Reward Travel

A credit card offer came in the mail for me the other day. Most of us are familiar with direct mail marketing from banks, credit card companies, airlines, etc. Businesses spend thousands of dollars to send out hundreds of thick envelopes filled with fancy fliers and booklets detailing all the great perks that come with signing up for this checking account or joining that frequent flier program. This is all done in the hopes of getting some return on investment, which, for many companies, could be as few as one person per 50 mail pieces. (Yes, that's considered a successful campaign.

Like most people, I usually toss these in the trash without even bothering to break the seal. But this one made me stop. It was from United Airlines--of which I am a frequent flier member--and it was for their MileagePlus Club Card. The special offer was, if I signed up now, I could get the card for a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year. The perks: A United Club membership, which grants unlimited access to all United Club locations and Star Alliance lounges; 50% mileage bonus, which means earning 1.5 miles per dollar spent and two miles per dollar spent on tickets purchased from United; Premier Access services, allowing for priority check-in and boarding; two free checked bags for me and a companion; and no foreign transaction fees. A pretty sweet deal, if you ask me.

Now, I already have a really good rewards credit card--in fact, it ranks in the top 10 best airline credit cards on Bankrate.com--which gets me points and rewards that I can redeem for travel whenever I want. However, it does not offer these kinds of travel privileges. So I thought to myself, maybe it's time to get a dedicated airline card that gives me some bonuses? My parents have the platinum card from United, but they fly all the time and my dad has a ton of miles earned from his days as a loyal Continental flier. I don't travel as often, usually about three or four times a year on average. However, the fact that those few times I do travel could be made better with this card definitely made it more appealing. Another aspect I like is that this card was named "best credit card" by Global Traveler Magazine in 2012.

Then I read an article on CNN with tips to savvy travel. One woman talked about using miles to get where you want to go, and using a rewards credit car to help earn and save up miles that can be put towards more expensive trips down the road. She used a Delta Skymiles card, which works well for her, but every person is different. While the sign-up bonus is nice, and the priority boarding and club access definitely sweeten the deal, it's the mileage earnings that are really important. Since I don't travel as often as some other people, the fact that this card gives me extra miles for daily purchases is certainly helpful.

The only off-putting part of this card is the annual fee--a whopping $395! The offer gets me the first year free, but once that time has expired, I would have to decide if the card is worth the price or decide to give it up or downgrade. Luckily, there is a perfectly good downgraded option, the MileagePlus Explorer Card, with an annual fee of $95--much more reasonable. Perks: first checked bag free; double miles on tickets and one mile per dollar spent on other purchases; priority boarding privileges; no foreign transaction fees; miles don't expire; and two one-time passes every year to the United Club. Obviously not as great as the Club card, but still decent.

And so this one time, I decided not to throw away the offer.

I'm not suggesting that you sign up for every deal that arrives in your mailbox, because that would not be smart, and could seriously hurt your credit history. And, let's face it, some are not all that good when you think look at the fine print. Some can sound like total scams--and might actually be scams. However, if you're looking to sign up for a good credit card that gets you nice travel rewards or other perks, definitely keep your eye on the mail, as many of these great deals can slip through the cracks--and into your trash. If you want a good list of top reward and travel cards, check out bankrate's website.

Going to the Extreme

When it comes to travel, some are more daring than others. I recently came across two articles that both talk about extreme travel, but in two different respects.

The first one was based on a survey of workers who were asked if they would take a business trip to a dangerous location if their boss asked them to, or would they refuse and risk losing their job. Given the economy, it isn't too surprising that 23% said they would refuse the assignment, compared with 21% who said they would go on a perilous trip at least one time. About 14% said they would go to an unsafe place for work, but would look for a new job when they returned.

I guess my only question in this case is what classifies a place as unsafe? I would probably lump most of the places that have been popping up in the news in the dangerous category: Syria, Mexico, Egypt. Those destinations are all experiencing political turmoil and drug-related violence. But other than places like that, what really makes a location unsafe, at least on corporate standards? I should probably pose that question to the people who administered the survey or to a company that sells travel insurance, since they assess risks and liabilities for a living.



Boeing 737 Factory. Credit: Ben Mutzabaugh, USA Today



The second story is a bit more entertaining--and something I had never really heard of until today. It focuses on extreme fliers--people who love to fly, and I mean really love to fly. So much so that they chose to participate in a grueling week-long trek to five cities and two continents, all to experience a behind-the-scenes look at the airline industry.

One hundred and seventy travel fanatics paid from $799 to more than $4,000 to participate in the event, dubbed MegaDo, sponsored by American Airlines and its Oneworld alliance partners. They flew from New York to London, to Dallas/Fort Worth, to Seattle and then Los Angeles. While on the trip, they got the inside scoop on everything, from why flights are canceled to a ride down a plane's emergency exit chute. The events were created for the whimsical travelers, the most extreme fliers who love air travel. This is basically a hobby for them.

Some of the previous activities of MegaDo get-togethers included visits to the Airbuss factory in France, and the headquarters of Lufthansa. Some CEOs of major airlines have talked to the MegaDoes, answering questions and giving advice, as well as taking suggestions from some of their most loyal customers.



Smith Museum. Credti: Ben Mutzabaugh, USA Today



Most of us know at least one person who is an ultrafrequent flier, probably someone who has to travel a lot for work. But these guys are a totally different breed. Even those who travel a lot are irked by everything that comes with flying, such as security lines, crowded planes, delays, cancellations, etc. But these travelers just enjoy every part of it, especially the pay off after a flight: frequent-flier points. Many of the participants at MegaDo have hundreds of thousands of miles, with some saying theirs reach the millions.

MegaDo earned them even more. Attendees, in addition to VIP access, collected a minimum of 17,500 miles and about double that for anyone who bought first- or business-class seats. There was a special promotion for the event that offered the chance for up to 55,000 more points. The flights also earned them "elite-qualifying miles," which help them reach elite status.

Emergency evacuation. Credit: Michael Rubiano

While many people hang onto their miles until they need them--for instance, for a family trip abraod for two weeks--many of these extreme fliers travel for the sake of traveling, and to earn more miles. One such traveler took a flight to Sydney, Australia, only to spend six hours on the ground before heading back to his home in Winnipeg. Flying time was 24 hours each way, including connections. The reason: to top off his frequent-flier account.

As someone who travels as often as I can, but generally hates the whole process of it, I think these extreme travelers are a little crazy. When I hear that their travel passions are based on earning points and miles, I wonder about their validity. Is it all just about the numbers? Or is it about the experience? I love earning miles when I can, but it is not the main reason I travel. I go to enjoy a trip someone, to experience a new place, to learn about another culture or take some time to relax. My concerns were somewhat eased when I reached the end of the article. Two of the travelers made points that I can definitely agree with, and I think should be part of every traveler's philosohpy. The first said that it wasn't just about the flying, it was about the people you meet. I strongly believe that you can meet some of the most interesting people while traveling, and those individuals can turn into a great friend that you can reach out to if ever you are in their city, and vice versa.

The second traveler said "the more you get to see the world, the more you realize what else there is out there to see. Travel really brings the world together." If ever I become an extreme traveler, this is the kind of attitude I want to maintain, the kind of message I want to convey.