Tag Archives: Southwest Airlines

What’s on my Mind? CES in Las Vegas, Napa Valley, San Francisco, ABC Gift Cards, 2 Free Movie Screenings, SWA Customer Service, Club Carlson Forex Fees, Citi Dividend, and Staples Easy Rebate Headaches

SF Bridge Sunglasses

If you look closely, you can see a naked guy in the background, hey it is San Francisco!

What’s on my Mind? CES in Las Vegas, Napa Valley, San Francisco, ABC Gift Cards, 2 Free Movie Screenings, SWA Customer Service, Club Carlson Forex Fees, Citi Dividend, and Staples Easy Rebate Headaches

Good evening everyone!  Sorry I have been so quite over the last few days.  I’ve been unbelievably busy with CES, SF, and Ebay.  Here is what is on my mind right now:

1 – Cool things at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) at the Las Vegas Convention Center

Cool iRoad from Toyota:

Cool Audi laser show:

Singapore Airlines in the Panasonic Avionics booth (lovely flight attendants too):  Continue reading →

$200 Airline Reimbursement for AMEX Platinum Members

AMEX Plat Card

$200 Airline Reimbursement for AMEX Platinum Members

It’s January 1, so it’s time to set up your $200 airline reimbursement.  If you have an American Express Platinum (Personal, Business, or Mercedes Benz version), you qualify for a $200 airline reimbursement each calendar year (Jan 1 – Dec 31).  You can also purchase airline gift cards with your Platinum card and get that purchase reimbursed as well.  I will show you how to do that.

Go here and log into your American Express account.

AMEX Airline

Read the entire post to learn more here.

My 2014 Resolution: Travel Somewhere Every Month!

Happy New Years 2014

My 2014 Resolution: Travel Somewhere Every Month!

Good morning 2014!  I hope you all had a fun and safe New Years Eve, from wherever you are.  It’s January 1st and time to make your New Year’s resolution.  This should be something fun and exciting, not something boring like losing weight or cleaning out the garage.  Which is why (for the second year in a row), I have decided my 2014 New Years Resolution is to travel somewhere every month.  Here is how I did in 2013:

  • January – 2 weeks in Europe (Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, Paris, Munich, Cologne, and Brussels).
  • February – Albuquerque, New Mexico for 4 days by myself, such a strange city.
  • March – Honolulu for a week (First Class via IcelandAir/Alaska Airlines deal) for my brother’s Spring Break (you’re welcome Davis!).
  • April – Delaware to visit a friend and drove to FTU DC / Tyson’s Corner.
  • May – nothing :(, well, I started Travel with Grant on May 1.
  • June – nothing :(
  • July – Vancouver and Whistler for 2 weeks with my parents and brother.
  • August – nothing :(
  • September – FTU Tampa for the weekend with my friend Jim.
  • October – Galápagos Islands for a week with Jim (great deal from Miami for $380 round trip).
  • November – Las Vegas Hilton Timeshare for the weekend and Carmel / Monterrey Bay for Thanksgiving week.
  • December – Does driving to Six Flags Magic Mountain count?  I got a season pass!

This  photo should sum up my travel for 2013.  Any questions?

GC Map for 2013

What is your New Years resolution for 2014?

My Travel Predictions (Both Good and Bad) for 2014

2014 New Years

My Travel Predictions (Both Good and Bad) for 2014

Happy holidays everyone!  As 2014 quickly approaches, I wanted to share my predictions for 2014, regarding airlines, hotels, and credit card rewards.  Feel free to agree, disagree, or share your own comments below.

Airlines:

  • British Airways – I think the 4,500 and 7,500 (maybe even 10,000) Avios award prices will go away or the entire award chart will be revamped.  The current prices are just too good.
  • Alaska Airlines and Delta Airlines – since there has been a lot of fighting over routes to/from SEA and SLC, I think Alaska will no longer allow you to earn or redeem miles with Delta.
  • American Airlines and US Airways – after the merger, we will see some new “enhancements” (aka devaluations) to the new award chart.  Maybe off-peak awards will be changed or removed.
  • Southwest Airlines and AirTran – hopefully the merger goes through smoothly and quickly.  I look forward to using Southwest Rapid Reward Points for flights to Hawaii, Mexico City, and other tropical destinations south of the border.  I also think the 50,000 Southwest Rapid Reward sign up bonus will no longer count for companion pass status, it is just too easy to get Companion Pass.
  • Hawaiian Airlines – merge with another airline, maybe JetBlue or Alaska Airlines.
  • Lufthansa  – revamp their award chart after everyone signs up for their credit card.
  • Virgin Atlantic – miles will be transferable 1:1 with Virgin America and Virgin Australia.

Hotels:

Continue reading →

Part 2 – Hilton Elara Timeshare in Las Vegas (Perks and Presentation)

Hilton Grand Vacations

Part 2 – Hilton Elara Timeshare in Las Vegas (Perks and Presentation)

Time for my timeshare.  Let the fun begin.  Vacation Experience Reception, here I come!

Timeshare

The timeshare agent was very friendly and showed me around some of the rooms on the 65th floor.  Great views from up there.  Now we sat down and talked numbers.  lots of numbers.  Anyone with an MBA in statistics will probably understand what is going on.  Good luck to everyone else (myself included).

Timeshare1

Continue reading →