1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,320 Speaker 1: This is Kelly Henderson and you're listening to the velvets 2 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: Edge podcast. This week, my guest is travel agent Tyler Deal. 3 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: Tyler has been in the hospitality business for over fifteen 4 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 1: years now, and in two thousand fourteen, he opened his 5 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:16,280 Speaker 1: own entertainment travel agency named Zap Dog Travel. He specializes 6 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 1: in film, television and music touring travel. But he has 7 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:21,319 Speaker 1: come on the velvets Edge podcast to give us some 8 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:24,120 Speaker 1: quick tips and tricks that he's learned over the years 9 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: to make traveling it's best. He told me why you 10 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: should never use a third party website to book your travel. 11 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:32,919 Speaker 1: We also talked about which airlines are the best and 12 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 1: why and the reasons why travel agents are making a 13 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 1: comeback and maybe beneficial to some of your trip bookings. 14 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 1: Here's our conversation. What do you mean you had like 15 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:45,479 Speaker 1: a phone voice? Can you tell me more about that? 16 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:50,160 Speaker 1: Am all the time? I'm not kidding. I get called 17 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: them once a week, Wow, welcome to the podcast. Or 18 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:00,080 Speaker 1: I'll have a conversation with someone on the phone and 19 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: they'll send me an email right after and be like, hi, 20 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 1: miss Deal. It was great chatting with your Oh my gosh, 21 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: you're like sir so I've accepted it, but I do 22 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: have a phone voice. Okay, well, did you want to 23 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 1: put that on one for this podcast? No, it's okay, 24 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:21,040 Speaker 1: I can, okay, Okay. So you were just explaining to 25 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: me why travel agents are making a comeback, and I 26 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: found that so interesting, seriously, because I would have never 27 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 1: thought of a travel agent if I didn't have one 28 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: doing all my work stuff totally. Um. I So I 29 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 1: went to school for a hotel restaurant management and like, 30 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: it's part of the travel industry, so you would have 31 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:44,119 Speaker 1: thought that maybe there would be mention of a travel 32 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: agent in college. Um, and there wasn't. No one ever 33 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 1: talked about it, like it was not a thing. And 34 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 1: then I moved to l A and one of my 35 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 1: jobs was entertainment sales, so so I would literally go 36 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 1: to travel agencies and like present the hotel be like 37 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: you know, this is why you should book us because 38 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: we can give you this, this, and this, so put 39 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: your clients with us. And I started to go around 40 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 1: town in l A and see all of these like 41 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: massive agencies with like like sexy offices, and I'm like, 42 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:18,959 Speaker 1: what is going on? Because in my head growing up 43 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 1: and in college, a travel agent was like a little 44 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: you know, old lady at her like compact Presario computer, 45 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: like book like booking to like booking a Disney cruise 46 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 1: and not that there is anything that was as big 47 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 1: as it got in your head. Yes, so there was. 48 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:41,079 Speaker 1: And so I would host these events at the different 49 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:44,639 Speaker 1: hotels that I worked at, and like we would invite 50 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: travel agents and because there was a way to find 51 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 1: out if they actually booked your hotel or not. Um, yeah, 52 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:54,359 Speaker 1: it was so much. There's so much um. But on 53 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: the back end, I would see these agents roll up 54 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:59,920 Speaker 1: to the hotel and like the rain drover or like 55 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:03,679 Speaker 1: their brand new BMW convertible, and I'm like, wait, what 56 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: am I doing? Yeah, So it just kind of turned 57 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 1: me on to that that side of the travel industry. 58 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: And I was on a sales call to a travel agent, 59 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:21,640 Speaker 1: um two thousand thirteen ish and she was hiring an 60 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: assistant and she asked me if I knew of anyone 61 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: and I and I had been thinking about this for 62 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: a while, so I was like m M. And I 63 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:34,119 Speaker 1: went home and I thought about it and uh. And 64 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: while he wasn't my husband at the time, but super supportive, 65 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 1: and he was like, well, why don't you just do it, 66 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 1: like just see what it's like. And did you call 67 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 1: her back? And you're like me, basically, yeah, yeah. I 68 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: I called her and I was like, you know, this 69 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: might sound weird, but like I'm kind of interested. And 70 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 1: and so I I left having like a steady paycheck 71 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 1: and like a good salary, like in a nice hotel. 72 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 1: And I went to work for her and kind of 73 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: just got thrown into it, and it was a whole 74 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: different world. Like I had no idea what I was doing. 75 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: I thought that I did because I had worked in 76 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 1: hotels for so long. I was like, oh, I got this, 77 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: but I just I really had no idea, and she 78 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: was she was an okay teacher, but she basically just 79 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 1: threw me in and she did a lot of film production. Um, 80 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:25,839 Speaker 1: which is kind of where I landed. UM. But I 81 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: worked for her for like, I don't know, almost a 82 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:34,720 Speaker 1: year and then I ended up leaving. It ended pretty badly, um, 83 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: but still super grateful to her for everything that I 84 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 1: learned there. And so I went out onto my own 85 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: and that's just kind of how I got my start. Um. 86 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: We'll explain what you were explaining to me just now, 87 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: because you say there's these huge organizations, which is kind 88 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: of what you were saying that was shocking to you. 89 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:56,480 Speaker 1: But so there's a big travel agency that can have 90 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: smaller affiliates. Yeah. So I don't know the exact dates 91 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 1: because it was like while I was in high school, probably, um, 92 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 1: but when you worked at Abercrombie and Fitch, say me too, 93 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:14,719 Speaker 1: did you I knew? Yeah, you can recognize a person 94 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: kindred spirit um. So uh. In the early two thousand's, 95 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: maybe even like the late nineties, airlines used to well 96 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: they before that, airlines used to pay commission to any 97 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: travel agent that had like their official travel agent number, 98 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 1: which you could apply to get um pretty easily. So 99 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:40,480 Speaker 1: no matter what you did with the airline, you've got 100 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: a commission. Um, So you're making money and you didn't 101 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: charge your clients service fees and retainers and whatever. So 102 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: then in the early two thousands, the airlines took that 103 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 1: away across the board. So you had all of these 104 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 1: small travel agencies that were all of a sudden not 105 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 1: making any money, and so a lot of them closed 106 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 1: um and then got absorbed into the bigger ones. And 107 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 1: that's when all of these large agencies formed. And so 108 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: what happened was you had you know, like the mom 109 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:22,280 Speaker 1: and pop agencies would go and affiliate with the larger 110 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 1: agency because they had all this buying power that they 111 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:27,679 Speaker 1: could take to the airline or take to the hotel 112 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: group and say, you know, we represent ten billion dollars 113 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:34,839 Speaker 1: a year in travel spend. So like let's say they're 114 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 1: going to get the better deal, let's make a deal. 115 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:41,159 Speaker 1: Like so that's I mean, there's obviously way more to it, 116 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 1: but that's the basics of it. So I am an 117 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 1: independent contractor. I have my own company, but I am 118 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:55,279 Speaker 1: an affiliate of a larger agency, and so I pay 119 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: a portion you know, of my revenue to them, but 120 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:02,839 Speaker 1: in turn, I get access to all of their programs, 121 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,279 Speaker 1: sort of like having an agent in a way. Because 122 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 1: you that, I mean, that's truly what happens. If you 123 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 1: just are you laughing because that was what we talked 124 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:13,239 Speaker 1: about and not casual. If you guys have not listened 125 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: at the first act casual we talk about, you wanted 126 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 1: to say, I know, Um, yeah, that's what an agent does. 127 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: They have all these connections basically that you don't have 128 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 1: access to, and then they take a portion of what 129 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 1: you make to me It's totally worth it, though, because 130 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:35,000 Speaker 1: I get you know, I don't know everything, so sometimes 131 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 1: people ask me something or they're going somewhere that I've 132 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 1: never been, and I'm part of this massive organization. Your 133 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: resources are inside it's it's ridiculous, Like, yeah, it's well 134 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 1: worth it. So you mostly do now obviously this is 135 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 1: how we know each other. You do a lot of 136 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 1: entertainment stuff and work in the music world. But what 137 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: other kind of traveling Like why why would there be 138 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 1: a need amongst just every Joe, Sally and Mary walking 139 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: down the street, you know what I mean. Yeah, so definitely, 140 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:11,679 Speaker 1: like the entertainment industry, they all use travel agents, probably 141 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 1: corporate people to write huge corporations, corporations do um like 142 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:19,280 Speaker 1: universities like anywhere where there's just a lot of travel 143 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 1: hap right um. But again, I mean even me, like 144 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 1: before I was a travel agent, I would have never 145 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: thought I should get myself a travel agent, Like why 146 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:33,320 Speaker 1: would I pay someone to do what I could get 147 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 1: on Google? But you know there are people who take 148 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 1: like expensive vacations, like we want to go on a 149 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 1: safari in Africa, or we want to go fly fishing 150 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 1: in Russia, or we wanna you know, go explore the 151 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 1: Amazon or something like that. So there are that would 152 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 1: be like where do I start exactly? And there are 153 00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 1: a lot of really like high end leisure travel agents 154 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 1: out there who specialized in like one specific thing. Oh 155 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:08,959 Speaker 1: really yeah, so there was like African Safaris for instance. Totally. 156 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 1: So there was a woman at the last agency that 157 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 1: I was partnered with who like her specialty was fly 158 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:21,559 Speaker 1: fishing in Russia. Before I had met her, I was like, what, 159 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:25,440 Speaker 1: like high fishing in Russian? I mean, that's all she did, 160 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 1: but she was an expert like how to get them 161 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 1: to these remote places and like the you know, once 162 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:33,599 Speaker 1: you're on the ground, like the companies to use and 163 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:37,959 Speaker 1: all that. Like it's so there are you were going 164 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:45,360 Speaker 1: fly fishing in Russia? You're calling this lady? Yes? Um, 165 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 1: so that because that's what I always think about. But 166 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: then we literally we were talking the other day. Obviously 167 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 1: we're friends too because we worked together all the time 168 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: and now we've developed friendship. But I was thinking, what 169 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 1: if I didn't know Tyler? Because do you remember I 170 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:03,680 Speaker 1: was I was literally trying to book this triple for 171 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: a football game at L s U. And I'm like, 172 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 1: I don't even know how to rent a car? What 173 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: you did it for me? Oh my god, yes, I completely. 174 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 1: I can't. Like I because all of my work stuff 175 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 1: is booked, and because all of my friends are so 176 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 1: into travel, so if I do a leisure trip, my 177 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:24,800 Speaker 1: friends literally do it, and I just like give money. 178 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: And I thought to myself, oh my gosh, if I 179 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:29,200 Speaker 1: don't know how to do this, I'm sure there's a 180 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:33,600 Speaker 1: ton of people who literally just don't know what to 181 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:39,160 Speaker 1: do or where to start. It's overwhelming. Yeah, I would agree, Um, 182 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 1: I have so. My family is a good example. Like 183 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:46,680 Speaker 1: I my stepdad, he travels a lot, but he was 184 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 1: booking all of his airfare and like his rental car 185 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: and even his hotel on like third party websites. And 186 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 1: I would say to him, like, why are you doing that? 187 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:01,960 Speaker 1: Like the but why not? I don't understand, because you're 188 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:07,439 Speaker 1: you're essentially not booking with the airline or the hotel. 189 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 1: You're booking with that third party website. So something goes 190 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 1: wrong or you need to cancel or change or whatever. 191 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: Like you, there are rules and the fine print on 192 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 1: those websites where like you have to pay fees and 193 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 1: then you also have to pay the fee with the 194 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 1: airline or the hotel sometimes won't even touch the reservation 195 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 1: because it didn't come from them. It came from you 196 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 1: know this whatever website you use. And I've been on 197 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 1: that side of it, and so I used to tell 198 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 1: people you know. They'd call and they would be like, hell, 199 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:44,079 Speaker 1: I was on you know this website and I found 200 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 1: a cheaper rate than what you guys have on your website. 201 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,280 Speaker 1: And I'll be like, Okay, when that happens, call me 202 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:53,920 Speaker 1: because I would much rather, you know, have you booked 203 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:56,080 Speaker 1: it with me directly, then go through that website, because 204 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 1: if you go through that website, then I'm not going 205 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:00,679 Speaker 1: to be able to help you because as you actually 206 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 1: have no you don't have any sort of ownership over 207 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 1: the reservations. You can't actually change anything or do anything. 208 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 1: I was going to ask you what the biggest mistake 209 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 1: people make? But would you say this is maybe it? Oh, 210 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:13,960 Speaker 1: without a doubt. I actually would have never known that, 211 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 1: because when you're trying to think of travel, like that's 212 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 1: why I texted you about the rental car, which I 213 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 1: know I just made myself sound sympathetic, but I was googling, 214 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:26,280 Speaker 1: like what's the best rate or whatever, and it's I 215 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:28,440 Speaker 1: started getting a ton of different links and I'm like, 216 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 1: I don't know where to start. So luckily I have you. 217 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 1: But you want to find the cheapest rate? Yeah, I 218 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 1: mean so, but like a hotel match it like you're saying, like, 219 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 1: we'll call me the good hotels will So now that 220 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:48,559 Speaker 1: I'm on the travel agent side, like I have found 221 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 1: that there are a lot of bad hotel salespeople. You 222 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:55,320 Speaker 1: know who you are, Um, But I used to tell 223 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:57,360 Speaker 1: my clients like, if you see a cheaper rate, just 224 00:12:57,440 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 1: call me and we'll figure it out. And I'll just 225 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 1: because I would much rather pay. People don't realize that, 226 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 1: like the hotel ends up paying a percentage to that, right, 227 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 1: and it's usually kind of high. Well. And also if 228 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:15,520 Speaker 1: they're selling it at a discounted rate, hotel is actually 229 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 1: playing like a double And if so, my step dad 230 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:20,960 Speaker 1: back to him. You know, he would book his hotel 231 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 1: on one of those websites, but he was going to 232 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 1: the same hotel like every time. Um. That hotel probably 233 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:30,840 Speaker 1: didn't pay attention to him because they run reports on 234 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 1: arrivals every morning and it's going to come up. Oh 235 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:37,760 Speaker 1: he booked through you know this website we're not you know, 236 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 1: going to touch him. Um, so there's a whole different 237 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:46,800 Speaker 1: thing like with hotel like loyalty, like I say, like 238 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:50,320 Speaker 1: even going back to your rental car story, yes, like 239 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:53,680 Speaker 1: you want the cheapest rate, but cheaper isn't always better, 240 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 1: Like if you're traveling a lot um or not even 241 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:00,600 Speaker 1: a lot, but I feel like you should find a 242 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:04,040 Speaker 1: company that you like and you should book with them 243 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 1: whenever you can because you can accrue points. And with 244 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:12,080 Speaker 1: the hotels, like if you're coming back often, like they're 245 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 1: going to know who you are and you're gonna get 246 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 1: some extra added perks and maybe even get a discounted rate, 247 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: like if you're going back often. Um, that's why if 248 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: you travel frequently or a lot, like you really should 249 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: have you know, you're preferred. Like I only want to 250 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 1: fly Delta because I got status and I want to 251 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:35,960 Speaker 1: keep my status. That's why I am with Southwest. Yeah exactly, 252 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 1: I'm like I feel like royalty when I go flast 253 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 1: I know, which everyone has their different opinions of different airlines, 254 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 1: but I love it and they make it so easy 255 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 1: for me. I gotta say working with Southwest like the easiest. 256 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 1: It is pretty easy. But I don't know. I mean, 257 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 1: I don't love flying Southwest. Well, if you're a booge 258 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:01,080 Speaker 1: person that has to have first class, I wouldn't necessarily 259 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:11,600 Speaker 1: consider myself bougie, but would Okay, So yeah, I mean loyalty. 260 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 1: I think that's a huge thing, finding your company that 261 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:17,920 Speaker 1: works the best for you. I mean, we'll talk about 262 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 1: airlines maybe later, but there I do. That doesn't make 263 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 1: sense to me because immediately you start stacking up on points, 264 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:28,800 Speaker 1: you know the system, But how do you pick the 265 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:31,920 Speaker 1: best company? I guess that's the question. Then, I mean, 266 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 1: I guess it comes down to you know, I didn't 267 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:39,760 Speaker 1: know this either. Before I was traveling for business and 268 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 1: and for pleasure. I would just kind of go onto 269 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:45,560 Speaker 1: one of those websites and find, you know, whatever is 270 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 1: the cheapest. Um. And then I got a little bit 271 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:50,440 Speaker 1: older and started travling a little bit more and would 272 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 1: find like, oh, this airline is kind of better than 273 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: that one, or I've had a good experience with this 274 00:15:55,280 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 1: hotel brand, and so that's it kind of just happens. Um. 275 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 1: There is a lot of information out there. So I 276 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 1: guess if you're just like you know, normal Joe Schmo 277 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: and you're you know, take one or two vacations a 278 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 1: year that and you know I used to do that too. Um, 279 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: but Google, I mean that's that's what I would end 280 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 1: up doing. But are reading reviews? I guess. Yeah, there 281 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: are some some websites out there, like tablets a really 282 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 1: good one. UM, if you don't know, well, like if 283 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 1: if you decide I want to go to Berlin but 284 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: you've never been, so you don't know what kind of 285 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 1: hotels there are, Like, it's a good website. What does 286 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 1: this tablet dot com tablet? Yeah, never heard of this. 287 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 1: See these are facts that you know that we don't know. Yeah, 288 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 1: it's a good one. Um. But honestly, like all of 289 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 1: those third party websites are good to shop. So you 290 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:02,680 Speaker 1: decide you want to go to San Francisco for the weekend, 291 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:06,919 Speaker 1: but you've never been before, um, and you you go 292 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:12,840 Speaker 1: on a third party website to pull hotel options. Um, 293 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:15,439 Speaker 1: it's good to look on there and see what the 294 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 1: city has to offer. There's a lot of search criteria. 295 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:21,159 Speaker 1: You know, you can do three star, four star, whatever 296 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:26,520 Speaker 1: price range. And then when you see the hotels a 297 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,920 Speaker 1: like and you're like, that's cute. I could stay there, 298 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 1: don't just don't book it on that website. So call 299 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 1: Let's find their price first, especially if it's lower. Like 300 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:38,800 Speaker 1: you said, call the hotel though, and say hey, on 301 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:43,439 Speaker 1: blah blah blah dot com, a found And when you 302 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:46,440 Speaker 1: call the hotel, like, I'll be completely honest, it's going 303 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:50,399 Speaker 1: to be hit or miss um. Some hotels aren't going 304 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:56,240 Speaker 1: to help um, and then the good hotels will um, 305 00:17:56,280 --> 00:18:00,879 Speaker 1: And you're gonna want to talk to someone in like 306 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 1: a higher up position. Well, how do we get there? 307 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 1: Calling and asked to talk to the manager, someone in 308 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 1: the sales office. Oh yeah, Like I say, like, hey, 309 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 1: I was wondering if I could talk to like your 310 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 1: your business travel or transient sales manager, because they're the 311 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:19,920 Speaker 1: ones who are going to handle like one off kind 312 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:24,880 Speaker 1: of reservations. And when you get to that person, just explain, like, 313 00:18:25,119 --> 00:18:27,640 Speaker 1: you know, hey, I was on you know whatever dot 314 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:29,879 Speaker 1: com and I saw that your rate was a hundred 315 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 1: fifty dollars a night, but on your website it's like 316 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 1: to twenty. Like, is there anyway, like could I book 317 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 1: it through you and and maybe get like a discounted rate. 318 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 1: I mean, it never hurts to ask. All they can 319 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:46,159 Speaker 1: do is say no, if they met you in the middle, 320 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: it would be probably worth it. Yes, exactly. That's interesting. Okay, 321 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:52,680 Speaker 1: that's a really good fact because I would have never 322 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:56,440 Speaker 1: I always look for cheapest price, and that's probably know, 323 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 1: but you want a good place too, and there's really 324 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: no guarantees with that the stuff, and you know, this 325 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:06,719 Speaker 1: isn't I wouldn't say this is for everyone. Um, Like, 326 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:10,720 Speaker 1: if you are truly traveling, like on a budget, um, 327 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 1: and you really just need the absolute cheapest, um, you're 328 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:19,119 Speaker 1: probably and you know, I deal with this with my 329 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: job a lot, like you know, we're we're putting up 330 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 1: a bus driver or something and like the red roof 331 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:30,680 Speaker 1: in or the Super eight or whatever. Um that you know, 332 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:34,320 Speaker 1: if if you call one of those hotels and try 333 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:37,640 Speaker 1: and play that game with him, they're going to be like, yeah, 334 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 1: they won't even know. And it's nothing against him. It's 335 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:44,240 Speaker 1: just once you're at a certain price point, like it 336 00:19:44,280 --> 00:19:48,479 Speaker 1: doesn't really even matter. But you know, people who are 337 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:51,680 Speaker 1: taking vacations or traveling to a city for work or 338 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:54,920 Speaker 1: or even for pleasure, like it's definitely something to consider. 339 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:57,800 Speaker 1: I would imagine, even if you're dealing with like specifically 340 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 1: maybe like the boutique hotels are like so boutique hotels. 341 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:05,879 Speaker 1: I am such a fan of SMEE. I worked in 342 00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: a couple and one of my favorite jobs was the 343 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 1: boutique hotels because you they have a lot more freedom. 344 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:17,960 Speaker 1: I mean, the big brands are nice because you know 345 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:21,680 Speaker 1: what you're getting, but it's also corporate, so they don't 346 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 1: have as much control. Probably, so in the boutique hotel, 347 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:27,480 Speaker 1: like I would get I would run on arrivals report 348 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:29,879 Speaker 1: every morning and see like a list of everybody that 349 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:32,760 Speaker 1: was coming in that day, how they booked, where their 350 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:36,400 Speaker 1: booking came from, um, and I could like send them 351 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:39,359 Speaker 1: little note cards or a bottle of champagne or like 352 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:42,600 Speaker 1: like a way more personalized. Yeah, you can. You can 353 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:45,000 Speaker 1: make a connection and then you end up meeting someone 354 00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:47,399 Speaker 1: in the lobby and you you get them coffee and 355 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 1: you sit down and talk and then boom, you have 356 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:51,680 Speaker 1: set up like a corporate rate with this person who 357 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 1: comes and stays at your hotel every month. But you 358 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:56,359 Speaker 1: you didn't really know before because they were booking on 359 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 1: some random website. But now they're booking directly with you 360 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:03,199 Speaker 1: and they have a discounted rate and they're like in 361 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,280 Speaker 1: love because they get all this extra treatment, you know, 362 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:09,439 Speaker 1: special treatment. It's the smallest thing though, because there's a 363 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:11,560 Speaker 1: lot of places a stay like that, and if they 364 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:13,359 Speaker 1: put a little card and like a piece of chocolate 365 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 1: and I'm like, oh my god, they remember me. Yeah, 366 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:18,640 Speaker 1: I mean I still feel that way and I go somewhere. Yeah, 367 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:22,440 Speaker 1: it's just like a sweet little thoughtful thing. Um. Okay, 368 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:26,040 Speaker 1: So we talked about not using these third party websites, 369 00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:28,959 Speaker 1: but how do you find deals? Then? What are some 370 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:31,919 Speaker 1: flights like some hacks that you might have for flights 371 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:37,040 Speaker 1: or I don't know anything else. I mean with with 372 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:40,719 Speaker 1: flight stuff. You know, of course everybody is always like, oh, 373 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:44,159 Speaker 1: I want the cheapest flight, and I don't really think 374 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:48,440 Speaker 1: there's any magic to it. Didn't you talk about though before? Um, 375 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:52,119 Speaker 1: you've told me something about getting alerts, like yeah, you 376 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:56,720 Speaker 1: can set alerts on all like the I don't even know. Um, 377 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:59,639 Speaker 1: you just call on their website, UM, and you can 378 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:04,000 Speaker 1: set up there and it'll if you sign up for 379 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:08,560 Speaker 1: emails also like you'll get like special fair deals like 380 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:13,000 Speaker 1: we're running a you know, a hundred dollar round trip 381 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:17,160 Speaker 1: to San Francisco from New Yorker or whatever it is. Um, 382 00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:18,840 Speaker 1: I get the emails all the time, and I don't 383 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:22,520 Speaker 1: always look at them. Um, but you can also set 384 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:25,119 Speaker 1: you know, if you know you want to go somewhere 385 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:27,879 Speaker 1: in particular, like you can go on a certain airline 386 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:33,639 Speaker 1: and set up an alert for pricing. But I feel 387 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:36,680 Speaker 1: like the third party websites you may also be able 388 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:40,399 Speaker 1: to do that on I just I've never played around 389 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:45,359 Speaker 1: with that on there. Um, Okay, why I was going 390 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:47,240 Speaker 1: to ask you. We kind of already dabbled into like 391 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 1: specific airlines. You're like, why do you pick the airlines 392 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:53,320 Speaker 1: you pick? Like obviously you said maybe your favorite at 393 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:57,320 Speaker 1: Delta it is, okay, and can you explain why? I mean, 394 00:22:57,359 --> 00:23:00,720 Speaker 1: everybody's got their own right obviously because on the Southwest, 395 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:03,000 Speaker 1: and I think it just comes down to the experiences 396 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:04,800 Speaker 1: that you've had on that era. I would agree with 397 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:08,480 Speaker 1: that Delta has lost my bags multiple times. Really well, 398 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:11,480 Speaker 1: you didn't call me, well this is before I knew you, Okay, 399 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 1: so then we could have probably turned that around for you. See, Okay, 400 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 1: but you know, I've flown on a lot of different airlines, 401 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 1: but I am very loyal to Delta now and I 402 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 1: have status on Delta, which helps immensely when you're traveling, 403 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:34,640 Speaker 1: I mean, anything to make traveling a little nicer for it. 404 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:39,520 Speaker 1: But I kind of landed on Delta and they've just 405 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:44,200 Speaker 1: they've been good to me, both personally and professionally. So 406 00:23:45,119 --> 00:23:48,280 Speaker 1: I mean I I'm very loyal to them. Can I 407 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:50,840 Speaker 1: ask you about this question? Then? This is always my 408 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:54,199 Speaker 1: debate to people with Delta in American the change fees. 409 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:59,239 Speaker 1: So change fees, especially for a travel agent, Like I'm 410 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:03,240 Speaker 1: kind of sure. Look, well, okay, so because you have 411 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:07,680 Speaker 1: to change flights all the time, we do last minute. However, 412 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 1: I don't know if I should be saying this, but 413 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 1: this is where it tell us the real deal. You 414 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:16,639 Speaker 1: and I have talked about this where not all travel 415 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:23,160 Speaker 1: agencies are equal. Um, I have the ability to get 416 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 1: out of change fees. Oh, I got it. So because 417 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:31,440 Speaker 1: you have a connection at said airline, right, got it. 418 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:35,560 Speaker 1: So if there's a situation and you know we we 419 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:38,360 Speaker 1: have to make a change and all there's two change fee, 420 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:40,640 Speaker 1: like most of the time I can get out of it. 421 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,119 Speaker 1: Well it's kind of bullshit, Like it actually makes me 422 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:48,640 Speaker 1: very angry because stuff happens like things changed us by 423 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:52,680 Speaker 1: a Southwest. It's not a Southwest at a sort of God. 424 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:56,359 Speaker 1: But I can change with it, and I wish God 425 00:24:56,840 --> 00:25:00,399 Speaker 1: I should. I'll like, I'll definitely be tagging them. But 426 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:03,760 Speaker 1: I can change within twenty four hours. And the way 427 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:06,920 Speaker 1: that my life works, my schedule is different. Every week 428 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:10,200 Speaker 1: stuff comes up last minute. I always want to book 429 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:12,719 Speaker 1: ahead of time, but what if something comes up? So 430 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:15,760 Speaker 1: with seuthest, I'm okay to do that and still get 431 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:19,119 Speaker 1: my money back. I mean, I will say that Southwest 432 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:22,040 Speaker 1: makes it really easy. I'm really glad you could admit. 433 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:27,040 Speaker 1: For like the everyday persons like me, great, thank you. 434 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:31,280 Speaker 1: I mean that in the most way, Well I took 435 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:35,399 Speaker 1: it in whatever way. So, but but for people that 436 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:39,640 Speaker 1: are using a travel agent, like they don't necessarily care, right, well, 437 00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:43,679 Speaker 1: of course not, but that's not like a lot of 438 00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:46,679 Speaker 1: my clients are like are on my side right now. 439 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:51,000 Speaker 1: And by the way, it's fair, it's fair. Um. But 440 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:54,199 Speaker 1: you know, if you have the right travel agent, you 441 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:58,040 Speaker 1: can get out of things like that, right because you 442 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: have the right connections. But not and and that's the thing, 443 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 1: like not all travel agents have that. Yeah, so you say, 444 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:09,320 Speaker 1: even with a flight, don't do the third party website 445 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:13,040 Speaker 1: because then you do not have the contact with I 446 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:15,440 Speaker 1: will say this. One time, I had enough credit card 447 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:19,480 Speaker 1: points to book this trip to Europe, a flight to Europe, 448 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 1: and I was like, yes, I felt like I was 449 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:25,439 Speaker 1: winning the freaking lottery. But it was a nightmare now 450 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 1: that I think about it. I ended up having to 451 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:30,639 Speaker 1: cancel the trip because it works. See, but even canceling 452 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:33,959 Speaker 1: the trip was difficult because I couldn't actually get in 453 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:35,720 Speaker 1: touch with the airline just to do it, and it 454 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:38,239 Speaker 1: was this whole thing. So is that kind of what 455 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:41,719 Speaker 1: you're talking about? Yeah, you know, you you book the 456 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:44,600 Speaker 1: ticket with the third party website, not really with the airline, 457 00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:47,680 Speaker 1: So like if something happens, you have to deal with 458 00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 1: that website first, right, and so you're most likely going 459 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:56,080 Speaker 1: to pay a fee to that website, but then you're 460 00:26:56,080 --> 00:27:01,480 Speaker 1: also going to pay the fees with airline. So it's 461 00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:04,600 Speaker 1: just and let's go back to my stepdad and he's 462 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:08,400 Speaker 1: gonna love me. Um. He. I was recently at home 463 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 1: and I was working and across the hall from him, 464 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 1: and he was, I don't know, he was booking a 465 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:18,159 Speaker 1: trip and I was saying something about United, and I 466 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:20,120 Speaker 1: was like, why are you doing it on that website? 467 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:23,080 Speaker 1: I've told you a million times and you know, he 468 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:27,440 Speaker 1: love you, Stepdad, but he thought he was an expert 469 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 1: and because he travels so much. And I'm like, just 470 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:31,719 Speaker 1: because you travel a lots of them and or an expert. Well, 471 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:34,920 Speaker 1: you're like, it's my business, right, So I said, okay, 472 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:37,919 Speaker 1: you you see that price for that plane ticket, Now 473 00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:41,199 Speaker 1: go directly to the airline's website, and I'm telling you 474 00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:43,880 Speaker 1: it's going to be the same. Sure enough, he did 475 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:45,960 Speaker 1: it right in front of me. It was exactly the same. 476 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:48,919 Speaker 1: So he booked it with the airline. And I was like, 477 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:51,879 Speaker 1: just do this from now on, like, sign up for 478 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:55,960 Speaker 1: a mileage program, put in your freaking flyer number, stick 479 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:59,240 Speaker 1: with his airline. Book it directly with him, Like, get 480 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:03,480 Speaker 1: be a little more sophisticated, right, The points are huge? 481 00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:06,600 Speaker 1: Oh my god. Yes, And if you can get to 482 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:08,919 Speaker 1: a level where you have sattus like it really is 483 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:12,239 Speaker 1: a game changer. I agree that bags you get your 484 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:15,200 Speaker 1: well you always have free bags on Southwest, So that's 485 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:18,480 Speaker 1: another thing I would like to play out. Yeah, but 486 00:28:18,520 --> 00:28:22,560 Speaker 1: you're sitting next to someone eating there, like the thing 487 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 1: is another Another thing is if you travel in airline Also, 488 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:31,440 Speaker 1: rude ribs are amazing, but if you travel in airline 489 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:34,320 Speaker 1: enough you learn the tricks, and like, I know how 490 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:37,879 Speaker 1: to not get someone to sitting next to me. Yeah, 491 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:41,000 Speaker 1: I mean it's choice and pretend like you're coughing. It's easy. 492 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 1: It's really not that hard. But no one sees me 493 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:49,960 Speaker 1: on a plane, you know the deal though. I need 494 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 1: that middle seat. Wait, you sit in a middle seat. No, 495 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 1: I'm a window girl. Okay, what are you? I'm an 496 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,160 Speaker 1: aisle because I get up to pe so often. I 497 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:05,719 Speaker 1: do too, but I don't care. Oh that girl, that lady. 498 00:29:05,880 --> 00:29:11,040 Speaker 1: Excuse me, sir, sir, sir, okay, wants a flight, wants 499 00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:14,320 Speaker 1: a flight unless it's to l A than it's twice um. 500 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:18,080 Speaker 1: But yeah, like I need the window because I need 501 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 1: to be able to see everything and also I like 502 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 1: to rest on the wall. Yeah. But because I get 503 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:30,000 Speaker 1: aboard the plane so early, because I have some that 504 00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 1: is a want a lot of times. Um, I get 505 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:38,000 Speaker 1: whatever to want. See it's great. Southwes is amazing now 506 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:42,840 Speaker 1: they do have it down to. Um. What are like 507 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:46,120 Speaker 1: any other tips you would say to people, because actually, 508 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 1: earlier when we were talking, you said one thing about construction, 509 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:51,720 Speaker 1: about calling a hotel ahead of time, and I thought 510 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 1: it was brilliant because I just had this experience. Yeah, 511 00:29:56,800 --> 00:30:01,600 Speaker 1: so it's funny. Literally just had this experience too. But 512 00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:04,040 Speaker 1: with the client, like they got to a hotel and 513 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:09,560 Speaker 1: the hotel was under the pool was under construction in Vegas, 514 00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:12,800 Speaker 1: and they we had picked that hotel just so they 515 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:14,760 Speaker 1: could have a pool day. Well that's what you do 516 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:17,240 Speaker 1: in Vegas, right, And then I was like, yeah, I 517 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:19,600 Speaker 1: said to the hotel, like, why would you not tell 518 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:22,160 Speaker 1: me this? Right, Like that's kind of a big thing. 519 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:27,440 Speaker 1: It's a huge thing. Um So yeah, I mean most 520 00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: good hotels are going to disclose that they're going through construction. 521 00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 1: Some will not, um, but it is good to ask 522 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 1: because you know, sometimes like they're renovating and let's say 523 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:44,320 Speaker 1: floors three through five or under construction for renovation in 524 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:47,720 Speaker 1: your own floor six or floor too, and then you 525 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 1: hear like the hammering and the or you know, like 526 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 1: Nashville hotels are popping up, like literally, yeah, it's insane. 527 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:02,400 Speaker 1: So or you you know, you book a hotel room 528 00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:07,800 Speaker 1: for six night and right next door they're building a 529 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 1: brand new hotel. So it's seven am, there's jack hammering 530 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:18,040 Speaker 1: sledge hammers, and right, so's terrible. You know though, I 531 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:22,680 Speaker 1: think it's fair. Hotel should be fair and they should 532 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:26,560 Speaker 1: disclose from stuff. But you should always just ask. I 533 00:31:26,640 --> 00:31:29,200 Speaker 1: never thought to ask UM. I stayed in New York 534 00:31:29,280 --> 00:31:32,880 Speaker 1: for a job actually two weeks ago, and the entire 535 00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:35,360 Speaker 1: hotel I guess it's been bought out by someone else 536 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:38,400 Speaker 1: and so they're redoing it. It's a nice hotel. I 537 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:42,720 Speaker 1: know the rates were not cheap, and I show up 538 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:47,760 Speaker 1: there's construction everywhere. Literally, like you said, seven am, it's 539 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:50,640 Speaker 1: it starts, and it was outside of my window. And 540 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:53,080 Speaker 1: the worst part was the way that my job was 541 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:54,720 Speaker 1: set up that day. I had to be working out 542 00:31:54,760 --> 00:31:57,720 Speaker 1: of my room so I could not escape it. And 543 00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:00,960 Speaker 1: I didn't pay for it, so obvious sleep like. But 544 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:03,720 Speaker 1: if I had paid for it, I paid, and in 545 00:32:03,720 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 1: their rates weren't reduced. That was what was so mind 546 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:09,000 Speaker 1: blowing to me. It seems like if you're doing construction, 547 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:12,240 Speaker 1: they should be they I mean, typically they're not going 548 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:14,760 Speaker 1: to reduce the rate, but they should tell you. They 549 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:17,240 Speaker 1: should at least four warn't you right, which actually did 550 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:22,440 Speaker 1: an article There's Times about this that I was interviewed 551 00:32:22,440 --> 00:32:26,320 Speaker 1: for UM about hotels disclosing construction. It almost seems like 552 00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:30,440 Speaker 1: it should be illegal because it's it's like false advertisement. Yeah, 553 00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:34,560 Speaker 1: especially the pool situation. That's false advertisement. It's not available. Yeah, 554 00:32:34,560 --> 00:32:37,800 Speaker 1: it's one thing if like it just happens, you know, 555 00:32:37,840 --> 00:32:40,200 Speaker 1: we have to close the pool. But yeah, I think 556 00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:42,920 Speaker 1: it's always safe to ask um. Like I said, the 557 00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:45,640 Speaker 1: good hotels, especially like five star, like they're going to 558 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:48,720 Speaker 1: tell you right, like, oh, you want to come to 559 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:51,960 Speaker 1: Maui and stay, you know, over these days, like just 560 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:53,960 Speaker 1: so you know, our pool is going to be closed 561 00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:57,560 Speaker 1: for innovation or whatever. But it really never hurts to ask, well, right, 562 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:00,840 Speaker 1: and especially everyone's not staying in these five star hotels, 563 00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:04,640 Speaker 1: so it's just kind of like, yeah, always ask um. Okay, 564 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:06,760 Speaker 1: is there This is kind of a random question, but 565 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:09,360 Speaker 1: is there a specific credit card you would know about 566 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:12,160 Speaker 1: that maximizes points? And as certain people who travel a 567 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:15,880 Speaker 1: lot are like get this one, Like I think that's 568 00:33:15,920 --> 00:33:19,160 Speaker 1: a really great way to get points for travel, So 569 00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:24,800 Speaker 1: I don't there are so many like so many? Um. 570 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:28,720 Speaker 1: That's actually there's a guy on Instagram. I can't think 571 00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:32,680 Speaker 1: of his name, but um, he's like the points guy. 572 00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:37,360 Speaker 1: Shout out to the points guy. If that's his name, 573 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:42,000 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure it is. Um. But he is brilliant, 574 00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:45,080 Speaker 1: Like he does a blog to UM so he's got 575 00:33:45,080 --> 00:33:50,120 Speaker 1: a lot of it's all about maximizing points, UM and so. 576 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:54,080 Speaker 1: But but like I said, there are there are so many. 577 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:59,040 Speaker 1: Yeah it's the points guy at the points guy. Okay, yeah, 578 00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:05,040 Speaker 1: um so oh okay yeah, credit cards UM. Like I said, 579 00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:06,880 Speaker 1: there's a lot of good ones. But I think it 580 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:11,720 Speaker 1: just comes down to every everybody's different. Everybody's travel is different, 581 00:34:11,760 --> 00:34:15,160 Speaker 1: and it's how you want, Like what do you want 582 00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:19,360 Speaker 1: to maximize on? UM. A lot of the airlines, like American, 583 00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:22,160 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure Delta does it. They have like a 584 00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:25,560 Speaker 1: dining rewards program so you can go and like these 585 00:34:25,600 --> 00:34:28,279 Speaker 1: are all of my credit cards, UM, so they put 586 00:34:28,320 --> 00:34:31,080 Speaker 1: them on file and then when you go to participating restaurants, 587 00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:33,800 Speaker 1: like you get extra points for dining at those restaurants. 588 00:34:33,800 --> 00:34:36,920 Speaker 1: But there are just so many programs that you can 589 00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 1: be involved in. UM t S A pre Check Global 590 00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:44,839 Speaker 1: Entry like t S A pre checks changed my life. 591 00:34:45,280 --> 00:34:46,799 Speaker 1: This is what's always funny to me is when you 592 00:34:46,840 --> 00:34:49,160 Speaker 1: have that one friend and I have those I'm not 593 00:34:49,160 --> 00:34:54,279 Speaker 1: going to say um, but she'll be like yeah you do. UM. 594 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:56,279 Speaker 1: She'll be like, it's not that worth it to me. 595 00:34:56,600 --> 00:34:58,680 Speaker 1: Sometimes I beat you in the line and I'm like, 596 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:01,920 Speaker 1: there is one time that we travel that the T 597 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:05,760 Speaker 1: s A line is longer once maybe in two years, 598 00:35:05,880 --> 00:35:08,320 Speaker 1: and she will hold that against T s A. It 599 00:35:08,480 --> 00:35:13,520 Speaker 1: is the biggest game changer. Oh yes, And coming back 600 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:17,600 Speaker 1: into the country with your global entry, I can't even imagine. Yes, 601 00:35:17,880 --> 00:35:21,840 Speaker 1: I mean, so I also have Clear and that I 602 00:35:21,840 --> 00:35:24,600 Speaker 1: mean it's clear worth it. Oh my god. So you 603 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:27,560 Speaker 1: you walk up, you scan your fingerprint, um, your little 604 00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:30,560 Speaker 1: picture pops up, and then a CLEAR representative walks you 605 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:35,080 Speaker 1: to the front of even the pre check line, hold 606 00:35:35,200 --> 00:35:39,359 Speaker 1: out their hand to block the other people. Oh my god. 607 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:42,319 Speaker 1: It is the best flows your mind, I can say. 608 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:44,640 Speaker 1: And they say, like rate this way, sir, And you 609 00:35:44,640 --> 00:35:53,000 Speaker 1: don't have to sometimes they do that's our subject. Um, 610 00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:56,080 Speaker 1: we don't have enough time for that. So but you 611 00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:58,279 Speaker 1: you don't have to show your I D like you 612 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:01,840 Speaker 1: just you just walk through, walk through. It is it 613 00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:04,920 Speaker 1: is well. So anyway, the credit card thing, yeah, a 614 00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:08,560 Speaker 1: lot of the good credit cards give you an annual 615 00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:13,000 Speaker 1: credit every year for things like that, so you can 616 00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:16,960 Speaker 1: pay for your global entry, your pre check, UM, your 617 00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:20,960 Speaker 1: Clear membership through that credit card. Like they give you 618 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:25,080 Speaker 1: a credit every year for it. Um. So yeah, there's 619 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:28,080 Speaker 1: just so many good ones. Um that sounds like the 620 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:30,400 Speaker 1: Instagram sounds like a really good tip though, for people 621 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:34,479 Speaker 1: to go find different ways to get easier points or 622 00:36:34,760 --> 00:36:37,000 Speaker 1: because those are the things that like you helped move 623 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:38,799 Speaker 1: with the rental car, and how to sign up to 624 00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:42,359 Speaker 1: be a goldmember and all just like little things like that, 625 00:36:42,440 --> 00:36:45,560 Speaker 1: I think you think about as easy that a lot 626 00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:49,320 Speaker 1: of people who don't necessarily do that every day think about. 627 00:36:49,880 --> 00:36:51,719 Speaker 1: I get that. I mean the reason I told you 628 00:36:51,719 --> 00:36:54,480 Speaker 1: to sign up for the gold number because it just 629 00:36:54,880 --> 00:36:57,279 Speaker 1: makes it that much easier when you pick up the car, 630 00:36:57,360 --> 00:36:59,640 Speaker 1: because you don't you're not really even gonna have to 631 00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:01,319 Speaker 1: talk to anybody. Your car is going to be in 632 00:37:01,440 --> 00:37:05,320 Speaker 1: space number twelve or whatever your name is on the board. 633 00:37:05,480 --> 00:37:07,120 Speaker 1: So you hop in the car and you leave and 634 00:37:07,120 --> 00:37:08,920 Speaker 1: show your I D like you don't have to go 635 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:11,600 Speaker 1: stand in line and a counter and which is the 636 00:37:11,680 --> 00:37:13,040 Speaker 1: last thing you want to do when you get off 637 00:37:13,040 --> 00:37:16,040 Speaker 1: an airplane. Totally you just wanted to be easy and fast. 638 00:37:16,719 --> 00:37:21,920 Speaker 1: You said, never book basic economy on an airline? Why 639 00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:26,200 Speaker 1: so basically, all right, so when you search for airfare, 640 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:30,120 Speaker 1: most of the websites are going to bring up the cheapest, 641 00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:34,080 Speaker 1: but the cheapest is often going to be Basic Economy. 642 00:37:34,080 --> 00:37:38,480 Speaker 1: Now they're pretty good at saying like, hey, you're booking 643 00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:42,280 Speaker 1: a basic Economy ticket, not a regular economy ticket. Um, 644 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:47,680 Speaker 1: But it's still tricks. People like my stepdad shout out again, 645 00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:52,120 Speaker 1: we do love tom Um. I'm glad the name with 646 00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:56,239 Speaker 1: the Basic Economy fair. You don't get anything. You don't 647 00:37:56,239 --> 00:37:58,279 Speaker 1: get a seat assignment until you're at the gate, so 648 00:37:58,360 --> 00:38:00,720 Speaker 1: you're gonna end up in the middle next to somebody 649 00:38:00,920 --> 00:38:06,440 Speaker 1: eating their barbecue ribs. Um. You don't get you have 650 00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:11,680 Speaker 1: to pay for baggage um. Or you don't get you know, 651 00:38:11,719 --> 00:38:15,400 Speaker 1: a check bag. You if something happens, you basically forfeit 652 00:38:15,480 --> 00:38:18,759 Speaker 1: that ticket. You can you can't get a credit, you 653 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:22,400 Speaker 1: can't get anything. It's literally like you've given me this 654 00:38:22,480 --> 00:38:26,320 Speaker 1: two hundred dollars. We're done like that. See well that 655 00:38:27,120 --> 00:38:32,840 Speaker 1: the basic Economy that doesn't happen to I mean, I'm sorry, 656 00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:37,040 Speaker 1: but you're proving my point. But also, if you travel 657 00:38:37,080 --> 00:38:40,560 Speaker 1: on other airlines, do not book Basic economy. Do not 658 00:38:40,719 --> 00:38:45,160 Speaker 1: because it's most of the time it's not that much cheaper. 659 00:38:46,040 --> 00:38:48,719 Speaker 1: So I find that a lot of a lot of 660 00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:52,600 Speaker 1: the time, the basic economy ticket is maybe like anywhere 661 00:38:52,719 --> 00:38:56,280 Speaker 1: from twenty dollars to at the max, like a hundred 662 00:38:56,320 --> 00:39:00,880 Speaker 1: dollars cheaper, So it's not worth the HASP or is not. No, 663 00:39:01,239 --> 00:39:05,120 Speaker 1: it's usually falls somewhere in between like the hundreds, like yeah, 664 00:39:05,320 --> 00:39:07,959 Speaker 1: so it's not definitely not worth it. Oh and and 665 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:10,440 Speaker 1: but then you know you'll get like, so I never 666 00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:13,799 Speaker 1: search for the basic Economy fair because I just I 667 00:39:13,840 --> 00:39:16,520 Speaker 1: refuse to book it. And then I'll get a clients like, 668 00:39:16,520 --> 00:39:18,480 Speaker 1: well I sound it cheaper and blah blah blah blah ba, 669 00:39:18,520 --> 00:39:20,800 Speaker 1: and I'm like, okay, well you're not the travel expert, 670 00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:24,000 Speaker 1: like you heard me for a reason. I'm telling you that. 671 00:39:24,160 --> 00:39:25,879 Speaker 1: You know I'm going to save you in the long 672 00:39:25,960 --> 00:39:30,960 Speaker 1: run exactly to lose twenty dollars versus two hundred dollars 673 00:39:31,040 --> 00:39:32,880 Speaker 1: or the hassle and all of it is not worth it. 674 00:39:33,239 --> 00:39:37,400 Speaker 1: So don't economy no for me traveling. I mean, obviously 675 00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:39,760 Speaker 1: I do want a great rate and all of that stuff, 676 00:39:39,800 --> 00:39:43,319 Speaker 1: but traveling made difficult will make you be like I'm 677 00:39:43,320 --> 00:39:46,440 Speaker 1: going to pay that's right. Like, if you've had a 678 00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:51,239 Speaker 1: bad travel day, you really understand that the Cheapest is 679 00:39:51,280 --> 00:39:55,720 Speaker 1: not always the best. Don't put me on a connecting flight. 680 00:39:55,840 --> 00:39:58,160 Speaker 1: I'm not doing this. I'll see I don't mind connections. 681 00:39:58,840 --> 00:40:01,520 Speaker 1: Another way we're different. Did I get super airsick? So 682 00:40:01,560 --> 00:40:03,920 Speaker 1: I like the you need the break? See, I'm like, 683 00:40:04,080 --> 00:40:07,000 Speaker 1: I need direct get me there. I don't want the break. 684 00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:09,600 Speaker 1: I need to get this over with and lock it out. 685 00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:12,840 Speaker 1: Back to like, cheaper is not always better. My brother 686 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:17,480 Speaker 1: flew on an airline that we won't mention. I called 687 00:40:17,520 --> 00:40:21,760 Speaker 1: him a bootleg airline sounds, but he chose it because 688 00:40:21,760 --> 00:40:24,840 Speaker 1: it was super cheap. Yeah, and he ended up getting 689 00:40:24,880 --> 00:40:28,799 Speaker 1: stranded in Florida and because they canceled the flight, and 690 00:40:28,840 --> 00:40:30,520 Speaker 1: he called me and he's like, is there anything you 691 00:40:30,520 --> 00:40:32,319 Speaker 1: can do? And I'm like, well, hey, you didn't book 692 00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:35,520 Speaker 1: it with me and me, no, because you booked a 693 00:40:35,560 --> 00:40:39,600 Speaker 1: bootleg airline, like so there's no helping you, right, So 694 00:40:39,800 --> 00:40:42,040 Speaker 1: he's trying to call them and there's nobody at the 695 00:40:42,080 --> 00:40:44,839 Speaker 1: calendar at the airport, like because then you know, it's 696 00:40:44,880 --> 00:40:49,840 Speaker 1: just the level of service. So he ended up I 697 00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:51,480 Speaker 1: don't know if he slept in the airport or out 698 00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:55,279 Speaker 1: a hotel. That's a bad night. Yeah, the hotels too, 699 00:40:55,520 --> 00:40:57,720 Speaker 1: like I've had this happen where flights have gotten canceled. 700 00:40:57,719 --> 00:41:01,880 Speaker 1: The hotels they put you up in our very sketchy yeah. 701 00:41:01,920 --> 00:41:03,600 Speaker 1: Well yeah, I mean they're not going to put you 702 00:41:03,600 --> 00:41:06,440 Speaker 1: on like the it's always like right by the airport 703 00:41:06,520 --> 00:41:08,880 Speaker 1: so you can get back. But the last time that 704 00:41:08,920 --> 00:41:11,880 Speaker 1: happened to me, there was a road. It was just 705 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:14,320 Speaker 1: it was not good. But when you're travel agent, I 706 00:41:14,320 --> 00:41:16,879 Speaker 1: wouldn't have that deal. Yeah, they're gonna they're gonna book 707 00:41:16,920 --> 00:41:19,920 Speaker 1: you on the next best thing, or you know you're 708 00:41:19,960 --> 00:41:22,400 Speaker 1: gonna get You're not gonna have to stand in that line. 709 00:41:22,840 --> 00:41:27,040 Speaker 1: You just don't have to go through any of that. Well, 710 00:41:27,120 --> 00:41:29,000 Speaker 1: so if people are in the situation where you do 711 00:41:29,040 --> 00:41:30,880 Speaker 1: travel a lot, it is worth it. I thought this 712 00:41:30,960 --> 00:41:34,520 Speaker 1: was interesting about the leisure people. Just even if you 713 00:41:34,600 --> 00:41:37,960 Speaker 1: just travel often, it might be worth getting a travel agent. 714 00:41:38,000 --> 00:41:40,319 Speaker 1: Even for the discount programs that you were talking about. 715 00:41:40,320 --> 00:41:43,680 Speaker 1: Are like the connection do you have? Yeah, I mean yes, 716 00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:45,839 Speaker 1: if you're traveling a lot, or you're going to spend 717 00:41:45,840 --> 00:41:48,680 Speaker 1: a lot of money on a vacation, you should definitely 718 00:41:48,719 --> 00:41:53,440 Speaker 1: look into using a travel agent. I think a lot 719 00:41:53,440 --> 00:41:59,640 Speaker 1: of people have a hard time swallowing the fee that 720 00:41:59,719 --> 00:42:03,279 Speaker 1: it's travel agent charges. I mean generally you're charging per 721 00:42:03,360 --> 00:42:06,680 Speaker 1: ticket like a service fee, but it's not that big. 722 00:42:06,880 --> 00:42:11,160 Speaker 1: And at the end of the day, you know, you 723 00:42:11,200 --> 00:42:14,200 Speaker 1: could take five trips and not really need that travel 724 00:42:14,239 --> 00:42:17,879 Speaker 1: agent for to step in for anything. But then that's 725 00:42:17,920 --> 00:42:22,560 Speaker 1: sixth trip, You're stuck at an airport somewhere and you 726 00:42:22,680 --> 00:42:25,520 Speaker 1: have no help, and that travel agent is gonna be 727 00:42:25,520 --> 00:42:28,200 Speaker 1: able to step in and like save the day for you, 728 00:42:28,320 --> 00:42:29,880 Speaker 1: and then all of a sudden you're gonna be like, 729 00:42:30,040 --> 00:42:34,040 Speaker 1: oh my god, this was worth it. This has been Yeah. Well, 730 00:42:34,160 --> 00:42:36,080 Speaker 1: or the people that you talked about that specify in 731 00:42:36,200 --> 00:42:40,440 Speaker 1: certain things like that, I can't remember it was it Iceland. 732 00:42:40,440 --> 00:42:43,120 Speaker 1: Where did you say, fly fishing in Russia? Russia at 733 00:42:43,120 --> 00:42:47,560 Speaker 1: the same yeah. No, I mean so like, I'm a 734 00:42:47,560 --> 00:42:51,080 Speaker 1: great example, a group of friends went to Greece last 735 00:42:51,160 --> 00:42:55,680 Speaker 1: year and they know the same group of friends, and 736 00:42:56,160 --> 00:43:01,120 Speaker 1: um I I basically said, like, listen, I'm not an 737 00:43:01,120 --> 00:43:04,759 Speaker 1: expert in Greece, but we can chat with some people 738 00:43:04,800 --> 00:43:08,080 Speaker 1: who are. Because I'm not going to book someone a 739 00:43:08,120 --> 00:43:11,160 Speaker 1: trip to somewhere that I've never been or never experienced 740 00:43:11,200 --> 00:43:15,680 Speaker 1: and just like google stuff because they're spending their own 741 00:43:15,719 --> 00:43:19,320 Speaker 1: money like, I want them to have the absolute best time, 742 00:43:20,080 --> 00:43:21,440 Speaker 1: and so I'm not just going to shoot in the 743 00:43:21,520 --> 00:43:25,640 Speaker 1: dark and put them here and you know whatever. So 744 00:43:26,360 --> 00:43:31,040 Speaker 1: I have access to agents who specialize in those, so 745 00:43:31,080 --> 00:43:33,160 Speaker 1: I get them on the phone and then you know, 746 00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:37,000 Speaker 1: we take notes and yeah, so there are you know, 747 00:43:37,040 --> 00:43:39,759 Speaker 1: even though the agent that you might be working with 748 00:43:39,800 --> 00:43:43,760 Speaker 1: doesn't specialize in somewhere where you're going, like, chances are 749 00:43:44,280 --> 00:43:47,920 Speaker 1: they can they know someone who does, or can find them. 750 00:43:47,960 --> 00:43:52,239 Speaker 1: So where can people find you if they're interested? Oh 751 00:43:52,280 --> 00:43:56,879 Speaker 1: my god? You know, it's funny. My Instagram is not 752 00:43:56,960 --> 00:43:59,960 Speaker 1: really focused on my business at all, but it's fine. 753 00:44:02,080 --> 00:44:05,120 Speaker 1: But I feel like most of my clients have found 754 00:44:05,120 --> 00:44:09,719 Speaker 1: me on Instagram. It's at t J Deal. Correct, it's 755 00:44:09,800 --> 00:44:14,160 Speaker 1: t J d I e h L, which is not 756 00:44:14,280 --> 00:44:16,359 Speaker 1: how I would have thought. D e A, let's make 757 00:44:16,360 --> 00:44:19,800 Speaker 1: a deal. Yeah, but t J Deal on Instagram. And 758 00:44:19,840 --> 00:44:22,239 Speaker 1: then do you have a website? I do, so it's 759 00:44:22,520 --> 00:44:28,200 Speaker 1: uh www dot zap dog travel dot com. It's a 760 00:44:28,200 --> 00:44:31,319 Speaker 1: bit of a bizarre name, but zap Dog Travel. And 761 00:44:31,400 --> 00:44:33,560 Speaker 1: I also feel like you've given a couple other people 762 00:44:33,640 --> 00:44:37,640 Speaker 1: who would be great access the couple Instagram accounts and 763 00:44:37,680 --> 00:44:41,200 Speaker 1: things to look at Yeah, I'm the points guys. Is 764 00:44:41,239 --> 00:44:47,040 Speaker 1: definitely one. Um, oh my gosh, I don't actually remember 765 00:44:47,080 --> 00:44:48,759 Speaker 1: the other one that you use staid either, but you 766 00:44:48,800 --> 00:44:53,080 Speaker 1: said one did I don't know. I'll go back and listen. Yeah, 767 00:44:53,200 --> 00:44:57,120 Speaker 1: maybe I'll have to edit this part um, but yeah, 768 00:44:57,360 --> 00:45:01,799 Speaker 1: you know, And and honestly, like I get people that 769 00:45:02,000 --> 00:45:06,360 Speaker 1: come to me randomly. They you know, I did a 770 00:45:06,360 --> 00:45:08,600 Speaker 1: local magazine in l a. M. Because we have an 771 00:45:08,640 --> 00:45:12,760 Speaker 1: office there, and um, the guy I read the article 772 00:45:12,800 --> 00:45:14,759 Speaker 1: that I did it was like travel to Mexico, and 773 00:45:14,800 --> 00:45:17,280 Speaker 1: he emailed me. But like, I wasn't really an expert 774 00:45:17,320 --> 00:45:21,000 Speaker 1: in travel to Mexico. So I'm just honest and upfront, 775 00:45:21,080 --> 00:45:26,240 Speaker 1: like I referred him to somebody that was. And because again, 776 00:45:26,400 --> 00:45:29,879 Speaker 1: like I'm not going to book something that I don't 777 00:45:29,880 --> 00:45:32,080 Speaker 1: know anything about. You want your customers to have the 778 00:45:32,120 --> 00:45:34,120 Speaker 1: best right because my name is attached to that, so 779 00:45:34,480 --> 00:45:36,600 Speaker 1: go And you're like, what where the hell did he 780 00:45:36,680 --> 00:45:39,839 Speaker 1: just put me? Like what? Like that doesn't help either 781 00:45:39,920 --> 00:45:44,319 Speaker 1: of us. So yeah, and I don't claim to be 782 00:45:44,560 --> 00:45:50,000 Speaker 1: an expert in the leisure travel world, but obviously it happens. 783 00:45:50,080 --> 00:45:53,799 Speaker 1: You know, I have a lot of clients, Um, a 784 00:45:53,840 --> 00:45:56,440 Speaker 1: lot of them have disposable income and like to take 785 00:45:56,800 --> 00:46:01,480 Speaker 1: really nice trips, so they naturally come to me and 786 00:46:01,719 --> 00:46:04,880 Speaker 1: want me to plan their trip. Um. But I always 787 00:46:04,880 --> 00:46:07,120 Speaker 1: try and be super upfront with that stuff, like if 788 00:46:07,120 --> 00:46:10,200 Speaker 1: I don't know the destination or so reach out to 789 00:46:10,200 --> 00:46:13,720 Speaker 1: Tyler with all your questions, it's gonna be like, oh God. 790 00:46:15,080 --> 00:46:16,440 Speaker 1: But I do think you gave us a lot of 791 00:46:16,440 --> 00:46:19,799 Speaker 1: great tips. I mean just for even everyday travel that 792 00:46:19,880 --> 00:46:22,440 Speaker 1: I've not even thought of. I'm telling you it's so 793 00:46:22,560 --> 00:46:24,720 Speaker 1: second nature to you, but to the rest of the world, 794 00:46:24,719 --> 00:46:27,520 Speaker 1: we're like, wait, where do I start? So even the 795 00:46:27,600 --> 00:46:32,680 Speaker 1: third party you know, website, don't do it contact to people, 796 00:46:32,960 --> 00:46:37,719 Speaker 1: but correct amazing. Thank you for doing this. Thank you. 797 00:46:37,800 --> 00:46:41,000 Speaker 1: Let's go back to drinking please, We're going to go 798 00:46:41,080 --> 00:46:43,920 Speaker 1: have a glass of wine. Thank you guys for listening 799 00:46:44,040 --> 00:46:46,839 Speaker 1: and find Tyler on Instagram and check out SAP Dog 800 00:46:46,880 --> 00:46:50,760 Speaker 1: Travel by. This is Kelly Henderson and you've been listening 801 00:46:50,800 --> 00:46:54,440 Speaker 1: to the Velvet's Edge podcast. I truly believe that every 802 00:46:54,440 --> 00:46:56,919 Speaker 1: one of us has a little velvet and a little edge, 803 00:46:57,239 --> 00:46:59,640 Speaker 1: so it's so important to remember that to be strong, 804 00:46:59,800 --> 00:47:02,799 Speaker 1: you must be soft too. Thank you so much for 805 00:47:02,840 --> 00:47:05,760 Speaker 1: sharing in those stories with me. You can follow Velvet's 806 00:47:05,800 --> 00:47:08,960 Speaker 1: Edge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, as well as velvet's 807 00:47:09,000 --> 00:47:11,360 Speaker 1: Edge dot com. If you have it yet, go to 808 00:47:11,400 --> 00:47:15,680 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts and subscribe, rate and review this podcast. Join 809 00:47:15,800 --> 00:47:20,720 Speaker 1: me every Wednesday for more conversations on lifestyle, beauty, and relationships. 810 00:47:20,920 --> 00:47:21,800 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening.