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SMART QOUTE

"I've failed over and
over again in my life
and that is why
I succeed."

Michael Jordan,
basketball legend

Qatar Airways inbound fares: UK for summer

ONE WAY - USD 630 - TRAVEL VALIDITY 01st JAN - 31st OCT 06
6 MONTHS - USD 810 - TRAVEL VALIDITY 01st JAN - 14th JUL 06
1 YEAR - USD 975 - TRAVEL VALIDITY 01st JAN - 31st OCT 06

Destinations - London and Manchester

Or

Fly Emirates Business Class to Kolkata and spend two (02) nights at the Taj Bengal Hotel

Or

Fly Emirates Economy Class to Kolkata and spend one (01) night at the Taj Bengal Hotel

For Free!

(Single or Double room occupancy)

Valid for all journeys from 26th March – 30th June 2006

When you're arriving at a new-to-you airport, do you ever start to worry about how you'll get from the airport to your hotel? Taxi, bus, shuttle, or rail? How long will each option take; how much will each cost? Are there any local scams?

Most airports with airline service post websites, and most of those websites include information on local ground transportation. When you're heading for an airport you don't know, the airport's official website is clearly the place to start. To get to the correct site you can either Google the airport or look it up on an airport portal site. My favorite airport portal is http://www.airlineandairportlinks.com which lists hundreds of airports around the world, almost all of them with links directly to the airports' sites. I find most overseas airport sites usually include an English-language viewing option. (Even Tallinn, Estonia, has an English option)

Visiting the US? Get a visa online

Kenyan visitors to the US can know apply for visas online. The US embassy in Nairobi has introduced
the Electrinic Visa Application Form (EVAF) DS-156 to enable it to process apllications for non-immigrants in a "more speedy and accurate" manner. Applications can be filled out at www.evisaforms.state.gov

Once completed the form is printed and signed. The paper copy contains a bar code, which will be scanned once the applicant reaches the consular section automatically entering the data fields in the consular system.

Many flyers who could attain elite status this year won't. They may fly 25,000 miles or more, but they'll spread their flights among several airlines, or they won't recognize that they're only a few thousand miles short of status until it's too late.

With a little advance planning, these flyers could easily attain elite status and reap the benefits on their travels during the rest of this year and next. Don't let laziness or complacency stop you from scoring free upgrades, better seats, and shorter airport waits. If you plan early in the year, you can manage your flights so you'll have a smooth ride into the land of elite flying.

1. Choose an airline

The first step is to choose on which airline you want elite status. Then, as much as possible, you should focus all of your flying on that airline. You might have to pay more for a flight or take a connection rather than fly nonstop. Just think of it as paying for your elite perks up front. The extra time and money you put in now will come back to you in the currency of free upgrades, less time spent in lines at the airport, and easier access to award seats.

2. Utilize airline partners

Sometimes you can take advantage of the low fare on another airline and still earn miles toward elite status in your preferred program. That's because many airlines allow you to earn elite-qualifying miles on their most important airline partners. "If you understand your airline's partners," says Randy Petersen, frequent flyer expert and editor of Inside Flyer Magazine, "you can bring those miles back to your program and make them count toward elite status." Airlines list their partners (and whether miles count toward top-tier status) in the frequent flyer sections of their websites, so if you're unsure, check there before you book.

3. Check your progress

"It's real easy to lose track of your progress," warns Petersen. "Most people don't think about elite status until it's too late. Then, they end up making bad decisions late in the year." He advises flyers who are bent on earning elite status to check their progress every quarter. New online tools make it easy to see how far you have left to go. If you're getting behind in your goals, you might want to watch out for airfare sales and add an extra flight to your travel schedule.

4. Take a shortcut

You don't always have to fly the full amount of miles to attain elite status. Many airlines award elite status based on segments, so if you regularly fly short-haul flights, you'll be elite before you hit the 25,000-mile mark. In addition, some airlines offer status based on the revenue you bring to the airline. For example, if you only fly 10,000 miles per year but are always paying the highest price for last-minute first-class flights, an airline might award you status based on the thousands of dollars you're pouring into its coffers.

Airlines also have unpublicized challenge programs. Challenges are when an airline will give you elite status if you fly a certain amount in a short period of time, usually a few months. Occasionally an airline will approach you (as in the case of Frontier's Ascent Challenge), but most of the time you'll need to call your preferred carrier, stress that you plan on flying a lot, and ask about a challenge. These programs are best for flyers who have already planned a few back-to-back long-haul trips.

5. Take a mileage run

What happens when November or December rolls around and you find you're still a few thousand miles short of your status goals? One option is to take a mileage run. Mileage runs are low-priced long-haul flights that you take solely to get miles. Most flyers look for flights that don't require an overnight stay and return home on the same day they departed. You may find it silly to take a flight to nowhere, but if one flight means the difference between extending all your elite benefits or losing them, you may find the expense justified in the end.

6. Look for last-minute offers

A second option is to look for last-minute offers. Some airlines try to woo flyers who are on the verge of status by allowing them to buy elite status or elite-qualifying miles. For instance, at the end of 2005 United offered double elite-qualifying miles on all flights through December 15 to members who paid $200 for the privilege. If in order to attain your elite goal you would've had to pay $200 or more and taken another flight, United's promotion could have saved you time and possibly money in your quest for status.

7. Don't forget hotels

Frequent travelers shouldn't discount hotel loyalty programs. It's often easier to attain elite status with hotel chains and easier to benefit from perks such as room upgrades, late checkout, and hotel freebies. Marriott, for example, offers Silver Elite status to travelers who stay 10 nights per year.

Once you've earned elite status in both your airline and hotel programs of choice, you'll realize travel can be a lot more comfortable and a lot less harrying than you previously thought. And all it takes is a little advance planning.