Efficient TravelBy Julie Pichora

Efficient Travel

By Julie Pichora

Travel Facts• The average person visits 38 websites and spends 45 days trying to

book a trip• The best day to buy your plane ticket is 54 days prior to your flight,

but generally, any window between 29 and 105 days is reasonable, with prices fluctuating an average of only $10• In 2013, airlines mishandled 21.8 million bags• Even worse, if an airline does lose your bag, it'll often reimburse you just $25

to $50 for what's in there

Navigating Google Flights

Planes, Trains, or Automobile• What plane options are there?• European discount airlines part of US alliances• Scandinavian Air (SAS) part of United’s Star AlliancAre trains the best way to

travel Europe?

• Aren’t trains the best way to travel Europe? • MegaBus is in other places than the US?

Planes

Trains

Automobile (Bus)

Rome 2 Rio• Rome2Rio.com is a super useful site that will help you take your

entire travel time into consideration. Before booking your plane, train, or boat tickets, plug your home postcode and precise travel destination into the site’s interface for an accurate estimate of exactly how long your full travel time will take over several different transportation methods and routes.• It does the previous slides in one click of a button

Flyer Miles• See hand out on how one person plans her vacations around credit

card points and flyer miles• Look at who you fly or who has the best return on miles. When I

started USAirways did (it is now American). • Apparently now, United is the best Airline Miles cards

• I use American Airline myself• Great promo’s. At Christmas if I spent $500 in Nov, $500 in Dec, and $500 in

Jan I got 15,000 Miles• Putting College Tuition on the credit card to get the miles

Other Perks of Airline Miles Cards• No Foreign Transaction Fees

• Pay no foreign transaction fees on Purchases with your Account.• AAdvantage eShopping Mall

• Earn up to 10 miles per $1 spent with the AAdvantage®eShoppingSM mall• First Checked Bag Free

• First Checked Bag FREE on eligible bags for you and up to 4 traveling companions• 25% In-flight Savings

• Receive 25% in-flight savings on food, beverages, and headsets on American flights.• Priority Boarding

• Receive Group 1 boarding on domestic American Airlines operated flights

• Travel Assistance Services• Rely on Travel Assistance when you're away from home, especially reassuring when you visit a place for

the first time or do not speak the language.

Racking up Points

What does a Mile get me?

When I book a flight• For domestic:

• On a Tuesday or Wednesday – never, ever on a weekend• 2 to 3 weeks prior to when I want to go – unless it’s peak season then 4-6 weeks

• For Europe:• Minimum 4 months prior when booking a European Airline• Look for flights with long layovers in Iceland• 6-8 weeks on a United States Airline

• For Asia: • On a Tuesday or Wednesday, as that is when businesses release the seats• 4 week prior

• For Caribbean:• 4-6 weeks prior

Best Flight Costs to Europe• Amsterdam

• Best Month to Visit: January• Worst Month to Visit: August

• Barcelona• Best Month to Visit: January• Worst Month to Visit: July

• Berlin• Best Month to Visit: January• Worst Month to Visit: July

• Copenhagen• Best Month to Visit: January• Worst Month to Visit: July

• Lisbon• Best Month to Visit: February• Worst Month to Visit: July

• London• Best Month to Visit: January• Worst Month to Visit: July

• Moscow• Best Month to Visit: March• Worst Month to Visit: July or August

• Paris• Best Month to Visit: January• Worst Month to Visit: June or July

• Rome• Best Month to Visit: November• Worst Month to Visit: December

Miscellaneous Plane Tips• Thanksgiving is a great time to travel out of the United States• Most expensive times to travel in the US are holidays and summer• Google Destinations – more on the next page• Book through another countries travel site• https://www.expedia.co.jp through google chrome then translate page

Google Destinations

Getting a Place to Stay • Think small. Larger hotels are usually pricier than small hotels or B&Bs, partly

because of taxes (for example, in Britain, once a B&B exceeds a certain revenue level, it's required to pay an extra 20 percent tax to the government). Hoteliers who pay high taxes pass their costs on to you.• Know the exceptions. Hotels in northern Europe are pricier than those in the south,

but you can find exceptions. In Scandinavia, Brussels, and Berlin, fancy "business hotels" are desperate for customers in the summer and year-round on weekends, when their business customers stay away. Some offer some amazing deals through the local tourist information offices. The later your arrival, the better the discount.• Book directly with the hotel. Unless it is a great deal I will not book via a Travelocity

or Expedia. I stayed under the Sphinx’s butt in Vegas because I got the “Steerage” room. In Paris I got a $140 room for $70 via Orbitz. Be mindful knowing that you will be getting the rooms set aside for those websites

Hotel, AirBNB, or Hostel

Hotel

Pros

• Safety• Room Service• Rewards Points • Same experience at all

Cons

• High Cost• Some have resort fees

• Cookie Cutter experience

AirBNB

HostelsPros

• Inexpensive• rates per person, per night: England & Wales $10-

$40, France $15-$30, Germany $25, Greece $15, Ireland $15-$35, Italy $10-$30, Spain $15-$25

• Meet Interesting People from Around the World

• Offer Fun Activities• There is always something fun happening at

hostels, from excursions to parties. For example, one hostel that I visited was attached to a nightclub

• Most Have Fully Equipped Kitchens

Cons

• Lack of Privacy• Some Have a Curfew and Close during the

day• Simple Furnishings

• Bunk Beds are the norm

• Might not know Roommates• Most hostel rooms are occupied by four to

twenty travelers, you share a room with stranger

• There are single occupancy Hostels in some locations

Tips for Staying in Hostels• Look for unique hostel experiences.

• Hostels come in all shapes and sizes, and some are sightseeing destinations in themselves. There are castles (Bacharach, Germany), moored ships and a converted jumbo jet (Stockholm), alpine chalets (Gimmelwald, Switzerland), lakefront villas (Lugano, Switzerland), former prisons (Stockholm, Sweden and Ljubljana, Slovenia), medieval manor houses (Wilderhope Manor, England), and former choirboys’ dorms (St. Paul’s, London)

• Book Only One Night • Just in case you have a disastrous first night at your hostel, or you decide that you would

rather stay elsewhere, book only one night. If you don’t like the hostel, you can leave the next day, and you can always extend your stay if you have an enjoyable first night.

• Bring Flip-Flops, Buy earplugs and eye mask, and Protect your Valuables!

Overall Cost

*Price listing from 2011

Benefits of a Travel Agent• Say what you want, they find it for you• Give you alternative places – I said Curacao and was suggested St

Martaan• safety at lodging; if you give a bad review on Travelocity they don’t

care. If you give a bad review to your travel agent that could cost them a lot of visitors• contacting the out of country lodging: they have capabilities to

contact the lodge via phone call. When I email the lodge it could be weeks by the time they contact back

Packing• When I fly American Airlines I pack as much as I can in my carry on and

use my “free” checked bag for the extras & souvenirs for return• When I fly non “free” checked bag airlines I fill the carry on to 20lbs and

pack a duffle bag• What I bring for ten days: 2 pairs of Jeans (one I wear on the way out),

3 shirts (one I wear out), 2 pairs of shoes (one I wear out), and 2 dresses.

***I dress for the country I’m going to. Anywhere in Europe I will not bring sneakers, hoodies, or sweats.

What if I run out of clean clothes• I stay with friends a lot and in Europe and Asia it is the norm to have

in suite laundry• Pay a hotel to do a quick laundry cleaning• See if one garment is included in rewards card

• Go to a Laundromat • Though not ideal, it will get clothes clean

• Find a Laundry Service• London: Marshall’s Laundry will do a whole suitcase for 10 £ (ten pounds)• NYC: .70 cents per pound at a Chinese laundry

• They will wash, dry and fold and be done in 3 hours

5 Months prior to Travel• Look at plane tickets on Google Flights to get an idea of when I want

to travel • Download a language learning app to learn key phrases• I like the app memrise• I always learn Hello, Goodbye, Thank you, and key phrases of food

• Start a Pinterest Board• Ensure Passport is up to date• If making large purchases, that are unusual, call the credit card you

will be purchasing on so they can put a flag on the card

2 to 4 Months Prior to Departure• If traveling overseas be sure to find a no fee credit card• Look at transportation from Airport to hotel• If you have time the Subway is a great way to get around• If you don’t have time opt for a town car service as a cab to and from an airport is

$50 and up

• Get ideas of the type of visit I want based off of the pins I pinned• Start a Google Map with pins; see hand out

• Ask your network if they know anybody in the town• You can either ask them for what they would suggest as a local• Or offer to meet up with you for a local experience• Be sure to post the trip on Facebook as the above will be offered up

2 weeks to 1 month Prior• Go to the Bank and transfer $100 USD minimum to local currency• Buy Travel needs

• If your suitcase won’t allow basics leave it and buy it at a grocery store or bodega• Make sure you have a quart size bag for toiletries and 3 oz. liquids• Buy a Luggage Scale

• Check safety concerns• Go to www.travel.state.gov

• Build a Trip-It app trip maker• If going out of the country this will store reservations, addresses, etc as you will

more than likely not have data on your phone

Take off to 1 week• Make reservations at your need to go to restaurants• If you have AT&T or T-Mobile get your phone unlocked for international travel• Let credit card know you are traveling• Email a confirmation to place you are staying (if not a chain hotel) and pick up

service• Do a double check on what is packed to make sure you are well under weight

limits so you can bring products back• Download WhatsApp and tell your friends and family in the US to do the

same• Expats you will be visiting should already have this on their phone

When you get there• Make small talk with the Front Desk Clerk to let them know you want

a local experience or a tourist experience• Get to Wi-Fi to so your phone will update the location and bring up

Google Maps App on your phone• If you will be in the Country for a while and have a Verizon Phone or

Unlocked AT&T/T-Mobile go get a Sim Card (I suggest a VodaPhone Sim). • If you have an iPhone and once SIM is in go to www.unlockit.co.nz and unlock

the data.

• HAVE FUN!!!

Julie’s Bucket ListMaldives Petra, Jordan

Devils Pool Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Angkor Wat TemplesSiem Reap, Cambodia

Machu Picchu, Peru