TripIt Pro Adds Seat Alerts

 If you use the popular TripIt program to track your trips, reservations information and where friends are traveling to they just added a new feature to their premium service, TripIt pro (Free 30-day trial and then $49 a year after that), that allows you to track your desired seat and get an alert when it opens up.


(Source: TripIt)

We've all been there, well you upper tier elites may not have this problem, where we have a seat, but it's not the seat we really want. The new seat alert feature on TripIt pro would allow you to put in your travel plans and set a seat alert for your preferred seats and they will send you an e-mail if it opens up.

Features like this are already available through ExpertFlyer, but if you want the other features of TripIt, such as alerts about flight delays, gate changes and cancelations; alternative flights in case you are delayed; a points tracking feature; see if you are elibgible for a refund; share your travel plans with your friends and family; and a 1-year membership to Hertz #1 Club Gold and Regus Gold along with access to 1,200 business lounges worldwide.



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Follow us on Twitter @doit4thepoints! Have a question for us? E-mail us at chris@doitforthepoints.com or jd@doitforthepoints.com

Moving to Seattle via Australia and Asia?

When most people decided to pick up and move they might do it by packing up all of their stuff, trying to fit it all in a U-Hall truck and head across the country to their new home. Well Kelsey and I thought that was kind of boring so we decided to make it a bit more exciting than that. ;)

Next year Kelsey is starting her first year of graduate school and I am going with her. So that means we are packing up or selling all of our things and moving across the country from Washington, D.C. to Seattle. I love Seattle, and it's where my parents live, so I can't wait to get out to the Pacific Northwest. I lived with my parents in the Seattle area for one year before heading off to school in Washington, D.C. But they live almost 30 miles south of the city so I can't wait to actually live in the Seattle proper area. I also can't wait to get involved with the frequent traveler group that is organized by Scottrick at Hack My Trip.

So what does that mean for our blog? Well....Do It For the Points! is becoming a bicostal blog. JD and I love this hobby, and we really enjoy writing this blog. Since we started writing it we have met so many great people in this community that we can't imagine not continuing with the blog. Plus we see it as a benefit. JD can give you the east coast perspective and I can give you the perspective of moving to a new coast, dealing with a new airport and deciding if I am going to switch my primary airline (more on that later).

But back to our new and innovative way to move! If you have been reading in the past few months you might have seen Kelsey's series on how we booked our trip in July to Australia. The route out is on oneworld partners and the route back is on Star Alliance partners. We have also managed to get an amazing routing on the way back that is going to allow us to stop in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vancouver (via Beijing) before landing in Seattle. When we originally booked the trip we didn't know where we would be moving this summer so we planned a stop-over in Seattle to visit my parents. As it became clear that the Emerald City was calling our name we decided to just cut off our return to Washington, D.C. and settle back in our new home. So yes, we really are moving from Washington, D.C. via Dallas, Brisbane, Sydney, Cairns, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing and Vancouver...that's normal isn't it?




 But here's where I need your help. We have decided to pack up and sell most of our furniture and purchase new furniture when we arrive in Seattle so we don't need a moving company. But we are planning on shipping two cars from DC and shipping most of our clothes and other possessions...so I was hoping that some of you travelers out there might have suggestions on how you have moved in the past or companies that you could recommend?

Also...if anyone knows of anyone hiring for a public relations/social media professional in the Seattle area, please let me know!


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Follow us on Twitter @doit4thepoints! Have a question for us? E-mail us at chris@doitforthepoints.com or jd@doitforthepoints.com

Average Hotel Room That Deserves 5 Stars

On our trip to Colorado Springs, Chris and I decided to stay at the Doubletree and not at the conference hotel, Cheyenne Mountain Resort. Looking back, we probably should have stayed at the hotel and saved us late night car rides back to the hotel

The Doubletree is located right off the exit for 25, which one takes from the airport and sandwiched between many big box stores. It’s a fairly large hotel.

The weekend, we were in Colorado Springs, happened to be the beginning of the Wounded Warrior games. It is a great event and one can learn more here.

The Doubletree happened to be one of the hotels that hosted families of the athletes participating in the games. Therefore, the hotel was crowded and had tons of activity in its lobby with various representatives of Veteran’s organizations having booths.

The hotel has two shuttles that pick-up and drop off to the airport.

Due to the large number of people coming in for the games, both shuttles were in use. Chris and I got a rental car for the weekend, but its nice to know that option was available, because the airport is about a 15 minute drive from the hotel. From what I saw, both drivers brought bottle water and the famous cookies for people to snack on in the vans. I don’t know if this is a normal occurrence or special for this weekend.

We check-in slightly after 2pm on a Friday. The check-in process took longer than expected because they were so crowded and many rooms were not cleaned. As we waited, the line behind us started to grow to almost 10 people waiting to check-in. Out of nowhere, three additional staff members came to check people in. To help the process, one employee went to those waiting in line to get their names and get the keys to their rooms ready before they reach the check-in line. This proactive service was something I saw all weekend with the staff at the Doubletree. We came back to the lobby 15 minutes after we check-in to leave for the conference and the line was gone…so their system must have worked.

Our room was on the 5th floor and had two double beds:

As you cans see the hotel room was average: a good sized TV, large desk, two comfy beds, and plenty of easy to reach electrical outlets. The room served its purpose, a place to sleep, shower, and dress. What more could one ask? The refrigerator and microwave were nice touches, but we did not use either.

Another major plus was the glass door. The hotel is located right next to a major road, but we never heard the noise. At night, I heard nothing except the sound of Chris snoring. The immediate view was less than desirable.

But step out on the balcony and look left and all I can say is WOW!

Yes, this view amazed me. I am a city boy, so we don’t get these views from a hotel balcony. Both Chris and I were awed just looking up to the sky and seeing the stars. It’s the little things that amaze us.

As Gold members in Hilton's loyalty program, we got two bottles of water and daily breakfast buffet in the hotel restaurant:

The buffet consist of hot and cold items:

The food was average and not very good. However, they had a wide choice of food which was appreciated. 

Right off the lobby was a business center with a Mac computer, 2 PCs, a printer and fax machine:

Keri from Heels First Travel, who stayed at the hotel, mentioned that their was a pool, but it was closed for renovations.

Why might you ask that I gave this average hotel 5 stars? The answer can not be shown in pictures: it was the service. The staff at the Doubletree was amazing. Absolutely, amazing. The hotel was extremely full which normally would throw staffs off their game. However, many of the guests staying this weekend had special needs. From those checking guests in and those working the restaurant, the staff went above an upon the call of duty to help everyone. For example, one morning, I saw a staff person help a blind gentlemen food from the buffet. Another time, we saw a staff member give a dog bone to a service dog.  

On top of that, every single staff person I interacted with greeted me with a hello and smile. The hotel had a warm feeling throughout. Even thought, it was an average product, the staff made it feel like a 5 Star Hotel.

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

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

Will Travel For Food: The Doughnut Burger

On our weekend in Colorado Springs, Chris and I made a visit to Crave Burgers.

Crave Burgers has three locations in Colorado. The one in Colorado Springs is located about 25 minutes away from the airport.

The restaurant felt like it was in New York City with exposed ceilings, metal paneling on the wall and the bright openness to it:

However, the reason why I came to Crave was not its aesthetics, but the food. I saw Crave on the Food Network, but I don't remember which show. After watching this mystery food show, Crave immediately went on the my travel food bucket list.

I started with one of their most famous milkshakes: Velvet Elvis - Pecan Praline Ice Cream, peanut butter, banana and bacon

This shake was AMAZING! I don't like the taste of banana normally, but this shake was great. The pecan ice cream combined with bacon and peanut butter was the perfect combo.

For the main course, Chris went with the Kentucky. A fried chicken burger with avocado  bacon, tomato and lettuce. He enjoyed the burger, a lot. He ordered it with a side of fried pickles, which were delicious. Most fried pickles I had are soggy in the middle; these were super crispy and amazing. 

                                               

                                                                      

While, I order two different burgers. My first burger was the Luther: bacon, cheddar, egg and onion sandwiched between 2 glazed donuts:

This is the burger that I wanted to try the most. It was a let down. The doughnuts overpowered the burger as  it was to sweet. The sweetness made the taste of the burger and egg disappear.

My second burger, the Fatty Melt, was so much better. The Fatty Melt is a bacon cheeseburger with tomato and pickles between two grilled cheese sandwiches.

This burger will be appearing in my weekend lunch rotation very soon. The burger shined and was delicious. Yum, Yum, Yum... My only compliant is I wished the grilled cheese was cooked a little more. 

I got both of my burgers with fries. They were good, but nothing to write home about. For a little extra, one can get sweet potatoes fries, but I am not a fan of sweet potatoe fries. Can't explain why I don't like them, I just don't.

The cost is about $10 for a burger and $5 for a milkshake. Not cheap by burger standards by any notion, but what you are paying a premium for is quality and quirkiness. I would pay $10 for a quality quirky burger any day of the week.

On the way out I saw pictures on two different walls and inquired about them. Supposedly, Crave Burger has a food challenge:  Big Bad Wolf Challenge. The Big Bad Wolf Challenge requires a challenger to eat 3 loaded 3 Little Pig Burgers in 45 minutes, without restroom breaks. Winners get this shirt:

And their picture on this wall:

\

Losers pay $25 and get their picture on this wall:

On my way out, an employee told me that they have 150 more LOSER pictures to add to the wall. My guess is that its difficult.

Crave Burger is awesome! If I am ever close to one again, I will defiantly be visiting again. Two thumbs way up!

The website does not have menus, so I took some pictures for yall:

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

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

United Club Card First Year Free

Important Note: We talk about credit card sign-up bonuses on our blog because they are an important part of the “game.” Any credit card links in this post will be public application links taken from the issuer's direct website. We do not earn income from you applying from the links. Similarly, please take an extra minute or two before applying for credit cards. If you do not pay your credit card balance off every month then you should stay away from this aspect of the game. Credit cards can lead to major long-term problems if not used correctly. I encourage you to read JD's post on Young People and the Chains of Credit Card Debt for more details.  

I was looking at an upcoming reservation on my United account and noticed a little ad that I haven't seen in a while. It looked like this:

When I clicked through to the Chase website (I don't know if this link will work for everyone, I just copy and pasted it in) it showed that I could apply for the Chase United MileagePlus Club card and the annual fee, usually $395 for the first year, would be free.

It seem that the offer is targeted toward elite members, because when I go to an incognito window on Chrome the offer changes back to the $100 statement credit after a first purchase offer. So if you are an elite, make sure you go to the United website, log in and look for the banner ad for one of the credit cards. You can access the Club Card application from the Chase page.

Remember that the Club Card offers the following benefits:

Club Card Travel*

• United Club^SM membership - up to a $500 value per year

  The primary cardmember and eligible travel companions will enjoy unlimited access to all United Club locations and participating Star Alliance^® affiliated lounges worldwide. Visitwww.united.com/unitedclub for more information.

• Premier Access^SM Travel Services

  Receive preferential treatment to ease your way through the airport with priority check-in, security screening (where available), boarding and baggage handling privileges.

• First and second checked bags free - savings of up to $240 per roundtrip

  The primary Cardmember and one companion traveling on the same reservation will receive their first and second standard checked bags free on United-operated flights when purchasing tickets with their Club Card. See united.com/chasebag for details.

• No foreign transaction fees^†

  Purchases made with your Club Card outside the U.S. will not be subject to foreign transaction fees.

• Enjoy Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection privileges

  Stay in style with room upgrades, complimentary daily breakfast for two, early check-in, late checkout and other amenities at more than 700 luxury hotels and resorts worldwide.

• Receive special treatment with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts^® and Avis^®

  Accept our invitation to join Avis^® First and also enjoy automatic Platinum membership in the Hyatt Gold Passport^® global loyalty program.

Club Card Rewards*

• 50% mileage bonus - Earn 1.5 award miles per dollar spent. That’s a 50% bonus on the 1 mile per dollar you typically earn. Earn even more on tickets purchased from United - 2 miles per dollar spent.
• Any seat, anytime, with your miles
• Accepted in more locations
• Your miles don't expire
• No close-in award booking fees

If you are a United/Star Alliance flyer and you are looking for lounge access, this could be a card to consider.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Follow us on Twitter @doit4thepoints! Have a question for us? E-mail us at chris@doitforthepoints.com or jd@doitforthepoints.com

10,000 Gold Points for 2-Night Club Carlson Stay

 

Mommy Points has the latest on the newly announced Club Carlson stay promotion. From May 13 - June 21 you can earn 10,000 points if you have a two (2), or more, night consecutive stay. You can register here.

In my opinion Club Carlson points are very valuable and they are very easy to earn, so this is something that you should consider looking into and checking to see if it would be mattress run worthy or if it would fit into exsisting hotel needs.

Looking at the Washington, D.C. area I found that the Country Inn and Suites was available this Friday-Sunday for an average of $96.75 per night. So depending on your Club Carlson status that could net you a different amount of points:

Red Members:
1,000 pts for booking online
3,870 pts on the room rate at 20x per dollar spent
10,000 pts for the promotion
Total: 14,870 for $212.85 spent after taxes and fees

Silver Members:
2,000 pts for booking online
3,870 pts for the room rate at 20x per dollar spent
10,000 pts for the promotion
967.50 pts for the 25% bonus as a Silver Member
Total: 16, 837.5 for $212.85 spent after taxes and fees

Gold Members (Status Level for Club Carlson Visa Holders):
2,000 pts for booking online
3,870 pts for the room rate at 20x per dollar spent
1,935 pts for the 50% bonus as a Gold Member
10,000 pts for the promotion
Total: 17, 805 for $212.95 spent after taxes and fees

Concierge Members:
3,000 pts for booking online
3,870 pts for the room rate at 20x per dollar spent
2,902.5 pts for the 75% bonus as a Concierge Member
10,000 pts for the promotion
Total: 19,772.5 for $212.95 spent after taxes and fees

If you are a Club Carlson Visa (link taken directly from Club Carlson website) cardholder and you use your Visa to pay for the night you will also receive 10x per dollar spent. 

Club Carlson has a great award chart and some wonderful hotels all around the world. So this promotion could put you well on your way to a free night for a future stay. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Follow us on Twitter @doit4thepoints! Have a question for us? E-mail us at chris@doitforthepoints.com or jd@doitforthepoints.comjd@doitforthepoints.com

BAcon: Thank You Randy!

This past weekend, we were invited to the first ever Boarding Area Conference: #BAcon, in Colorado Springs, as one of 10 guest bloggers. It was amazing to meet so many people dedicated to the hobby of points and miles, but more importantly, dedicated to making friends in this hobby and sharing their expertise with others. I can fully say that we both walked away with so many new friends and so many new ideas. We will be making a few changes in the next few months to take Do It For The Points! to a new level. But more on that later...

Who we really most need to thank though is Randy and the Boarding Area staff for their hospitality and generosity over the weekend. Everyone knows, or hopefully has heard, how wonderful Randy Petersen is but you have no idea until you spend some time with him. He loves this hobby and he loves everyone who participates in this community. But what is the most amazing about Randy is how much he clearly loves life. His passion, his dedication and his love is always out there and always put forward. Randy, thank you for your kindness this weekend and for everything that you do for this community.

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

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