by Gordon Dalgleish on May 4, 2010
As someone who has travelled for 35 years and counting I am consistently amazed by the sheer lack of service and consideration provided by the airlines. This Conde Nast blog posting is an excellent review of the significance of the new rules and how they affect you. Foreign airlines are exempted BUT not the code share component, so buying a ticket on Air France under the guise of a Delta ticket may have some benefit.
by Gordon Dalgleish on December 5, 2009
As airlines look for every revenue opportunity, it is time to rethink your strategy on various topics;
Checked luggage for domestic travel – A lower weight limit (50lbs per item) is becoming more common and rigidly enforced. Coupled with a fee to check luggage and the idea of paying an airline to possibly lose your luggage is less appealing than ever….I rarely check my luggage domestically but rely on UPS (or Luggage Forward for more complex trips) to handle my shipping needs. The cost is competitive and with what the airlines charge, you can track your luggage…and they rarely lose it. Check in online before departing for the airport and the only line you stand in is for security. Even as a premium flyer when airlines waive baggage fees, I think you will be quite satisfied with the small inconvenience of planning ahead, on your schedule….rather than standing in various lines…on the airlines schedule!
You will be surprised how quickly UPS can deliver packages via their ground service. I can ship golf clubs (approx 17lbs) from Wilmington, NC to Philadelphia in 2 days for $11.
When you ship your luggage include a return label for the homeward journey and enjoy the same convenience in reverse. It works wonders and will take some stress of your game.
International shipping with customs requirements and cost is far more complicated and expensive.
by Gordon Dalgleish on November 7, 2009
For a number of years I made the serious error of thinking it was wise to accumulate frequent flyer miles…bad idea. Think of mileage as a depreciating asset….a car you bought yesterday….they only have one way to go. Use your miles as and when you accumulate then. I have found Randy Petersen’s newsletter very helpful and insightful (www.firstclassflyer.com) as he provide updated news and analysis of the best mileage accrual and usage opportunities.
Personally I believe the Starwood American Express card is the best affinity credit card as you can transfer points to virtually any airline program from Starwood while the Starwood Preferred Guest (
SPG.com) program remains the very best of it’s kind. The math is simple. Spend or otherwise accumulate 25,000 points with an airline and you MAY get a domestic economy seat (subject to restricted inventory). For the same 25,000 Starwood points you can either use your miles for an airline seat or enjoy a number of hotel nights.
