American Airlines business class used to stink.

Merry Christmas and Feliz Navidad to everyone.

Many of my favorite Christmas memories are travel related. Growing up, I could count on a ticket to the Aloha Bowl in my stocking, and we would go as a family to watch a little college football on Christmas Day. I've spent Christmas in Hawaii, Virginia, California, and Florida. And from 2007-2009, I spent three consecutive Christmases abroad.

In 2007, I flew Spirit from Washington DC to Lima, Peru (DCA-FLL-LIM) on Christmas Eve.

I'm not sure how I missed the press release two weeks ago, but US Airways has a new route debuting May 5, 2013: Charlotte (CLT) to Sao Paulo (GRU). The Wandering Aramean didn't miss the press release.

A new international route for US Airways is always big news. This is only its second South American route; Charlotte to Rio de Janeiro is the other.

Worst Award Ever?

As part of Starwood's end-of-year recap of the Starwood Preferred Guest program, some annual facts and figures are given. The one that blew me away?

Someone redeemed 870,000 SPG points for a pair of business class tickets from Los Angeles to Rome.

Before I tell you how to do the same for less than a fifth of the cost, there are several amazing things about this.

Normally marketers brag about how valuable their points are.

This offer has expired. Click here for the top current credit card sign up bonuses.

Issuing Bank: Barclay's

Card: US Airways World MasterCard

Sign Up Bonus: 40,000 US Airways Dividend Miles after First Purchase

Application Link: US Airways World MasterCard

US Airways has a new credit card out with a 40,000 mile sign up bonus after first purchase.

Marriott Hotels announced that they are changing the requirements for lifetime elite status. The FlyerTalk thread discussing Marriott lifetime benefits can be found here. Shockingly, the changes are all positive. When word came from a Marriott Rewards forum post that lifetime elite criteria would be changing, there was some apprehension. However, I can tell you that the changes are actually beneficial to travelers.

According to this thread on FlyerTalk, Hyatt has tweaked the award chart category for 17 of its properties. Hyatt's complete award chart can be found here for reference. These changes will go into effect on February 7th. Room reservations booked prior to this date will still be at the previously published award level.

The complete list of changes:

At first glance, none of these changes stick out as drastic. The Hyatt 48 Lex in New York City changing from a category 4 to a category 5 might be disappointing to Chase Hyatt Visa cardholders.

According to this post on Milepoint, Alaska Airlines is offering 5,000 bonus miles for all travelers who sign up for Board Room memberships by December 31st. Alaska brands its club lounges as Board Rooms (in the same way that Delta calls its lounges Sky Clubs). A complete list of locations can be found here.

Standard one year memberships are $450 (this price includes the initiation fee) and are reduced for Alaska MVP and Gold members.

Board Room members actually have access to all domestic Delta Sky Clubs when traveling same day on an Alaska or Delta ticket.

Update in 2015: Delta no longer allows stopovers on awards, so free one ways are impossible.

Introduction to Free One Ways
Master Thread: Free Oneways on American Airlines Awards (dead as of April 2014)
Master Thread: Free One Ways on United Awards
Master Thread: Free One Ways on Delta Awards (dead as of January 2015)
Master Thread: Free One Ways on US Airways Awards
Three Vacations on Two Awards

This article presumes a knowledge of how to book free stopovers on Delta.com, which I covered in How to Book Free Stopovers Online: Delta.

We need two things to book a

Virgin America might have the best award chart in the world. Last week I covered the amazing deals to, from, and within Hawaii on Hawaiian Airlines using Virgin America points. See 20k Points Roundtrip to Hawaii, 45k Roundtrip to Asia, 55k Roundtrip to Australia.

That discovery made me investigate Virgin America's partner award charts more closely. Virgin America lists two other partners on which you can redeem: Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia.

Yes, the Virgin A's are three separate airlines that have all licensed the Virgin brand name.