10 Travel Secrets of Frequent Fliers

Jane Levere February 2, 2007

PAGES: 1 2

See our slideshow of Travel Like The Pros.

Meanwhile, Sue Harmsworth, chief executive of Espa, a U.K.-based spa consultancy that has advised luxury hotel companies like Peninsula, Four Seasons, Bulgari and Mandarin Oriental, recommends Espa’s Floral SpaFresh Spritzer, made of distillate of flower waters, to stay hydrated while flying. If you don’t wear moisturizer and spritz with regular water, she said, it will evaporate and you will become even more dehydrated.

Kevin Swanepoel, a frequent traveler to Asia who is president of the One Club, an organization that honors excellence in advertising, even finds relief from the rigors of flying at airports: At Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, for example, he’s a devotee of the day rooms, which he rents to sleep or rest, and shower. He also swears by the massages available there.

Staying on top of things technological is always vital. To do this, our travelers recommend everything from air cards sold by cell-phone service providers for instant Internet access practically everywhere, to an iGo power adapter that can be plugged in anywhere to recharge multiple electronic devices, to restaurant blogs, like Eater.com, that will help you check out the best places to dine in the cities you’re visiting.

We’ve also collected tips from two of the country’s leading travel-loyalty program gurus. One is Petersen; the other is Tim Winship, who once helped Singapore Airlines, Air Nippon Airways and Hilton Hotels set up their loyalty programs and who now publishes FrequentFlier.com.

Winship urges frequent fliers to concentrate on gaining the highest tier of elite status -- e.g., American’s AAdvantage Executive Platinum -- in only one airline program, rather than on becoming an elite participant in several.

“A lot of people get entry level elite status in one program and then do the same for a second or third. These days, the odds of getting upgraded are increasingly dependent on how high a tier you have as an elite member. If you’re a top-tier elite, that’s where you stand to get the most upgrades,” he said.

So buckle up and get ready for what should be an informative flight.

See our slideshow of Travel Like The Pros.

PAGES: 1 2

Find Airline Tickets on Yahoo Travel»