{"id":165282,"date":"2017-01-20T16:01:48","date_gmt":"2017-01-20T15:01:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/?p=165282"},"modified":"2017-01-22T12:03:56","modified_gmt":"2017-01-22T11:03:56","slug":"8-tips-for-cheap-luxury-travel-in-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/8-tips-for-cheap-luxury-travel-in-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"8 tips &amp; tricks for cheap luxury travel in 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Friday\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/follow-me\/\">newsletters<\/a>\u00a0always feature luxury travel\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/contests\/\">contests<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/tips\/\">tips<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/category\/travel-series\/\">series<\/a>, or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/category\/travel-news\/\">news<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h5><strong>Today (January 21, 2017): 8 tips for affordable\u00a0luxury travel in 2017.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Now that 2017 is here, it&#8217;s time to start <a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/2017\/01\/02\/top-10-my-2017-trips-that-i-am-most-excited-about\/\">making travel plans<\/a>. And while we all dream of traveling to far-flung destinations in ultraluxe hotels, nobody likes to break his\/her wallet on\u00a0a holiday. Today, I share with you 8 travel tips and tricks that I use to optimize my own travel spending. Feel free to share your own travel tips in the comments.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_165284\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-165284\" style=\"width: 620px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/2017.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"165284\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/8-tips-for-cheap-luxury-travel-in-2017\/attachment\/2017\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/2017.jpg?fit=1300%2C731&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1300,731\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"TIPS FOR AFFORDABLE LUXURY TRAVEL IN 2017\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;TIPS FOR AFFORDABLE LUXURY TRAVEL IN 2017&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/2017.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/2017.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-165284\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/2017.jpg?resize=620%2C349&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"TIPS FOR AFFORDABLE LUXURY TRAVEL IN 2017\" width=\"620\" height=\"349\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-165284\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">TIPS FOR AFFORDABLE LUXURY TRAVEL IN 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h5><strong>1. FIND THE CHEAPEST ROOM RATE ON TRIVAGO OR HOTELSCOMBINED<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>When I want to stay\u00a0at a particular luxury hotel, I always start with an online search for the cheapest\u00a0room rate at that hotel. This may sounds like mission impossible\u00a0given the number of search engines that are available on the internet these days, but it is not difficult at all since\u00a0two aggregator websites\u00a0will do the job for you in just a few clicks!\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.trivago.com\/?cip=1030039020101&amp;iSemThemeId=4245&amp;iPathId=34227&amp;PID=7603513&amp;?cip=1030039010101\" target=\"_blank\">Trivago<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.anrdoezrs.net\/links\/7603513\/type\/dlg\/https:\/\/www.hotelscombined.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Hotelscombined<\/a>\u00a0are two very helpful\u00a0websites that check at once\u00a0the price of a hotel room at hundreds of other sites (e.g.\u00a0Ebookers, Booking.com, Otel.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, Hotelopia, etc &#8230;)\u00a0and then show you where you can book the cheapest rate. Try it out for yourself here (and find out how easy it is):<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tkqlhce.com\/click-7603513-11662940-1427705140000\" target=\"_top\"><br \/>\n<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tkqlhce.com\/click-7603513-11662940-1427705140000\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http:\/\/www.ftjcfx.com\/image-7603513-11662940-1427705140000\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.anrdoezrs.net\/links\/7603513\/type\/dlg\/https:\/\/www.hotelscombined.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http:\/\/www.tqlkg.com\/image-7603513-12321546-1440523615000\" alt=\"Find the best deal with HotelsCombined.com\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Once I found the cheapest rate for a hotel room on Trivago or Hotelscombined, my strategy to book that rate depends on the hotel type:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If the hotel does not belong to a large hotel chain, then I book the room\u00a0via <a href=\"http:\/\/www.anrdoezrs.net\/links\/7603513\/type\/dlg\/https:\/\/nl.hotels.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Hotels.com<\/a>\u00a0using a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.anrdoezrs.net\/links\/7603513\/type\/dlg\/http:\/\/www.hotels.com\/customer_care\/pillar\/price_guarantee.html\" target=\"_blank\">Best Rate Guarantee<\/a>; this not only enables me to book that room at the cheapest rate (found on\u00a0Trivago or Hotelscombined), but in addition, I collect free hotel nights via Hotels.com&#8217;s excellent Rewards program (read <a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/2014\/08\/15\/travel-tip-8-reasons-why-we-love-hotels-com\/\">here<\/a>\u00a0why I love Hotels.com so much).<\/li>\n<li>If the hotel is part of a large hotel chain (e.g. Starwood, Hilton, Marriott, IHG,Hyatt), then I make the booking directly on the official hotel website using a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/best-rate-guarantee\/\">Best Rate Guarantee<\/a>\u00a0program; this will get me an additional 10-25% discount and enables me to collect <a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/hotel-loyalty-programs\/\">loyalty points<\/a>\u00a0that I can redeem for free hotel nights.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h5><strong>2. GET UPGRADES AND OTHER VIP AMENITIES AT HOTELS VIA VIRTUOSO<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Booking luxury hotels via <a href=\"http:\/\/www.virtuoso.com\/\">Virtuoso<\/a> is extremely rewarding, not so much in terms of saving money on the room rate, but rather in terms of special perks that you will receive at the property itself (e.g. upgrades, free dinners, free spa treatments, etc \u2026). \u00a0It\u2019s the\u00a0industry\u2019s leading network of luxury travel advisors, spanning over 26 countries and 9,000 travel advisors. So when you book your holiday with\u00a0Virtuoso, most of the time, you will be in touch with a Virtuoso travel agent and not make the booking online yourself. Virtuoso travel agents network with the\u00a0world\u2019s most luxurious hotels &amp; resorts, most of them belonging to the portfolio of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/2014\/05\/19\/top-10-worlds-most-exclusive-luxury-hotel-brands\/\">world\u2019s most exclusive hotel brands<\/a> (such as Aman). The single best reason to book a stay through a Virtuoso travel agent is that it means value for money as it will get you access to the above mentioned special\u00a0VIP perks. My favorite Virtuoso travel agency is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.classictravel.com\/LuxTravelExpert\">Classic Travel<\/a>, not only because of their excellent service, but also because they are one of the few Virtuoso travel agencies that offer an online booking tool.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/classictravel.com\/?agent=LuxTravelExpert\" target=\"_blank\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"159438\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/my-preferred-hotel-booking-websites\/classic-travel-logo\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/classic-travel-logo.jpg?fit=1000%2C123&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1000,123\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"CLASSIC TRAVEL LOGO\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/classic-travel-logo.jpg?fit=300%2C37&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/classic-travel-logo.jpg?fit=1000%2C123&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-159438 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/classic-travel-logo.jpg?resize=620%2C76&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"CLASSIC TRAVEL LOGO\" width=\"620\" height=\"76\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h5><strong>3. FIND THE CHEAPEST\u00a0FLIGHTS WITH GOOGLE<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>I have previously shared\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/book-a-flight\/\">my trips &amp; tricks to book the cheapest plane ticket<\/a>. I mostly use the airfare search engine\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.kayak.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Kayak<\/a>\u00a0when planning my air travel. Kayak checks the price of your requested flight at tons of sites at once, including <a href=\"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Orbitz<\/a>\u00a0 and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cheaptickets.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Cheaptickets<\/a>, and allows flexibility in your travel dates. However, Kayak does not display all prices, so\u00a0that is why I also check other online ticket-sellers as well (e.g.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Travelocity<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hipmunk.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Hipmunk<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.momondo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Momondo<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hotwire.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Hotwire<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.skyscanner.net\/\" target=\"_blank\">Skyscanner<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.expedia.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Expedia<\/a>). Recently however, a new tool has helped me tremendously in finding the cheapest ticket:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/flights\/\" target=\"_blank\">Google\u00a0Flights<\/a>. It&#8217;s a very simple tool: you just enter your travel dates and destination (city or country), hit \u2018explore destinations\u2019 and Google shows you a map where you can travel for the lowest price.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h5><strong>4. FOLLOW FAMOUS TRAVEL BLOGGERS<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Many airlines and hotels have their own loyalty\u00a0programs that allow you to\u00a0earn points or miles that are redeemable for free flights, upgrades, hotel stays, car rentals or shopping.\u00a0Everybody should participate in these programs as they can save you tons of money by travelling (almost for) free as well as offer you tons of other perks. However, it does take quite some effort to get some basic knowledge of how to collect miles &amp; points in the most efficient\u00a0manner. One of the best tips is to subscribe to the newsletters of expert bloggers, so that you will be instantly updated on promotions and tricks for earning or spending \u00a0your precious miles or hotel points. I\u00a0hereby list <a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/2014\/06\/20\/travel-for-free-with-the-best-miles-points-blogs\/\">my\u00a06 favorite travel bloggers<\/a>, that have helped me to\u00a0travel for free (I am considering featuring my\u00a0own frequent flyer section on my blog if there would be a genuine interest for that):<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">The Points Guy<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/millionmilesecrets.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Million Mile Secret<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/loyaltylobby.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Loyalty Lobby<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com\/about\/\" target=\"_blank\">View from the Wing<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/boardingarea.com\/onemileatatime\/\" target=\"_blank\">One mile at a time<\/a>\u00a0(my favorite blog)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.headforpoints.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Head for Points<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h5><strong>5. KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR QATAR AIRWAYS SALES<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.anrdoezrs.net\/links\/7603513\/type\/dlg\/http:\/\/www.qatarairways.com\/global\/en\/homepage.page\" target=\"_blank\">Qatar Airways<\/a>\u00a0has\u00a0launched some insanely cheap Business (and Economy) class ticket sales over the past years. Last week, they had a <a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/2017\/01\/11\/deal-alert-amazing-qatar-airways-business-class-fares\/\">sale<\/a> with Business Class fares from Europe and the USA\u00a0to the Middle East,\u00a0Asia, Africa and Oceania\u00a0from as low as an incredible 1000\u00a0euros or 850 USD per person (depending on the city of your origin). Never before had I seen such a low Business Class fares, and in some occasions, they\u00a0were cheaper than Economy Class fares offered by other carriers on the same routes. It makes one wonder how Qatar Airways can afford these incredibly low fares. Some of my readers were able to secure some terrific deals (eg. 1700 USD from New York to Singapore in Business Class). Although that sale has ended now, the chance are quite good\u00a0that they will launch some new ones any time soon (I will drop you a note when that happens).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jdoqocy.com\/click-7603513-12674339-1472037433000\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.lduhtrp.net\/image-7603513-12674339-1472037433000?w=680\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h5><strong>6. TRAVEL TO EMERGING DESTINATIONS<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>The most popular travel destinations are popular \u2013and expensive &#8211; for a reason, and for good reason. Think <a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/2016\/10\/03\/top-10-best-resorts-maldives\/\">Maldives<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/2016\/11\/28\/top-10-best-luxury-resorts-in-the-seychelles\/\">Seychelles<\/a>, and you know that the superlative scenery will cost you at least a $1000 USD per night in high season (and that\u2019s not even for a room in a top hotel). But some of us are looking for more profound and of the beaten-track experiences that these off-the-shelf tourist attractions just can\u2019t offer, experiences that also\u00a0allow you to save big on travel. Only few countries\u00a0fit that profile and they are on my radar to visit in the near future, before the crowds \u2013 and with that a rise of room rates \u2013 arrive: Cuba, Iran and Mongolia all seem terrific travel destinations\u00a0where one can still travel cheap without compromising too much on luxury.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_165286\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-165286\" style=\"width: 620px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/mongolia-is-on-my-bucket-list.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"165286\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/8-tips-for-cheap-luxury-travel-in-2017\/mongolia-is-on-my-bucket-list\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/mongolia-is-on-my-bucket-list.jpg?fit=970%2C546&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"970,546\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"MONGOLIA IS AN EMERGING TRAVEL DESTINATION\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;MONGOLIA IS AN EMERGING TRAVEL DESTINATION&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/mongolia-is-on-my-bucket-list.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/mongolia-is-on-my-bucket-list.jpg?fit=970%2C546&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-165286\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/mongolia-is-on-my-bucket-list.jpg?resize=620%2C349&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"MONGOLIA IS AN EMERGING TRAVEL DESTINATION\" width=\"620\" height=\"349\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-165286\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">MONGOLIA IS AN EMERGING TRAVEL DESTINATION<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<hr \/>\n<h5><strong>7. BOOK NEWLY OPENED HOTELS<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>That\u2019s one of the travel tricks that I have been\u00a0using for years. I always try to stay at luxury hotels that just opened to make use of their often insane opening offers to lure guest. For instance, Soneva Jani in the Maldives and Six Senses Sil Pasyon in the Seychelles offered their guests discounts of more than 50% (including many extras) in the first weeks after they openend. Some hotels will even allow you to negotiate your own rate. For that reason, you may want to read my lists of the hottest new hotels of 2016 and 2017, and check whether one of the featured hotels is located along one of your future travel itineraries. Especially in Asia, there seems to be a boom in luxury hotels (e.g. China, Sri Lanka, Malaysia).<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/2016\/12\/23\/best-new-luxury-hotels-of-2016\/\">List of the best new hotels of 2016.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/2017\/01\/13\/the-most-anticipated-hotel-openings-of-2017\/\">List of the most anticipated luxury hotels of 2017<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_159185\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-159185\" style=\"width: 620px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/soneva-jani.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"159185\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/free-upgrade-at-soneva\/soneva-jani-3\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/soneva-jani.jpg?fit=1300%2C731&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1300,731\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"SONEVA JANI &#8211; OVERWATER VILLA\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;SONEVA JANI &#8211; OVERWATER VILLA&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/soneva-jani.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/soneva-jani.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-159185\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/turkeyalwan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/soneva-jani.jpg?resize=620%2C349&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"SONEVA JANI - OVERWATER VILLA\" width=\"620\" height=\"349\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-159185\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">SONEVA JANI &#8211; OVERWATER VILLA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<hr \/>\n<h5><strong>8. DON&#8217;T BE OBSESSED BY TRAVEL &amp; LOYALTY<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>I have to admit, I used to be obsessed by loyalty programs in the past. I would book hotels and do mileage runs, with the simple goal of acquiring as much hotel points and airline miles as possible. Granted, this strategy has offered me plenty of awesome experiences, such as flying First Class in many of the world&#8217;s best airlines. However, over the years, I came to realize that loyalty became less rewarding (with many hotel and airline programs introducing massive devaluations) and that loyalty was determining my travel plans and not the other way around. That is why I left my obsession for loyalty programs behind me. By doing so, I noticed\u00a0that I not only reduced my levels of travel-related stress (yes, loyalty can cause stress by making you want to maintain your elite status), but also that I introduced more variety in my travels by exploring new destinations, airlines and hotels. In fact, I am considering abandoning all my loyalty programs and just take a more relaxed approach when it comes to travel, especially since there are so many good travel deals out there these days that loyalty doesn&#8217;t seem to make much\u00a0sense anymore.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ecxMsoNormal\">Enjoy the weekend and stay tuned for Monday when I reveal a new\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/other-top-10-lists\/\">top 10 travel list<\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>*** Follow me on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LuxTravelExpert\" target=\"_blank\">Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/luxurytravelexpert\/\" target=\"_blank\">Instagram<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LuxuryTravelExpert\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook<\/a>\u00a0for a daily\u00a0<\/em><em>moment of travel inspiration ***<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Friday newsletters always feature luxury travel contests, tips, series, or news <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/8-tips-for-cheap-luxury-travel-in-2017\/\" title=\"8 tips &amp; tricks for cheap luxury travel in 2017\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":165284,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[63706],"tags":[106159,218802,200,596069339,550122171],"class_list":{"0":"post-165282","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-travel-tips","8":"tag-luxury","9":"tag-save-money","10":"tag-travel","11":"tag-travel-tips","12":"tag-travel-tips-2017"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\n<title>8 tips &amp; 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