Miles of Confusion?

Do you keep hearing about how all these people keep getting free flights and upgrades and have no idea how they do it? If you aren’t signed up for any frequent flyer programs, that’s part of your problem right there. If you are, then you just need to find a way to maximize your miles. That way, you’ll get the most out of your mileage program and earn even when you aren’t flying. Sounds difficult? It’s not, if you know how to do it. Accruing miles between trips also helps to keep miles from expiring before you can travel again. This is especially nice if you don’t travel all the time and the best deals aren’t always found on the same airlines, making it hard to keep track of how many miles you have where and how long they are still good.  I like to use a rewards tracking site to keep track of all my points and miles.

MileBlaster from Travelgrove offers a complete package for organizing all your frequent flyer memberships, expiration dates, finding you cheap flights, hotels and car rentals and also showing you with award bonuses you qualify for and how to get them.  Not only will you be able to see how many miles each flight you search for will gain you, but you’ll also see if you can earn bonuses for anything else associated with your trip, like a hotel stay.

The mileBlaster Frequent Flyer tracker has a small $10/year fee. Compared to other similar programs, that don’t even do as much for you, this is a great deal. The program shows you which trips and bonuses can help to get you the biggest value for your rewards goal. If you are saving up for a free airline ticket, Travelgrove can help you reach that.

Not only will Travelgrove keep track of all your miles, they’ll also send alerts to let you know that they will expire in 6, 3 and 1 month. Don’t lose your miles! mileBlaster alerts give you ways to easily (and cheaply!) earn to keep your account up-to-date. You’ll also find tips on how to obtain more miles.

So, what makes Travelgrove different than other rewards tracking programs? Most keep track of your points and that’s it. Here you can quickly search for cheap flights and all your information is in one place. No more digging through emails for member numbers or checking three other websites to see if you can also add a reward by booking a particular hotel room. It’s all at your fingertips on one site. Travelgrove is the first site to offer both award mile tracking and a travel search engine.

Even if you just want to see the mileage for each flight, you can do so on Travelgrove for free, but with the mileBlaster widget, you can efficiently search cheap flights and book travel that will get you the most out of your program, earn free flights and rewards faster and it more than pays for itself after just one trip. If you’re a frequent flyer, or aspire to be, $10 is a small price to pay to get the highest rewards you can. And right now, you can get $1 off your first year of membership and you only pay $8.99. There’s even a downloadable app, so you can search, book and see your miles wherever you are! 

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Stay tuned...My next blog post will show you other programs and ways to maximize your frequent flyer miles and other rewards programs to help you save money on your trips and get more out of them. Some are free, others cost, plus I have some tips you can use that you can use outside of travel programs to get you more miles.

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Want to get the Shereen Travels Cheap blog on your Kindle? For just $1.99/month, you can subscribe on Amazon and get new posts sent right to your Kindle as soon as they’re published and take me wherever you go. Access to previous blog posts are available as well. Don’t have a Kindle? You can still subscribe on Amazon and then download one of the free Kindle reading apps to your mobile device, like your iPhone, iPad, Blackberry or Android!

Have you found me on Facebook yet? If not, why not do it now? I would love to have you as a Shereen Travels Cheap fan and we are super close to giving away some great travel bags from Travelon, as well as some other fun prizes. Make sure you’re in the first 500 fans to be eligible!

Want to follow me on Twitter? You can! Join over 1,600 tweeters and follow @shereentrvlschp

I know you’re always bummed when a blog post is over, especially a short one like this one. Well, if you haven’t had a chance to check out some of my other online articles, please do. The following websites have been awesome enough to let me fill up their sites with my words of budget travel wisdom. Make sure to check them out once you get there, as they are super helpful in both saving money and traveling. You won’t be disappointed.

My Itchy Travel Feet

  

  

Deal or No Deal 1.19.11

It's been a while since I had a post of just awesome deals. I have several good posts coming up next about frequent flyer miles and how to use them for your benefit, but today, I'd like to just focus on budget travel and some of the best deals out there that you can take advantage of. Save money by signing up for travel alert emails. My favorites are ShermansTravel, TravelZoo, CheapTickets and FareCompare. If you have a favorite airline or airlines, sign up for them, too. If you choose a preferred destination, this can work even more in your favor, because as soon as there is a fare sale, package deal or drop in hotel rates, you'll know about it. And without further ado, here's what I dug up for you.

Need to getaway? American Airlines wants to fly you across the U.S. with their flight sale good through January 24. Travel between now and May 24 for as little as $29 each way. 

Want to getaway farther? Fly to London and Europe from $199 each way on British Airways. Book by January 27 to travel through April 12 and also get a free 3-day car rental thrown into the deal.

Visit Orlando and Walt Disney World. Hotels are available from $69 per night. Close to parks and good on travel through the end of the year. Book now and purchase a 3-day Disney park ticket per traveler and receive a 7-day park hopper instead. Book by January 25th for this amazing deal. Must stay 4 or more nights.

Can you write a good short poem? If so, you could win a $250 Visa gift card. Use it for new travel clothes, luggage, dining or whatever other aspect of your vacation you want! Heck, you can even use it for groceries if you want. Enter at Lowfares and HotelHostess.

You've got Jungle Fever! Okay, but in a totally different way. Spend 8 days in Ecuador and the Amazon with this amazing package that includes round-trip airfare, accommodations, transfers, meals, tours and a rafting excursion from $899 per person. Stand in both hemispheres at the same time, see amazing landscape and experience the largest South American market. Don't forget to use the promo code given on the page to get this low price. Book by January 26th and travel on selected dates May through November.

Want to spend Spring in Ireland? Who doesn't!? Now you can with this great trip to Dublin. Starting at $799 per person, including round-trip airfare, lodging at the Ritz Carlton, a rental car with unlimited mileage and 20% off all hotel spa treatments. make your own itinerary and drive yourself everywhere you want to go. Upgrade to a suite and an automatic car with GPS for just $75 more per person. Book by January 28th for travel on selected dates in March and April. You can't even stay at this hotel separately for this low of a price.

If Ireland is not for you, spend your Spring in London & Paris. From $699 per person you will get RT airfare to Paris, from London, airfare between Paris and London, 3 nights' accommodation in the Hotel Armstrong and City Continental London Kensington, daily breakfast and more. Both hotels are centrally located for easy access to tourist attractions, great dining and other easy sightseeing. Book by January 25 for travel dates in February through March. Don't forget to use the promo code provided to get this low package price.

Are you dying to go to Australia? Thought you'd barely get there once? What about four round-trip tickets for one low price? It's true! Buy yourself the Qantas Aussie AirPass for just $1199 by March 31 and fly between the U.S. and Australia four times between May and September. Choose up to three of the following destinations to visit: Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, and Launceston. Add land packages for even more savings and a more complete trip.

Visit the South Pacific with this package to Tahiti that includes round-trip airfare and 5-nights lodging. Choose from 2 beautiful resorts, one includes breakfast and one is optional,  and receive a flower and shell lei upon arrival.

I hope these fun deals appeal to you and you find one that you can take advantage of. If not, I'll continue to post deals here and on my Facebook page for you to choose from. Feel free to send me requests, too. Happy Travels!

Are you new here? If so, please take a moment to click on the right to subscribe.

Want to get the Shereen Travels Cheap blog on your Kindle? For just $1.99/month, you can subscribe on Amazon and get new posts sent right to your Kindle as soon as they’re published and take me wherever you go. Access to previous blog posts are available as well. Don’t have a Kindle? You can still subscribe on Amazon and then download one of the free Kindle reading apps to your mobile device, like your iPhone, iPad, Blackberry or Android!

Have you found me on Facebook yet? If not, why not do it now? I would love to have you as a Shereen Travels Cheap fan and we are super close to giving away some great travel bags from Travelon, as well as some other fun prizes. Make sure you’re in the first 500 fans to be eligible!

Want to follow me on Twitter? You can! Join over 1,600 tweeters and follow @shereentrvlschp

I know you’re always bummed when a blog post is over, especially a short one like this one. Well, if you haven’t had a chance to check out some of my other online articles, please do. The following websites have been awesome enough to let me fill up their sites with my words of budget travel wisdom. Make sure to check them out once you get there, as they are super helpful in both saving money and traveling. You won’t be disappointed.

My Itchy Travel Feet

We’re Gonna Party Like It’s 4709! 1.15.11

Or it could be 4708 or 4648, depending on which starting date you use. No, we haven’t figured out that time machine yet, but it’s almost Chinese New Year. This year marks the Year of the Rabbit, which starts on February 3rd and lasts for 15 days, ending with Lantern Festival. It’s the time for new beginnings, which can include a thorough house-cleaning to forgiving grudges. Children also get generous gifts of money in red paper envelopes for luck in the new year.  Do you have a desire to celebrate in Asia where all the festivities happen? You might be looking at higher airfare prices and hotel rates if you do. Save your pennies for a trip during a less busy time of year and check out one of your local Chinatown celebrations next month instead.

No matter where you live, if there’s a large Chinese population, you’ll find festivities happening. The following countries still declare Chinese New Year a national holiday: Mainland China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam. While not a holiday in Australia, Canada or the U.S. there are still huge celebrations. One of the best places to find where you can enjoy such parties is on What’s On When.  Search for Chinese New Year and your city and What’s On When will find everything in your area that matches. Then you can put on your red party dress and join in the fun! If you’ll be traveling during this time, don’t worry! I see dates for celebrations in Paris, Melbourne, Washington, D.C., London and more!  

Are you new here? If so, please take a moment to click on the right to subscribe.

Want to get the Shereen Travels Cheap blog on your Kindle? For just $1.99/month, you can subscribe on Amazon and get new posts sent right to your Kindle as soon as they’re published and take me wherever you go. Access to previous blog posts are available as well. 

Don’t have a Kindle? You can still subscribe on Amazon and then download one of the free Kindle reading apps to your mobile device, like your iPhone, iPad, Blackberry or Android!

Maybe hitting up your favorite Chinese restaurant for some good fortune would be a fun idea. Check out OpenTable or TopTable (for those in the UK and Europe) for a list of popular dining venues where you can make reservations that will get you points toward a free dining certificate. Perhaps you’ll get a prosperous saying in your fortune cookie!

Ever witnessed the San Francisco Chinatown area? I have. It’s crazy! One thing you can count on is that celebrations will be phenomenal in a place like that.  Think that the Bay Area is way too expensive? You’re in luck! Priceline has a great package deal for you. From just $84 per night per person, you get RT airfare and your choice of hotel for 3 nights! Book by January 16 and travel through February 13.  Walk to Fisherman’s Wharf to visit Pier 39, drive down Lombard, take a ferry to Alcatraz, check out Ghirardelli Square during the day and then party all night…or until the celebration is over.

New York is known for it’s big Chinatown. Would you like to combine your New Year celebration with a trip to the Big Apple? Priceline is more than happy to make that wish come true with their 3-night vacation package. Book by Jan 16 to get rates as low as $114 per night per person, including airfare. Travel through February 13 and be able to pack more things into less time since the excitement of the holidays is over and tourists have gone back home. Choose from a list of comfortable and conveniently-located hotels to stay in and then just pick your travel dates!

Speaking of New York…Have you ever been to a temporary restaurant? Do you want to? This following article, from Concierge.com tells of a 9-month temporary restaurant installation in New York that opens on January 25:

A new restaurant in NYC's Soho hasn't even opened its doors, and already its days are numbered. But that's just the way the chef wants it. Dovetail's John Fraser (pictured, looking for serving pieces at a warehouse) came up with the idea, and the name, for his temporary restaurant when he was bemoaning all the hoopla of the New York food scene with some friends. He mused, "What would happen if…"

Diners will find out the answer on January 25, when Fraser throws open the doors of What Happens When. Each month, for nine months, there will be a new menu, design, and soundtrack based on a different theme. The back-to-basics restaurant will have no-frills service (diners will set their own cutlery), a simple bar cart, and a lot of surprises (we've heard tell of a marching band).

Want in on the foodie action? Donate at Kickstarter—which helped fund the project—and you can propose suggestions for the following month's theme. But act now. By September, the space will be empty and you'll be left wondering, "What happened?"

What Happens When

25 Cleveland Place
New York City, New York

Tel: 212 925 8310 

Pretty interesting, huh? If you make reservations and eat here, please come back and tell me how it was…and take some pictures of the ever-changing design and entertainment.

While not known for its Chinese population, Orlando is a good place to visit right now. The temperatures are mild and you can take in Disney’s EPCOT and see what celebrations they have in “China”. Watch Reflections of China on CircleVision, get a bite to eat and watch the different talented performers throughout the day. From just $208 per person, fly RT to Orlando and stay for 4 nights. Book by February 28 and travel through the end of March for these low rates. If you book with your MasterCard, you are eligible for a prepaid debit card up to $100 in value, too! Book more activities through Expedia to save even more on your trip.

  Have you found me on Facebook yet? If not, why not do it now? I would love to have you as a Shereen Travels Cheap fan and we are super close to giving away some great travel bags from Travelon, as well as some other fun prizes. Make sure you’re in the first 500 fans to be eligible!

Want to follow me on Twitter? You can! Join over 1,600 tweeters and follow @shereentrvlschp

When you finally do get to Asia, save money on accommodations by renting a house or apartment. Hotels can be really expensive there (in the big cities in Japan and China). You may also consider staying in a hotel on the outskirts of the city to save. You will still have access to public transportation, but the lodgings are usually cheaper and quieter.

Worried about getting around in Asia where you don’t speak the language? Try one of these great translation apps from iTunes or get yourself a Point It book. Don’t know the word in Mandarin or Cantonese? Find the picture in the book and show it to the person you’re trying to communicate with. Super easy and portable. Pull it out in language emergencies!

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I know you’re always bummed when a blog post is over, especially a short one like this one. Well, if you haven’t had a chance to check out some of my other online articles, please do. The following websites have been awesome enough to let me fill up their sites with my words of budget travel wisdom. Make sure to check them out once you get there, as they are super helpful in both saving money and traveling. You won’t be disappointed.

My Itchy Travel Feet