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10 tips for getting travel perks
The best questions to ask for successful travel planning
The other day I was speaking with my friend C.F., an patent attorney with an undergraduate degree in physics — a smart guy to say the least. C.F. has always liked travel, but after his first trip to Europe his enthusiasm morphed into a monster travel bug.
I always enjoy my conversations with C.F. because he has great natural curiosity and wisdom. On this day, the conversation turned to travel as his mind started to explore a new adventure to Europe. After pelting me with questions and proposing various strategies for ensuring a great trip, he commented, “To get a brilliant travel experience you need to be very savvy.”
I paused with my thoughts for a moment then replied, “It’s actually rather simple if you ask the right questions.”
With that in mind, I offer my 10 best questions for successful travel planning.
1. Is there a better time or place to go?
The hallmark of my travel philosophy is “Contrarian Travel” — traveling when others are not. And who’s better to know the most opportune times to travel than travel providers? An airline can tell you which flights have light loads — and therefore lower fares and better opportunities for upgrades. Likewise, hotels and resorts know best when their occupancy is likely to dip. Sometimes the difference is only a week — but what a difference a week can make if you save money and get prized upgrades.
2. When is the best time to call?
When you need to call a travel provider, schedule the call for maximum efficiency and service. Avoid weekends, when agents are generally swamped; instead, make midweek call and make it midday. If you’re trying to reach a manger of a hotel, speak first to his assistant, who can tell you when the manager is likely to be free. Better yet, make an appointment to call him.
Also pay attention to breaking news that may affect your travel provider’s availability. Last week, during a nasty nor’easter, I called my airline to check on an itinerary that was still seven days away. While I was on hold, the news flashed a weather update announcing that five major East Coast airports had closed. I realized that with all the canceled flights, I was probably looking at a long hold time. Not to mention that I would be taking up an agent’s time on routine matters when she really needed to serve stranded travelers. So I hung up. Two days later, I got right through.
3. Does this flight, stay or rental count toward my elite status?
My friend Tim wrote me last December telling me how thrilled he was to have finally achieved “Medallion” status on Delta Air Lines by taking one flight to South Africa. Unfortunately, Tim didn’t know that the miles he earned on South African Airways would indeed give him Delta points, but they would not count towards Medallion status. I recently experienced a similar situation renting a car from Hertz. Because I rented the car outside the United States, the rental did not count toward my requalification as a “Five Star” member. Many loyalty programs have this kind of two-track system — especially when the transaction involves a third-party “partner.” Your best bet is to always ask — specifically — whether the rate or fare you are booking counts toward the elite status you are hoping for.
4. What rooms offer the best location, view or size?
Those who travel widely and often understand the value of a well-situated hotel room. Whether you want a room on a club floor, a stellar view or just some peace and quiet, an advance call to the front desk will tell you where you want to be.
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