What's your favorite travel "secret" that other flyertalk members don't know?
#46
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: YVR
Programs: Aeroplan, British Airways, Alaska
Posts: 249
You can buy a used timeshare and stay in beautiful $800 a night 2 bedroom condos for $700 per week.
After lurking around the TUG - Timeshare User Group forums (http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?) I purchased several timeshares for cheap.
Over the past few years I have stayed in Hawaii, Phuket, France, Spain, Mexico and Scottsdale in beautiful rooms for a fraction of the rack rate.
We love the full kitchens and in-room laundry compared to staying in hotels. Perfect for family vacation travel.
Be warned, if you spend a lot of time lurking around flyertalk forums, TUG can be equally addicting.
After lurking around the TUG - Timeshare User Group forums (http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?) I purchased several timeshares for cheap.
Over the past few years I have stayed in Hawaii, Phuket, France, Spain, Mexico and Scottsdale in beautiful rooms for a fraction of the rack rate.
We love the full kitchens and in-room laundry compared to staying in hotels. Perfect for family vacation travel.
Be warned, if you spend a lot of time lurking around flyertalk forums, TUG can be equally addicting.
#47
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: CMH, West Coast
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, oneworld emerald
Posts: 2,741
#48
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Programs: IHG PC, Marriott, SWA A-List Preferred with Companion Pass
Posts: 58
You can buy a used timeshare and stay in beautiful $800 a night 2 bedroom condos for $700 per week.
After lurking around the TUG - Timeshare User Group forums (http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?) I purchased several timeshares for cheap.
Over the past few years I have stayed in Hawaii, Phuket, France, Spain, Mexico and Scottsdale in beautiful rooms for a fraction of the rack rate.
We love the full kitchens and in-room laundry compared to staying in hotels. Perfect for family vacation travel.
Be warned, if you spend a lot of time lurking around flyertalk forums, TUG can be equally addicting.
After lurking around the TUG - Timeshare User Group forums (http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?) I purchased several timeshares for cheap.
Over the past few years I have stayed in Hawaii, Phuket, France, Spain, Mexico and Scottsdale in beautiful rooms for a fraction of the rack rate.
We love the full kitchens and in-room laundry compared to staying in hotels. Perfect for family vacation travel.
Be warned, if you spend a lot of time lurking around flyertalk forums, TUG can be equally addicting.
#49
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Venice, Florida
Programs: Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,607
Nice, so you do get a receipt you can submit for reimbursement. Given the free $5 thing they have going on right now, I just may sign up for this. I generally only ever buy anything at Starbucks when I'm traveling for business, so your suggestion should work for me. Thanks!
#50
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 184
You can buy a used timeshare and stay in beautiful $800 a night 2 bedroom condos for $700 per week.
After lurking around the TUG - Timeshare User Group forums (http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?) I purchased several timeshares for cheap.
Over the past few years I have stayed in Hawaii, Phuket, France, Spain, Mexico and Scottsdale in beautiful rooms for a fraction of the rack
Be warned, if you spend a lot of time lurking around flyertalk forums, TUG can be equally addicting.
After lurking around the TUG - Timeshare User Group forums (http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?) I purchased several timeshares for cheap.
Over the past few years I have stayed in Hawaii, Phuket, France, Spain, Mexico and Scottsdale in beautiful rooms for a fraction of the rack
Be warned, if you spend a lot of time lurking around flyertalk forums, TUG can be equally addicting.
#51
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Salt Lake City
Programs: Delta, Hertz, Hilton, Marriott
Posts: 4,921
This isn't a secret, but I'm always really nice to the agents when they have to change or fix something. I NEVER interrupt them while they're typing and working to fix whatever might be wrong. They seem to really appreciate my being quiet and patient and things usually work out just fine.
#52
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 215
one of the things that irks me about SB's is even if you order 5 drinks, you only get credit for one..unless you order them all separately and pay for them separately-occcassionally I have ordered 2 drinks and when I ask to ring them up separately Im told the store is "too busy" for that.....its not really that big of a deal, but it just irks me, lol
#53
Join Date: May 2012
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 506
My "secret" is packing less than I did on my last trip.
I have about reached the point where this is becoming
a real challenge, so I may need to purchase a smaller
bag to add some enforcement to the issue.
On a serious note I find I enjoy my trips more with less
in tow. Long gone are the days of packing "just in case".
I have about reached the point where this is becoming
a real challenge, so I may need to purchase a smaller
bag to add some enforcement to the issue.
On a serious note I find I enjoy my trips more with less
in tow. Long gone are the days of packing "just in case".
#54
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Venice, Florida
Programs: Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,607
My "secret" is packing less than I did on my last trip.
I have about reached the point where this is becoming
a real challenge, so I may need to purchase a smaller
bag to add some enforcement to the issue.
On a serious note I find I enjoy my trips more with less
in tow. Long gone are the days of packing "just in case".
I have about reached the point where this is becoming
a real challenge, so I may need to purchase a smaller
bag to add some enforcement to the issue.
On a serious note I find I enjoy my trips more with less
in tow. Long gone are the days of packing "just in case".
#55
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Venice, Florida
Programs: Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,607
I use a second card for that. I carry both my initial ordinary card and my gold card with me. When I get two items I charge the coffee to card #1 and the sandwich (or whatever) to card #2. The cashiers don't bother me about that and I don't feel like I'm asking them for extra work or a favor. Both cards are associated with the same starbucks account so I get "stars" regardless of which is used.
#56
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Atlantic Canada
Posts: 130
My "secret" is packing less than I did on my last trip.
I have about reached the point where this is becoming
a real challenge, so I may need to purchase a smaller
bag to add some enforcement to the issue.
On a serious note I find I enjoy my trips more with less
in tow. Long gone are the days of packing "just in case".
I have about reached the point where this is becoming
a real challenge, so I may need to purchase a smaller
bag to add some enforcement to the issue.
On a serious note I find I enjoy my trips more with less
in tow. Long gone are the days of packing "just in case".
#57
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Traveling the World
Posts: 6,072
Here are mine. BTW How can it be a secrete if you want us to reveal them here?
I shall call these tips not secretes.
1 Before travel day if its possible I'll go to the airport and scout it out to see where things are at. Whether doing a practice run to find the rental car or return or public transportation route, where the ticket counters are, closest security checkpoints and do some plane spotting. You never know if you are delayed getting to the airport so its nice to know the layout before hand. I do this at my local airport too just for kicks sans looking for the rental car return lot.
2. For international flights I have a mantra"Passports Boarding Passes, Priority Pass(Lounge Access Card)Wallet Credit Cards, Foreign Currency Emergency(Contacts) Cell Phones, Car Service. Never forgot an item once(it works). If you catch me repeating it don't be scared.
3. I will go on the website of the airport I'm flying out of to look at the terminal maps, print them out and use their feature if they have it for how to connected between one concourse and the next(sort of like a Google Map). Then I'll look for local restaurants to eat at and read Yelp Reviews to see which one is good on a layover.
4. I use my cellphone for the Basic WiFi and not touch my laptop unless I really need to look at documents for an extensive amount of time while at the airport or on the flight.
5. I setup flight staus updates on my phone and via e-mail 48 hours before the flight leaves. In addition I forward them to the proper parties meeting my flight etc.
6. For the long flight I will make sure I have a amenity kit I saved from Delta with eyeshades, socks, toothbrush toothpaste and comb.
7. What to cruise for less? Then take a Trans Atlantic Repositioning Cruise off season?
8. Off season travel in Europe is fun and you can really experience Europe like a local while saving money. Stay in that luxury hotel where the prices can be lower than going on season.
So these are my tips(:
I shall call these tips not secretes.
1 Before travel day if its possible I'll go to the airport and scout it out to see where things are at. Whether doing a practice run to find the rental car or return or public transportation route, where the ticket counters are, closest security checkpoints and do some plane spotting. You never know if you are delayed getting to the airport so its nice to know the layout before hand. I do this at my local airport too just for kicks sans looking for the rental car return lot.
2. For international flights I have a mantra"Passports Boarding Passes, Priority Pass(Lounge Access Card)Wallet Credit Cards, Foreign Currency Emergency(Contacts) Cell Phones, Car Service. Never forgot an item once(it works). If you catch me repeating it don't be scared.
3. I will go on the website of the airport I'm flying out of to look at the terminal maps, print them out and use their feature if they have it for how to connected between one concourse and the next(sort of like a Google Map). Then I'll look for local restaurants to eat at and read Yelp Reviews to see which one is good on a layover.
4. I use my cellphone for the Basic WiFi and not touch my laptop unless I really need to look at documents for an extensive amount of time while at the airport or on the flight.
5. I setup flight staus updates on my phone and via e-mail 48 hours before the flight leaves. In addition I forward them to the proper parties meeting my flight etc.
6. For the long flight I will make sure I have a amenity kit I saved from Delta with eyeshades, socks, toothbrush toothpaste and comb.
7. What to cruise for less? Then take a Trans Atlantic Repositioning Cruise off season?
8. Off season travel in Europe is fun and you can really experience Europe like a local while saving money. Stay in that luxury hotel where the prices can be lower than going on season.
So these are my tips(:
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Bangkok or San Francisco
Programs: United 1k, Marriott Lifetime PE, Former DL Gold, Former SQ Solitaire, HH Gold
Posts: 11,886
#60
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Seattle
Programs: Delta DM; *A FO. UG since(1/1/15): 11/14
Posts: 683