The Milenomics Podcast Network

Checking In Episode 27: Gardening Flexible Options for Better Family & Group Travel w/Brian M

Added 2024-03-03 23:19:22 +0000 UTC

Family and Group Travel Optimization - Strategies, Tips, Thoughts, and Discussion

0:20 INTRODUCTION

Discussion of strategies, tips, tools, considerations, and thoughts for family and other multi-passenger group travel.
Strategy is to GTFO! Garden the Flexible Options!
Utilize Gardening, Flexibility, and Optionality to mitigate uncertainty and uncontrollable factors impacting travel and to adapt.
Multi-passenger groups and families have diverse considerations and needs. This will not be a comprehensive discussion; there are entire blogs, podcasts, etc. on this topic. Families face unique constraints and considerations (school/activities schedules, flight times/recombobulation needs, limiting connections, hotel/vacation-rental space, etc) that make Group/Family Travel Optimization a different travel-hacking animal.
Intent is to provide high-level considerations and get families and groups thinking about their own travels.
Utilize travel hacking skills to adapt. (Brian M’s summer vacation trip example)

2:30 GARDENING

What is Gardening? Travel maximization “Gardening” is the practice of booking and monitoring a travel reservation while consistently analyzing whether the booked reservation (which may have been impacted by some outside factor like a schedule change) may be efficiently improved through some sort of action(s) or change(s) and the activity of undertaking that action or change to improve the subject reservation.
Cast an anchor of a reservation to hold the place of the travel; one can always hoist up the anchor to move on if the reservation is flexible.
Reservations are often impacted. Fares and rates may drop. Flight times may change. Airports may change. New, more preferred, flights may become available. Weather waivers may occur. Accommodation amenities may close for renovation. Natural disasters may impact a destination. A car type may no longer be available or suitable. Monitor and be ready to adapt!
Be proactive to make lemonade out of the lemons to optimize your travels! Maybe you intentionally booked a less ideal, but cheaper, flight; so, now is your chance to move to the ideal flight…for free. (Brian M’s spring break example)
1. Leveraging flight schedule changes to improve one’s lie.
2016 VFTW post: https://viewfromthewing.com/always-remember-garden-travel-reservations/ (revised in 2021: https://viewfromthewing.com/remember-to-garden-your-reservations-after-you-book-them-2/ )
2019 Lonely Planet post: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/what-is-gardening-reservation-flying
2021 Andy’s Travel Blog post: https://andystravelblog.com/2021/09/19/covid-travel-skills-gardening-your-reservations/

11:50 FLEXIBILITY

Book flexible rates/fares to preserve optionality. In doing so, you’ll be ready for both the known unknowns and the unknown unknowns.
How flexible is flexible? There are varying degrees of flexibility in booking reservations.
Familiarity with the procedures and processes of programs makes changes and cancellations more comfortable.
Which flight did Brian M take SFO-ORD this month? When was the final decision made?
Changes will happen.
Uncertainty takes many forms - weather, schedule changes, flight cancellations, illness, changes of plans, accommodation owner leaving Vacasa/VRBO/Airbnb network, aircraft groundings, traveler unreliability, etc.
1. Consider whether to book less reliable travelers under more flexible avenues (even if more expense)....what is the option value?
With the proliferation of free/cheap cancellations and changes, especially when booked via award programs, air travel reservations and hotel reservations have joined rental cars in the ability to book flexible reservations.
Additionally, consider other flexible approaches - like one’s ability to split a PNR or to book from different award programs for the same flight to achieve a goal. But, practical and logistical concerns can limit the extent these may be employed.

20:30 OPTIONALITY

Booking multiple options for travel or entire trips enables one to gain more value, especially by gardening those options, and more control to exercise the desired option when it is time to strike. (Brian M’s thoughts on how important this is when schedule flexibility is limited)
Is it worthwhile to book merely optional flight alternatives? Or, might it be prudent to book entire trip option alternatives? Which hotel do you want to stay in 13-months from now? I’m not sure what I’ll eat for lunch tomorrow!
Helpful to have a War Chest or Stockpile of miles and points to book early and book often.
Beware cancel bots searching for duplicate bookings.
Is booking in advance on only one carrier on a route sufficient for your travel party’s needs? How adaptable can your travel party be when factors impact those plans.
Which travelers should be booked? What is the best way to book (together? separate?) each? Over-inclusive can prove beneficial (elite benefits, passengers later decide to join/leave trip)!
Leveraging flight schedule changes. For many carriers, the flight schedule is merely an estimate until ~3-months out.
Rental Car providers may have issues at time of pickup. Will you be ready to walk 100 feet to a competitor? How much friction will there be?
What if there are schedule changes? What if there are cancellations? What if some/all of your travel party’s plans change? What if there are aircraft swaps?
Would it be prudent to book flights/hotels/rental cars on successive days to keep options open for planning later. Hotels 1-night at a time?
How much do your travel companions like to be involved in trip selection and trip planning? Is it easier to simply book options and then offer them to join a trip?
T.O.P. called it “Travel Hedging” - https://travel-on-points.com/travel-hedging/
Live & Let’s Fly Post: https://liveandletsfly.com/change-fees-air-travel/

37:00 GTFO TRAVEL STRATEGY

Assembling Gardening techniques with Flexibly booked multiple travel Options creates a travel strategy greater than the sum of its parts empowering one to travel better (a nod to Danny’s Alchemy).
Can have unexpected positive benefits too!!! (Brian M’s examples)
A trip that may have been originally booked with a 2-stop flight itinerary on a less preferred day to a counter pick up for an expensive compact rental car to drive to a standard select service hotel room may be gardened to become become a better option - a non-stop flight to stroll directly to the rental car aisle to choose any inexpensive full-size car to drive to a suite in a premium hotel after freely canceling non-preferred flexible alternatives.
But, time, effort, and organization are critical to the success of employing a GTFO travel strategy.
Each travel optimizer must determine how deep to dive into each aspect to maintain sanity and avoid analysis paralysis (or spending 3 hours to save 500 miles).
There are risks associated with the strategy beyond loss of sanity, including that duplicate reservations may be automatically canceled by the travel provider and speculative bookings may violate terms; so, one must decide for oneself where to draw their own line – how far is too far and what may create too much risk given potential adverse consequences.

ASSESS YOUR FAMILY'S/GROUP’S TRAVEL - Take stock of your group’s/family's travels. Like a Demand Schedule; but, more broad.

Who?
1. How many travelers?
2. Number of seats per flight?
3. Lap Infant considerations?
4. How many checked-bags will you need? Car seats/Strollers?
5. Number of bedroom/space requirements for hotel/vacation rental?
6. What size rental car do you need?
7. Does everyone need to travel together? Same flights? Same class of service?
What?
1. Any key components/requirements? Does grandpa need easy lavatory access onboard? Is air conditioning required in July in Europe? Is a minivan a required vehicle?
2. Class of service requirements?
Where?
1. What is your Destination(s)? Required/other (alternative or backup) options?
2. Brian M had a trip booked for December 2022 to HR Coconut Point; but, Hurricane Ian necessitated a pivot.
When?
1. How date-restricted are your travels? School Breaks? Child activities (sports, band, chess, etc.)?
2. Are you limited by times of day for travel?
Why?
1. Traveling for a specific purpose? Any primary focus for the trip - Beach, Museum, Theme Park, Wellness, Hiking?
How?
1. How important are non-stop flights? Minimal connections?
2. How close to your desired location is the airport/airport options?

WHAT ARE YOUR FAMILY’S/GROUP’S REQUIREMENTS, LIMITATIONS, DESIRES, AND FLEXIBILITY

Flexibility requirements? How important are free changes, cancellations, refunds?
1. Brian M’s MIL has canceled the last 2 trips on which we've booked for her to join within 48-hours of departure.
2. Aeroplan’s higher award cost option to make award bookings more changeable/refundable.
3. Brian M generally books multiple trip options to different destinations and decides later (leveraging free cancellations and free refunds of points). EXAMPLE: Spring Break 2024 could be New Zealand, Palm Springs, Australia, or Taiwan (all were booked).
  1. Enables good ability to get ahead of changes to plans, especially, illness, schedule changes, and weather.
4. At the destination, what are the options for lodging? Book multiple options and decide later? What if one is AirBnB/Vacasa and the owner backs-out close to arrival?
Who is the weakest link in each part of the travel chain?
1. Multi-gen travel might be Parents/Grandparents - Brian M's memory of a 16-hour day with many hours in the car driving around Wales with in-laws and looking in the rearview mirror to see MIL asleep in the back seat because we pushed too hard.
2. Maybe kids aren't early risers without ruining the rest of the travel day? Do kids need a mid-day break? Do kids need a specific bedtime?
Does the whole family want to travel together? Or split-up (like 2+2) - either class of service or different flights? Are some of the travelers joining for only a portion of the trip?
Is separate space for relaxing after young kids fall asleep important? Size of (and separation within) accommodation. Hyatt SUAs to 1-Bedroom Suites.
Difference between Oceanfront/oceanview versus staying at a beach resort - Does that matter?

FAMILY RESOURCES

Family Pooling and points transfers (whether within transferable currencies or individual loyalty programs)
Effective Pooling by leveraging multiple players' loyalty accounts

49:20 FLIGHTS

Elite Benefits
1. Do you need actual status? Trial status? Status challenge/match? Partner Status? Credit Card quasi-status?
2. Do passengers need to be on the same PNR (at booking? At check-in?)
3. Seating? Luggage? IRROPS?
How extend benefits to multiple passengers
1. What level of status is required for (and How many pax can get benefits)
  1. Checked-bags
  2. Main Cabin Extra, Economy Plus, Comfort+,
2. Southwest
  1. Companion Pass 2-for-1; 4-for-2; etc.
  2. Nuances of A-List benefits extension vs. EBCI extension
Leveraging Multiple options
1. Booking all flights as one-ways (unless need benefit of r/t pricing or for complex routings to get free stopover/free one-way)
2. Understand what may be automatically canceled as duplicate or impossible bookings
3. Being ready for
  1. Illness
  2. Schedule Change (for better and for worse).
  3. Weather
  4. Change of decisions
Lounge Access - how many passengers? What is a “family”?
Do you want to book the flight you want to fly? Or, try for a less expensive itinerary and hope for a schedule change to get a free change to a better itinerary?
When to book?
1. If a stockpile/warchest is available, then, with flexible cancellations, why not book early and book often? Enables maximum Gardening and Optionality.
2. At the leading edge of the schedule, some airlines/hotels have interesting opportunities before adjusting to market demands (or they may have standard rooms snatched-up immediately at the horizon during peak periods)

1:20:00 HOTELS / TIMESHARES / VACATION RENTALS

Hotels
1. Don't be afraid to reach out to hotels directly with questions. Maximum guests per room (Brian M example of a hotel that confirmed 4 could fit a room when website listed maximum occupancy of 3)? Payment for upgrades?
2. Elite Benefits - How many Elites? How many rooms? How to extend maximum elite benefits to maximum rooms (e.g., Hyatt’s Guest of Honor)?
3. Do you need the points/payment now? Points Advance (or post-paid, flexible) bookings may be an option?
Hotel Suites
1. Programs that allow Suites directly with (reasonable) points (or Cash+Points)
  1. Choice
  2. LHW
  3. Hyatt
  4. +others
2. Upgrade Instruments
  1. Hyatt SUAs
  2. IHG
  3. Marriott (sort of)
Hotel Connecting Rooms
1. Hyatt Family Plan Rate
2. Hilton Confirmed Connecting Rooms
3. Reaching-out to Hotels
Timeshares
1. Hotel-affiliated
  1. Marriott - tons
  2. Hilton - HGVs (and soon, BlueGreen)
  3. Hyatt
  4. IHG - HICV, especially certs
  5. Wyndham
2. Indirect
Vacation Rentals
1. Airbnb
  1. Delta portal
  2. BA portal
2. VRBO
3. Booking.com, etc.
4. Citi Prestige 4NF
5. Vacasa (via Wyndham)
6. Which booking channel
  1. Option to book direct?
7. Hotel-related
  1. Marriott Homes & Villas
  2. Hyatt Homes & Hideaways
All-Inclusives
1. Differences between programs when redeeming for 2 vs. 4 guests
2. Hyatt - cash co-pays
3. Hilton - may vary by resort - some are only an additional amount of points (but, those additional points may still covered by Amex FNC)

1:23:30 ORGANIZATION

More options means more to track
Ensure the options make sense
Obtain refunds for all cancellations.

Tools for Tracking - What works for you? Google Docs/Sheets? Email Labels? OneNote?

1:27:50 FINAL THOUGHTS

Book Early; Book Often; and, above all, G.T.F.O. – GARDEN THE FLEXIBLE OPTIONS - Consistently booking multiple options, gardening them, and deciding later based on a multitude of factors (including, leveraging status trials).

RESOURCES