News and notes from around the interweb:

• Lucky points out that you can avoid fuel surcharges on award tickets issued by Air Canada’s Aeroplan by issuing the award for travel on an airline like United, for which they don’t add those fees, and then changing the ticket after departure to an airline like Lufthansa. Lufthansa travel would have incurred fuel surcharges, but changing to Lufthansa flights after travel has commenced will incur only change fees — not the surcharges.

• American is offering up to a 30% bonus on purchased miles, which is still nearly 2.3 cents per mile and more than I’m willing to pay.

• Rocketmiles is offering a 50% bonus on miles earned from hotels “between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn” that are booked by February 12.

  

• The Hustle Blog says that China Southern’s new New York JFK – Guangzhou flight has outstanding award availability. You can book these flights with Delta miles, although Delta adds fuel surcharges to China Southern awards.

• Hopefully this comes to the US, too: American Express Australia is offering bonus points to the person who shops the most at each merchant, a ‘local champion’ similar to a Foursqaure mayor, and in conjunction with their iOS app.

• Speculation that the Citi Prestige card may get American Admirals Club access. It has a $450 fee, but offers a $200 airline credit (similar to American Express Platinum). If it does, it will be a cheaper way to get American lounge access than either buying a membership or getting the Citi Executive card (also $450) — which signs in front of clubs now say will be the only card offering access after March 22.

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