United’s Choices Program: Not Much Choice
Unless you have a United Visa credit card and are already heavily invested in the program. You’ll earn one Choice point for every $1 in card charges. This is basically a rebate program with extremely high redemption rates. One example: It takes 40,000 Choices to get one year of economy plus seating access, which would only set you back $299 otherwise. This choice means your rebate is less than 1% of your card spending. The hotel benefits come at inflated (cash outlay) purchase prices, requiring you to purchase at United’s web site, and are more than 50% higher in some cases. Moreover, the airline does not guarantee hotel loyalty privileges for elites or hotel points. There’s also an earning cap of 10,000 redeemable miles per month/60,000 annual unless you hold Mileage Plus elite status. The airline blew a chance to do something revolutionary.
AAdvantage Short-Hop Award RETURNS From Sept. 1 through Feb. 28, 2007, American is offering a reduction on short-hop (up to 750 miles) MileSAAver awards: 15,000 miles in coach class (10,000-mile savings) and 30,000 miles in First or Business Class (15,000-mile savings). Travel deadline: Feb. 28, 2007. Must be booked online.
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United’s Choices Program: Not Much Choice
Unless you have a United Visa credit card and are already heavily invested in the program. You’ll earn one Choice point for every $1 in card charges. This is basically a rebate program with extremely high redemption rates. One example: It takes 40,000 Choices to get one year of economy plus seating access, which would only set you back $299 otherwise. This choice means your rebate is less than 1% of your card spending. The hotel benefits come at inflated (cash outlay) purchase prices, requiring you to purchase at United’s web site, and are more than 50% higher in some cases. Moreover, the airline does not guarantee hotel loyalty privileges for elites or hotel points. There’s also an earning cap of 10,000 redeemable miles per month/60,000 annual unless you hold Mileage Plus elite status. The airline blew a chance to do something revolutionary.
AAdvantage Short-Hop Award RETURNS From Sept. 1 through Feb. 28, 2007, American is offering a reduction on short-hop (up to 750 miles) MileSAAver awards: 15,000 miles in coach class (10,000-mile savings) and 30,000 miles in First or Business Class (15,000-mile savings). Travel deadline: Feb. 28, 2007. Must be booked online.
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