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How Airline and Hotel Loyalty programs are changing due to COVID-19, coronavirus.

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Given the global situation concerning COVID-19 (the coronavirus), frequent travelers have stayed at home and are practicing social distancing instructions in order to prevent further spread of the illness. As we hope for the safe health of others, we're all dreaming of a return to normal travel. While no one can quite predict when that might be, travel companies have made moves to keep their programs active and members engaged. Here's a list by Ramsey Qubein on what to know about travel loyalty program changes, elite status, and qualifications moving forward.

Accor Live Limitless

Accor’s loyalty program is crediting 50 percent of the status nights and points required to requalify for your current status level. This automatically gets you halfway toward the same status for next year.

Aeroplan

Air Canada is pausing the expiration of miles until May 14, which means if you had miles set to expire before then, they now last until mid-May. Altitude members are receiving additional eUpgrade credits in their accounts, which are valid until May 31, 2021.

Best Western Rewards

Best Western was one of the first to extend status for members until January 31, 2022. This means that your current status remains the same unless you earn a higher level this year. Plus, anyone who was downgraded in status based on travels in 2019 will be boosted to their previous level until January 31, 2022, as well.

Cathay Pacific Marco Polo Club

Cathay is automatically adding monthly increments of points between now and April to get travelers closer to status thresholds even when they cannot travel. In addition, those with lounge passes, upgrade certificates, and Gold Companion Card nominations will receive six-month extensions to use them.

Choice Privileges

Any points set to expire have been extended through the end of May 2021.

Delta SkyMiles

If you have upgrade and companion certificates that were supposed to expire this spring, the validity has been extended through the end of the year.

Emirates Skywards

The airline is lowering elite threshold requirements between now and May 2020 by 20 percent.

Etihad Guest

The airline is delivering bonus tier miles on a monthly basis to pad member balances and help them toward annual elite thresholds during the travel slowdown.

Flying Blue

Miles will no longer expire this year, and for those with status expiring this spring, elite status requirements are being lowered by 25 percent.

Hilton Honors

Any points that were scheduled to expire between now and May 31 will be extended.

IHG Rewards Club

IHG was a first mover in making status easier for travelers. Travelers now have lower requirements to earn elite status. For example, Gold Elite status now requires 7,000 qualifying points (instead of 10,000) or seven qualifying nights (instead of 10) this year to earn status. Top-tier Spire Elite status only requires 55,000 qualifying points (instead of 75,000) or 55 nights (instead of 75).

Marriott Bonvoy

If you have free night or Suite Night awards (used for room upgrades on eligible stays) in your account, these will be extended until December 31, 2021. In addition, any points set to previously expire will be extended to the same date.

Qantas Frequent Flyer

Status is being extended for current elite members by 12 months.

Radisson Rewards

Current elite status has been extended through February 2022, and any upcoming points expiration has been extended through the end of August.

Shangri-La Golden Circle

The current elite status is being extended for another year to December 31, 2021.

Virgin Flying Club

Elite status is being extended by six months.

World of Hyatt

Proposed changes to award categories (the designated number of points needed to redeem for a free night’s stay) will not go into effect this month as planned. Instead, it will be postponed to 2021. That’s good news for stays at many luxury hotels, where the free-night points rate was going to increase.

Why haven’t other brands made adjustments yet?

Given the uncertainty of the current situation, some airlines or hotels may be waiting to see the extent of travel disruption before making an announcement. Even currently announced loyalty program adjustments may change again before the end of the year. As we wait for the curve to flatten, be expecting more change to occur to our favorite hotel and airline programs.

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Can I get from International Terminal G to Terminal 3 at SFO without going through security?

Can I get from International Terminal G to Terminal 3 at SFO without going through security?

Airside connector between Terminal 3 & International Terminal G

Airside connector between Terminal 3 & International Terminal G

I recently was on a trip to San Francisco, flying from HNL to SFO on Hawaiian airlines and trying to figure out If I could access Terminal 3 without going through security. Our flight attendants and check-in personal said we would have to re-clear security again and online blogs were vague, but we suspected otherwise. Terminal 3 has the American Express Centurion Lounge and 2 restaurants (San Francisco Giants Clubhouse, Yankee Pier) that Priority Pass members & their one other guest can receive $28 of dining credit each.

So can you access TERMINAL 3 from International TERMINAL G?

The answer is: YES, via the Airside Connector

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Directions: Upon landing in International Terminal G, proceed toward the end of the terminal, walking along the left side. DO NOT go outside security or else you will have to re-clear security again, instead make a left and you will see the United Polaris Lounge.

Keep walking and you will eventually come to the Terminal 3 airside connector, a small enclosed walkway that connects both terminals. Continue walking through it and follow the signs that lead to Gate F and you eventually find gate F1 which is Terminal 3.

It’s important to not pass any “No Re-entry Signs” or else you will have to re-clear security again.

More info on SFO Terminals

There are 4 main terminal areas that you can commute to without having to go through security again. Those areas are:

  • International Terminal A (Gates A1-A12)

  • International Terminal G (Gates G91-G102) connects to Domestic Terminal 3 (Gates 60-90)

  • Domestic Terminal 1 (Gates 40-48) connects to Domestic Terminal 2 (Gates 50-59)

  • Domestic Terminal 1 (Gates 20-28)

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Below is a list of Airlines operating from their terminals at SFO:

International Terminal A

  • AeroMexico

  • Avianca

  • British Airways

  • Cathay Pacific

  • China Airlines

  • China Eastern

  • China Southern

  • El Al

  • Emirates

  • Finnair

  • French Bee

  • Hawaiian Airlines

  • Iberia

  • Icelandair

  • Interjet

  • Japan Airlines

  • JetBlue

  • KLM

  • Korean Air

  • Level

  • Norwegian

  • Philippine Airlines

  • Qantas

  • Sun Country Airlines

  • Virgin Atlantic

  • WestJet

International Terminal G

  • Aer Lingus

  • Air Canada

  • Air China

  • Air France

  • Air India

  • Air New Zealand

  • Asiana Airlines

  • Copa Airlines

  • Eva Air

  • Fiji Airways

  • Lufthansa

  • SAS

  • Singapore Airlines

  • Swiss International Air Lines

  • TAP Air Portugal

  • Turkish Airlines

  • United Airlines

Terminal 1

  • Delta Air Lines

  • Frontier Airlines

  • Southwest Airlines

Terminal 2

  • Alaska Airlines

  • American Airlines

Terminal 3

  • United Airlines

Before you plan your trip to SFO, make sure to map out the locations of the lounges you want to visit. The 2 restaurants give you a total of $56 dining credit to use. If you want to take full advantage of this, dine at one restaurant and order take out/have a drink at the other. If you are full, maximize your credit by ordering premium water bottles for your travels.

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