American Airlines fare sale to Europe - tricks

It's ALL TREATS AND NO TRICKS TILL March 2010

Halloween is about dressing up and trick-or-treating but if you want to experience creepy history, ghost tours, bonfires - visit Europe.

American Airlines has a fare sale to Europe where you can stroll down ancient cobblestone streets, and enjoy history at many European destinations. Purchase your tickets by November 5, 2009 to get low fares. Begin travel Oct, through March 28, 2010,.

Fly to England and see the Oldest, most haunted castle in Europe The Tower of London. You can fly from Los Angeles (LAX) to/from London (LHR) with fares starting at $306. each way.

Other Fare Sale offers by American Airlines are Chicago O'Hare, IL to Champaign, IL for $84 each way, based on round-trip purchase. Chicago O'Hare, IL to Philadelphia, PA for $65* each way Boston, MA to St. Thomas, USVI $125 each way.

If you're looking for a special Fall retreat in some of the most inspirational cities, book a two-day stay with InterContinental Hotel London Park Lane, InterContinental Paris Le Grand or David InterContinental Tel Aviv and receive 6,000 Priority Club BONUS points plus exclusive benefits, if you register and stay before 31 December 2009 you get free breakfast and an upgrade with 20 Euros credit plus 6,000 bonus points

In old England cakes were made for the wandering souls at All Hallows an ancient, pre-Christian Celtic festival of the dead but then it was wiped out in England when it was considered a "pagan" holiday. In 601 A.D. Pope Gregory rather than try to obliterate native peoples' customs and beliefs, the pope instructed his missionaries to use them so the Irish brought the custom to America. Also, thanks to Pope Gregory, the day of the dead is celebrated in Mexico.

In the U.K., Halloween is being picked up from the USA but their biggest night is on November 5, Guy Fawkes to commemorate the successful foiling of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Also known as Bonfire Night. A great place to visit to experience this is Hexham's popular fireworks extravaganza. They have a Band playing and a big Bonfire.
Visit the White Cliffs of Dover is one of Britain's most haunted castles. The spooky events at Dover Castle this Halloween will entertain kids with the legends then adults join a ghost walk through the castle and grounds. Another ancient site worth a visit is Anne Boleyn’s gruesome beheading site. Poor Anne’s headless ghost is said still to roam Blickling Hall.

I still feel it is decidedly pagan, never liked, visiting "haunted houses" or watching horror movies, though I did enjoy the bonfires at Guy Fawkes in England as a child.

If you have children, the Haunted House at Walt Disney World has an offer at Resorts to Buy 4 Nights, Get 3 Free At Moderate & Deluxe Resorts This Includes Disney Theme Park Tickets plus you'll earn 500 AAdvantage miles when you book online at AAVacations.com . The 3 free hotel nights are valid till March 27, 2010. Enchanting worlds are at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Continental Airlines Mileathon amid new fees

Airlines will charge $50 to check a 2nd bag to Europe but no charge for elites

I have registered for Continental Airlines Mileathon. Eligible activities get compounded miles through Dec. 31, 2009, earn up to 100,000 bonus miles and give Onepass members a chance for the Grand Reward — a trip to Steamboat, Colo. Earn up to 50 Mileathon extra credits when you acquire a Continental Airlines Chase credit or debit card.
It’s a great way to accumulate points if you plan on traveling a lot before Nov 30th. Mileathon credit earning activities include using online check-in, booking flights, hotel stays and car rentals and more. At the end of the promotion, the top credit-earner in each OnePass category will also receive a Grand Reward - a dream vacation for two to Colorado, Hawaii, China or Paris, including First Class or BusinessFirst airfare, hotel accommodations and a $500 gift card.-- I plan to earn a bunch of miles on my Continental flights to Washington. This is a new direct flight that they have added to the capital. .
The Mileathon is a chance at making a run for Lifetime Elite status. As a Continental Airlines OnePass member, if you have flown over one million Lifetime Flight Miles, you join the Million Miler program. This program comes with some unique benefits reserved for the most loyal customers

Holiday air travel will cost more because several big airlines have added $10 surcharges on most of their ticket fares for travel on busy days around Thanksgiving and New Year's holidays. American, United airlines, Delta and US Airways Group Inc. added the surcharge.
United, Continental Airlines and several other will charge $50 to check a 2nd bag to Europe. Continental and Delta are adding extra $10 fees to Latin America so the rest will follow soon.
Many passengers would rather have the base fare raised so that they are not surprised by all the hidden fees and surcharges like the 7.5% U.S. excise tax. The quoted fare does not include taxes, fees and charges that may apply to your travel itinerary such as:
* Passenger facility charges (PFCs) of up to $18 per round trip
* September 11th Security Fee of up to $10 per round trip etc.

The good news is that holiday fares are still running 15 percent lower than last year

You can win a free Sheraton hotel stay

If you would like a free hotel stay, enter every day from October 6–9 to see if you’re an instant winner at Sheraton.com/freenight
My Platinum elite status did not help me win a free night, but don't let me discourage you. I got this message:

While you didn’t win today, be sure to sign in daily through October 9 for another chance to be instantly rejected.

You could win a free night’s stay on Friday, October 23, 2009, at your choice of one of the nearly 100 new or newly renovated Sheraton Hotels & Resorts in great cities across North America, including Waikiki, San Diego, Dallas, Phoenix and more.

Starwood Preferred Guest sent out emails to elite members, announcing the offer, 13 hours after the contest had started. I can only guess that this is an attempt to obtain email addresses of non-Starwood members. As I mentioned, I don't quite get the business strategy of giving away the free stays, especially since SPG are raising funds.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., announced that it has priced an underwritten public offering of $500 million of 7⅞% Senior Notes due 2014.

Priority Club is introducing "FLIGHTS ANYWHERE"

Priority Club Rewards, are today, introducing "Flights Anywhere" awards. Now your points can take you even farther. With Flights Anywhere, the choice is yours. Redeem your points, or combine points and cash, for flights.

• Fly Anywhere on over 400 airlines worldwide, including all major U.S. carriers
• Fly Anytime with no blackout dates or restrictions on availability
• Earn Miles Anytime through your favorite frequent flyer programs

Flights Anywhere gives you the flexibility to book flights for any occasion – including peak holiday travel periods. If there is still a seat available on a flight, you can redeem it for a ticket using your Priority Club points.
Holiday Inns recently introducing Points & Cash payment akin to Starwood’s popular cash & Points Award, and now Priority Club are again following Starwoods lead. They are introducing a similar program to Starwoods SPG Flights program that SPG presented on September 4, 2008 to redeem Starpoints for miles.
http://www.elitepro-travel.com/2009/07/holiday-inns-are-introducing-points.html But remember that when you use points & Cash you dont earn any points for the partial cash payment.