I’ve always regretted not taking a semester to study overseas when I was in college, so when my daughter said she wanted to take advantage of her study-abroad program in Paris, I was thrilled. The cost would be the same as a studying here, except for the airfare. As soon as her departure date was set, I wanted to lock in her award flights. But I wasn’t sure if she would be staying on after her program ended or even if she might be coming back from another city.
In frequent flyer forums, I keep seeing the same question: If my flight is cancelled because of weather, do I have to wait for an award seat at the same redemption rate to open up on another flight?
No, it’s not the latest chip dip. A dance move. Or a football play. The triple dip is one of the most rewarding travel hacking tactics. While it’s great to earn miles by making purchases with a co-branded credit card, one purchase can often earn miles or points in multiple ways. That’s what triple dipping is all about.
I decided to take my own advice and book an award flight for the 2014 holidays. I just scheduled a week in Hong Kong culminating in the New Year’s Eve celebration.
Among award travelers, Delta is somewhat notorious. You can’t book one-way awards. Inventory at the lowest redemption rate is known to be limited to the point of non-existence.
A roundtrip award ticket to Europe from the United States usually costs an average of 50,000 miles in coach or 100,000 in business class. There are some exceptions, like a 40,000-mile American AAdvantage off-season award ticket to Europe. There is also a way to fly to Ireland for only 25,000 miles. You just have to use a distance-based program rather than a regional one.
Want to jump the security line at the airport? You can start your trip in style, feel like a rock star, and waltz by the masses shuttling along through glacial queues. As far as perks go, it’s an oldie but goodie. Front-of-line privileges have never been more important than now.
Credit card companies have introduced some exciting offers in the past month or two. Citi made some waves with its offer for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®. Approved applicants were enticed with 100,000 American AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $10,000 in three months.
I love traveling off season. It’s less crowded and more affordable. American Airlines AAdvantage redemption rate for off-peak travel to Europe between October 15 and May 15 is only 40,000 miles.
Easter Island is part of Chile, but its located way off the coast in the southeastern Pacific Ocean at the southernmost point of the Polynesian Triangle. There is nothing close to it for hundreds of miles. When I saw Australia in the corner of the plane monitor, I realized just how far I had flown.
Costa Rica has rainforests, miles of unspoiled beaches, volcanoes, and all kinds of lodgings from budget to ultra-luxury. Add friendly English-speaking locals, and you’ve got a clear winner. But the secret is out, and it has become a popular travel destination.
If you’re new to making airline arrangements or booking award tickets, you may not be familiar with all of the words and terms the airlines use. Here’s a quick reference guide to some of the lingo you should understand.
There are a few things that make air travel manageable. Airport lounge access is one of them. It’s nice to have a comfortable place with free Wi-Fi while you’re waiting to board or when you have a layover. There are usually complimentary drinks and snacks. Some even have restaurants.
In frequent flyer circles, airline elite status seems to be the Holy Grail. Everybody wants status because it comes with perks such as access to priority check-in and security lanes, the possibility of an upgrade, free or discounted baggage fees, lounge access, mileage multipliers and more.
Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, but it’s not too late to get something shipped overnight. Chocolate and flowers are a safe bet for your special someone, but this year give a gift that your frequent flyer will really love. It’s okay to throw in some candy and flowers too!
After my stay on Koh Samui, I took Cathay Pacific to get home to New York. The airlines six-seat first class cabin comes complete with gourmet food, top-shelf drinks, and over-the-top service. The carrier gives the word pampering a new meaning. Its first class service always ranks high on surveys that rank those kind of things.
I flew Bangkok Airways to my second stop in Thailand: Koh Samui. It’s the country’s second-biggest island and a major tourist destination. It’s served by Samui International Airport (USM), a facility dominated by Bangkok Airways.
After Siem Reap on the first leg of my Southeast Asia trip, my next hop was to Bangkok. Just like the next two stopovers (Koh Samui and Phuket) it was a flight on Bangkok Air, which has the best economy class of all airlines I’ve ever flown.
Most people go to Siem Reap in Cambodia to see the temples of Angkor Wat–the largest religious monument in the world. The Buddhist temple complex draws half the visitors that come to the country.
There are two traits needed if you want to excel at booking free airline award tickets and hotel rooms on points. The first is the knack for planning in advance sometimes up to an entire year. The second trait is the opposite: the flexibility to take advantage of spur-of-the-moment opportunities like booking a trip at the last minute within weeks or even days of departure.
