In another post, we explored hotel search tools for travel hacking. In the present, we’ll briefly survey tools and techniques that increase and enhance your free travel skill-set; including five travel hacking tools of note. Note well and enjoy.
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(Kapu means “forbidden” in Hawaiian)
Nearly all of us have made regrettable points mistakes early on, and not so early on, in this hobby. Such is the case generally in life, right? “If only I knew then what I know now.” Or, “I should have known better.” Here’s a list of the top 3 frequent flyer mile and points mistakes and how to prevent them. Each could have its own post, so we’ll just hit the highlights.
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In part I and part II, we learned how credit card sign up bonuses play a significant role in traveling free (or nearly so). In this third installment, we’ll explore an action plan to get started: which credit cards should a beginner go for first? If you’re new and haven’t already, please read parts I and II. Although there may be overlapping information, we assume knowledge from those posts. Less new but things still not making sense? Follow the Roman Numerals enumerated above.
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In Credit Card Signup Bonuses: The Key to Free Travel. A Beginner’s Guide, Part I, we discussed:
In this second installment, we resume our Beginner’s Journey by adding actionable credit card signup bonus travel intelligence; answering the question “How do I really get started?” We also serve up a large heaping of Things You Just Need To Know to your fine self. Let’s do this thing.
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Two prescient friends of ours booked hotels with cash a year before the total solar eclipse. Friends don’t let friends pay cash (for hotels or flights)–but we’re working on them with the hotel points thing. The prescience was, being astronomy nerds, they suspected prices would grow more outlandish as media hype intensified. Booking by phone many moons prior, a puzzled local hotel manager asked why they were making reservations so early. “The eclipse,” they responded. “Huh,” must have been the response. #RevenueManagementFail.
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“The only thing I’ve ever gotten free was 10 chicken wings,” joked a co-worker of mine. The conversation had been about another of my nearly free trips. To where I don’t recall: Hawaii, Rome, Paris, a Greek Isles cruise. Didn’t matter. What did was the notion that nearly anyone could do what I’d done: travel the world practically free through strategically planned credit card signup bonuses.
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As promised in blog post “Dear Hotel Manager: Email Your Way to Free Room Upgrades and Welcome Gifts“, here’s a gallery of various welcome gifts we’ve received in our travels. Undoubtedly, we’ve forgotten to photograph some of them along the way. So think of this as a Selection. Looking forward to seeing what hotels will gift us this September on our Anniversary trip to Japan; the Japanese being famous for gorgeous food presentation.
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In a previous post, we learned how to email hotel managers for free hotel room upgrades. Here, I’ll share some success stories. The point? I want to inspire you to do the same. Then you’ll have success stories of your own to share: with friends, family, colleagues, and, if you’ll have us, My Points Blog. Do so in the comments section below or reach out to us via the Contact page. No textual Deep Dives here–just plenty of eye candy sorted by year. Enjoy. Or try to. Please excuse the poor videography in advance.
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Gimme dat! “Say please first,” your mom always said. Mom’s right. Asking for something nicely like free room upgrades, spa access, and welcome gifts greatly increases your probability of success with a hotel manager. And as some wise person once declared: “half of life is in the asking.” Further, giving a good reason why your wish should be granted tilts the playing field in your favor.
Put these concepts into practice by writing friendly, concise, and specific emails to hotel managers and I predict Great and Wondrous Things shall be granted to you. Sometimes it’s better to receive than give. However, if you show good character, courtesy, and respect in a hotel manager email for a special room request, you’re in a sense giving kindness. And Kindness is King. From my perspective specifically, a King Corner Suite, Top Floor with lounge access. 🙂 Join me as we learn how to soft-sell our way into hotel perks typically reserved for Elites.
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Whiskers on kittens. Warm woolen mittens. Confess. You know the rest, right? If you don’t, you have no soul. If you do, you have no shame. But did you know about hotel search and other travel hacking tools unadvertised by TV and Film? Of course you don’t unless you’ve been in the frequent flyer miles and points Hobby. Let’s remedy that, shall we? Within, we’ll go round the travel search tool world and observe a few of my favorite ones. Fasten your seat belts. It’s going to be a bumpy night; I mean ride. 🙂
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“Save money on car rentals while you sleep.” If it’s not their slogan, it oughta be. Because you may have asked yourself. Self? This AutoSlash thing. Is it an Urban Dictionary definition? For example, a thug deflates one’s tires for sporting a controversial bumper sticker. “Vote Cthulu: Why settle for the lesser of two evils?” or some such. Ain’t got nothin’ to do with that folks. Nothin’. AutoSlash is the best thing since sliced skinny bagels. And no Martha, MyPointsBlog.com has no financial relationship with AutoSlash. We just enjoy raking in the savings on car rentals, yo, and believe you will too. So what is AutoSlash and how does it all work Now, seriously folks…
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In Mattress Run Part I, we introduced the concept of getting free hotel stays (via hotel points or free night certificates) through Mattress Running–the Sport of Kingly Travelers. In Mattress Run Part II, we saw frugal vs. frugal+ defined. Frugal+ being enjoying Regal Lodging on a peasant’s budget. Let them eat ramen! Oh yeah. Central to any frequent flyer mile and hotel points hobby is the concept of arbitrage–“buying low” and “redeeming high.” In Mattress Run Part III, we’ll “Buy Low.” Earthworm low. But with a higher purpose. Let’s travel together from Motel to Hotel now, shall we?
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