伦敦航线竞争非常激烈。 我们经常飞伦敦，然后用 BA Avios 积分飞欧洲大陆。 BA短途兑换非常有用。
兑换商务舱，尽管座位没有区别，但商务舱 entitled 您可以使用 LHR 的快速通道通过安检和出入境，以及任何航站楼的 BA 休息室和 T3 的所有 Oneworld 休息室，包括非常好的 CX, QF, even AA 休息室。Those extra Avios spent are WELL-WORTH it.
BA lounges are very large in size, multiple ones at each terminal. Food offerings are very decent - both hot and cold. Even during the busiest time of the day you would still be able to find a place to comfortably sit down.
Then depends on the length / time of the day of the flight, business class gets some type of meals served in flight. Often takes care of your need to find a place to eat upon arrival.
UR and AMEX often have 20 to 30% transfer bonus to BA. Use those offers which at least once to twice a year, to add value.
IHG Diamond benefits are far better than Hyatt Globalist, especially outside US. All ICs in Europe and Asia treat Diamond extremely well.
In the past IHG program was meh. A few years ago they made huge improvements for their top elites (Diamond and Royal Ambassador), making it the best program for those who stay at hotels a lot. Besides, IHG hotels foot prints are much larger than Hyatt, hence easier to achieve top elite status. IHG's IC and Regent brands probably have the best lounges among all programs that top elites can enjoy complementarily. BonVoy's RC does not give such benefit to ANY member, you have to book the room that is eligible to gain access.
On top of that, if you are not Globalist, or even received a gift from Globalist as Guest of Honor, the lower tiers get pretty much nothing from Hyatt. Yet IHG even Platinum from CC often are treated nicely, some properties even went above and beyond to provide breakfast benefit. We had that happened at Kimpton Monaco Philadelphia recently - receive $50 breakfast voucher even just lowly Plat.
今天AA出了直飞欧洲的秋季来回票，RT $525-600， widely open.
我本来在等单程巴黎到芝加哥的票，因为我准备在从Kenya 回来的时候， 留巴黎4天买买买， 原来如果欧洲航空公司转机的票来回是一直是$500多，美国航空公司单程直飞是$800， 今天出来的来回直飞是$525 RT。
我今天就啥也没干， 就找票了， 下个月我去日本，finalized all the hotels, 东京订了3晚的 Conrad Toyko, cash is $900/night, used 3 Hilton FN certificates, Nikko 2 nighs Ritz Carlton $1000/night, used 2 Marriott FN 85k certificates, Hakone 2 nights, booked with Hyatt Regency at 21k points/night.
然后订 7月份我们一大族人去波士顿/纽约事情， 我妈家族准备7月去波士顿纽约扫墓，估计大大小小30多人，分别从CA, TX, IN, NY, OH 出发， 前后8天， 开始几天要12-14个房间， 然后慢慢各自回， 我负责IN的机票。
机票这几天减价不少， 我定的去波士顿的票， 前天订的时候单程是$300一个人， 积分是21000， 昨天机票降到219， 所以我又把前面积分票 canceled, 改用amex 积分定， 退35%， 就是说大概150$一个人， 回程本来是150$/一个人， delta 的积分票降到7200 miles/ person, 就是说本来差不多$475/person, now is $225， 7个人就是省了$1500。 这个活动到现在为止， 我花了 $3165 in cash, plus approx 1.x mil 的各种积分。
还有就是飞 Tahiti的， 今天 United出来了sfo-Tahiti $750 RT，我之前定的 Tahiti定的Hilton Moorea， 当时刷出来的是90k/night， 5天是360k Hilton points, 这个是很难找到的deal，因为一般情况都没有 standard redemption rate, 一般找一晚就300k/night， 但是我后来改了10月去Fiji，Alaska Airlines 有4万积分的来回票， 所以tahiti 就该叫女儿去 Tahiti玩了， United award ticket NYC - PPT 9万 miles, 换了两张， 给女儿女婿去。
老大身家净值过亿，年入过百万还那么葛朗台啊？LOL
买得早晚、月份有关？
从东部飞欧洲近。
Plane rides to me just point a to point b, can not justify 几个小时飞机花上万刀..LOL
我很少定商务舱的， 除非特便宜，LOL.
我8月飞埃及/南非/巴黎3段商务舱是130k miles/person, 巴黎到芝加哥是25k/person 经济舱.
11月飞土耳其商务舱是130k miles /person RT.
明年2月西班牙商务舱是63k miles RT/ person，这个就特便宜了，就是$700买商务舱了.
但是一般来说我都是飞经济舱， 其实经济舱也有好处就是能抱着美女打瞌睡.
觉得最近的IHG 140k card怎么样，IHG hotels 值得吗？
您需要做一些计算，因为乘坐商务飞行付费机票通常可以赚取 150% 至 200% 的里程，具体取决于您选择记入的计划。
这从本质上降低了现金成本，因为里程有价值。
2000刀，飞苏黎世要3200刀....
美联航
去马略卡岛度假的行程，西班牙境内的飞机订的他家，打电话去取消，客服们把我累的，后来就没有要了那两张机票.....
记得大佬BASE就是芝加哥吧。
AA取消后退credit 到账号，退回的credit 用了老久
兑换商务舱，尽管座位没有区别，但商务舱 entitled 您可以使用 LHR 的快速通道通过安检和出入境，以及任何航站楼的 BA 休息室和 T3 的所有 Oneworld 休息室，包括非常好的 CX, QF, even AA 休息室。Those extra Avios spent are WELL-WORTH it.
BA lounges are very large in size, multiple ones at each terminal. Food offerings are very decent - both hot and cold. Even during the busiest time of the day you would still be able to find a place to comfortably sit down.
Then depends on the length / time of the day of the flight, business class gets some type of meals served in flight. Often takes care of your need to find a place to eat upon arrival.
UR and AMEX often have 20 to 30% transfer bonus to BA. Use those offers which at least once to twice a year, to add value.
在瑞士玩几天，坐火车去德国, 参加朋友在德国的婚礼......
其实美国国内的酒店， 用积分有时候不大合算， 美国国内的我一般尽量上Hyatt, 原因有几个。
1. 几大连锁品牌酒店， 在美国国内3-4星的， 动不动就6-7万积分一晚， 现金就200-300左右， 所以积分就折合只有 0.5 cents, 当然酒店越高档月贵越合算， 因为顶级的也大概9万积分， RC/waldorf astoria 这些， 用FN最值得。
2. Hyatt 在美国国内的酒店 points redemption rate 比较realistic, 大部分都是1-2万积分。
3. Hyatt 是几个连锁品牌里， 唯一要睡够数才能有status, 所以必须睡够60晚。
但是旗下80%的酒店， 都是3星， 需要我并没有刻意撸它家。
IHG Diamond benefits are far better than Hyatt Globalist, especially outside US. All ICs in Europe and Asia treat Diamond extremely well.
In the past IHG program was meh. A few years ago they made huge improvements for their top elites (Diamond and Royal Ambassador), making it the best program for those who stay at hotels a lot. Besides, IHG hotels foot prints are much larger than Hyatt, hence easier to achieve top elite status. IHG's IC and Regent brands probably have the best lounges among all programs that top elites can enjoy complementarily. BonVoy's RC does not give such benefit to ANY member, you have to book the room that is eligible to gain access.
On top of that, if you are not Globalist, or even received a gift from Globalist as Guest of Honor, the lower tiers get pretty much nothing from Hyatt. Yet IHG even Platinum from CC often are treated nicely, some properties even went above and beyond to provide breakfast benefit. We had that happened at Kimpton Monaco Philadelphia recently - receive $50 breakfast voucher even just lowly Plat.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/36186715-post27.html The poster explained well WHY even he is Life Time Titanium of BonVoy, Globalist of Hyatt, he rather to use IHG as a Diamond with multiple actual hotel stays to show why - one key item is, you can often buy IHG pts at 0.005 per pt, often when redeem award nights, it cuts the cost of stay from cash rate to actual cost incurred (point cost) by 50% or more. i.e a $400 room night cash rate could be had with point night at $200 cost... with combination of owning 2 right Chase IHG cards - one has the 4th night free and the other has 10% Chase card rebate (the latter no longer available to new application for many years now but the 4th night free at award redemption has one personal one business card with such feature. IHG actually used to be called InterContinental Hotels Group - after UK based Holiday Inn group bought IC then rebrand the program. IHG owns several high end properties, IC is not even the highest tier, Regent is above it, Six Sense is on its own league. One level lower, Kimpton and Indigo are 4 to 5 star properties depending on cities. Even some Crowne Plaza are good. Personally our preferred hotel in London is Staybridge at Vauxhall. It routinely sells at rates higher than most other IHG properties in London except IC. NEW, purposedly built HIX both inside and outside US are far better than many old Hyatt Place or Marriott's Residence Inns.
酒廊品质高，因为进入条件有限制，只有钻石会员和皇家大使有酒廊使用权，一般的大使都不能使用酒廊