I got the quarterly mailing from iDine last night and several times it mentioned how you should go their site and register online, you can check your statment, get e-mailed deals from local restaurants, all that good stuff. (iDine manages the program for United's Mikeage Plus dining program)

I go, fill it all in, and get an error message saying I can't register. Try a few times then send an e-mail, and this morning I got the following back:

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Thanks for writing. Having checked your account, the reason you are not able to create your profile, is because your account is set up to earn miles rather than receive credits. I have changed the status of your account to receive credits, therefore you should be able to register online. Thanks.
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So it would appear that for you to register to use the online services they will convert you from earning miles to earning credits instead. Since miles are more valuable to me then dollars, I've asked they change it back.

Just something to be aware of if you go and can't register, they may take away your miles and put you back to credits.

What are these credits for?
Idine is the dining programs with Airlines correct?



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Al

iDine administers many dining programs, in some you get airline miles, in others you get cash back (a percentage of the total bill sent to you as a check each month) and in some they apply the credit to your credit card statement so you get the charge and an immediate credit. It all depends on who you signed up with as to which program you are in. You can actually sign up for all three is you use different credit cards.

i got the register, register, register thing, and the reply that i got when i asked was that they were recruiting new business for the iDine program and that "you can check frequent-flier status on your airline's site.

i've been mostly happy with them other than this one transgression, which i found highly annoying. now we just have to get pepe's and the spot in the program.

(Edited because i can't form complete sentences to save my life.)

[This message has been edited by gwendolynaoife (edited 03-09-2001).]

I tried to enroll in the Advantage Dining program only to be told that I was excluded because I already had Transmedia?

iDine took over Transmedia (or they merged), and Transmedia cards are being phased out in favor of iDine dining credits. Basically, the new approach is: for each credit card you register, you get either (1) the 20% credit (I think the Transmedia gold card 25% is gone forever) or (2) 10 miles per 1$ on your selected frequent flyer program. But not both. So those of us with old Transmedia accounts that were connected to credit cards that were also connected with other programs, like Mileage Plus Dining, must now choose. You may want to confirm this with headquarters in Miami.

If you had both Transmedia and a dining program and they saw that the same credit card was used for both, got the merged program. Since I had the free Transmedia card before (15%) off, I could choose 15% off or miles. I think 10 miles per $1 is worth more than 15% off. Certain restaurants are excluded for getting miles on additional visits and will give it to you on the first only.
Corrected: For those getting miles, I was given incorrect information - it is the same as the airline dining programs of before - first visit of the month only.
DtG

[This message has been edited by dgordon (edited 06-09-2001).]

cordelli

I'm confused. I know idine has 2 programs, but I thought to get the "credit" /dollars you had to pay $49 a year, while the mile program is free - so how could they switch you to the "credit" program when you signed up online unless you agreed to pay their fee?

Which one is this and what is the fee, if any?? We have chosen the Idine for $49 as there are many more and better restaurants on it than the free air miles program, and of course, the amount submitted is reduced by 20%, so we could shoot past a business dinding limit and still not worry about picking up the overage. However, the credit is applied to our card, so we have a 20% fall off in charges that are tied to an affinity card. If we were to get a check, then we would still get the $ back, but we would still get the total paid for our affinity cards (*CO Mastercard/AMEX Membership Rewards).

I, on the other hand, have enrolled with my cards for the NW 10,000 miles promo, and when it is over, I will probably switch to CO.

Finally, FastFlyer, although you got back 25% from Transmedia, and only 20% from IDINE, they really average out the same, as Tramsmedia did not include tax and tip, whereas IDINE is a straight 20% off the total bill, including tax and tip.

see, my trick has always been to have multiple cards for multiple accounts. in the old Transmedia system, you got a specific card, which cut back on weirdness but made it obvious you were getting a discount.

i used to keep Transmedia liked to AmEx, because many places that didn't take AmEx took Transmedia, especially in Seattle and San Francisco, which seem to be AmEx-loathing cities on the restaurant front.

i was a member of the old CO dining program, but quit when i got sick of the fee. i am now a member of that, the MyPoints Dining thingy, and also AAdvantage Dining; the only problem is that you're not covered when you go to a spendy place that only takes AmEx.

So which is a better deal: miles or discount.

Let's say you save $20 on a $100 bill. For that bill you get 1,000 bonus miles (or is it 800, reflecting the discounted amount?).

1,000 bonus miles is worth $20, which is what you can buy them from the airlines for through an incentive program.

I usually look for mileage credit deals where I have to spend cash to get the miles to come out considerably better than 2 cents/mile...

now, if you only get 800 miles, it's worse.

I see your logic, NoLogic, but as I noted, there are many restaurants that you can use the IDINE program with, that are not listed on the Airline Dining Miles program. Inasmuch as we eat out often and wish to go to those restaurants, it makes sense to use the IDINE.

If that changes, then you will be correct. Thanx for the insight!

I like idine/transmedia and the diners club dining program. I just feel I'm better off with idine cash dicount vs. the bonus miles.

Not all of the credit programs cost money to join, for example I was in the transmedia program from BJ's and it was free when they took it over they kept it no cost. I am assuming they moved me to a no cost program, but didn't ask.

For me the miles are worth more then the money. If I get a check for 20 dollars I'll deposit it and it's gone. If I get 800 miles (or whatever the example above was) they will sit in the FF account. Nothing else will happen with them until I want to take a trip. The small checks are spent and gone, with the miles I go someplace, so to me, even if it's lousy math, the miles are better.

The "no fee" program which resulted from those who belonged to both the no fee Transmedia and a dining program got merged into a fee free IDine program which gives you 15% off total bill or 10 miles per $1 spent. If you were into the credit, you would have to see if $49.00 is worth the extra 5%. It depends on how frequently you eat out at these restaurants. Also they now take Diner's Club but I don't know what happens when a restaurant belongs to both the leCard program with DC, and you are signed up for miles with IDine. I guess I will find out in a month.

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DtG