TRAVEL / FREQUENT FLYER TIPS

This is a really fantastic deal when you consider the product OpenSkies offers and that it’s an all-in (includes taxes/fees, etc) deal. I’d go myself if I had the time…  Their press release follows.

OpenSkies Kicks Off 2009 With $1000 Round Trip Premium Fares to Amsterdam

NEW YORK – January 8, 2008 – OpenSkies is inviting travelers to kick off the new year amidst Van Goghs, Rembrandts and the bicycles and canals of Amsterdam by offering premium service from New York at an extraordinarily low price. Beginning today through January 26th, travelers can book roundtrip premium flights between New York and Amsterdam in OpenSkies’ PREM+ cabin from only $1,000*, which includes all taxes and fees.

OpenSkies’ PREM+ is a unique and entirely new service category that offers business class comfort without the business class price, featuring wide leather seats with a 140 degree recline and 52 inches of legroom. With its cost-efficient fares, PREM+ also qualifies for use by business travelers whose corporate travel policies would otherwise restrict business class travel.

“Travelers have been buzzing about the service, comfort and value they’ve experienced in our PREM+ cabin since we launched,” said Dale Moss, managing director of OpenSkies. “We’re thrilled to start off the new year by extending an opportunity for customers to experience PREM+ between New York and Amsterdam at such a great price.”

In a cabin with a maximum of just 40 customers, OpenSkies PREM+ offers an individualized experience and unique features designed to provide comfort and convenience such as:

Bottle-poured wines.
Fresh, healthy meal service.
Personal entertainment systems with more than 50 hours of programming.
Electric outlets at every seat.
Professional concierge services that provide passengers with a premium travel experience from the moment they book their flight through the end of their trip.
Participation in British Airways’ Executive Club frequent flyer program.

Tickets are available for purchase through the OpenSkies Web site (www.flyopenskies.com), the OpenSkies Concierge Desk at 1-866-581-3596, travel agents and all British Airways channels including the BA.com Web site.

NEW YORK – October 6, 2008 – Reminding customers that transatlantic travel in today’s tight economy doesn’t have to mean sacrificing comfort for cost, OpenSkies today announced new low fares in its PREM+ cabin for the first 1,000 customers each on its New York – Paris and New York – Amsterdam routes.

Starting today, OpenSkies will offer PREM+ fares for $499* one way between New York and Amsterdam and $599* one way between New York and Paris, with all fares based on round trip purchase.  OpenSkies’ PREM+ cabin is a completely new service category offering comfort, space, service and amenities that rival many competing business class offerings.  With its cost-efficient fares, PREM+ also qualifies for use by business travelers whose corporate travel policies would otherwise restrict business class travel.  OpenSkies’ extraordinary PREM+ sale will continue until the 1,000th ticket is booked on each route.

“As frequent travelers ourselves, we can appreciate how important a comfortable seat with a generous recline, more legroom, and attentive cabin service can be on a long flight, and we believe a challenging economy doesn’t have to put those things out of reach,” said Dale Moss, managing director of OpenSkies. “With a maximum of just 40 guests in our PREM+ cabin, we offer a business class experience without the business class price tag. In many ways, the PREM+ cabin is tailor made for today’s economic environment. 

“We believe PREM+ is a compelling choice for business travelers who need to be more price-conscious than ever before, as well as for leisure travelers on the lookout for value, comfort and a premium travel experience from start to finish,” Moss added.    

OpenSkies PREM+ is a unique class of service providing features such as:

• Leather seats with a 140 degree recline.
• 52 inches of legroom.
• Bottle-poured wines.
• Fresh, healthy meal service.
• Personal entertainment systems with more than 50 hours of programming.
• Electric outlets at every seat.

In addition to its high-quality in-flight experience, OpenSkies offers professional concierge services that provide passengers with a premium travel experience from the moment they book their flight through the end of their trip.  Multilingual concierge agents are available to assist OpenSkies guests with requests including hotel reservations, sightseeing tours, quick translations and other services.  OpenSkies guests can also benefit from participation in British Airways’ Executive Club frequent flyer program. 

Tickets are available for purchase through the OpenSkies Web site (www.flyopenskies.com), the OpenSkies Concierge Desk at 1-866-581-3596 in the U.S., travel agents and all British Airways channels including the BA.com Web site. 

In the spirit of Henry Hudson’s discovery of New York Harbor in 1609, OpenSkies is announcing BIZ class fares between New York City and Amsterdam for an incredible $1609 all-inclusive round-trip, available for purchase from 9/9 until 9/12. With the only fully lie-flat seats on the Amsterdam-New York route in its BIZ cabin, OpenSkies offers a unique travel experience for customers crossing the Atlantic.

In addition, OpenSkies is offering PREM+ fares for $499 each way between New York City and Amsterdam. PREM+ is a completely new service category on the Amsterdam-New York route featuring legroom, space and comfort that rivals many competing business class offerings at a significantly lower price.

flyopenskiescom

OpenSkies has been making a lot of news lately. You read here that they recently launched their JFK-AMS (Amsterdam) route to supplement the JFK-ORY (Paris) route launced a few months ago.

Then on July 30th, they announced they are removing the already small Economy Class section of the planes, replacing it with more PREM+ seats. Good move going 100% premium? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments section….

You also read here recently that we were offering 15% off on the JFK-Paris route.

And now, on the OpenSkies website, a new introductory discount for the JFK-AMS route:

f you’re departing from Amsterdam
Prem+ to New York from 1136 €*
Book by August 21, 2008

If you’re departing from New York
Prem+ to Amsterdam from $746*
Book by August 21, 2008

Last month we raved about how comfortable flights on the New York-Paris route looked on OpenSkies.

Then last week, we emailed our readers details of how to save 15% on Prem+ and BIZ tickets on that same New York-Paris OpenSkies flight.

Today, they announced their second route – JFK-Amsterdam. Full details follow:

OPENSKIES ANNOUNCES NEW PREMIUM SERVICE FROM AMSTERDAM TO NEW YORK

New Route Expands OpenSkies’ Reach Alongside Existing New York-Paris Service

LOS ANGELES, CA – July 28, 2008 – OpenSkies, the new premium transatlantic airline from British Airways, announced today that it will offer daily service between Amsterdam’s Schiphol International Airport and New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport beginning on October 15, 2008.  As the first airline created from the U.S. – E.U. Open Skies agreement, OpenSkies continues to differentiate itself by offering a premium travel experience across the Atlantic with a range of compelling service offerings while expanding to new cities in Continental Europe.  

“Since our launch on June 19th with premium service between Paris-Orly and JFK, the response to OpenSkies has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Dale Moss, Managing Director of OpenSkies.  “We’re expanding to Amsterdam because of its significance as a business and cultural capital in Continental Europe and the opportunity to bring premium service to travelers on another route across the Atlantic.  By offering the only true lie-flat beds in business class on the Amsterdam-New York route along with our unique PREM+SM  offering – an entirely new service category featuring a business seat with 52 inch pitch – we want to provide a combination of great value and a premium experience for business and leisure travelers alike.” 

 Tickets for the Amsterdam-New York route will go on sale in early August.  The daily flight departs from Amsterdam-Schiphol at 1:20pm arriving in New York-JFK at 3:35pm and departs New York-JFK at 8:05pm arriving in Amsterdam-Schiphol at 9:40am the following morning.

OpenSkies offers guests superior service, competitive fares and exceptional value.  The Amsterdam-New York route will be served by the current OpenSkies’ 757 flying the Paris-New York route.  An additional 757 from the British Airways fleet is now undergoing modification and will join OpenSkies when the Amsterdam route launches this fall. 

As a wholly-owned subsidiary of British Airways, OpenSkies combines the expertise of one of the world’s largest and most successful airlines with the passion of a start up.  In addition to its high-quality in-flight experience, OpenSkies offers professional concierge services that provide passengers with a premium travel experience from the moment they book their flight through the end of their trip.  Multilingual concierge agents are available to assist OpenSkies guests with requests including hotel reservations, sightseeing tours, quick translations and other services.  OpenSkies guests can also benefit from participation in British Airways’ Executive Club frequent flyer program. 

Tickets will be available for purchase in early August through the OpenSkies Web site (www.flyopenskies.com), the OpenSkies Concierge Desk at 1-866-581-3596 in the U.S. or 0800-0-22-77-93 in the Netherlands, travel agents and all British Airways channels including the BA.com Web site.   

About OpenSkies

OpenSkies is a premium transatlantic airline offering guests superior service, competitive fares and exceptional value.  OpenSkies flies from Paris-Orly to New York-JFK and will fly from Amsterdam-Schiphol to New York-JFK.  Other European destinations being considered for the airline include Brussels, Frankfurt and Milan.  The airline offers guests innovative features onboard, including lie-flat beds in business class, personal entertainment units with 50+ hours of programming, and fresh and healthy meal service.  Backed by British Airways, OpenSkies is the first airline created as a result of the Open Skies agreement, which allows airlines to fly between any U.S. and E.U. destination.