Business Travel Tips

Delta Air Lines is offering passengers another inflight wi-fi option: the chance of shopping on Amazon on all its flights.

Through a partneriship with Amazon, the airline is giving free access to Amazon.com and Amazonwireless.com on onboard all Delta flights. Delta passengers just have to access Delta Connect WiFi portal and click on one of the Amazon banners.

Delta Connect WiFi portal already provides free access to exclusive shopping deals, travel information, news content — from The Wall Street Journal and People — and a number of entertainment options.

Beginning March 15, 2012, Hyatt will no longer offer the option to earn miles for stays in four airline programs including Air Canada Aeroplan, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, Frontier EarlyReturns and US Airways Dividend Miles.

Also, after March 15, 2012, Hyatt Gold Passport members will no longer be able to convert Hyatt Gold Passport points to miles with these airline programs.

STR Global released hotel performance data for January 2012.
The table below shows the three key performance metrics by region, year-on-year comparisons, for January 2012.

Below are highlights of key market performers for January 2012 (year-on-year measurements).

- Americas
Chicago, USA, reported the largest occupancy increase, +15.4% (to 47.4%) followed by Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) which recorded +8.4% (to 82.4%). Panama City, Panama, experienced the largest decrease in occupancy, -15.0% (to 55.4%).

- Asia Pacific
The largest increases in occupancy were recorded in Osaka, Japan, +10.0% (to 74.7%) and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, +10.0% (to 69.9%).

- Europe Prague, Czech Republic, +20.2% (to 45.4%), and Vilnius, Lithuania, +18.4% (to 44.9%) were the markets recording the largest occupancy increases. Athens, Greece, posted the largest occupancy decrease, -17.4% (to 36.6%).

- Middle East/Africa
The largest occupancy increase was recorded by Beirut, Lebanon, +32.0% (to 53.4%) followed by Amman, Jordan, +30.8% (to 64.7%), and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, +26.9% (to 74.0%).
Cairo, Egypt, was again the market recording the largest occupancy decrease in the region, -42.4% (to 36.4%).

Wyndham Rewards Hotel extended to March 12 its promotions for Northamerican and European members (original ending date was February 1).

“Gift Me Promotion” offers Wyndham Rewards members living the USA, Canada and Mexico the opportunity to earn over 20,000 bonus points with six hotel stays.
European Wyndham Rewards members can earn up to 30,000 bonus points after six stays.

Both promotions require that bookings be made by March 5 and stays completed by March 12, 2012.

Wyndham Rewards Hotel brands include: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, Ramada, Days Inn, Super 8, Wingate by Wyndham, Baymont Inn & Suites, Microtel Inns & Suites, Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham, TRYP by Wyndham, Howard Johnson, Travelodge Knights Inn.
(Promotion details are available here).

Hyatt offers the chance to earn more Hyatt Gold Passport bonus points for incremental nights, between February 1 and April 30.

In order to earn these additional points, you have to register by March 31 and stay at any Hyatt hotel worldwide through April 30.

Below is an example of additional points members can earn with this promotion.
- 4 nights earns 4000 points
- 8 nights earns an additional 8000 points = 12,000 (Total Points Earned)
- 12 nights earns an additional 12,000 points = 24,000 (Total Points Earned)
- 16 nights earns an additional 20,000 points = 44,000 (Total Points Earned).
Members who also have a Hyatt Visa will earn an extra 25% bonus on top.
Details of the promotion are available here.