Miles & Points: The Week's Best Frequent Flyer Deals

After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.

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Following is our regular summary of the best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week.

If it was a good deal—or a notably bad deal—from an airline, hotel, or car rental loyalty program, you can read all about it here, and plan your travel accordingly.

When Should Hotels Announce Upcoming Promotions?

Hotels wrote the book on “Location, location, location.” But when it comes to “Timing is everything,” they just don’t get it. Tim Winship takes them to school on communications timing.

Back on the Menu: Bonus Miles for Dining

Members of seven airline and hotel programs can earn bonus miles by spending at least $75 at program restaurants by March 31 and submitting a review within 30 days of the meal.

If earning miles for meals is good, earning more miles is even better.

Give a Valentine, Get More Miles and Points

Valentine’s Day has become a reliable opportunity for the miles-and-points set to do well (add to their loyalty program balances) by doing good (giving gifts to loved ones). Do it!

Buy Back Elite Status from Marriott

With Marriott’s Elite Buy Back offer, Rewards members can use points to reestablish their 2011 elite status.

Nice, in theory. But do the benefits outweigh the costs?

Win a Spirit Quest Tour of Egypt

Enter Spirit Quest Tours’ “Red Goddess Rising” sweepstakes by April 30 for a chance to win the grand prize: a spot on the Spirit Quest Egypt tour, including a Nile cruise.

Somebody has to win, right? Might as well be you.

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.