Glad New Yr! I hope 2023 is treating everybody effectively thus far. December ended up being a CRAZY month for me, involving not one however two Virgin Voyages cruises after which a sudden journey to South Africa for a New Yr’s Eve double wedding ceremony at a vineyard property constructed within the 1600s!
Lots of my readers comply with my Instagram account, the place they noticed loads of tales about my flights right down to South Africa and again in what’s extensively acknowledged as the perfect Enterprise Class within the sky: Qatar Airways QSuites. Individuals rightly assumed that I used miles for the flights, since I’m not rich and wouldn’t randomly spend $7000 on the final minute to fly to a marriage.
The QSuites Overview is coming, with 50+ photos from my 50 hours within the air over the previous week, however everybody has had the identical query:
How did you discover the house and the way did you ebook it?!
Right here’s the half no person tells you about journey hacking
There’s a brand new technology of journey hackers on Instagram and TikTok performing some nice work instructing folks the ins and outs of journey hacking.
I’ve been across the block a couple of occasions and I believe there are “generations” of journey hacking content material creators:
- The FlyerTalk technology (TPG, Gary Leff, Ben Schlappig, and so forth.)
- The BoardingArea technology (a lot of my BoardingArea running a blog colleagues who have been impressed by the FT technology)
- The Fb technology (primarily the Award Journey 101 Fb group however there are a lot of others)
- The New Social technology (Instagram, TikTok, and what’s left of Clubhouse)
It actually doesn’t matter which technology individuals are from, most journey hacking content material creators are inclined to focus far more on incomes factors than redeeming them. That is comprehensible, as a result of incomes factors is usually far more enjoyable than making an attempt to get essentially the most worth out of them.
Getting essentially the most worth on your factors and miles takes time, usually whilst you’re on trip.
Right here’s the timeline of how I booked my journey
My mates have been getting married in a double wedding ceremony in South Africa on New Yr’s Eve (I do know each {couples} from doing life right here in Dallas, Texas). They invited me to the marriage however I by no means thought I’d be capable to make it as a result of New Yr’s Eve falls proper in the course of South African summer time and, subsequently, proper within the coronary heart of the height journey season there. Nonetheless, they have been getting married in Stellenbosch, the well-known wine area simply outdoors of Cape City, so I used to be bummed that I couldn’t go.
Tuesday, December twenty seventh
It was Tuesday morning and a South African buddy of mine and her boyfriend have been about to depart for Cape City for the marriage and she or he stated “it is best to ebook a flight and nonetheless come!” I felt unhealthy as a result of there was no method I’d be capable to discover a good award ticket, I assumed.
At about 11am, I logged on to AA.com. I searched award flights from DFW to CPT.
…and there was house on that night time’s flight to Doha and onward to CPT on Qatar QSuites, leaving in roughly 7 hours.
…for 75k miles.
I did like three double-takes to verify I used to be studying all the things accurately. I used to be. I hurriedly put the one-way journey to South Africa on maintain (it’s a common finest follow to ebook one-way flights as a substitute of spherical journeys when utilizing your factors/miles, by the best way) whereas I seemed for a return flight. I couldn’t actually discover a return flight earlier than like January twentieth utilizing my American miles. I knew that South Africa would possibly ask for proof of onward journey, so I wanted to have one thing booked to indicate I deliberate on leaving the nation. I booked a random United Financial system award ticket for the top of January, with the complete intention of discovering one thing higher and reserving it whereas I used to be on my journey.
I booked the journey, booked a automobile rental and guesthouse close to the marriage venue by way of the first of January, ran residence to pack, and went out to DFW to start my journey!
Complete miles spent thus far: 75k AAdvantage miles, 40k United miles, roughly $100 in taxes/charges
Cash spent thus far: Roughly $100 in taxes/charges, $300 on guesthouse, $110 for rental automobile
Time spent thus far: about 45 minutes
Wednesday, December twenty eighth
While on my flights to South Africa (and the very lengthy layover on the Al Mourjan lounge at DOH), I’d sometimes test for award house to open up for the primary week of January. Nothing thus far. I briefly noticed the award house I needed for the return and known as AA once I was having hassle reserving it, the AA reservation agent had the very same points so no less than it wasn’t me.
Complete miles spent thus far: 75k AAdvantage miles, 40k United miles
Cash spent thus far: Roughly $100 in taxes/charges, $300 on guesthouse, $110 for rental automobile
Time spent thus far: about 2 hours
Thursday, December twenty ninth
Landed in Cape City and instantly smiled, and that smile by no means actually left my face till I left. Cape City is likely one of the nice cities on this planet, and the Stellenbosch area is absurdly lovely. I acclimatized to driving on the left aspect of the street, made my solution to my guesthouse, took an unintentional nap, and casually checked for flights once in a while. Nonetheless nothing. No massive deal, but, as I can work remotely if I must. A buddy who works for an airline and LOVES Cape City ended up discovering non-rev house and was on her method down to fulfill me and be a part of for the festivities.
Complete miles spent thus far: 75k AAdvantage miles, 40k United miles
Cash spent thus far: Roughly $100 in taxes/charges, $300 on guesthouse, $110 for rental automobile
Time spent thus far: about 3 hours
Friday, December thirtieth
Drove right down to Simon’s City to see the penguins and different assorted Cape Townery. My buddy was casually checking flight masses for non-rev house as I seemed for award house again to Dallas. Neither of us have been discovering a lot of something. She wanted to be again residence by January 3 so I went forward and zoned in on trying to find flights departing January 1 or 2. I wasn’t discovering something utilizing American miles so I checked out United. Yeah, nah. United needed roughly 180k miles for a one-way ticket in coach. Not an opportunity. I wasn’t anxious but, and simply elevated my cadence of looking in case some house opened up (I’d simply pull up American’s app whereas we have been out and about, it took about 10 seconds to run a search).
Complete miles spent thus far: 75k AAdvantage miles, 40k United miles
Cash spent thus far: Roughly $100 in taxes/charges, $300 on guesthouse, $110 for rental automobile
Time spent thus far: about 4 hours (together with time speaking about choices)
Saturday, December thirty first
Marriage ceremony day! The marriage was within the night so we had loads of time for a hike within the morning. We additionally had loads of time to seek for flights in earnest. We have been each beginning to get a bit nervous. My schedule was extra versatile than my buddy’s however it might be actually good for me to be again by January fifth and I simply wasn’t discovering something again to Dallas.
I reverted to a different finest follow that I prefer to comply with (“no less than get to a different airport the place there’s an opportunity for higher availability”) and started looking flights simply from Cape City to Doha, as a substitute of Cape City to DFW. BOOM. Discovered CPT to DOH on Qatar in Enterprise Class for 55k miles on January 1st! I booked it instantly.
Complete miles spent thus far: 130k AAdvantage miles, 40k United miles
Cash spent thus far: Roughly $100 in taxes/charges, $300 on guesthouse, $110 for rental automobile
Time spent thus far: about 5 hours
Okay after which I started trying to find how I might get residence from Doha. Originating in Doha opened some choices for me, since American flies DOH-JFK, however American needed 110k miles to fly DOH-JFK…in coach. No thanks. I seemed up the US airports that Qatar serves from DOH (BOS, JFK, PHL, MIA, ORD, DFW, LAX, SFO, SEA) and started looking DOH-[those airports]. I knew that if I might discover award house again to the US on one of many Qatar flights I might have the earlier award re-priced as if it was one award. However I couldn’t discover ANYTHING.
Ugh.
I began paying money for the nonstop from Doha to DFW. In coach. I had the enterprise ticket to Doha however didn’t need to enter Qatar, so I wanted an onward ticket. I had beforehand checked out one-way flights from Doha to DFW they usually have been like $2000! I searched that day and it was “solely” $953, so I simply bit the bullet and purchased it. My “free” journey simply acquired far more costly and that was going to be a LONG flight in coach again to Dallas. I went forward and canceled my United journey so these miles could possibly be reinstated into my account.
Complete miles spent thus far: 130k AAdvantage miles + 40k United miles
Cash spent thus far: Roughly $100 in taxes/charges, $300 on guesthouse, $110 for rental automobile, $953 one-way DOH-DFW
Time spent thus far: about 8 hours
It was time for the marriage!
Sunday, January 1st
The weddings have been improbable and it was an important New Yr’s occasion with a few of the most enjoyable and pleasant folks I’ve ever met. We had such a good time. I awoke the following morning fairly early, having not likely adjusted to jet lag but. I couldn’t return to sleep, so I simply determined to go looking all of the Doha-US flights once more for awards.
WAIT. THERE’S BUSINESS CLASS SPACE FROM DOHA TO MIAMI.
As a reminder: I had a 55k enterprise class award ticket from CPT to DOH booked and a $953 money fare from DOH to DFW. The flight from DOH-MIA was pricing out at 70k miles, however I knew that American would possible reprice all the things right into a single 75k enterprise class award CPT-DOH-MIA (in accordance with their oneworld associate award chart), however I wanted to get American on the telephone, and quick (my flight to Doha left in 5 hours). It was 8:10am in Cape City once I known as American’s Government Platinum line again within the States. The reservation agent who answered was as chipper as could possibly be and wished me a Glad New Yr, and I noticed it was simply after midnight on New Yr’s Day for her. I wanted an skilled agent to do a few of what I wanted to occur, so my fingers have been crossed that she was the one. She was AWESOME. She knew what wanted to occur and in what order. I canceled my money ticket DOH-DFW and she or he noticed the award I had on maintain. She was in a position to mix the tickets into one award however, because the first flight was leaving so quickly, was anxious that it may not get by way of ticketing in time.
My buddy and I have been hurriedly packing and entering into the automobile. It took the American agent 48 minutes to work by way of all the things with a supervisor, they usually reached out to Qatar and acquired all the things ticketed!…however solely to Miami. There was no availability onward to Dallas. I informed her that was advantageous with me and we made our solution to Cape City and started the lengthy journey residence.
I’m so glad I used to be in a position to make all of it occur nevertheless it actually took a TON of time.
Complete miles spent thus far: 150k AAdvantage miles + 40k United miles
Cash spent thus far: Roughly $180 in taxes/charges, $300 on guesthouse, $110 for rental automobile, $953 one-way DOH-DFW
Time spent thus far: about 12 hours
Monday, January 2nd
I used to be on remaining strategy to Miami after a completely fantastic! However I don’t dwell in Miami, I dwell in Dallas. I had spent an hour or two looking on-line throughout the DOH-MIA flight and, unsurprisingly, there have been few choices to get again to Dallas utilizing miles, and money fares have been VERY costly. I used to be exhausted from the whole lot of the journey and simply needed to get residence. The one cheap award flight that may get me residence concerned a late-night flight from Miami to Orlando, spending the night time at MCO, and an early flight again to Dallas the following day. For 29k miles. Uggggggghhhhhhh.
I went forward and booked that award flight, since money fares have been like $2000 (not kidding) because the solely seats left have been in First Class. Simply after we touched down in Miami, I used to be trying to find money fares MIA-DFW hoping some coach seats would open up as standby passengers cleared onto earlier flights (as is fairly widespread), and immediately I noticed a one-way fare for $476 for a flight that may get me again to Dallas that night time. I snatched it up, not even caring that it was usually WAY dearer than I’d sometimes tolerate. I used to be able to get residence.
The ultimate tally and my ideas on how I did general
Right here was the ultimate tally throughout the six completely different variations of my itinerary.
Complete miles spent thus far: 150k AAdvantage miles + 40k United miles + 29k AAdvantage miles MIA-MCO-DFW
Cash spent thus far: Roughly $180 in taxes/charges, $300 on guesthouse, $110 for rental automobile, $953 one-way DOH-DFW, $476 one-way MIA-DFW
Time spent thus far: about 13 hours
Anybody who travels quite a bit with miles and factors will inform you that conditions like what I used to be going by way of usually are not actually that unusual. You may have essentially the most factors on this planet nevertheless it simply doesn’t matter if the supply isn’t there. You might be topic to what pricing algorithms and supercomputers inform an airline to launch. I did rather well on this journey and acquired unimaginable worth for my miles, however man I paid for it within the time I spent making it occur. And it wasn’t simply the time I spent reserving it both, if I used to be not checking for flight availability I used to be normally desirous about it, so it occupied numerous headspace for me all the journey. Time is a forex as a lot as cash and miles are, and any factors/miles fanatic wants to pay attention to the time it takes to make a few of these “free” journeys occur.
In an ideal world I’d’ve deliberate this out a lot additional prematurely, however I don’t suppose I’d’ve been capable of finding the South Africa-America award house irrespective of how far prematurely I checked, because it was peak season. It doesn’t matter what, I used to be going to finish up spending a number of hours checking flights whereas I used to be on trip.
Attending to see my mates get married in Stellenbosch on New Yr’s Eve, although, was price each second, mile, and greenback it took to make all of it occur!
Hope you loved the play-by-play of how I booked this journey! Go away questions within the feedback beneath!
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