The New Travel Thread: Now with write ups in the OP

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by Jax Teller, Apr 8, 2015.

  1. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
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    This guy....

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/t...g-takes-60-000-world-trip-Emirates-class.html

    Around the world in a $60,000 first class seat... for just $300: Savvy traveller posts pictures of his amazing journey from Singapore to New York and back that he landed thanks to a flight-booking loophole
    • Sam Huang flew in the lap of luxury after racking up 100,000 air miles
    • He visited 11 cities, seven countries and five continents over three weeks
    • On every flight he had a first class suite on an Emirates Airbus A380
    By CHRIS KITCHING FOR MAILONLINE

    PUBLISHED: 09:45 EST, 29 October 2015 | UPDATED: 11:27 EST, 29 October 2015




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    Flying in first class is an experience that almost all passengers will never be able to afford, but a travel blogger has revealed how he went on a $60,000 (£40,000) round-the-world trip for just $300 (£200).

    Despite being an infrequent traveller, Sam Huang said he cashed in enough air miles to go on the ‘most insane’ journey ever in one of the most luxurious aeroplane cabins on the planet.

    Mr Huang visited 11 cities, seven countries and five continents over three weeks and flew in Emirates’ first class suite for less than the price of a seat in economy class.

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    Travel blogger Sam Huang said he went on a $60,000 round-the-world trip with tens of thousands of air miles

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    The first class suites on Emirates' Airbus A380 fleet has sliding doors, an LCD screen and a mini-bar

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    Emirates' first class, one of the most luxurious cabins on the planet, is used by executives and A-listers

    Mr Huang lived the high life as he flew around the world in an exclusive cabin reserved for the likes of chief executives and film stars, and was treated to unlimited Dom Perignon Champagne, $800 cognac, caviar and a shower spa at 40,000ft.

    With photos that will make every traveller jealous, he wrote about the ‘greatest flying experience of his life’ on his blog, TopMiles, and revealed how he was able to do it by taking advantage of credit card bonuses and a flight booking loophole.

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    He claimed the ‘crazy miles redemption’ had never been done before, and all he had to pay was $300 for airport and airline taxes and fees.

    Mr Huang racked up more than 100,000 frequent flyer miles – without taking a single flight – when he signed up for several credit cards from Bank of America, which is partnered with Alaska Airlines.

    Emirates is one of Alaska Airlines’ partners, and he was able to use the points on Emirates flights booked through Alaska Airlines’ website.

    Mashable that most airlines have ‘routing rules’ that prevent travellers from booking round-the-world trips, but Alaska Airlines’ computers didn’t have them until recently.

    Mr Huang, who normally flies in economy, added several 24-hour stopovers along the way as he flew around the world in the Airbus A380, the largest passenger plane in the world.

    On the first leg of his journey, he covered 21,136 miles when he flew from Singapore to New York via Melbourne, Auckland, Sydney, Dubai and Milan.

    Racking up an additional 34,000 miles, the second leg took him from Houston to Singapore via Dubai, Rome, Mauritius, Brisbane and Auckland.

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    Sam Huang flew from Singapore to New York and back with a number of 24-hour stopovers along the way

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    In first class, passengers order their meals when they are hungry and choose from a number of entrees

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    First and business class passengers can load up on snacks or beverages at the onboard lounge

    With a ticket worth more than double the average salary in the US, he received VIP treatment on every flight, starting with access to first class lounges with marble entrances, Champagne and gourmet meals.

    He avoided queues and crowds with priority boarding and ‘fast track’ service through immigration.

    In the air, he flew in the lap of luxury in a private first class suite that has sliding doors, a personal mini-bar, a seat that converts into a fully-flat bed, and a choice of meals prepared by an executive chef.

    For those who are looking to do the same, Mr Huang, who now has 15 credit cards, has a few words of advice before they sign up for multiple cards, as some have fees and minimum spends.

    He told Mashable: ‘If you can't pay off your bills fully every month, please don't do this game.’

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    In Emirates' first class lounges, Sam Huang enjoyed unlimited Champagne and sweeping views of airfields

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    Each private suite in Emirates' first class includes a personal mini-bar stocked with water and soft drinks



    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/t...-world-trip-Emirates-class.html#ixzz3pzJChPzD
    Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
     
    dahldennsull likes this.
  2. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    I still don't really get how he did it
     
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  3. YNWA

    YNWA :feelsgoodman:
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    The fact that you can take a bath on a commercial airline just boggles my mind.
     
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  4. Russellin4885

    Russellin4885 Well-Known Member
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    That is pretty bad ass but he say's he only had a few 24 hour layovers? So he just flew around for 3 weeks pretty much? I don't care how awesome a jet is, that sounds pretty awful to be in the air for that long.
     
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  5. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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  6. -Asshole-

    -Asshole- TMB OG Reject
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    Each private suite in Emirates' first class includes a personal mini-bar stocked with water and soft drinks

    Water and soft drinks?!?!

    That's not what I was thinking when they said a stocked mini-bar. For shame.
     
  7. Jax Teller

    Jax Teller Well-Known Member
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    Well shit, who wants to go to Iceland? ohhaithur
     
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  8. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    duh
     
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  9. Jax Teller

    Jax Teller Well-Known Member
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    Let's go.
     
  10. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Any hostel recommendations in Santiago? PJP3?
     
  11. PJP3

    PJP3 Well-Known Member
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    Sorry can't help ya, never been to Santiago. Didn't Gin Buckets go? I feel like I've heard someone in here mention Santiago
     
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  12. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
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    I was going to this summer to ski, but that trip didn't end up happening :ohdear:
     
  13. M'ark Pepperonio

    M'ark Pepperonio Free mahi mahi! Free mahi mahi!
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    Michigan State Spartans

    Probably wasn't me who mentioned it ITT, but I have been there. Cool city, great hot dogs. But Buenos Aires is way better.

    Didn't stay in a hostel, though.
     
  14. southside

    southside Well-Known Member
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    Is there still a Seattle thread? Searched but couldn't find one. Going to be moving there much sooner than I thought in a couple months
     
  15. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
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    I think there's a ton of Seattle recco's itt... Look up my name and Seattle... Also BamaNug had a good write-up. Fancy added some pointers as well. If I wasn't drunk right now I'd look all this shit up myself.
     
    #2715 Gin Buckets, Oct 31, 2015
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2015
  16. southside

    southside Well-Known Member
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    Yeah I read that stuff. I work for the large tech company so trying my best to not totally make that my life. Leaning living in Cap Hill.
     
  17. Fancy

    Fancy thanks, i hate it
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    I got you, bruh. PM with questions and we'll get ya going. I hate your campus but love your product fwiw

    That traffic is fuuuuucked up
     
  18. Mitch Cumstein

    Mitch Cumstein yells at cloud
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    exactly. Way too long. It would drive me nuts.
     
  19. Mitch Cumstein

    Mitch Cumstein yells at cloud
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    loved living in Seattle as a kid. Love visiting there as well. Just a great place all around.
     
  20. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
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    So you're trying to avoid SLU then?

    My fav is LQA, but had tons of friends in BT that worked in SLU.
     
  21. southside

    southside Well-Known Member
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    Most likely. Walking to work would be sweet but being able to escape it would be a plus. My friends up there live in Cap and SLU.

    I've been up there a decent bit over the years but haven't spent time paying attention where I was getting taken out all that much.
     
  22. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
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    I'd probably rock Lower Queen Anne if I moved back. Ballard is pretty awesome, but I'm not sure how traffic would be for you. :twocents:

    People hate on Belltown, but I actually kind of liked it. There is a lot to do and places to eat around there. Not to mention, it's a very central location.
     
  23. Pasta88

    Pasta88 Canes, Bruins, Raps, Jays and Sunderland.
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    Found out my office is closed Dec 24-Jan3 :feelsgoodman:

    Extremely expensive flight prices and almost no bookable award travel for those dates :feelsbadman:
     
  24. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
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    Do the google maps trick imo. That is essentially Perfect for Yacht Week NYE if you're into that kind of thing.
     
  25. Pasta88

    Pasta88 Canes, Bruins, Raps, Jays and Sunderland.
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    What's the trick? Don't think I've heard of it.
     
  26. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
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    So go to google flights... Type your departing airport and dates, but don't enter a destination. Then click the map....

    Screen Shot 2015-11-01 at 8.38.19 PM.png


    Then you can zoom in and search the world for the cheapest flights from that airport on those dates.

    Screen Shot 2015-11-01 at 8.38.31 PM.png
     
  27. Russellin4885

    Russellin4885 Well-Known Member
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    You Atlanta bros can fly cheap to a lot of place, makes me jelly. Been telling wolfpck he needs to hit up Chicago, $78 is too cheap not to.
     
  28. Pasta88

    Pasta88 Canes, Bruins, Raps, Jays and Sunderland.
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    Oh ok, yeah I use Google flights a lot. I thought there was a new fueldumping type of hack.

    The only thing that annoys with me Googleflights is that you can't do the opposite and see flight prices from anywhere to back home.
     
  29. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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  30. heelfan

    heelfan Well-Known Member
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    I'm gonna be in Key Largo for a few nights in December for a diving trip, anyone know of any nice beach bars or similar things? We're all college aged.
     
  31. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
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    that is an insane deal
     
  32. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    but it's literally only for November 17th lol
     
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  33. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    #Airfare Deal: [AA] Chicago - Rio de Janeiro / Sao Paulo, Brazil. $472 r/t. Details: https://t.co/BQiAwArCLl #travel
     
  34. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    Just get me one for Christmas please you're killing me ark
     
  35. Angry Dolphin

    Angry Dolphin In that cool mountain air on a appalachian trail
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    Anybody got advice

    I'm going to Florence in June for a week. Doing Florence for a few days, then Tuscan countryside and surroundings towns - Pisa, Montepulciano, Siena, etc...

    Might try to branch out for a long day trip to Rome or Milan. I've found 2 apartment options: Apartment in or near historic Florence or a villa style house in the countryside.

    Apartment
    pro's
    off street parking for a week
    close walking proximity to all the cool shit
    night life - which isn't a big deal, going with family
    Con's
    got to get out of town every day when we are done with Florence

    Villa
    Pro's
    beautiful setting
    roomy
    pool
    we are spending 4-5 of the days in surrounding towns so I'm already "there"
    con's
    have to drive into Florence and find parking for 2-3 days
    No night life - restaurants and cafe's for dinner
     
    Russellin4885 likes this.
  36. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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  37. Capstone 88

    Capstone 88 Going hard in the paint
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    They talk about it in this tweet. Brazil is a bitch to get a visa relative to a lot of other South American countries.
     
    ohhaithur likes this.
  38. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    I meant anywhere that time of year
     
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  39. CTownND

    CTownND Well-Known Member
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    Goddamn its expensive to fly from Miami to LA on January 3rd.

    May need to burn a ton of miles because I'm seeing one-stops for $500-600 one-way
     
    ohhaithur likes this.
  40. Russellin4885

    Russellin4885 Well-Known Member
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    North Carolina State Wolfpack

    About to start planning my Europe trip with the BFF in May. Just waiting for a cheap flight into Europe, hoping to find one into London and just use that as the jumping of point. Going to look something like this:

    Friday: Leave JFK
    Saturday - Monday: London
    Monday: Fly to Salzburg
    Tuesday: Train to Munich
    Wednesday - Thursday: Munich
    Friday/Saturday: Budapest
    Sunday - Tuesday: Krakow
    Wednesday - Saturday: Prague
    Saturday: Early flight to London
    Sunday: Back home

    It's a ton to fit into 15 days but we don't mind being in a rush and we really enjoy seeing as much as possible on our trips. The one thing that helps a lot is between Munich, Budapest, Krakow, and Prague we are taking overnight trains. That really will help minimize time lost for traveling as we sleep and it will also help save a little money as your basically combining travel and lodging for the night. Never done any overnight trains but everything I have read seems that they will be fine. We will only be staying 2 person couchettes so don't have to worry about any other weirdos.

    Any helpful tips are always appreciated.
     
  41. Room 15

    Room 15 Mi equipo esta Los Tigres
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    I wish I could tell you the beer hall in Munich we ended up eating at twice because the people and food were awesome. I'll try and go back through pictures. London is great but that's pretty short so just pick a few things you want to do and take your time with them.
     
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  42. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Everything is expensive as fuck around new years
     
  43. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
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    I bought a one-way to St Thomas for NYE for like $300, just saw it and jumped on it.

    Still haven't bought a return flight because I can't see anything for less than $5-600.

    My RT flight to Dublin ($700) is going to be less than my flights to ST Thomas
     
  44. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Prices triple and quadruple around Christmas and new years. It's why all the deals posted in here currently stop around Dec 16 and pick back up mid January or february
     
  45. BayouMafia

    BayouMafia Thought Leader in Posting
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    Summer vacation plans are starting to solidify, and I think we're heading to Portugal, and maybe Croatia and Slovenia as a backup if flights from Frankfurt to Portugal are packed since I'll be using my flight benefits.

    Anyone been to Portugal and have recommendations? a.tramp this is your cue

    and I know lots of you guys have had nights of debauchery and sin in the former Yugoslav republics but as it will be the wife and I'm looking for a different set of recommendations if anyone else has been.

    tia
     
    a.tramp likes this.
  46. Where Eagles Dare

    Where Eagles Dare The Specialist Show On Earth
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    Sup Fam. Headed to Cape Town in a week.

    I have no vaccinations. Remember me.
     
  47. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    What all you got planned?
     
  48. Where Eagles Dare

    Where Eagles Dare The Specialist Show On Earth
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    Shark diving, winery, over night safari, prison island where Nelson was, other shit to fill in
     
  49. Capstone 88

    Capstone 88 Going hard in the paint
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    Top of my bucket list
     
    BamaNug likes this.