Plane? Boat? Train? Car? What do you Prefer?

David · Joined: 04 Apr 2004 Posts: 162

Almost all of the trips I have made have consisted of flying to a destination, renting a car, and then exploring to our hearts content. I've never really tried a train trip or a cruise. What is your favorite way to travel?

MadamSamba · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 4

I have to admit to being in the same boat, David. If you'll excuse the pun... :)
But, having watched one too many Agatha Christie movies, I'd love to travel by train (though I'd pack a can of mace) and being terrified of deep water, there's no way you'd get me on a boat. So until they pefect Star Trek-type transportation, I'm sticking with planes... :)

Spitfire · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 12:14 pm Post subject:

Cross country in my vehicle is my favorite. :D

cocodrilo · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 494 Location: Western Japan

Anything that can get me to my destination. :D

PharCyDe · Joined: 10 Apr 2004 Posts: 64 Location: Tennessee, USA

I mostly go to my destination by flight. I drive sometimes but only if its no more than like 5 hours away. After a few hours of driving I get cramps, plus half the time I end up taking a "shortcut" and end up lost lol.

Laura · Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 446 Location: San Francisco

I like all forms of travel! I honestly can't say that there is one I won't do with for the right price with the right equipment and itinerary. Long drives through the Western US sure beat flying in terms of what you can see. But flying beats driving when it comes to going coast to coast. But a nice ship like the Queen Mary 2 beats flying when it comes to getting from New York to London, but it's also more expensive and takes 5 days. Taking a train across Central Europe is lovely because you can see the beautiful countryside. But given a choice between the Channel Tunnel train and a cheap flight between London and Paris, I'd rather fly because the Chunnel train is expensive and isn't really all that thrilling after all. One thing I really want to do is take a trek with some sort of animal, be it horse, camel, elephant, or whatever! Walking and biking are great too -- I keep hearing about walking and biking tours where you send your luggage on ahead and go from place to place under your own power with just your daypack. Someday I'll do one of these.

Okay, to be super honest my favorite form of travel is when I'm flying and get a magical spontaneous upgrade. I have no idea how or why it happens, but being a high-mileage frequent flyer or travelling with one seems to be the key. I have some other theories I could share if anyone is interested.

Jonathan · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 185

Laura wrote: Okay, to be super honest my favorite form of travel is when I'm flying and get a magical spontaneous upgrade. I have no idea how or why it happens, but being a high-mileage frequent flyer or travelling with one seems to be the key. I have some other theories I could share if anyone is interested.
Yes Laura, please do share... especially as I am unlikely to ever count as a high-mileage frequent flyer or travel with one.

Laura · Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 446 Location: San Francisco

Okay, here are my tips on getting an upgrade:

1) be a high-mileage frequent flyer, or at least travel with one
This is the most important rule. The airlines use upgrades to reward their frequent flyers, so that's your biggest "in." It used to be that miles from anywhere, like credit cards and purchases, would help get you the high mileage status, but over the past few years things have changed so you actually have your butt in that seat to get the "elite" status in the different frequent flyer programs. Learn the different airline alliances (Star Alliance, One World, Continental/Northwest/KLM) and who their airline partners are. Stick to one alliance as much as possible for all your flight needs.

2) have a connecting flight to a transoceanic flight
Assuming you have #1, it seems that the people who have to face getting on another long hour flight are more likely to get upgraded. This has happened to me three of the five times I got spontaneous free upgrades.

3) the cheapest coach tickets are the absolute last to get upgraded, unless you are a high-mileage frequent flyer
The upgrades are awards to loyal customers who spend money, so if you're an infrequent flyer in an heavily discounted seat you really can't expect to get an upgrade.

4) travel at weird times when there's less chance of the cushier seats already being full
I really think that's how I got the another of the 5 upgrades I've managed to score in the past 3 years. I was booked on a Saturday evening flight out of Florida during the Spring Break season. Everyone wants to fly on Sunday nights so they can get the most out of their vacations, so the plane wasn't that full and when I checked in I was automatically upgraded because I had earned high-mileage status on an "airline partner" of the carrier I was flying on.

5) the airline company messes something up and uses it to make amends
One of the times I was upgraded I had purchased a discounted business class ticket. When I checked in there was some weird problem with my ticket. I just stood there very calmly and sweetly while two gate agents and their supervisor figured out how to get Alaska Airlines's computer system to understand what I had bought through Northwest. When the agents got it all figured out one of them said "so, would you like to sit up top" (meaning First Class), and of course I said yes. Granted, this was during the SARS scare, so a bit of rule 4 came into play too.

PharCyDe · Joined: 10 Apr 2004 Posts: 64 Location: Tennessee, USA

Great tips! Your full of very useful information! I would have never have thought of these. Thanks for sharing Laura

cocodrilo · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 494 Location: Western Japan

I've been upgraded numerous times but not on any flights where I've been a member of a frequent flyer program. I fly solo quite often, and if there happens to be a space in business or first class and someone HAS TO get onto that econo flight to be with their spouse or kid, I'm somehow bumped up. This is happening less frequently now as flights have been reduced to cut costs and there are more people wait-listed than there have been in the past. A lot of my firneds who have major miles accumulated often opt for an upgrade, but at their own cost. I have about 13 frequent flyer cards, yet fly so many obscure airlines that it is only every other year or so where I get enought miles for a free flight. (Having a frequent-flyer credit card speeds up matters, though!)

Jonathan · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 185

cocodrilo wrote: (Having a frequent-flyer credit card speeds up matters, though!)
Yep, that's a big one! I'll have to post something about that and other misc. miles in the Air travel forum!

squirrel · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 74 Location: Bucharest, Romania

in my country, we do most of the travelling by train or by car... planes are expensive so they are nit extensively used for domestic transportation... to travel abroad, we mainly use planes or buses... :)

jenn · Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Posts: 10 Location: los angeles

**hello** :D

what about hitchiking? anyone have those stories ? i hear that europe is the safest place to hitchike...at least a few years back...

Laura · Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 446 Location: San Francisco

Hi Jenn! Welcome to the forums! Have you done any hitchhiking? I'd love to hear your stories.

Speaking of modes of transportation, I've got two friends that are going to motorcycle around Scandanavia in the next few weeks. That should be a great trip.

jenn · Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Posts: 10 Location: los angeles

hi laura!
thanks for the welcome...
unfortunately (or fortunately :wink: ) ive never hitchiked, but i know people who have (mostly guys) and they always have great stories.
ive travelled in all the conventional ways, but looking forward to trying the hitchiking someday (preferably with someone)!

jenn