Warning … American Express Travel

Are you traveling outside the United States and need foreign currency?  Beware!

We are traveling to three eastern European countries the 30th of June.  So, as I usually do, I exchanged/purchased foreign currency prior to our trip.  There are many benefits:

• You don’t have to wonder whether or not you are getting a good rate from one of the many currency exchanges that you find in Europe.
• When you land in your host country, you are ready to start spending money!  Splurge and take a taxi!
• There are all types of security concerns … for instance, is this exchange legitimate or is this a real ATM or is it just recording my financial information.
• Not every establishment accepts credit cards.  The same is true in the United States.
• Hotels sometimes do not offer the best rates.
• Beware of vendor who accept your home currency, such as US dollars, you will always get a bad exchange.

In the past, I have used AAA, but they can be expensive and they sell currencies in pre-packaged packs.  So, this year I decided to purchase Euros from American Express.  I though, wow, you are so smart.  Wrong!

If you purchase currency from American Express, you better be ready to stay at home and wait for UPS to deliver your money.  There is no option but delivery to your billing address.  I understand that this is money that can get lost or stolen.  I understand.  But, you have no option to pick your package up from your local UPS center!  Nowhere is this mentioned on the website.  It doesn’t even say that they will ONLY ship to your billing address.

Customer service at American Express Travel is terrible.  The representative that I spoke with gave me one option, “return to sender.”  This is not a tenable option.  I leave home in 3 days!  The representative and the manager seem to expect me to know their policy with UPS, which also is not listed anywhere on their website.  So, what am I going to do!  Wait at home, miss work, and get further behind in projects than I already am!

American Express Travel, let me know the full policy, so I can make an informed decision.  I had the option of going to a local American Express Travel office, but decided that the convenience of delivery was better.  I was wrong!  Maybe?

Warning … think twice about using American Express Travel to order foreign currency or traveler’s cheques.  By the way, traveler’s cheques are becoming a currency of the past.  I bought this type of currency several years ago and fewer and fewer shops and institution will exchange this currency compared to the first time that I used them.  The last time that I used this currency I had to go to a bank in Greece.

The other lesson … don’t wait until the last minute.  American Express Travel won’t necessarily help!

InsideTrip … a new way to search for flights

I am not a big fan of info-posts, but InsideTrip may be worthy.  This sight … still in beta … allows you to search for flights based on the criteria of speed, comfort, and ease.  Each category lets you further specify more criteria.  In other words, you get to search based on more than price, which is, of course, important.

Just to test this innovative service, I searched for an one way trip from Lexington, KY to Los Angeles, CA.  I have already booked this flight.  The second choice the InsideTrip provided was the one that I purchased.  Not bad.  The one concern that I have is that the purchasing engine or service is Orbitz … I have not had much luck making travel arrangement through Orbitz.

Word of caution, if you navigate away from the site, such as to InsideTrip’s blog, it can be a little tricky returning to the site … InsideTrip, put a link back to the site on your blog!

Lodging in Europe … the European way

Finding a place to stay in Europe or anywhere can be a challenge, especially if you are making your own lodging arrangements, which we like to do.  But, one reason we have a challenge in finding a place to stay has to do with avoiding American chain hotels … not that there’s anything wrong with American hotels, we stay in American chain hotels all the time in the United States.  But, why stay in an American hotel in Europe.  Part of the experience of visiting Europe is staying in a European owned hotel.  We are big fans of the European breakfast.  [Just an aside, we don't travel thousands of miles to stay in a hotel, but we do need rest after a day's exploration.]

So, how do we pick European hotels?

• First, we check Frommer’s or Fodor’s [usually Frommer's].  Frommer’s is not always 100% reliable.  When we were in Lisbon, Portugal, both Dom Pedro and the York House receive 2 out of 3 stars.  Dom Pedro deserved the rating, if not better, the York House did not.  [The York House had character, history, and great food, just crummy rooms.]

• After checking Frommer’s or a similar travel site, we visit Expedia to read what other travelers have said about the hotel.  Again, not all travelers are reliable, so we consider a “preponderance” of opinions.
• We tend to make reservations with hotels that have websites, but if the hotel does not have a site, it’s not the end of the deal.  A hotel that does not have external photographs is probably not likely to get our money.
• We tend to make reservations through Expedia or Travelocity, but if we have to make reservations through the hotel, they have to have a secure site and accept credit cards.  There are many hotels that take reservations through a non-secure site … no thank you.  Our credit cards provide some relief if things do not work out.
• We also consider location.  In Europe, public transportation is very reliable and extensive … unless there’s a strike, so you don’t have to stay in the center of the city or have a car.  Just pick a location near a metro station.
• Services, such as a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, are important too.  While we don’t necessarily prefer to eat lunch or dinner at a hotel restaurant, sometimes, it is necessary, and sometimes these restaurants have really good food.  We like to stay somewhere where there is a staff to ask questions.

These are some of the criteria we use to select a hotel when traveling abroad and for the most part it has worked for us.  We hope our luck continues for Europe 2008!

Traveling to Europe without breaking the bank

This summer we are traveling to Europe and will be visiting three countries:  Austria, the Czech Republic, and Hungry.  We are traveling while the dollar is very weak compared to the Euro … and most other currencies, but we are traveling anyway and intend to do so as if the dollar was strong.

Yesterday, I suggested that using Europe’s extensive rail system is one way to minimize or decrease your transportation costs and it truly is.  Of course, time is always a factor, as in, do you have enough time to take the train.

Another way travel suggestions is to stay in a neighborhood outside the city center.  Europe has an excellent public transportation system.  There are usually excellent and authentic cafes near hotels outside the city center if the hotel does not have a restaurant.  Of course, you don’t want to be 50 miles aways and you have to be smart about the area you are staying … just as you would at home.  I am a big believer in reading travel blogs about other travelers experiences.  Some you have to be judicious about believing, but they tend to be very helpful.  Expedia and Frommer’s tend to be the best sites to explore.  Frommer’s has suggested some questionable places, so always cross-reference with what other travelers have said.

So, my suggestions for lodging is to avoid the city center, American chain hotels [which typically are more expensive], and full service hotels [bellhop, concierge, and so forth].  Look for hotels that are near metro stops and that show pictures of the inside as well as the outside.  I am always concerned when a hotel doesn’t provide pictures.  I also consider it a positive if the hotel allows me to book my room through a travel service, such as Expedia or Travelocity, or if the hotel accepts credit cards through their SECURE site.

Europe 2008 … travel planning

July 2008, I will be visiting three countries in Europe:  Austria, the Czech Republic, and Hungry.  Of course, I am traveling during a time when the dollar is very weak against the Euro.  The last time I was in Europe, June 2007, the dollar was much stronger.  So, what are we going to do so that we travel in the style that we like?

Many think that traveling to Europe or outside their home country is expensive … and it is!  But, international travel is not prohibitively expensive.  Well, the most expensive component of most trips is actually getting there, that is, air travel cost.  So, I am going to talk about transportation in this post. 

Our trip to Europe this summer is complicated because we are traveling from one domestic airport and returning to another and we are also arriving in one international airport and departing from another.  In reservation talk, we are planning a multiple city flight.  Oh yeah, I’m making all the arrangements too … for those who do not want to engage in teh agnozing process of searching for a flight may want to consult a travel agency.  I’m not the biggest fan of travel agencies when it comes to planning an entire trip, for example, lodging, activities, and so forth.  Last year, my trip was just too complicated for me to plan myself, so I had United make my flight arrangements. 

So, in searching for the best deals, I checked Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, and the major domestic airlines with service to Vienna.  This time Travelocity offered the best flights.  Travelocity was over $2,500 less expensive.  Wow!  When it comes to airlines book early, watch fares, and consider a frequent flyer program or an awards program.  Using reward points I saved almost $800.  [Yeah, there are issues with thess programs, which is why you have to do your homework.  American Express is excellent.  By the way, I do not work for American Express.]

In the past when I have visited multiple countries during one visit, I have used that countries domestic airline, but this time I thought what about using Europe’s rail.  Wise decison and much less expensive than an airline ticket.  Besides, if you have the time, you get to see more of the country this way too.  Europe’s rail system is also much better connected than what we have in the U.S.  Rail Europe provides official fares and schedules for Europe’s rail system.  Of course, you can buy your rail passes and make reservations securely at the site.  Do your homework here to find the best pass for your trip.  In our case, it is the European East Pass.  If you want to ride coach, a pass for 5 days use within a month will cost you around $220 and a first class pass will cost you around $330.  Much less expensive than an airline ticket and not much more timely when you consider having to check-in at the airport and retrieve your bags.  Remember to make your reservations.  Rail passes only provide access to trains, but does not promise you a seat on a particular train.  It’s been quite some time since I have taken an European rail, but the views are often beautiful.

So, if time permits and funds are limited, consider taking the train.  It may be less confusing and more interesting than a flight.

Why don’t airlines make sense?

Recently, as in yesterday, I had to make airline reservations to Atlanta.  My reservations where under the 21 day rule for lower fares.  This I have no problem with.  Well, I have a little problems, because it cost so much more money!  But I can understand, well not really, but as travelers, we know that the later you wait the more expensive the ticket can be.  Of course, the opposite happens sometimes too where you get a great deal tickets at the last minute.

What I don’t understand is being able to offer an airline ticket and hotel room for less than the ticket alone.  This is what happened yesterday with Travelocity.  By the way, I could find so such deal on Expedia.  Using the same reservation dates, the airline ticket plus hotel room was half the cost of airline ticket alone.  There was also a car rental plus airline ticket option, but this was “sold out.”  I understand that travel agencies, which Travelocity and Expedia are, in a sense, make these types of deals with airlines and hotels and car rental agencies to help ensure the air plane is full, the hotel is at maximum occupancy, and that all cars are rented. 

So, my question is, if airlines are able to make these deals, what’s the true cost of flying?  Does the airline’s operating expenses increase the later passengers make reservations?  Is the airline industry “putting the squeeze” or taking advantage of passengers who have to make travel arrangement late?  If you are making arrangements two days prior to travel, perhaps you are desperate, do airlines see dollars to be made?  Of course, the opposite is true too, why should the passenger who wait the week before traveling get a better rate than me … just because the airline wants to fill the plane?

Those interesting asterisks

For some reason, I get lots of email offering me inexpensive flights and travel packages.  These deals always look get; however, they almost always have an asterisks.  These asterisks always point you to a more complete explanation of the deal.  For instance, you have to fly out of New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. or some other major airline hub.  Of course, I live in none of these cities.  Sometimes, these deals are also restricted by when you can travel.  Sorry, I can’t travel tomorrow or next week.  My favorite disclaimer is that these flights are one way!  Frequently, all three conditions apply.  Okay, there goes that part of savings.  My least favorite offerings that I get are vacation packages, which include flight and hotel.  No thank you!  Despite my skepticism, occasionally, there are good deals that you through email … I guess that’s why I keep reading them.