2013: A Look Back

Overall, 2013 was a great year. It was filled with tons of travel, earning lots of points/miles and Do It For The Points turning 1.

Even though I had a great year, I wanted 2013 to end. Staring at the beginning of November, I had this strange desire for 2013 to end. No real reason for this desire, but just this urge to start 2014.

Before closing out 2013, I have one last things to do. Its time to look back on what I accomplished in 2013. I know people don't like these posts, because its people bragging about what they did. However, this post isn't for you. Its for me. Frequently, I write that this blog is a journal for the future. So future JD, here is what you did in 2013:

In 2013, you wrote here that your travel goals for the year were as followed:

1) Visit either South America or Australia in Business Class 

2) Revisit Europe or Africa (in any class)

3) Try at least 1 new airline

4) Visit one state, in the USA, that I have never been to

5) Do one thing I haven't done in Washington, DC each month and report back

6) 600,000 miles/points earned

7) Create and stay within a travel budget


How did I do, not to well:


1) Visited South America With Mom - Win!

2) Revisit Europe or Africa (in any class) - Fail!

3) Try One New Airline - Fail!

4) Visit One State, in the USA, that I have never been to - Texas & Colorado - Win!

5) Do 1 Thing I haven't done in DC each month - Fail!

6) Earn 600,000 Points or Miles - Smashed it ~ 865,000, this year

7) Create and stay within a travel budget - utter fail!


Accomplishing 3 out of 7 goals isn't a great record. However, I believe I accomplished much more than the my goals show. For one, I boarded an  airplane each month of 2013 and flew just under 40,000 miles. Not a huge number compared to other frequent flyers, but I paid for each of those flights with my own money or points/miles.

Another major accomplishment was taking my mom to Buenos Aires. This was her first trip outside of the United States and her first time in Business Class. She had an amazing trip. My favorite moment was when my mom said, "I have never stayed in a hotel that gives you bathrobes." That one little statement made me smile and knew the trip was well worth it.

Finally, 2013 was a full year of blogging. Never though I could write this much and so often. The strange thing is that I love doing this. I don't know if I have a niche yet or even a voice people want to hear. However, if you are still reading this, then you must find me either interesting or feel bead for me.

Time to close 2013 and move on to 2014....

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Follow me on Twitter @doit4thepoints!

Earn up to 11 MileagePlus Miles Per $1 Spent with Marriott

Earlier this month, United and Marriott decided to hook-up and start a very unique partnership. You can read about it here, here, and here. This post isn't about that partnership, but what has resulted in that partnership.

One of the outcomes of the partnership is the ability to earn up to 11 miles per $1 spent at Marriott.

Earlier this week, Loyalty Lobby wrote about an offer that earns United Award Miles for every dollar spent on Marriott gift cards. From August 7th until September 7th, you can earn up to 5 MileagePlus miles per $1 spent on gift cards up to 7,500 miles.

I purchased Marriott Gift Cards for the holidays last year. These are actual gift cards, not e-gift cards. You will receive your purchase in the mail. The cheapest option for delivery only cost $1 and gets the card to you in less than 10 business days.

My plan is to use the gift cards for future hotel stays. Gift cards can't be used for prepaid nights. However, some people have indicated that they have gotten local hotel staff to reverse prepaid hotel stay charges allowing guests to use a Marriott gift card.

+ 5 Miles Per $1


Pay for the gift cards with your Chase Sapphire Card. Since you are buying directly from Marriott, you will earn 2 Ultimate Reward Points per $1. Ultimate Reward points can be transferred to MileagePlus miles at a 1:1 ratio


+2 Miles Per $1

When its time to book your Marriott stay, go through the Ultimate Reward Shopping Portal. Currently, you can earn 2 Ultimate Reward Points per $1 spent by going through the Portal. Points are only earned on the base rate of the hotel, not the taxes. You will need to put a credit card down to hold the room. The gift cards won't work to hold your reservation, but you can pay with the gift card later.

+2 Miles Per $1

The final piece of the puzzle involves earning United MileagePlus miles; instead, of Marriott Reward points. Stays at JW Marriott, Autograph Collection, Renaissance Hotels, Marriott Resorts, Ritz-Carlton, Edition, and Gaylord hotels earn 2 miles per US$ spent. Stays at all other Marriott chains earn only 1 mile per US$.

United miles can only be earned for Marriott stays, if you switch your earning preference. To do this, sign into your Marriott Reward account and go to "My Account Overview."

Click on the Member Profile button:

 Now, click on Earning Preferences:

Finally, choice airline miles, pick your preferred airline and enter you frequent flyer number

From now on, you will earn airlines miles; instead, of Marriott Points.

+ Up to 2 Miles Per $1

Let's put it together now:

 +5 Miles - Purchase Gift Cards (Pay for Future Stays with Cards)
 +2 Miles - Purchase Gift Cards with Chase Sapphire
 +2 Miles - Go Through Ultimate Reward shopping portal to Book Hotel Nights
 +2 Miles - Switch earning preference to airline miles - stay at higher level Marriott Hotels
----------

+11 Miles per $1

I have earned miles for each of the steps outlined above and earned miles. The only one I have not tried out is paying for hotel nights with gift cards and earning miles through the Ultimate Reward shopping portal. In theory, it should work.

A few things to remember:

          1) The gift card promotion starts 8/7 and ends 9/7

          2) You need to book your hotel nights through Ultimate Reward Portal

          3) You need to switch your earning preference to airline miles and put in your MileagePlus number

Yes, this is not the easiest way of earning United miles. It has multiple steps and requires some planning in advance. I have two Marriott stays in the next 90 days and I plan on paying them with gift cards, only after booking the stays through the shopping portal. My stays are at lower level Marriott hotels, so I will only earning 10 miles per $1. Still not to shabby . . .

 Is there any better than getting miles for doing what you were planning on doing anyway?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Follow us on Twitter @doit4thepoints! 

 Have a question for us? E-mail me at jd@doitforthepoints.com

Live Like A Local: Opera In The Outfield

One of the tricks I use to stretch my budget on vacation is to seek out free activities. Almost every city has them from concerts and festivals to museums and walking tour. The hard part is finding what a city has to offer for free. One of the first places I look before traveling is the cities' local newspapers' website. Typically, newspapers allow groups to post free events in the lifestyle section. If I find nothing prior to arriving in a city, I immediately search out a small community paper as they always know whats doing within the city.

In Washington, DC, the Washington Post's entertainment section is a great starting place particularly the Going Out Guide. Similarly, the Thursday edition of the Express always has a great section about what is happening that next upcoming weekend. It was Thursday's Express newspaper that brought to my attention the 5th Annual Opera In the Outfield was occurring on Saturday night.

Opera In the Outfield is a collaboration between the Washington Nationals Baseball team and the John F. Kennedy center to simulcast a performance occurring at the Kennedy Center to an audience at National's Stadium. This year's performance was "Show Boat." The event was free and first come, first seated.

Gates opened at 5 pm for a 7 pm show. To get the best seats in the outfield, one needed to get to the stadium early. If you plan on sitting out on the field, bring a few blankets, as no chairs are allowed. However, it rained all day Saturday, so the "best seats" weren't really wanted:

Many people choose to sit in the stands under the overhang, in case of more rain.

The experience was surreal:

2012's show had 12,000 people attend. Last night's was closer to 1,000 most likely due to the cold weather and rain. Those who did not attend missed a great show!

During the bow, all the performers came out with National baseball caps, a nice nod to those of us watching from the stadium. 

It was a very cool experience. Where else can you watch opera, drink a beer and eat chili cheese fries:

I hope you can join us in May 2014 for The Magic Flute!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Follow us on Twitter @doit4thepoints!

 Have a question for us? E-mail us at chris@doitforthepoints.com or jd@doitforthepoints.com