WSJ Evaluates Travel “Hacks”, Gets Some Right, Some Wrong

The Wall Street Journal critiqued travel “hacks” shared by influencers and failed on some, got others right. Here’s where they nailed it and didn’t. 

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Wall Street Journal Travel “Hacks” That Don’t Work

Readers of Live And Let’s Fly and other frequent flyer blogs tend to be very experienced travelers. Our audience often rolls their collective eyes when new travel “hacks” are revealed either by influencers or mainstream media. Most of these are familiar to our readership, but what’s lacking in this WSJ article is nuance associated with all of them.

Here are the five that WSJ suggests don’t work and that readers should take “with a grain of salt.”

• Lie-flat award redemptions, or a family of four in coach during the summer
• Proper personal presentation to a gate agent to earn an upgrade
• Last minute check-ins don’t free you from a middle seat
• Hotel upgrades at check-in ($20 trick)
• Bring Your Own Cocktails onboard

Award Redemptions

This one is flatly wrong. In fact, I can’t recall a time where I have seen more availability at this stage in the year for summer award travel at saver level for so many seats in a party. I was recently searching for five business class seats to London in August and not only did I find it, but I found multiple dates and multiple carriers. The article writer says,

“Yes, you can juice your balances with credit card sign-up bonuses and transfer bonuses to airline programs. But even the best offers likely won’t get a family of four to Europe for free in the summer—in economy.” – WSJ

My award redemptions and searches happened to be from New York so while I would normally mention that perhaps the writer was searching out of a limited market, that’s not likely the case and I know it for a fact. What could be an issue is that Delta is the choice for many Manhattan global flyers I know. In that instance, I would agree that flying a family on Delta SkyMiles is for most people out of reach due to their incredibly high redemption prices. I found as cheap as 9,000 miles for five seats in coach New York to London on Virgin Atlantic for plenty of dates throughout the summer, and paid just 175,000 for five one-ways in business class on the same route, airline. With a transfer bonus, I used 40% fewer points meaning my net price was 125,000 Membership Rewards points transferred in; I also found flights on American Airlines using Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan for just 45,000 per person and $18 in taxes.

The caveats the writer provides in this section should have been that there are opportunities, just not on her airline. A simple search using any number of award flight search engines would have made this clear.

Upgrades By Being Nice, Dressing Up

It’s long been debunked that dressing up for a flight will get you an upgrade. However, the second part where I believe the writer is wrong or at least exaggerates the situation is when she says,

“Dressing nicely or sweet-talking a gate agent isn’t going to land you a free first-class upgrade.”

Sweet talking a gate agent also won’t land you a comp by itself, however, if coach is full or oversold, someone without paying will be moved to the forward cabin. You can say it doesn’t happen but it does. The reality of that situation is that someone has to be moved up and if they had status, they already would have been. Dale Carnegie wrote that “it’s easier to catch flies with honey” and in my experience several times it has held true.

Checking In Late For A Flight

The writer disavows before acknowledging that it works,

“I don’t want to see another post on check-in chicken, a game where you delay checking in, in hopes of nabbing a better seat assignment. First of all, this “game” really only works if you don’t have a seat assignment, such as when flying basic economy or on a budget airline, where seats are assigned at check-in. Could waiting potentially nab you a better seat? Sure, airlines move passengers around until departure to accommodate families and upgrade frequent fliers.”

I stopped checking in for flights until I need my boarding pass, sometimes in line at TSA, sometimes as close to departure as 30 minutes. I have seen too many departures on full flights in which I am flying on an airline without status and seeing Group 5, 9 – whatever Basic Economy may be – passengers called forward for their boarding pass. I have walked past them in exit rows, extra leg room seats, and other advantageous seating positions while I trudge back to an aisle assignment I paid for at the back of the plane.

My odds improved on securing a better seat by leaving check-in late in the process and I wholeheartedly disagree. It’s actually one of the things I think airlines could do to improve their ancillary revenue. Confirm Basic Economy customers in middle seats in the back and not only will they no longer attempt to game the system, but they will also be more likely to buy their way out of it if they know it will be an unfavorable situation rather than a mystery at check-in.

The $20 Trick

Does slipping a $20 in your passport or check-in documents work in Las Vegas, probably not for $20 any more. But the ($100) Benjamin trick is alive and well according to feedback online. Frontline resort and hotel chain workers are often not well compensated. If there is space available in a large hotel, saving money through a tip might be the best way to secure a better room.

Backseat Bartender?

Some have been making a show of combining mixers (espresso, coffee, or others) with alcohol brought onboard to enhance their experience without paying for adult beverages from the airline.

The article points out that this is illegal and ill-advised, and I agree. However, if you bring your own food or beverage onboard and supplement with theirs, it absolutely still works but that doesn’t make it advisable.

Travel “Hacks” That Didn’t Make The List That Definitely Work

There are a handful that absolutely do work but didn’t make the list. Some are known by our readership but it’s possible some remain novel.

Shop From Other Markets For Free Flights

I mentioned above that I will start a trip from New York but that’s not my home market. From Pittsburgh, I will be unlikely to secure a reasonable rate for five guests in a premium cabin, and in some cases, even in coach. However, if I see the rare unicorn of five business class tickets appear, I book them immediately and then add in connecting flights later. Securing the over-the-water portion is always the most important, but it’s easier to pick up connection add-ons later or even book them separately on a good deal.

Either using Expert Flyer or Google Flights to set alerts, we rarely have close calls in getting our connections or positioning flights as needed.

Don’t Cancel, Move Your Date

Loyalty programs for airlines often allow you to move your reservation rather than cancel for free. But even cash bookings for most hotels can be moved without a penalty. Guests inside of a non-refundable cancellation period may be able to move their reservation to another date in the future outside of the cancellation penalty and then cancel their reservation.

No Cancellation Penalty Reservations

As a travel agency owner, there are a few corporate clients that live in areas just outside of major metropolitan areas. For example, one is in East-Central Pennsylvania, another is a couple of hours drive from Detroit, still another is 90 minutes from St. Louis. Connecting flights often are in these major markets to the short distance smaller airports. Especially during inclement weather, we will book our clients a no-penalty car rental to ensure they are not stuck so close to home without options. Many elite frequent flyers will ask to be “protected” on a backup flight in the case of a severe delay and some airlines oblige (whether asked or not) but in the event that driving makes more sense (excessive delays on the connection flight are also a good use) it’s good to have a car ready and waiting and if you don’t need it, don’t pick it up.

Conclusion

Maybe it’s unfair to jump on a travel journalist reporting to the broader public with the best of intentions, trying to keep them from tragedy. For many who don’t use airline and hotel points and miles for free travel (or nearly free), a summer trip is a big purchase, maybe one of the largest single events for the year in terms of dollars spent. And not everyone has a good credit score sufficient to sign-up for new cards (or don’t like paying the annual fee.) That said, the article approaches “hacks” that don’t work with some pretty broad brushes. If someone just reached the minimum spending requirement on a new Chase Sapphire card or an American Express product, is it helpful to decide it’s hopeless when award space is clearly available? Maybe they should rename the $20 trick to the $50 trick or the $100 trick but the concept hasn’t vanished, it’s just inflated – thanks Obama.

She’s right about one thing, you shouldn’t believe everything you read or watch (in this case) but many of these opportunities are alive and well, the story of their death has been greatly exaggerated.

What do you think? Do you agree with the assessment of the Wall Street Journal? Do you have any tips, tricks, or travel hacks you’d like to share? 

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