Airline reward programmes

[Spacecadet]

I'm on the American Airlines one and I've had a few free upgrades from Economy to Business and from Business to First over the years.

A couple of weeks ago when my wife and me went to New York I paid with points and cash ($300) for both of us to get upgraded ffrom economy to business. On the way out they bumped up up into first - which was nice. I used to have 126,000 before my trip - I'm probably on about 26,000 now

I'm also on the Marriott rewards thing. That paid for my hotel while in New York.

How long before airmiles and hotel points schemes are a "taxable benefit"?

[TheFaQQer]

Which ones do you think offer the best value? I currently collect BA miles but never seem to be able to get much joy out of them on the dates I want to fly. Any better programmes out there?

bmi is the most generous in the UK.

Downside is that you have to fly with bmi.

[Moscow Mule]

bmi is the most generous in the UK.

Downside is that you have to fly with bmi.

It's a shame that BMI are such fascists when it comes to hand luggage.

[TheFaQQer]

How long before airmiles and hotel points schemes are a "taxable benefit"?

It's been considered, particularly in the US.

However, it's recognised as an absolute nightmare to adminster - how do you determine what points were earned from a business trip and what weren't? The yanks abandoned the idea for this reason.

That said, I remember having an email at Oracle which encouraged consultants to cash in their points and stay / fly for free rather than paying for accommodation / flight and then charging it to the client...

[swamp]

It's a shame that BMI are such fascists when it comes to hand luggage.

+1

4kg limit, IIRC, which means you struggle to travel hand luggage only. My cabin trolley thing weighs 3.2kg empty! I got away with it last time on BMI because I checked in online, but I got a telling off on the way back when they weighed my hand luggage, though they still let me take it on. I even stuffed my books into my jacket, and put on all my jumpers to keep the weight down when at the checkin desk!

[TheFaQQer]

It's a shame that BMI are such fascists when it comes to hand luggage.

The only time I've had a problem with bmi and hand baggage was in 2000 when one week they made me weigh my small suitcase, which was over-weight. I took stuff out of it, stuck it in my laptop bag, which they didn't weigh, and they were happy with it. Once I was in the lounge, I repacked it back in the suitcase.

The annoyance at the moment is that the flight to Manchester that I used to catch changed from an A320 to some tiny thing, so you could barely get a bag of any size in the overhead, and they made you put them in the hold.

[Spacecadet]

FYI luggage is supposed to go in the hold, makes it easier for everyone

[Moscow Mule]

FYI luggage is supposed to go in the hold, makes it easier for everyone

Does it ****. Especially when you're dealing with Belgian baggage handlers.

[Pondlife]

FYI luggage is supposed to go in the hold, makes it easier for everyone

+1

[oracleslave]

FYI luggage is supposed to go in the hold, makes it easier for everyone

WHS ++++++

Those selfish pr1cks that consider themselves more important than everyone else and somehow feel that they deserve a special dispensation with regards to their hand luggage infuriate me. Put it in the hold you inconsiderate twats.