FTU Seattle Trip Report (Viewed from a 4th Timer’s Point of View)
Let me start off with the weather.. the weather in Seattle this past weekend was one of the best I’ve ever seen (thanks to Lucky for arranging the sunshine).
If you haven’t already, please read 9 Tips for Making Friends at FTU or other Travel Conferences. I met a few people that said they read several miles and points blogs but they told me that they were dissapointed that they didn’t learn anything new at FTU.
I’ve heard that comment at every FTU I’ve been to. If you read the travel blogs on a daily basis, you will not learn a whole lot going to these conferences. You might pick up a few nuggets of info or learn a few new tricks, but the majority of content you hear at the FTU has already been stated on many travel blogs.
With that said, the main reason I continue to go to FTU events is to talk to the attendees. You learn a lot more from talking to other attendees than you do in most sessions. I’ve met people who have been in the travel hacking game for over 10 years and I’ve met people who come from other countries and they have told me about how their credit cards and loyalty programs differ than those in the US. One gentleman I met came all the way from Australia and he told me that he got into this game when American Express launched their Platinum Credit Card in Australia. To promote their new credit card, they were offers 1,000 bonus Membership Reward Points per transaction. Yes, you read that correctly. Needless to say, this gentleman racked up 800,000+ Membership Reward Points over 3 short months. Now, if I didn’t go to FTU, I never would have met this individual. There are many other stories like this that you will learn, all you have to do is go to FTU and strike up a conversation (see the link above for opening lines).
Most of the big travel bloggers fly international first class, stay at 5 star hotels, and rarely visit second or third world countries. In comparison, some of the attendees I met have spent months trekking through Asia and visited countries that I’ve never heard of. They have seen things that you wouldn’t believe. They open your eyes to the world outside of London, Paris, and New York City.
I would highly advise you to go to FTU or other travel conferences BY YOURSELF. This will force you to talk to new people, otherwise you will just hang out with the same people the whole time and then you will definitely not learn anything new.
The best stories I heard came during lunch and afterwards when some of us gathered for dinner. We talked for several hours and it was a great experience. I look forward to seeing some of them at future travel conferences.
With that said, don’t expect to learn a massive amount at FTU during the sessions, but be ready to listen during lunch time and after the sessions end. Plus, where else do you get a chance to ask the experts any question you want?
I will not be attending either of the Advanced FTU events, but will be at the Chicago Seminars from October 17-19. I’ll be looking forward to meeting some of you there. Have a great weekend everyone!
Do you think there is a chance that FTU will come to Dallas?
Yes I think there is. It’s in a good place, right in the middle of the country. I’ve heard rumors that the one next April will be in Atlanta.
Sounds like pretty much every conference I’ve ever been to. The actual sessions are borderline useless, but you go to network.
Yes exactly. Are going to to Chicago Seminars?
i attended chi sem in october 2013. the only 1 ive been to.
ended up leaving early.
its was cool to see the community, but im personally interested in the destination rather that the biz/1st class/status/upgrade journey.
im glad that people are at least getting out
You have to talk to the other attendees if you are more interested in the destinations rather than the flights and hotels. Will you be at this year’s Chicago Seminars?
i did. especially to Stefan.
shared my google map of japan with another future traveler there.
it was cool. i guess i was just looking for more nitty gritty you know.
chi sem 2014.. maybe. ill probably want to go more as the date approaches.
have you ever done a mega-do? i dont wanna hate, but seems a lil strange to fly just to kick it at a hotel and on a plane.. no actual destination(s). even stranger that you cant use miles/points!!
I would do a Mega Do but they are like $1000+ for a week, I don’t like spending that much money on a trip. If they were cheaper, I might do one. Don’t forget that we can hang out at the airport lounge(s) and during dinner with other attendees.
yeah, the prices for the Dos are rather ironic considering theyre for travel hackers,
sure, im down to socialize with fellow travelers where ever.
i have month-long whirl wind trip coming up on friday…. mass amounts of planning
Very cool Mr. Cool. Where are you going?
HKT-REP-MOW-BUD-VIE-PRG-MIA-NYC
pretty excited
Pretty epic trip you have planned: http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=HKT-REP-MOW-BUD-VIE-PRG-MIA-NYC
yeah, im pretty happy about it
total mileage is about double that since im starting in USA you know
wheres your next destination?
Utah! CA to UT for Memorial Day weekend.
Hi Grant, look forward to meeting you in Chicago in October!
Thanks Paul, just look for the Travel with Grant shirt :)
I think the sessions are extremely worthwhile for newbies. But I agree that they are pretty useless to people who follow the blogs and flyertalk/milepoint, and have been to previous seminars. But networking makes attendance worthwhile and fun.
Did you even consider attending the advanced sessions? I would think you’d find those more useful for someone at your level.
I wanted to go, but the first FTU Advance sold out quickly, then they announced the Chicago Seminars which I booked, and then they announced FTU Advanced #2. I think all three events are in Chicago and I didn’t want to keep going, so I will just be at the Chicago Seminars.
Hi Grant,
Just wanted to add to your post here. It is so true that the you get the most out of the seminars by talking to people during the intervals such as lunch and dinner.
I flew to the Seattle FTU from Sydney, Australia all by myself. I knew that there was a chance that a lot of the talks were facts I already knew – but I was definitely keen on meeting new people who held the same interests as me and wouldn’t roll their eyes every-time I started talking about miles and points.
I would have met at least 25 people (yourself included) in this seminar. That was the greatest experience of all – getting out of my comfort zone and interacting with like-minded people.
Yes – I would say that the American Express Platinum Card promotion in Australia is legendary – I believe they have a thread of this on Flyertalk.com. To be able to buy 80 individual apples (all separate transactions) – and then be able to fly business class on Cathay Pacific just because of this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Needless to say when this promotion was on for 4 months – people were going crazy!!!!! (Myself included).
Thus started my adventure of points and miles
I wish I had an epic story like yours, that is a thing of dreams…