“TURKISH AIRLINES IS LOOKING FOR A BRAND NEW PROJECT TO LAUNCH ON ITS 90TH ANNIVERSARY!

Turkish Airlines, connecting the most countries in the world, is organizing a special idea contest for the 90th anniversary of its
establishment.

By participating in the 90th Anniversary Idea Contest, you can submit your innovative ideas that enhance flight experience and earn 300,000 Miles!”

What are the details?

This sounds like a fun idea (and potentially a very useful one for the airline!), but you’re probably wondering what your chances of actually winning something are. I’ve taken a look at the terms and conditions, and I think there’s a reasonable chance InsideFlyer readers might be in the mix for a prize – if you play smartly…

There are 90 prizes in total and the competition is split into 5 different categories:

1. Flight Experience (Catering, Inflight products, Inflight entertainment system, Comfort, Additional services)
2. Airport Experience (Transportation, Ticketing, Check-in, Baggage, Lounges, Boarding, Information)
3. Sales, Communications & Winning Experiences (Website, Sales offices, Mobile application, Call center, Agencies, Social media, Advertisements, Miles&Smiles, Corporate Club, JetGenç, Shop&Miles)
4. Organizational Development & Innovation (Business processes, Organization, Efficiency and profitability, Education and employment, Innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, New business model opportunities, Cooperation opportunities, Digitalization)
5. Sustainability & Social Responsibility (Waste management, Environmentally friendly products, Carbon emissions, Social responsibility)

There will be 18 winning submissions for each category, with the prize distribution as follows – for each category:

• 1st prize: 300,000 Miles
• 2nd prize: 250,000 Miles
• 3rd prize: 200,000 Miles
• 4th prize: 150,000 Miles
•  5th prize: 120,000 Miles
• 6th-18th prize: 60,000 Miles

All ideas will be evaluated by a jury consisting of Turkish Airlines’ teams of experts in the competition categories. So, to be clear, winners are not selected by random chance – they are chosen and ranked by a panel which decides which ideas are the best.

I’m sure InsideFlyer readers would have plenty of excellent suggestions about improving the flight and airport experience, but I also imagine Turkish will receive a lot of submissions for those categories.

I’m confident they will receive far fewer submissions for the other categories (particularly 3 and 4), and would be surprised if at least some readers can’t suggest something that ends up being judged in the top 18 ideas for those categories…

Note that the competition ends on 31st March 2023. The terms indicate that you can submit multiple ideas across different categories.

Bottom line

If Turkish takes the suggestions they receive seriously, this could be a clever and low cost way of generating some great ideas for improvement. There are an awful lot of smart travellers out there who will be able to highlight weaknesses and offer solutions.

Even if Turkish doesn’t do much with the feedback, you might still find it fun to play ‘Airline CEO’ for a bit and potentially win a chunk of miles!

The post Give Turkish Airlines Some Advice And Earn Up To 300,000 Free Miles… appeared first on InsideFlyer.

There is no need to register for the promotion. Simply book your stay and the 500 bonus points will be credited automatically. Note that in some cases it can take up to 3 to 4 weeks before you receive the points.

The eligible stay dates vary a bit, but the current list of hotels offering bonus points can be found here.

The SCHLOSS Roxburghe in Kelso, Scotland looks stunning and can be booked for ~$250 (or 12,000 Hyatt Points):

In London, IHG loyalists might recognize the new Hyatt Regency Blackfriars – which used to be the Crowne Plaza City.

Oddly, despite being listed in the bonus points promotion, it doesn’t seem possible to actually book The Hyatt Regency Blackfriars just yet. It’s listed on the Hyatt website as “coming soon”, so hopefully it won’t be too long…

Elsewhere in Europe, new openings in Krakow and Bordeaux might be of interest too.

Bottom line

Are you looking forward to staying at any of these new Hyatt hotels? – and does the 500 bonus points make any difference to your decision?

Let us know in the comments below!

The post Earn Extra Bonus Points At New Hyatt Hotels – Including London & Scotland appeared first on InsideFlyer.

Even better is the fact that Accor Diamond members can match all the way up to Qatar Airways top tier Platinum status! As Qatar Airways is a member of the Oneworld alliance, this equates to Oneworld Emerald (i.e same level as American AAdvantage Platinum Pro).

Accor Gold members can match to Qatar Silver status (Oneworld Ruby) and Accor Platinum members can match to Qatar Gold (Oneworld Sapphire – equivalent to AA Platinum).

What are the full benefits?

After linking membership accounts, Privilege Club and ALL members will earn up to 1 Avios for every €1 spent on eligible stays at participating Accor hotels, in addition to the usual ALL Reward points.

Similarly, Privilege Club and ALL members can additionally earn 1 ALL Reward point for every $2 spent on eligible Qatar Airways flights, alongside the usual Avios.

If you already have status with Qatar Airways:

“Privilege Club Gold members will be upgraded to Silver status from ALL, providing extra benefits such as complimentary welcome drinks, priority welcome, late check-out, and more.

Privilege Club Platinum members will be upgraded to Gold Status from ALL, after their first eligible international hotel stay with Accor, granting them guaranteed room availability, complimentary room upgrades, early check-in, late check-out, and more.”

If you already have status with ALL:

“Elite members of ALL who have flown on their first eligible Qatar Airways flight, after linking their account with Privilege Club, will benefit from complimentary tier upgrades with Privilege Club.

Gold members of ALL will be upgraded to Privilege Club Silver membership, granting them travel perks such as priority check-in, extra baggage allowance, lounge access, and more.

Platinum members of ALL will be upgraded to Privilege Club Gold membership, offering them priority check-in, extra baggage allowance, complimentary seat selection, lounge access, meet and greet service and much more.

Diamond members of ALL will be upgraded to Privilege Club Platinum membership, the highest tier in the programme, which will allow members to enjoy enhanced benefits of extra baggage allowance, complimentary seat selection, and lounge access, including access to Al Safwa First Lounge at Hamad International Airport when travelling in Business Class with Qatar Airways.”

How do I match?

The process is nice and simple – just click through to the page here and follow the prompts.

Bottom line

Accor ‘ALL’ doesn’t really get a lot of love from points/miles enthusiasts these days, but this new partnership has the potential to be a genuine game changer.

As a reminder, here are the requirements for earning elite status with ALL:

If you normally spend a lot on hotel stays (or are planning a honeymoon/expensive trip), it’s now worth seriously considering Accor. I should also point out that Accor allows status points to be earned from multiple rooms too, so if you travel with family, hitting the targets might be easier than you think…

If you are interested, move fast, as Craig over on InsideFlyer UK spotted in the terms that the number of fast tracks available each year is actually limited:

Would you be tempted to switch your hotel loyalty from say 60 nights a year with Hilton or Marriott, to 60 nights with Accor in order to get Oneworld Sapphire status via Qatar Privilege Club?  

The post Move Fast And You Might Be Able To Match Your Hotel Status To Top-Tier Oneworld Airline Status! appeared first on InsideFlyer.

Pricing isn’t totally consistent (perhaps not all hotels are participating), but as you can see in the examples for New York below, it is possible to save a lot of points/money:

Compare those points rates to the cash rates:

In the most extreme example you could book the Even Times Square Hotel for 20,000 rather than $425 per night. Normally, you’d look to get about $100 of value from 20,000 IHG One Rewards Points, so this is remarkable value.

Don’t have enough IHG Points?

If you need to purchase points to take advantage of the flash sale, IHG is offering a 75% bonus at the moment.

To get the best price you need to buy 26,000+ (pre bonus) points – so at least 45,500 in total. If you did so, you would effectively pay ~0.571 cents per point, so this could be an attractive option.

Please do bear in mind though that the flash sale could end at any moment, so I would only recommend buying points if you have a decent alternative use for them, or can afford to take the risk.

You can purchase points here.

Bottom line

I’ve only had chance to check a few different destinations out, but the best value seems to be IHG’s lower and mid range brands in expensive cities.

Let us know what bargains you spot in the comments below!

The post BOOK NOW! – IHG One Rewards Points Pricing Flash Sale Is Superb… appeared first on InsideFlyer.

“IHG Hotels & Resorts is reminding the world what it feels like to be a guest. The company’s newest global marketing campaign, Guest How You Guest, is a celebration of hotels and taking a break from having to do it all. IHG is passionate in its belief that when people are taken care of – they feel free to be themselves and live their best lives. With Guest How You Guest, the company is sharing that message loudly through vibrant images and fresh storytelling…

The multimillion-dollar Guest How You Guest campaign amplifies true-to-life travel moments and shows how guests can define their own journey at IHG hotels. Whether it’s sports fans staying at a Holiday Inn Express to support their team on the road, a Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants guest taking their work calls poolside, or a couple celebrating with all the room service at an InterContinental Hotels & Resorts property – they all experience the heartfelt care IHG hotels provide. It goes beyond all are welcome; it’s that all are welcomed to be cared for.”  

It is fair to say that IHG are extremely serious about this campaign, backing it with substantial investment:

“Backed by the most extensive media campaign investment IHG has ever made for loyalty, Guest How You Guest reflects a playful perspective of a personalized stay at an IHG hotel. It evokes a desire to travel, explore and indulge. The images and videos will appear online, in television ads, magazines, billboards, murals and even subway stations.”

You can watch a video to get a sense of how they are pitching things here.

Bottom line

The photography is stylish and bold and I do like the emphasis on loyalty, as well as the narrative focus on the fun of being treated like a guest. With any advertising campaign though, the real test is whether what is delivered ‘on the ground’ has any similarity at all to what is promised. Get that wrong and the expensive adverts can seem like a bad joke.

I have stayed at a few IHG hotels recently and have been pleased with how the new IHG One Rewards benefits are being delivered so far, but it is early days. Let’s hope that the sort of attention paid to marketing continues to carry through to guest experience.

What do you think about the new IHG advertising campaign, and how are you finding IHG One Rewards?

The post What Are Your Thoughts About IHG’s Big New Advertising Campaign? appeared first on InsideFlyer.

What’s the catch?

There isn’t one really – but you do need to pay close attention to the terms, as the rate won’t always best suit your needs.

The offer only applies to hotels in Europe, India, Middle East, Africa and the Maldives. Late check out and a welcome drink are also available in those regions excluding Europe.

To be eligible for the discount, you must book the hotel stay through the dedicated IHG website. The discount is deducted from the flexible rate without any discount for members of the loyalty program. In practice you will usually save approximately something like 10%.

When booking, it is also necessary to pay the deposit for the first night. You can cancel bookings free of charge up to 72 hours before arrival. After that you pay for the entire booking. So if you have booked several nights, you also have to pay for them if you cancel within 72 hours before arrival.

The discount for Mastercard holders can be used until December 31st, 2022, for stays until January 3rd, 2023. The lower rate is only valid if you book at least three days in advance. All terms and conditions of this promotion can be found on the booking page.

Bottom line

If you are happy to book a completely non-refundable rate, you will often be able to find cheaper options than the IHG Mastercard Partner Rate. Similarly, if you need the flexibility of being able to cancel closer to a stay than 72 hours, the rate won’t help.

For stays when you want a bit of flexibility though, you will often be able to save some money by using the discount rate.

I like to view promotions like this as another tool in the ‘travel hacking toolbox’, rather than a silver bullet. It won’t always suit your needs or save you money, but is well worth knowing about.

If you spot a better IHG partner rate, please let me know in the comments below!

The post How To Save Money At IHG Hotels In Europe/Middle East/Africa With The Mastercard Partner Rate appeared first on InsideFlyer.

The thing is though, I realised that the last time I had looked was literally years ago – pre COVID – and things have changed a lot…

What is Marriott Homes & Villas?

Basically, it’s Marriott’s attempt at being Airbnb. You can rent thousands of apartments, houses, villas, castles, etc, in many different parts of the world. Coverage isn’t global, but it’s pretty good.

The first thing that surprised me was the variety of options now available close to my home in England. In Yorkshire alone, there are 175 properties listed, with everything from city centre apartments in Leeds and York, to cozy seaside options on the east coast, farmhouses in the Dales, and grand stately homes (for $10,000+ per night!).

The second thing that surprised me was just how reasonably-priced many of the properties were (stately homes notwithstanding…). There are cleaning fees to be added on (which mean longer stays tend to offer better value), and prices vary according to the date/season, but it’s possible to find UK options for not much more than $65 per night.

If you’re only paying ~$300 for a 5 night stay, that 30,000 points bonus begins to look like a very good deal indeed!

I then started looking at cheaper parts of the world, and spotted properties in countries like Poland and Turkey for as little as $20-$30 per night

In the USA, there are more than 3,000 properties listed, with plenty of options under $100 per night. Mexico offers tremendous value too.

If you could find somewhere you actually wanted to visit anyway, the 30,000 bonus points (worth ~$250) could be a massive rebate – and the perks of booking with with Marriott Homes & Villas don’t end there. 

Earning Marriott Points and Elite Night Credit

One of the biggest attractions of Marriott Homes & Villas is that you can earn elite night credits for status purposes.

In addition, Bonvoy members with elite status earn a small welcome bonus of:

• Ambassador, Titanium, Platinum: 1,000 points
• Gold: 500 points

You would also earn Marriott points on the paid rate – although you only earn 5 points per US dollar spent (you earn 10 points at most hotel brands). Elite bonuses also apply (i.e. 50% for Platinum members, 75% for Titanium members).

How to earn the 30,000 bonus points

To earn 30,000 bonus points per stay, you must:

• BOOK between 16-18 May, 2022 (that’s TODAY!)
• STAY at least 5 nights in the same property
• STAY between 1 June – 31 December, 2022

You can access Marriott Homes & Villas by clicking here.

Bottom line

If you can find a cheap or reasonably priced property that suits your travel plans (and/or are chasing Marriott Bonvoy status), I can’t think of a better accommodation offer available right now.

To grab an extra few percent rebate, don’t forget to click through from TopCashback to book!

Note that this is the link for the UK version of TopCashback, which means you can also earn a sign up bonus of £15 (~$18.50). It’s easy to cash out using Paypal, or you can even convert your cashback to British Airways Avios.

The post Why You Should Take Another Look At Marriott’s 30,000 Bonus Points Promo (ENDS TODAY!) appeared first on InsideFlyer.

Experience the beauty the Maldives. Situated on a private island in North Male Atoll, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa is accessible by a complimentary 15-minute speedboat ride from Velana International Airport, making it an attractive destination for those who prefer convenient travel.

The resort underwent renovation in 2018 of all facilities, which included a comprehensive upgrade of its award-winning Shine Spa for Sheraton. The resort features 7 restaurants and bars including Chinese, Thai, Indian and Mediterranean specialty dining venues, 2 freshwater pools, a tennis court, a gym and plenty of on-island activities, including Sheraton’s signature Side-by-Side Family Program.

The five-star resort cultivated its own coral conservation project in collaboration with the local government and Reefscapers. The onsite marine biologist offers educational sessions and guided snorkeling tours around the house-reef. Guests can also participate in a coral fragment planting activity.

The resort offers 176 guest rooms ranging from beach cottages to over water villas – all furnished in tropical style with the finest of amenities. Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa features Jalsaa, a 468 sqm self-contained indoor and outdoor venue, equipped with private outdoor pool and surrounded by an expansive garden overlooking the turquoise blue waters.

Today’s prize…

Together with Marriott Bonvoy and the Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort we are giving away four nights in an ‘Island Cottage’ for two people including breakfast and dinner in selected restaurants.

How to enter

Enter Day 24 of the InsideFlyer Advent Calendar via the following link:

The InsideFlyer team wishes you a very merry Christmas!

Terms

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. MAKING A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW.

A winner is randomly drawn from all registrations and they will be notified via e-mail within 14 days of the end of the promotion period. In the event that the winner does not respond to this announcement within 7 days, the prize will not be awarded to them and will be assigned to a new winner. You can participate once a day.

By participating in this promotion you agree to receive emails from InsideFlyer, but you can of course unsubscribe from that at any time.

By participating in this promotion you automatically agree to our and our partner’s Privacy Policy.

InsideFlyer and our partners will do our utmost to ensure that prizes are received correctly, but cannot assume responsibility for errors by third parties (eg. delivery) and other issues outside of our control (eg. COVID-19 related closures).

The post InsideFlyer Advent Calendar Day 24: Win An Incredible Stay At The Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa! appeared first on InsideFlyer.

We have long recommended TopCashback on InsideFlyer – it really is a great way of reducing the cost of your travel (and indeed all everyday spend) quickly and easily. If you haven’t already joined, we are offering a boosted sign-up bonus for registering.

Simply join via this link and you will get $15 bonus credit when you spend $15+ at any retailer included on the TopCashback site (yes, that’s basically free money!).

Back to today’s prize – here’s how to ensure you get your chance to win the $135…

For your chance to win, first join TopCashback if you do not already have an account (so the prize can be processed if you win!), then enter Day 21 of the InsideFlyer Advent Calendar via the following link:

The InsideFlyer team wishes you a very merry Christmas!

Terms

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. MAKING A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW.

Date: 21st December 2021

Prize: £100 of withdrawable cashback on TopCashback, or Euro/Dollar equivalent (can be converted to 10,500 British Airways Avios on TopCashback for UK members)

Entry Requirements: Participants must register with either TopCashback.co.uk, TopCashback.com or TopCashback.de within the promotion period via the InsideFlyer link.

Participants can gain 3 additional entries for every person they refer to the promotion using their personal referral link (included in entry confirmation email) who also participates in the promotion.

A winner is randomly drawn from all registrations and they will be notified via e-mail within 14 days of the end of the Return To Travel promotion period. In the event that the winner does not respond to this announcement within 7 days, the prize will not be awarded to them and will be assigned to a new winner. You can participate once a day.

By participating in this promotion you agree to receive emails from InsideFlyer, but you can of course unsubscribe from that at any time by following the straightforward instructions in the email.

By participating in this promotion you automatically agree to our and our partner’s Privacy Policy.

InsideFlyer and our partners will do our utmost to ensure that prizes are received correctly, but cannot assume responsibility for errors or delays by third parties (eg. delivery) and other issues outside of our control (eg. COVID-19 related closures).

InsideFlyer retains the absolute discretion to determine whether entries are valid, although it shall at all times act reasonably in such determination.

Permission will be requested to confidentially share the winner’s name and email address with TopCashback so that their winning entry can be verified and the prize(s) awarded.

Any user that signs up to all three TopCashback sites will only receive one entry.

The post InsideFlyer Advent Calendar Day 21: Win $130 Courtesy of TopCashback (Plus $15 for ALL New Members!) appeared first on InsideFlyer.

Win a BAGTAG Flex

BAGTAG is revolutionising travelling with check-in baggage. Instead of queuing for a long time at check-in, everything is carried out comfortably at home. At the airport, you just hand in your luggage at the fast drop-off counter.

BAGTAG Flex has a new locking system that can be flexibly attached to any luggage and can therefore be reused as often as required. Due to its robustness, the electronic baggage label can withstand any flight transport without any problems. The battery-free BAGTAG Flex connects seamlessly with any iOS and Android smartphone in order to create the e-paper ticket directly via the airline/BAGTAG app.

The digital baggage label is updated contactlessly and securely using near field communication technology. The entire check-in process can be shortened and completed from home or at the hotel. BAGTAG thus helps you avoid unnecessary waiting times, as well as points of contact with other travellers in the airport and at the check-in counter for more health security.

Together with BAGTAG we are giving away a new BAGTAG Flex.

InsideFlyer readers can receive an exclusive discount of 15 percent on all BAGTAG purchases with the voucher code InsideFlyer15.

For your chance to win…

Enter Day 20 of the InsideFlyer Advent Calendar via the following link:

The InsideFlyer team wishes you a very merry Christmas!

Terms

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. MAKING A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW.

A winner is randomly drawn from all registrations and they will be notified via e-mail within 14 days of the end of the promotion period. In the event that the winner does not respond to this announcement within 7 days, the prize will not be awarded to them and will be assigned to a new winner. You can participate once a day.

By participating in this promotion you agree to receive emails from InsideFlyer, but you can of course unsubscribe from that at any time.

By participating in this promotion you automatically agree to our and our partner’s Privacy Policy.

InsideFlyer and our partners will do our utmost to ensure that prizes are received correctly, but cannot assume responsibility for errors by third parties (eg. delivery) and other issues outside of our control (eg. COVID-19 related closures).

The post InsideFlyer Advent Calendar Day 20: Win A Cutting-Edge ‘BAGTAG Flex’ – Designed To Make Travelling With Bags Easier appeared first on InsideFlyer.