GIVEAWAY: AA Amenity Kit + $10 iTunes Card

 

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Update: The winner is… @Robacca!  Congrats!  Follow @single_flyer for your chance to win the next contest.

SingleFlyer is getting into the contest biz!

This is your chance to win an American Airlines Business Class amenity kit and $10 iTunes gift card to download a couple of movies for your next flight.

The inside of the kit features the colors and logo of an AA legacy carrier and some products to make your flight more enjoyable.  The kit I’ll send you is brand new and still sealed; it contains all the original items.

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Weekend in Beijing – Part 1: Getting to China

Weekend in Beijing A few months back I got in on the sub-$500 round trip ticket to Beijing from Washington DC in American Airlines Business Class.  I purchased the tickets; and then purchased my positioning flight to DC from Seattle which ended up costing (slightly) more than the ticket to … Read more

Bank of America Checking Account Offer

Bank of America Checking Account Offer

Today I received a Bank of America checking account offer for 25,000 Alaska Airlines miles if I open a new Bank of America Interest Checking or Bank of America Core Checking account before July 31, 2015.  The offer also mentions you must receive at least two direct deposits, each of $2,000 or more, within 90 days of opening the account.

The offer seems to be targeted to Bank of America customers with an Alaska Airlines Visa card.  However, it seems that all you have to do is go to bankofamerica.com/alaskaoffer to sign up (Note: I do not receive any payment or compensation for you signing up).  You may have to connect an Alaska Airlines Visa card to the account to verify that you are eligible.

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Tips for traveling solo

I just returned from a very quick trip to Beijing.  It was the kind of trip that most people would never think to go on; I was in transit for longer than I was at my destination.  But I had an amazing adventure.  And had I waited to find someone … Read more

Hyatt Regency Crystal City DCA Review

Hyatt Regency Crystal City

After spending only 7 hours at the hotel, it seems a bit presumptuous to write a review about the Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan International (technically in Virginia).  However I think I slept a total of 2 hours, giving me 5 hours to experience the hotel.  I think that qualifies me as an expert.

I booked the spectacular mistake fare to Beijing but needed to position myself at DCA to begin the run.  As my flight out of DCA was at 7:15am, and I was coming from Seattle, I knew I would need to spend the night in DC.  My flight arrived at 10:00pm and they Hyatt Regency Crystal City was a good option as it had a free shuttle every 20 minutes to/from the airport.  Apart from the driver leaving the airport with the shuttle door still open, it was a painless experience to get to the hotel.

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Hyatt Flash Sale – SE Asia Summer 2015

Bali Hyatt

For two days, you can book a room at Hyatt South East Asia properties during the Hyatt Flash Sale at up to 40% off.  Full payment is due at booking and reservations are non-refundable per the Terms and Conditions.  Deal ends May 21 at 11:00pm Singapore Time (11:00am EST/8:00am PST).  Good for travel through August 31, 2015.  Use offer code SEAF when booking.

It seems that most (all?) of the prices for the Hyatt Flash Sale include breakfast.  Although I haven’t stayed at the Hyatt, Siem Reap is a great city to visit if you want to see the temples of Angkor Watt.  For $174 a night (with availability for most of the summer) this is a good deal for this high end property, however you can find rooms for much cheaper if you avoid chains in Cambodia.

Make sure you compare it to other offers when booking: you may be able to find a cheaper rate (although it may not include breakfast, but if you are a Diamond member you already get free breakfast).  For example, at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok I found a night in July that was cheaper with the “Special Escape” rate than the “Sea Flash Sale”.  This is definitely a case of “Your Mileage May Vary”.

More info at hyatt.com

Properties included in the sale:

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Hyatt Regency Vancouver Review

I purchased tickets to U2’s tour opener in Vancouver late last year and knew I would want to spend a couple days in Canada.  There is only one Hyatt option in Vancouver; the Hyatt Regency Vancouver, so I booked it.  I am a Hyatt loyalist after all.  This would be my first stay at a Hyatt property as a Diamond member after completing my Elite Tier Offer.

Hyatt Regency Vancouver

Location: Hyatt Regency Vancouver is located in the heart of downtown next to the Burrard SkyTrain station that you can access via the Expo or Millennium lines.  It is no more than a 15 minute walk to anywhere in downtown.  The hotel lobby is connected to a small mall that has a drug store and fast food restaurants.  A few blocks away is the shopping area of downtown in one direction and the waterfront in other.  Vancouver is a very cosmopolitan city and you can easily find anything you are looking for.

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BoltBus Seattle to Vancouver

BoltBus Seattle to Vancouver I am writing this post on my BoltBus Seattle to Vancouver trip.  While I have taken coach type buses in other countries; this is my first time using a Greyhound type service in the states.  BoltBus is owned by Greyhound but markets itself as the cooler … Read more

Changes in Alaska Mileage accrual with Partner Airlines

KLM - Royal Dutch Airlines | McDonnell Douglas MD-11 | PH-KCA | "Amy Johnson" | Toronto Pearson Street Festival

In just a few days, there have been some big changes in Alaska mileage accrual with partner airlines.  It’s all bad news unless you are paying for premium classes.  The changes (so far) are on British, Air France, and KLM.  Earning was also drastically reduced on Delta earlier this year.

For all three airlines (BA/AF/KL) you now only earn 25% of actual miles flown for the lowest fares.  The most expensive Economy tickets do still earn you actual miles flown.  You also still earn bonus miles based on your status with Alaska, but those bonuses are based on earned (not actual flown) miles and do not count towards elite status.  A few of the fare classes that formerly earned zero miles now do earn you miles, so that is one positive change I suppose.

The scene is much better in the top tier tickets.  

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Using the Citi Price Rewind Benefit

Citi Price Rewind I recently applied, and was approved, for a Citi Prestige MasterCard.  The card has some great perks including airport lounge access, Global Entry application fee credit, and reimbursement for airline tickets.  One of the lesser known but powerful perks is the Citi Price Rewind benefit. The Citi … Read more

$900 Fee for Hyatt Diamond Suite Upgrade

UPDATE: Both charges were refunded to my credit card.  The reservation is still showing up in my online Hyatt GP account; hopefully it will work to just pay at check in.

I have recently written about how I achieved Hyatt Passport Gold Diamond status through the Elite Trial Offer.  My first order of business as a Diamond member was to use one of my Diamond Suite Upgrades (DSU) for a trip I have reserved (and pre-paid) at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Orlando in June.  Little did I know I would be charged a large fee for Hyatt Diamond Suite Upgrade.

I initially made the reservation through a Best Rate Guarantee claim that was approved.

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