Before We Talk About Your Next Flight, Let’s Talk Politics and Religion

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And 32 upgrade roads less traveled.

Some of my views on politics and religion can change by the month, if not by the week, and sometimes on a dime. As I’m exposed to new ideas or information, my perspectives alter.

I can’t help it; it’s how I’m wired!

Is that the case with most people? I suspect not. Many seem to have such well-entrenched opinions that they only look for information that reinforces them. Psychologists call this confirmation bias.

So what about travel? After 21+ years of doing what I do, I see a clear attitudinal difference. There are essentially two types or travelers and most fall into the category of doing what they’ve always done when it comes to travel—a form of confirmation bias. Then there are the folks we like to call “Airficionados” who think differently. For them, the process of travel is one of possibilities.

It’s an open and shut case—of the mind that is.

Now, most travelers fall into that close-minded group and that’s fine. But here at First Class Flyer, we think they’re missing out on an Aladdin’s Cave of opportunity. I don’t want to sound preachy on this, but it does go to the heart of what we do: pointing out the more lucrative roads-less-traveled so you can have a trip worth remembering.

We see these open-minded thinkers as having “The Upgrade Mindset”.

Does it mean they have to do a lot more work? Not usually. We do it for them. Closed—or open-minded—people spend time booking travel. In fact, while some may perceive FCF’s Upgrade Strategies as taking more time to implement, according to an IBM survey 45% of travelers spend four or more hours shopping and/or booking flights; so getting much more for the same effort (or much less effort) isn’t that difficult! 

I Want To Be an Open-Minded OPPORTUNITY Traveler;
How Can I Dip My Toe in?

The simplest example: When prompted to think of a tropical paradise, most American minds default to Hawaii or the Caribbean. But have you ever seen the movie Jurassic Park? The opening sequence was shot in Costa Rica. It’s a spectacularly beautiful country and also currently selling at $541 round-trip in Business Class on Delta from San Francisco, compared with $1,100 to Hawaii. It’s a beautiful, tropical, low-cost “road-less-traveled” destination. (And, no, there aren’t any dinosaurs.)

Think of it as a First Class vacation for the price of a coach class vacation. Plus, being a new place, it comes with the unexpected and inevitably accompanying inspiration.

“Open-minded” means being flexible, and sometimes, a little adventurous. Are you? Among our readers, we’ve found that the more open-minded about travel they are, the more open minded they want to be because the benefits are addictive.

Open Your Eyes

When you’ve got your mind set on one thing, it’s easy to completely miss that extraordinary something else. For a novel look at “selective vision,” check out this short video:

YouTube video

Open-Minded Quick Quiz

If you saw a deal that required barely any more effort to grab:

  1. Would you change to a different destination (hello Costa Rica!)—to fly Business Class for the price of coach?
  2. Change credit cardsso that you have 300% more First Class partner transfer opportunities?
  3. Tack on a leisure side-trip to the Caribbean or Mexico—to save over 50% on domestic First Class?
  4. Consider dropping the elite-status illusionto be a free agent with endless opportunities? Elite is now e-lite.
  5. Use a little-utilized Amex points partner—to get a Round-the-World ticket for less than Delta charges for simple round-trips? Ker-ching.
  6. Consider adding a second or third destination / open-jaw to your ticket—to lower your airfare by 50%?
  7. Use a foreign airline’s miles (and an Amex points partner) for domestic U.S., Canada, Caribbean and Mexico flights—to get First Class for about the same price as coach?
  8. Think more about buying miles than you do earning themto get international First Class the world over at up to 90% off? It’s one of the best strategies I know and so little used.
  9. Think about flying on short noticeto make using your miles a walk in the park?
  10. Use miles for an upgrade rather than a free ticket—to net better availability and elite credit?
  11. Plan your trip’s dates when airlines offer their lowest fares? Rather than what most do: the exact opposite.
  12. Think “connecting-city first”to get free in-class upgrades to Hawaii?
  13. Fly via Canada to Asia—to get six destinations for the price of one? It’s our slapshot slingshot game-winner.
  14. Book two (completely different) itineraries / trips on one ticket—to get Business Class for $624.25 per leg?
  15. Book the scenic route—to net free side-Continent trips? Love that view.
  16. Book two different cabins—so no upgrade dollar goes to waste?
  17. Book a different bucket-list destinationto save 50% or net bonus cities? 
  18. Change your ticket close to departure—to save big or upgrade from Business Class to First with your savings?
  19. Stop using an American Airlines credit cardto fly Business Class for the price of coach?
  20. Think about partner opportunities instead of the usual American-, Delta-, and United-think—to open up availability of mileage tickets 100,000%+.
  21. Stop using a Delta credit cardto get less-than-free upgrades?
  22. Don’t think you need to fly to the Middle East—or pay $30,000to experience Emirates First Class, in-flight showers, from the U.S.?
  23. Instead of using American or Delta miles, consider using this Starwood partner or that oneto get two Business Class tickets for the price of one?
  24. Stop using a United credit card—to fly Business Class for the price of coach?
  25. Not be content with a great Biz Class farein order to upgrade to First cheaply? That’s an up-Up-Grade.
  26. Start searching for one-way tickets instead of round-trips—in order to skyrocket your odds of a deal?
  27. Put multiple tickets on holdso the best fares don’t slip through your fingers?
  28. Fly when airlines offer great dealsinstead of when hotels, resorts, cruise lines, or tour operators offer deals? Maximize your dealability.
  29. Start booking your tickets from a destination you fly frequently—to get two tickets or three for the price of one?
  30. Hold mileage award space before you’re ready to confirm—so that using your miles for discount availability is never an issue?
  31. Transfer Starwood Starpoints to Marriott points before transferring to airline miles—to net free or super-cheap hotel stays at Ritz-Carltons?
  32. Book air-and-land togetherto save over 50% on Delta domestically?

If you answered yes to just one of these questions, there’s hope. If yes to more than one, then you’re already opening your mind to possibility. If only politics and religion could be so simple.

Each of these questions relates to strategies we talk about every month here at FCF. At a glance they might seem too hard or too weird. But they’re not when you really look at them, just as so many of our Airficionados do.

And remember another major tenet of The Upgrade Mindset: Don’t give a second thought to novel ideas you can’t use, just think about the ones you can use! Do this and you’ll be ahead of most people.

What’s your perspective?

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