Free travel money

It takes a bit of effort but a man has earned 4 million airline miles for free. Well almost free. And he now has platinum lifetime status with his wife.

According to reports he simply bought $4 million dollars worth of $1 coins from the usa mint and paid for the coins with his credit card. When the money was delivered,  he would use it to pay off his credit card.

Well worth his effort over 8 months.

Full story see http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/02/28/credit-card-reward-points-airline-miles-free/

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CX fanfares 29 Oct 2013 + Zuji.com.hk $380 promotion

Vancouver is on sale again-- GO GO GO

Nanjing	$790	$669	$1,459	$208	1/11/2013-10/11/2013	150
Phnom Penh	$790	$773	$1,563	$223	31/10/2013- 10/11/2013	210
Taichung	$790	$653	$1,443	$206	2/1/2014- 15/1/2014	270
Penang	$990	$773	$1,763	$252	2/1/2014- 15/1/2014	200
Beijing	$1,090	$669	$1,759	$251	2/1/2014- 15/1/2014	280
Phuket	$1,090	$726	$1,816	$259	2/1/2014- 15/1/2014	150
Siem Reap	$1,390	$772	$2,162	$309	31/10/2013- 10/11/2013	90
Nagoya	$1,490	$779	$2,269	$324	31/10/2013- 6/11/2013	120
Dubai	$1,990	$2,171	$4,161	$594	2/1/2014- 15/1/2014	150
Vancouver	$2,990	$2,345	$5,335	$762	6/11/2013- 10/11/2013	120
Amsterdam	$3,490	$2,307	$5,797	$828	2/1/2014- 15/1/2014	150

(chance to win 15000 asian miles from this week's bookings)
Flights also earn 25% of actual miles flown on asian miles. Note, prices on website don't include taxes. 

My top picks are Vancouver, and Beijing.

 

Vancouver is on sale again, my aunty took advantage of this sale last time and was very happy with her short visit.

There is also an exciting ZUJI.COM.HK promotion going on.

The idea is, they will announce on facebook a particular timeslot, and you have 20 mins to book flights, return (excluding taxes) for HK$380!
The first two time slots yesterday were for LONDON. Flights now- Nov, and Jan- Feb.
Today it will be FRANCE. Then there is also Italy, Spain, Germany up for grabs this week.


AUD based on 7 exchange rate. Approximate taxes.

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CX fanfares 22 Oct 2013- Maldives

Imagine pristine beaches and crystal clear waters. Maldives, I'm already half way there!

Location	Price	Taxes	Total HK$	AUD$	Dates	Seats
Kunming	$690	$693	$1,383	$198	1/3/2014-30/4/2014	200
Bangkok	$990	$755	$1,745	$249	15/2/2014-31/3/2014	150
Kota Kinabalu	$990	$738	$1,728	$247	15/2/2014-31/3/2014	200
Qingdao,	$990	$693	$1,683	$240	1/3/2014-30/4/2014	200
Jeju	$1,190	$751	$1,941	$277	15/2/2014-31/3/2014	200
Da Nang	$1,490	$703	$2,193	$313	8/2/2014-21/3/2014	200
Okinawa	$1,490	$578	$2,068	$295	15/2/2014-31/3/2014	150
Melbourne	$2,890	$2,679	$5,569	$796	8/2/2014-21/3/2014	200
Maldives	$2,890	$2,134	$5,024	$718	5/5/2014-30/6/2014	200
London	$3,490	$3,445	$6,935	$991	5/5/2014-30/6/2014	150
New York	$3,990	$2,450	$6,440	$920	5/5/2014-30/6/2014	150

Flights also earn 25% of actual miles flown on asian miles. Note, prices on website don't include taxes. 

My top picks are London and Maldives

Maldives is the perfect romantic getaway. You'll just have to pinch yourself to make sure it's not really a dream.


also, this marks the first birthday, excerpt from website:

Week 1: Book your 2014 Early Bird fanfares now!

Get a head start on your travel plans for next year with today’s special Early Bird fanfares prices! We’ve extended the travel period up to June 2014 on a range of great destinations.

Starting this week, look for our FanVan as it travels the streets of Hong Kong starting at 8am every Tuesday. Just flag it down for a chance to win two tickets to your dream destination anywhere in the Cathay Pacific and Dragonair networks+!

Terms and Conditions Apply.

AUD based on 7 exchange rate.

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Around the world business class under $1400

It pays to do travel planning.

This week, I read about Alissa, who basically used a bit of planning to achieve a deal of a lifetime. She flew around the world for under $1400 including taxes, and flying no less than business class.

Original article: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/travel/travel-advice/alissa-haupt-flew-around-the-world-in-business-class-for-1340/story-fni0bfok-1226741522627

90,000 miles purchased using a special buy one get one free day + opening special.

This is what she did:

Minneapolis to Chicago on United, (15 hour layover in Chicago).

Chicago to Frankfurt on Lufthansa, (24 hour layover in Frankfurt).

Frankfurt to Istanbul on Lufthansa, (Eight hour layover in Istanbul).

Istanbul to Bangkok on Turkish Airways, (20 hour layover in Bangkok).

Bangkok to Seoul on THAI, (Three day stopover in Seoul).

Seoul to Shanghai on Asiana, (My final destination).

And then in December:

Shanghai to Zurich on Swiss, (24 hour layover in Zurich).

Zurich to Munich on Swiss, (24 hour layover in Munich).

Munich to Chicago on Lufthansa, (12 hour layover in Chicago).

Chicago to Minneapolis on United, (Home for two-weeks over Christmas).

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Expat Explore: Europe Tour comparisons

If my best friend backs out of our planned Europe trip, I think I still may go. It's one of my "30 things before 30".

Expat Explore offers some amazing prices for tours to Europe. Of course prices vary by departure date, and you get what you pay for (lower class accommodation), but for a young person, wanting a taster of Europe, this seems the way to go.

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CX fanfares 15 October 13- seoul

Han wave time, Seoul is on sale!

Location	Price	Taxes	Total HK$	AUD$	Dates	Seats
Haikou	$490	$669	$1,159	$166	19/10/2013-28/10/2013	150
Xiamen	$590	$693	$1,283	$183	17/10/2013- 28/10/2013	150
Shanghai	$690	$669	$1,359	$194	6/12/2013- 19/12/2013	250
Ho Chi Minh City	$790	$710	$1,500	$214	6/12/2013- 19/12/2013	250
Kaohsiung	$790	$658	$1,448	$207	6/12/2013- 19/12/2013	250
Phuket	$1,090	$726	$1,816	$259	6/12/2013- 19/12/2013	100
Seoul	$1,290	$762	$2,052	$293	6/12/2013- 19/12/2013	200
Dubai	$1,490	$2,171	$3,661	$523	23/10/2013- 28/10/2013	120
Tokyo	$1,690	$745	$2,435	$348	17/10/2013- 28/10/2013	120
Perth	$1,990	$2,660	$4,650	$664	23/10/2013- 27/10/2013	90
Chicago	$3,990	$2,374	$6,364	$909	6/12/2013- 19/12/2013	150

Flights also earn 25% of actual miles flown on asian miles. Note, prices on website don't include taxes. 

My top picks are Seoul and Shanghai

Seoul is home to many cosmetic companies- making it relatively cheap to pick up face masks, etc.

Seoul is the home of romantic kdramas including goong, full house, secret garden. What are you waiting for? Let the romance begin.

AUD based on 7 exchange rate.

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Italy 3 weeks: Independent trip planning

Budgeting for independent travel can be tricky.
Here are the estimated costs for 14 days in Italy for non-backpacker type travel (no dorms).
Flights: $1800- $2800
Rail: $300- $520
Accommodation: $700- $1900
Food/ Activities: $1000- $2000

Minimum budgets: $3800- $7220 ($2000- $4420 excluding flights) for non-backpacker type travel. This excludes any gifts and clothes you buy along the way.

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Fanfares cx 8 October 2013- Taipei

Won't you join me on my Taipei trip? It's a wonderful time of year to visit with the typhoons gone and weather cooling down.

This week:

Location	Price	Taxes	Total HK$	AUD$	Dates	Seats
Hangzhou	$690	$693	$1,383	$198	1/12/2013- 14/12/2013	200
Ningbo	$690	$693	$1,383	$198	12/10/2013- 21/10/2013	150
Taipei	$790	$658	$1,448	$207	15/10/2013- 21/10/2013	150
Phnom Penh	$790	$773	$1,563	$223	1/12/2013-14/12/2013	250
Bangkok	$990	$755	$1,745	$249	1/12/2013-14/12/2013	200
Singapore	$1,090	$789	$1,879	$268	16/10/2013- 21/10/2013	90
Kota Kinabalu	$1,490	$734	$2,224	$318	1/12/2013-14/12/2013	200
Nagoya	$1,490	$779	$2,269	$324	17/10/2013- 21/10/2013	150
Osaka	$1,890	$815	$2,705	$386	1/12/2013-14/12/2013	150
San Francisco	$2,990	$2,450	$5,440	$777	10/10/2013-20/10/2013	150
Amsterdam	$3,290	$2,307	$5,597	$800	1/12/2013-14/12/2013	200

Flights also earn 25% of actual miles flown on asian miles. Note, prices on website don't include taxes. 

My top picks are Taipei, Singapore.

Taipei is home of street food, beautiful mountains and thousands of hot springs.

AUD based on 7 exchange rate.

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Italy 3 week Trafalgar vs Cosmos: Trip planning

This is the third in the series of comparing tours for my Italy trip, 3 weeks next year with a A$5000 budget. This time I'm comparing Trafalgar and Cosmos.

Cosmos and Trafalgar are budget style tours aimed at a wider age range than Contiki and Topdeck. And cheaper than Intrepid and G Adventures.

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Fanfares cx 24 Sept 2013- Vancouver

What are you waiting for? Vancouver is on sale!!

This week:

 

Location	Price	Taxes	Total HK$	AUD$	Dates	Seats
Manila	$590	$578	$1,168	$167	3/10/2013-8/10/2013	150
Xiamen	$590	$693	$1,283	$183	3/10/2013-14/10/2013	150
Kunming	$690	$690	$1,380	$197	24/11/2013-7/12/2013	200
Taichung	$790	$658	$1,448	$207	24/11/2013-7/12/2013	200
Kuala Lumpur	$990	$738	$1,728	$247	24/11/2013-7/12/2013	250
Siem Reap	$1,390	$772	$2,162	$309	24/11/2013-7/12/2013	200
Da Nang	$1,490	$703	$2,193	$313	24/11/2013-7/12/2013	200
Tokyo	$1,690	$745	$2,435	$348	3/10/2013-6/10/2013	120
Johannesburg	$1,990	$2,435	$4,425	$632	7/10/2013-14/10/2013	80
Vancouver	$2,990	$2,345	$5,335	$762	3/10/2013-14/10/2013	150
Paris	$3,690	$2,538	$6,228	$890	24/11/2013-7/12/2013	150

 

Flights also earn 25% of actual miles flown on asian miles. Note, prices on website don't include taxes. 

My top picks are Vancouver, Johannesburg.

This week needs no explanation. Vancouver is on sale, so get in there before the flights sell out!

I can already taste fresh seafood on my lips...

AUD based on 7 exchange rate.

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