So Long overdue

So sorry but I have not had any time to update this blog. Mom had a stroke and we had to move my parents up to NY in an assisted living. All is back on track, at least for this week, so here is an update.

All my miles arrived in my Usair account from the Christmas holiday promotion and I did very well. I received 75,000 miles from that promotion. It was a great holiday.

For under $1000 I parlayed that to the 75,000 miles. My husband and I love to go to spas when we are on vacation so I ordered from FTD.com at 20 miles per $, $700 worth of spafinder gift certificates and received 14000 miles for the purchase. Then I put $1 to open a sharebuilders account and received 3000 miles for that. The other purchases were just small amount at various stores but those 2 purchases I described above got me an extra 42500 miles. That was incredible.

I hope those of you who participated in that promotion did well.

I am still waiting for Delta to get its act together and give me my Christmas miles.

There are some new things that you should know: Southwest and Jetblue will not be partners with American Express membership rewards very soon. So if you have any intention of sending membership rewards to either airline do so now.

Delta is having the same promotion that Usair had last summer. Convert hotel points to skymiles and receive 50% extra. The Delta promotion has a small deviation, you must have at least 3 transcations and then all the transcations will get you the 50% extra miles. Here is an example: transfer 20000 starpoints from Starwood to your Delta account 3 different times(1 transaction per day) so that adds up to 60000 miles plus don't forget that Starwood will give an additional 5,000 miles for each 20000 transferred. Now you are at 75,000 miles and then Delta will give you 50% of that which will add up to an additional 35,000 miles bringing your total to 110,000 miles. That is a great return on 60,000 starpoints. Please check on the Delta site, you have to pre-register for this promotion.delta.com/marketing/staydriveride/


Starwood is having a promotion to earn extra starpoints, stay 2,3,or 4 nights and you will get 2X,3X or 4X's the starpoints added to your account over the amount you will all ready get.

Jetblue has changed their trueblue system. It is based totally on revenue, not sure I like it, for those of us who do not fly for business I don't think it is great. They are basing earned points on revenue as well as the amount of points it takes to use points for a free flight. Before 100 points equaled a free flight wherever they flew, so I would use it for a long haul. With the old program I would only use the card at restaurants or for theater tickets which would be doubled(it still is). Spending $10000 would get me a free ticket to anywhere they flew. Now with the new system the same $10000 will get me 20000 points which could get me 4 tickets around the corner (a very short haul) or I might not have enough to go anywhere. Each day and destination has a different redeemable value. I know this is confusing, go on the site and check out different destinations by using the trueblue button for your flights and it will show you the value of each trip. I can't even get to Burlington Vermont for less than 6100 points one way. I will keep you abreast of any changes.

Usair has also revamped their redemption schedule. It will cost us more miles to fly if you don't plan way in advance.

I heard a rumor that Southwest is also changing its ways. They are probably going to be basing their redemption to a revenue based system.

That's all for now. Keep earning those miles so you can fly for free.