Aspire Card. Read this post to learn more about how to redeem Hilton Honors points for luxury hotel stays. Are you planning to purchase Hilton Honors Points with a 100% bonus? Via https://globalconnekt.com/hilton-honors-points-of-sale-with-a-100-bonus/
Marriott offers its employees an interesting incentive to get vaccinated. Marriott pays the employees for the vaccinationIt was announced that Marriott has launched the Vaccination Care program, which provides financial rewards for employees in managed properties in the United States and Canada. With this, Marriott employees receive the equivalent of four hours’ wages after vaccination. Marriott says it supports the global vaccination effort. The company also provides training on the benefits of vaccination and leads the hotel management to allow schedule flexibility for vaccination appointments. Marriott strongly encourages employees to get vaccinated, but does not make it mandatory for the time being. David Rodriguez, Marriott’s Global Chief Human Resources Officer, describes this step as follows:
This is well thought out by MarriottIt’s not often that Marriott is innovative, but I have to give credit to the hotel group here as I think the concept is really well thought out. We’ve seen a lot of travel brands talk about the importance of vaccinations, but we haven’t seen them create incentives for vaccinations. For example, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has stated that he would like vaccination to be mandatory for all employees. He stated that other companies would have to adopt a similar stance to do this or United would not be able to “get away” with it. I think Marriott is taking exactly the right approach here – the company is incentivizing employees to get vaccinated and encouraging properties to be flexible about employee working hours so this can be easily facilitated. While we may see companies making vaccination mandatory, I think this is the right solution for now. Ultimately, it is important that employees in the travel industry are vaccinated – it’s not just about keeping them safe, it’s also about keeping guests safe, as most early studies suggest that vaccinated people are less likely to spread coronavirus as well. Looking elsewhere in the travel industry, Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi, recently became the first major airline to vaccinate all pilots and flight attendants. The company has not mandated this, but has stated that those who fail to get vaccinated will not be eligible for company sick leave or health insurance benefits in the event they contract a coronavirus. Bottom lineMarriott is offering vaccination incentives to hotel employees in the US and Canada. As a reward, the company offers four hours of wages. While this payment won’t be life changing, it’s a nice touch and more than we’ve seen from other travel brands. At some point we can talk about whether or not vaccination should be compulsory for employees, but at this point the conversation doesn’t seem constructive, as vaccines are not currently available to everyone, we don’t know what the situation will be for the next few months and because this discussion inevitably becomes far too political. What do you think of Marriott’s vaccination incentive? Via https://globalconnekt.com/marriott-rewards-vaccinated-employees-one-mile-at-a-time/ |
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March 2022
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