Questionable Values For Airline Miles

A way to calculate the relative value of spending airline miles on merchandise instead of travel is explained quite clearly in a recent post on The Dallas Morning News’ Airline Biz blog.

Customers who hold frequent flier miles may feel compelled to use them to buy things this way, even when it’s clearly a bad deal, because the airlines have shortened expiration periods. But if you think  you’re forced into a “use them or lose them” situation, you should consider other ways to create activity in your account and thus keep your miles valid for another 18 months or so.

The Rewards Network dining program is any easy way to do this with Alaska, American, Delta, Midwest, United and US Airways. One meal out, perhaps at a restaurant you would have visited anyway, and you can reset the time clock on your miles. (You can earn credit on Southwest, too, though its program works differently.)

Donating money to the Haiti relief effort is a particularly commendable way to earn miles on some airlines. Donating miles is another way to keep your account active. The Los Angeles Times’ Daily Travel & Deal blog has details.

Choosing Your Airline

Have you ever noticed that when you look up an airfare on a particular route, all or most of the airlines will have exactly the same fare? It’s no accident — they routinely try to match fares to stay competitive.

So, in a case like that, how do you choose which airline to travel on? There are some factors you might not have thought of:

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How To Cancel An Airline Ticket: Quickly

Jaunted, one of my favorite travel blogs, just had an entry explaining that many airlines will refund your money if you cancel the purchase of an airline ticket within 24 hours. Some will hold a reservation for 24 hours without requiring any money down and others will issue a credit for a later purchase. Check it out.

Frugal Traveler Finds Free Entertainment, Cheap Drinks

I was amused last night to see a couple at our hotel who seemed to share my sense of frugality.

They were sitting in the chairs provided in an alcove of the open-air lobby, a floor above the bar where a guitarist was playing Hawaiian music. They had pulled their chairs up to the edge of the alcove, so they could see down into the bar, and were applauding vigorously.

The man had a glass — it looked like one of the water glasses from the guest rooms — with an amber liquid in it. No inflated bar prices for him!

On The Cheap At An Expensive Hotel

Winning a bid for a great rate at a fancy hotel is always rewarding, but the real challenge can keeping costs down when you get there.

My husband and I are at the Hapuna Beach Prince on the Big Island of Hawaii, where the quality of the rooms and service are exceptional (especially at Priceline prices) and the opportunites abound to spend more on fancy meals and extras.  (Get thee behind me, $27 room service breakfast.)

Here are some things we do to keep that temptation at bay:

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Internet Reunites Lost Camera, Owners

I just read a great blog entry about a guy who found a camera on a beach on Maui and tracked down the owners by posting one of the images online. (Thanks for the link, Greg.) Who knew there’s a website for just this purpose at ifoundyourcamera.blogspot.com.

What The Hotel Toiletries Are For

You can use the usual lineup of shampoo, conditioner and moisturizer in a hotel room’s bathroom for the usual purposes: cleaning and conditioning your hair, plus moisturizing your skin.

But being a frugal traveler who likes to pack light, I have also used shampoo to wash clothes in the sink, conditioner as a substitute for shaving cream (don’t know if it works on faces but it works for me on legs) and moisturizer to condition and polish shoes.

Now if only I could find a secondary use for hotel room coffee …

Thwart Peeping Toms With Duct Tape

I always carry my little roll of travel duct tape with me on trips for its many and varied uses. Now the Associated Press has provided yet another use for it: taping over the peephole in your hotel room door so nobody can secretly videotape you through it. Oh, the times we live in.

Profiting From Ignorance About Currency Conversion

I was just reading Chris Elliott’s highly entertaining analysis of the schedule for the annual Ancillary Revenue Airline Conference, which is where nickel-and-diming is celebrated as a high art.

One of the seminars that Chris mentioned really caught my eye: “Profiting from Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) — Paul K. Ackermann, Vice President, Head of Sales – North America, Travelex”

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Does Expedia Owe You Money?

If you booked hotels through Expedia between January 10, 2001 and June 11, 2008, you should have received email notification that you’re eligible for a class-action settlement.

Expedia is accused of hiding its own fees, claiming they were taxes. Although the company has not admitted doing anything wrong, it has agreed to refund about $120 million to consumers.

There are some exceptions. If you booked a package instead of a stand-alone reservation, you aren’t eligible for the settlement. You must have been a U.S. resident at the time you booked. And there’s a one-week period in December 2002 that is excluded.

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