Upgrd.com

This week we continued our series on redeeming miles for awards - this time on American Airlines and its partners in OneWorld. We discuss:

• The unfortunate news of someone joining the mile high club by themselves
• The flight attendants in trouble for photos then ended up on a porn site (nsfw) and a prostitution ring
• American Airlines Awards including
  
  • American Airlines Awards
  • AAdvantage All Airline Awards (Partner Award)
  • OneWorld Award

Send in your questions and let us know what you would like to hear on a future episode!

MP3 Audio

This week we answer some frequent flyer questions, both our own and from listener mail. In addition we tried something a little different, recording the whole discussion from the time people joined the call. We discussed:

• Damian joins us to discuss his very recent experience in LOT business class
• Standby on United Airlines
• US Airways open to merger - anyone want an airline?
• United Airlines finalizes 787 order
• Program options for Qantas travellers
• International Star Alliance partners and domestic USA lounge access
• and Ben's additional prediction of the possible demise of DEQM

MP3 Audio

We continue our discussion of Star Alliance Awards this week looking at Aeroplan, Asiana, ANA and using your American Express Membership Rewards miles for redemption. In addition we discuss:

• ANA's website and using their Star Alliance award search as a "tool" for your award booking
• Aeroplan's award chart and using American Express miles for awards
• Asiana's award chart to Europe
• Continental's connection to Amex
• and our own Matt's recent wedding and award to Asia - congrats Matt!

Please feel free to leave a comment or question below.

MP3 Audio

This week we continue our award redemption series by discussing Star Alliance carriers including United Airlines, US Airways and Continental Airlines.  In this episode we discuss:

• American Airlines new stand by policy
• JAL's final decision to stay with OneWorld
• Delta and US Airways proposed swap slot
• United Airlines award levels, website issues, and evil StarNet blocking
• US Airways award levels and availability
• Continental's award chart and how they match up with United

In addition Fozz, Matthew and Gary discuss the awards they have booked - despite StartNet blocking. Please share your award stories with us in the comments below.

MP3 Audio

In this first podcast of a series on airline award bookings we discuss the basics of how we use our miles and an overview of different award types. In future podcasts, over the next few weeks, we will discuss specific reward programs and alliances in greater detail.

In addition we discussed JAL's decision between SkyTeam and OneWorld, although that dicussion seems a bit dated now.  Please send in your recent award redemptions stories and questions for our next few airline award booking shows.

MP3 Audio

This is probably the shortest elite status podcast ever but we covered some listener questions about BMI Diamond Club. Since we recorded this last week there have been some changes - Fozz will be posting some updates on his blog about this soon.

This week we discuss BMI, their frequent flyer program, and why so many Upgrd contributors have BMI Gold status as one of their "backup" programs.

Please send in your comments about BMI's program or anything we missed or has changed.

MP3 Audio