In this episode about Harnessing The Benefits of Travel for CEOs and Founders
- Travel Optimization Strategies: The Lazy CEO Podcast episode explores effective strategies for optimizing travel experiences, focusing on airline and hotel loyalty programs, credit card benefits, and ways to achieve elite status without significant expenses.
- Airline and Hotel Loyalty Considerations: The discussion highlights the importance of assessing individual travel habits and preferences when choosing airline and hotel loyalty programs. The guest, known as Eli The Travel Guy, provides insights into the benefits and challenges of loyalty statuses, emphasizing the need for alignment with personal travel patterns.
- Exclusive Travel Experiences: Listeners gain insights into the exclusive benefits offered by top-tier airline and hotel statuses, such as priority boarding, first-class upgrades, personalized services, and significant room upgrades. The episode provides actionable tips for achieving and maximizing these elite statuses for an enhanced travel lifestyle.
“I think most people completely overlook the potentiairal benefits of loyalty statuses, particularly in the business travel sector. It’s not just about accumulating miles; it’s about strategically aligning your loyalty with the right airline or hotel to unlock a world of exclusive experiences and perks.” Eli The Travel Guy
Here is a glimpse of Harnessing The Benefits of Travel for CEOs and Founders
In this episode of the Lazy CEO Podcast, host Jim Schleckser welcomes guest, Eli The Travel Guys, from Freedom Travel Systems to discuss strategies for gaining access to lounges, first-class treatment, and VIP travel experiences without breaking the bank.
The conversation kicks off with a discussion on the challenges of modern travel, citing changes in airline cost structures, loyalty programs, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eli emphasizes the need for travelers to adapt and find effective ways to enhance their travel experiences.
The discussion then shifts to airline loyalty programs and the considerations for pursuing status. Eli suggests that not everyone may benefit from loyalty status and highlights the importance of evaluating one’s travel habits and preferences. He advises listeners to assess the specific benefits offered by different airlines and choose loyalty programs accordingly.
When it comes to achieving airline status, Eli recommends focusing on one airline if you meet certain criteria, such as flying 30 to 40 times a year with that specific carrier. He also emphasizes the significance of credit card spending in earning points and status.
The conversation further delves into the top-tier status levels of airlines, such as Global Services with United and Concierge Key with American. Eli explains the exclusive benefits and experiences that come with these elite statuses, including priority boarding, first-class upgrades, and personalized services.
Shifting to hotel status, Eli discusses the major hotel chains—Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, and IHG. He suggests that Hyatt offers the best value for points, while Marriott has the largest global footprint. For quick and easy top-tier status, Eli recommends the Hilton Aspire card, which grants Diamond status with Hilton.
The episode concludes with a discussion of the benefits of hotel status, such as complimentary breakfast, room upgrades, and accelerated points accumulation. Eli shares personal experiences of receiving significant room upgrades, including a stay in a $30,000-per-night presidential suite.
Listeners gain insights into travel strategies, loyalty programs, and credit card benefits, making the Lazy CEO Podcast episode a valuable resource for business travelers seeking to optimize their travel experiences.
Resources for this Episode
- Tripit
- Award Wallet
- Loungebuddy
- ExpertFlyer
- FreeedomTravelSystems.com
- Eli Facenda on LInkedin
- Jim Schleckser on LinkedIn
- The CEO Project
- Great Ceos Are Lazy: How Exceptional Ceos Do More in Less Time by Jim Schleckser
Thank You to Our Guest
Eli ‘ The Travel Guy” Facenda from Freedom Travel Systems. Eli has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs use credit to start/scale businesses, create new investment opportunities, and enjoy tons of free luxury travel!
At Freedom Travel Systems they help optimize your luxury travel so that you can maximize your travel experience, save time, and do it for a fraction of the cost by turning your assistant into a certified travel and points expert.
Sponsor for this episode…
This episode is brought to you by The CEO Project. The CEO Project is a business advisory group that brings high-caliber, accomplished CEOs together. Our team of skilled advisors is comprised of current and former CEOs who have run both public and private sector companies across multiple industries. With our experience and expertise, we guide hundreds of high-performing CEOs through a disciplined approach that resolves constraints and improves critical decisions. The CEO Project has helped high-performing, large enterprise CEOs with annual revenues ranging from $20M to over $2 billion to drive growth and achieve optimal outcomes. If you are an experienced CEO looking to grow your company, visit www.theCEOProject.com.