Travelore Tips: How To Keep The Seat Next To You Empty On A Flight

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I am a big guy with, in fact, a 52-inch chest. Even when I was at my thinnest, I still over hung into the seat next to me. Now, I am not big enough to need the seat belt extension, but let’s just say that my derrière is packed in there pretty tight.

This is one of the reasons that I am a big fan of Southwest Airlines’ boarding system. I pay the $10 extra to board in the beginning and then I make myself look as big as I can so that no one wants to sit next to me; because no one wants to sit next to the big guy. Nine out of ten flights, I end up sitting all alone but there has to be a better way. The folks over atTravel Codex have put together a few tips for trying to keep that seat next to you empty.

One of the tips they offer is to figure out the configuration and do a little bit of deductive reasoning to figure out which seats will be the last to fill. If your configuration is 3-3-3, shoot for either the left or right aisle or window because the center middle seats are more desirable, as people there won’t have anyone climbing over them.

In the 2-3-2 or 2-4-2, try to go for the seat that has as few empty seats as possible next to you. If others are choosing their seats, they are liable to pick the row with two empty seats instead of that one lowly middle seat next to you.

The other great piece of advice here is to pick a seat near the back of the plane. A lot of people don’t pick their seats ahead of time; they just get assigned when they check in. Gate agents typically try to spread people out when they are assigning seats, but when they have to start filling those middle seats, they typically go from front to back. You have a better chance of that seat staying open longer if you are in the back of the plane.

Travel Codex has some other tips and tricks for picking seats but the best are to use the websites SeatGuru and ExpertFlyer. I highly recommend both as well.

So, good luck flying with the ability to spread out and relax. Just don’t take off your shoes.

Contributed by TOM BASTEK, www.travelpulse.com

Travelore Tips: 4 Classic Strategies & 3 Alternative Methods To Combat Jet Lag

Contributed  by Teresa Bitler

Christine Wei

Jet lag can put a serious crimp in your longhaul travels, making you feel exhausted, scatter-brained, or even physically ill. The good news is that there are a few things you can do to alleviate the symptoms and in some cases avoid jet lag altogether. Here are a few classic strategies — and a few alternative methods, just to be safe.

The Classics

Acclimate before you go.Jet lag occurs when your body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythms, doesn’t match your destination’s external cues for sleeping and eating. In other words, you might fly halfway across the world and find yourself ready to snooze after lunch or starving for breakfast after midnight. Minimize the effects of jet lag by easing into the new time zone’s routine before you go. Depending on the time difference, try sleeping in later — or eating earlier in the day. Even a few hours can make a big difference.

If you have a long way to go and some flexibility in your schedule, you can even consider breaking up your trip into segments. Spend a few days in a city midway to your destination, adjust to that routine, and then continue your travels.

Stay hydrated.Dehydration can make the symptoms of jet lag worse. Even if you don’t feel thirsty, plan to drink at least 8 ounces of water for every hour you’re in the air. You’ll want to limit alcohol and caffeine, too — both dehydrate, and the later also disrupts your sleep patterns whenever you do fall asleep.

Get some rest — then stay active.
Skip the all-night bon voyage party and opt for a solid eight hours of sleep instead. The more well-rested you are when you land, the better prepared you’ll be to deal with jet lag. If you’re traveling overnight or flying west to east (losing time), get some additional rest on the plane. Traveling during the day or going the opposite direction (gaining time)? Get a head start on adjusting to being active during your destination’s daytime hours by taking a stroll down the aisle, when it’s safe to do so.

Let there be light.Light is a powerful cue for the body. Depending on which direction you travel, you can reset your clock by exposing yourself to bright light or avoiding it at key times. As you’re preparing to fly east for a trip, for example, you’ll want to start getting bright morning light and then start sticking to dim rooms or using sunglasses in the afternoon (when it becomes evening at your destination). Before you go home, you’ll want get more afternoon and evening light exposure (since it’ll still be daytime in the west).

The Alternatives

Go on a diet.Some people swear by the four-day Argonne Anti-Jet-Lag Diet, which requires you to alternately feast (eat a high protein breakfast and lunch followed by a high carb dinner) and fast (eat only light meals of soup and salad). You’d start with the feast, with a high protein breakfast at your destination’s breakfast time, on the day of your flight. Note: There’s no empirical evidence to date that any anti-jet lag diet has proven entirely effective.

Take melatonin.Some studies suggest that melatonin — a hormone naturally produced in the body during nighttime — can help reset your internal clock. Melatonin supplements are sometimes used to treat jet lag, but you may want to consult a doctor for more information and exact dosage beforehand, since there can be side effects like headaches. If you don’t like taking pills, some foods — like certain grains, fruits, and meat — do help boost melatonin.

Use acupressure.The foundation of acupressure lies in that each organ has a corresponding point on the body, and that organ functions optimally at a specific time of the day. To get the body into a different time zone, some use these acupressure principles to stimulate these “horary points” when the cycles should be occurring at the destination. For example, 1 a.m. corresponds to the liver. When it is 1 a.m. at your destination, you would tap a specific, corresponding spot near the big toe 20 times. At 3 a.m., you would similarly tap a spot on the wrist to stimulate the lungs. This process would continue, every two hours, with different horary points until arrival.

- See more at: http://blog.shermanstravel.com/2015/combatting-jet-lag-4-classic-strategies-3-alternative-methods/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=National%3A%20Bulletin%20%2F%20Trip%20Ideas%20%2F%20ROS&utm_campaign=5.24.15%20Escapes%3A%20Editorial%20Update#sthash.LvsbxoTH.dpuf

Travelore Tips: 10 Ways To Make Travel Rewards Programs Go The Distance

Navigating the land of travel rewards programs can often be a daunting task. Rules change, programs come and go and partnerships and alliances fade. Add in expiry dates on points, blackout dates, tax and fuel surcharges – and getting a “free” ticket is tougher than ever. Well the travel experts at Cheapflights.com, the online leader in finding and publishing travel deals, are here to help shed some light with a how-to on the Top 10 Ways to Make Travel Rewards Programs Go the Distance.

“Managing your miles can be a full-time job,” said Emily Fisher, Cheapflights.com travel expert. “Do it right, though, and it can be the key to unlocking a travel goal. Some see points as the path to a dream vacation while others are aiming for the perks of status or even an economical way to score a seat in First Class. There are many ways to win at the rewards game if you are patient and pay attention to the details. We'll give you some insights into playing the game as well as George Clooney's character in ‘Up in the Air.’”

To get you started, below are the first five tips on how to get the most out of travel rewards programs:

·         Know your range of options­ - Airlines were among the first to launch loyalty programs with frequent flyer programs that date back decades. However, nowadays hotel chains from Best Western to Marriott to Fairmont all reward regular guests (your airline may do so as well). And, of course, credit card companies do their very best to keep you spending with their cards. And a host of them, from American Express to Chase Sapphire to Capital One Venture, offer incentives geared toward travelers (and aspiring travelers). Even travel booking sites are getting in the game. Register with Orbitz or Expedia and you can start to accrue benefits and costs savings there as well. You can even rack up points with services like restaurant booking platform Open Table — snag some money for eating well on the road!

·         Double (or triple) dip where you can­ - With so many companies lining up to reward you, make sure you take full advantage. One flight should mean points accrued with the airline, the credit card company and possibly the booking site. Don’t forget to give your mileage account number along with your credit card to the rental car company, too. Tack on points for the hotel and dining out, and you have a good collection started — even from a short trip. And remember, you can often book hotel rooms with airline points and flights with hotel points, adding to the incentive to rack up points everywhere you can.

·         Don’t pay to get into the game - With the possible exception of an annual fee on a credit card, all of these rewards programs are free. (And shop around on the credit card front as many travel perk cards don’t carry an annual fee.) The only cost to you should be the time and effort to keep track of the different accounts and your points. To keep it simple (and to keep points consolidated), odds are you will find yourself picking a few rewards programs and sticking with them (which is of course why the companies offer them). However, if you have the patience, having a broad mix of programs you are accruing points across means you can get something out of almost any travel transaction.

·         Don’t let blackout dates get you - Expecting to cash in your earned points for a trip over Christmas break? Some airlines (and hotels) are going to let you down when you go to use miles because they blackout popular travel dates for those booking with points. Plan ahead and start building your points with a program that doesn't have blackout dates (e.g., jetBlue, Orbitz or Expedia). If you are committed to that path, you may even want to pay the annual fee and get the added points (and occasional companion ticket) that come from signing up for an associated credit card — as well as the points accrued using the card. If you want more flexibility, though, rack up points with a travel credit card and skip the blackout window blues. When you buy using credit card points, it looks like any other transaction to the airline, so the dates won’t be blocked. In all cases, if you are looking to travel over a major holiday or school vacation, book as early as you can so you can get the best deal, even if the currency is rewards points.

·         Book strategically - One of the reasons sites like Orbitz and Expedia are getting into the rewards program game is that some airlines and hotels offer more points (or only offer points) if you book directly on their sites. So you should think ahead when booking about where you want to accrue your points. Pay attention to partnerships, too. If your dream is to go to Asia, make sure you’re building points with airlines and hotels that are partners with the airlines and hotels that will take you where you want to go down the road. And read the fine print on your credit cards. You may find some offer more points than others on travel bookings.

The next five tips cover upgrades, status, concierge services, points sharing programs, and using your points to give back. You can read about these important aspects of travel loyalty programs and Cheapflights.com’s complete Top 10 Ways to Make Travel Rewards Programs Go the Distance at www.cheapflights.com/news/top-10-ways-to-make-travel-rewards-programs-go-the-distance.  

About Cheapflights.com, part of the Momondo Group
Momondo Group is an online travel media and technology company that is driven by the belief that an open world is a better world.  The group now serves travel search and inspiration to over 17.5 million visitors a month – plus 7 million travel newsletter subscribers – via its Cheapflights (www.cheapflights.com) and momondo (www.momondo.com) brands.

Skygate began the sourcing of complex air-travel data in 1992, while Cheapflights pioneered the online comparison of flight deals for users in 1996 and momondo launched meta-search in the Nordic countries in 2006.

The Group has offices in London, Copenhagen and Boston with a consumer base across more than 30 core international markets but users all over the world.

Travelore Tips: How To Take Advantage Of Limited-Time Deals

Contributed by Christine Wei

deathtothestockphoto.com

 we are always encouraging readers to take advantage of limited-time sales and last-minute deals — after all, alongside planning way in advance or looking to shoulder season, it’s one of the best ways to nab great discounts for travel. But the reality is that the best offers often require you to act fast, whether it’s a flash sale for travel five months down the road or for a cruise that departs in the next week. And more often than not, the pressure to book quickly can become overwhelming, and we find ourselves simply passing up the deal in the end.

But it can be possible to strike the iron while it’s hot — so long as you’ve already done a bit of simple planning. Having recently booked fantastically low fares to Istanbul during a three-day sale ourselves ($535 round-trip in the beginning of November), we wanted to share our checklist for what to think about beforehand. We hope that by working through these questions, you’ll be prepared to hit the book button and save big when the next deal rolls around.

1. Where do you want to go? 
These days, you’ll find deals pretty much every day and even every hour. It’s a lot for your brain to absorb, and often we end up scrolling through lists and ads without really reading. Which is why we’re fans of sitting down to write out a travel bucket list, either on paper or digitally, in order of priority. Not only does writing out a list flag the places you really want to go, ranking them will help you jump on deals for destinations high up on the list. Knowing you’ve already weighed them against the myriad other awesome places you could go saves you from making those comparisons all over again.

2. How much time do you need? 
This is pretty obvious to state, but again, thinking about this beforehand makes it easier to make a decision quickly. You need to know the minimum amount of time you should spend at each destination to make the trip worthwhile. We knew, for example, that we wanted at least five days to enjoy all of Istanbul’s historic sites, modern delights, and endless food. And we really wanted up to a week, really, so that we’d have a bit of time to get lost and wander. But had we been looking at a more familiar and closer destination or less active experience — say a luxe resort in the Caribbean — perhaps an extended four-day weekend would be enough.

3. How much time do you have?
As with all instances of travel planning, you also need to know the constraints in your schedule. If you’re working and have limited time off, keep tabs of the vacation days you've taken and have left. We keep a an Excel spreadsheet with columns for: destination; dates off; number of days taken for trip; total number of days taken this year, and total number of days left.

4. When can you travel?
Beyond a short booking period, limited-time and last-minute deals often also have a very specific window for travel. Make a habit of keeping track of dates that you absolutely can’t travel on — a weekend of a relative’s wedding, for instance — if you don’t already. We’re big fans of syncing our Google calendars across our desktop and mobile devices, so we can access our schedule from wherever we are.

5. Is the deal a really great deal?
It probably won’t surprise you that not all deals are as great as they might seem at first glance. That’s precisely why ShermansTravel has a dedicated Deals team — our Deals Experts spend their days sussing out every promotion that we might want to share with our savvy readers. When they’re assessing the value of a promotion, they typically look at a mix of the following: 1) how much the experience would cost from the same provider without the promotion; 2) how much the experience would cost through different providers, and 3) if it’s low season, how much would the experience cost in high season.

While you’ll likely have to do a bit more research when you’re interested in a specific deal, it’s not that hard, for instance, to figure out generally how much a ticket to Paris from your nearby airports cost. Once you know that, you’ll be able to evaluate a deal much more quickly. In our case, we already knew that flights to Istanbul can go well over $1,000 during popular months and still reach $750+ in slower months. So the minute we saw the $535 fare, we immediately started checking our calendars.

6. How much can you spend?
If you have a dedicated travel fund, good for you. If you don’t, you should at least know how much of your rainy day/leisure/other fund you’re willing to spend on travel. Even if the deal in question checks out and your schedule cooperates, in the end, nothing can happen without the exchange of dollars!

- See more at: http://blog.shermanstravel.com/2014/07/28/checklist-how-to-take-advantage-of-limited-time-deals/#sthash.X78g8bg1.dpuf

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