http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/?source=rss Frequent flyer expert Tim Winship offers his take on the world of travel. Sun, 19 May 2013 05:18:01 -0400 Sun, 19 May 2013 05:18:01 -0400 Delta SkyMiles members can earn a 50 percent bonus when transferring American Express points into their accounts, plus bonus 25,000 Medallion elite-qualifying miles. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/earn-bonus-elite-miles-for-transferring-amex-points-to-delta.html?id=8056208&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:32:12 -0400 Between June 19 and August 14, Best Western Rewards members can earn a free night voucher or bonus airline miles after completing three separate stays. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/from-best-western-free-night-or-bonus-miles-for-summer-stays.html?id=8050243&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:48:11 -0400 Through June 30, Dividend Miles members will earn a 100 percent bonus on up to 50,000 miles purchased for their own accounts. Business class to Europe for $1,375, anyone? http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/with-mile-discount-us-air-awards-are-cheap.html?id=8009111&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Tue, 07 Jun 2011 13:52:55 -0400 Through July 31, Membership Rewards members will earn a 50 percent bonus when exchanging points for miles in the British Airways Executive Club program. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/get-more-british-airways-miles-from-american-express.html?id=7997305&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Mon, 06 Jun 2011 14:07:40 -0400 To mark its 40th anniversary, Southwest is giving away 40 free iTunes songs. You probably won't like them all, but you can't complain about the price. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/southwest-luv-40-free-songs-from-itunes.html?id=7984654&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Fri, 03 Jun 2011 13:38:52 -0400 Marriott Rewards members have two bonus options for summer stays: a free night or quadruple airline miles. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/marriott-offers-free-night-after-two-stays.html?id=7977462&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Thu, 02 Jun 2011 14:12:59 -0400 Through June 10, AAdvantage members can save 30 percent when booking restricted coach awards for domestic travel between September 7 and November 8. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/american-discounts-award-travel-by-30.html?id=7941099&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Tue, 31 May 2011 12:24:30 -0400 A new study ranks airline mileage programs according to their award availability. And isn't that why you earned miles in the first place? See how generous your program is. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/just-how-rewarding-is-your-rewards-program.html?id=7924684&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Fri, 27 May 2011 13:05:31 -0400 Between May 25 and August 31, Virgin American Elevate members can earn triple points for flights between Chicago and Los Angeles or San Francisco. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/virgin-america-triples-the-points-on-new-chicago-flights.html?id=7916433&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Thu, 26 May 2011 13:06:53 -0400 Between June 1 and August 31, Marriott Rewards members can earn quadruple miles in any of 12 airline programs for their second and subsequent stays at more than 3,400 hotels. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/earn-quadruple-airline-miles-for-marriott-stays-this-summer.html?id=7876436&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Tue, 24 May 2011 14:13:53 -0400 Between May 19 and August 31, Mileage Plus members can earn double redeemable miles and double elite-qualifying miles for flights between Chicago and Los Angeles or San Francisco. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/united-doubles-miles-between-chicago-and-san-francisco.html?id=7862353&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Mon, 23 May 2011 13:55:56 -0400 Between June 1 and August 31, Best Western Rewards members can earn a one-time bonus of 3,000 points for paying for their stays with a $100 gift card purchased by May 31. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/earn-000-point-bonus-for-best-western-summer-stays.html?id=7850968&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Fri, 20 May 2011 13:16:28 -0400 Between May 19 and August 11, Choice Privileges members can earn enough bonus points to get a free night after the second stay. But mind the fine print. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/choice-hotels-offers-000-points-after-two-stays.html?id=7845259&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Thu, 19 May 2011 14:11:56 -0400 Between May 16 and August 31, Priority Club Rewards members will receive a $75 prepaid card for staying two consecutive weekend nights at any InterContinental Hotels Group property. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/intercontinental-for-weekend-stays.html?id=7799922&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Tue, 17 May 2011 13:35:18 -0400 Chase's Sapphire Preferred travel rewards card has a lot to recommend it, including a 50,000-point bonus and points that can be exchanged for miles and points in other programs. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/chase-sapphire-preferred-card-comes-with-big-bonus.html?id=7789160&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Mon, 16 May 2011 13:55:54 -0400 Through July 30, Priority Club members can book award nights for 5,000 points at around 130 hotels. That's a discount of at least 50 percent over normal award rates. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/priority-club-discounts-summer-award-stays-with-pointbreaks.html?id=7764586&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Fri, 13 May 2011 12:14:36 -0400 Beginning on August 1, members of the Aeroplan program will earn fewer miles for short-haul flights on Air Canada and other Star Alliance carriers. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/aeroplan-to-reduce-minimum-miles-on-short-flights.html?id=7752375&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Thu, 12 May 2011 12:54:23 -0400 The prize is a true once-in-a-lifetime trip around the world, in first class. Your odds of winning are minuscule. Are you feeling lucky? http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/free-first-class-trip-around-the-world-for-two-anyone.html?id=7721101&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Tue, 10 May 2011 12:17:40 -0400 Between May 6 and August 31, AAdvantage members can earn double flight and elite-qualifying miles on non-stop flights between Chicago and either Los Angeles or San Francisco. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/american-offers-double-miles-between-chicago-san-francisco.html?id=7711124&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Mon, 09 May 2011 14:08:33 -0400 Priority Club members can now book discounted awards on the first full weekend of every month. It's a plus for opportunistic travelers. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/priority-club-launches-discounted-last-minute-awards.html?id=7689242&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Fri, 06 May 2011 14:21:05 -0400 Through June 30, members of the programs of Delta, United, US Airways, and InterContinental can earn 1,000 bonus points for every $100 spent at participating restaurants. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/hungry-big-miles-for-dining-bonuses-are-back.html?id=7678058&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Thu, 05 May 2011 13:16:05 -0400 Between May 1 and May 31, US Airways Dividend Miles members can earn up to 75 percent more miles when transferring points from participating hotel programs into their accounts. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/exchange-hotel-points-for-more-us-airways-miles.html?id=7646286&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Tue, 03 May 2011 13:24:51 -0400 Between May 16 and August 15, Priority Club Rewards members can earn double points or miles for stays at hotels in the InterContinental Hotels Group network. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/from-priority-club-double-points-miles-for-spring-and-summer-stays.html?id=7635494&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Mon, 02 May 2011 14:00:42 -0400 Through May 31, members of JetBlue's TrueBlue program get a 50 percent bonus when purchasing TrueBlue points, either for their own accounts or as gifts for other TrueBlue members. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/jetblue-sells-trueblue-points-for-less.html?id=7606430&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:56:42 -0400 Have hotel points really displaced airline miles as the world's preferred loyalty currency, as alleged by one major hotel loyalty program? Your opinion, please. http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-front-with-tim-winship/your-choice-airline-miles-or-hotel-points.html?id=7596328&source=rss up-front-with-tim-winship Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:19:20 -0400