Close-in Booking with Allison Tackette

Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT101” for $10 off your first year. Head to ThriftyTraveler.com for more details and check out their Google Flights guide. Recent finds include:

• Round-trip business class to Japan for $1,925 (or 125,000 points)
• Business class to Hawaii for 55,000 miles
• Business class to Germany for 55,000 points

You can find these at ThriftyTraveler.com/Premium.

Award Travel 101 Podcast Episode 53 Show Notes

We're changing up this week's format, with our very first member interview. Award Travel 101 community member Allison Tackette joins us with tips she's learned over 10 years in the space.

Background

Allison is a former teacher who wanted to get out and see the world, but her time off in the summer often resulted in finding peak season pricing. Travel CAN be expensive if you're always paying cash, but pushing people to the brink helps them get creative!

Introduction to travel rewards and loyalty programs

Is it as simple as asking how to travel for free? In 2013, information was far more scarce than it is today. Now we have tons of resources and the Award Travel 101 Facebook community where you can ask questions and get instant answers.  

Places You Could Return Over and Over

While she enjoys traveling the world, check out why she thinks Japan is the place she could never lose interest in.

Travel style

Allison travels primarily as a solo traveler, but she does travel with family on occasion too.

Deals

Is there anything better than First Class for your first significant redemption? Can you believe that the redemption she made years and years ago, is still the same cost today?

Highlight Feature - Can I book travel inside 60 days (or less)?

Which programs offer you the greatest flexibility? Use these to set yourself up and keep looking as you get close-in. Some of the most aspirational flights and airlines might be found inside 14 days or less including:

• Lufthansa
• ANA
• JAL
• Emirates
• Not airline specific, but unsold business/first flights to Australia and New Zealand often open up around a week out.

Tip of the week

Where to Find Us
For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community.

1. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community We are close to our capacity of 500 members so new memberships will be cut off soon. Don't delay in registering if you want to join!
2. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.
3. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com.
4. Our next meetup is located in SEATTLE on AUGUST 16–18, 2024. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit "Out to SEA" on the award.travel website.

Support the AT101 Podcast/Community

Thanks to our Sponsor Thrifty Traveler
The Award Travel 101 Podcast is brought to you in part by Thrifty Traveler Premium. Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox. Use promo code “AT10” for $10 off your first year. Find them at:
ThriftyTraveler.com/Premium