The Penny Pincher’s Passport to Luxury Travel: The Art of Cultivating Preferred Customer Status (Travelers’ Tales)

Book Description:

Who says loyalty isn’t appreciated? Follow the advice laid out in The Penny Pincher’s Passport to Luxury Travel and you may find yourself wallowing in the pleasures of luxury without breaking the bank--especially if you travel often and stick like glue to one company. Grateful airlines and hotels often respond to such brand loyalty with free seat or room upgrades, the first steps towards living the life of Riley at the same cost as those Joes cramped behind in coach. Widzer--with a business degree from Pepperdine, a career in marketing, and a million-mile award from his chosen airline--knows all the ropes when it comes to the business side of traveling in comfort, and explains how to ask the appropriate questions to get the desired results. If you’re paying full price because you booked last minute, for example, asking for perks often gets you luxury extras. Widzer shares strategies for saving money depending on if the dollar is strong or weak; regularly obtaining airline seat, hotel room, and car rental upgrades; effectively voicing (and being compensated for) complaints, as well as knowing whom to tip when. With an appendix of travel resources, this is the book for those willing to do their homework to win the prize. --Stephanie Gold

Although its emphasis is on getting a good deal, this no-nonsense guide steers people firmly away from no-frills travel and points them toward the wonders of first-class accommodations and preferential treatment. Readers will acquire an intimate knowledge of the art of luxury travel: how and when to visit the most desirable destinations; the role frequent-user programs play; the importance of building long-term relationships with elite travel companies; avoiding scams; and finding shortcuts through the labyrinth of airline and hotel rules. The result? Exceptional service and amenities, hotel and airline upgrades, and the sense of empowerment and freedom that comes from avoiding inhospitable employees and the annoying hassles regularly inflicted on the masses. Written in a refreshingly down-to-earth style, the book explains exactly what to do and how to do it, and is filled with engaging true-life travel anecdotes. Appendices list important phone numbers and websites, and compare major frequent-user programs.