foXnoMad » Money

My 2012 Travel And Technology Predictions

Anil P. — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:00:49 +0000

When we were looking back at your and my travel predictions for 2011 we were mostly on the money with our guesses. Not to sell our prophecies short, but we had a lot of help from the momentum of the trends we saw building in 2010. This year though, things are different. There’s uncertainty in the air – the kind that often leads to opportunity.

As for who picks up those favorable morsels, let’s have to look into my crystal iPad and see what the future may have in store for the present.

Airline Fees Drop And Disappear (Yay!) But Ticket Prices Go Up (Boo)

First of all, don’t get completely crazy and run off with the title – some airlines will drop minor fees throughout the coming year. They’ll do it in such a way that makes it seem like you’re saving but don’t forget airlines follow the Ferengi Rule of Acquisition, “once you have their money, never give it back.” Drink fees for example may go away with some baggage fees reduced, but watch those airfares creep up to compensate. [ED: I wrote this article before this news came out but I'll take it as a good omen for my predictions.]

Americans saw about a 6% increase in prices last year around peak travel times even though more people are now flying than ever. The problem is a combination of rising fuel costs, the use of online aggregators (e.g. Kayak), and prices that don’t reflect the real price of flying through the air in a heavy metal tube. So this year you’ll go (a bit) closer back to the golden days when there weren’t luggage fees or 8 dollar cans of Coke but instead plane tickets that cost 5-8% more.

Tablets Are Going To Kill The Kindle (Fire And All)

I’m a big fan of the smaller 7-inch tablet variety, especially the Nook Tablet and not-so-much the hastily-put-together Kindle Fire; but they’ve really paved the way for their own demise. I can’t see either device dominating that space in the current market. Those devices can’t move up into the larger screen, more expensive/versatile market where iPads and Samsung Galaxy 10.1s hang out. But the big boys can and will come down to bully the current 7-inch tablets off the digital playground.

Now that improved displays optimal for reading (nearly-at paper resolution) are falling in price, you’ll start to see iPads (as rumored) with retina-displays and watch the current iPad 2s drop about $100 (also rumored). One thing that’s definitely not going away are the smaller form tablets like the Nook and Kindle Fire, but they’re now occupying an ecological niche on an island just waiting for some feral 7-inch iPad mini-cats to be dropped off to wipe them out.

A Serious Skype Rival Emerges

The ever-useful Skype is one of several free programs you shouldn’t travel without. So while they’ve added 3-way video calls to the Mac (finally) and a few other features to the video chat client everyone loves (me included) I can’t help but feel that entire genre of software has been static too long. You might be thinking, “well, what more could they do?,” and well, I’ve got my hunches someone or some company is going to answer that question this year.

Countries On The Rise: Ruckus In The Caucus(es)

As I noted last week, Turkey has seen a healthy jump in tourism over the last year, aided by travelers scared off by the Arab Spring. Turkey this year will follow a trend that’s very common in national tourism – start cheap, people visit > get more expensive add more tourist offerings > cheaper bordering countries become new “low-cost” alternatives. (Think Thailand compared to Laos or Cambodia.) Istanbul is already in the expensive phase nearly all year round now – not without good reason – but people are going to begin discovering alternatives in the region during 2012.

The Eurovision contest in May might draw in some interest in Azerbaijan with both nearby Armenia and to a lesser extent Georgia seeing indirect spillover from Turkey’s tourism boom. I’ll stretch my prediction to include Iran as well. Finally, to get specific – Oman will see a 5-6% increase in tourism, Colombia 12%, and Chile 8%.

Dogs In The Skies (Yes, Cats Too)

As Amy mentioned in her prediction last year, there will be more restaurants, hotels, and generally pet-friendly options on the ground. In the skies…well, not-so-much though I’ll disagree a bit on this one. There won’t be any better options (pets not in the cabin are basically treated like cargo) but more people will take to the skies with their pets. (If you happen to be one of them check out The Ultimate Guide To Traveling With Your Pets or these 5 great pet travel sites.)

I would hope that more pets flying would cause the airlines to get creative with their offerings but since bankruptcy hasn’t done that I think we’re out of luck for 2012.

More Bloggers, Less Traveling

Wow, wow, wow, there are about a zillion travel blogs online now. Many are dead zombies, left quiet after their creators have finished a one-year RTW. Many more are born every day as travel journals or money-making hopefuls. The travel blog market though, generally, has become a static factory churning out top 10 things to do in Paris posts and photos of the day. This all said, the travel blogosphere is new and uncertain – like I said before – that’s an environment ripe with opportunity for something unique. You’ll see that this year my crystal iPad says (or this bottle of Jack Daniels, sometimes they sound alike.)

Without getting too deep into the world of blogging you’ll see many more bloggers slow down their travel pace. That will lead to an improvement of the quality of what they produce, whether it’s writing, photography, or video. I’ll also predict independent travel blogs will see some very strong competition from a large outside force.

Where Do You See 2012 Going?

End of the world? The year we finally find out the pyramids were built by aliens? Do we discover time travel is possible from a visitor who arrives from the future?

I’m ready to hear your travel predictions for 2012 large and small in the comments below. We’ll meet up here again in, say, a year from now to find out how we did. Taking bets optional.

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Low Budget Travel Tricks You Can Use To Overcome Big Budget Problems: Part 3

Anil P. — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 07:00:36 +0000

Now here you stand great traveler, with all of the power in your hands, expertly wielded with your mind. Nature was subdued in Part 1 and nicking nicked in Part 2. But with great power comes great temptation on the journey we travel. You’ll need to make new allies and rely on ancient texts to guide your quest as lord of the wings.

Upgrade Your Tech For Free From The Inside Out

I really wish I could send all of you a few thousand dollars to buy a bunch of new fancy gadgets but until I can, let’s talk about upgrading what you already have. Remember, gadgets are hardware and software – and software is often you can do something about right away. When it comes to unlocking your phone – Android, iPhone, or otherwise I’ve got you covered with my complete guide to unlocking mobiles. You can do things like add multi-tasking, games, and other apps not available directly for your version of phone. On top of that, you’ll get the added benefit of being able to choose any carrier you want around the world and at home.

Going Apple? – I’ve mentioned a few times before that several PC netbooks are compatible enough to run Mac OS X – with some modifications. If you’re up for creating a Hackintosh that’s one thing but when it comes to tablets it’s another.

Talking Tablets – iPads aren’t the only tablets on the market – Samsung’s Galaxy 10.1 is a nice competitor – but basically the same price. Rather, if you happened to get a Kindle Fire or (in my opinion superior device) Nook Tablet over New Year’s you can root either (Nook Guide – Kindle Guide) to access to the full Android store. A solid tablet for $250 less than you might pay otherwise. (On a side note, the next version of the iPad will be released by April this year and it’s rumored that the current iPad 2s will drop $100. So, if you can wait until spring, your wallet will likely thank you.)
Extend Your Battery Life And Wireless Range – Both are easier than you may believe.

Get Better Alarm Clocks Across Timezones – These 3 methods work across laptops, phones, and other portable devices if you’ve been oversleeping one too many times.

Take Better Photos With The Same Camera – Software can go a long way to improving your travel photos too.

Finally, if you’ve got a desktop at home, the office, or your parents house you can create your own mini cloud to backup, speed up downloads, and get around Internet censorship. Here’s how to make the most out of your desktop while traveling.

Airlines Beware Nerdy Ninjas Await

The airlines have money and can make metal tubes fly across oceans but you’ve got the world’s largest collection of knowledge at your disposal. First though, let’s go old school. Very, very, old school.

The Art Of War - Whether it’s literally (don’t fight uphill battles) or figuratively (don’t fight uphill battles) Sun Tzu’s timeless advice can help you win many battles at the ticket counter. (And elsewhere, it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read; I highly recommend it.)
Get More Frequent Flyer Miles – In 8 minutes for the reluctant of you out there.
Weave Yourself Around Airline Fees – For free you can fly with baggage without the fee.

Now let’s bring out the big guns. Here’s how to use the entire Internet to stand up to the airlines when you need to.

Beat The Bling, Fight Temptation, And Shave Your Hairy Budget

When you’re already off on vacation or traveling it’s easy to dismiss the impact ATM, foreign transaction, and other miscellaneous fees can have on your budget. Avoid wasting your funds unnecessarily (imagine how many beers you could buy) by choosing the right bank before going overseas. In case that’s too late or you’re just extremely diligent, for all its faults, Mint.com does a heck of a job notifying you of fees you’ve paid but could be avoiding. From credit cards to coupons, Mint will also automatically suggest improvements based on your spending. Why think when a technology can do it for you – focus those brain cells on beautiful sunsets or amazing views – it’s what travel is all about.

Miss Flights For Free – I have a tendency to never be on time and this is a skill I’ve perfected over a lifetime of being late and skipping college exams.
Exchange Cash The Star Trek Way – Need to borrow a few bucks from a friend or perhaps want to payback your friend Pat Stewart for all of those Romulan ales? Well, Paypal for one lets you bump phones to give and take cash. It’s one of many apps using Bump Technologies.

How much would a week in Indonesia cost you? Budget Your Trip knows the answer to that and many other destinations. Remember preparation and anticipation is what makes the difference between a guy who gets beat up and Batman.

The road is a long one for a traveler without shoes, stamina, or smarts. You are now not one of them, armed with the knowledge of Part 1 and Part 2 of this series.

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Low Budget Travel Tricks You Can Use To Overcome Big Budget Problems: Part 2

Anil P. — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:00:52 +0000

In Part 1 of Low Budget Travel Tricks you learned to tame mother nature and battle armies of microscopic vampires, you, our nomadic hero. Though your path is still wroth with bandits and ruthless dragons who control the skies, yet still, you will overcome them. Leverage and luck on your side you’ll defeat these foes, allowing you to go on the offensive, but first to today’s battles.

Fight Off Attackers, Pickpockets, And Hotel Thieves

Prevention, awareness, and contingency are the basic steps to a robust security plan, whether you’re looking out for hackers or simply want to be prepared in case of a mugging. When it comes to your personal safety, knowing the streets or parts of town you might want to avoid (or just avoid at night) can go a long way in keeping you from assault. Hotels, hostels, and Tripadvisor are all good resources that can lessen your chances of ending up at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Pocket Protection

Carry Only What You Need – I only carry a day pack if I’m hiking or looking for a cafe to get some work done. Otherwise, I leave my laptop and other valuables with wherever I’m staying. They’re safer there, no day pack often helps you blend in, plus it’s better for your back.
Distribute Your Money On Your Person – A little bit of cash in your pockets, socks, underwear, bra, etc. means if someone picks your pocket, you’re not losing everything. A decoy wallet with a small amount of cash and an expired credit card can also protect you by fooling pickpockets.
Catch The ~~Bastards~~ Crooks – One of 4 ways to be shadier than a thief is to set a credit card trap:

“Keep this card (with no money in the account) in your decoy wallet. If it’s stolen call the credit card company or bank right away to let them know. In most countries the companies will keep close track to see where and if that card is used. If there happens to be a camera at the first place the pickpocket tries to use the card you may be in luck.”

The digital equivalent of a credit card trap is to use the free Project Prey on your laptop, mobile phone, and tablet.

Hotel Hacking

Much like protecting the items on your person when you’re out and about – it’s a good idea to distribute your valuables. Make use of the safe in the room (no guarantee yet decent protection) but generally speaking, locking the zippers on your bags provides enough discouragement for opportunistic thieves. The first rule of security is that no security is absolute – you just need enough security to make a potential theft more risky than it’s worth to the thief.

Create A Backpack Security Plan – Remember the layers of clothing that keep you warm and make your mom happy in Part 1 of this series? Well, layers will insulate your most valuable items against theft.
Get Pacsafe Security Without A Pacsafe – That’s also much less conspicuous.

Overcome Physical Threats

Let’s start with an obvious one that’s easy to forget depending on where you’ve been traveling – keep your valuables out of sight. That means iPhones, which seem as common as grass these days, but don’t forget they’re a cool $600 that’s easily resold anywhere in the world. It’s tempting in taxis, buses, and while wandering the city streets to multi-task with a bit of texting or gloat to your friends (“I iz totally rockin Buenos Aires right now Jimmy”) but it’s not Jimmy that’s going to get jacked that way.

Treat Your Gadgets Like Real Actors, Not Reality Stars – Meaning be picky about when they make an appearance.

Uglify Your Things So They’re Not So Enticing – Wise Bread has an excellent guide on uglifying and some handy anecdotes from Brazil.

Bring A Safety Whistle – This is one personal safety tip from Legal Nomads I can’t get enough of and Jodi’s got 3 good reasons to carry a whistle.

When it comes to personal safety though whether you’ve got formal training or not, these 3 insightful rules by Sam Harris could help you avoid being harmed physically.

Tomorrow in the third and final part of this series you’ll take down a frequent foe and battle your own demons to become the one to rule them all.

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Low Budget Travel Tricks You Can Use To Overcome Big Budget Problems: Part 1

Anil P. — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 07:00:54 +0000

You, the sole traveler, wandering the world alone face hazardous weather, gigantic nefarious companies, wildlife that eats you alive at night – and that’s on a good day. Yet you, brave nomad, have one thing they don’t. It’s what allows short judo fighters to flip larger opponents through the sky and hobbits to become lord of rings. You, my friend have, have leverage.

Here’s how to wield yours to find cracks in large systems that aren’t nearly as maneuverable as you are to save money, comfort, and sometimes your own skin.

Change Temperatures From The Inside Out

Most of our intuition about temperatures are wrong because we base them on how we feel and rudimentary dichotomies (e.g. to make something hot use cold). The problem with that general logic is that we’re all running around in hot bodies (oh baby) that fight to keep their temperatures constant. Around many parts of the world where people don’t have the luxury of air conditioning or central heating they’ve stumbled upon some effective but counter-intuitive methods of controlling the air around them feels.

Eat Spicy Foods To Cool Off – You’ll notice in places like India, Thailand, and the Philippines that aren’t often cold, the cuisine is often peppered with spicy foods. Aside from being effective at preventing the growth of bacteria (especially important in hot, humid climates) spicy foods cause blood vessels on your skin to expand, dissipating heat and encouraging sweating. (On a side-note, antiperspirants don’t effect your body’s ability to cool down.)

Drink Hot Liquids To Beat The Heat – Again, you would think that a cold milkshake would work better than hot tea but cold drinks actually heat you up in the long run. Your stomach cools down in the first 15 minutes, but after that you’re back to normal temperature – then hotter. Digestion takes energy and often our bodies temporarily overcompensate to heat up that cold spot fast.

Hot drinks (without calories) on the other hand work much like spicy foods, causing you to sweat, and tea has the added benefit of being mostly water which helps replace the body’s natural coolant.

Pee To Feel Warm – No, I don’t mean pee on yourself to stay warm (because soon you’ll feel really cold anyway); but by not holding your urine in, your body won’t have to bother heating it up. You see, your body wastes energy keeping you – all of you – at the same core temperature. Peeing when you’ve got the urge (that means your bladder is about 25% full by the way) frees up heat that can go to your chilly little fingers.

As for beer and other alcohol, cold or otherwise, it’s not going to bring you relief from the heat since booze dehydrates you. Enough beer though and you’ll be drunk which may or may not improve your outlook on the weather. As for drinking vodka and other hard liquor to stay warm, it too actually does the opposite. Alcohol gets those blood vessels flowing to the skin – which makes you feel warmer – but causes your to lose body heat more rapidly. So, if you’re lost in the woods on winter’s day, lay off the booze, it could kill you. Layers, on the other hand, let you regulate your body temperature much easier and make moms happy all over the world.

Finally, this is an old trick from the ancient Egyptians I’ve talked about previously – spritzing your bed and pillow sheets with ice water before sleeping to cool you off at night.

Deter Common Pests

I thankfully haven’t come across bed bugs yet but they’re certainly a growing problem. On top of that, they’re a growing problem that can follow you home. If you suspect you’ve been feasted on and happen to be traveling in the summer or in warmer regions, a car trunk in the sun will get hot enough to rid your luggage of bed bugs. Leave your bags in a hot car trunk for about 4 hours and bed bugs – eggs and all – will be dead.

To defeat other organized insects you’re likely to come across:

Turn Your Smelly Feet Into Mosquito Traps – Combined with stinky socks, duct tape, and the right measurements.
Hang Bags Of Water To Deter Flies – A trick I picked up in the Philippines. Here’s what it looks like.
Use Baby Power, Coffee, Or Cayenne To Throw Ants Off Track – One they lose their scent trails, ants get lost and die, leaving your snacks alone (hopefully).

Unfortunately cockroaches are much more difficult to get rid of depending on the extent of their infiltration (I once stayed at a place in India that would make your nightmares bleed reminiscent of this X-Files episode). That said, apparently catnip is a good deterrent but I’m guessing you’re not carrying that in your handbag.

On Thursday in Part 2 I’ll show you how to fend off other big problems with a bit of actual judo, some old-school hacking, and cloud calculating that wouldn’t bust the most modest of travel budgets.

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How To Stick To Your 2012 Travel Resolutions

Anil P. — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:00:45 +0000

“Live everyday as if it were your last because someday you’re going to be right.”
-Muhammad Ali

There’s a really big problem with New Year’s resolutions – namely, that most of us don’t keep them. And when it comes to travel, making plans in the middle of a holiday season that often involves being intoxicated doesn’t help get you anywhere in June. Fortunately for us, technology is much less forgetful than we are and our brains can be hacked to get the results we want from them.

Where do you want to go in 2012? Let’s get started:

Refine Your To-Do List (aka. Resolutions) So It’s Believable

The most common list problem is the easiest to solve and neglect at the same time – where to keep your list. The free site Remember The Milk lets you set specific lists (e.g. ’2012 Travel Resolutions’), prioritize them, and set schedules to make sure you stay on track. Remember The Milk also syncs with your iPad, iPhone, Android, and email accounts if you choose, as well as a few other online services you’re likely using.

Read Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity – I read this book several years ago and if you want to pounce procrastination plus learn to make powerful lists, this is the book for you.

There are 4 types of travel lists that won’t help you very much and you can avoid creating one by keeping your travel resolutions short, have well defined steps toward your final goal, and set rough timetables for each item.

Use The Winner Effect To Knock Out Resolutions

Don’t make the first resolutions you want to tackle be the most difficult. Rather, use the winner effect to improve your chances of accomplishing more difficult goals down the line by setting up easier victories now. It works for boxers, 3-point shooters in basketball, and can for you by modifying your physiology for increased confidence.

The winner effect in many studies was nullified for subjects not in their territory (think home-team advantage) so for added chances of success early on, set up your early travel resolutions in familiar surroundings. Rather than making your first goal “travel to Thailand and live for a year” set yourself up for smaller victories like “go to the bank and open a savings account”. (Here’s how to choose the right bank for international travel.)

Digitize Peer Pressure

An effective way to get around saying one thing and doing another (a form of cognitive dissonance) is to hold yourself accountable to others. You can do that by informing close friends of your plans (and the key steps in your resolution lists – the winner effect can encourage them to believe in you more). That makes it all the harder to ditch your travel resolutions.

A better way to keep the good variety of peer pressure gently nudging you out the travel door is to look online and use the free site Getupp (iPhone only for now). That site connects with other social networks you may be on so you can tell some of your online friends what your plans are with sufficient detail and ease. Getupp is location based and you’ll need to refine the goals you set there to ones that require you to actually go somewhere (like the bank to set up that savings account we were talking about).

Motivate Yourself By Visualizing

The biggest path to our memories is through our eyes and we tend to believe what we see. That effect goes beyond what our eyes see to what our minds can visualize. Imagine yourself accomplishing each of your travel resolutions and you’re much more likely to believe it’s possible, less risky, and rewarding. (For more on this bias check out How Risky Is It?)

We often spend much of our travel-motivational efforts externally, trying to convince our family and loved ones who might not be as supportive initially as we’d like. The real conflict happens when their doubt becomes contagious or rather, they highlight flaws in our overall plans. (Remember the first point in this post!) Be an efficient and powerful dream-to-reality converter by motivating the most important person who needs it – you.

The Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson is a great read for geeks for the technical tale it weaves; but also highlights what an incredible motivator the stubborn innovator he was. His 2005 Stanford commencement speech is both touching and powerful. A 15 minute dose of confidence and conviction for your travel resolutions and other passions in life.

The Hardest Steps Are The Ones You Haven’t Taken Yet

Traveling means many things to many people and there is no one way to go. Whether you want to take one trip to a nearby city once a year or go on a one-year RTW, define your goals for you. Once you know where you want to be, it’s up to you to get there. You can get from your desk to all the places you want to travel. Your craziest dreams are only crazy until you believe in them. Your biggest obstacle is yourself. I believe in you. Believe in yourself. Now go make those crazy dreams come true.

Happy New Year,
-Anil

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How Do You Accumulate All Of Your Frequent Flyer Miles In One Place?

Anil P. — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 07:00:46 +0000

Last week I talked about how to earn more frequent flyer miles without getting more credit cards but another fundamental question was brought up in the comments by JoAnna – how do you actually get all of your airline miles in one place? Scattered airline miles aren’t likely to do many flyers much good since most people tend to hop around airlines, making it tough to save up a useful amount with any one carrier.

Funnel Your Miles To One Airline Per Alliance

Most major airlines belong to one of the three large airline alliances; Star Alliance (United, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines plus 25 others), Oneworld (American Airlines, British Airways, Qantas plus 12 more), and SkyTeam (Delta, Alitalia, KLM, plus 12 others). Aside from the business agreements and code-sharing flights, this often means that one airline’s frequent flyer miles can be earned and redeemed with their partners.

The basic concept is to not think about individual airlines so much but about alliances – that’s where you’ll try to funnel your miles across various airlines.

That said, not all airline mileage programs are as accepting as others, even within alliances, so the key is to use the most versatile airline alliance per airline.

The Airline Per Alliance You Should Use

These are the most versatile airline mileage programs per alliance I’ve found through experience – that is, the ones whose miles can be used with partners and redeemed with them too. Generally speaking, the best reward and mileage accounts are found in the US; and that’s where you’ll find the best alliance accounts as well. You ideally want to open up one frequent flyer account per alliance with these airlines.

Star Alliance: United Mileage Plus
Oneworld: American Airlines AAdvantage (even now, despite the recent bankruptcy deceleration)
SkyTeam: KLM Flying Blue (or Delta Skymiles)

I would note that SkyTeam miles are notoriously difficult to move between partners and if given the choice, I would stick to Star Alliance or Oneworld when possible to earn the most useable miles.

Great, But I’ve Already Got A Bunch Of Frequent Flyer Miles Scattered Across Airlines

Most mileage accounts provide you a way of redeeming miles after a flight, in case you forgot to give your number to the clerk when checking in for example. That same service generally lets you request mileage credit for flights you took 12-24 months prior – even if you weren’t a mileage member at the time. So, now that you’ve got your alliance account set up, you’ll want to begin claiming those previous flights.

Typically the information you need to request mileage credit are the dates flown, ticket number, airline, and seat number (which tends to be the toughest). You might find that data buried in email confirmations but if you can’t find something (i.e. seat number) call the airline directly. They usually won’t ask for it and if they do, wherever I’ve told them I forgot, it was a non-issue.

Here are the links to redeem past flights:

Request United Mileage Plus Credit
Request American Airlines AAdvantage Credit
Request KLM Flying Blue Credit

Remember to note all of the miles you’ve claimed and check that they’ve been added to your account within 8 weeks so you can call back if they haven’t. My personal favorite AwardWallet makes keeping track of all these accounts much easier. Also, you can often request credit for miles that have already been posted to other mileage accounts depending on the partner airline.

What About Airlines Not In Alliances And Other Exceptions To The Rule

Of course there are some big airlines not a member of any alliance, notably Virgin Atlantic and Southwest, and in those cases your miles are stuck with the airline. Those of you who fly the same route frequently, say, for business, might also want to consider sticking to the specific airline that’s flying you around everywhere. The reason is, while most airline miles can be moved around alliances to an extent, status miles (those that earn you airline-specific perks like upgrades, lounge access, and more) are not transferable.

Chances are if you fly very often on different routes, you’ll earn status with some airline or another but for regular hauls, you might want to consider making an exception to alliance funneling. Finally, if you’ve been reluctant to use frequent flyer miles in the past, here’s my 8-minute guide just for you, and for the ambitious, 7 ways to boost your earning to the next level.

[boy with head stuck in funnel photo by hyperborreal, red toy airplane by puuikibeach]

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How To Earn Frequent Flyer Miles Without Getting More Credit Cards

Anil P. — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 07:00:17 +0000

Although opening up various credit cards tied to airline miles deals are great ways to rack up points quickly, they tend to be limited to residents of the US. Regardless, credit cards aren’t the only way to earn a chunk of frequent flyer miles at once. Multiple debt accounts can also have drawbacks like potentially damaging your credit, annal fees that can be difficult to keep track of, and high interest rates.

So rather than getting more plastic, let’s use what’s already in your wallet to rack up points for a free flight or two even if you don’t fly all that often.

First Get Yourself Organized

One reasons the airlines are comfortable with mileage programs is they know most people don’t keep well enough track of them to redeem rewards before they expire. Luckily for us there’s free Awardwallet to keep track of all your accounts in one place and online.

Awardwallet recently introduced the OneCard; a physical card (that looks like a credit card) that keeps all of your mileage accounts in one place. Show it at the airport, hotels, etc. and with one swipe you won’t miss out on miles due to a jet-lagged memory. OneCard starts at a recommended donation of $10 but I’ve got free upgrade codes – the first 5 people can use free-amqrmr for a Pro account.

Remember the best strategy for earning useable miles is to stick to the most versatile airline in each of the major alliances. A United Mileage Plus account is ideal on Star Alliance since their miles work for almost all of their other airline partners. For the Oneworld alliance go with American Airlines (AA). Now, that doesn’t mean you have to always fly United or AA; just use your mileage account numbers with them for all of their partners.

Reclaim Recent Flights – Most airlines left you claim miles 12-24 months after you’ve flown so you might have two years of miles waiting for your account.

An exception is when you’re constantly flying the same airline (say for routine business trips); in those cases it might be advisable to break with the convention above to earn a few more perks with the given airline.

Shake What Your Bank Gave You

Chances are you already have a credit or bank card that you can put to use to earn miles. Almost all airlines and partner programs have online stores connected with large retailers like Apple, Starbucks, and Sony and more. Typically you can earn an extra mile or three for every dollar spent on things you would buy anyway. WebFlyer also has an updated list of any special online store deals that might currently be going on.

Travel Related Things Can Earn You Miles – Car rentals, hotel stays, train rides…pretty much anything that you typically associate with traveling can earn you frequent flyer miles. Aforementioned WebFlyer talk has an updated list of all the current promotions. Don’t forget to ask for point credit and have your mileage account number handy.
Subscriptions Can Be The Path To Mileage Bonuses – Many things that require monthly or annual fees like Internet at your house, mobile phone contracts, and cable television often has mileage bonuses associated with them. You’ll need to check with your primary alliance airline store (e.g. United Mileage Plus) but keep miles in mind for anything that has a recurring payment.
Large Purchases And Loans – It’s surprising how many banks and airlines offer huge point bonuses on top of car loans and approved mortgages. Again, it comes down to checking and the best place to start is online with the airline.
Graduate College – Yes, you can earn miles along with your college degree. [EDITED: this deal is currently expired.]
[EDITED] Use Smart Apps – Although it’s only available in the US for now, reader Vinny points out the free reward earning app, Checkpoints which lets you earn miles and reward points by visiting stores and making purchases. Think foursquare with benefits. (Thanks for the tip!)

You can further take advantage of your existing credit cards by scouting for balance transfers at 0% interest. Many reward and point cards still offer mileage bonuses (albeit reduced by around 35-50%) for balance transfers.

Get Hacking

There are a number of forums online specifically designed for “travel hackers” looking for the best frequent flyer deals.

FlyerTalk is arguably the most established of these forums but new MilePoint has a much slicker and social interface.
MileMaven is a strong bonus calculator especially useful for hacking specific routes.
Frequent Flyer Master – This ebook is a bit dated now and relies quite a bit on credit card offers but has some included bonuses the serious travel hacker will find valuable.
7 Ways To Bump Your Frequent Flyer Earning Up A Notch – Pets, points, and more.

If the term “hacking” makes you uneasy, there’s a more straightforward way to accumulate miles that might otherwise go to waste.

Ask Your Family And Friends For Leftover Miles

There are probably people in your life who’ve flown in the last year or two and couldn’t care less about their accumulated frequent flyer miles. You can save those miles from falling into Vulcan’s black hole by asking them for a transfer to your account. That costs around $25-100 depending on the airline and miles but can be a great gift travelers can ask for on birthdays or around the local holiday season.

[messy desk photo by: andhij]

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Circumvent Booking Sites By Calling Direct To Save Money On Hotel And Hostel Reservations

Anil P. — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 06:00:04 +0000

You can often find much lower rates on rooms at hotels and hostels by doing a little dialing after an online search. It’s no secret that pretty much anything you find in an online aggregator like, Kayak, adds some cost to your total price. Much of that additional cost comes from fees that aggregtors charge establishments that are benefiting from being available to a wider audience.

Understandably, the hostel you might be staying at enjoys the exposure but would rather forgo skimming any percentage off their bottom line. So, while they may not tell you directly, most would prefer doing business with you minus the middlemen. That’s especially true for smaller hostels and hotels who’ve got more to gain; with one more important variable that can work in your favor.

Use The Search, Skip The Click, And Pick Up The Phone

Aggregators and online hostel booking engines provide you, the consumer, the wonderful benefit of being able to find a bunch of lodging options all in one place. Reviews, photos, and price comparisons are great though to save money on booking, stop there. Jot down the contact information for a few of the places you’re interested in and give them a call. Get in touch with the person in charge of reservations and let them know you’ve found them via a booking site and are interested in hearing their best rate.

Chances are very good that the rate will slightly lower often with deals you may not have heard about otherwise. (Don’t forget to ask for them.) Also, it’s never a bad idea to flex your bargaining skills to see what’s the best price a hostel can offer – especially since you’re considering their competition down the street. (Never hurts to mention that either.) This tactic doesn’t only work for hostels and hotels but other common travel bookings like airfare as well.

And although it’s a bit counter-intuitive, a direct call to the hostel can give you a better idea of what rooms are like, including your options, by asking the clerk for details. Voice tone can tell you a lot about how honest a person is and if you want to learn how friendly the staff is – well, there you go. They’re right on the phone for you to find out.

Time Versus Cost With No Guarantees

The trade you make by trying to circumvent the aggregators is by adding a number of minutes to any booking. You’ve got to call and talk to people, both time consuming and potentially cumbersome when you’re traveling frequently. On top of the added time, there are no guarantees that you’ll actually get a lower price. Finally, you should consider that there are limits to how much you can save on the cheaper end of the hostel spectrum – it might not be worth 15 minutes of your time to try and save $10 on a $8 dorm room in Ecuador.

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Black Hat Travel Hacking: How To Miss Flights For Free

Anil P. — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 06:00:44 +0000

The one rule of flying, no matter where you cut your corners, is to not miss your flight. Showing up at the gate or airport shortly after your plane-mates are 5,000 meters in the sky isn’t disaster. And won’t put you out of ticket if you play your cards right. I have a lot of experience seeing planes I should be on take off, only to grab the next one without it costing an extra cent.

The key is to play the airlines and manipulate the very few regulations that work in your favor. Although these aren’t surefire methods and missing flights on a regular basis is sure to end up costing you if repeated (again, speaking from experience), they’re much more manageable than you may have guessed.

Getting The Rules Straight

Airline regulations are like asylum patients – they take time to figure out and although you would think they’re somewhat similar – end up making no sense as a whole. That said, in general, the airlines follow two lines of reasoning: if the missed flight is their fault (e.g. due to a delayed connection), or some emergency happens to you on route to the airport, they won’t penalize you for missing a flight.

Keep in mind that timing is key. Missing a flight by any more than 4 hours gets harder and harder to explain so don’t get carried away by showing up at the airport the next day. (Although if it does happen you can still try to get on a flight; believe me, it works more often than you’d expect.)

Also, people tend to not miss flights or at least have the attitude that it’s the worst thing in the world so most airline agents aren’t expecting that their strings are being pulled. Now that you get the premise, you’ve got to bend the truth to meet the reality of the rules you’re playing by.

Remember, It Is Never Your Fault

Now that you know the rules, you can imagine that saying “I woke up late” or “I was out getting drunk the night before” aren’t going to get you a free flight for the one you just missed. Take a page from The Air Of War at the ticket counter and have your excuse ready, then keep your mouth shut more often than not. The two best roads to follow for flight misses of 2-6 hours are:

1. I Had A Flat Tire – A trick I used on many of my college professors was to wipe my hand on the side of a car tire and say I had a flat; an excuse for why I was late to an exam. While I ended up failing some of those exams, I learned a lasting lesson – that airlines and girlfriends fall for this trick too. Now, if you’re really late, try some break dust on your cheek and a switch to a complete car breakdown story.

Even if it isn’t within the rules of the airline, these tactics work because they elicit empathy from the clerk. fMRI scans show that people tend to experience more empathy when they can both visualize another person’s pain and relate an emotional experience to it. We’ve all seen cars by the side of the road (i.e. visualization) and its easy to imagine the frustration that comes from a flat tire, then missed flight. You are effectively bringing the airline clerk over to your side to help you work against the airline.

2. Say You Missed A Connecting Flight – You’re late because your connecting flight was delayed and now you’ve had a horrible layover only to arrive to a plane that has departed. The keys are to blame another airline (since the clerk will likely know their airline’s flight schedule) but keep it within the same airline partner group if possible.

This second trick tends to work best in two scenarios. The first is at busy airports, where there are enough connections and flights to make your story plausible. The second is when you’re really late as you can explain away a 6 hour absence with a gruesome layover story. Be sure to pick a connecting city that has flights to the airport and do your best to act comfortably worried.

Your Checked Luggage Isn’t Leaving Without You

For security reasons, international regulations (followed by most countries) prevent your checked luggage from departing without you. That means if you miss your flight at the airport after having checked in your bags on a previous connection, they won’t be going anywhere. In most cases, this causes a 10-20 minute delay as the airline calls your name in the airport and handlers search for your bags in the cargo hold. So if you legitimately miss a connecting flight due to a late connection and had already checked bags, you might not need to exaggerate the truth to save your airfare.

[book photo by Horia Varlan, 'sorry' in the sky by butupa]

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My Picks: 4 Unexpected Travel Destinations You Can Visit Before They Become Hits

Anil P. — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:00:50 +0000

The world is a very big place and keeping all of it in mind is no easy task. Having traveled to over 40 countries now, I’m often asked what my favorites, bests, and worsts are – which usually leaves me with no solid answers to give. There is one question, typically unasked, where destinations I’ve visited pop into my head with ease. Countries around the world that probably don’t jump to the tip of your mind but can save you money, while giving you experiences plenty of other tourists aren’t having right now.

I’m taking something of an intellectual leap to say these countries will become major travel hits – though geographically and economically conditions are in their (and your!) favor. Slightly offbeat and waiting for their booms, these are places you can visit right now and have a bit all to yourself.

1. The Philippines

Although this country composed of 7,000 islands isn’t a secret – there aren’t any real travel secrets – it’s routinely overlooked by travelers headed to Thailand or South Korea on the southeast Asia trail. I’m not discouraging you from visiting those fine countries but there’s a less well traveled path right across the China Seas. The diversity within the islands themselves don’t do its official borders any justice as the Philippines is one of the most ecologically diverse places on the planet.

Despite it’s highly advantageous exchange rate and general low cost of travel, the Philippine tourism industry has been quite stagnant. Averaging only a 2.5% increase in foreign tourists over the last 15 years (compared with Thailand’s 15%) this year will be different. In the first 3 months of 2011 alone, the Philippines has seen more than half of its 2010 visitor numbers. Don’t worry though, most of those travelers were from only 4 countries, so you’ve got time to see San Augustin Church, ride around in a Jeepney, lay on one of my favorite beaches, and not be disappointed.

Flights are inexpensive from key regional cities like Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Sydney, but there are also good deals to be found from New York, Dubai, and New Delhi.

2. Oman

Oman was practically an afterthought on my part prior to seeing it in person while I was visiting various Gulf states last winter. After having seen one of the most surprising landscapes I’ve come across in my travels, I now appreciate that near oversight while remaining slightly embarrassed I didn’t know any better. You could drop Oman in any part of the world and it would still look like a set from a science-fiction show – but what really makes it jump out at you is how different it is from its glitzy, shiny, metal neighbors.

It’s not that Oman isn’t loaded with oil money like Bahrain or Qatar; (it has a strong GDP per capita actually), but it has chosen to retain its authentic exterior. A wise move by a royal family who’ve largely avoided Arab Spring with smart and swift reforms. You can visit the Wadi Shab waterfalls, Al Alam Palace, and enjoy the most beautiful corniche in the region – all less than an hour flight from popular Dubai.

Muscat, the tiny capital city jutting out into the Indian Ocean has been conquered by the Persian, British, Ottomans…but not tourists yet. Of course there are visitors, mostly from other other Arab nations, though it’s still yours to be had for much less than Manama or Doha.

3. Chile

As writer and Chile-expat Eileen Smith tells me, Chileans often refer to their country as at Earth’s butt-end. The capital Santiago isn’t the easiest city to find flights for outside of some major cities in South America. Yet for enticement it’s got over 6,400 kilometers of coastline waiting upon arrival. The Andes Mountains also happen to run along the opposite eastern border and it’s one of the easier countries on the continent to travel. Low crime rates and good internal transportation though not a nation without a troubled recent past, Chile is subtle – well, except when it comes to sandwiches.

Santiago is also famous for its “coffee with legs”, probably appropriate for a country known to be on the backside of the globe.

4. North Cyprus

It’s not common to find practically the same landscape, food, and culture split into two parts of an island. One that’s very cheap and the other that’s overcrowded and expensive; yet that’s the travel situation in Cyprus right now. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is one of these 3 unrecognized states that’s seeing a tourism boom between the embargo cracks. There are a number of ways to get to the TRNC, mostly from Turkey, but you can also cross over from the southern part of Cyprus, visit on a Mediterranean cruise, or hop a flight from London.

In practically every political and economic manner the TRNC is stalled – except when it comes to tourism. Despite its aspirations to reunify in 2003, that failure has actually helped tourism to the north. Not on the Euro and motivated to draw in tourism revenue, the TRNC is much less expensive than the rest of Cyprus – often considered the most expensive place in the European Union, if not the entire world. Lots of people are catching on – would you rather have breakfast for 7 Turkish lira or the same at 15 Euros – there’s still time to see this country in a bottle; despite it’s uncertain future.

The Few Of The Many

Searching for hidden travel gems requires someone else uncovering enough of the sparkle for your to see from afar. Though much like in the process of finding the best places to travel on a weak dollar, the best deals are often right across a border from the worst. Borders don’t contain cultures; but do a better job of holding economic systems together – a nice perk for your wallet.

Whether or not these 4 places end up becoming hits or not; they’re some of the most surprising my preconceptions have come across and might catch your fancy too.

[top photo of woman by hkvam]

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