I should have been more on top of this, considering that I’m speaking as part of the agenda, but Lucky scoops me on the schedule for the day at Frequent Traveler University.
Events begin Friday evening, April 29 with cocktails at the Sheraton LeGuardia East. THen the educational program is as Lucky posted:
850a-900a Opening Remarks
MORNING: EARNING
905a-1015a Part 1: Earning By Flying
Fare Classes: How Flying 1 Mile Could Earn You 2.5 miles or .25 miles!
Elite Status: How to Transform Precious Metals Into Precious Bonus Miles!
Mileage Running: How To Top-Off Your Account To Achieve Elite Status or Reach Award Redemption Threshold1015-1030a Break
1030-1140a Part 2: Earning By Buying
Credit Cards: Sign Up Bonuses and Most Points Per Dollar of Spending
Mileage Transfers: How Credit Card, Hotel and Your Best Friends Can Pad Your Account
Fire Sales: When Airlines Sell Their Miles and Mileage Mall Products For A Can’t-Resist Price1145a-1215p Part 3: Off the Podium, Into The Firing Line: Breakout Session Q&A
– Star Alliance (United, Continental, US Air, Air Canada, Lufthansa among others)
– oneworld (American, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Iberia among others)
– Skyteam (Delta, Air France/KLM, Alitalia, Korean Air among others) and independents (Virgin, El Al, Emirates, Alaska among others)1215-130p Lunch Break
AFTERNOON: BURNING
145p-245p Part 4: Putting A Value On Your Miles
The Tipping Point: When to Redeem Awards and When to Buy a Ticket
The Tipping Point 2: When to Use Award Tickets Vs. Upgrading Paid Tickets For Business Class
OutSourcing Mileage: Off-The Radar, But On-Target Foreign-Based Mileage Program Awards245p-355p Part 5: Award Redemption Strategies
Is Israel in Asia or Europe?: Understanding Award Charts- Zones Vs. Mileage-Based
Expanding The Reach of Your Award Ticket: Understanding Routing, Stopover and Open Jaw Rules
Getting From ‘No’ To ‘No Problem’: The Art of Turning The Phone Agent Into Your Advocate…and Getting Your Hard-To-Book Award355-405p Break
405-435p Part 6: Where Our Speakers Become YOUR Advocates: Breakout Session Q&A
– Star Alliance (United, Continental, US Air, Air Canada, Lufthansa among others) (Gary)
– oneworld (American, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Iberia among others) (Ben)
– Skyteam (Delta, Air France/KLM, Alitalia, Korean Air among others) and independents (Virgin, El Al, Emirates, Alaska among others) (Steve)435-515p Part 7: Randy Petersen- World’s First and Foremost Frequent Flyer Guru: Surveys 30 Years Of Mileage Program History
Attendance is $49, which includes not just the day’s program on Saturday, April 30th but also Friday evening cocktails and both breakfast and lunch at the hotel on Saturday. I’m told that the actual per-head cost is much higher, and of course they save money by not paying me to speak.
I’ll be hosting one of the morning breakout sessiosn and the giving an afternoon talk on effectively booking award travel.
The other speakers for the day will be Ben from One Mile at a Time, Rick from Frugal Travel Guy, and Steve a.k.a. “beaubo” the most creative mileage strategist I’ve ever met who once acted as a labor broker hiring disabled Thai rice farmers to fly back and forth between Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai Thailand 10 segments a day in order to earn United systemwide upgrades… until the DEA stepped in.
Should be a great day, and follows Friday’s Randy Petersen Executive Travel Summit and Frequent Traveler Awards at Citi Field.
It seems the only time we break into groups is for airline alliances… Is it best to attend the alliance you currently fly with, or the one you are considering switching to?
@Carberrie it’s just a convenient way to talk specifics for questions in smaller groups. Your questions don’t have to be strictly about the alliances, just one way to frame the “how do I use miles to australia” question. I would pick the alliance I am most interested in learning about — either because you want to maximize what you have, or you want to learn what you could get if you switched. Can’t do everything in just one day, but trying to get through as much as possible!!
About Steve a.k.a. “beaubo”…
How did the DEA find out (in Thailand)?
ED
Great question for Steve, I don’t think I could do the story justice..
I sent an email to the organizer, but I never got a response. I’ll ask here, because I don’t know where else to ask. Perhaps you can ask the organizers to answer my question. At any rate, are we permitted to bring a guest to the Fri cocktail hour?
thank you
@T Cho I will ask, I don’t know the answer.
Gary,
When you say ‘they’re not paying me to speak’, are you implying others are getting paid??
@Dan No.
I am so excited for this tomorrow! Thank you, Gary!!!