Travel hacks and advice

[booner]

Lot of good info here, but there really should be a secondary forum for where to find the best hookers in each major city

[plugboots]

This.

Guy in front of the line once in ATL was being a grade A+ psycho-douche, all he accomplished was making a spectacle and holding the rest of us up so that we then had no hope of making alternate flights that night. When I got to the counter, I smiled my best smile and was super nice. They gave me more than they had to. An awesome free room, coupons for a bunch of free meals and drinks, and a great connection the next morning, on a competing carrier.

That person behind the desk, (any desk), can help you, do nothing, or make your life a more miserable hell on earth.
Do you feel lucky, punk?

[frosted flakes]

For Global Entry/Precheck/Nexus, if you haven’t applied already, I’d recommend getting a credit card that will pay for it first. Something like the Chase Sapphire Reserve will refund you the fee plus give you access some lounges through the Priority Pass program. And higher end cards like that have various travel protections/insurance that might be helpful. The rewards program is good too.

As mentioned earlier, definitely don’t apply for TSA precheck and global entry separately.

[iceman]

But really.

[Parvo]

Solid advice from a pack of savages that somehow the airlines haven't banned yet. Much appreciated since I got a bit overwhelmed and panicked when I saw my travel schedule. Although once they see the costs of flying out of JAC, corp may want to trim my travel.
Packing cubes are also recommended for optimal carry on luggage efficiency. I tend to overpack and learned shoes are heavy, don't pack any unless it's your lightweight gym shoes

[Ted Striker]

Avoid international connections at LAX. The international terminal and domestic terminals are separate buildings poorly connected with over crowded buses.

Pro tip for LAX: there are tunnels. You can walk to Terminal B international aka Bradley from any terminal on the south side (4 to 8), and you're inside of security the whole way. The airside shuttle bus goes from T2 and T3.

[Parvo]

Jezuz, that's kinda sad.

Sad indeed.
Poor dog, right?

[Benny Profane]

Yeah.

[El Chupacabra]

Pro tip for LAX: there are tunnels. You can walk to Terminal B international aka Bradley from any terminal on the south side (4 to 8), any you're inside of security the whole way. The airside shuttle bus goes from T2 and T3.

Adding to this: if you fly to LAX on Southwest, it goes to Terminal 1 -- which does not connect airside to any other terminal currently. You have to leave and re-clear security again.

Here's a map and more info:
https://onemileatatime.com/connect-terminals-lax/

[plugboots]

Solid advice from a pack of savages that somehow the airlines haven't banned yet. Much appreciated since I got a bit overwhelmed and panicked when I saw my travel schedule. Although once they see the costs of flying out of JAC, corp may want to trim my travel.
Packing cubes are also recommended for optimal carry on luggage efficiency. I tend to overpack and learned shoes are heavy, don't pack any unless it's your lightweight gym shoes

I think packing cubes are an unnecessary extra step, and whichever rolling thing for a carry-on you pick will have some compartments, (I use mesh for clean, non-mesh for smelly used clothes), etc. Although my smelly items don't smell so much anymore since I switched to mostly wool, (but cashmere may be to $ for you). You need to be quick and efficient, like in the movie "Up in the Air", (I wouldn't screw the married chick, but maybe that's OK for you). (Post a TR).

I recently did a trip to San Jose and I did it all from my phone, watch, and my passport, (no credit cards or cash were injured in this experiment). Hotels with room choices and "door keys" from the apps, food from Uber/Lyft trips or hotel restaurants, coffee at the Marriott Starbucks in the morning, co-worker drove to meetings, Lyft back to airport.

[Danno]

Oh an never take a flight out of LGA after 3PM, especially in the summer. Expect a big delay or cancellation.
And only fly Delta out of LGA so you get terminal A, C, or D. Terminal B is 3rd world.

could just shorten that to never take a flight out of LGA. That place sucks (but I realize it is sometimes unavoidable).

[MontuckyFried]

Avoid international connections at LAX. The international terminal and domestic terminals are separate buildings poorly connected with over crowded buses. Not to mention customs at LAX can take an hour (GE helps here, but on my last trip they were still screwing it up.) LAX is my home airport, so no connections, but The disasters I've seen from people with hour connections in a two hour line are heartbreaking.

I have experienced the misery that is LAX customs and security. Their customs was bad enough, but TSA is also the WORST I've ever encountered. So obnoxious that I had to totally re-clear with never leaving the airport. Those idiots put me through the ringer (long story). I vowed never again if it can be helped. Caught my flight within seconds but many were not so lucky. WTF is wrong with LAX? That place rates down there right behind LaGuardia, which Joe Biden famously compared to a 3rd world country. Lol. So true.

[mall walker]

could just shorten that to never take a flight out of LGA. That place sucks (but I realize it is sometimes unavoidable).

LGA is easily the worst major airport in the US and possibly in the developed world.

[Ted Striker]

^^^ definitely

[Danno]

LGA is easily the worst major airport in the US and possibly in the developed world.

yep. sucks that it's the best airport for visiting my family.

[TahoeJ]

Great thread.

- I've been booking on Hotels.com lately so I can use all of the free nights for personal use without limitations at practically any hotel. I find I like that more than the frequent rewards perks at a single chain.

- +1 to looking for recreational options. On most work trips I'm able to squeeze in a mountain bike ride or round of golf. Yeah, the one day bike rental fee kind of sucks but I've never regretted it after the fact.

- Try not to drink too much, it's really easy to fall into when traveling on the road and your company is picking up the tab.

- Always Uber (or Wingz) to and from the airport back home. With parking fees on longer trips sometimes you'll actually save your company $$ and it's so nice not having to drive, deal with shuttles, parking, etc.

- Global Entry for sure.

[MontuckyFried]

LGA is easily the worst major airport in the US and possibly in the developed world.

Agreed. I couldn't believe how crappy that place was when I last flew there. I mentioned it above but I love this quote from former VP Biden:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/poli...icle-1.1604900

If I blindfolded someone and took them at 2:00 in the morning into the airport in Hong Kong and said 'where do you think you are,' they'd say, 'this must be America, it's a modern airport,' but if I blindfolded you and took you to LaGuardia Airport in New York, you must think, 'I must be in some third world country.' I'm not joking.

Oh snap! That place is a freaking embarrassment.

[booner]

Dulles is my least favorite airport

Fucking hate that pile of shit

[Kim Jong-un]

Booner and others,
For the ultimate in airport experiences you should try Pyongyang Sunan International Airport. Upon arrival you will be greeted with a smile in a spacious modern airport devoid of lines and rude airline employees. Visit one of our many duty free shops or get a quick bite to eat from our selection of domestic and imported foods. We have a saying in Korean
감옥에 가면 빼고는 선을 찾을 수 없을거야

Which loosely translated means you won't ever wait in line during your visit here. The DPRK embraces the concept of Juche where man is the ruler of his world. I welcome you to visit our wonderful country in your travels abroad.

Sincerely,
Kim Jong-un
Supreme Leader

[plugboots]

So I had some time. Right now:
Hotels.com, Milpitas Embassy Suites, 10/30/18 one night/one adult = $292, (1 left at this rate, WTF?)
Hilton website, same dates, etc. = $276 with Honors discount, lots of rooms.
So I guess if your company doesn't check this stuff, which most don't, the perks from hotels.com make this $16 worth it?

[iceman]

Dulles is my least favorite airport

Fucking hate that pile of shit

Dulles does blow. There's literally nothing good about it. Plus they still have those retarded people mover bus things that were built for temporary use in the early '60s, you have to be shitting me with those things.

Isn't LaGuardia in the middle of like a $10bn remodel/reconstruction? has there been any improvement?

[Art Shirk]

So I had some time. Right now:
Hotels.com, Milpitas Embassy Suites, 10/30/18 one night/one adult = $292, (1 left at this rate, WTF?)
Hilton website, same dates, etc. = $276 with Honors discount, lots of rooms.
So I guess if your company doesn't check this stuff, which most don't, the perks from hotels.com make this $16 worth it?

My company, with 50K global employees sure doesn't. I booked a room for a few nights in SF last week through the travel portal that were 500 per night. I called up the hotel and then rebooked at 350. If my boss ever gets snippy about a limber bar tab, I remind him that my expense reports could be much higher.

[EWG]

If we are bitching about airports then I feel compelled to add that Philadelphia's is a fucking bus depot.

[plugboots]

JFC, most airports, suck. By definition. You usually have no choice anyway.

So, after some research, I think hotels.com doesn't work for my needs. Here's one of many articles, this one from Feb. so at least kinda recent.
https://thepointsguy.com/2018/02/can...gh-hotels-com/

[dunfree]

I could go on about points etc, but there are plenty of resources on that online.

I'm out of the points game, but if you are going to play the points game for tangible prizes (some people just play to "win") figure out what your goal is first. I worked with some salesguys who spent so much time travelling, and didn't like pleasure travel, they ended up using all the points on things like holiday trips to Hawaii (which was a really expensive use of points at the time). some of them instead did things for better airline status which made their lives easier. a few people who liked pleasure travel really got good value of their points/miles and put together fun trips. if you don't give a shit about that stuff, figure out a way that pays you cash back.

once you figure out a goal, there are all kinds of websites to maximize your progress towards it.