Latest news with #frequentFlyer
The Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Jet Blue and United Airlines have announced a partnership. Here are the benefits for fliers
United Airlines and JetBlue Airways have announced a new partnership and it includes some big benefit for those heading to the skies. The deal was announced Thursday and still needs federal approval. It will allow passengers to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles across both airlines and book flights on each other's websites. United's MileagePlus and JetBlue's TrueBlue members will gain access to each other's loyalty perks, including priority boarding, free checked bags, preferred seating, extra legroom and same-day changes when flying on either carrier. The agreement also involves United's return to New York's JFK Airport, where it ceased operations in 2022. Starting as early as 2027, JetBlue will give up to seven daily round-trip slots at JFK to United. In exchange, JetBlue will gain additional space at Newark Liberty International Airport. Despite the close collaboration, both airlines will maintain independent operations, managing their own flight schedules and pricing. United will shift its website and mobile app travel booking features, including hotels, rental cars, cruises and insurance, to JetBlue's Paisly platform. If approved, elements of the "Blue Sky" alliance could begin as early as fall 2025. "United's global reach perfectly complements JetBlue's East Coast leisure network, and significantly expands the options and benefits for TrueBlue members, no matter where in the world they are traveling," Joanna Geraghty, CEO of JetBlue, said in a news release. "We're always looking for ways to give our MileagePlus members even more value and benefits and this collaboration gives them new, unique ways to use their hard-earned miles and find options that fit their schedule," United CEO Scott Kirby added. The new alliance follows JetBlue's previous partnership with American Airlines, known as the Northeast Alliance, which ended in 2023 after the Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against the two companies. The DOJ argued that JetBlue and American's partnership reduced competition and harmed consumers by effectively merging operations in key markets like New York and Boston. A federal judge ruled in favor of the DOJ, leading to its termination.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Holidaymakers told to beware buying Avios points on Facebook after scams
Holidaymakers hoping to use frequent flyer points to reduce the cost of their holiday have been warned to beware of fraudsters claiming to sell them on third-party websites. In a case that highlights the dangers of buying points through unofficial channels, a young couple were left hundreds of pounds out of pocket after they were defrauded by a scammer who claimed to be selling them British Airways loyalty points. Nigel Turner*, a small business owner, believed he was buying Avios points from someone on a Facebook group when he was planning a trip to Corfu for the end of this month. Turner paid £200 for 60,000 Avios points that he thought would contribute towards two business class flights for the 10-day break. Without the points, the flights cost £1,300. But after the points had been transferred and he booked the tickets, it emerged that they did not belong to the seller. Turner was told by BA that the points had been 'fraudulently obtained'. He was left with a non-refundable hotel booking and airport transfers worth £700. 'Both of us are self-employed so this has hit us hard, financially and emotionally,' he said. 'It's heartbreaking to tell someone you love that the holiday you both looked forward to for months is gone.' He added: 'We would have never flown business class, to be honest, without seeing this. It was just a cool thing which we thought we could do and it would cost the same amount as a normal flight.' Turner paid of the points using a bank transfer, and they were transferred to his Avios account. But then BA contacted him and said the points had been fraudulently obtained and removed them from him. The airline said it knew Turner had nothing to do with the fraud, and refunded the additional legitimate Avios he used towards the flight. 'Scams like this can still happen even when you think you've protected yourself. I had the points in my account before paying – and I still got scammed,' he said. 'If it's happening in one Facebook group with 75,000 members, you can bet it's happening in others too.' Up to 60,000 Avios points can be transferred legitimately between people on the airline's website for an admin fee of £50. BA said in a statement that the sale of the points had violated its terms and conditions as selling or buying 'via outside sources' was forbidden. It added that the stolen Avios points had been restored to the person who they belonged to. Turner said the person who sold him the fraudulent points had deleted his Facebook account. New rules requiring banks and other payment companies to reimburse fraud victims who have been tricked into sending money to scammers took effect last October. Turner has now been refunded the £200 he paid. * Names have been changed Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Guardian
24-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Holidaymakers told to beware buying Avios points on Facebook after scams
Holidaymakers hoping to use frequent flyer points to reduce the cost of their holiday have been warned to beware of fraudsters claiming to sell them on third-party websites. In a case that highlights the dangers of buying points through unofficial channels, a young couple were left hundreds of pounds out of pocket after they were defrauded by a scammer who claimed to be selling them British Airways loyalty points. Nigel Turner*, a small business owner, believed he was buying Avios points from someone on a Facebook group when he was planning a trip to Corfu for the end of this month. Turner paid £200 for 60,000 Avios points that he thought would contribute towards two business class flights for the 10-day break. Without the points, the flights cost £1,300. But after the points had been transferred and he booked the tickets, it emerged that they did not belong to the seller. Turner was told by BA that the points had been 'fraudulently obtained'. He was left with a non-refundable hotel booking and airport transfers worth £700. 'Both of us are self-employed so this has hit us hard, financially and emotionally,' he said. 'It's heartbreaking to tell someone you love that the holiday you both looked forward to for months is gone.' He added: 'We would have never flown business class, to be honest, without seeing this. It was just a cool thing which we thought we could do and it would cost the same amount as a normal flight.' Turner paid of the points using a bank transfer, and they were transferred to his Avios account. But then BA contacted him and said the points had been fraudulently obtained and removed them from him. The airline said it knew Turner had nothing to do with the fraud, and refunded the additional legitimate Avios he used towards the flight. 'Scams like this can still happen even when you think you've protected yourself. I had the points in my account before paying – and I still got scammed,' he said. 'If it's happening in one Facebook group with 75,000 members, you can bet it's happening in others too.' Up to 60,000 Avios points can be transferred legitimately between people on the airline's website for an admin fee of £50. BA said in a statement that the sale of the points had violated its terms and conditions as selling or buying 'via outside sources' was forbidden. It added that the stolen Avios points had been restored to the person who they belonged to. Turner said the person who sold him the fraudulent points had deleted his Facebook account. New rules requiring banks and other payment companies to reimburse fraud victims who have been tricked into sending money to scammers took effect last October. Turner has now been refunded the £200 he paid. * Names have been changed
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
I fly economy about once a week. Here are the best seats to book on a plane — and rows I always avoid.
I'm a frequent flyer and I love an aisle seat in first or business class. If I'm in economy, I go for an aisle seat in an exit row or behind a bulkhead so I get more legroom. Generally, I try to get an aisle seat and avoid sitting near a bathroom or galley. As a frequent traveler, I fly almost every week. Last year, I went on 62 flights. Naturally, I have developed a number of preferences when it comes to where I'm sitting on a plane. My favorite place to sit is in an aisle seat in business or first class. But even my Premier 1K status on United doesn't always get me upgraded, so I make sure to be strategic when studying that seat map for economy. Here are the seats I try to choose on a plane when I want a comfortable, pleasant flight. When I can't snag an upgrade, you'll find me in the aisle seat in the roomy exit row. If my aircraft has two exit rows, one behind the other, which is the case for the Boeing 737 Max aircraft on which I often travel, I select the row closer to the back of the cabin. Because of safety regulations, the exit row in front of me can't recline into my exit row, which prevents inconsiderate passengers from leaning back into my personal space. Just keep in mind that exit row seats also come with certain requirements, including the willingness to help other passengers in an emergency. I'm also known to select seats in the bulkhead row that's directly behind a wall, curtain, or screen because they often come with extra legroom. Plus, I can guarantee there won't be a passenger in front of me reclining right into my lap. For me, this spot has one drawback: There are no seats in front of me to store my bag under, and I can't keep it by my feet for safety reasons. So if I book this seat, I try to board quickly and secure space in a nearby overhead bin so I can access my belongings throughout the flight. When I'm with a travel companion and we want to sit together in a typical three-seat row, one of us will end up with the dreaded middle seat. Since being next to the aisle is basically a nonnegotiable for me, I'll instead book two aisle seats directly across from one another. This way, we're still close enough to chat and feel like we're traveling together, but we still have a decent amount of space. Another (riskier) strategy is to book the window and aisle of the same row — if you're lucky, the middle seat might remain empty. I've been on many trips where the flight attendant gets on the intercom to ask most passengers to remain seated while several people with tight connections deboard. Unfortunately, I've often seen that request ignored. So if I have a connecting flight to catch and only an hour or so to do it, I book an aisle seat as close to the front of the cabin as possible. Those extra few minutes when everyone is fiddling with their overhead luggage could mean the difference between making or missing my next flight. A seat by a bathroom isn't preferable for several reasons. For one thing, passengers might be lining up throughout the flight to wait to use it. This means spending a lot of the flight with butts near your face. You'll also frequently hear the toilet flushing, and bad aromas may waft out the door, neither of which goes well with your pretzels and ginger ale. I also avoid sitting near a galley area, which can also have a lot of foot traffic because it's where flight attendants prep the food and beverage service. This spot is convenient if you want to grab another drink or get your meal quickly, but it can get noisy and busy. This is especially important to keep in mind if you're a light sleeper. Read the original article on Business Insider
Fox News
10-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Is First Class for everyone? This guy may have the answer
Brian Kelly started "The Points Guy" to help people maximize their credit card points and miles for better travel experiences. "My passion is helping people maximize their points and miles so they can travel better," Kelly told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. The Points Guy is a website that helps travelers expand on their experiences and also get tips on all things travel. Aside from airplane miles and credit card points, the website answers any questions travelers may have so they can feel prepared and encouraged to travel. Kelly's passion for travel and his interest in maximizing points began as a kid in the 1990s. "My dad got a job for a startup. We lived outside of Philadelphia. And so he would travel from Philadelphia to LA every other week. So, while it was tough on us as kids that he couldn't make every basketball game, the silver lining of it all is that he got a lot of frequent flyer miles. So when I was 12 years old, he challenged me, 'Hey, if you can figure out how to use these miles, our family of six would go on vacation for free.'" Kelly decided that the family would visit the Cayman Islands, after being inspired by the book "The Firm" by John Grisham. Fast-forward to 2010, when Kelly began The Points Guy as a blog that expanded into a company with staff around the world. Kelly started The Points Guy after utilizing points throughout college and young adult life and getting experiences like first-class airplane seats by using frequent flyer miles, even while on a tight budget. "While we still focus a lot on points and credit cards, we cover everything travel, from cruises to theme parks. We want to let travelers get the most out of their experience. So if there are smart ways to book things, to get discounts, to get cheap fares-- And I also like to think, you know, in general, we're giving life tips, whether it's loyalty programs or credit cards. We empower consumers to understand the ecosystem that they're operating in," Kelly said. Kelly wrote the book "How To Win At Travel" to help answer the range of questions travelers may have, from travel tips to even grappling with anxiety. "It's been 15 years since I started The Points Guy," he said. "And while we've helped millions and millions of people get value out of the system, there's still so many people who are overwhelmed. Now there's almost too much information in social media and online, where it can be very difficult for someone who's new to this to approach it in a way that makes sense. So I wrote 'How To Win At Travel' to be that on-ramp guide to people who want to do more in travel." "Playing the points game isn't just about travel. It's about investing in your own personal financial success," he said. Brian Kelly will appear on "Fox & Friends" on Monday morning.
