OK I am curious…..

[Stargazer]

Hi Everyone,
as a newbie to travel I have sat back and read in awe your responses to a range of complex issues and questions. Your knowledge is overwhelming and your technical expertise is incredible. So where does this expertise come from. Is it purely travel experience or do you work (or have worked) in the travel industry. If the latter what role. If your knowledge flows from extensive travel, how long have you been flying and how many trips would you make a year.

 

[Matt_01]

I have never worked in the travel industry. I have been flying for years sometimes more, sometimes less and in the years prior to Covid I would normally rack up north of 130 flights per annum. Most of my knowledge around booking flights came through making the occasional error which cost real money or points. In 2018/19 I had a contract developer (IT) assigned to my team and at some point we were in general discussion, he mentioned he had worked for Amadeus, Sabre, CX and a few other airlines. It is fair to suggest that we traded notes.

I thought I knew a lot about travel and booking flights, however it is sites such as this one that reminds me there is are others that are more knowledgeable than myself.

 

[RooFlyer]

So where does this expertise come from. Is it purely travel experience or do you work (or have worked) in the travel industry.

Over 40 years of international travel, and subscribing to, answering questions on and reading Australian frequent flyer. More the latter than the former.

 

[Hvr]

All of the above and also very important:

Attending AFF functions and meeting people in real life.
For our annual gathering there are often guest speakers from industry who share their knowledge:

AFF Gathering #16 in LST on 13 – 15 October 2023

Launceston has been chosen as the AFF Annual Gathering destination for 2023, occurring over the weekend of the 13 to 15 October. The average temperature range for October is 7ºC – 18.2ºC (November is 9.1ºC to 20.5ºC). The average rainfall is 48mm with 7.5 rainy days. It is Tasmania's second most...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Human]

I’m a teacher and I’ve never worked in the travel industry. I travel domestically a lot (I have an elderly parent in another city whom I visit often) and internationally, on average, once or twice per year. I have also discovered that despite my relatively low income, I find it easy to accumulate hundreds and thousands of frequent flyer points each year through credit cards, FlyBuys etc. I still don’t understand why more people don’t do this, but for some reason it seems that most people don’t find it as easy as I do.

I’ve gained a lot of experience through flying and travelling, but even more from lurking on the forums here and also on Point Hacks.

I wouldn’t say that you need “extensive” travel to accumulate a lot of knowledge. In one sense the law of diminishing returns applies. It’s amazing how few trips you need to take before your colleagues, friends and family come to you for advice because you’re the “seasoned traveller” — and how much you realise you actually know!

 

[Stargazer]

Any more thoughts. I would have expected more replies. Should this have been posted elsewhere, eg member chit chat?

 

[drron]

It is basically all experience. You need to get out and travel. You will make mistakes, everyone does. But if you are sensible this is the best way to learn.

 

[mrsterryn]

Have to say I think the senior members are the ones who pass on the hints and tips and then it keeps on going forward. I had started my international travel before engaging on AFF and it was certainly to my detriment.
Maybe some mistakes I have done will help someone else.

 

[Stargazer]

What amazes me is when FFs refer to Qantas conditions of carriage or related policies. Often your replies are so specific requiring possible interpretation of clauses that demand extensive knowledge. Also am greatly impressed when FFs refer to articles published online which provide answers to questions posed. How do you do it

 

[Human]

What amazes me is when FFs refer to Qantas conditions of carriage or related policies. Often your replies are so specific requiring possible interpretation of clauses that demand extensive knowledge. Also am greatly impressed when FFs refer to articles published online which provide answers to questions posed. How do you do it

I’m sure I’m being extremely unfair, but I’m tempted to say that we’re the ones who paid attention at school and worked enough to reach the required level of literacy to understand T&Cs and other fine print, and who have had our brains trained so that we can recall stuff.

What is probably fairer to say is this: like anything, with effort and motivation and time, it’s something that anyone can get better at.

They say it’s never too late to learn the piano. I’m sure the same applies with growing in travel expertise!

 

[cove]

It is a game where you learn to fly best available for the lowest cost. Lots of attempts with an occasional fail will help you.

 

[BAM1748]

It’s taken me 35 years of travelling, plus my siblings one of whom worked for Thomas Cook and 25 years ago moved to working at an airline.

 

[Quickstatus]

So where does this expertise come from

Travelling but significantly learning from more experienced AFF forum contributors

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Being a sponge, curious, actively seeking and filtering information from this forum, other forums and other sites/sources.

Experimenting to see what happens.

And then most importantly knowing to not hesitate when a bargain or point accumulation opportunity arises.


Procrastinators do not get to sit in the pointy end cheaply, or even at all.

 

[Stargazer]

Being a sponge, curious, actively seeking and filtering information from this forum, other forums and other sites/sources.

Experimenting to see what happens.

And then most importantly knowing to not hesitate when a bargain or point accumulation opportunity arises.


Procrastinators do not get to sit in the pointy end cheaply, or even at all.

Could you elaborate what other forums and other sites/sources you follow.

 

[Tiki]

I was a backpacker traveler since the late 80's so was always pretty experienced at sussing out cheap travel. I am also a low income person and never had business travel so I have to do everything on my own dime. The one advantage I have is being a dual citizen able to churn cards in the USA although my income shuts me out of Aussie cards. So I read lots of blogs, AFF, FT and have the supermarket bonus points thing down to a science. My best source of points are the spend x/4weeks type of promos. I prefer ecolodges in the rainforest to 5 star hotels but occasionally use the latter when I have a free night or enough points. But I am not fussy or a primadonna and can also make do with super cheap places if they are in a good location.

 

[RooFlyer]

Could you elaborate what other forums and other sites/sources you follow.

I know not asked of me, & hope lovetravellingoz doesn't mind ...

I occasionally skim sites like One Mile at a Time, View from the Wing and Executive Traveller. The first two are heavily American focussed and anything useful there will get picked up and put on AFF pretty quickly. ET is Australian and interesting but again, you'll rarely see anything 'breaking' there that isn't on AFF soon, or prior. Their 'how to' guides (get status match etc) can be handy.

I also try to learn from and stay close to my Travel Agent. They still get deals and specials not available to the public or on the web, and can sometimes get rules bent by the airlines on request.

 

[Stargazer]

Tiki mentioned FT. Is this a blog?

 

[drron]

Flyer Talk. An American site.

 

[Anna]

I like to travel because I like to experience places and things that are new to me.

I try not to lose sight of the fact that the fine details of airfares and hotel bookings are not really the point of travel, for me anyway. YMMV. But I would strongly urge someone who is considering their first overseas trip not to get bogged down in technical minutiae of fare categories and the like. Just get out there and see a different part of the world.