Free Delta Miles, Marriott Gives $25 Gift Cards and United/US is a No Go

750 Free Skymiles

Some people can register and collect 750 Skymiles. Some can't. Katy got them. I didn't. Go figure. Here is the free 750 mile link

$25 Gift Cards from Marriott

Pay with your Visa card for stays between June 5th and September 1st and you'll receive a $25 gift card per stay. Here are the terms and conditions:

Offer valid on Weekend and Stay for Breakfast® promotional rates only. You may book your stay starting May 29, 2008. Offer valid for stays between June 5 and September 1, 2008 at participating JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Marriott Hotels & Resorts in the Continental U.S.

Reserve promotional rate code V12 in order to receive one Visa Gift Card per stay. Must stay over a Friday or Saturday night to get the Visa Gift Card. Offer may be made available seven days a week at select locations.

Stay for Breakfast rate includes breakfast for up to two adults and children age 12 and under. Offer not applicable to groups of ten or more. A limited number of rooms are available and black out dates or other restrictions may apply. Payment must be made with a valid Visa card in order to receive one $25 Visa Gift Card per stay.

Visa Gift Card valid through November 30, 2008, regardless of when issued to the guest and must be activated upon receipt. One Visa Gift Card issued per room, per stay. A stay is defined as consecutive nights spent at the same hotel, regardless of check-in/check-out activity. Must be a registered guest to receive Visa Gift Card.

Terms and conditions apply to gift card; see www.mariott.com/visa-giftcard for full terms and conditions. Limited quantities available while supplies last. No rain checks or substitutions will be issued. Void where prohibited. All Visa program terms and conditions apply. Visit Marriott.com or call 1.877.Marriott for complete offer terms and conditions. © 2008 Marriott International, Inc.

United-US Airways Merger No Go

I'm disappointed this did not happen. As much as I dislike the shape and attitude at US Airways, my current main carrier, United, needs a partner.

It can't be American because of antitrust. Delta and Northwest have already hooked up. Continental has passed on a full merger although I guess some codeshare thingy is being discussed. The folks at United are running out of options.

So what is next? Do they cut size, employees, capacity and airplanes? Remember they came out of bankruptcy with a plan based on $60 a barrel oil. And now we are at twice that amount.

How amount a merger with a small carrier or low cost carrier? Airtran?, Frontier? Midwest? I'm not sure that will solve the problems of scale. Southwest doesn't need the headache. They are still making money.

I've thought for a long time we would end up with 3 major carriers with the leads being Delta, American and United. US Airways just won't make it in my personal opinion, and Continental is better off in a deal with American or United.

Maybe they are just playing one against the other? Time will tell, but this is painful to watch.