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Travel 2021

LeroyOU12

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Any luck?
we postponed it until next year. Many of the countries we planned to visit required Covid passport and/or quarantine, some up to 14 days. France declared that all travel to and from countries outside of Europe is prohibited.
 

redseat

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we postponed it until next year. Many of the countries we planned to visit required Covid passport and/or quarantine, some up to 14 days. France declared that all travel to and from countries outside of Europe is prohibited.

Yeah that'll put a damper on any plans with those restrictions!

Were you able to get your money back?
 

Debbie Does

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Probably not going anywhere this year if flying is involved. I doubt mask mandates for flying will be gone this year.

Maybe a drive to the Bourbon Trail. Most of the distilleries were closed to visitors in 2020, so we'll see what happens.
 

LeroyOU12

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Yeah that'll put a damper on any plans with those restrictions!

Were you able to get your money back?
Lucky for us we never purchased airline tickets and hotels. We were thinking if everything is good, then we would do it in March.
 

redseat

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Lucky for us we never purchased airline tickets and hotels. We were thinking if everything is good, then we would do it in March.

Well that's fortunate... Also, fortunate that you don't have to panic last second and book whatever is available
 

SpringStein

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We had planned to take our 17 year old granddaughter to Italy, Austria and Germany last year - obviously that never had a chance. So we rebooked it for this May/June. That was looking bleak, so 6 weeks ago when Greece opened we booked tickets the first day they announced the opening. We leave in 8 days, and so far so good. It will be a hassle with the COVID negative test required (connecting in London and required there) and wearing masks on the long flights over, but we are looking forward to being there. She’s been studying about Greece since elementary school, so she and her friend from school who is joining us will have to be the educated ones on the trip.
 
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redseat

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So, I'm not a points expert, but not a novice either... Everywhere I look says the best way to utilize points (AMEX and Chase) is to transfer to airline partners. I was looking into it for my trip this winter, and either I'm missing something or it's way off base. Maybe it's just covid has things all messed up...


But plans changed. The gf's brother and his wife are having a baby in December. So, new plan is to fly Columbus to Cape Town, drive the Garden Route to Port Elizabeth, stay there a couple weeks (her sister has a spare room we can stay in), fly from PE to London, stay with her brother a week, then fly back to Columbus.

Man that sounds like one heck of a trip!
 
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gob

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Man that sounds like one heck of a trip!
Should be fun. Will get to do part of it again next year, I think. But with some friends and family joining
 

redseat

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Should be fun. Will get to do part of it again next year, I think. But with some friends and family joining

So they live in Cape Town?
 

bamagrad75

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So, I'm not a points expert, but not a novice either... Everywhere I look says the best way to utilize points (AMEX and Chase) is to transfer to airline partners. I was looking into it for my trip this winter, and either I'm missing something or it's way off base. Maybe it's just covid has things all messed up...


But plans changed. The gf's brother and his wife are having a baby in December. So, new plan is to fly Columbus to Cape Town, drive the Garden Route to Port Elizabeth, stay there a couple weeks (her sister has a spare room we can stay in), fly from PE to London, stay with her brother a week, then fly back to Columbus.

It depends on the type of card you have. Some let you transfer, some don't.

And the transfer is not always 1:1, especially for big ticket like Qatar, Singapore and Emirates. So you really have to research, then they change the damn thing 3 months later.

Virtually ALL the airlines have played games with their awards ticket costs. Devaluing them constantly, minimizing how many available, etc.

I used to get good deals on American awards for business internationally but now it's almost impossible to find them to begin with and if you do, they've jacked the points so high only major FF can afford them.
 

bamagrad75

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Speaking of awards tickets, I was looking on Delta for a RT to Iceland in the fall. Okay, 210k points from Birmingham to there and back.

Okay, using points to pay for domestic flights is usually the worst way to spend points, so how much for just JFK to Iceland and back.

210k.

WTF?
 

bamagrad75

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France is opening to vaccinated Americans. Still requires a negative covid test but no quarantine. This means you can use Charles DeGaulle as a transit point.
 

gob

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It depends on the type of card you have. Some let you transfer, some don't.

And the transfer is not always 1:1, especially for big ticket like Qatar, Singapore and Emirates. So you really have to research, then they change the damn thing 3 months later.

Virtually ALL the airlines have played games with their awards ticket costs. Devaluing them constantly, minimizing how many available, etc.

I used to get good deals on American awards for business internationally but now it's almost impossible to find them to begin with and if you do, they've jacked the points so high only major FF can afford them.
I've got a Chase Reserve, and the GF has an AMEX gold. The Sapphire portal was by far the best option. Even just spending cash, it was about $2k. The legs for Iberia and British were outrageous.
 

gob

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Speaking of awards tickets, I was looking on Delta for a RT to Iceland in the fall. Okay, 210k points from Birmingham to there and back.

Okay, using points to pay for domestic flights is usually the worst way to spend points, so how much for just JFK to Iceland and back.

210k.

WTF?
Found a good deal for my Hilton points this fall. Staying in a place in Puerto Rico that has a price of $300+/night for 200k total for 5 nights.
 

bamagrad75

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I've got a Chase Reserve, and the GF has an AMEX gold. The Sapphire portal was by far the best option. Even just spending cash, it was about $2k. The legs for Iberia and British were outrageous.

You just have to run it various ways.

I was looking a few years ago flying back from Iceland to Birmingham under one ticket and Delta quoted some astronomical amount.

I then broke it into KEF to JFK, then under a separate ticket JFK to Bhm. HALF the cost. Same flight, just I had two tickets. Even the Delta agent said it was stupid.
 

bamagrad75

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Found a good deal for my Hilton points this fall. Staying in a place in Puerto Rico that has a price of $300+/night for 200k total for 5 nights.

Oh man, the points boards have been going ape shit over the disaster Bonvoy and now Marriott are making of their awards plans.

I don't know if you follow any of them but View from the Wing and One Mile at a Time stay on top of the points and flights world.
 

gob

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Oh man, the points boards have been going ape shit over the disaster Bonvoy and now Marriott are making of their awards plans.

I don't know if you follow any of them but View from the Wing and One Mile at a Time stay on top of the points and flights world.
I don't follow any in particular, but I Google about different points topics a decent amount... So Google likes to keep me updated on my news tiles. I am all Hilton, though, so I haven't really paid much attention to Marriott news.
 

gob

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You just have to run it various ways.

I was looking a few years ago flying back from Iceland to Birmingham under one ticket and Delta quoted some astronomical amount.

I then broke it into KEF to JFK, then under a separate ticket JFK to Bhm. HALF the cost. Same flight, just I had two tickets. Even the Delta agent said it was stupid.
Hmm... Maybe I'll look into it. Probably booking July 2nd. JUST in case I win the United covid sweepstakes.
 

bamagrad75

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I don't follow any in particular, but I Google about different points topics a decent amount... So Google likes to keep me updated on my news tiles. I am all Hilton, though, so I haven't really paid much attention to Marriott news.

View and One Mile are daily "blogs" on the travel industry, points, etc. Sometimes pick up a hot tip on a sale fare.
 
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