United Mileage Plus Explorer: 30,000+ miles to get to Alaska, Orlando, or Cancun

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Brad Christensen

We’ve spoiled you. Posts about 75k AA miles, 100k BA miles, and 50k Ultimate Rewards have you expecting more travel for your credit card applications. We’ve set an unreal expectation – like dirty magazines do for men, and like Twilight books do for women. It’s made it so that an offer for 30k bonus United miles from the Chase United Mileage Plus Explorer card (after spending $1000 within the first three months) doesn’t invoke the wanderlust like it should.

But you shouldn’t just shrug it away. There is some real value in 30k United Miles. Because we like to do more than just tell you about the deals, we like to tell you what to do with them, I’ve worked up a special post to get you excited about where these freely-acquired miles will take you.

You could be in Anchorage, Orlando, or Cancun* this April (or many other dates) with the 30k miles from the United Mileage Plus Explorer Card. I put that little asterisk on Cancun because it is a little trickier – you’d have to add a cardholder (which we generally don’t recommend because you’re better off to get the card separately for your spouse) or have a few United miles already. If none of those destinations are alluring enough to you, then just check out the United MileagePlus Award Chart.

You see, using miles to book flights relative to paying outright (cringe) is exceptionally value-efficient when flying out of small airports like mine (IDA – Idaho Falls).

United Mileage Plus to Anchorage

There is all kinds of Saver availability this spring, and there’s never a bad time to visit Alaska. Whether your interests are hunting, fishing, cruising, or just plain sightseeing, you’ll love a visit to America’s largest state. Nicole and I went to Alaska in May a few years ago. We visited a reindeer farm, took a one-day cruise out of Seward to see whales, sea lions, mountain goats and glaciers. We hiked into the Kenai wilderness area and saw a black bear, and more moose and bald eagles than we could even count. There’s no way to be disappointed in a trip to Alaska – much less when you get it for free.

The flights I looked at would cost $781, but I can book them for 25k miles and $10 – serious value.

United Mileage Plus to Orlando

English: Epcot Spaceship Earth Walt Disney World Orlando 2010 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ok, yes, go to Disney World and Universal Studios if you must. (Also, check out our very popular post about a resort near Universal Studios) But please don’t stop there. The white sandy beaches of Daytona await you. There is more history in the city of St. Augustine than there is in the entirety of the State of Idaho.

The flight I looked at from IDA to MCO would run $690. You’re getting it for $25k and $10 – saving 5k United miles for your next opportunity.

United Mileage Plus to Cancun

As I mentioned, this one is a little funky. They want 35k miles to go from the US to Cancun, so you’ll have to scrape together a few more. But once you do, you are in for a treat. If you want Mayan ruins, this is the place for them – from Chichen Itza to Ek Balaam to Coba or the seaside temple of Tulum. If you want adventure, you’ve got the snorkeling wonderland of Akumal bay, monkeys and other wildlife everywhere you go, and swimming in cenotes (cave systems partially filled with freshwater). We won’t even get started on the food except to say “tacos al pastor” – a magical phrase that instantaneously starts a mouth-watering flood.

You’ll have to spring for some taxes along with your 35k miles for a total of maybe $78, but that beats the $640 you’d pay otherwise.

As you can see, United’s program doesn’t lack for travel opportunities. There’s so much to do if you start wanderlusting with us and travel the world for free.

Other unique uses include:

Book inter-Hawaii (like Honolulu to Maui) routes for 5,000 points each way. (Partnership with Hawaiian Air and Island Air)
180,000 miles for an “Around the World” flight itinerary.

Posted in United | Tagged Alaska, Cancun, Chichen Itza, United Mileage Plus, United MileagePlus, universal orlando resort, universal studios orlando | Leave a comment

Historic Cable Car Ride in San Francisco

Posted on December 17, 2012 by wpengine

If’ you’ve never been to San Francisco, you’re missing out. After visiting hundreds of cities across the globe, this is one that you can’t miss. There is nothing quite like it because of its landscape, history, and culture that you can’t seem to find anywhere else. One of the most important things to do when visiting the city, it to take a trip on the historic Cable Cars.

The Historic Cable Cars

According to the source for San Francisco Travel, the first line started operation on August 2nd 1873. After riding on the car you’ll realize that not much has changed since then. They must be going for the vintage look, because the paint is peeling off the walls, the benches are loose, and you feel like it’s going to lose its brakes at all times. This isn’t for those with a weak stomach. It is more like a roller-coaster than a train ride.

Cable Car Turnaround

In a world where everything is being ran by computers, and manual labor is a thing of the past, a ride on the Cable Car will help you to realize that this isn’t the case everywhere. No computers run these things, it is all based on the cables that are buried below the streets of San Francisco.

The gripman is what they call the “driver.” He has a huge lever that controls the speed of the car, as well as a footbrake for any emergencies. The guy who “gripped” our car was absolutly ripped. Each time we fired it up after a quick stop he would grab hold of the lever and pull it back with all his might.

The turnaroud is also a very manual process. The car comes to the end of the line and stops on a Rotating disc. The gripman and his attendents hop off the car, and manually push the car 180 degrees, putting it heading back the other direction.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I think you shouldn’t ride it because you’ll fall off, it is just different than riding a bullet train in Tokyo. These are a taste of history, and the flavor is something that you’ve got to try sometime in your life.

Beating the Long Lines for the Cable Car Ride

They’ve got three lines that are still running today. With almost 10 million passengers each year they are busy non stop. You might assume that waiting an hour (or two) is necessary, but there are a few secrets that will cut down your wait.

Beating the crowds might require some counter-intuitive thoughts. Although it sounds attractive to start at Powell St in the early morning because that is where the Bart drops everyone off, but that is going to put you waiting in line forever.

Max enjoying the ride

The solution? Ride from the piers early in the morning to Powell St, or in the evening from the Powell St station to the Piers. Good luck on catching the cable car in the middle of its route. At least in July when we rode the thing I did what everyone else did in the morning and ended up waiting an hour and a half for the ride. Plus you pay $6 to ride the thing, so make sure you get your $$ worth by riding the full thing.

In the parked position

Also you can assume that the people hanging off the side of the cable car are the first spots to go. Trying to ride the cable car with a one year old child just didnt’ allow for us to hang off, or he would have been jumping off the thing. We opted for an inside seat, just to make sure that Max wouldn’t get any crazy ideas. After all….he is my son….

Why you need to go

The gripman and coveted spots

The ride only takes about 3o mins to complete, but it is very memorable. You climb up some very steep hills and get some amazing vistas of the city. Our car stopped in the middle of the road at the highest point of the ride so we could look out into the bay and over the city. Everyone was snapping pictures and wishing the had the hanging off spots. If I were to do it again I’d take a hanging spot, just because that is my style.

Your kids will never forget SF. I went when I was in high school with my parents and my little brother. We had an absolute blast going and I still remember the trip today. Keep in mind that this isn’t a cheap place to visit though. That is why you need to get your airfare for free at least, which can help you to afford a few trips on the cable cars.

Start worldwanderlusting with us today by planning your trip to San Fran and get the Chase Sapphire Preferred to help you get those flights.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Business and Economy, cable cars, California, Fisherman's Wharf San Francisco, golden gate bridge, Metro Areas, Powell Street Station, San Francisco, San Francisco Bay Area, United States | Leave a comment

Cheap Airfare for Panama Canal Cruise

Posted on December 11, 2012 by wpengine

Caribbean Princess Deck

Today I had a couple in my office talking about wanting to hit up a Panama Canal cruise. The idea of taking a trip is always something that intrigues me, so we spent a moment talking about their desires. They expressed frustration in not knowing how to book cheap airfare in conjunction with the Panama Canal cruise. This is all too common, and it impedes too many people from doing what they would love to do, cruising.

Why you need to take a Panama Cruise

If you’ve never been on a cruise, you’ve never felt like a king, unless you are one. The way that they serve you, make your bed, and always offer to help definitely gives you a feeling of royalty. Getting home from the cruise and doing dishes again is a depressing moment. It just fuels the fire to book the next trip, just so you can feel like a king again.

The food is one of the best features about a cruise. Of course it’s unlimited, so load up another plate of those delicious desserts, or feel free to order another entree if you loved it so much. Don’t worry about looking at the prices on the menu, order whatever you’d like.

Although cruising isn’t as adventurous as many of our trips, it certainly is more relaxing. You’ll love the fun entertainment, and enjoy laying on the deck of the ship. Bring the sunscreen, because you’ll get as much sun as you’d like.

Finding the CHEAPEST Airfare Option

Let’s say your home airport is Salt Lake City. The problem that you have with the Panama Canal cruise is that you have to leave from Ft. Lauderdale, FL and come home from Los Angeles, CA. Buying one way tickets can be expensive if you purchase them from Delta, United, or American. The first and easy thought would be to say “Buy your ticket on Southwest.com.” That would be a frugal option, but remember that we aren’t all about cheap options, we’re all about the CHEAPEST airfare options.

First you’ll need to apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred^SM credit card and get started on the spending requirement. These 40,000 Ultimate Rewards that you’ll get are the tickets (quite literally). Once you’ve got 40,000 UR in the tank, you’ll be ready to book the cruise and float through the famous locks of the Panama Canal.

Salt Lake to Fort Lauderdale

Because Southwest Airlines is a partner with the Chase Ultimate Rewards program you’ll be able to transfer the exact amount of points that you need from the Sapphire card to Southwest, which will help you cover the cost of the one way flight from Salt Lake City to Fort Lauderdale. If you need help booking your flights with points on Southwest, check out the video below:

I did a quick search for the month of February (which would be a great time to do the Panama Canal cruise because it would avoid hurricane season, and would get you out of the cold) and this is what it showed the points would require per flight.

Most days require less than 15,000 frequent flyer miles, which means that you could purchase two one-way tickets for less than 30,000 of your Chase Ultimate Rewards. That leaves you at least 10,000 Ultimate rewards for your way home. You probably think that the remaining 10,000 points might not be enough to get you home, but it really would be sufficient.

Los Angeles to Salt Lake City

Panama Canal Miraflores Locks

You’ll use British Airways Avios to get you on this route. Brad already wrote about how using British Airways is the best way to get you on short leg flights, when his wife took four friends from Salt Lake to Los Angeles. Because the flight we are examining is a relatively short distance, and a direct flight it only takes 4500 Avios for each person. That means that 9000 Avios is all you’ll need to complete the full roundtrip journey.

The remaining Ultimate Rewards can help you to pay for a hotel in Los Angeles, or in Fort Lauderdale before or after your amazing cruise experience. This will easily shave $1000 from your airfare costs, which just might make your Panama Cruise much more attainable. Now you’ve just got to worry about the cruise, and remembering to bring along your bathing suit.

Live the Dream. Book the Trip

Too many people dream about living, instead of living the dream. Now that we’ve shown you how to get your airfare for free, it can make the trip much more affordable. Don’t wait until next year to take that Panama Canal Cruise that you’ve always wanted. Make it happen by applying for the Chase Sapphire Preferred and start racking up the Ultimate Rewards NOW!

Posted in British Airways, Chase Ultimate Reward Points, Southwest | Tagged british airways, Frequent-flyer program, Los Angeles, panama, panama canal, panama canal cruise, Panamax, Salt Lake City, United States | 1 Comment

Share WorldWanderlusting Travel Tips

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Brad Christensen

If you like what we’re up to here at WorldWanderlusting, we want you to tell your friends and family. In fact, we even want you to tell your enemies. If you’re lucky, they’ll travel somewhere far away and never come back.

We’re doing our best to convince the world that travel is 1) not as expensive as people believe (in fact, in many cases, it’s outright free), 2) the best education you can give your kids and yourself (Travel is death to bigotry… you know the quote), and 3) will some of the best memories in your life.

Whether it’s adventure, culture, history, or discovery you seek, there’s a world out there to find it in. Don’t delay, do it today.

We put together this simple little Prezi presentation that lays it out there. Now we’re asking for a favor – Would you show it to a friend? Share it with your friends on social media? Make it the homepage of all the computers in the lab? Please watch it and share it far and wide.

WorldWanderlusting on Prezi

We want an army of wanderlusters, and we want to hear what you’re doing. Counter-inspire us. Tempt us. Send us your pictures.

If you ever have any questions about you read on here – Questions like “Doesn’t it hurt my credit?,” “What’s in it for you?,” or “When should I start getting points?” – please comment on a post and get the lowdown from us. This is not a static webpage, this is a forum and we want Q&A. We’d like to hear your doubts and concerns. It doesn’t come as a surprise that people read this stuff and think “yeah right,” or “what’s the catch?”

You should be skeptical. You should be careful. You should be nervous. But you also should be traveling. And once you feel good about these opportunities, as thousands of others do, you should be thrilled.

Running this blog now for almost two years has been a very exciting endeavor. We’ve made so many friends and heard so many stories. Keep on wanderlusting with us.

Posted in About us, How to Wanderlust | Tagged free travel presentation, frequent flyer miles, prezi presentation, travel prezi | Leave a comment

iPhone Credit Card Holder Case

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Brad Christensen

Merry Christmas!

Free to good home

We count ourselves lucky to have such an incredible army of WorldWanderlusters following our blog. As much fun as it is to take these awesome next-to-free trips ourselves, it’s just as cool to hear about your adventures in frequent flyer mile travel.

We’d like to offer a token of our gratitude – something we’ve found to be extremely handy. If you’re like me, you seek to simplify, and one of the ways I’ve simplified my accounting (keeping track of all the frequent flyer mile cards and spending requirements), is to carry only one or two cards at a time. For almost two years now, I’ve carried my iPhone 4 in a brilliant credit card holder case. People ask about it all.the.time.

Now we want you to have one. This isn’t a cheesy contest, where you have no chance of winning. If you’re here and you’re reading this, and you are a wanderluster, you already won! Just post a comment below telling us where your next trip is and how you’re getting there, and we’ll mail you one for your iPhone 4 or iPhone 5.

New to WorldWanderlusting?

Nothing pains us more at WorldWanderlusting.com, than hearing “I’d love to travel, I just can’t afford it.” We write about inexpensive ways for people to get to places they had only dreamed of. Follow us on Facebook or check out these other great posts:

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

Posted in Contests | Tagged credit card holder case, iphone 4 case, iphone 5 case, iphone credit card case | 44 Comments

Travel to Puerto Rico

Posted on December 5, 2012 by wpengine

Puerto Rico – it’s a latin Hawaii – a wonderland of beaches, history, and culture.

Today we’ll be taking you to a romantic and exotic honeymoon to the enchanting isle of Puerto Rico. Barring that you visit during hurricane season, you’ll enjoy sunshine, some rain showers, delicious food, rich history, and beautiful beaches. You drooling yet?

Taking your sweetie to a foreign land (ok it’s a territory) might feel a little daunting, but don’t worry. We are here to help. One of the advantages of going to Puerto Rico is that you get the taste of a foreign country as far as language, foods, etc, but you don’t need a passport to visit because Puerto Rico is a US Territory. That will save you $240 if both of you don’t have passports already. It serves as a great alternative to people who want to travel somewhere besides Hawaii.

When it comes to a honeymoon most people think about beaches, beautiful places, nice hotels, and relaxation. You’ll find all of these when you visit Puerto Rico. It is an island surrounded by beaches, so you could really visit a new beach everyday. For that reason you should consider staying at the Four Points By Sheraton Caguas Real Hotel and Casino.

Reading the reviews of this hotel make me smile. 4.2 out of 5.0 is a dang good review. The pictures of this place are to dream about. Although it isn’t located on a beach, you can find one within an hour of almost any direction, and the pool will provide a wonderful place to lounge.

Staying at this place sounds rather expensive, but by signing up for the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express. you’ll have 25,000 Starpoints. This hotel requires 7000 points per night, so you’ve got four wonderful nights at this hotel that will cost you $0. Now we’re talking about a cheap start to your honeymoon.

What I call Rainbow Row in San Juan

Now….to make it even cheaper…..Southwest is one of the nations lowest cost airliners. Along with low cost flights you also get 2 free checked bags each, which can save you up to $200 on your trip if you both bring two bags. Remember the lingerie 😉 At the moment, Southwest doesn’t fly to Puerto Rico, but their recent merger with Airtran means that they will be starting sometime in June of 2013. So If your honeymoon is before then, you’ll have to use 35,000 AAdvantage miles each or pay for the flights with cash (ouch).

Unfortunately this next offer comes and goes. Right now we don’t have this link, but there was a link where you can get up to 50,000 Rapid Rewards when you spend $2000 on the Chase Southwest Premier card within three months. Depending on when you can find the fares, that might cover all of your costs on the flight except a $5 booking fee per leg of the flight, or $20 total. Keep in mind that the annual fee isn’t waived on this card either, so you’ve got to pay the $89 the first year as well, so both of your flights would cost you around $109.

Preserved drawing in a cave in the Fort

“Are you kidding me?” you might be asking yourself. There is NO WAY that WorldWanderlusting just showed me how to get four nights in an incredible hotel, and my flights to Puerto Rico for $109. Now that is a cheap honeymoon!

What is the catch? Well, this Southwest credit card is an EXTREMELY limited time offer. You might want to submit your application really quickly, or the offer will expire. So pony up, click on the link, and get this party started!

Making your vacation exotic…

Bioluminescent Bay

A special algae in the water outside of Fajardo causes the water to have a glow effect, which amounts to a very romantic trip on the kayak that you two will rent. This is a phenomenon that is found in three locations around Puerto Rico, and a few other very rare locations around the world. It’s too bad they don’t let you swim in the water, but too many people in the water can hurt the algae, so it’s worth not swimming to allow future people to see it too.

Spending time on glowing water will help your relationship to glow as well. This will create a lasting memory for your sweetheart. Unfortunately this isn’t a free event, but it’s worth the money (remember how much you saved on your flights and hotels, so splurge a bit!

El Yunque

La Mina Falls in El Yunque

Most people think they have to leave the USA to see a rainforest, but we’re here to prove you wrong. This place is a paradise on the Isle of Enchantment as it is known. Plan some time to spend in the park, because you’ll want to hike to some of of the 12 waterfalls that you can find in the National Park. Bring along a swimming suit and a picnic, so when you hike to La Mina Falls, you can swim in the refreshing water after the long hike and enjoy your meal as a couple. My wife was pregnant when we did the hike, which hopefully tells you that most people should be able to make it.

Spend the time to hike to the top of the Yokahu observation tower. It not only offers splendid views of the ocean, and the rainforest, but gives you a moment to spend with your new bride (or groom). It reminds me of those cheesy lines on the Bachelor when they’re flying in a helicopter over the Matterhorn in Switzerland, and they say “I think I could fall in love here.”

Old San Juan

If you love Spanish architecture, this is a great location for exploring. The gold route came from Peru, and was shipped up to Panama, where they trekked it across the isthmus, and the loaded it up again in Portobelo, Panama. It had one last stop in San Juan before it made its final voyage to the Motherland.

View from the Watchtower

San Juan was designed to protect the ships and the gold that the Spanish had looted from the Incas. You’ll learn that Puerto Rico was wanted real estate because both the English and the Dutch tried very hard to take over the island.

Explore the two forts, and the romantic downtown with the love of your life. Sit down and enjoy Puerto Rican cuisine for lunch, and soak up the culture. Plan on visiting a nightclub while you’re in town if that is something you both love. They are abundant in Old San Juan.

Visiting El Morro at night is a MUST do. They light up the moat around the fort, which gives a very cool effect. It just makes me think about how hundreds of years ago they probably did they same thing, which would intimidate the crap out of me if I was a ship trying to come into the harbor. It’s hard to explain, but it is something that I definitely recommend.

The Beaches

Most people dream about spending their honeymoon on a beach. Puerto Rico has beaches for every occasion. An article from Frommers outlines many types of beaches and what they are all good for. It depends on what you want, but the secluded beach sounds the best to me….

Well, there it is. A planned, yet cheap and exotic, honeymoon for you two. Go and enjoy the Isla del Encanto. Don’t worry about the Spanish being a barrier. Make that part of the adventure. Many people speak English, and will be willing to help. Make sure you bring along a GPS so you don’t get lost. That is a MUST do.

Posted in American Express, Cheap Honeymoons, Island Vacations, Southwest, Starwood Preferred Guest | Tagged 2013 puerto rico vacation, Puerto Rico, puerto rico vacation, vacations to puerto rico | Leave a comment

Give Your Children the Gift of Discovery

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Brad Christensen

If you give your children nothing else, give them a thirst for knowledge and adventure. Children who discover, dream, and dreaming, dare.

Miles and Belle at Haystack Rock on the Oregon Coast

I have four adorable children. And because I have four adorable children, I also have four enormous Christmas wishlists. Like I did when I was their age, each of them flipped through the Toys R Us Sunday ad, circling every other toy. Add it all up and I think if I bought them all, I’d probably contribute meaningfully to China’s GDP growth.

I’m not going to get them all those toys. It’s not because I don’t love them. It’s because I do love them. As much as I want them to have “things,” I’d rather they have experiences.

I find old Christmas presents buried in the grass when I mow the lawn. I regularly throw away pieces from the 100+ piece sets that have a habit of getting spread all around the house (don’t tell Nicole). I never buy name-brand batteries for the cheesy little remote control cars my kids have because they always break before they run out of power.

The fact is – most children’s gifts don’t last.

I suppose you could make the same argument about the experiences I provide for my kids. Maybe they won’t appreciate the view from atop the monolith of El Penol. Maybe they’ll be more enthralled by a fuzzy caterpillar while standing on the hollowed grounds of the Battle of Lexington. Maybe they won’t remember chasing hermit crabs through starfish alleys in the tidepools of Haystack Rock when they’re older.

But the fact is that it will change who they are now. My kids will better appreciate their blessings, having been in the 350 sq foot home of our friends, a Colombian family of 6. I hope their imagination is fueled by hikes in Zions, Arches, and Canyonlands. I’ll bet they see things a little differently, now that they’ve stood in a grove of enormous redwood trees.

If you give your children nothing else, give them a thirst for knowledge and adventure. Children who discover, dream, and dreaming, dare. Consider this, the man who dreamt, designed, and directed the construction of the Suez Canal, Ferdinand de Lesseps, grew up on the stories of his uncle Barthelemy. Barthelemy departed France at the age of 20 to sail around Cape Horn and on to California. Alone, he made his way from California to Kamchatka, then crossed Siberia on a dogsled. With that kind of bedtime story, it’s no wonder de Lesseps never met a challenge he didn’t believe he could conquer. (I’m reading about this in David McCulloch’s The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914).

I guess what I’m saying is just don’t be content to give traditional gifts to your children. We at www.WorldWanderlusting.com want to be a resource for you, so we’re doing a giveaway that will make a perfect discovery-inspiring gift. We’d like to send you big hardcover book by Lonely Planet, “The Travel Book – Cool stuff to know about every country in the world.”

We’ve been trying to make it easy for our followers to keep up with us. By far, the easiest way to stay piped into the travel tips we’re sharing is to subscribe to our blog. So now, we’d like you to scroll back up and type your email in the little subscription box on the right hand side of our site. That’s how you’ll enter to win.

Once we’ve had 50 people subscribe, we’ll randomly choose 2 winners, so this is the kind of little contest you have a relatively high possibility of winning (1:25, but really when you consider just being a wanderluster itself is winning, it’s closer to 1:1).

Also, please comment below and tell us where you’d like to take your children.

Thanks so much for wanderlusting with us. If you like what we do, please share your favorite posts with friends on social media.

Posted in About us, Children's Travel | Tagged Children Gifts, Children travel, Christmas gifts for kids, kids travel book, What to give for Christmas | 13 Comments

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