Rapid Travel Chai: International Travel Bootcamp - Chicago Seminars 2013

International Travel Bootcamp

Stefan KrasowskiRapid Travel Chai

Itinerary

Planning

Miles and Points Beyond Cathay J to Bali

Who Am I?

I lived in China for 8 years

I work in international business

I plan obsessively

I travel fast

I come back exhausted

My wife is the opposite

I lived in China for 8 years

I work in international business

I plan obsessively

I travel fast

I come back exhausted

My wife is the opposite

My Dream Trip

My Wife’s

Who Are You?

You have more miles than some nations……what matters to you?

The flight?

The hotel?

The destination?

The people?

The food?

What else?

You have more miles than some nations……what matters to you?

The flight?

The hotel?

The destination?

The people?

The food?

What Do You Want in this Session?

Planning?

Cut the crap – gimme miles!

Hold on, dinner before dessert…let’s roll!

Planning?

Cut the crap – gimme miles!

Hold on, dinner before dessert…let’s roll!

Planning

Where to Go?

Explore outside your social media bubble

Consider offbeat and offseason

Yamamoto’s Bunker,East New Britain,Papua New Guinea

Where to Go – UNESCO Sites

Jesuit missions and German yerba mate farmers, Paraguay

Where to Go – Traveler’s Century Club

Anne of Green Gables & lobster suppers,Prince Edward Island, Canada

Air – Research

Wikipedia’s airport and airline pages

Air – Passes

If you think awards are confusing and frustrating…

Passes come and go, often

Complicated booking

Gotchas abound

If you think awards are confusing and frustrating…

Passes come and go, often

Complicated booking

Gotchas abound

Air – Booking

Find flights on ITA Matrix

Locate booking options on Hipmunk

Air – Budget Airlines

skyscanner.com andwhichbudget.com

Price all the extras

Know the airport –where in ‘London’?

Know the terminal –Malaysian remote LCCTs

Air Asia is awesome

skyscanner.com andwhichbudget.com

Price all the extras

Know the airport –where in ‘London’?

Know the terminal –Malaysian remote LCCTs

Air Asia is awesome

Air – Obscure Airlines

OneTravel for hard to ticket airlines

Get reservation record AND ticket number

Air – China Flights

China domestic flights have full-fare set by government

Full-fare free to change flight and even airline!*

Global sites only price full-fare tickets

China sites price discounts:

ctrip, eLong, travelzen

Payment process can be a hassle

*Can be a challenge, easiest to attempt at airport

China domestic flights have full-fare set by government

Full-fare free to change flight and even airline!*

Global sites only price full-fare tickets

China sites price discounts:

ctrip, eLong, travelzen

Payment process can be a hassle

*Can be a challenge, easiest to attempt at airport

Air – China Flights

Expedia $212 eLong $111

Rail – Where?

East Asia and Europe

Overnight trains save time, save hotel

Photo by alantankenghoe, flickr

Rail – How?Advance web bookings can be difficult and/or deceptive

Deutche Bahn for schedules

Multiple stations in cities – search each

Rail Europe $131 SCNF $81

Rail – Passes

Research, compare, cost alternatives

May need to purchase before arrival (e.g. Japan)

Swiss Pass 2nd Class is $298 for 4 days – yikes!

Bus – Where?

‘Executivo’ business class services in South America

Bus – Tips

Beware the near empty bus that is ‘leaving soon’

Your stuff will be either with you or with someone else

Prepare for heat, prepare for cold

Be a camel

Beware the near empty bus that is ‘leaving soon’

Your stuff will be either with you or with someone else

Prepare for heat, prepare for cold

Be a camel

Taxis - Tips

Beware taxis hanging out at hotels

Hail taxis that are moving

If the locals use radio taxis, you should too

Taxis for day trips are impromptu guides

Beware taxis hanging out at hotels

Hail taxis that are moving

If the locals use radio taxis, you should too

Taxis for day trips are impromptu guides

Taxis – India

India’s airport government prepaid taxis:

Cheap and safe

Don’t exit the airport!

Driving

Exhilarating or stressful?

Know your companions

Driving on the left is surprisingly easy

International Driving Permit (IDP) is an annual pain

What to do in hitchhiker countries?

Exhilarating or stressful?

Know your companions

Driving on the left is surprisingly easy

International Driving Permit (IDP) is an annual pain

What to do in hitchhiker countries?

Rental Cars – Booking

Booking sites often ‘location not found’/’sold out’

Try rental agency websites

…but status is often worthless

Try AutoEurope (not just for Europe)

Booking sites often ‘location not found’/’sold out’

Try rental agency websites

…but status is often worthless

Try AutoEurope (not just for Europe)

Rental Cars – Gotchas

Riga, Latvia:$43 to pick up at 8 pm!

Ayers Rock:100 km fee +$0.23 per km!

Rental Cars – Insurance

Credit card CDW exclusions – Ireland, Israel, Italy and more

Citi ThankYou & Dividend Platinum Select

True worldwide CDW

Get a certificate of coverage

Chase Ink & others may be worldwide 11/1 – stay tuned

Insurance often mandatory, sometimes included

Supercover expands coverage/lowers deductible

Credit card CDW exclusions – Ireland, Israel, Italy and more

Citi ThankYou & Dividend Platinum Select

True worldwide CDW

Get a certificate of coverage

Chase Ink & others may be worldwide 11/1 – stay tuned

Insurance often mandatory, sometimes included

Supercover expands coverage/lowers deductible

Hotels

Don’t stress – too many options

Chain hotels…are chain hotels

trip advisor for brainstorming

Local hotels at hotels.com

Mom & Pops at booking.com

Don’t be afraid to walk-up

Alternative accommodation

Don’t stress – too many options

Chain hotels…are chain hotels

trip advisor for brainstorming

Local hotels at hotels.com

Mom & Pops at booking.com

Don’t be afraid to walk-up

Alternative accommodation

US Passports

Get the large passport book

Get a passport card for land & sea & backup ID

Enroll in Global Entry/NEXUS/SENTRI andadd to airline profiles for TSA PreCheck

Have scans and copies

Get the large passport book

Get a passport card for land & sea & backup ID

Enroll in Global Entry/NEXUS/SENTRI andadd to airline profiles for TSA PreCheck

Have scans and copies

Duplicate US Passports

Great for frequent travelers who need visas

Easy process

Only valid for two years

Visa Requirements for US Citizens

166 countries Visa Free or Visa on ArrivalSources: Henley & Partners, Wikipedia

Visas for US CitizensEmbassy websites are getting better

travel.state.gov is reliable

Specialist visa agents vs big generalists like CIBT

10-year India and 3-year Russia tourist visas

Must pay Argentina reciprocity fee online in advance

Yes, you need a visa for Australia

Embassy websites are getting better

travel.state.gov is reliable

Specialist visa agents vs big generalists like CIBT

10-year India and 3-year Russia tourist visas

Must pay Argentina reciprocity fee online in advance

Yes, you need a visa for Australia

Money – Cash

Cash is still king – be like a first date, crisp and clean

Carry a cheat sheet of fx rates

Change money on arrival, not departure

Avoid Travelex!!!

Traveler’s checks are dead

Schwab debit card –no fx fee + ATM reimbursements

Cash is still king – be like a first date, crisp and clean

Carry a cheat sheet of fx rates

Change money on arrival, not departure

Avoid Travelex!!!

Traveler’s checks are dead

Schwab debit card –no fx fee + ATM reimbursements

Money – Credit Cards

Card acceptance still low outside upscale bubble

Logo in the window may only mean local cards

Chip and Signature cards work most of the time

Chip and Pin cards for heavy Europe travelers –Andrews FCU, PenFed (FlyerTalk list: bit.ly/195PoQS)

Card acceptance still low outside upscale bubble

Logo in the window may only mean local cards

Chip and Signature cards work most of the time

Chip and Pin cards for heavy Europe travelers –Andrews FCU, PenFed (FlyerTalk list: bit.ly/195PoQS)

Handy Credit Card Benefits

Chase – several cards have trip delay coverage

Diner’s Club – lounge access, airport shuttles in Brazil

Discover – accepted all over China via UnionPay

Chase – several cards have trip delay coverage

Diner’s Club – lounge access, airport shuttles in Brazil

Discover – accepted all over China via UnionPay

Prepare to be offline

Unlocked phone + local SIM card

Encrypt – TrueCrypt

Get a VPN – WiTopia

Prepare to be offline

Unlocked phone + local SIM card

Encrypt – TrueCrypt

Get a VPN – WiTopia

Insurance

Insure yourself, your trip, oryour stuff?

Annual or per trip?

Credit cards often insureyour trip and your stuff

I insure myself – GeoBlueTrekker Choice annual plan

insubuy.com,travelinsurancecenter.com

Insure yourself, your trip, oryour stuff?

Annual or per trip?

Credit cards often insureyour trip and your stuff

I insure myself – GeoBlueTrekker Choice annual plan

insubuy.com,travelinsurancecenter.com

Health

CDC Yellow Book cdc.gov/travel

Know scientific names of your meds(aspirin = acetylsalicylic acid)

Plan ahead for vaccines

Malaria pills pros and cons

International Certificate of Vaccination

CDC Yellow Book cdc.gov/travel

Know scientific names of your meds(aspirin = acetylsalicylic acid)

Plan ahead for vaccines

Malaria pills pros and cons

International Certificate of Vaccination

Yellow Fever

Safety

Don’t be:DrunkDruggedDebauched

Especially when youdon’t speak thelanguage or know thelegal system

The Rapid Travel Chai ‘3 Ds’ of Travel Safety

Don’t be:DrunkDruggedDebauched

Especially when youdon’t speak thelanguage or know thelegal system

Luggage

Backpack = maximum flexibility, bag never leaves you

Wheeled = less flexibility, more comfort

Backpack/wheeled convertible = good at nothing

Checked luggage = asking for trouble

Backpack = maximum flexibility, bag never leaves you

Wheeled = less flexibility, more comfort

Backpack/wheeled convertible = good at nothing

Checked luggage = asking for trouble

Packing

Unless going to the moon, you are not going to the moon

Go to onebag.com

Miles and PointsBeyond Cathay J to Bali

Elite status

Carry all your frequent flyer cards

Carry hard copies of key benefits

Expect disappointment…and pleasant surprises

Airport VIP Lounge,Livingston, Zambia

British Airways Avios are Miles AspirinShort flights earn few miles and can be very expensive

Fill in gaps on itineraries

Africa, Canada, Pacific, South America flights

Check Non-Alliance Partners, Too

Some offbeat flight awards

Star Alliance:Copa in Central America (with United complementary upgrades)Ethiopian from Washington D.C. for AfricaTurkish flies 100+ countries

OneWorld:Avios, Avios, Avios

SkyTeam:AeroMexico for Central America and even Europe and AsiaChina Eastern + China Southern for trips around AsiaDelta seasonal JFK flight to Prince Edward Island, CanadaTarom for Eastern Europe

Star Alliance:Copa in Central America (with United complementary upgrades)Ethiopian from Washington D.C. for AfricaTurkish flies 100+ countries

OneWorld:Avios, Avios, Avios

SkyTeam:AeroMexico for Central America and even Europe and AsiaChina Eastern + China Southern for trips around AsiaDelta seasonal JFK flight to Prince Edward Island, CanadaTarom for Eastern Europe

Continental Island HopperI can’t bear to call it ‘United’

Join missionaries, military, dignitaries and islanders

String together 2-day layovers for next flight!

Palau and Peleliu

Pohnpei

Air France KLM Caribbean Hopper

Visit Caribbean on the way to Europe

Avoid Delta: positioning flight to Miami to pick up Air France

Dominican Republic and Haiti

French Guiana and Suriname

Hotel Awards

Expand to Carlson, IHG, Best Western, Choice Hotels

International locations often much better than US

Holiday Inn ShanghaiPudong Executive Lounge

Radisson Royal Hotel, Dubai

Hotels Have Partners Too

IHG Hotels AnywhereConserve cash when no chain hotels available,or even stay at competitor chains

Hilton Chicago O’Hare:30k IHG points vs 40k Hilton points(fluctuates by rate)

Earning Miles at Local Hotel Chains

Local chains often earn miles – Delta alone has 29 partners!Hilton HHonors WorldwideStarwood Hotels & Resorts WorldwideMarriott InternationalInterContinental Hotel GroupAccor HotelsBest Western InternationalCarlson Rezidor Hotel GroupChoice Hotels InternationalHotel JAL CityHyatt Hotels & ResortsLangham Hospitality GroupThe Leading Hotels of the WorldMandarin Oriental Hotel GroupMARITIM HotelsMillennium Hotels and ResortsNew Otani HotelsNikko Hotels InternationalOkura Hotels & ResortsPan Pacific Hotels & ResortsParkroyal Hotels & ResortsThe Plaza HotelPrince Hotels & ResortsLa Quinta Inns & SuitesThe Ritz-Carlton®RotanaShangri-La Hotels and ResortsTaj Hotels, Resorts & PalacesWorldhotelsWyndham Rewards

Hilton HHonors WorldwideStarwood Hotels & Resorts WorldwideMarriott InternationalInterContinental Hotel GroupAccor HotelsBest Western InternationalCarlson Rezidor Hotel GroupChoice Hotels InternationalHotel JAL CityHyatt Hotels & ResortsLangham Hospitality GroupThe Leading Hotels of the WorldMandarin Oriental Hotel GroupMARITIM HotelsMillennium Hotels and ResortsNew Otani HotelsNikko Hotels InternationalOkura Hotels & ResortsPan Pacific Hotels & ResortsParkroyal Hotels & ResortsThe Plaza HotelPrince Hotels & ResortsLa Quinta Inns & SuitesThe Ritz-Carlton®RotanaShangri-La Hotels and ResortsTaj Hotels, Resorts & PalacesWorldhotelsWyndham Rewards

Thank You

stefan@rapidtravelchai.com@rapidtravelchai

rapidtravelchai.com

Rapid Travel Chai: International Travel Bootcamp - Chicago Seminars 2013

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