Delta, US Airways, Shorten Frequent Flyer Miles' Halflife - Consumerist Comments

Delta, US Airways, Shorten Frequent Flyer Miles' Halflife

tenmiler — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 00:01:25 EDT

I think the image is the one snapped by a tourist (unwittingly) of the Alaska Airlines flight from Puerto Vallarta that went down into the Pacific off the Channel Islands. when a jack screw broken on the stabilizer. It was a horrible story, and everyone died.

I know of a few people who died on that plane as it was en route to my home town at the time. I hope that you guys will consider removing this--it's really not funny.

tenmiler

Delta, US Airways, Shorten Frequent Flyer Miles' Halflife

Henrythoreau — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 16:32:31 EDT

The image that accompanies this story is horrifying. Is this an actual photograph of a plane going down? And if so, should it be included on the site in a joke-ish way?

-Henry

Henrythoreau

Delta, US Airways, Shorten Frequent Flyer Miles' Halflife

Hawkins — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 14:43:20 EDT

Mr. Newman:

Perhaps the message should have been: rewards cards are retarded UNLESS they reward you with cash, or its direct equivalent.

A local supermarket chain (Kroger) offers a credit card that rewards you with checks (made out to Kroger). If that's where you do your grocery shopping, it would probably be an excellent idea.

Hawkins

Delta, US Airways, Shorten Frequent Flyer Miles' Halflife

Amry — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 14:20:30 EDT

Hey, I guess it all depends on your perspective. I currently have about 1500-3000 miles sitting in frequent flier accounts with a few different airlines - there's no way I ever would have earned enough on any one airline to get a free ticket anytime within the next 10 years. Delta recently sent me something in the mail about the new expiration date, and info about free magazine subscriptions and other items I could turn my miles in for. I actually appreciated the letter informing me of the new expiration policy - I had no idea there were other things I could use my miles for, and was pretty happy to get some free magazines out of what I thought were useless frequent flier miles that were just going to go to waste anyway.

Amry

Delta, US Airways, Shorten Frequent Flyer Miles' Halflife

InsaneNewman — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 14:06:48 EDT

TedOnion:

Rewards cards aren't useless if you don't carry a credit balance. I use a credit card for convenience, and it's nice to get a $50 gift card every now and then from Citi's Thank You Points. Finiding a low rate does me no good if I never pay interest or financing charges.

InsaneNewman

Delta, US Airways, Shorten Frequent Flyer Miles' Halflife

it.goes.there — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 12:54:27 EDT

merp

That should have said:

I know I'm just being obnoxious this morning, but technically, half-life is the amount of time that it takes half of something (Speficially, atoms of a certain element) to decompose . . . so the headline suggests that after 18 months, HALF of the miles should be gone.

Sorry to be such a Debby Downer.

it.goes.there

Delta, US Airways, Shorten Frequent Flyer Miles' Halflife

it.goes.there — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 12:52:50 EDT

I know I'm just be

it.goes.there

Delta, US Airways, Shorten Frequent Flyer Miles' Halflife

Triteon — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 12:39:38 EDT

I hope this means that since Delta will be dropping my miles (my last flight with them was in January, 2000) they will also stop sending me junk mailers with credit card offers.
Delta, if you're listening: it's been seven years since we last spoke, and no-- it's over. I don't want to see you again; no cards, no letters...just let it go.

Triteon

Delta, US Airways, Shorten Frequent Flyer Miles' Halflife

AcilletaM — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 12:39:17 EDT

AA is horrible. Hawking magazines and credit cards all the time. Account update email is 92% ads, 8% account info. Worst of the "but we have a prior business relationship" spammers. Even outdoes Sallie Mae.

AcilletaM

Delta, US Airways, Shorten Frequent Flyer Miles' Halflife

acambras — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 12:09:26 EDT

Reading TedOnion's post makes me think of flying US Airways last weekend and being subjected to a flight attendant's PA spiel about US Airways' rewards card. Really talked it up for several minutes, then passed out applications to the captive audience. Of course, when I checked the table with the required disclosures, there was a hefty annual fee involved. I passed it up and am now even more glad that I did.

acambras

Delta, US Airways, Shorten Frequent Flyer Miles' Halflife

acambras — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 12:07:03 EDT

Mirror mirror on the wall --
Which airline SUCKS least of all?

acambras

Delta, US Airways, Shorten Frequent Flyer Miles' Halflife

TedOnion — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 11:55:42 EDT

One more reason to trade in any rewards cards you might have, and switch to a no fee credit card, and just find the lowest rate you can.

Rewards, no matter what they are, tend to be useless.

TedOnion

Delta, US Airways, Shorten Frequent Flyer Miles' Halflife

The_Truth — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 11:48:08 EDT

Another alternative is to fly exclusivly with SouthWest.

The_Truth

Delta, US Airways, Shorten Frequent Flyer Miles' Halflife

humphrmi — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 11:37:50 EDT

>Mouseprint has got some great ideas on steps
>you can take to keep your miles active, such
>as spending a few miles on small items, like
>magazine subscriptions. Or purchasing
>miniature Delta or US Airways models and
>hammering them to shreds.

I hate to say this but most airlines require that you earn *real* miles to prevent expiration, not rewards miles. At least, that's the case with AA.

humphrmi