One of the things I really enjoy doing is responding to reader questions and it looks like I haven’t really opened things up in a structured way since a major Q&A thread in September. So here’s your chance.
I will my best to cover many of your questions. Some I may answer right away, others that I answer will take me a few weeks.
Please leave requests in the comments section. I might answer some there while others will warrant standalone posts if they seem like topics that would help many readers.
As my boss once wrote making a similar request on his blog, “The only promise is that of weak monotonicity, namely that your mention won’t lower the chance of the topic being covered.” In other words, I won’t promise to cover everything, though I’ll read and ponder everything that’s written here in the comments.
I’d love to hear from you!
Hi Gary,
2 questions (1 serious and 1 fun one):
1.) Any advice for getting started with travel hacking for someone with low income (I’m a graduate student and make about $18k a year)? I’ve opened up a few free credit cards, as well as the CSP, but I can’t generate a ton of spend (I hate debt).
2.) If you could have dinner with any 3 people (dead or alive), who would it be?
Thanks for the blog! It’s my favorite miles and points blog, easily!
Gary, Chase Saphirre has great benefits for air/cars in regards to protections/coverage when you charge the tickets/car to your card. If you use your Ultimate Rewards to “purchase” the ticket/car, do you also receive the same coverage/protectoins? Thx
@Jayson tickets purchased via the Chase portal with your points qualify for protection benefits
Hi Gary, have you been to a megado before and would you recommend ? I know it’s sold out but am considering next year. Thanks
@Hunter you won’t be a graduate student forever. That you’re a graduate student suggests to banks you have a decent future income. You may want to focus on cards with low spend requirements, because even many of the techniques to generate spend aren’t free.
As far as dinner with three people I’ll take a first stab strictly at the living, if we open it up to the entirety of history I’d have to spend too long both building and narrowing the list. So currently living: Peter Thiel, Anthony Bourdain, and Xi Jinping.
@DJ I certainly have! They are a ton of fun, but they can be chaotic and disorganized, if you can kind of go with changes on the fly and other passengers partying in the aisles and just enjoy the ride then go for it you’ll have an amazing time with amazing people.
Forgive me for the length of this comment, but my question requires a backstory.
I live in Boston. Two weeks ago I was in LA on business when I received a call from my wife in the back of an ambulance while my daughter had a life-threatening emergency. (She has thankfully recovered). Although I wasn’t scheduled to go home for another few days, I needed to go home immediately. I dropped what I was doing and while in the back of a taxi on the way to LAX, researched flight options from my phone. It appeared that my JetBlue ticket could be changed for somewhere around $300, and walkup prices on them or other airlines was higher. Upon arriving at the airport, I approached the JetBlue counter and explained my situation, completely prepared to pay the $300 fare difference + change fee. Much to my surprise, the agent printed out a boarding pass for the next Boston flight and said “We’ve taken care of this, Mr. XXX”. I thanked her and burst into tears embarrassingly at the counter.
They did me a solid favor when they didn’t have to, and in return, I’m going to give them more of my business. But I recognize why airlines can’t do this more (and am actually surprised that JetBlue’s systems let the agent do this). I can imagine the post on flyertalk that says “All you have to do is say that your daughter is in the hospital and B6 will move you to a more expensive ticket for free!” And suddenly legions of people are using that excuse and the airline has to clamp down on it. If I were on American or Delta, I’m sure that I would have had to pay the change fee (and I’m not even protesting that it wouldn’t be fair).
So the question, I guess, is how can airlines preserve the ability to help a customer in a true pinch without opening themselves up to being gamed by everyone out there trying to maximize value?
would love a comprehensive guide on ECONOMY ticket cancellation policies. i’m not a big miles guy (i.e. i’m not a medallion, diamond, platinum, titanium dude!!), but i do rack them up, and i do fly a lot.
specifically, i would like a list of what the cancellation rules/penalties are for economy PAID tickets (not award travel) for each airline. AND how this contrasts with ota’s like orbitz, expedia, travelocity, etc.
examples of my confusion : some policies state 24 hours. but it’s actually midnight until the next day…? and then, with AA, if you book through them you can’t cancel within 24 hours but if via an ota, you can? and some only allow cancellation if the date of flight is a week out?
thanks for your site. and thanks for your help!
@Corey this is a real challenge and indeed I recently read about an American agent who did just this. Airlines go through phases of being generous with helping customers in a jam and then tightening up. Delta under Leo Mullin became known for ‘No Waivers No Favors.’
American has a system that ranks a customer’s value and the need to work to retain a customer based on recent disservicing and can evaluate whether or not to grant a favor based on either (sure we can help a profitable customer, or perhaps one who has run into a ton of bad luck with the airline for instance). That’s one idea, don’t just make it wide open but evaluate based on how many recent problems a customer has had or how many times exceptions have been made.
My wife and I are flying economy in August on Lufthansa from Munich. Can we use Chase United Club One-time passes to access a Lufthansa lounge at MUC.
You willing to share this blog’s ballpark monthly income? Is it $1k, $10k, $100k?
Not judging. Just curious.
Thanks for what you do.
@Wesley Wright – I’m answering travel questions not my personal income 🙂
Gary,
I booked round trip LAX to LHR months ago with AA miles to connect with a UK coach tour. The wife bugged about making a side trip to Paris, so added a few days at the beginning and bought FC tickets from LHR to CDG round trip. Now I find out that AA, BA, won’t check through on separate tickets, which means a lot of time at LHR to get bags, do customs, then back through security. Do you know if it’s possible to combine separate tickets after the fact.
Gary,
Now that the EU high court has spoken, and European airlines can no longer charge a cancellation fee, where does that place U.S. airlines in this issue?
@Alan – this ruling has been greatly misunderstood, the EU court said an airline cannot charge a handling fee to refund taxes paid. This isn’t something that should much affect practices of US airlines for tickets sold in the US at all.
@Kenton no way to combine separate tickets after the fact. It *is* possible to take your existing LAX-LHR award ticket and have an American agent sell you a flight to CDG inside the existing award reservation and then American will through-check.
Two questions (and may already be blogs or worth a blog post) –
Thanks for your blog. Its quite helpful. Here is a question that may be worth its own blog (or please link me to yours if you have done this before)
Which are currently the best credit cards for authorized user benefits?
I can personally see Amex Platinum due to global entry benefit for each AU, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold (and hence, Marriott Gold), Priority Pass benefits. But I was looking for a potential list of others, especially if any have trip cancellation insurance/car rental coverage, etc.
Sorry – several typos in message above. Meant to delete first paragraph.
I meant please provide a link to your blog post if you have already written about this.
Thanks!
Thanks for the links you provided in response to my query, Gary. Much appreciated.
Have you opened a credit card in a family members name?
And then met the minimum spend on your own and used the points on yourself?
Thanks!
Gary, I really enjoy your blogs and informative emails. As a soon to be former road warrior, I have paid more attention to fare deals that are highlighted by you and through sites like FlyerTalk recently. My only issue is that 99% of the time the fares are economy section focused, which makes sense because the majority of passengers fly economy, but will you ever have a way to do the same type of fare deal reporting for other classes (Premium Economy and up) on a more regular basis, if not daily? Additionally, if you don’t have any plans at this time, could you recommend a complimentary site that may have this level of reporting, besides the FlyerTalk premium class thread, which is very hit and miss when compared to a premium blogs/sites like yours? Thank you.
My question relates to cancelations. The 24-hour reservation requirement is mandated by the Department of Transportation’s consumer rule “Enhancing Airline Passenger Protections”
Lets say I purchase a no frills ticket and pay extra for a seat, and to check a bagbaggae. If I cancel as allowed by this rule, do the airlines also refund the extra fees paid?
I ask because I just read an article that said they do not. If this is true, it seems that airlines are cicumventing refunding all of the fate by unbundling the fare into air, seat, baggage!
Your thoughts?
@Michael – they don’t come around as often but I do report them, e.g. here are some recent ones:
http://viewfromthewing.com/2017/05/25/fare-deal-business-class-tokyo-just-1580-roundtrip-delta/
http://viewfromthewing.com/2017/06/17/business-class-fare-deal-new-york-sao-paulo-brazil-just-1450-roundtrip/
http://viewfromthewing.com/2017/03/10/fare-deal-united-business-class-asia-1700-roundtrip/
http://viewfromthewing.com/2017/03/07/amazing-fare-deal-premium-economy-several-us-cities-europe-633-roundtrip/
http://viewfromthewing.com/2017/06/17/amex-platinum-ends-business-class-2-1-deal-relaunches-premium-cabin-discount-program/
http://viewfromthewing.com/2017/04/05/business-class-fare-deal-oslocopenhage-us-715-roundtrip/
http://viewfromthewing.com/2017/04/29/fare-deal-premium-economy-singapore-several-us-cities-1197-roundtrip-easy-upgrade-business/
Got another one.
Any particular reason to keep the Diners Club card any more? Used to be great for rental car protection and the ability to dump for WN CP. Neither applicable now. Am I missing something?
@toomanybooks – the Diners Club pre-2014 card? I got rid of mine.
What opportunities exist when an airline changes your flight times, and how can we capitalize on those (both for paid and award tickets?) I often get the notices that the flight has changed, and I’ve read there are ways to get better routing etc. when that happens, but I’m not sure how to do it.
Examples:
– Can we change to any flight that is available as long as dates, origin & destination are the same, or does that new flight have to be available with the same amount of points or for the same price?
Can you modify hotel stays to use points as you earn them? For example, you reserve 4 nights flexible rate, but then earn enough points (Hilton, Hyatt, SPG, Marriott, IHG, or Club Carlson) for one of those nights. Can you reduce your paid reservation to 3 nights and pay for the 4th with points?
Hi Gary,
My question might be a bit different from the usual, I hope it will still be relevant though.
I’d like to know, from your perspective (and whoever else would like to jump in), while travelling which are the situations (or actual past experiences) where you feel the most vulnerable or in danger? It could be from thieves, mugging, terror attacks etc…
With Citi Hilton cards going away, do you recommend switching to Amex now or do you think they will improve their card and offer with it? (Worst thing is the foreign transaction fees)
re with the BA Visa Companion reward ticket for that 20-30K spend, what is the best value to extract?
is it possible to book RTW F or J tickets, and if so what range wld the taxes and fees be?
@Ben Boeglin – I don’t worry much about terrorist attacks, my daily commute used to take me for several years past the Pentagon which was attacked on 9/11. Thieves? Las Ramblas and near the Louvre. I grew up in New York when New York was a very different place (late 70s, early 80s) so the rest of the world doesn’t worry me much though I avoid traveling to significant conflict zones.
Hi Gary,
You’ve had a ton of wonderful travel opportunities with this hobby… Can you share one of your favorite/most memorable experiences with miles/points travel and one of you biggest disappointment?
@Bill…
Too many amazing experiences to pick just one.
My honeymoon on miles and points was in Air Tahiti NUi and Qantas first, with an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora and time in Australia
My first trip to Japan was on a $3 mistake rate (for executive floor room) at the Hilton Tokyo
I took my wife to Barcelona for dinner (British Airways business redeemed with AsiaMiles earned from Priceline bids) at the then toughest restaurant to get into in the world El Bulli
I got to travel to the Maldives on points 5 years in a row 2012-2016
There are so many more.
Biggest disappointment? There are many. Cebu in the Philippines [I made the mistake of letting award availability dictate where I was going].. the Andaman in Langkawi, Malaysia..
We have 500k United miles earned from business travel. What is smarter usage for this currency? Thank you Gary.
I just got the CIti Advantage Platinum Select card . I can’t remember the number of months and the dollar figure to get 40000 points. Can you help?
@Mike Grossfeld is it the current 60,000 miles after $3000 spend within 3 months offer? You can always call Citi and confirm.
Hi Gary,
I’ve saved almost 300,000 Amex Membership Reward points. I’d like your idea on how best to use them for a trip to Italy for my wife and I. I’m close to BWI and DCA (Baltimore and Washington).
Thanks!
Carmine
Hi,
I am a Hilton Diamond and I have a stay planned at a Westin next week.
Shall I join SPG or Marriott Rewards?
Is there a status match or a challenge currently available?
Thanks,
Brice
Hi Gary,
Just received my Chase Sapphire Reserve card and I’m pumped! Was hoping to pay off a few bills (bank cc, etc) before buying tix to west Africa. Alas, my bank card only allows payment from checking or savings accounts, not another cc. I know I’ve read somewhere in your blog about how to get around this situation but can’t seem to find it.
Suggestions?
Thanks!
Will
@William you generally cannot pay other credit cards with a credit card. At best you could buy gift cards, use those to buy money orders, and use the money orders to pay off a credit card. But there’s no reason to do that since you could also deposit the money order in a bank. And there are fees for both the gift card and money order offsetting the benefit of having done this..
Thanks, Gary.
I appreciate your insight and enjoy your writing tremendously!
My next question may be easier. Where is the best place to look for an inexpensive flight to west Africa (Sierra Leone, Liberia)?
Thanks again!
Will
Gary, whilst i understand you usually don’t advocate making transfers for airline miles unless for specific awards.
can you advise if the current 40% bonus on Amex to BA Avios is worthwhile transferring to build a base? i don’t know the bonus offer history. i picked up the BA Visa, and anticipate having the 120K points from that, and thought it may be worth building a base in Avious, maybe for transfer to Iberia, as i usually redeem for five pax, and require 400-600K in a program say for a european sojourn from the east coast. thks.
@Tim O’Brien you need to at least have a vision for how to use them, BA Avios can be very useful but only in narrow circumstances like short haul coach flights or short haul business in Asia/Australia. Fuel surcharges make transatlantic redemptions painful and premium long haul is very expensive in miles that the 40% bonus isn’t enough IMHO
OK, thks Gary, what about for transfer to Iberia for transatlantic redemptions in F or J, do you still get hit up for the add on fuel surcharges, and fees with Iberia?
@Tim O’Brien if you transfer BA to Iberia [Iberia account needs to have had activity and been open 90 days] then you can redeem on Iberia only with only modest fuel surcharges
OK, thks Gary.
Regarding Southwest Companion Pass –
Do you know what happens if you have some existing reservations with a companion, but want to move to designation of the companion pass to someone else? So if you have a reservation with companion X in Oct, Nov and Dec 2017, but want to add companion Y only for a trip in Sept 2017.
Do the existing reservations remain valid?
Thanks!
Gary, I know this is somewhat after the fact but I bet you know the answer.
I predominantly fly One World (AA, BA, >200K this year) and Sky Team (DL Dia). I need a recommendation for the best Star Alliance airline to build miles in. I have a United FF# but frankly, absent asking for status match I’d rather poke myself in the eye with a 6″ nail than fly them. Thinking mostly Thai or Singapore flying First from LHR to Far East. Suggestions?
I do fly Emirates on that route and am a member there but the stop half way in Dubai is a killer and you can’t use the miles anywhere else..
Thx if you get to this.
@Woofie – do you mean redeeming for Singapore First [then you need to use Singapore miles] or crediting paid tickets?
Hello,
I am planning a safari in Uganda next year and have received a quote from the Ugandan tour operator requesting 60% payment upon booking and 40% two weeks prior to the safari. This will be a substantial amount of money. I am worried that if the company goes bankrupt I could lose my money. Is there any credit card that you can recommend that would cover me in circumstances like this? My credit is excellent and I would consider a premium card.
Thank you