SriLankan Airlines Officially Joins Oneworld - And 200,000 American Airlines / US Airways Bonus Miles Contest

There has been a lot of airline alliance-related news lately, including the departure of TAM and US Airways from Star Alliance to join Oneworld, Garuda Indonesia joining SkyTeam, and the announcement last month that SriLankan Airlines would be joining Oneworld May 1. Well, it's May 1, and it's official - SriLankan is part of the Oneworld alliance.

Per the Oneworld release on the entry, this marks the following milestones:

• First carrier from Indian subcontinent to join any global airline alliance
• Completes biggest expansion of world's premier alliance since its launch 15 years ago
• Key government ministers witness unveiling of first SriLankan aircraft in oneworld livery at joining ceremony at Asia's newest airport, Hambantota's Mattala Rajapaksa International
• Bonus miles/points for frequent flyers to celebrate
• New Visit South Asian Sub-Continent pass added to leading range of alliance fares
• SriLankan to code-share with two more oneworld partners – Finnair and S7 Airlines

SriLankan provides access to 34 destinations in more than 22 countries across Asia, Europe and the Middle East, adding two new destinations – Hambantota in Sri Lanka and Tiruchirappalli in India to the Oneworld route network. The airline carried 4.7 million passengers last year from its base in Colombo and flies to 20 countries including Oneworld hubs in Hong Kong, Tokyo Narita, Kuala Lumpur, London Heathrow, Doha, Moscow Domodedovo, and non-hubs like Bangkok and Singapore in Asia, and Frankfurt, Paris and Rome in Europe. It operates a fleet of 21 aircraft including seven Airbus A320s, five A330-200s and six A340-300s, with an average age of nine years – and has orders for 10 new aircraft, including four A350-900s.

All in all, I'm excited about this since it opens up a lot more South Asian destinations to easy access using Oneworld partners and their miles - including getting to the Maldives via Colombo now.

Double Miles

To celebrate SriLankan's entry into Oneworld, all its 300,000 FlySmiLes cardholders will be eligible to receive double their usual FlySmiLes miles when flying on most Oneworld partners between May 15-June 30. Members of most established member airlines' loyalty programmes will receive double the normal mileage awards/points when flying on SriLankan during the same period.

In the US, that means American Airlines flyers will earn double miles when they register here and use the promo code ULDBL. You must register by July 1 and fly May 15-July 1. Offer applies only to AAdvantage members who purchase and fly on published Business Class fares booked in J, C, D or I; Economy Class fares booked in Y, B, P, H, K, W, M, E, L, R, V, S, N, Q, O or G on SriLankan Airlines operated flights. Bonus miles do not count toward elite status qualification or AAdvantage Million Miler status. Double miles will be calculated at 100% of the base miles earned. Registration prior to travel is required.

You can access the double miles pages of JAL and Asia Miles as well if you're interested.

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American Airlines/US Airways Contest

American and US Airways are also offering a promotion of their own where five lucky winners could each bag 200,000 bonus miles and 7 Hilton HHonors one-night stay certificates good at any Hilton property worldwide, plus a nice new camera. You can find the contest page here. You must enter by 12:00pm Central Time on June 13, 2014, and you basically play a game finding out "where you could be 24 hours from now" from various North American hubs.

For instance, I chose Los Angeles as my departure point, and the system generated Perth, Australia as my destination, along with a list of connecting flights, how many miles I'd earn and even what the weather is like down there right now.

Itinerary #2 was Dakar and #3 was Prague - each with connections mapped out both on American and its Oneworld partners. Then to enter, you just click on the "Register" tab, enter your personal information.

It just takes a second to enter, so might as well - just beware the ARV of the prize is over $8,000, so save up for the taxes on it!

Per the rules:

1. 1. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. 2. OPEN TO/ENTRY DETAILS: Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 years or older. (19 in Alabama and Nebraska). 3. Sweepstakes begins at 12:00 p.m. [Central Daylight Time ("CT")] May 1,CDT") April 28, 2014 and all entries must be received by 12:00 p.m. CTCDT on June 13, 2014. 4. PRIZE DETAILS: Five Prizes, each Prize consisting of 200,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles or US Airways Dividend miles,Miles®, seven free night(7) Hilton HHonor™ Reward Certificates and (each certificate good for one point and shoot(1) night stay) and one (1) Hassleblad Stellar Point and Shoot camera, Total ARV for each Prize is $8,080. 5. ODDS: Odds of winning depend on number of entries. 6. ELIGIBILITY: Employees and agents of Sponsor, Administrator and their respective subsidiaries, affiliates , agencies, distributors, wholesalers and retailers, and members of such employees' and agents' immediate families and individuals living in the same household with such employees or agents, are not eligible to win. 7. Void where prohibited. 8. Participation is subject to complete official rules by which all entrants are bound. Available at www.aa.com/oneworldexplore. 9. Entrants release all parties from all claims/liability arising from this Sweepstakes or acceptance/use of any Prize. 10. Sponsor: American Airlines, Inc. 4333 Amon Carter Blvd., Ft. Worth, Texas 76155. American Airlines and AAdvantage are trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. US Airways and Dividend Miles are trademarks of US Airways, Inc. oneworld is a trademark of oneworld Alliance, LLC. All other product names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright 2014 American Airlines, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
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