The Chicago Seminars start today, just outside O'Hare. I got in yesterday morning, and I've been putting the final touches on my two presentations.

If you're around, please say hello!

As a quick PSA: first timers sometimes think these events are a bit clique-y. Those "cliques" you think you see, though, are mainly made up of people who met at this very event or at a previous one, and they are very welcoming. Just say hello.

You can get 7,500 American Airlines miles for test driving any new Cadillac, and you might not even have to do the 10 minute test drive.

From the promo page:
Right now, AAdvantage® members can earn 7,500 AAdvantage miles when you test drive any Cadillac* vehicle, including the striking 2015 CTS sedan with available adaptive cruise control and available OnStar 4G LTE with Wi-Fi®**.

You can get from anywhere in the United States to tons of destinations in the Caribbean for 20,000 US Airways miles roundtrip or 25,000 American Airlines miles.

Both deals rely on the airlines' off peak award charts. US Airways' off peak dates are September 1 - 30. American Airlines' off peak dates are September 7 - November 14.

Both airlines, as well as Delta and United, normally charge 35,000 miles roundtrip in economy to the Caribbean.

I get a ton of requests at my Award Booking Service for people who want to fly from the United States to Australia or New Zealand over Christmas and New Year's with their frequent flyer miles. Usually the request is to fly in Business or First Class.

I want to dissuade you from this goal because it is one of the toughest awards to book.

Last month I wrote "The Easiest Places to Get with Miles." Miles are awesome and can get you almost anywhere in the world cheaper and more luxuriously than most people realize.

Deal originally posted April 22, 2012. Deal ends November 1, 2014. Post updated 10/13/14:

Southwest Airlines and Airtran Airways' three-year merger is almost complete. For over two years, transfers have been allowed between Southwest's Rapid Rewards loyalty program and Airtran's A+ loyalty program.

These transfers present an arbitrage opportunity that caps roundtrip award flights at 19,200 Southwest points (the normal cost of a $274 award.)

This is a cool trick that can save you major Rapid Rewards.

For a long time, a major weakness of American Airlines miles has been that American Airlines Business Class featured exclusively angled lie flat seats.

New Codes at 7:13 PM ET

Happy Aloha Friday. Enjoy one of these 100 free upgrade codes for six months of Award Wallet Plus. Award Wallet is the free way I track my 35 miles and points balances and store my login information for those programs.

Read more about Award Wallet.

Sign up for Award Wallet.

Click “Continue Reading” to see the codes.

There are four Business Class award seats available every day in June 2015 on Japan Airlines' flight from Los Angeles to Osaka, Japan. Hat tip to reader Oren for passing along the tip.

The award space is bookable with American Airlines and US Airways miles much for as low as 50,000 miles each way. There are excellent connection options to and from Los Angeles and Osaka, so this space effectively connects all of the United States with all of Asia.

Unfortunately the seat servicing the route is angled lie flat.

Reader Steve passes along a great deal for people with lots of Marriott points.

Until October 31, 2014, you can get a 20% bonus when you transfer Marriott points to American Airlines miles.

This includes Marriott-points-to-miles transfers and transfers of Marriott points to hotel and air packages.

What are hotel and air packages?
Why are hotel and air packages often a better deal than just transferring to miles?
What airline transfer partner of Marriott points is always 10-20% better than other options?

Marriott points can be transferred to airline miles of most major airlines.

Marriott and United launched a partnership

Uber is my favorite way to get around. I no longer call or flag down taxis. On a recent trip to San Francisco and Los Angeles, I didn’t rent a car, using Uber to get around instead.

Uber is the world’s best taxi service because it has clean, courteous drivers and the easiest ride-ordering app imaginable. Tap, tap, tap, and a car whose progress you can track towards you is on its way.

American Express is currently running a promotion with Uber during which new and existing Uber customers can get a $10 American Express statement credit.