Introducing ‘StatusMatcher’ – what match can you get from your existing airline and hotel cards?

airberlin Gold

Just when you thought that every possible internet-based travel website idea had been done, someone comes along to prove you wrong.  The latest contender is StatusMatcher. A ‘status match’ is when you approach an airline or hotel company with proof of your high status with [...]

Get BA lounge access by matching your non-oneworld Gold card to airberlin!

airberlin Gold

A couple of days, I wrote that the Turkish Airline status match still seems to be active.  If you have a Gold card issued by any other airline, Turkish may be willing to give you one of their Gold cards for free – and that [...]

Earn Miles & More miles writing hotel reviews!

Tripadvisor thumbnail

If you are collecting Lufthansa’s Miles & More miles, then this is an option for topping up your balance, albeit not by much! M&M is currently offering 100 M&M miles for every hotel review you write for www.holidaycheck.com.  Details of the promotion can be found [...]

Off to NYC Part 6 – Review of New York to Berlin on airberlin in business class (40,000 Avios + £1.50!)

airberlin J seat

This is the 6th and final part of a series of airline and hotel reviews covering my trip to New York. To recap (since it is almost two weeks since the previous part of this trip report!), I have just checked out of the Conrad New [...]

Next week – some semi-live blogging from New York!

Next week is half term for a lot of UK schools, including ours.  My wife and kids are off to Germany to see their (grand)parents and – if you’ve got kids - you’ll know that an opportunity for some quality ‘me time’ cannot be wasted!  I therefore [...]

Avios Redemption University – Lesson 6 – Lowering taxes by redeeming on airberlin

(This is Lesson 6 of the Avios Redemption University series, aimed at answering the eternal question – ‘What is the best Avios redemption?’. Click here for links to earlier posts on redeeming Avios for hotel rooms, redeeming on Aer Lingus, using Avios to upgrade, using ‘Avios [...]

Does the sale of airberlin’s frequent flyer scheme to Etihad matter?

The last bit of news I picked up from my 10 days in Dubai was the story that Abu Dhabi’s Etihad had bought a 70% stake in airberlin’s frequent flyer scheme, topbonus. The transaction values topbonus at $200m – an impressive achievement given that airberlin [...]

airberlin launches its new fully-flat seat for your low-tax redemptions!

I have written a few pieces about airberlin recently because they offer an excellent way to redeem your Avios without paying extreme taxes.  Yes, you need to hub through Germany to travel with them, but you will still make a large saving. I posted here [...]

Avios Redemption University – Lesson 5 – When to use ‘Avios and Money’?

(This is Lesson 5 of the Avios Redemption University series, aimed at answering the eternal question – ‘What is the best Avios redemption?’.  Click here for links to earlier posts on redeeming Avios for hotel rooms, redeeming on Aer Lingus, using Avios to upgrade and Reward [...]

Now THAT’S what I call taxes …..

I have just booked, for reasons that I will explain in a few weeks, a one-way flight from the US to Germany. airberlin New York JFK to Berlin Tegel One-Way Business Class The Avios required were the expected 40,000 for a one-way in Business. And [...]

The best miles and points deals we saw in 2012

So, the end of 2012 is here. And, overall, it has been a good one for the miles and points collector. The stand-out deal, without a doubt, was the Lloyds TSB Avios credit card promotion. There has never been another deal like this one, and [...]

Avios Redemption University – Lesson 2 – Saving taxes on US redemptions with Aer Lingus

This is Part 2 of a series that I will publish over the next few weeks on getting the most from your Avios. It is a good starting point for beginners, although I hope everyone will learn something from it. (Part 1 on ‘how to [...]