Airlines

It seems that credit card mileage may be a thing of the past in the U. S. due to the new law that the congress just passed regulating credit card fees.

[QUOTE=David_33]It seems that credit card mileage may be a thing of the past in the U. S. Due to the new law that the congress just passed regulating credit card fees.[/QUOTE]That may be true. At a minimum, you could wrack up 50-60k miles in minutes though. Credit cards are not going to just shut down, though. They may try to scare you, but they'll still need new customers, and will be willing to do some nice promotions to get you.

[QUOTE=Jaimito Cartero]That may be true. At a minimum, you could wrack up 50-60k miles in minutes though. Credit cards are not going to just shut down, though. They may try to scare you, but they'll still need new customers, and will be willing to do some nice promotions to get you.[/QUOTE]Jimmy Carter, are you in the travel industry? You seem to have a wonderful insight in this realm.

Thanks again for the input,

Jack

Since LAN has raised its requirements for top freq. flier status, I now have to fly 90,000 km. a year including three RT business class flights. Last year it was 50,000 km. and two business class flights. Since the cheapest qualifying business class flights from Lima are to Bs As, I usually fly there. The prices have never changed in the past. Always around $1200 plus taxes. This price stayed steady whether purchasing far in advance, or at the last minute.

I'm going next week for a few days and checked out the LAN site this morning. I was pleasantly surprised to see a price of $624 RT in business (without taxes) half the usual fare. TACA has come out with real cheap business class flights, and maybe this is why LAN has dropped the fares. Needless to say, I got out the credit card and locked in the price.

[url]http://blogs.wsj.com/middleseat/2009/05/29/mileage-run-math-how-800-and-50-hours-of-flying-could-save-14000/[/url]

[QUOTE=David_33]Since LAN has raised its requirements for top freq. Flier status, I now have to fly 90,000 km. A year including three RT business class flights. Last year it was 50,000 km. And two business class flights. Since the cheapest qualifying business class flights from Lima are to Bs As, I usually fly there. The prices have never changed in the past. Always around $1200 plus taxes. This price stayed steady whether purchasing far in advance, or at the last minute.

I'm going next week for a few days and checked out the LAN site this morning. I was pleasantly surprised to see a price of $624 RT in business (without taxes) half the usual fare. TACA has come out with real cheap business class flights, and maybe this is why LAN has dropped the fares. Needless to say, I got out the credit card and locked in the price.[/QUOTE]Okay, even though I'm in TOTAL danger of sounding like I'm putting my spoon in where I don't belong (ie. I have no idea about frequent flier miles and the like)

I just got a very cheap fare in aerolineas argentinas through the travel agency tije. Com. Ar.

USD 365 tax included with return flight in may next year.

I don't know ehether you were all discussing frequent flyer programs or cheapest fares.

Either way.

Hope this helps.

Xyc

You missed the "business class" part.

Mexicana has R/T ticket from JFK to EZE in October timeframe for [b]$337[/b] all in. Check out [url]www.Kayak.com[/url] for the bookable sites. The shortest itinerary will take about 18 hours with a lay over in Mexico City. Some itineraries will take up to 30 hours with a loooong lay over in Mexico City from 5:00 am to 10 pm. On the return trip the lay over can be even longer from 7:00 pm to 5:00 pm the next day. Not too bad if you want to venture out to the city.

Mexicana is a partner of AA, so you mileage whores should earn over 13K miles on your AAdavantage account, don't know if elite double bonus miles apply.

That's an excellent rate for JFK-EZE. Long delays can take some of the pleasure out, though. What you want to look for is other airlines matching that rate, who have a more direct service. Many of these deals are also gone quickly, so if you really want it, lock it in.

As for paying extra for exit aisle seats, and extra luggage fees, this is another area where elite airline membership also comes in. Some of them even let you buy a membership for a year to get the roomier section of the cabin, like UA's E+ section. If you know an upper level elite, some airlines let you gift a first level elite status to someone else.

I flew back from Hong Kong earlier this week, and had two checked luggage of 70 pounds each. If I had been pre-upgraded on my domestic segment, I would have gotten to check in one more 70 pound bag.

[QUOTE=Sportsman]Mexicana has R / T ticket from JFK to EZE in October timeframe for [b]$337[/b] all in. Check out [url]www.Kayak.com[/url] for the bookable sites. The shortest itinerary will take about 18 hours with a lay over in Mexico City. Some itineraries will take up to 30 hours with a loooong lay over in Mexico City from 5:00 am to 10 pm. On the return trip the lay over can be even longer from 7:00 pm to 5:00 pm the next day. Not too bad if you want to venture out to the city.

Mexicana is a partner of AA, so you mile whores should earn over 13K miles on your AAdavantage account, don't know if elite double bonus miles apply.[/QUOTE]I just checked flyertalk.com and they have a thread on this fare. Good from LAX too. I'm not 100% sure if Mexicana is formally a Oneworld member yet, so don't count those miles before they're hatched.

Seems like people are finding Sept. Oct. Nov. And even some Dec. Dates.

[QUOTE=Jaimito Cartero]As for paying extra for exit aisle seats, and extra luggage fees, this is another area where elite airline membership also comes in. Some of them even let you buy a membership for a year to get the roomier section of the cabin, like UA's E+ section. If you know an upper level elite, some airlines let you gift a first level elite status to someone else. [/QUOTE]I have sat in economy plus 5 times, and 4 of them have been very near a woman with a baby on her lap. Economy Plus is Babyland! The logic is pretty simple: "oh, I'll have a baby on my lap for 12 hours, I should have a little extra room." I'm not sure that it's worth it.

[QUOTE=Jaimito Cartero]I'm not 100% sure if Mexicana is formally a Oneworld member yet, so don't count those miles before they're hatched.[/QUOTE]Mexicana might not be a One World member yet. But it is a partner of American Airline now and does earn AA miles. Check this out:

[url]http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?p=/AAdvantage/partners/airlines/mexicana.jsp[/url]

I saw the wildest thing on my return flight to sex prison. Some older woman got into it with the flight crew and they wound up putting her in plastic handcuffs and *almost hog tying her in the kitchenette.

She totally flipped out.

It happend way too early in the flight to have a a buzz going. Too bad.

I've never seen that before. Once the plane landed at jfk the cops came on and escorted her off.

[QUOTE=Artisttyp]I saw the wildest thing on my return flight to sex prison. Some older woman got into it with the flight crew and they wound up putting her in plastic handcuffs and *almost hog tying her in the kitchenette.

She totally flipped out.

It happend way too early in the flight to have a a buzz going. To bad.

I've never seen that before. Once the plane landed at jfk the cops came on and escorted her out.[/QUOTE]Luckily I've never seen it. I have seen prisoners being transported (domestically) but that's it. Some people get pretty stupid on planes. You don't want to piss off the crew.