Kolek planning to go pro
If you have ever been at O'Hare or Midway at 1 a.m., staring at a luggage carousel for 30 minutes waiting for it to start moving, you would avoid checking baggage at all costs.
Learn to use smartphone apps. People worry too much about getting their boarding passes printed or just digging up the e-mail to get them, not knowing if the flight is on time, finding the hotel or rental car confirmation number. So much easier to have a couple phone apps set on their own dedicated shortcut tab than to print, dig through, find papers.
Also, I second the Briggs and Riley luggage. I've had one for 3 years now with nonstop travel and finally have a little tear in it. Gonna take it in for a new one. The way the warranty was explained to me was that I could take an axe to my suitcase, go to the store, tell the guy that I took an axe to it, and I would still get a new one to replace it.
Skimmed through this somewhat quickly, but figured I'd share my thoughts as I travel nonstop for work (last calendar year spent 227 nights in hotel rooms).Flights - stick with one airline - this also means paying a little extra for a personal flight when you have them. those additional miles and segments add up and really count when you are trying to make the next status level. Never check a bag. Simple. Get Global Entry if you can. Some employers will reimburse you for it, gets you Precheck everytime and traveling back to the US is a breeze through customs. If you like drinking on planes but dont wanna shell out the dough for it, buy those mini-alcohol bottles yourself and carry them on. Order a ginger ale on the flight for free and add your Jack. They are under the 3oz size. Just dont let the flight attendant catch you. Flying morning/late at night, book a window seat as its easier to sleep. Mid-day, grab the aisle for more leg room, always try and get the exit row if you can. Someone else mentioned it earlier as well, always be respectful of flight attendants. Before precheck existed, I always wore shoes that were easy to slip in and out of as well as used a laptop bag that had the extra middle zipper so you didnt have to take the computer out.Hotels - again, stick with one chain. My favorite is SPG properties. They are generally available in all cities, rates are reasonable, and the hotels are nice. SPG points are well known to have the most value for any reward point. I'm also a fan of Hyatts. To me, the nicest hotels and friendliest staff hands down. Generally the rates are a little bit higher and they aren't quite as available in some of the smaller cities. If eating at the hotel bar/restaurant, always put it on your room and then itemize later. Extra points. Make sure you always register for the hotel promotions, extra points. Link you hotel/airline accounts. Marriott/United and SPG/Delta provide reciprocal status as well as additional benefits.If anything ever goes wrong on a flight/hotel stay that isn't weather related or unavoidable by the staff. Complain. Always, always complain. Easiest way to get more points and miles.Also, I second the Briggs and Riley luggage. I've had one for 3 years now with nonstop travel and finally have a little tear in it. Gonna take it in for a new one. The way the warranty was explained to me was that I could take an axe to my suitcase, go to the store, tell the guy that I took an axe to it, and I would still get a new one to replace it.
Wow. How long have you done this? Do you even maintain a 'home'? Did you ever meet John Candy on the road and did he sell you shower curtain rings?
Airlines: DONT standardize. Once I get platinum on one carrier, I switch to another. Usually I can get platinum on 2 carriers per year to add to my lifetime platinum on American. Plus, if you can be platinum on OneWorld with one airline, Star Alliance with another and Sky Team with yet another, you get the benefits with every airline except Emirates.
Airports: They are different... pick and choose. For example, when I go east/west, I use the middle eastern carriers, but never Emirates not because the airlines sucks (it does) but because the airport is terrible in Dubai. I don't like 30 minute walks to my gate. I use Qatar or Etihad. If I need to go through S.E. Asia, Singapore airport is like heaven. Bangkok is closer to hell. In Tokyo, Haneda is so much nicer than Narita.
Hotels: Same rule as airlines. Once you've reached max status, or a good level (Marriott gold for example gets you what you need - free internet and breakfast, so Marriott Platinum is nothing special) then get status with another chain.
did you upgrade your luggage for business travel, or roll a Brooks Brothers suit into that thing?
And be nice to the flight crew. They have to work while I sit.
Not only second this but take it a step further if you are traveling on a predictable schedule (Mon out, Fri home, same city) and learn the names of the flight crew and hotel personnel. Their shifts/schedules usually last a month and the little extra nice is usually repaid. Can't tell you the number of free drinks plus some comped rooms, club VIP hookups, etc.On the check vs carry on, unless it's first flight out or last flight in, i usually check. i'm admittedly not a good packer and have never figured out how to pack running shoes and running clothes in a carry on without grossing everything else up.
never figured out how to pack running shoes and running clothes in a carry on without grossing everything else up.
Take a back pack in addition to the carry on. Patagonia makes gear that won't soak up the stink.
one thing I don't get about backpacks is how many guys on suits I'll see wearing these things for a flight. Doesn't that wrench your suit jacket?Might be awesome and functional but looks like you're a little kid visiting dad at work.
Doesn't that wrench your suit jacket?
The thing I dislike about backpacks are the guys that board flights and dont realize the backpack and the straps on it are extensions to themselves. I can't count how many times I've been sitting in an aisle seat and have been whacked in the face with a backpack or its strap by some guy turning around to talk to the person behind them, put other bag in the overhead, etc.
Ditto! One of my pet peeves on an airplane is these oblivious morons. Happens virtually on every flight I take. But if my Tumi wasn't 25 years old and didn't wash up like new I would be rolling with one myself. I would take it off before boarding the plane , though
Oh yeah, I have nothing wrong with backpacks. It just seems more often than not, those that continue to wear them while boarding completely forget that they are wearing them, and then smack people in the face while turning about.
It doesn't wrench my suit jacket. I do probably look a little odd, but it simply fits more than a computer shoulder bag.
meant to say wreck... Seriously no impact by having a full carryon's weight on your suit shoulders?
In my experience that is not limited to backpacks. Purses, computer bags, suitcases, etc.Of course, I am tall so if I can't get a seat in the Exit Row, I always sit in the aisle so I can stretch out at least one leg. Maybe I just protrude out into the aisle too much.