Frequent Miler's latest team challenge, Million Mile Madness, is almost done! The last two weeks Greg, Nick, and Stephen competed to earn 1 Million SAS miles by flying 15 airlines. But who completed the challenge with the most Speed, Affordability, and Style?
This week around the web, gain a different perspective on solo travel, take a deeper dive into the new Aeroplan, score big from a downgrade and more. Read on for the weekend recap.
Downgraded from First Class by British Airways? You could get a 75% refund.
With the sudden retirement of the British Airways 747, many customers are apparently being downgraded from first class to business class (since replacement aircraft presumably won’t have a first class cabin). This knowledge from Head for Points could be very valuable indeed if you have a first class booking on the books. A 75% refund could certainly ease the sting of a downgrade, whether they refund you in miles or money (and the post suggests that you may be entitled to the money even if you booked with miles).
WHY DON’T MORE BLACK AMERICAN WOMEN TRAVEL SOLO?
I found this piece that Senitra Horbrook wrote for Nomadic Matt to be one of the most interesting things I’ve read recently. I’ve gotten to know Senitra a bit because she has spoken at some of the same conferences we have in recent years. I often see the pictures of her extensive travels and have been impressed at her self-confidence to do it all on her own. But this post made me think about it from a perspective I hadn’t previously considered. While there are of course some parts of her experience with which I can very much relate (growing up without knowing anyone who vacationed abroad, forget about having my own passport; wondering what stereotypes people abroad might have about me as an American) — but then there were so many things I’ve never had to think about, like racism at my destination and an entirely different set of stereotypes. I am glad that Senitra is out there blazing trails and I hope to continue to learn from her — whether it be about a destination like Lake Murray State Park in Oklahoma (her recent pictures made it look gorgeous!) or about what it’s like to travel solo as a Black American woman.
A parting gift: Navigating the difficult world of funeral costs
This post from Richard Kerr at The Points Guy was actually last week, but if you missed it you should read it right now. Not related to miles, points, or credit cards, but this is useful knowledge that we all eventually need and the time to learn it is before you need to know it. What he shared in this post, along with the last experience I had planning final arrangements for a family member a few years ago, has been on my mind ever since reading it last week. Sorry for Richard’s loss and grateful that he shared.
Aeroplan Mini-RTW: A New Generation of Complex Trips
Canadian blog Prince of Travel has a lot more detail on the new Aeroplan program than I’ve seen reported elsewhere so far. This in-depth post will likely make your head spin a bit, but the key takeaway for me at this point is that the new award booking engine may be less generous than we’d hoped.
[Rumor] Chase Ritz-Carlton $300 Travel Credit To Be Usable On Restaurants & Groceries
Doctor of Credit covers a rumor that we’ve been hearing from readers for about a month: some Chase reps are telling people that grocery and dining purchases on the Ritz card will be eligible for the travel credit reimbursement — supposedly from July 1st onward. Personally, I’m hopeful but skeptical: I called back when we first heard this rumor and neither the agent nor a supervisor seemed to know anything about it. It doesn’t seem like a move out of Chase’s playbook to fail to announce a promotion as of six weeks after it was set to launch.
That’s it for this week around the web. Check back soon for this week’s last chance deals.
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It sounds great in theory :’Aeroplan Mini-RTW’
Many southern Hemisphere countries have posited they may not open for tourism/travel/transit till at least 2022. ZA, AU and NZ or allow only local travel bubbles.
SAA entered Administration pre-covid – almost all of SA domestic carriers have liquidated or entered administration as well since COVID. Will SAA even be future StarA option?
South Africa had become far safer for travelers over the past few years with a rapidly growing middle class (one still had to use street smarts). The same can be said for many South American destinations.
COVID19 has been a Mega-econmic earthquake some economies could take 5-10+ years to recover when COVID is contained / controlled.
While the US economy may come back rapidly – that can’t be said for probably 90% of the Globe.
Transiting or layovers in multiple countries is a bit of pipe dream IMHO for the foreseeable future.
The travel issues Senitra notes are certainly not relegated to solo black women but all races. Her message to get on out there anyway should also resonate for all!