Get there, Stay there, Eat there, Shop there

Category: Using Points as $$

  • Thanksgiving: Milan to the Mediterranean. It could be Nice in Nice!

    The weather could be lovely later this month in Nice, France. It will definitely be better than here in Cincinnati — and Nice has a beach and a market and a Michelin-starred restaurant in town (with several more nearby) and a very close Matisse-designed chapel; BUT I can’t take time away to get there this […]

  • Air France Award Ticket bargains for July & August

    Every two months, Air France announces their “Promo Awards,” super good deals — 25 to 50% off — for redeeming rewards miles*.  There are usually specials for each of their “regions**,” but during May and June we (North America) had no deals.  For July and August, we scored! About a week before the official announcement,  Air […]

  • Melia Hotels MAS Rewards points — why I exchanged mine for Skymiles

    Update:  February 21, 2013.   mas Rewards is now MeliáRewards.  Additions include a new level, free Internet in many brands, and contests and prizes during the re-branding.   More emphasis on (recently added) discounts for members booking directly.  First reaction  —  only a few downgrades:  lower breakfast discounts and expiration dates on points. Even the basic […]

  • Buying what could be free — US Airways off-peak award to Europe

    Update (November 21, 2012):  Off-peak availability for 60k mile roundtrips in Business Class is gone.  If you didn’t get on the plane with me this year, I look forward to seeing you in 2013! Background:   I recently read (on http://milevalue.com) that the US Airways Airbus 330 is the flagship of their Business Class. US […]

  • Redemption — in the secular sense — Chase ultimate rewards points

    Don’t waste your hard-earned rewards points learning how to use them.  Follow me as I crawl through a ticketing experience. The background:  I wanted two round-trip Business Class tickets from Cincinnati to Barcelona in September.  Beginning in January, I hounded Delta.com looking for rewards tickets at the low end of their redemption scale (which runs […]