Skift analyzed presidential campaign FEC filings to identify where the candidates are spending their travel dollars.
The Trump campaign’s biggest spend is on his own Boeing 757 (“TAG Air”).
Hillary Clinton’s biggest spend is on private jet travel as well. Here are her feet propped against the bulkhead.
Both campaigns spend more on American and Delta flights than they do United. Trump used to own the American Airlines Shuttle between Boston, New York LaGuardia, and Washington National… and once made a public play to buy American Airlines (incurring substantial losses in the process).
Only the Trump campaign actually offers elite status.
Both campaigns rent cars from Enterprise frequently, although the Clinton campaign actually appears to prefer Avis.
However the Trump campaign books rooms at Hotels.com while Clinton’s campaign favors Expedia. Ironically Hillary herself says she doesn’t trust online booking.
Trump spends heavily with Trump Hotels and Hilton, even though members of the Marriott family donate to him. The Clinton campaign’s direct hotel spend has been greatest with Wyndham.
Hillary Clinton Presidential Campaign Top 10 Travel Providers Based on Spend:
Donald Trump Presidential Campaign Top 10 Travel Providers Based on Spend:
Interestingly, though Clinton criticizes the ‘gig economy’ her campaign has spent almost twice as much on Uber as the Trump campaign. (Of course no one spends on Uber quite like Chris Christie’s campaign did.) Both campaigns have reported making only two Airbnb bookings apiece.
The biggest limitation on the data appears to be that it doesn’t “include travel bookings made by campaign employees who are later reimbursed by the campaign” because such spending is reported as a payment to the employee rather than directly to a travel provider.
I wonder if Trump’s Hotels.com spend is done using cashback portals and racking up the Hotels.com Welcome Rewards program. If they are doing that, who in the campaign will be making use of that possible 10-20% rebate.
Wow so much for carbon footprints. I’m surprised at the high amount spend on rental cars. You’d think they could negotiate better deals based on volume. Makes me wonder about what all the points and mile earnings are on this.
Interesting post. Thanks.
@GUWonder
I recall the Hotels.com Portal through Chase UR going away about a year ago, what portal are you using these days?
@GUWonder TopCashback generally offers 9% – 12% on hotels.com bookings
HRC’s feet are NOT on the bulkhead.
Ziggy,
7-10% via Topcashback, but the effective percentage is higher given that the hotels.com also provides a c. 10% back via the hotels.com loyalty program.
Is all of that return for spend on hotels.com going back into the Trump campaign coffers for this election?
Seriously Gary. I worry for you and this country.
You are now posting (ever so subtly anti Hillary) posts at a time when we are the most important juncture of almost electing a maniac into the highest post on the planet. I don’t think you have any sway of course, but cmon man, have some priciples here and wise up.
Honestly what is wrong with you exactly? You’re clearly a democrat. You should be supporting anyone…ANYONE who will keep that piece of garbage out or the Whitehouse and his short finger off the nuclear button.
But you can’t help yourself…write a political post at this time for hits and credit card pimps. That’s my guess anyway. In the near future, I hope you may be too busy shoveling food into your face to realize how close we came to another holocaust or worse with a fascist lunatic at the helm of this planet on the edge of disaster already.
So angry with why people cannot see what’s right and normal in this country. Do not show any support for Trump or negative comments for the vastly superior alternative, however subtle.
Wow @Andy who’s angry? “Too busy shoveling food in my face to realize..” ?
I think you’re reading more of yourself into this post than what’s there. Not sure how anyone can accuse me of being pro-Trump?