Free Travel 101

[trip style = budget conscious]

{Editor's Note: Happy Halloween. Don't miss our 2011 round-up of the best jetset costumes!}

If you're a fan of free travel---and I don't know anyone isn't---following last month's Going The Distance With Your Air Miles, we're doing a two-part series about free travel. I know, it's a h-o-r-r-i-b-l-y cheesy title. Maybe we should have called it gratuit travel instead? French makes everything sound better!

Today we look at strategy and accumulation techniques used by free travel fanatics, and on Wednesday at exchanging air miles/travel points and too-good-to-be-true mileage redemption reward chart loopholes.

{Note: Three years ago I started getting serious about travel rewards points and air miles accumulation. Since then I've taken a ton of 'free' trips redeeming my Visa's travel rewards points as well as my air miles {from airlines}. Case in point, I'm currently in Curacao (hotel pictured above) because I redeemed my American Airlines miles to fly from Vancouver to Aruba (Curacao is 50 miles east). More on Curacao later this month.}

Be Strategic If you're strategic about air mile and travel rewards credit card points accumulation, you'll travel for free. Period. For example, if you put the vast majority of your spending on your travel rewards credit card, how much and how frequently you spend will determine whether the free trip is local weekend escape, or Tahitian getaway.

Concentrate Applying the same strategy to flying and the air miles gathered at 35,000ft, savvy travelers try to choose one {or two at most} airline alliances to focus their mile accumulation. You'll amass miles quickly if you're loyal to one carrier/alliance. If you always fly different carriers, it'll take years to accumulate enough miles to redeem a 'free' flight.

Accumulate The best way to start accumulating is to determine a} the airline you fly with most and/or b} your home airport's major airline, then always look to them first when flying. It's incredible how much faster you can redeem miles for a free flight when you concentrate your dollars and loyalty to one airline {and its alliance}. Unless you book a super-saver seat not eligible for air miles, most airlines will issue air miles {usually one air mile per 'mile' traveled}. The catch? You must sign-up for their loyalty program and add your loyalty number to all bookings for mile accumulation! Note that no-frills carriers like Allegiant do not issue air miles.

[photo credit: Kura Hulanda Hotel, Curacao]

From The Archives :: Going The Distance With Air Miles

[trip style = budget conscious]

{Editor's Note: this how-to air miles guide was originally published in April, 2010. It's been given a total refresh reroute for the present day.}

Air Miles = Happiness Using air miles is a wonderful thing. Most savvy travelers try to accumulate miles with one or two major airline alliances and redeem them to fly for free {other than taxes}. If you're a frequent flier, growing your miles is a breeze; if you're a casual traveler it can take 2-5 years, but when you book that free flight, it's worth the wait! Once you have a 747-worth of air miles, the best way to use them is: a} go as far as you can within your points allowance, and b} opt for a {free} stopover.

Go The Distance If you could fly from Vancouver to Calgary, or Vancouver to Montreal redeeming the same amount of air miles, what destination would you choose? When cashing in on your air miles for a vacation, why not go as far as you can? Air mile reward charts are all about the big picture. They don't present different mileage amounts for flights from Vancouver to Calgary versus Vancouver to Montreal, it's just 25,000 points {approximately} for domestic travel. Full stop. Therefore, when booking a flight with your air miles, go the distance!

Stop For Free Last summer I booked a cross-Canada trip to Ottawa, Montreal, New Brunswick {NB}, Nova Scotia and PEI with my Air Canada Aeroplan miles. Instead of using my air miles to take short trip, I opted to maximize them and fly to NB with a week stopover in Ottawa. Making the stop in Ottawa did not require additional miles. This air miles redemption trick also works for many US carriers, so if you're redeeming your air miles, why not kill two birds with one stone and stop somewhere you've always wanted to go for free! {Note, airlines only allow stopovers if they are generally between your arrival and departure point.}

Booking Travel With Air Miles & Maximizing The Distance

• Travel the farthest you can within your available points.
• Do your homework. Once you know how far you can go, check to see if there are blackout dates, etc…
• Find out your airline’s air miles stopover policy.
• Book in advance for your preferred dates and destinations. Airlines only reserve a small amount of seats for air mile passengers.
• Embrace the web. Most airlines now charge an extra fee for air miles bookings made over the phone vs on the web.
• Even if you book your entire flight via air miles, taxes still apply.

[graphic by @tripstyler]

Roam+Board :: Custom Hotel

[trip style = sun + budget conscious]

Please note: Monday is Canadian holiday, so we're taking the day off to celebrate Thanksgiving. We're back to biz on Tuesday, Oct 11th. 

{I overnighted at this hotel last weekend after cruising from Vancouver to LA and before departing for Vancouver the next day. Members of the Trip Styler community often ask: what's a stylish hotel near Los Angeles International Airport? Ask and you shall receive; this installment Roam+Board answers that question!}

What Designed by the same architect as the LA's iconic Capitol Records building, The Custom Hotel is a recently refurbished, reasonably priced, mod hotel near LAX. In a sea of standard-issue airport hotels, I appreciate the Custom's Jet Age meets minimalist approach.

Where Los Angeles, CA: three minutes from LAX airport, 10 minutes from Venice Beach and 15 minutes from Santa Monica. Bonus: it's beside a Ralph's grocery store and 30 steps from a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf!

When LA is warm and sunny year-round. If you only have a day or two to explore the area and want to stay close to the airport, the Custom is a good launch point. Mid-week prices are 20-40% cheaper than weekend rates.

Who/Why For design-conscious folk who appreciate lemon water in the lobby; a pool with cabanas, cushy couches, cloth chairs and outdoor fire pits; a 60s-inspired open-air restaurant and basic rooms.

Cost Prices start around $97/night and include wifi, an airport shuttle, cardio and weight room.

More Roam+Board Bitter End Yacht Club - BVI Sleep On The Water - London A Woodsy Hideaway - Big Sur, CA

[images via The Custom Hotel & @tripstyler]

Romantic Caribbean :: Wallet Friendly {2/2}

[trip style = budget conscious + beach + sun + cruise]

Yesterday we talked about our high-end hotel picks for romance in the Caribbean; think of these as a pair of red-soled Louboutins. Today we're taking it down a notch in price point, but not quality, with wallet-friendly escapes. Think of these as a comfortable, yet stylish pair of Cole Haans. Catch my stride?

{Trip Styler Tip: $1,000+/night rates don't necessarily indicate a hotel is that much nicer than a $250/night hotel. The lower price point could just mean the property is in an area with less cache or acclaim, a smaller marketing or PR budget, or a lack of direct airline routes.}

1} St. Lucia Ladera: Crowned by the Conde Nast Traveler Gold List 2010 + 2011, plus a ton of other major designations, this resort prides itself on three walls with an open air space to gaze at the view. Nine villas and 23 suites {many with their own plunge pools} are dotted throughout this rainforest retreat. Cost: from $480/night

2} Jamaica RockHouse: With facilities and villas connected by bridges and boardwalks, this boutique hotel and spa sits on the rocky cliffs of Negril. It's one of the Travel+Leisure editor’s fave hotels in the world, plus it has an award-winning restaurant. With thatched-roof villas and private sunbathing decks, privacy abounds. Has consistently won best boutique resort in the Caribbean for many years running. Cost: From $160/night

3} Virgin Gorda, BVI Bitter End Yacht Club: We featured this property in last week's Roam+Board, and wanted to mention it again for the romance factor. Yes, it allows kids, but if you go in the fall or late spring, you won't encounter the Spring Break rush, and can take advantage of off-peak prices. A garden room starts at $500, but that includes three meals per day for two. Cost: from $500/night

4} Turks and Caicos Parrot Cay: With a mile-long white powdery beach, this private island retreat draws those who really want to slip away in style. Case in point, Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck got married here. Cost: from $450/night

5} Caribbean Cruise Mega ships that weave their way throughout the Caribbean Islands don't exactly create a secluded, romance-filled experience, but book a Caribbean itinerary with a smaller cruise line and you may find that romance you're seeking---and be able to visit multiple islands in one trip! Smaller cruise lines have the price tags to go with them, but if you search via VacationsToGo.com {click on the "90-day ticker" link for best deals} you can find reasonable rates on exceptional boutique lines like Silversea, Seabourn, Crystal, Windstar, Regent and Oceania.

Related Romantic Caribbean :: Luxury Tips For Planning A Caribbean Vacation Hidden Hideaways

[photos of mentioned resorts]

Tips For Planning A Caribbean Vacation

[trip style = beach + sun]

This week the steel drums are clanging, the dreadlocks are bouncing and the sun is shining....in our world. Why? For most of the week, we're going to be talking about the Caribbean. Today we list tips and considerations for planning a trip to de islands and on Wednesday and Thursday we'll share our top picks for luxury and wallet-friendly romantic getaways.

The zillions of islands and cays that span 2736km in the Caribbean Sea beckon everyone from boaters to Beyonce and bevvie lovers to beach bunnies. Visit St. Barth's at Christmas and you're likely to spot more celebs than at The Grove {outdoor mall in LA} on a Saturday, or opt for something a little less opulent and stay on the less developed shores of The Turks and Caicos. Regardless of which trip style or island's geography you enjoy most, here are some thought starters for planning your future getaway under the jungle's canopy or the shade of an umbrella in the Caribbean.

Considerations

• Non-stop flight? If so, here's how to find direct flights on a month-by-month basis out of your home airport.
• Family fun, girlfriend getaway, mancation or couples trip? Book yourself into the right resort and it's bliss, end up at the wrong resort and your vacay could be a miss.
• Want an all-inclusive or a la carte experience?
• Mega resort or boutique property?
• Stay close to town or go castaway style?
• Adventure junkie or beach break?
• Saver or spender? The Dominican Republic and Jamaica tend to have the best values, due to a high influx of flights, whereas harder-to-reach islands are often harder on the pocket book

Tips

• Choose your travel dates wisely, mid-December to April is high season, yet there's usually a small lull in resort occupancy just after New Year's, so this can be a reasonable time to travel in winter.
• Bring small USD bills for tipping.
• Don't expect North American customer service, each island has its own distinct culture and this will come out---for better or for worse---at each resort.
• if you want to save money, consider doing a vacation rental, but stay near a town centre so grocery pick-up is easy
• Know in advance about extra fees and incidentals. Most resorts will charge a daily resort fee unless it's included in your price. Furthermore, some countries charge a departure tax, only payable in cash.
• If you have 5 days or less, opt for a direct or one-stop flight to maximize time at your destination. In addition, bring a carry-on so you can go from plane to pool in a flash.
• Get to know the country you're visiting as well as their entry and exit requirements, for example, in Cuba you need physical proof of your medical insurance to enter the country.
• We all remember sunscreen, but most people forget bug spray! With the dense topical foliage surrounding most beach regions, bugs and sand fleas like the beach just as much as you do!  I've been the the Caribbean more times than I can count, and generally the bugs aren't bad. The only time I was badly, badly bitten by noseeums---to the point of getting swollen ankles---was in the densely forested mountainous region of the Dominican Republic.

Related Content Packaged VS Unpackaged Vacations All-Inclusive Tricks Of The Trade All-inclusive Month :: Introductions All-Inclusive Month :: Matchmaking Don’t Judge an All-Inclusive until Day 3 {7 Reason to Wait to Evaluate} A Redo trip {What to do when an all-inclusive experience goes belly-up} Update on my Redo Trip {An overview of the highs and lows of the Sandals WhiteHouse}

[photo by mdanys]