COMING AND GOING

Dealing the Cards

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MILE HOUNDS

Dealing the Cards

Heated competition among airlines that have affiliated with credit card companies means consumers can get some great deals right now.

* US Airways' credit card, free for the first year, comes with 15,000 bonus miles after the first purchase plus 10,000 additional miles if you transfer a balance from another credit card, plus coupons for two $99 companion fares when a full-fare ticket is purchased, and access to the quickie lines normally reserved for elite and first- or business-class fliers.

* American is waiving the fee for the first year and offering 20,000 bonus miles, a $50-off certificate and a certificate for a free domestic companion ticket when you buy a full-fare ticket for $299 or more.

* United is waiving the first year's fee and offering 21,000 bonus miles after you spend $250, an upgrade to business or first class for flights up to 1,000 miles, and a $25 discount on a flight.

* Continental is offering good benefits on several card choices, including 15,000 bonus miles and 5 percent off flights, but is not waiving its fee.

* Northwest is offering 15,000 bonus miles and the chance to get frequent-flier tickets for 21,000 miles instead of the usual 25,000. But although the airline recently sent out a promotional letter waiving the first year's fee, there was no mention of the fee waiver on its Web site last week.

All cards also award you at least a mile for every dollar charged. Details are at each airline's Web site.

CoGo cautions: Interest rates on the credit cards are high, so free cards can be costly if you run up big bills you can't pay off monthly. Expiration dates for the deals above have not been set, but offers can change at any time.

SKI PATROL

Snow Days

"Epic conditions" for skiing and snowboarding, thanks to recent snowstorms, shouts a press release from Vail, Colo. In fact, many resorts in the western United States and Canada are celebrating heavy snow and exceptional ski conditions.

Closer to home, West Virginia's Snowshoe Mountain opened some runs Thanksgiving day, and other regional resorts listed at http://www.dcski.com/ are promising to open "soon."

Wherever in the world you dream of skiing, find the latest snow conditions at http://www.snocountry.com/, or sign up at the Web site to get reports on specific regions or resorts by e-mail or text message.