Loyalty Program News for Frequent Flyers

Delta‘s rolling out new nonstop transatlantic service from Raleigh-Durham to Paris. The route starts on May 12, 2016, but you can book tickets now.

Do you want to check out beautiful colonial architecture, sip some handcrafted Agua de la Vida or zip line through the jungle? If so, you’re not alone. Quito is quickly becoming a hot destination for travelers, and now you get there with JetBlue.

American Airlines will be flying daily from Los Angeles to Auckland, New Zealand starting in May 2016.Auckland is trending with travelers for a lot of reasons. Its iconic Sky Tower offers killer views of the Viaduct Harbour, and Auckland Domain, a park built around an extinct volcano is a must-see. Mission Bay Beach is located so close to downtown you could also get in a beach holiday while in the city.

Do you want to see the impressive Terracotta Warriors of Xi’an, China? If so, you’ll be excited to learn that United Airlines will be the first U.S. carrier to offer a trans-Pacific route flying directly to the city. Starting on May 8, 2016, flights will leave three times a week from United’s San Francisco hub. The seasonal route will run until October 27, 2016.

Next spring, airberlin will be heading from Dallas–Fort Worth to Dusseldorf, an art and fashion mecca in the heart of Germany. Dusseldorf has a lot to offer, including elegant shops, gorgeous gardens and lovely river walks.

Alaska Airlines has been adding more and more routes to its lineup recently, so the carrier’s latest addition, a flight between Orange County and Los Cabos, comes as no surprise. Southern Californians get ready for nonstop action to the land of beaches, water sports and margaritas.

American Airlines will be flying nonstop to Tokyo from Los Angeles starting on February 11, 2016. Tickets are on sale now. Tokyo’s endless skyscrapers and frenetic pace draw countless visitors, but its modern side is balanced with age-old Japanese traditions, such as sushi, sumo wrestling and tranquil garden retreats. American’s new route will make it even easier to explore everything Japan’s capital city has to offer.

American Airlines knows that pink sand beaches and exotic cocktails are in style. The carrier is adding six new weekly flights to Bermuda from New York’s Kennedy Airport. The new flights start on February 11, 2016, just in time for a Valentine’s Day beach getaway.

JetBlue is continuing its expansion into the Caribbean with a new route between New York and the dual-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. It comes as no surprise considering the islands’ 365 beaches and recent designation as the Caribbean’s Most Romantic Destination by the World Travel Awards.

Alaska Airlines is adding more destinations from Orange County with flights to Santa Rosa and the Reno/Tahoe area. These new routes come after the announcement by the airline that it’s also adding flights to Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta from Orange County.

More than a few airlines have increased service to Orange County this year. It’s no surprise since the OC is California’s third biggest county, and a gateway to the area’s beautiful beaches and Los Angeles’ world famous attractions. Delta is now on board with this trend, adding four new daily flights into Orange County from its hub in Seattle.

Turkish Airlines is now flying out of Miami to Istanbul. Tickets start at $599, and members of Miles&Smiles, the carrier’s frequent flyer program, can get award seats and upgrades on this route at a 25 percent discount. 

Aer Lingus is adding three new routes from the U.S. to Ireland in 2016. The flights will depart from Newark, Los Angeles and Hartford and arrive in Dublin. This will mark the biggest expansion for the carrier since its launch in 1985.

Aeromexico is taking to the skies over Colorado and offering seasonal service between Denver and Mexico City. Daily flights will run from December 14 through April 4, with two flights a day during the holiday rush between December 18 and January 11.

Travelers in south Florida can now fly nonstop to Vienna. Austrian Airlines is introducing flights to the Austrian capital from Miami International Airport.

Starting in May 2016, Norwegian Air will fly to Cork, Ireland, from Boston, and then, in 2017, it will start flying between Cork and New York. These new routes  will give both U.S. and European travelers access to more connections and the low fares that Nowegian is known for.

United Airlines and Azul Brazilian Airlines have brokered a codeshare agreement. This means easier trips between the U.S. and Brazil because passengers can now book travel on both airlines using one itinerary. But you might be wondering: What about frequent flyer miles?

Alaska Airlines has been busy this season. After recently announcing a codesharing agreement with Icelandair, which includes reciprocal frequent flyer perks, the carrier is now expanding its relationship with Emirates, a Dubai-based airline.

United Airlines is turning up the heat next summer with new daily nonstop transatlantic routes bound for three European hot spots: Athens, Barcelona and Lisbon. Flights between New York and Athens will run from May 25, 2016, to October 5, 2016. Service from Washington, D.C., to Barcelona and Lisbon starts on the same day, and ends on September 6.

The surprise news this month is the merger of Marriott and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. Members of both rewards programs–Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest–are wondering what it will mean for them. Details are scarce, with both programs promising to release more information soon. Let’s take a look at what we know right now.