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There are many days I read an article from Minneapolis or Memphis and think about the impact on us as flyers. But a business as big as our airline affects the lives of so many who work and live in these cities. So some of this week’s headlines have me thinking about more than upgrades, free flights and points (OK not for the whole day, but at least for a little while).
- Could Pinnacle airlines move its corporate office from MEM to MSP?
- Has anyone noticed the price of oil is under $90 per barrel. Not to say you should buy Delta stock as it has been lower lately on earnings warnings but lower oil helps our airline!
- Speaking of oil, now Delta has even more employees to negotiate with.
- OK so this one is not really Delta but I find it interesting what levels of alcohol airlines consider to be acceptable to fly.
- MSP and LGA are getting a bunch of iPad for us to use – 2500 of them!
I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend off. I am spending my day thinking about my next round. My and Lisa’s March/April rounds spend are just about complete and the points are all posting or will post by month end. Unless something really big comes along, my next round will be mid-July and then Lisa in mid-August time frame.
I am also looking forward this summer to a family reunion, flying on 25k low level Delta flights, staying at Four Points by Sheraton hotel on Starpoints and a Hampton Inn along the way on HHonors points and a car rental not yet booked. I may use a few free days from Hertz points from e-Rewards redemption. Also, I used 15,000+$5.00 Avois points to fly my Dad up from MIA (what a great value for these BA points) and I have my weekend getaway in Cleveland at the Intercontinental on 5k Priority Club PointBreaks nights. Even I am stunned just how much you can do on points for free or almost free.
How are your summer plans shaping up? Do you have a round on the way soon? Flying anywhere fun or doing a “stay-cation” on points nearby? Let’s do this. For a chance to win the last HP LAPTOP backpack I have and a ultra-kool DeltaPoints luggage tag, tell me what you have planned for the summer for a chance to win (I will hold the drawing tomorrow Sunday at NOON btw)! – Rene
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I’m heading to New Orleans on our beloved Delta!
Olympics in London with my 2 boys and me ages 9 and 7 flying first class on BA. I hope they behave themselves. 🙂
A couple weddings and a baby!
Finally going home to USA from GOT to visit family and friends for the 4th July..a side trip to NYC for 2 glorious days.. A 1 day trip to PHL.. And attempting to do a TR for the first time.. 😉
Work 🙁
Flying to MCI for work – upgrades have already cleared!
Actually staying close to home this summer for leisure travel. Last six months included Israel an Caribbean. Fall includes return to Caribbean and hopefully germany and Austria for Christmas markets
Headed to Islamorada, FL and the Carolinas
Flying to the west coast today, Europe next week.
Going to run in San Fran marathon flying one way on DL and back using an award ticket with United.
Me and wife are headed to London, UK on an award trip.
Vail!
Flight to London in Delta BE with an open jaw return to
Portland, OR in BE and domestic 1st purchased with low-level SkyMiles Award. Staying at Plaza on the River in London with Club Carlson points and Andaz Liverpool Street with Hyatt points. Thanks in part to nuggets of good advice from Delta Points!
@BostonBen – WELL DONE! You just made my weekend! Thanks so much for your kind words – Rene
Multiple trips, some business, some pleasure. Hilton Head, Seattle, Kansas City, Birmingham, Cincy, Cleveland, Vancouver. All, of course, on Delta!
I’m headed to SMF!
I’m going to San Diego for Comic Con!
Mostly trips to OHIO – Dayton for visitation, West Chester for IKEA, Fairfield for a family wedding!!
Duluth Mn to stay cool by the lake
I plan to hit NYC for a weekend and find one good MR on DL to help maintain status for next year.
Gonna stay close to home with my new puppy
i am going to spend as much time as i can in Ely Mn.
Taking the family on a 2 week camping trip. Will be visiting several east coast states. Been looking for a way to use or earn Skymiles at campgrounds, but haven’t come up with anything yet. And of course using the Delta Reserve AMEX to pay for as much as possible! (got it through your link about a month ago, BTW – and have already felt the impact to upgrade status with 3 upgrades on domestic legs I travel a lot and have rarely gotten bumped before – even with Gold Status)
@Brain – txs and txs also for the data point and feedback. Great to learn! – Rene
I would love to fly to CLT to see family and friends.
I just graduated and need to work this summer….am working on some cool trips for the fall.
Phx in June (terrible idea) for some golf…
San Francisco
Flying to vegas for a friend’s wedding and then CJS to visit family
Charleston & DC to trigger the Radisson 50K nights, New England with some SW points, and planning for fall/winter. I just completed my first churn last month and am thrilled with dreaming of the possibilities while learning from others. Thanks Rene for passing on your knowledge!
Hubby and I are going to Las Vegas this summer using my USair miles and paying for our suite on the strip with some ultimate reward points, suprisingly at a good rate. Flight and room paid for! Just need to find some gambling bucks. As for churning, canceled the USair mastercard when they wouldn’t waive my annual fee. Have gotten the Chase Sapphire , Ink Bold, and Freedom in the last 7 months.
Spending a week in Chicago visiting family and then maybe a week in BOS or Washington DC depending on how the flights can be found.
I am heading to India!
Heading to Niagara Falls (on the Canadian side) since I’ve never been. This is my second attempt as I *may* have forgotten my passport the first time around…
It’s a summer of weddings in the South.
Wisconsin to watch US Women Open in July. Peru in August using BA miles.
I am exciting (+ day dreaming) for a 5 Asian Countries tour in 12 days — using Points & Miles –> $50K value!
Will definitely “chun” for more miles in July/Aug to plan for our next BIG vacation.
Wish you & every reader have a Nice & Fun Summer 2012.
Outdoors activities.
Diving trip to the Caymans
We are headed to LAX on Delta from CMH on their non stop that flies only during the summer and while on the west coast will take a small journey to Catalina
I am going back home to Japan in July. I booked two business class tickets for me and my husband earlier using 220K miles each. I thought it was a lot but now the same flight costs 280K miles. I’m glad I booked early.
sticking close to home this summer
Turkey, then Thailand
I’m new at this, trying to rack up enough points to go see my cousins in Dallas & CT near the end of the summer, as my home is being foreclosed and I’m disabled but still waiting for my disability insurance to come through. Though the travel will be tough on me, it’s better than moving in with Mom, lol! Thanks so much for this site, I have learned so much the last couple of days! Hopefully I’ll rack up tons of points & get to use them to go to a spa or something relaxing in the future!
We are going to New Mexico.
Visiting family in Zambia via Delta and KLM
It’s a delta summer! MIA to CLT for business and trying out the Radisson promotion in North Carolina. Flying to the OLYMPICS on Delta into and out of Manchester to cheer on Team USA. Then, flying back to London post-olympics MIA-ATL-LHR/CDG-ATL-MIA to try out the new business elite seating. It’s gonna be a packed European vacation and super packed summer, but it’s gonna be worth it!
Going to South Africa for work.
Spending the summer paying off debt and improving credit before doing a late year churn. I hope to still use the Park Inn SOGO promo and paying for my mom and sister staying for the radisson SOGO.
I avoid planning most summer travel — I hate the crowds. On the other hand, if a fare that’s too good to resist should show up, I’m outta here. The Seattle/Vancouver sounds good — watching for a good fare to there.
Trying to maximize my 160K+ AMEX MM points (from 2 signup bonuses) and Delta FF miles for a low-cost vacation to the Caribbean!
Seeing what New England has to offer.
Going to TPA next week!
Hopefully will be doing a weeklong trip to MSP
Vegas for the WSOP, and a few weekends where it’s cool. Real aspirational travel only after Labor Day to avoid the crowds.
Turks and Caicos this week, then North Shore of Oahu in July and Maui in August.
Negril, Jamaica this July and thankful Delta has direct flights there….
A Med Cruise. PDX/AMS/VCE on Delta
NYC
Cashed in 120k Skymiles to have my wife and 2 kids fly with me to DC where we will spend a week taking in the sights there but I will be working in that area during the day. They are really looking forward to it!
BNA-MCO the 16th for a wedding, then Fathers Day, then back in BNA Sunday night.
Cleveland and Detroit are on my list
I am using Delta Miles to visit my fiancee in England later this month while she’s there for work. Can’t believe I found low Business Class to England.
In June, heading to Chicago for 5 days with my daughter and granddaughter! Daughter and I are each paying for a night at a Radisson and each paying for a night at a Country Inn and Suites with cash and points. We will each get a combined 94K Carlson Club promo points, and with gold status, we will get 20 points per $1 for the cash portion!
In August, traveling to Seattle with another daughter and 2 granddaughters on miles and points!
Looking at retirement at the end of 2013. Have been Platinum for several years and need that status for another year. Business trips dropping off, so I am doing summer mileage runs. They include PDX-LAX-NRT-SIN round trip, PDX-JFK-DUS-AMS-JFK-ATL-PDX, and PDX-JFK-IST round trip. Just under 45,000 miles for less than$3,000. Not the best cpm but Economy Comfort will make it bearable. Singapore, Dusseldorf and Istanbul this summer. See the world and rack up miles.
Keep up the good work, Rene.
I am looking to take an Amtrack across the country
My husband and I are going to Italy for 2 weeks for our 10 year anniversary (hopefully mother earth cooperates and there are no more earthquakes)
Just got home from Breckenridge, CO
My cousin from india that i never met will come to visit. So i will be showing her around.
This month we’re heading out on a road trip to St. Louis, taking Amtrak from there to Chicago, where we’ll stay for a week, then heading back to STL for a few more days of fun there. We’re racking up points on this trip, but only spending a handful. If we’re lucky we’ll also fit in a trip to California (where we’ll spend lots of airline and hotel points) before school starts. Cars Land opens next week and I know a five-year-old boy who’s raring to go!
GOING TO ARGENTINA FOR A WEEK
Wedding in Los Angeles, Honeymoon in Bahamas and a trip to Orlando when we settle down a bit!
Used BA Avios to get AA flight from HSV to DFW for wife and I to see Alabama vs. Michigan football game at Cowboys Stadium in Sept. Only 9000 Avios each RT!
Beach trip next week, then a lake trip to WI in July. Followed by a CDG-AMS-FCO-VCE trip in August. 🙂
not as much as i want, airfare is just too expensive. Plus I am saving up for a trip to syd next year
I’ll be learning all I can about churning card promotions and trying to accumulate for a winter vacation on in a tropical climate. We’ll see how far the points can take me.
I’m going to Duluth, MN, and drive along the North Shore for a weekend in July.
Miami then Macchu Picchu this week ($238 r/t all in!) after that Boston/Cape Cod July 4th ($240 r/t all in from L.A.!) then ALASKA for two weeks in August ($305 all in r/t from ATL!)
In Charleston this weekend to dine at some James Beard award-winning restaurants.
Big plans this summer if plans work out: Hershey Park at the end of June; a week in Nags Head, NC in early July; a long weekend in Fredericksburg, VA in late July; and a two-month trek through Western Europe in August and September.
Off to Venice and Croatia with my sweetie on points in three weeks…woohoo! Thank you Delta, Hilton and SPG!
Thanks to the switch of British Airways miles to Avios, I took the plunge and spent the miles for 4 people from PHX LAX LIM GYE (fina destinatation)then LIM LAX PHX. Rented a penthouse in CUE (cuenca) and purchased flights from CUE to UIO (Quito). Staying on Starwood points in GYE (Guayaquil), Radisson points in UIO (Quito). I also flew my mother in law up from SCL (Santiago) to GYE using my delta Suntrust miles and we will take a side trip to the Ecuadorian hippie surf beach: montanita
also doing a road trip to Texas, thru New Mexico for the Park Inn points (and a wedding!) and flying out to SAN DIEGO for a little sunshine on Coronado Island. Whew! we are gonna be busy!
Already went. HKG, BKK, SIN FTW!
In Hong Kong right now!
No plans unfortunately.. too much work for a long trip and too hot around my area
It’s been somewhat of a headache so far planning our family’s trip to Turkey. Hopefully things will be getting better soon…
Working on my first take ever churning credit cards for a trip to Europe in September. Thanks for all the great advice and tips!
Going to Alaska…yeah looking forward to that trip…thanks.
Going to Idaho to visit friends (flying Southwest). Tried to use points to rent a car but didn’t think the deal was that good. Couldn’t find any hotels to use points with near/in Yellowstone Park.
Fresno…I hear it’s lovely this time of year there.
Kayaking every nearby river and lake is on my agenda for the summer. I will be accumulating points by the handfull!
my summer plans include moving across country and doing several beach trips on the east coast.
Ecotour of Costa Rica on DL with the 3 boys and their best friends. At summer’s end to Australia on DL with my wife (burning 240K points for business elite) then seeing the country on Virgin Oz (DL partner) Airpass. A fantastic value for foreign visitors.
Have a couple out of state weddings, and a family vacation to alaska planned for this summer.
Chicago, Toronto and Niagara Falls….I can’t wait!
Siberia including at least 2 buddhist temples, 1 fun theme park, and some vodka time on the shores of Lake Baikal. Used US Airways points to get me to Moscow and British Airways points to fly onward.
Already did my Vegas and Monterey trip. May do a couple of weekend mileage and mattress runs so that I have enough points to go to NHL games out of town in the fall.
Heading to the mountains of Colorado for two weeks!
For starters, I just got back from an intense mileage run to SIN. Phewww. Then upcoming travels include Quonset Point, RI; Portsmouth, NH; Seattle, WA; Chicago, IL; Pittsburgh, PA; Little Rock, AR; and finally San Fran in October. So it’s gonna be a busy season of travel as I criss-cross the country for work and for pleasure and help “pad” my Platinum status on Delta for next year.
Vegas on Delta-Using Delta card companion certificate
Also beach, beach, beach 7 miles from home
Lots of trips this year with loads of mileag: San Fran, LA, Tahoe for a family reunion, and (maybe) Thailand late summer.
No trips for this summer planned. It will be work, work, work and an occasional spontaneous day trip here and there. I prefer to save my vacation time and get away for long trips to where it’s warm when it’s cold at home.
Going to San Francisco! Time for some foodie fun and jail time at alcatraz
We just got back from our big trip of 2012 (Bali!) so we’re just taking a few weekend trips here and there and then hanging by the pool. Given the heat so far in South Florida, it’s probably a good plan!!
Just started to figure out an award travel that will take me to Russia, Dubai, India, Italy, France and back to the US.
No plans yet, but I am hopeful 🙂