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Has anyone used rocketmiles to book hotels to gain AA loyalty points? Trying to see if that’s a possibility for my business travel to gain more LPs
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Oct 23, 2022 15:16
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| # ? Jun 7, 2024 00:37 |
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Cacafuego posted:Has anyone used rocketmiles to book hotels to gain AA loyalty points? Trying to see if that’s a possibility for my business travel to gain more LPs I haven't, but keep in mind booking through a portal like RocketMiles will invalidate elite benefits/night credit so factor that in. Some companies also prefer you book through their corporate portals for commission/kickbacks as well.
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Oct 24, 2022 06:26
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Showed up at SEA for my flight about 3.5 hours early (Air France operated)... no pushback on showing up earlier than 3 hours at the Sky Club. Maybe a bit of luck, but I'll take it!
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Oct 24, 2022 21:19
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Baffled that getting to the Denver rental car places from the terminal involves taking a bus that has to make a left turn into the facility without having a traffic light. So if there is traffic they just sit for five minutes until there is a gap.
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Oct 31, 2022 13:04
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smackfu posted:Baffled that getting to the Denver rental car places from the terminal involves taking a bus that has to make a left turn into the facility without having a traffic light. So if there is traffic they just sit for five minutes until there is a gap. I'm more baffled by the fact that all the rental car companies are still all offsite and require a bus instead of taking the lower level(s) of the already-attached parking decks attached to the terminal. Doing so would make way for the mile of rental car company lots to be converted into a couple of new multi-level parking garages that could be connected via spur to the existing rail line that serves the main terminal. I deeply dislike having to take a bus to get to a car after arriving, and airports could always use more parking (and the attendant revenue that comes with it).
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Oct 31, 2022 14:18
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In other news, on Saturday I flew GRX-MAD//MAD-BOS//BOS-DTW-MKE with two unprotected connections and had zero issues whatsoever. I am going to buy a lottery ticket.
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Oct 31, 2022 14:21
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movax posted:Showed up at SEA for my flight about 3.5 hours early (Air France operated)... no pushback on showing up earlier than 3 hours at the Sky Club. Maybe a bit of luck, but I'll take it! But why??? smackfu posted:Baffled that getting to the Denver rental car places from the terminal involves taking a bus that has to make a left turn into the facility without having a traffic light. So if there is traffic they just sit for five minutes until there is a gap. Denver is now my home airport and I hate it. Driving to essentially Kansas to take a flight  .
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Oct 31, 2022 15:57
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I forgot how much I hate 739s. The bathrooms are pigstys after 1st bev service.
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Nov 2, 2022 01:56
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Residency Evil posted:But why??? Had work to do and didn't feel like being in the office anymore... the SEA SkyClub next to A1 is really nice. Haven't been to the one in S terminal.
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Nov 2, 2022 03:04
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I miss the United Club at SEA in the S terminal dungeon. Sleepy subterranean sitting room, some cool PNW native art and a kitchenette. Where the accursed go to hammer predawn coffee so they can get anywhere on the east coast at a decent hour and maybe bang out an email.
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Nov 2, 2022 04:43
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movax posted:Had work to do and didn't feel like being in the office anymore... the SEA SkyClub next to A1 is really nice. Haven't been to the one in S terminal. That is not a DL Sky Club anymore, it's a The Club contract/Priority Pass lounge. I was in there when I flew Condor. It's basically the old Sky Club layout minus the catering and themed furniture.
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Nov 2, 2022 14:01
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Beef Of Ages posted:In other news, on Saturday I flew GRX-MAD//MAD-BOS//BOS-DTW-MKE with two unprotected connections and had zero issues whatsoever. I am going to buy a lottery ticket. Couldn't this just have been GRX-MAD / MAD-ORD direct and drive to MKE?
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Nov 4, 2022 18:43
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i have not had any issues showing up early to the regular 2 i go to in detroit. but it is also detroit
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Nov 4, 2022 19:21
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Mandalay posted:Couldn't this just have been GRX-MAD / MAD-ORD direct and drive to MKE? Sure, had there been award space on MAD-ORD or even LHR-ORD. Alas, there was not.
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Nov 5, 2022 13:50
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First time flying on a CRJ in years and I am so pumped my B&R carryon fits overhead. 
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Nov 7, 2022 19:50
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Residency Evil posted:First time flying on a CRJ in years and I am so pumped my B&R carryon fits overhead. I'm surprised the gate agent and FA let you on board with it. Even though the IATA designs do fit fine, no one believes that they will.
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Nov 8, 2022 02:40
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Beef Of Ages posted:I'm surprised the gate agent and FA let you on board with it. Even though the IATA designs do fit fine, no one believes that they will. In all my flights on tiny planes, only one gate agent ever told me I couldn’t fit my B&R carryon up top. I’ve never had a problem getting it up there. I just took the gate check ticket and threw it away when I put it up top.
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Nov 8, 2022 03:59
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Cacafuego posted:In all my flights on tiny planes, only one gate agent ever told me I couldn’t fit my B&R carryon up top. I’ve never had a problem getting it up there. I just took the gate check ticket and threw it away when I put it up top. I'm now starting to realize that the real issue here was all those years I spent wandering in the wilderness of United.
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Nov 8, 2022 04:03
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Beef Of Ages posted:I'm surprised the gate agent and FA let you on board with it. Even though the IATA designs do fit fine, no one believes that they will. Beef Of Ages posted:I'm now starting to realize that the real issue here was all those years I spent wandering in the wilderness of United. This was on a United flight. One of the gate agents corrected the other one and said that it would fit fine. She was right. It did not protect me from sitting next to the guy who spent the entire 2-3 hour flight humble-bragging to me about the life that allowed him to travel in premium economy, however.
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Nov 8, 2022 04:38
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https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/mileageplus/whats-new.html United following Delta with culling the ranks amidst the surge in profitability: higher qualification thresholds.
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Nov 8, 2022 21:08
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I find myself just buying domestic first more often if I can plan ahead and the prices are reasonable. Loyalty sucks, my condolences to segment warriors.
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Nov 9, 2022 03:33
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Mandalay posted:I find myself just buying domestic first more often if I can plan ahead and the prices are reasonable. Loyalty sucks, my condolences to segment warriors. Yep, this is the way
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Nov 9, 2022 04:34
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Residency Evil posted:It did not protect me from sitting next to the guy who spent the entire 2-3 hour flight humble-bragging to me about the life that allowed him to travel in premium economy, however. Do you not own headphones?
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Nov 9, 2022 14:50
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Barry posted:Do you not own headphones? I sometimes just wear them around so that people dont talk to me
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Nov 9, 2022 15:00
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i had a seatmate on the way to detroit that i thought was cool and conversational and then she fell asleep with her mouth like wide the gently caress open like just staring up at the ceiling snoring like kirby trying to inhale god. so the headphones helped.
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Nov 9, 2022 21:21
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Barry posted:Do you not own headphones? He started talking as soon as he sat down and didn’t stop once. 
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Nov 10, 2022 11:58
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You have to have the phones on as soon as boarding starts. Even if they aren't plugged into anything.
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Nov 11, 2022 23:16
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Hello goons, I'm glad a travel-specific thread exists. I'm happy to say that I just landed a decent gig that will require me to travel a bit, so I'd like some help figuring out what accounts to set up for hotels, car rentals, and air travel. My job will mostly entail driving out to work locations and spending M-F there in a hotel. If a location is far enough away, I'll fly there and use a rental car to get around. Everything (food, hotel, rental, flights) will be paid for with a company credit card (so no cashback for me), but I'm encouraged to set up loyalty rewards accounts to rack up points/miles. From that, I'm wondering which companies (in the US, Pacific and Mountain time zones specifically) have the best rewards programs, and which ones I should prioritize. Is there any point in trying to stay at a specific brand of hotel or rental company, or is it just a matter of finding whatever's most convenient for each job location? Which hotels / rental companies / airlines have the best service? I appreciate the help, this is the first job that's ever required me to travel. I'll be training under another guy next week so I'll be sure to ask him all this, but I figure goons are also one of the best sources of information. General advice on how to adapt to a travel-intense job (spending M-F in a hotel away from home, only being home on weekends) would also be appreciated; I know it's going to be a huge lifestyle shock. Many thanks.
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Nov 14, 2022 07:29
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Everyone does it differently. Generally I advise: Don’t drink every night, don’t go out every night, try to eat healthy, learn a hotel room exercise routine, pack a Bluetooth speaker and a vaporizer with some essential oils to make a hotel room feel a bit more like home. Also spend money on decent luggage. Pick the hotel chain you want - I like Hyatt rewards but they aren’t everywhere. A lot of it depends on the cities you’re going to and what your budget is.
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Nov 14, 2022 07:37
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sellouts posted:Everyone does it differently. Generally I advise: Don’t drink every night, don’t go out every night, try to eat healthy, learn a hotel room exercise routine, pack a Bluetooth speaker and a vaporizer with some essential oils to make a hotel room feel a bit more like home. Also spend money on decent luggage. Budget is approximately $250 per night for hotels (flexible in more expensive areas), and $75 per day for food. My idea is to use my food budget to go out and try a bit of the local cuisine and do a little exploring / sight-seeing that way. I could also use Meetup to try to find local groups and events to go to, though that might only prove fruitful in larger cities. I don't have a house or a wife or a dog, so I don't need to worry about that. I should get a good laptop I could do some gaming on.
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Nov 14, 2022 07:43
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I have no idea what $250/night means. You could be staying in Vegas or Visalia, no way to gauge it. It’s fun seeing the optimism in someone new to a travel job. I don’t have time or energy for any of the meet ups or sightseeing but if your job and schedule allow for it have a blast!
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Nov 14, 2022 07:56
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Regardless of what you think you'll end up using just go ahead and sign up for all the big hotel, airline, and car rental rewards programs. It's free and if you end up having to use something that isn't your favorite then you have it ready to go.
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Nov 14, 2022 07:57
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The rental car companies are somewhat commoditized so you should concentrate your spend and rewards. Are you booking through a portal? I sort of assume you are since iirc from other threads you are working as an insurance adjuster. That may dictate your level of autonomy in booking. If that’s the case, just sign up for everyone’s program. There’s no cost to do so. If I were mostly doing west coast domestic for air travel, I’d probably pick Alaska.
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Nov 14, 2022 12:12
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literally this big posted:Budget is approximately $250 per night for hotels (flexible in more expensive areas), and $75 per day for food. What will you be doing, if you don’t mind me asking? Don’t give us your company name or anything, but will you be doing paperwork for 8hrs/day M-F or will you be doing something hands-on or more physical? Will your company be giving you a car, a rental or will you be using your own? If I have to drive more than 3 hours, I’ll fly there if I can get a direct flight. Travel time, while on the clock, is still my time. You’ll need to separate your work time from your non-work time while on the road to keep from burning out. Once you’re done doing whatever you do, don’t turn your laptop back on until the next morning. E: KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:If I were mostly doing west coast domestic for air travel, I’d probably pick Alaska. Agreed
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Nov 14, 2022 12:55
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If you're getting fed reimbursement rates I'd probably widen the drive circle, but I also don't mind driving.
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Nov 14, 2022 13:31
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literally this big posted:. I should get a good laptop I could do some gaming on. The steam deck from valve is very nice and has better portability imo. Also good pricing. Will you be going to offices you work with, or client sites? I don't travel like some here, but I get like 15 flights a year for work. Mine is a mix of my firm locations and client visits. I really enjoy visiting remote offices and hanging out with people I have phone/email relationships with. I use it as a way to strengthen our bonds. I'm able to expense lunch etc for office managers or techs etc. I'm in IT, and not energy location has a tech, so I grease up my biggest remote helping hands. It keeps me from hunting down in a hotel. I also like to walk around the new cities and take it in.
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Nov 14, 2022 15:33
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sellouts posted:Everyone does it differently. Generally I advise: Don’t drink every night, don’t go out every night, try to eat healthy, learn a hotel room exercise routine, pack a Bluetooth speaker and a vaporizer with some essential oils to make a hotel room feel a bit more like home. Also spend money on decent luggage. All good advice, particularly the first four are highly universal. Try to leave the hotel and get outside, too, if only for a walk or something. If you're just going to work sites and hotel it will grind on you. Agree not to count on having the energy to do meetup stuff but if you want to try it out go wild. I try to make time for friends if I am in their city but it's probably once every 3 trips that I actually meet up with my existing friends let alone expending energy on strangers. My general advice is that on weekends you will now be more tired than you were before, plus you'll have to consolidated everything that you would otherwise have done during the week. You can't go to the grocery store during the week, or clean your apartment, or meet up with a friend for a drink. And you'll want some time to just be home and decompress in some way. I found that travel caused me to actively manage my weekend time a lot more carefully while at home, and significantly reduced the number of things that I actually wanted to go and do at the weekend. Last week I didn't travel, this week I have a pretty heavy rotation. So my Sunday consisted of breakfast with my wife, doing my big weekly household chores, doing laundry, picking up dry cleaning, starting Christmas shopping online and in person, going for a run, rearranging some furniture, cooking dinner, and a couple hours of downtime and chilling out. In order to make sure I got all that stuff done I basically had to plan out my day like a work day with a list of things to do and active time allocation. Your mileage may vary on this one, of course. Unless you're BYOD I wouldn't bother with a gaming laptop personally. It's too much extra weight and space to carry along with your work laptop. I don't bother with trying to take any kind of gaming device and just bring a Kindle, but if you want to, a Steam Deck or Switch is a better choice.
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Nov 14, 2022 16:15
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Is this every week with no breaks? And is this the SAME location every week? If that's so, I'd honestly push for an extended stay hotel from a major hotel chain like Marriott, so a Residence Inn or Townplace Suites. They can often keep stuff for you over the weekends so you're not always schlepping poo poo back and forth between home/home 2, there's a kitchenette so you're not eating trash or restaurant food every night, and usually their workout room is better stocked. I really want to underline - pick a MAJOR hotel chain bc you don't want to lose those points - my friend is now lifetime plat at Marriott because of this kind of travel. Also, $75 per diem is very, very low, especially if you are taking clients out. I would personally cause a huge stink about this. e: also, I brought a separate personal macbook air around when i was doing this kind of travel. mostly to play eve online (lol) and that social interaction saved me. it wasnt the video games themselves, it was that i could talk to friends and wrest a little part of control over my life back. m-f travel was very hard on me (i'm very extroverted), and seeing people only on weekends was really rough. i flamed out after the first project and asked for a transfer back to sales so i could break up the travel a little more on my own terms taco show fucked around with this message at 18:28 on Nov 14, 2022 |
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Nov 14, 2022 18:20
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They are I am pretty sure working as an insurance claims adjuster so $75, while snug, is pretty fair. Adjusters don’t wine and dine. And it’s unlikely they’ll go to the same locations consistently based on their post. Agreed that extended stay hotels can be good. Cooking for yourself (or just the ability to manage leftovers better) is such an underrated benefit. Edit: interesting point you raise. I would describe myself as an extrovert but I was also an only child so self-entertainment without other people around definitely helps me recharge. I like being able to read and work out and go to bed at 9 and have nobody bother me when I am on the road.
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Nov 14, 2022 19:08
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:They are I am pretty sure working as an insurance claims adjuster so $75, while snug, is pretty fair. Adjusters don’t wine and dine. And it’s unlikely they’ll go to the same locations consistently based on their post. Just make sure you turn the gas off at your apartment and don't crash with some guy who sits next to you on the airplane if something happened while you were away. That way lies madness.
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Nov 14, 2022 19:19
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