Save money with these first class travel tips, secrets and strategies

Getting good first class travel tips is tantamount to attempting to break into a secret society. Not many people would scoff at the opportunity to travel in first class. The rewards, pampering, and ease of jet setting amongst the elite offset the cost of luxe travel. From cramped seating and tawdry hotel accommodations, the benefits of paying a little more are well worth the trade-off for comfort. Add these first class travel tips, to your itinerary:

First Class Travel Tip #1

Achieve elite travel status. Airline mileage programs represent a prime opportunity. It is one of the easiest first-class travel tips for an automatic upgrade. For instance, an accrual of 25,000 or more frequent flier miles with the same airline carrier can earn members an upgrade to first-class status. Depending on the airline, mileage qualifications vary along with the amenities of the service.

Here is a list of other first-class incentives offered by airlines and hotel travel programs:

• Easy baggage check-in at first class counters or business class
• Bonus miles for every airline trip
• Free to discounted upgrades on domestic flights to first class
• Exclusive access to airlineõs upscale the club/lounge
• Preferred hotel accommodations
• Extra point rewards

Did you know that most of the seats in first-class are occupied by people who do not pay full fare? Sky marshals and off-duty airline personnel are not the only individuals enjoying the amenities of first class. By joining a frequent mileage program and following first class travel tip #1, a complimentary frequent flier upgrade is a matter of timing points.

First Class Travel Tip #2

Trade in frequent flyer miles and hotel rewards, carefully. Frequent miles can accrue to substantial value, thus, you should use it wisely. First class travel tips number two means never wasting frequent flyer miles on affordable airfare. For example, domestic tickets to New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, to name a few are regular destinations that can be purchased quite inexpensively.

On the contrary, redeem the highest return on frequent flier miles by trading them for expensive ticket items. This includes first-class airfare, last-minute flights and international vacations.

First Class Travel Tip #3

Exquisite accommodations, fine dining and sumptuous pampering aboard a luxury cruise liner is one of the smartest first class travel tips to experience. Booking a luxe cruise can be far more economical than reserving a week’s stay at a five star hotel.

Dining, activities and most accommodations are under the cost of the first class cruise reservation. Hence, the cost savings exceeds the experience of a normal land vacation. These mega ocean vessels comprise transcendental spas, private balconies, four-diamond service, and other unimaginable amenities within stepõs reach.

Unlike the work involved in coordinating the details of flying, limousine travel and hotel accommodations, cruise line travelers can let someone else do all their planning. Not to mention, all the details are in synch to one’s itinerary.

One of the best-kept, first-class travel tips is a travel agent. Various online cruise travel sites, (in example Cruise Compete) can make use of customization based on a traveler’s discerning requirements. After the traveler posts a cruise query, travel agencies will respond with a range of rates and packages.

First Class Travel Tip #4

Research, research, research is the key to first class travel tips #4. For travelers in quest of traveling first class on a budget, subscribing to high-end travel magazines, catalogs, and ezines is the easiest way to experience a dream vacation. These publications have troves of first-class travel exclusive offers, discounts, and deals.

Many print and online publications are partnered with a myriad of airlines, hotels and cruise companies. To ensure no vacancies, travel companies will offer early bird discounts to these affiliated journals. On the contrary, very few first-class travel promotions are featured on commercial travel referral sites, such as Orbitz, Hotels.com or Expedia. As a result, first class travel tips #4 entails researching and subscribing to four or five travel publications.