38 min listen
28. Flight or Hotel First? Our Ultimate Guide to Booking Trips
28. Flight or Hotel First? Our Ultimate Guide to Booking Trips
ratings:
Length:
39 minutes
Released:
Jun 13, 2023
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
Hey, Travel Hackers! It's your friendly Travel Hacking Moms here, Pam, Jess, and Alex. Maybe you've played the points game, your points and miles are at the ready, and now the daunting task of booking and planning your trip is up next. Overwhelmed? Don't be. Today, we're sharing a quick guide on how we make the most of points and miles when planning our trips! Alex shares that she always puts her accommodation first when planning a Hawaiian escape. With a multitude of flights available, securing a hotel takes precedence. However, when she plans for a European journey, it's all about the luxurious comfort of a business class seat before anything else. For equally appealing destinations and flights, such as the Maldives, she often finds herself doing a bit of back-and-forth to get everything perfectly synced. Our seasoned traveler, Pam, is all about prioritizing comfort. For her, securing a premium flight often takes priority, sometimes even before settling on the destination. An extraordinary flight can become a memorable experience in itself, and that's exactly what Pam seeks. On the flip side, Jess leans towards booking hotels first. With easier cancellation policies and point redemptions, she sees less risk in this approach. This strategy becomes especially beneficial when flying with airlines like Southwest, which only releases their flight schedules five to six months in advance. A valuable tip from Alex for those planning domestic flights: start with Google Flights. Once you have a few suitable options shortlisted, check the airlines' websites for point requirements. If you find yourself short on points, our cheat sheet is there to help you identify potential point transfer options. Ready to unlock more travel hacks like these? To learn more from our personal experiences and more in-depth discussion on these tips, hit play now! Your nearly-free vacations await! Links: Free Gifts and Resources To Start Your Travel Hacking Journey: Free Webinar: How to Start Traveling for Nearly Free Best Current Credit Card Offers: Best Rewards Card Offers | Travel Hacking Mom Award Travel Academy: Award Travel Academy Our Website: https://travelhackingmom.com Connect With Us: Newsletter signup: https://travelhackingmom.com/newsletter Instagram: Alex + Pam + Jess | Points & Miles (@travelhackingmom) TikTok: travelhackingmom's Creator Profile Facebook group: Travel Hacking Mom Group | Facebook Links For This Episode: Transfer Partner Cheat Sheet: https://travelhackingmom.ck.page/cheatsheet Straight to the Points Premium Alerts Episode Minute By Minute: 0:00 Our Ultimate Guide to Booking Trips 0:58 Our FAQ: Do you book your hotel or your flight first? 8:19 Tips for searching for domestic reward flights 11:16 How to find the best awards for international flights 22:18 Booking your hotel: Do’s and Don’t’s from the pros 27:19 Planning activities for your trip: Hacks for the lazy traveler and planners alike 34:28 How Pam plans her activities now vs when she was younger
Released:
Jun 13, 2023
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (72)
11. Stress Free Travel Days: Our Favorite Airport Perks and Hacks: We know that travel days can be super stressful, but it doesn’t have to be! We've found some awesome credit card perks that make the experience so much better. From lounges where you can rest and grab a bite to eat, to pre-check that allows you to... by Points Talk with the Travel Mom Squad