Tuesday Topics

  • Howdy Texans, y’all can line up for 20,000 free Spirit miles today and tomorrow. And, yes, I’ll stop saying y’all.
  • Hilton continues to unimpress. The 1-to-2 Virgin to Hilton rate on transfers will end February 5th. The new rate will be 1-to-1.5. 
  • IHG’s PointBreak hotels are out. A bargain for an average hotel room at 5,000 points a night.
  • Get 25% off some hotel rooms from CheapTickets using code CHEAPTASTIC.
  • $100 off stays of $150 or more for first time users on Airbnb is still working for some using code sundance_airbnb.

2 Improved Card Bonuses

The Virgin Atlantic card from Bank of America is back up to the usual 50,000-mile bonus. It was half of that for a while, so it’s nice to see this back.. Highlights include:

  • 45,000 miles after spending $2,500 in 3 months.
  • 5,000 more miles for adding 2 authorized users.
  • Bank of America cards can be very, very churnable for many people. 

The Citibank American Airlines Executive card is up to 75,000 miles. The usual bonus is 60,000, so this is a good little bump. Things to pay attention to:
  • Spend $7,500 in 3 months for the bonus.
  • It comes with Admirals Club lounge access. A big bonus for some. Free checked bag and priority boarding are nice too for those without status.
  • The annual fee is a very steep $450. Too rich for my blood, but to each their own. Still plenty of less expensive American cards out there.

End Of Week Wrap-Up

  • Earn 1,000 Southwest points for using TurboTax and 500 for Quicken.
  • Get 100 free Hyatt points in about a second.
  • 14% off this weekend from Living Social (including travel) using code VDAY14.
  • Like the Voila Hotel Rewards Facebook page and then enter to win 250,000 points.
  • If that’s not enough for you, win a million Accor hotel points here.

Southwest Companion Pass Basics

Today, I talked to my good buddy Aly for a few minutes. He had some mile/point questions, and I brought up the Southwest Companion Pass. Basic stuff, right? But, then something shocking happened…he didn’t know what the hell I was talking about! What kind of blogger am I? What kind of friend?? What kind of man???

(Calming down)

Ok, so for those who don’t know…the Southwest Companion Pass is very, very cool. Here are some basic facts about it:

  • I’d say this is the king of perks for domestic airline travelers. Earn 110,000 Southwest points in a year to get one. 
  • It doesn’t expire until the end of the following year. Yup, if you got one now, you’d have it until the end of 2015! That’s why the goal is always to get one early in the year.
  • When you do have one, it means that on every Southwest flight (paid or points), your companion flies free.
  • There are definitely people who earn it from flying, but I got mine from 2 Southwest credit cards and a little spending. The 2 cards could be Personal, Business, or a combination of the two.

What About The Rich People?

Man, I can be jerk. Every day, I thoughtlessly focus on writing for all those average working stiffs. But what about you independently wealthy people? Who cares about you? Don’t you deserve deals too? Uh…probably not. But here’s a few ideas to help you brainstorm….

  • First, is the ol’ BankDirect checking account. Getting miles every month based on your balance seems like a smart idea. And what an impressive balance you have (translation: send me some money). The one issue is that BankDirect is a pain in the ass. Over time, they always seem to get worse. They add fees, then they reduce the miles you earn, and on and on. But there are plenty of loyal BankDirect customers out there. Not sure what the plan is with the merger, but it’s something to look at.
  • A much more nerd-friendly company has been Fidelity. With all that cash, you should be earning miles from your investments (American, Delta, or United). These have been known to be very churnable 50,000-mile bonuses. Plus, you have plenty of other rich family members, right?
  • Manufactured spending is your friend. With your huge credit limits and all that free time, you could be manufacturing piles of miles every day. Or if it’s not worth the effort, you could always hire someone you trust to do it for you. Stranger things have been known to happen. 

These are just some ideas for my rich readers. In the miles/points world, like anywhere else in the world, there is much you can do with liquid cash.