Airline Credit Cards

Someone asked me to recommend a good frequent flier miles credit card.

Unfortunately there is no easy answer to this question. Not every card will suit everyone’s needs. Only you can decide if you want an Airline Credit Card (collect points with one particular airline) or Bank Travel Credit Card (collect points and redeem with any airline).

I would suggest that you first look at your airline travel. When you fly, do you usually fly with one particular airline?

Visit the website of your favorite airline to research their credit card.

    * Look into how many miles you have to collect to redeem for a flight.
    * Pay attention to who they partner with as British Airways, KLM, SAA etc. may be part of their alliance
      so you can travel, using your points, on these airlines too.
    * What kind of travel & car rental insurance do they offer?
    * Do your points expire and if so when?
    * What is the annual fee, if any? Be careful of high interest rates.
    * Read the small print

Once you have made your choice, stick with it. Use the credit card not only to book travel but also for groceries, gas etc and see the points add up.

How to double dip…

    * Book flight with airline credit card
    * Buy duty free with airline credit card
    * Fly on airline and receive points for flying (AAdvantage, Skymiles, WorldPerks etc.)
    * Pay hotel with airline credit card (Hilton HHonors points for staying at the hotel + more Airline points)
    * Book rental car and choose frequent traveler program (Hertz #1 Gold Card another favorite of mine)
    * Pay rental car with airline credit card

Add up all the points from credit card purchases + airline + hotel + rental car points   =   Points towards your next Award travel flight or upgrade to First class. Happy Flying!

Top 10 Ways to Save on Travel

• Use a credit card which gives you airline points that you can reimburse towards trains, planes & automobiles. More about airline credit cards…

• Check your airline point website to collect extra points for shopping, groceries, gas etc.

• Sign up for your favorite hotel point collection card and don’t forget to follow all your favourites on Twitter with my Worldwide Twitter List

• Sign up with your preferred car rental website Hertz #1 Gold Card is my favorite.  Receive up to 20% off your next rental and enjoy the red carpet treatment!

• Sign up for email specials on every airline, hotel, car rental & cruise website while you are planning your trip.  Search for discount codes online.

• If you are booking for a group, call the hotel directly to ask for a discount group rate. Same goes for airline & cruises. Don’t forget to enquire about Military, Senior rates etc.  Families should also consider Vacation Homes for extra space & the savings of eating meals at “home”

• Try to have flexible travel dates and use the airline website to show which days have the lower prices for travel. Tuesdays seems to be a great saving day.  Check smaller/charter airlines.

• Package Vacations are not always cheaper. I saved $1000 on a package holiday to Las Vegas by booking the flight + hotel separately.

• Always check prices with a travel agent prior to booking a cruise online

Please bookmark www.getatraveldeal.com and check everyday for the best hand picked deals. Tell 1000 of your closest friends about getatraveldeal.com. Thanks!

If I owned a Hotel...

I love hotels,  I love looking at photos of guestrooms in the same way as some people salivate over recipe books.  I have worked in hotels as has my daughter so this got me thinking…if I owned a hotel.

To begin, I would realize that the most important people in my hotel are the housekeepers.  It does not matter how great the facilities are or luxurious the spa.  If the guestroom is unkept, in any manner, I’m not coming back.  Period.  If the room is really run down, I’m not coming back and I’m telling everyone I know about it. I want to walk into my guestroom and see no evidence that anyone has been there before.  No left over trash, no hairs in any location, no dust on any surface.   I can forgive the sully person at the front desk, the concierge who does not call back, my breakfast missing my bacon but not stains, in any shape or form.

I have been warmly greeted at the front desk of a 2* hotel and ignored at a 5* resort.  Working at the front desk requires patience & kindness.  Some people are just not cut out for this job and my hotel will recognize these people and remove them from dealing with my guests.  I expect a smile at the bare minimum and polite conversation if there is time.  I expect my guests to feel welcomed & special to be booking into my hotel.  This costs my staff nothing to achieve except time.  My staff must be up to date with all specials and promotions including general knowledge of the area.

I would rent my dining room to experienced restaurateurs and let them deal with this end of the business.  I would deal with breakfast only & keep a small room service menu.  I am not a restaurateur, I am a hotel owner.  My job is to sell my guestrooms not dining tables.

I would spend a lot of time on the never ending maintenance of all the public areas, guestrooms, air & heating units etc.  Boring but a stitch in time, saves nine. I would include wireless Internet, breakfast, local calls, decent size toiletries, enough towels, bottled water for each guest and lots of clear reception TV channels in the price of my guestroom. I would approach local business within my area and get great samples of their products for my guests. Attached with their business card, of course.

I would not care about any rating system.  In my mind, this only means that a hotel has more in house facilities that I do not have. For example, you cannot get a 5* if you don’t offer a swimming pool, spa, exercise room, business facilities etc.  I would concentrate on my guest.  I would build my business with every guest that leaves.  If a guest is happy, they will tell 5 people, if they are unhappy, they will tell 20.  I will follow up with each guest via email and invite them to contact me,  I would keep an email list and offer specials,  I would read what my former guests are writing about me online and respond to everyone.  I would make my website easy to navigate with a quick booking system.

Obviously, I would have accountants, bookkeepers, IT, middle managment, grounds, maintenance people and more to deal with but my guest does not care and they pay my bills.  So I will take very good care of the people that make my guests stay an exceptional experience.  I will reward them accordingly.   As should you,  so the next time you are leaving your room, please leave a tip behind, not your dirty sock.

>>>  if I owned an airline…