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    The Baroque Palaces and Gardens of Valletta, Malta

    icon-user Andy Shuman icon-comments 0 Comments July 26, 2018
    The Baroque Palaces and Gardens of Valletta, Malta

    Malta is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea located about 50 miles south of Sicily. Valletta, the capital of Malta, is nicknamed Superbissima, or “most proud” because of its many impressive and ornate Baroque palaces, churches and gardens. The preservation and historic importance of Valletta resulted in the entire city being declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    Valletta isn’t just for history buffs though. The city hosts many festivals throughout the year, including the Maltese Carnival in February, the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in July, and the Feast of St. Dominic in August. Even if you don’t visit during one of these events, you’re not likely to get bored in this beautiful city with its rich history.

    It may seem like traveling to a small island in the middle of the Mediterranean would be a complicated journey, but getting there is not hard, even with miles. While no U.S. airline flies to Malta, award seat availability is still good through the major airline alliances, especially during the summer season. Unfortunately, no airline flies nonstop to Malta from the U.S., so you’ll have to make at least one stop on your trip.

    You’ll fly into the only airport in the city, the Malta International Airport. Locals often refer to it as Valletta Airport, since it’s located only three miles from the city.

    Former Main Guard building situated in St George's square facing the Grand Masters Palace in Valletta, Malta
    The Main Guard building located on St George’s Square in Valletta

    AAdvantage miles and the oneworld alliance

    The following oneworld alliance members fly to Valletta:

    • Airberlin via Cologne, Munich, Nuremberg or Stuttgart (seasonally)
    • British Airways via London
    • Finnair via Helsinki (seasonally)
    • Niki via Vienna

    If you fly through London, you’ll likely have to change airports. Most U.S. flights arrive at Heathrow, whereas flights to Malta depart from Gatwick. You should also avoid flying to London on British Airways because of the airline’s very high fuel surcharges on long-haul flights. If you do fly to Malta on British Airways, try to use American Airlines to get to London first.

    Round-trip tickets cost:

    • 40,000 miles in economy during the low season (October 15 to May 15)
    • 60,000 in economy during the high season
    • 100,000 in business
    • 125,000 in first

    Valleta city garden
    Hastings Gardens in Valletta

    MileagePlus miles and the Star Alliance

    The following Star Alliance members fly to Valletta:

    • Aegean Airlines via Athens (starting June 2015)
    • Brussels Airlines via Brussels (seasonally)
    • Lufthansa via Frankfurt or Munich
    • Scandinavian Airlines via Stockholm or Oslo (seasonally)
    • Swiss Airlines via Zurich (seasonally, starting July 2015)
    • Turkish Airlines via Istanbul

    Round-trip tickets cost:

    • 60,000 miles in economy
    • 140,000 in business
    • 160,000 in first

    Azure Window, famous stone arch of Gozo island in the sun in summer, Malta
    The Azure Window rock formation in Malta

    SkyMiles and SkyTeam

    Only one SkyTeam member flies to Valletta: Alitalia via Rome.

    Round-trip tickets cost:

    • 60,000 miles in economy
    • 125,000 in business

    First class tickets can’t be booked with SkyMiles.

    If you’re flexible with your travel dates, AAdvantage miles offer the best value for economy tickets during the off season. But if you’re flying in the summer, any of the major alliances offer the same price for coach.

    AAdvantage miles are also the best deal for premium cabins. You’ll save 25,000 to 40,000 miles in business class, and 35,000 miles in first. So start saving up your miles and get ready to explore the palaces and gardens of Valletta.

    Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

    UGC Disclosure: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

    Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card Review

    Andy Shuman 0 Comments January 17, 2024

    Who Is the Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card From American Express Good For?

    If you fly on Delta and are trying to reach or maintain elite status, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card can be a great tool. This premium card offers a welcome bonus and allows you to earn Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) that count toward elite status.

    Although the Platinum Delta card does come with a higher annual fee than both the basic and Gold Delta SkyMiles cards, it offers a greater potential for earning miles, with a slightly higher welcome bonus, as well as the ability to earn more bonus miles if you spend more.

    You can use Delta SkyMiles to book flights on Delta, as well as on 20 other partner airlines, most of which are SkyTeam alliance members. In addition to flying comfortable jets that offer excellent customer service, Delta is the most punctual domestic airline, with the best on-time performance among the big three.

    AIRLINE / PARTNERS
    		DELTA / SkyTeam
    ANNUAL FEE
    		$250
    APR
    		20.99% to 29.99%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.
    RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
    		720+
    TYPE OF CARD
    		American Express
    ISSUER
    		American Express

    Welcome Bonus:

    The current welcome bonus is 50,000 miles. You will need to spend at least $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first 6 months of card membership to qualify for the welcome offer. In addition, you can earn an Annual Companion Certificate each year upon renewal of your Delta SkyMiles Platinum card.

    There have been better welcome offers in the past, though, including a 70,000-mile bonus that you can earn in the first three months of having the card. It may be worth waiting to see if it’s offered again.

    Miles Earned:

    You will get 3 miles for every dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta and hotels. When you shop at U.S. supermarkets od dine at restaurants, you will earn 2X miles. And you will earn 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases. Here’s miles earning at a glance:

    • 3X miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta
    • 3X miles on hotel purchases made directly with hotels
    • 2X miles on dining at restaurants, including take out and delivery in the U.S.
    • 2X miles on groceries (at U.S. supermarkets)
    • 1X miles on other purchases.

    In addition to miles earning, you can save 15% when booking award travel on Delta flights. You will need to use Delta.com or the Fly Delta app to qualify for the discount. Plus, you can get 20% back on in-flight purchases. The savings will be credited to your account in the form of statement credit after you use your card on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food and beverages.

    What Do Your Miles Get You?

    Delta usually has excellent award seat availability to Europe, Asia and Australia, even during peak travel times. That includes good availability in business class.

    In addition, Delta has strategic partnerships with some of the best airlines in the world, like Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia and Korean Air. It’s also worth noting that there are no fuel surcharges on Delta flights not originating in Europe, or on most of the airline’s partners.

    Usage Perks:

    • Cardholders get priority boarding and preferred seating
    • Free first checked bag
    • Annual companion ticket upon renewal
    • No foreign transaction fees
    • Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck®
    • Global Assist® hotline

    Usage Quirks:

    • Annual fee
    • Fuel surcharges on flights originating in Europe
    • No stopovers allowed
    • High change and cancellation fees

    How Far Do Your Miles Go?

    In general, Delta award levels in economy are on par with American and United. In business class, however, Delta typically costs more than its peers, though United’s expensive redemptions on its partner airlines are an exception to that rule. These are what the three big airlines charge for a business class award between North America and Europe:

    • American: from 75,000 miles
    • United: from 100,000 miles
    • Delta: from 170,000 miles
    Some of the perks that come with the Platinum Delta SkyMiles credit card
    Some of the perks that come with the Platinum Delta SkyMiles credit card

    It can be difficult to find the cheapest economy rate on some popular domestic routes. However, Delta recently started offering discounted rates on select short flights in the U.S. For example, it’s possible to get a round-trip flight between New York and Charlotte for only 20,000 miles, instead of the standard domestic redemption rate of 25,000 miles.

    Additional Cardholder Benefits:

    • 20 percent savings on in-flight purchases
    • Extended warranty
    • Trip delay insurance
    • Purchase protection
    • ShopRunner
    • Baggage insurance plan
    • Car rental loss and damage insurance
    • Cell phone protection
    • Dispute resolution
    • Year-end summary
    • Plan It®
    • Send & Split®

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