Airlines Offer Mileage Benefits

With the peak summer season around the corner, a host of airline companies are attempting to lure clients with mileage benefits and specials at affiliated hotels. The promotional events are good news for those planning to travel overseas for their summer vacations.

Korean Air (02-751-7915) will provide mileage, complimentary tickets and lodgings for its Skypass members who use their affiliated hotels; the Mandarin, Shangrila, Hyatt and Sorak Mountain Kensington.

Skypass members staying at one of the twelve Mandarin hotels will receive special discounts, double mileage, and a medley of services from the hotels.

Members staying at the Shangrila Hotel at normal rates will receive quadruple mileage, while those staying at special discount rates will receive double mileage. For those wishing to make use of these benefits, the Korean Air homepage provides 'Shangrila Value Vouchers' to print out and submit to the reception desk.

The Hyatt Hotel presents two choices for those who join their Gold Passport program for valued customers. Members need only stay at any worldwide Hyatt chain three times or more to receive 3,000 miles in Skypass mileage or 5,000 miles in Gold Passport points. The Sorak Mountain Kensington Hotel also offers 500 miles for every stay made at their hotel.

Singapore Airlines (02-755-1226) provides an additional 50 to 150 percent mileage bonus according to seat classifcation. This promotional event is restricted to travel between Singapore and Europe, Southeast Asia, India, and Sri Lanka. Since direct flights from Korea to these nations do not exist, this promotion is extremely attractive for Koreans wishing to visit these countries.

Northwest Airlines (02-733-4193) has formed an affiliation with Shinhan Bank to provide Shinhan Bank Travel Bonus Card members with special rates and bonus miles. All Shinhan Bank Travel Bonus Card members automatically become Northwest Airlines' WorldPerk Silver Elite members and collect an additional 50 percent bonus to their miles.

Silver Elite members purchasing round-trip tickets to the Americas before August 15 will automatically be promoted to Gold Elite members and will be eligibe to receive 100 percent additional miles.

Moreover, passengers purchasing tickets with their Shinhan Bank credit cards will receive special discounts based on seat classification: a 5 percent reduction for economy class tickets, a 7 percent reduction for business class tickets, and a 10 percent reduction for first class tickets.

by Kim Se-jun