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Headed to beautiful Lubbock, TX next week for an overnighter.

Then a couple of overnight car trips to San Diego / Imperial County Cali and Fresno in October.

I get the most luxurious locations! :lol:
 
Headed to beautiful Lubbock, TX next week for an overnighter.

Then a couple of overnight car trips to San Diego / Imperial County Cali and Fresno in October.

I get the most luxurious locations! :lol:
In Zimbabwe right now, pit stop as part of a work trip to Cape Town :P
I've been all over this great country of ours but my only time spent internationally has been in Mexico and Canada. I'd jump at the chance at a trip to Africa, work or otherwise!
 
Headed to beautiful Lubbock, TX next week for an overnighter.

Then a couple of overnight car trips to San Diego / Imperial County Cali and Fresno in October.

I get the most luxurious locations! :lol:
In Zimbabwe right now, pit stop as part of a work trip to Cape Town :P
I've been all over this great country of ours but my only time spent internationally has been in Mexico and Canada. I'd jump at the chance at a trip to Africa, work or otherwise!
I do mostly US as well, for sure try to extend the international when they happen.
 
Well, the Navan experience has been OK so far. One hiccup, though, happened last week. I had landed at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, CA, and tried to use my Navan card to get out of the parking garage. Declined. Three times. Since there was someone behind me, I couldn't back up, park and call customer service to see what was wrong. So used my debit card and had to submit for reimbursement. Our Controller never heard of the card being declined while someone was on a trip.

Other than that, it's pretty nice not having to spend an hour or so a month on an expense report. Everything is integrated and for meals and gas you get an app alert and add the receipt right away and it's logged to the project automatically.
 
They haven't said it yet but all travel other than essential will be cancelled until further notice or May 1, 2025, whichever comes first. Doesn't break my heart, that trip to MN was going to be a fun one.
 
They haven't said it yet but all travel other than essential will be cancelled until further notice or May 1, 2025, whichever comes first. Doesn't break my heart, that trip to MN was going to be a fun one.
Cost saving?
Yes, usually happens when business slows down but it's usually later in the year or January. First time I can remember it happening this early in the year.
 
They haven't said it yet but all travel other than essential will be cancelled until further notice or May 1, 2025, whichever comes first. Doesn't break my heart, that trip to MN was going to be a fun one.
Cost saving?
Yes, usually happens when business slows down but it's usually later in the year or January. First time I can remember it happening this early in the year.
Ouch, that's not fun.
 
Went to Singapore for a work trip earlier this year... strongly recommend.

Sending two engineers to Japan (conflicts with kids school or I would go) next month.

Might have a trip to Turkey or Hawaii later this year.

I don't get paid as much as others, but i get to travel the world (italy, egypt, israel, singapore, etc).
 
Headed to beautiful Lubbock, TX next week for an overnighter.

Then a couple of overnight car trips to San Diego / Imperial County Cali and Fresno in October.

I get the most luxurious locations! :lol:
In Zimbabwe right now, pit stop as part of a work trip to Cape Town :P
One of the cooler areas of the world I have been. Table Mountain is a must. Drive down to Southern most point of the continent is cool as well. If you get a chance to go a bit north to the wine area it is worth it. Enjoy that!

ETA: I just noticed this is weeks old 😂
You are probably back and already over the jet lag.
 
Going to Vegas on Sunday for a conference. Four nights. That's a lot of nights in Vegas.

I have been here since last Friday. KMN. Heading home tomorrow morning.

Ending a 17-day road trip. I'm wore out.

But I head out again on Sunday night for a quick two nighter - Cleveland and New York City before taking some PTO.
 
Going to Vegas on Sunday for a conference. Four nights. That's a lot of nights in Vegas.

I have been here since last Friday. KMN. Heading home tomorrow morning.

Ending a 17-day road trip. I'm wore out.

But I head out again on Sunday night for a quick two nighter - Cleveland and New York City before taking some PTO.
Holy crap man, 17 days? Do you do laundry while you're on your trip? I assume you must. I would be worn out. I dig the 2-3 nighters.
 
Going to Vegas on Sunday for a conference. Four nights. That's a lot of nights in Vegas.

I have been here since last Friday. KMN. Heading home tomorrow morning.

Ending a 17-day road trip. I'm wore out.

But I head out again on Sunday night for a quick two nighter - Cleveland and New York City before taking some PTO.
Holy crap man, 17 days? Do you do laundry while you're on your trip? I assume you must. I would be worn out. I dig the 2-3 nighters.
I did laundry once at a laundromat after 6 days and then in lieu of using the hotel laundry for my underwear/undershirts in Las Vegas, I just went across the street to Ross and bought more. It was a lot cheaper. :ROFLMAO:

I still had to get some of my dress shirts cleaned. I think I paid $120+ for eight of them. Yeah......I didn't have a choice there though.
 
Headed to beautiful Lubbock, TX next week for an overnighter.

Then a couple of overnight car trips to San Diego / Imperial County Cali and Fresno in October.

I get the most luxurious locations! :lol:
In Zimbabwe right now, pit stop as part of a work trip to Cape Town :P
One of the cooler areas of the world I have been. Table Mountain is a must. Drive down to Southern most point of the continent is cool as well. If you get a chance to go a bit north to the wine area it is worth it. Enjoy that!

ETA: I just noticed this is weeks old 😂
You are probably back and already over the jet lag.
lol. Cape Town was awesome, did Tabletop, Cape of Good Hope, Wine area...never knew it was such a spectacular location. Got to see the South Africa vs New Zealand Rugby championship match as well...amazing experience!
 
Headed to beautiful Lubbock, TX next week for an overnighter.

Then a couple of overnight car trips to San Diego / Imperial County Cali and Fresno in October.

I get the most luxurious locations! :lol:
I am so sorry. I lived in Lubbock for 2.5 years. It is the least interesting place on Earth.
 
I have been on a crazy schedule for 2 months. I have been to Austin, Vegas, Vancouver, Madison, Orlando, Vegas (This one was for fun), and Madison again. I currently have no flights booked and I am very happy about that.
 
Sitting in the AA Flagship lounge while awaiting my Business Class flight on Iberia to Madrid. Haven’t flown Iberia before so I’ll be interested to see how it is for the 60 minutes or so before I fall asleep. lol.

One night in Madrid before I take a train down to Barcelona. Heading there for our annual budget meetings. Flying back from LHR on AA next Saturday. If I was smart, I would have realized the Bears were playing in London this weekend and would have tried to make that work. Oh well.

A few days at home before to the Waldorf Astoria in Cancun for a conference. Head to CLT from there for a night and then back to Miami.

Heading back to Europe in early December for a conference in Nice. Have a trip to Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe and San Francisco wedged in between.

Executive Platinum here I come!
 
Off to Texas for a few days. Up bright and early after hardly sleeping. Headed to San Antonio for the night, hangin' with some fantasy football related buddies there tonight, site visit in the morning, then up to Austin (site visit there on Friday) until Sunday! As it turns out, a bunch of my old crew from Austin will be out of town this week/weekend so was gonna try to change my flight and come home early, but there was a decent change fee and my stupid hotel there is prepaid without the ability to cancel w/ refund. So I may be cavorting around Austin by myself on Friday night unless some of my other friends (that I'm seeing on Thursday night) can hang. I do miss that city, that's for sure.
 
Off to Texas for a few days. Up bright and early after hardly sleeping. Headed to San Antonio for the night, hangin' with some fantasy football related buddies there tonight, site visit in the morning, then up to Austin (site visit there on Friday) until Sunday! As it turns out, a bunch of my old crew from Austin will be out of town this week/weekend so was gonna try to change my flight and come home early, but there was a decent change fee and my stupid hotel there is prepaid without the ability to cancel w/ refund. So I may be cavorting around Austin by myself on Friday night unless some of my other friends (that I'm seeing on Thursday night) can hang. I do miss that city, that's for sure.
Haven't been to Austin in 10+ years but would like to get back there. Just a good vibe (and great BBQ).
 
Leaving tomorrow morning for Las Vegas. Planning on heading to Mt. Charleston area as soon as I get there to get in a 5-6 mile hike before things get going on Monday. My wife is flying in on Wednesday and we are going to drive to Lake Tahoe for a couple of nights before heading to San Francisco on Saturday. With our son at school, it's nice to be able to have my wife join me on some of these trips.
 
Off to Texas for a few days. Up bright and early after hardly sleeping. Headed to San Antonio for the night, hangin' with some fantasy football related buddies there tonight, site visit in the morning, then up to Austin (site visit there on Friday) until Sunday! As it turns out, a bunch of my old crew from Austin will be out of town this week/weekend so was gonna try to change my flight and come home early, but there was a decent change fee and my stupid hotel there is prepaid without the ability to cancel w/ refund. So I may be cavorting around Austin by myself on Friday night unless some of my other friends (that I'm seeing on Thursday night) can hang. I do miss that city, that's for sure.
Haven't been to Austin in 10+ years but would like to get back there. Just a good vibe (and great BBQ).
Was there earlier this year. Still one of my favorite cities in US. I do have to say it has gone through some changes. Rainey Street (spelling) is wild. Totally wrecked that area, I would be curious to hear from some locals.
 
Wrapping up a quick jaunt to rainy Sacramento. Luckily, I can fit in a stop to my favorite burger joint in town. Mmm... burgerrrr...
 
I just spent the last 8 weeks doing a round the world trip. Some for pleasure, some for work. I'm on the final stretch about ti depart Nagasaki for home.

Here's the route: GVA, ORY, LAX, BUR, LAS, BWI, DET, PVG, SZX, ICN, NGS, AUH, NAR, GVA.

Highlights: spending real quality time with my patents over 3 weeks, hanging with my boys in Vegas for a few nights, seeing old friends in Baltimore, eating a LOT in China, 21 hour layover in Seoul and getting to eat dinner and have a few drinks, meeting my wife again in ICN after being apart for 7+ weeks, being a conference husband and enjoying some sushi and Japanese culture.

Can't wait to hug my kids again after more than 8 weeks away.

#lookatme round the world trip
 
Aaaaaaaand something got really screwed up on Concur. Somehow my Etihad flights got booked with no baggage allowance. Despite taking my bag at the check in counter, I heard my new called to come to the gate. Turns out they wanted to charge me per kilogram of weight on my checked luggage. I was livid. It was extortion. They had my bag and the plane was boarding. Either I pay $450 on the spot or they throw away my check luggage. I called Concur and they confirmed that the ticket has no baggage allowance. I have no idea how they booked it with no chceckdd bags. My company is now $450 lighter...

I have never lost my **** at a gate agent before but I was Piiiiiiiiised off. Anyway, I'm on board and I'll tell at Concur that they ****ed up big time here.
 
Wrapping up a quick jaunt to rainy Sacramento. Luckily, I can fit in a stop to my favorite burger joint in town. Mmm... burgerrrr...

Which one? Lived there for a bit like 20 years ago, but I still get down that way regularly.
It's called Monsoon Burger (which is fitting because it was absolutely pouring on Friday when I was there). Right off Del Paso and Natomas in a little shopping center. Totally unassuming place but the burgers are absolutely outstanding.
 
Aaaaaaaand something got really screwed up on Concur. Somehow my Etihad flights got booked with no baggage allowance. Despite taking my bag at the check in counter, I heard my new called to come to the gate. Turns out they wanted to charge me per kilogram of weight on my checked luggage. I was livid. It was extortion. They had my bag and the plane was boarding. Either I pay $450 on the spot or they throw away my check luggage. I called Concur and they confirmed that the ticket has no baggage allowance. I have no idea how they booked it with no chceckdd bags. My company is now $450 lighter...

I have never lost my **** at a gate agent before but I was Piiiiiiiiised off. Anyway, I'm on board and I'll tell at Concur that they ****ed up big time here.
I assume Concur is some kind of business travel agent thingy?

We have something called Navan and it's been decent... only bug is that I've had my card declined two separate trips trying to pay my way out of the parking garage at my local airport. Had to put it on my own card and get reimbursement, which isn't a huge deal but still....
 
Aaaaaaaand something got really screwed up on Concur. Somehow my Etihad flights got booked with no baggage allowance. Despite taking my bag at the check in counter, I heard my new called to come to the gate. Turns out they wanted to charge me per kilogram of weight on my checked luggage. I was livid. It was extortion. They had my bag and the plane was boarding. Either I pay $450 on the spot or they throw away my check luggage. I called Concur and they confirmed that the ticket has no baggage allowance. I have no idea how they booked it with no chceckdd bags. My company is now $450 lighter...

I have never lost my **** at a gate agent before but I was Piiiiiiiiised off. Anyway, I'm on board and I'll tell at Concur that they ****ed up big time here.
I assume Concur is some kind of business travel agent thingy?

We have something called Navan and it's been decent... only bug is that I've had my card declined two separate trips trying to pay my way out of the parking garage at my local airport. Had to put it on my own card and get reimbursement, which isn't a huge deal but still....
Yeah it's SAP's business travel portal and stuff
 
Aaaaaaaand something got really screwed up on Concur. Somehow my Etihad flights got booked with no baggage allowance. Despite taking my bag at the check in counter, I heard my new called to come to the gate. Turns out they wanted to charge me per kilogram of weight on my checked luggage. I was livid. It was extortion. They had my bag and the plane was boarding. Either I pay $450 on the spot or they throw away my check luggage. I called Concur and they confirmed that the ticket has no baggage allowance. I have no idea how they booked it with no chceckdd bags. My company is now $450 lighter...

I have never lost my **** at a gate agent before but I was Piiiiiiiiised off. Anyway, I'm on board and I'll tell at Concur that they ****ed up big time here.
I assume Concur is some kind of business travel agent thingy?

We have something called Navan and it's been decent... only bug is that I've had my card declined two separate trips trying to pay my way out of the parking garage at my local airport. Had to put it on my own card and get reimbursement, which isn't a huge deal but still....
Yeah it's SAP's business travel portal and stuff
We use it for both travel booking and expense reports. I really wish I could book directly with the airlines, but no... we need approvals from senior VPs to book travel. Its total ******** though. Like, what you're gonna book a boondoggle and your boss is gonna sign off on the expense report but the senior VP who is like 4 levels above me knows why I'm going to China? It's dumb.
 
Shot up the coast to Portland for the night. I guess they switched the TSA-Precheck and "regular" lines at SNA and when I got there yesterday, both lines were the same length so I didn't even realize I got in the "regular" line. The TSA ID checker told me to go to the other line, no problem.

But guess what... I am betting my misguidance was what triggered me getting "randomly selected" for the patdown after the X-ray. :hophead:

Met up with a college buddy for dinner and ... sigh ... non-alcoholic beer. I'm on a medication right now that came with a strict warning to not drink alcohol while on, so I had to forgo my usual handful of local beers. Oh well, feeling good this morning at least! :unsure:
 
With the annual elite night stay credits having just posted, I officially hit 600 nights with Marriott and triggered Lifetime Platinum today!

It's not amazing, but theoretically: guaranteed 4pm checkout except at resorts, breakfast sort of sometimes depending on hotel (they really made this confusing the past few years), lounge access, and some other useless stuff.

That's a nice perk. Now to keep working on lifetime Globalist with Hyatt, which is far more valuable.
 
With the annual elite night stay credits having just posted, I officially hit 600 nights with Marriott and triggered Lifetime Platinum today!

It's not amazing, but theoretically: guaranteed 4pm checkout except at resorts, breakfast sort of sometimes depending on hotel (they really made this confusing the past few years), lounge access, and some other useless stuff.

That's a nice perk. Now to keep working on lifetime Globalist with Hyatt, which is far more valuable.
I need two more years of platinum for lifetime. I'd need to get the marriot card to achieve it and spend a decent amount on it...just not sure its worth it. On positive note hit Delta 360 this year, but the bene's are just sorta ok on that too.
 
With the annual elite night stay credits having just posted, I officially hit 600 nights with Marriott and triggered Lifetime Platinum today!

It's not amazing, but theoretically: guaranteed 4pm checkout except at resorts, breakfast sort of sometimes depending on hotel (they really made this confusing the past few years), lounge access, and some other useless stuff.

That's a nice perk. Now to keep working on lifetime Globalist with Hyatt, which is far more valuable.
Damn that's impressive. I'm "only" Silver Elite with Marriott. I only travel once/twice a month and usually just an overnighter. 2 nights at very most at a time.
 
With the annual elite night stay credits having just posted, I officially hit 600 nights with Marriott and triggered Lifetime Platinum today!

It's not amazing, but theoretically: guaranteed 4pm checkout except at resorts, breakfast sort of sometimes depending on hotel (they really made this confusing the past few years), lounge access, and some other useless stuff.

That's a nice perk. Now to keep working on lifetime Globalist with Hyatt, which is far more valuable.
Damn that's impressive. I'm "only" Silver Elite with Marriott. I only travel once/twice a month and usually just an overnighter. 2 nights at very most at a time.
Yeah it's an artifact of their merger with SPG that I have "10 years". i think I really only have 8 years of actually reaching high status with them or SPG, but two years they double counted when they matched SPG but weren't done or whatever. Still, 600 nights in 2016 + 2018-2024 is a lot.

It's crazy when you add in that I'm on year 4 of Hyatt Globalist, which is 60 minimum and my preferred chain lol.

For those years I have traveled between 3-5 nights a week almost every week, then add in all our vacation time was heavy travel around the world too.
 
With the annual elite night stay credits having just posted, I officially hit 600 nights with Marriott and triggered Lifetime Platinum today!

It's not amazing, but theoretically: guaranteed 4pm checkout except at resorts, breakfast sort of sometimes depending on hotel (they really made this confusing the past few years), lounge access, and some other useless stuff.

That's a nice perk. Now to keep working on lifetime Globalist with Hyatt, which is far more valuable.
I need two more years of platinum for lifetime. I'd need to get the marriot card to achieve it and spend a decent amount on it...just not sure its worth it. On positive note hit Delta 360 this year, but the bene's are just sorta ok on that too.
I'll lose Concierge Key on AA in a couple months, and I will really miss it. Last year from the moment I got it, travel was instantly somehow even easier and smoother.
 
Still absolutely LOVING my Cotopaxi Allpa 28L backpack.

"PERSONAL ITEM" Status:

Got put to the test with an overzealous RyanAir bag sizer nazi in Warasaw this spring... passed much to homeboy's visible dismay :laugh: This thing plus Carry-on sized roller is a stellar combo for longer runs where you're still trying to pack kinda lean.This alone is solid for 2 day runs / weekenders where you don't need a suiter (garment folder will not fit).

LAPTOP POCKET:

Wish the laptop pocket would hold my Thinkpadand 16" Portable LCD display but I've got to lay the screen down in the large compartment. It does hold my Thinkpad and 13" Macbook Air... or Macbook Air and 13" Ipad Pro (second screen for personal laptop) without issue. Tablet pouch (inside laptop pouch) holds the ipad pro that's pushing it.. definitely designed for 12" or less tablets.

RAINFLY:

Had to put the rain fly to the test in Ronda Spain that same trip and it works perfect. Packs right back in easily without 30 mins of Origami.

Still waiting on them to drop one with a Del Dia Dark colorway, but the tan is a great look. Gets tons of compliments.

-- Review over ----

Work Travel question:

Living in Chattanooga now means lots of drives to Memphis. Whats you guys thoughts on a 5 hour drive vs a two leg flight of at LEAST the same duration. I've been getting a rental and making the drive but I ponder the easy button.. albeit subjecting myself to the usual airport / air travel ********.
 
Still absolutely LOVING my Cotopaxi Allpa 28L backpack.

"PERSONAL ITEM" Status:

Got put to the test with an overzealous RyanAir bag sizer nazi in Warasaw this spring... passed much to homeboy's visible dismay :laugh: This thing plus Carry-on sized roller is a stellar combo for longer runs where you're still trying to pack kinda lean.This alone is solid for 2 day runs / weekenders where you don't need a suiter (garment folder will not fit).

LAPTOP POCKET:

Wish the laptop pocket would hold my Thinkpadand 16" Portable LCD display but I've got to lay the screen down in the large compartment. It does hold my Thinkpad and 13" Macbook Air... or Macbook Air and 13" Ipad Pro (second screen for personal laptop) without issue. Tablet pouch (inside laptop pouch) holds the ipad pro that's pushing it.. definitely designed for 12" or less tablets.

RAINFLY:

Had to put the rain fly to the test in Ronda Spain that same trip and it works perfect. Packs right back in easily without 30 mins of Origami.

Still waiting on them to drop one with a Del Dia Dark colorway, but the tan is a great look. Gets tons of compliments.

-- Review over ----

Work Travel question:

Living in Chattanooga now means lots of drives to Memphis. Whats you guys thoughts on a 5 hour drive vs a two leg flight of at LEAST the same duration. I've been getting a rental and making the drive but I ponder the easy button.. albeit subjecting myself to the usual airport / air travel ********.
drive
 
Still absolutely LOVING my Cotopaxi Allpa 28L backpack.

"PERSONAL ITEM" Status:

Got put to the test with an overzealous RyanAir bag sizer nazi in Warasaw this spring... passed much to homeboy's visible dismay :laugh: This thing plus Carry-on sized roller is a stellar combo for longer runs where you're still trying to pack kinda lean.This alone is solid for 2 day runs / weekenders where you don't need a suiter (garment folder will not fit).

LAPTOP POCKET:

Wish the laptop pocket would hold my Thinkpadand 16" Portable LCD display but I've got to lay the screen down in the large compartment. It does hold my Thinkpad and 13" Macbook Air... or Macbook Air and 13" Ipad Pro (second screen for personal laptop) without issue. Tablet pouch (inside laptop pouch) holds the ipad pro that's pushing it.. definitely designed for 12" or less tablets.

RAINFLY:

Had to put the rain fly to the test in Ronda Spain that same trip and it works perfect. Packs right back in easily without 30 mins of Origami.

Still waiting on them to drop one with a Del Dia Dark colorway, but the tan is a great look. Gets tons of compliments.

-- Review over ----

Work Travel question:

Living in Chattanooga now means lots of drives to Memphis. Whats you guys thoughts on a 5 hour drive vs a two leg flight of at LEAST the same duration. I've been getting a rental and making the drive but I ponder the easy button.. albeit subjecting myself to the usual airport / air travel ********.
drive
Since cost isn't an issue (that would be my first look of it was my money)

1. If I have great status and enjoy flying and I want to get something done or watch a movie I've been waiting for in the time, I fly

2. If I just have some people to call and podcasts I like, and I don't need the miles or loyalty points from flying, I drive
 
With the annual elite night stay credits having just posted, I officially hit 600 nights with Marriott and triggered Lifetime Platinum today!

It's not amazing, but theoretically: guaranteed 4pm checkout except at resorts, breakfast sort of sometimes depending on hotel (they really made this confusing the past few years), lounge access, and some other useless stuff.

That's a nice perk. Now to keep working on lifetime Globalist with Hyatt, which is far more valuable.
Damn that's impressive. I'm "only" Silver Elite with Marriott. I only travel once/twice a month and usually just an overnighter. 2 nights at very most at a time.



For those years I have traveled between 3-5 nights a week almost every week, then add in all our vacation time was heavy travel around the world too.
Wow! Lots of questions: What’s the typical week look like for you? Leave Monday and back midweek to Friday? You have a family at home? How long you been doing this schedule? Do you hope to be at home more regularly at some point?
 
With the annual elite night stay credits having just posted, I officially hit 600 nights with Marriott and triggered Lifetime Platinum today!

It's not amazing, but theoretically: guaranteed 4pm checkout except at resorts, breakfast sort of sometimes depending on hotel (they really made this confusing the past few years), lounge access, and some other useless stuff.

That's a nice perk. Now to keep working on lifetime Globalist with Hyatt, which is far more valuable.
I hit lifetime Platinum with Marriott a couple of years back. It's kind of an "eh" so far but I do like the guaranteed 4p late checkout and the very occasional upgrade.

I have thought about pursuing another loyalty program or at least trying for a status match, but ultimately, my allegiance lies with Marriott. My wife has accrued $500k+ in her 401k over the years on the back of Marriott stock. She worked with them for 10+ years and never diversified that account at all. She put 80% of her contributions into MAR and hasn't wanted to change it. I really can't blame her as I don't think she put much more than $30k in there over the years she worked. Hence, my support of MAR.
 
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With the annual elite night stay credits having just posted, I officially hit 600 nights with Marriott and triggered Lifetime Platinum today!

It's not azing, but theoretically: guaranteed 4pm checkout except at resorts, breakfast sort of sometimes depending on hotel (they really made this confusing the past few years), lounge access, and some other useless stuff.

That's a nice perk. Now to keep working on lifetime Globalist with Hyatt, which is far more valuable.
I need two more years of platinum for lifetime. I'd need to get the marriot card to achieve it and spend a decent amount on it...just not sure its worth it. On positive note hit Delta 360 this year, but the bene's are just sorta ok on that too.
I'll lose Concierge Key on AA in a couple months, and I will really miss it. Last year from the moment I got it, travel was instantly somehow even easier and smoother.
How did you get Concierge Key? That's a rough benefit to lose.

Edited to add: After typing this post I got up and went to the kitchen to get a snack to eat with my beer. I just bought some mixed nuts from Aldi so I threw a handful into a pan and heated them up on the stove and served them to myself in a square ramekin.

I miss my warm nuts :oldunsure: in 1st class!
 
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Wish the laptop pocket would hold my Thinkpadand 16" Portable LCD display but I've got to lay the screen down in the large compartment. It does hold my Thinkpad and 13" Macbook Air... or Macbook Air and 13" Ipad Pro (second screen for personal laptop) without issue. Tablet pouch (inside laptop pouch) holds the ipad pro that's pushing it.. definitely designed for 12" or less tablets.
How do you get the iPad Pro to work with your personal laptop as a second screen? Software? I bought a second screen that works pretty well but I don't lug it along on every trip.
 
I had to cancel my trip to Nice for a conference in the beginning of December so I haven't had any business travel since then. I'm getting a little itchy. Too much time in the office.

Heading to St. Pete next week for a conference and then to FLL for another conference. I'm getting a rental car in Miami and driving as I didn't want to deal with flying for that short of distance (it's about a 4.5 hour to St. Pete from here).

The week after is Canada week, as I will be in Toronto. Also, have a trip to Boston and the West Coast (SEA and SAN) for Q1. Possibly an IAH visit in there also.
 
Wish the laptop pocket would hold my Thinkpadand 16" Portable LCD display but I've got to lay the screen down in the large compartment. It does hold my Thinkpad and 13" Macbook Air... or Macbook Air and 13" Ipad Pro (second screen for personal laptop) without issue. Tablet pouch (inside laptop pouch) holds the ipad pro that's pushing it.. definitely designed for 12" or less tablets.
How do you get the iPad Pro to work with your personal laptop as a second screen? Software? I bought a second screen that works pretty well but I don't lug it along on every trip.
Sidecar. It used to be hit or miss for me but it's been working well the past year or so.
 
With the annual elite night stay credits having just posted, I officially hit 600 nights with Marriott and triggered Lifetime Platinum today!

It's not amazing, but theoretically: guaranteed 4pm checkout except at resorts, breakfast sort of sometimes depending on hotel (they really made this confusing the past few years), lounge access, and some other useless stuff.

That's a nice perk. Now to keep working on lifetime Globalist with Hyatt, which is far more valuable.
Congrats! I got mine today too!

The last two years I’ve been Ambassador Elite with Marriott. That’s a pretty damn cool status - I’m upgraded to one of the best rooms in the hotel almost every trip. It doesn’t suck!
 
With the annual elite night stay credits having just posted, I officially hit 600 nights with Marriott and triggered Lifetime Platinum today!

It's not amazing, but theoretically: guaranteed 4pm checkout except at resorts, breakfast sort of sometimes depending on hotel (they really made this confusing the past few years), lounge access, and some other useless stuff.

That's a nice perk. Now to keep working on lifetime Globalist with Hyatt, which is far more valuable.
Damn that's impressive. I'm "only" Silver Elite with Marriott. I only travel once/twice a month and usually just an overnighter. 2 nights at very most at a time.



For those years I have traveled between 3-5 nights a week almost every week, then add in all our vacation time was heavy travel around the world too.
Wow! Lots of questions: What’s the typical week look like for you? Leave Monday and back midweek to Friday? You have a family at home? How long you been doing this schedule? Do you hope to be at home more regularly at some point?
When I started, typical week was Monday morning to Thursday afternoon, and you could fly Sunday night if you preferred (I often did, extra hotel night, delays less of a big deal, and a full nights sleep usually). I was newlywed and my wife was at a FAANG company at the time. Stayed about the same the whole time i was an individual contributor, and basically the same when i became a team leader too.

About a year and a half ago I reached our "junior partner" level, and went from being on one client/project at a time to running multiple teams, sometimes across clients. The travel really ramped up in intensity, though timing was mostly the same. It just became also flying Tuesday morning to the second client, and Tuesday night to a client development meeting, and then sometimes we had Friday morning stuff or the place I was Thursday was remote enough not to have a late flight home so I'd stay at airport hotel and go home early Friday am.

A little under one year ago we had our first, and about a month ago we had our second (via surrogate this time). My wife was on leave from birth until mine started, so my travel schedule didn't really change aside from a couple weeks at the start while she recovered. I've been on parental leave since August, and will go back in May. We'll see, but I get six months of "protection" to re-enter my role and build back up...I'll probably leave right after that.

When I leave, I will start or acquire a business, probably. I want to travel - it has been REALLY nice for our vacations with the outstanding flight and hotel perks of being at the very tippy top of status. I have a million stories like how refreshed and easy to fly direct round trips to Auckland in lie flats (on miles alone) without having to do a bunch of legwork - just use the million+ AA miles from that year. Or how the hotel on our anniversary had complimentary champagne (a nice bottle) and chocolates on our anniversary without asking (because the hotel chain had our anniversary on my profile). or how we went to Mendoza and the Park Hyatt upgraded us to the Presidential Suite on the diplomatic floor, where we had a full private casino and our group of 8 got to hang out in one of the living rooms in our suite vs us all cramming into a room or not being able to relax at the hotel after dinner to wind down.

I won't ever, likely, have the money to just pay for that treatment. But whatever my next role is, I will be optimizing it for travel because the experiences make all the other experiences amazing. Like I don't think I could get into the 3-star Michelin sushi place we went in Tokyo as gaijin if not for the Park Hyatt Tokyo getting us in.
 
With the annual elite night stay credits having just posted, I officially hit 600 nights with Marriott and triggered Lifetime Platinum today!

It's not azing, but theoretically: guaranteed 4pm checkout except at resorts, breakfast sort of sometimes depending on hotel (they really made this confusing the past few years), lounge access, and some other useless stuff.

That's a nice perk. Now to keep working on lifetime Globalist with Hyatt, which is far more valuable.
I need two more years of platinum for lifetime. I'd need to get the marriot card to achieve it and spend a decent amount on it...just not sure its worth it. On positive note hit Delta 360 this year, but the bene's are just sorta ok on that too.
I'll lose Concierge Key on AA in a couple months, and I will really miss it. Last year from the moment I got it, travel was instantly somehow even easier and smoother.
How did you get Concierge Key? That's a rough benefit to lose.

Edited to add: After typing this post I got up and went to the kitchen to get a snack to eat with my beer. I just bought some mixed nuts from Aldi so I threw a handful into a pan and heated them up on the stove and served them to myself in a square ramekin.

I miss my warm nuts :oldunsure: in 1st class!
I got CK because in my new role, I went from a round trip every week to like 3-6 flights a week. Often first class too (domestic, so there's no business class just first and economy). So I racked up something like 5x the requirement for Executive Platinum.

Something about the formula is airport-based too. Because AA definitely thinks my home airport is DCA even though I am in DFW. Because my clients are heavily DoD, I kind of go DFW to DCA, then DCA to other places and back during the week, and finally DCA to DFW again. I wonder if the same amount of flying but all in and out of DFW would have qualified me or not been enough.
 
With the annual elite night stay credits having just posted, I officially hit 600 nights with Marriott and triggered Lifetime Platinum today!

It's not amazing, but theoretically: guaranteed 4pm checkout except at resorts, breakfast sort of sometimes depending on hotel (they really made this confusing the past few years), lounge access, and some other useless stuff.

That's a nice perk. Now to keep working on lifetime Globalist with Hyatt, which is far more valuable.
Congrats! I got mine today too!

The last two years I’ve been Ambassador Elite with Marriott. That’s a pretty damn cool status - I’m upgraded to one of the best rooms in the hotel almost every trip. It doesn’t suck!
It's good to hear it's getting better again. It went way downhill ~2 years after the SPG merger. It was AMAZING with SPG. When it went downhill is when I swapped to being primary Hyatt and hitting Globalist each year - their concierge was better and more consistent for me. And I LOVE the Park Hyatt DC a lot more than either Ritz. When you spend 80+ nights in just one hotel it's good to pick the one you like most!
 

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