Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
Vietnam’s Prime Minister demanded two weeks ago that the country reopen for international arrivals by the end of March or no later than April (read more here). International flight restrictions have been removed today (read more here). Many cabinet members support a proposal to reopen Vietnam for vaccinated or recovered international travelers with one night […]
Author: John Ollila
Hilton Buy Honors Points 100% Bonus Until March 11, 2022
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
Hilton has launched a new Honors points sale valid for purchases made through March 11, 2022. Members can usually buy up to 80,000 points per calendar year before the bonus, although the limit is often doubled, The bonus under this offer is 100%. You can access Hilton’s web page for buying points here. READ MORE: Hilton […]
Accor ALL Vietnam 20% Off Through June 30, 2022 (Book By May 31)
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
Accor hotels in Vietnam have launched a Spring Sale valid for stays through June 30, 2022. Accor Live Limitless (ALL) members save 20%, while Accor Plus members are eligible for an additional 10% off. You must book by May 31. You can access this offer on Accor’s website here. READ MORE: Accor ALL Rate & […]
Reader Email: “QANTAS Service Failures – No End In Sight”
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
A LoyaltyLobby reader from Australia sent us an email about great difficulty dealing with Qantas and limited options that exist in the country (no incentive to fix issues). Readers are encouraged to send us questions, comments, or opinions by email, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. We’ll try to cover them here several times a week. You can access […]
Vietnam Removes International Flight Restrictions February 15, 2022
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
Vietnam is removing remaining restrictions on the number of incoming flights to the country effective February 15, 2022, that were heavily curtailed in 2020 and 2021. The country launched a tourist pilot back in late 2021 that allowed a small number of tourists to enter select destinations in the country on packaged tours. Vietnam intends […]
World Of Hyatt 2022 Award Category Changes March 22
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
World of Hyatt today announced its March 22, 2022, award category changes that are just awful. Category 8, which was previously only used for select SLH hotels, will now include the most sought-after Park Hyatt properties too. You can access Hyatt’s page for award category changes here. READ MORE: World of Hyatt Rate & Bonus […]
Hilton Daily Food & Beverage Credit: When It Begins & Ends?
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
Hilton in 2021 rolled out a daily Food & Beverage credit (read more here) in place of complimentary breakfast for two at its US properties that was extended to 2022 with some increase in amounts (read more here). There have been an awful lot of confusion and policies by hotels when these daily F&B credits […]
Reader Question: IHG Or Hilton At Top Tier Level?
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
A LoyaltyLobby reader sent us a question if I would prefer IHG or Hilton at their respective top tier level? Readers are encouraged to send us questions, comments, or opinions by email, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. We’ll try to cover them here several times a week. You can access IHG here and Hilton here. Here’s the question […]
Hong Kong Bans Transit Passengers Through March 15, 2022
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
Hong Kong SAR on Thursday continued the flight ban from eight destinations for an additional month and added Nepal to the list (read more here). It was unclear then that transiting passengers on all other markets than China and Taiwan would also be banned from transferring at Hong Kong International Airport starting at midnight on […]
Compensation Clinic: Air France Delayed Luggage
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
This week the Compensation Clinic deals with delayed luggage that Air France “lost” on a trip from Helsinki to Barcelona in late December. Remember that you can always email us, send a message via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and include photos too. We’ll try to cover Compensation Clinic cases regularly. You can access Air France here. I […]
Why I Spent $1,400 For Non-Points Earning Stay?
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
The omicron variant that spread like wildfire affected my plans around the New Year. I was supposed to spend time with friends from North America in Paris, Lisbon, and Amsterdam but ended up in Latin America instead. Due to limited visibility, if further restrictions were going to be put in place around Europe, we decided […]
Nordic Hotels Friends & Family Sale For Stays Through April 30, 2022
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
Nordic Hotels have been promoting its Friends & Family sale for stays at 35 participating properties in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. The discount is up to 40%, and all F&F rates include breakfast. The sale is open for stays through the end of April and must be booked by February 27. You can access […]
Reader Email: Excessive Marriott Award Cancellation Penalties (Both Days & Cash)?
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
A LoyaltyLobby reader sent us a message about a Marriott award reservation that is non-cancelable after one day and carries a penalty of €2,490 to cancel? Readers are encouraged to send us questions, comments, or opinions by email, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. We’ll try to cover them here several times a week. You can access Marriott Bonvoy […]
Best Western Rewards Reduced Elite Qualification Criteria 2022
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
Best Western and WorldHotels have lowered their tier qualification criteria for 2022 based on the information on their respective websites. Best Western Rewards and WorldHotels Rewards members can earn Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Diamond Select in half number of nights or stays in 2022. You can access Best Western’s page for status qualification here and […]
Hong Kong Extends Flight Ban Through March 4, 2022
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
Hong Kong on Friday extended the flight from eight countries through March 4, 2022, and also added Nepal to the list. Flights from the United States, Great Britain, Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, Philippines, and Nepal are banned, while the city tries to fight a losing battle of keeping zero covid policy in tandem with […]
Accor ALL Singapore 30% Off Flash Sale + 25% Off F&B Through April 30, 2022 (Book By February 14)
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
Accor has launched another Flash Sale for stays at participating hotels in Singapore through April 30, 2022. Accor Live Limitless (ALL) members save 30%, and Accor Plus members get an additional 10% off. ALL members are also eligible for 25% off Food & Beverage expenses, excluding in-room dining. You can access this offer on Accor’s […]
Iberia Gift Cards Up To 15% Off Until February 14, 2022
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
Iberia has brought back its usual Gift Cards sale with up to a 15% discount through February 14, 2022. You can use Iberia gift cards to purchase flights on Iberia’s website, and they are valid for 12 months after issuance. You can access this offer on Iberia’s website here. Here are the gift card options: Confusing […]
TAP Miles&Go Double Elite Qualifying Miles Through September 30, 2022
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
TAP, a Portuguese flag carrier, has launched an offer for double elite qualifying miles through September 30, 2022. TAP Miles&Go members who book their trips February 10 – 14 are automatically eligible. You can access this offer on TAP’s website here. The T&Cs are somewhat contradictory, as they claim: “The offer does not apply to […]
Hilton Honors New Members Welcome Bonus Until March 31, 2022
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
Hilton has extended an offer to drive Honors sign-ups for its guest loyalty program through March 31, 2022. The offer was supposed to expire on December 31. New members will earn 2,000 bonus points for their first and 5,000 for the second stay if consumed within six months of joining Honors. You can access this […]
Singapore Vaccinated Travel Lane Updates
Written by John Ollila @ LoyaltyLobby
Singapore launched Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) in August 2021, which allows select nationals to enter a city/state with less red tape. Eligible travelers need to apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP), and there have been several changes to requirements and validity since the introduction. You can access Singapore’s page for SafeTravel here. Here are […]