Free Travel 102

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Following last Monday's Free Travel 101 with an "exciting" syllabus full of accumulation and redemption strategies, we graduate to Free Travel 102!

Stopovers If booking a trip through air mile redemption, what airlines don't tell you is you can make one stopover for free. The Catch? It has to be along the continuous line toward your destination. For example, if you're flying to London from Vancouver you could stop over in Montreal for a few days, whereas you couldn't stop in Brazil---that's a little off-course. Two trips in one, bonus!

Loopholes Check out your preferred carrier's mileage reward chart to find discount seasons or low mileage business class upgrades. For example:

• With Cathay Pacific, 50,000 air miles gets you business class from Vancouver to NYC---an overnight flight you'll *want* the option of lying flat.
• American Airlines includes the Caribbean in its domestic mileage allotment during part of hurricane season {sept 15 - nov 15}. 25,000 points to the Caribbean is a travel steal, given it 'costs' approx 40,000 - 60,000 miles to get there the rest of the year. Note, the ABC islands are outside the hurricane belt.

Who Else The beauty of airline alliances means {read: most airlines are part of a major alliance} that you don't have to apply your miles to the airline you've used to collect your miles. Using Alaska Airlines as an example, use your Alaska miles on Cathay Pacific and a host of other airlines.

Conversion Finally, maximize your air miles by converting your travel credit card reward points into miles. Warning: this method comes down to math! Most cards have at least one affiliated airline mileage program for conversion of points into miles. For example, TD Visa Travel Rewards Infinite allows you to convert 100,000 credit card points into 25,000 American Airlines AA Advantage miles. If left unconverted, these miles are worth $500 of travel. If you can find a flight that costs more than $500 {before taxes, since you'll still have pay them on a reward ticket} but only requires 25,000 miles, then you're ahead.

Related Free Travel 101 Going The Distance With Your Air Miles

[photo taken by @tripstyler in the Whitsunday Islands]

Tech Tuesday :: Hipmunk Gets Organized

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Earlier this year we wrote about a new flight search tool called Hipmunk that organizes results in a visual timeline format by agony---a measure of price, duration and number of stops. Why is this significant? Most traditional travel meta search engines show flights in a list format, meaning you have to scroll through hundreds of options. This takes time; Hipmunk's version is a little more user-friendly for the right-brained among us.

If you haven't had a chance to check out the travel search engine {with a chipmunk wearing flight goggles as the mascot}, take notice because you'll appreciate some recently added, time-saving features: - First, they now offer a hotel search in addition to their popular flight search. - Second, they are the FIRST to integrate your Google Calendar into their search.

For both hotels and flights, Hipmunk now automatically shows information from your Google Calendar that’ll help you pick the right trip, based on your availability. This new technology is perfect for the person who has more coloured blocks in their calendar than a lego castle. Integrating your calendar requires you create a Hipmunk account, then follow a few easy steps.

Busy bees, take note. Organizing your flight time just got a little easier.

PS - Cool factoid: If you Google Hip Munk Trip Styler comes up as the second search result!

More Tech Tuesday Urban Dig City Guide Travelstormer {Group Travel Planning} Virtual Shopping Get A Callback Google Flight Search Hotel Tonight Getting There Direct

[image via Hipmunk website]

Jetset Jingles :: Caribbean

[trip style = beach + sun]

{Editor's Note: Jetset Jingles publishes once monthly and is mixed and mastered by Nicole, amateur DJ by night and movie maven by day.}

Many things come to mind when I think of the Caribbean: white sandy beaches, tropical breezes, otherwise stylish men thinking they can get away with wearing white linen pants, and of course, the sometimes cheesy, somewhat dated songs that quickly become the soundtrack of your trip style = beach + sun. You know the ones I’m talking about: the songs that so perfectly complement the laid back and relaxed island time mentality embraced by every island from Jamaica to Nevis, the ones you already know the words to, and the ones that will help ease you into the no problem mon attitude one can’t help but adopt while unwinding beachside.

This month’s playlist was created especially for Trip Styler Editor-in-Chief  Trish’s current trip to the ABC islands. Enjoy your trip Mr & Mrs Trip Styler and happy listening readers…

Song List 1/ Jammin' - Exodus (Deluxe Edition) 2/ Don't Worry, Be Happy - Best of Bobby McFerrin 3/ Hot Hot Hot - Steel Drum Island Collection: Hot Hot Hot & More On Steel Drums 4/ Three Little Birds - Exodus (Remastered) 5/ Kokomo - Sounds of Summer - The Very Best of The Beach Boys 6/ Day-O (Banana Boat) - Island In The Sun 7/ Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley & The Wailers: Gold 8/ In the Summertime (feat. Rayvon) - The Boombastic Collection: Best of Shaggy 9/ Escape (The Pina Colada Song) - Number 1's: '70s Pop 10/ Pressure Drop - The Very Best of Toots & the Maytals

Playlist {Can’t view this playlist? Click here.}

More Jetset Jingles R+R Summer Staycation Camping Tunes Aussi Songs Best of Coachella Turbulence Calm

[photo by @tripstyler taken in Curacao]

Roam+Board :: Kura Hulanda

[trip style = urban + sightseeing // beach + sun]

{Editor's Note: This property is Trip Styler approved. I just spent four days at Kura Hulanda, and did so on my own dime. Per our editorial policy, complimentary stays are always disclosed.}

What Two unique boutique properties; a city hotel and spa, and oceanfront lodge and beach club. Both members of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the Kura Hulanda properties offer the most ideal Curacao experience; city culture and country calm. Hotel Stay in a completely restored Dutch village, now a UNESCO world heritage site and hotel in the centre of Curacao's main city, Willemstad. Winding cobblestone streets connect each room with sturdy hardwood floors, antique furniture and marble bathrooms. Cool down after sightseeing under a waterfall splashing into a palm-covered eco pool, or on a cushioned lounger. Lodge At Kura Hulanda Lodge you don't stray far from overhanging trees and the coral cliff coastline. Offering a refined, tranquil beachside atmosphere versus hoity toity mega resort, the location, facilities and staff allow you to fully unpack your bags, body and soul. Leave your big jewels and fancy clothes behind, you won't need them when you're dining alfresco under a palm-roofed restaurant or snorkeling in the aquamarine waters below.

Where Curacao. The hotel is in Willemstad, the country's oceanside capital. The lodge is 45 mins from the hotel {30 mins from the airport} in the small town of Westpunt. A shuttle service {with two arrivals and departures daily} connects the two properties. Via taxi, to/from the airport to the hotel is $25, and the lodge is $60USD.

When Year round. How can you dispute an annual temperature of 27 degrees Celsius? With the humidex, 27 feels like 40! Sweaters aren't even required at night. The Caribbean's traditional hurricane season {june 15 - Nov 15} brings some rain, but because Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire are below the main hurricane belt, the storms are normally short-lived---to the tune of 10 minutes or three hours. Note that November is typically the rainy season, though I was just there and the skies were blue. To secure the best prices, visit at the tail end of hurricane season and before Christmas {Oct 1 - Dec 15}, or after March. Case in point, the hotel was just offered on Jetsetter {my fave travel flash sale website, featured in TS Recommends} for $70/night---one of the best values in the Caribbean.

Who/Why You're part culture-buff and part sun-seeker who loathes standard-issue hotel stays.

Cost Rooms start at $137 in the hotel and $115 in the lodge with a low season discount. Includes free + {fast!} wifi {everywhere in the lodge & main square at hotel}, plus a daily transfer between the hotel and lodge. {Trip Styler Tip :: Stay at both the hotel and the lodge for the full Curacao experience. If you have a week, do a 2/5-night split.} 

More Roam+Board Hotel Kakslauttanen - Finland The Met – Vancouver Custom Hotel – LAX Bitter End Yacht Club – BVI Sleep On The Water – London A Woodsy Hideaway – Big Sur, CA

[photos by Kura Hulanda & @tripstyler]

Healthy On The Road :: Lifestyle Choices

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{Editor's Note: Leah, Trip Styler's health contributor was recently asked to lend her expertise to the Canadian Cancer Society about making healthy choices while traveling. We've published an except of her contribution here {see here for full article}! When she’s not training clients or being trained by her dog Zuzu, Leah writes Healthy on the Road, published the first Thursday of every month.}

At the Trip Styler HQ, we choose to write healthy on the road monthly because we believe in taking care of ourselves every day, whether at home or away. Healthy living isn’t just about exercise, it’s about making healthy lifestyle choices and treating yourself, others, and the environment well. Unfortunately, traveling has the potential to hinder our best efforts. Here are some healthy travel lifestyle tips to help you prepare for your next vacation:

Active Be physically active, every day! The goal is to engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate activity each day you are away, and then pack/plan accordingly. It will lift your mood, reduce your stress and improve your sleep to name just a few of the many benefits.

Be Mindful Be mindful of what you consume: a balanced breakfast, 8-10 glasses of water per day {watch the calories in beer, wine and umbrella drinks}, as well as regular and healthy colourful snacks {as a general rule, avoid a lot of white or beige foods}.

Time Out Calm your mind. Emotional and spiritual wellness are very personal matters, but traveling can present some amazing opportunities for reflection and renewal. Wherever you find renewal, try going there for at least 20 minutes each day you are away.

If your next trip involves a game plan that includes physical activity, healthy eating and mindfulness, you will be better equipped to handle the daily challenges waiting to greet you when the trip is over. Keep these habits up when you get home and your overall health will soar!

More Healthy On the Road… Anthony's Tips {National snowboard teams' trainer & gym owner} The INSANITY Workout Hydrate! Make Any Trip Style Healthy The 20-min Exercise Itinerary Healthy DIY Plane Snacks Hotel Room Exercises {You can do in your underwear}

[photos by @tripstyler]