To me, I look at this hobby as the banks, airlines, hotel programs vs. us consumers, just trying to catch a break and save a few bucks on travel. The reason I think we always win is the ability to act quickly.
I’ve spent most of my life working for myself. I did have one job at an insurance company right out of college. I lasted about 14 months, living by corporate rules.
It’s those rules and bureaucracy that gives us the edge in this game. Look at some of the latest examples of how we, as “nimble players,” can always win.
One of us somewhere in the USA found a terms and conditions sheet for the Hilton Aspire Card that clearly said “NO annual fee first year.” We spread the word rapidly and many of us were approved before they even knew what hit them. They can back out of their offer and piss some people off OR, and most probably, honor their mistake for those that applied in time.
Mistake fares
Look at airline mistake fares. I flew in business class years ago from the U.S. to New Zealand for $1,428.00 round-trip. They simply just forgot a “0”. It was supposed to be $14,280. The fare was honored.
Do you think United would actually take the chance on the bad press of cancelling our already purchased tickets? Why everybody that got in on that deal I’m sure had secured prepaid hotel reservations, taken time off work, found a babysitter ;).
You know they acted in good faith based on United publishing that fare.
We see them all the time. Missed zeros, forget to put the actual fare in, and charged just the taxes. How about offering 60 points per dollar instead of the correct 6?
Resources that help us win
Bloggers are important in spreading the word to us hobbyists. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve won because of a blog informing me of a great deal. Or maybe a website like secretflying.com?
Your willingness to read others’ stories and reports, share with your friends and fellow travelers, makes this hobby as successful as it is. The idea of keeping a deal to yourself is great until you get your seat booked. But after that, share with all of us.
Why should anyone be the only one to win? I can’t think of any member of this family that finds all the deals they need by themselves.
Final thoughts
The next time you hear a naysayer say that “a blogger killed a deal“, think about all who got to enjoy the deal before it got died.
Somehow we need to encourage the further sharing of ideas and deals. The big corporate slugs that try to keep up are just outmatched by the nimble free-spirited hobbyists that are willing to share their bounty with their fellow enthusiasts.
I think again, we are responsible for our own success and failure in the game. The more time we put in, the info we share, the more likely others will do the same. Let’s try to all stay team players.
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