How to Request Flight Mileage Credit On Old Itineraries

By Mike Grasso

Even the most seasoned travelers forget to include their frequent flyer number to their flight reservation on occasion (or can place blame on the forgetful corporate travel agent). Or perhaps you included your frequent flyer number but the airline failed to credit your hard earn miles. Either way, fear nothing as you can request mileage credit for previously flown flights up to 24 months in the past, as long as you were a member of the respective airlines frequent flyer program at the time of the flight. The best documentation to have on hand would be your boarding pass or other documentation showing the airline's ticket and flight number.

Here are direct links to major U.S carriers, and information on how to submit your mileage credit request:

United (last 12 months of travel)

American (last 12 months)

Delta (last 6 months)

Northwest (last 9 months)

Continental (last 6 months)

Southwest (last 24 months!)

Virgin America (last 12 months)

San Francisco to Florida From $170 RT w/Taxes

Fly Delta/Northwest Airlines from San Francisco to Miami for $170 round-trip, including all taxes and fees. Travel permitted through early summer 2010 for outbound flights Monday-Thursday and Saturday. Example dates: September 15-21, 2009. Click here to book.

Earlier tonight on Twitter, we reported on a $187 "all in" fare SFO-Ft Lauderdale on Continental Airlines.

Earn 900 Northwest Frequent Flyer Miles In Ten Minutes

Special thanks to Andy for this timely reminder.

In the past we reported on earning 400 easy frequent flyer miles for completing WorldPerks University online quizzes, which consist of answering a few multiple choice questions about the Northwest Airlines frequent flyer program. If you haven't completed the quizzes yet, now is a great time to do so. 

In addition, with the Delta/Northwest merger already in progress, you can earn 500 Delta miles for linking both your Delta and Northwest accounts together - then, turn right around and transfer those miles back to your Northwest account, fee free. The linking bonus runs through April 30. 

These combined activities will net you 900 Northwest Miles. Not too shabby for 10 minutes of work! 

Register Now for Bonus Elite Qualifying Miles

As of Monday, all the major U.S-based airlines began offering some sort of fast track toward elite status promotion. American and United launched their promotions first, followed by the other three carriers. Here's how it works: Sign up first! I've provided links to the sign up pages below. Read the terms and conditions of the promotion carefully. In general, you are required to purchase and fly between now and June 15, 2009, and you will earn elite-qualifying miles at an accelerated rate. Elite-qualifying miles are used to calculate various elite levels within each airlines' frequent flyer program. For example, if you flew 12,500 qualifying air miles during this promotion, those would convert to 25,000 elite miles, earning you the first-tier of elite status valid through 2010. 

United: Earn double miles, all paid, published United fares.

American: Earn double miles, all paid, published American fares.

Continental: Earn double bonus miles, all paid, published Continental fares. 

Delta: Earn up to triple bonus miles, select paid, published Delta and Northwest Airlines flights.

No bonus for deeply discounted fares.

Northwest: Earn up to triple bonus miles on select paid, published Northwest, Delta and KLM flights.  No bonus for deeply discounted fares.

Rough Landings at Seattle Airport

Here's a video from couple years ago out of Seattle, where two separate Northwest Airlines planes were encountered some particularly nasty winds during landing. What a ride!

Earn 300 WorldPerks Miles for Obtaining an Insurance Quote

Northwest WorldPerks members can earn 300 bonus miles for requesting a free insurance quote with 21st Century insurance. In addition, earn 1,000 miles for taking out a new policy with 21st Century. Click here for more details.

Earn Bonus Miles Linking Your Delta and Northwest Accounts

Here is one result from the merger of Delta and Northwest Airlines announced earlier in 2008.: For a limited time, Delta SkyMiles and Northwest Worldperks members may transfer miles between their own accounts fee free - and earn a bonus 500 SkyMiles for doing so.

For instance, let's say your Delta frequent flyer account has 2,000 miles and your Northwest 23,000. Simply transfer the 2,000 Delta miles over to Northwest (or vice versa).

Click here for more information.

SuperShuttle and Delta Partner Up, Offer Frequent Flyer Miles

Delta SkyMiles members who book a ride online with SuperShuttle will now earn frequent flier miles. In a press release this week, SuperShuttle announced the new partnership with Delta will reward passengers 50 miles for each one way trip to or from the airport. 

SuperShuttle has similar partnerships with Northwest Airlines, Frontier Airlines and U.S Airways frequent flyer programs.  

San Francisco to New Orleans $155 "All In"

Northwest Airlines just lowered the price from San Francisco to New Orleans - now just $155 "all in" (including taxes and fees). Fare is valid through February 11, 2009. Delta also lowered their fare to about $165 all in. This is one of the lowest prices we've seen for this route in a while. Visit www.travelocity.com and use the "flexible dates" option, to check availability.

Government Approves Delta and Northwest Merger

The U.S Justice Department approved a merger between Delta and Northwest Airlines today, the final regulatory hurdle that creates one of the world's largest airlines.  Although the merger was announced several months ago, airline execs had to convince the government the merger would not cause substantial harm to consumers, such as significantly lessening the competition. And that they did. 

The merged airlines will combine flight schedules and loyalty programs over the next two years. According to a Delta press release, for customers, it will be business as usual during the process - as changes will be "thoughtfully" rolled out. 

Jet Airways Suspends San Francisco-Mumbai Flights

Jet Airways will discontinue flights between San Francisco and Mumbai effective January 13, 2009. According to airline officials, the suspension is necessary to cut down on low performing flights. You may recall Jet Airways only began flying from SFO in June.

"We are suspending the flight on a temporary basis...because of the current economic situation we had to rationalise our network and take out the low-performing flights," said Sudheer Raghavan, chief commercial officer.

Although Jet Airways is a notable International airline with 400 daily flights throughout India and the globe, the airline was a complete newcomer to the San Francisco market. Jet Airways (softly) introduced the market to direct flights to India, but failed to offer compelling reasons for passengers comfortable with the status-quo to make the switch to a relatively unknown carrier.

If Jet Airways does decide to resume flights in the San Francisco market - and I hope they do, I suggest the airline re-introduce themselves on the following key strengths:

• Frequent flier program benefits; little, if any, communication was said about partnerships with U.S-based airlines to earn miles while flying Jet Airways. For example, Northwest and American Airlines both permit mileage accrual on some or all of Jet Airways flights.
• Product offered; Jet Airways operates a new Boeing 777-300ER on the San Francisco route, complete with the latest technological advances that put fun back into flying, and has 10 Boeing 787 'Dreamliner' planes on order. Compare that to other airlines operating older style aircraft lacking modern day comforts, style and ammenities.
• Brand name; while not recognized much on the West Coast, Jet Airways is the largest carrier in India and operates flights to several dozen cities throughout the world.

Earn Bonus Miles At Northwest's Worldperks University

Northwest Airlines continues to offer these very brief lessons on the advantages of Worldperks, Northwest Airlines frequent flier program. If you have not done so already, I highly recommend you take these courses and earn yourself a few hundred bonus miles.

For each course, read a short description of a product or service Northwest offers, answer three (simple) questions and earn 100 Northwest Airlines Worldperks miles. Five courses are currently available. Click here to study and take your quizzes.

Northwest Airlines 'Mountains of Miles' Promotion

Northwest Airlines is again running a promotion that awards bonus miles for a variety of activities, such as renting a car, shopping online, and of course...flying Northwest. Click here to register for Mountains of Miles, and view all the different mileage earning activities available. Qualifying activities through January 31, 2009 are eligible for the bonus.

Also, Northwest is offering double WorldPerks bonus miles for each Super Shuttle reservation through the end of September. The promotion is also valid for ExecuCar reservations, should you need a private ride to/from the airport.

Sacramento to Philadelphia $181 "All In"

Sacramento to Philadelphia is currently pricing at $155+ tax, "$181 all in."
The fare is available on United ("L" class) and Northwest ("K" Class) with good availability through early January 2009. Visit Travelocity and search using the "flexible dates" option.

Custom Luggage Tags for 1000 WorldPerks Miles

Wondering what to do with a small number of Northwest WorldPerks miles in your account? If you aren't planning on earning enough for free award travel, or you just want to use up your remaining miles, consider a pair of customized luggage tags for only 1000 miles. Simply visit http://www.nwatagyourbag.com/ choose one of several stock photos or upload your own, then enter up to 4 lines of text on your tags. Shipping & handling are included.
Thanks to N301dp at flyertalk for posting this deal.

Delta Debuts Ads With Online Boarding Passes

Starting today, Delta Airlines customers checking in online for Las Vegas will see something more than their flight information on their boarding pass; Ads.

Perhaps you want information on the David Copperfield magic performance or details on current Cirque du Soleil shows. All of this - and more, on your boarding pass.

While some airlines are flying off into a direction of electronic boarding passes - dumping the paper all together, Delta Airlines is taxiing on with the good old fashioned paper boarding passes, just now exercising a creative use. Sure they are making a few bucks on the ads, but they claim to also be offering a service to passengers, particularly last minute folks, who don't necessarily have the time to research their destination before hoping on the plane. And let's face it, with airlines cutting back on inflight entertainment, raising the price of food and liquid and filling the planes to capacity, maybe these advertisements will keep passengers occupied in flight.

But love it or hate it, almost all Delta passengers will face it. By the end of the week, Delta will expand the ads so virtually everyone printing a domestic boarding pass at home will find advertisements batched with boarding passes. The company behind the technology says however that passengers will have an opt out box should they decide not to print out the ads.

Northwest and U.S Airways stated they too will begin boarding pass advertisements by year end as well.

Northwest Institutes 'Service Fee' On Award Travel

One of several new/adjusted fees and personnel reductions announced by the airline
Just two weeks after Delta Airlines announced they would slap a fuel surcharge on all award redemption's, Northwest Airlines jumped on board and confirmed they too will institute a similar fee.

Described in a Northwest press release as a temporary "service fee" to offset fuel costs, passengers redeeming Northwest Worldperks miles will soon pay a fuel surcharge ranging from $25 for domestic travel, all the way up to $100 for trans-Pacific flights. The fee will be charged for ticketed itineraries beginning September 15th.

That's not all. Changing your itinerary will cost extra too. Beginning today, changes to non-refundable domestic tickets will increase $50 to $150. Changes to International itineraries will be hiked by as much as $150 more than present fees, depending on class of service and other restrictions.

The airline is matching several other carriers $15 first checked bag fee for tickets being sold as early as July 10th. No more checking your bags in for free.

Keeping Score On Capacity Cuts

In case your not keeping score at home, here is a summary of the big-name airline players and their expected cuts in capacity through the end of 2008:

-United Airlines will cut capacity system wide by 12%.
-U.S Airways by 8%.
-American Airlines by 11-12%, including ending all Oakland operations
-Delta Airlines will eliminate up to 13%
-Northwest 9.5%
-Continental 11%
-AirTran 5%
-Frontier Airlines by 17%

With the capacity cuts, many airlines will layoff or offer packages to employees, while airlines such as Midwest and AirTran are implementing pay reductions to certain staff.

Capacity cuts mean consumers can expect to dig deeper into their wallet as fares rise to meet the demand for fewer seats/less capacity.

Earn Bonus WorldPerks Miles For Joining E-Miles

For a limited time, earn 275 Northwest Worldperks miles for joining e-Miles. With e-Miles you earn at least 5 miles for each ad you look at (usually takes 5-7 seconds), with bonus points if you opt to purchase a product or service from the ad. Once you reach 500 e-miles, simply transfer it to your Northwest account - for free. Click here for more information.

Signing up for E-Miles may qualify for bonus points as described in yesterdays 'Miles To Go' post.

Northwest Airlines 'Miles To Go' Promotion

Each year Northwest has a special promotion where you can earn bonus WorldPerks miles for flying, renting a car, shopping online, and signing up for various offers. These promotions are usually in addition to miles you would already earn for participating in these activities.

Northwest has rolled out another such program, this time called "Miles To Go." Here is a comprehensive list of activities and corresponding point value for completing them. To the right is a conversion chart of points to miles. The more activities you complete, the more points you earn. The more points you earn, the more Northwest WorldPerks miles you bank.

Of course flying Northwest will earn you the most bonus points/miles, but there are plenty of other easy-to-do ideas listed. For example, unlike past promotions you can simply enter the daily instant win game to earn 5 points a day (every day!), or enroll in the Northwest WorldPerks program for 25 points.

Miles to Go runs through July 31st. Be sure to read all the rules, then register before completing any of the activities.