travel hedging reviews

Travel on Point(s)

• Use Travel Hedging To Lock In Upgrades, Save Points & Avoid Disaster

• February 4, 2024
• Rick Fojtik

Travel on Point(s) is an independent, advertising-supported website. This site is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites like Cardratings.com. This compensation does not impact how or where products appear on this site. Travel on Point(s) has not reviewed all available credit card offers on this site. Reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any partner entities.

Travel Hedging

Travel has become quite different over the last few years. Booking airfare is a lot more flexible than it used to be, as travelers can now cancel flights without large penalties or fees . This flexibility can change the way one travels, and books, depending on travel preferences. In sports betting, hedging a bet means you make an additional wager, different from an already existing wager, in order to reduce the risk of a net loss or guarantee a net profit. With travel hedging, your bets means booking multiple flights for a trip. This method can be used with points, miles or cash. The major difference being cash may result in travel funds being left in your account. Also, do not forget to use our airline incidental credit guide which may help as well.

Table of Contents

Why Use Travel Hedging?

This reason may vary for some, but for me, it is a combination of reasons. First, different airlines may respond differently to irregular operations (IRROPS). This means while a storm or issue in Detroit or Atlanta may severely impact Delta (DL), it may have almost no impact on Alaska Airlines (AS). If something goes wrong and my Delta flight gets cancelled, or I see issues ahead of time, I can cancel and keep the Alaska flight.

Secondly, I use travel hedging because of my airline status. Some who have status may prefer to fly in a better class of service or better seat. While we do not recommend chasing status , for those that fly a lot, it can be valuable. Once an upgrade clears on one, you could cancel the other. Additionally, I may not like a price on my flights but can book and monitor for price reductions and take a cheapest option.

Finally, it may just be not knowing what time of day you want to fly. For me, if I am trying to get the day off, I may book one flight in the morning and one for after work on different airlines. For those wondering, booking multiple flights on one airline, on the same day, may result in the flights being canceled. This varies by airline. Usually the flights need to be possible to be taken for it to have a chance to stick. So the further spread apart the better your chance.

Being Flexible On Routing Can Help Too

I will note that I am known to book some crazy routes and itineraries in the interest of time or saving points, miles, and cash. Sometimes I use this method in combination with repositioning. I once flew Seattle to Las Vegas to save tons of points on a Delta flight to Baltimore. It is not for everyone. You can use travel hedging and / or repositioning to make sure you get what you want in terms of price, class and seat. That is on ToP of using travel hedging to ensure you get to your destination, or home, when you need to.

How I Book My Trips, Leveraging Multiple Airlines

Once again, this may vary based on where you live and what airlines you fly. I still use all the award booking tips we have shared in the past, and I follow the award booking guide step by step as well. Many of these steps, such as identifying routes and airports, works for cash bookings as well.

A lot can depend on your home airport too, and that plays a role for me as a Seattle (SEA) based flyer. I have often discussed how I chose a secondary airline in my hub. This means potentially less competition for upgrades, especially on west coast routes. Delta has been my primary airline for quite a few years, even though Alaska is the big dog in town. This does create more reasons for me to get into travel hedging.

I guess two airlines weren't enough for me, and I ended up obtaining American Airlines(AA) Platinum Pro status via a status match last year. I kept it past the match period by utilizing shopping portals and credit card spend. While my attempt was frustrating at first , I was able to maintain that status long term. Many might be wondering why a Seattle based traveler got American Airlines status? The key to my decision is that Alaska Airlines is a Oneworld partner which means my American Airlines status gets me upgrades on Alaska Airlines.

My final option I go to most of the time is Southwest Airlines (WN). For me, routes are not as good, but it provides me another option and gives me even more flexibility. If I have issues during my trip, but can get to a Southwest hub or airport with a heavy presence, it may save me.

Travel Hedging Booking Example

Here is a breakdown of a recent booking I had to Tampa. I will go over the different options I lined up and how I used travel hedging to my advantage.

Flight 1 – Delta

I had my Delta flight booked on Delta early on, locking in a good price.

Flight 2 – Finding My Own Way

I thought that flight may get in too late since I had things that needed to be taken care of early in the morning. It could be possible for me to get out work early too, so I decided to do some more searching.

Google Flights is my usual first stop. If not that, then I go to the airport's Wikipedia page to see which airlines fly through there.

Unfortunately, the Alaska price was too high for my liking even though the time worked out well. The fact that I had paid significantly less for my Delta Flight was also front of mind. So, as I often do and recommend in travel, I built my own itinerary as a back up instead.

I started searching for other routes out of Seattle, like this flight to Atlanta. Why Atlanta though? Alaska Airlines can have very completive pricing on Delta routes, and my upgrades have a better chance of clearing. I finalized the trip with this Southwest flight because it was cheap on points.

This gets me in to town about 5 hours earlier, although I sacrificed with the layover. Wondering about my short connection time? Our guide may ease your fears. Plus, I already stated that I do some crazy things in travel and I am comfortable with this airport. I have routinely switched terminals and airlines in under an hour here.

I had another option out of Seattle with American Airlines and then Southwest, but I liked this set up a little bit better.

Travel Hedging The Delay

Finally, I have checked later flights and if anything went wrong I have multiple airlines to bail me out. This includes low cost carriers like Frontier.

That is important, since I am booking flights from two different airlines to build this trip. If the first airline is delayed, then the second airline won't help get me on a later flight because it wasn't their fault I was late. This is a risk you need to be aware of and decide if it is worth it for yourself. If the entire route is on the same airline then they will help rebook you on another flight since it was their fault.

I Find Myself Booking Multiple Flights More & More

The above example is just one recent such example. However, I find myself doing it more and more. Some of my recent flights where I used travel hedging were bookings from Seattle to Las Vegas, Seattle to Mexico and Seattle to Milwaukee.

For a trip to Detroit I booked both Delta and Alaska, even though both were non-stop flight around the same times because of upgrades. Detroit can be tough for upgrades on Delta, but my Alaska Flight upgraded with ease.

Bad Weather Reminder

I wanted to wrap this up by reiterating that a storm will not impact every airline the same. Last year, I had American Airlines cancel my flight leaving Dallas DFW and the Travel On Point(s) meet up in Dallas. I was able to instead use Alaska who flew in and out of Dallas with no issues. That was all while the departures board was lit up with cancellations from Southwest and others.

Hedging Your Bets: ToP Thoughts

While it is not for everyone, I love travel hedging with multiple flights and find myself doing it for most trips now. I use it to help improve upgrade chances, monitor for different price drops or schedule changes and have back up options when issues arise. It will require some more planning and monitoring, so like many things in the hobby you must be organized. Above all else, remember to cancel the flights you don't use !

Do you book back up flights too? Come over to the ToP Facebook group and share your thoughts.

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What is Travel Hedging?

In the ever-evolving landscape of global travel, managing financial risks associated with fluctuating travel costs has become a crucial concern for businesses and frequent travelers alike. Travel hedging emerges as a strategic solution, offering a way to lock in costs and manage budget uncertainties in the face of volatile exchange rates and travel prices. This guide delves deep into the concept of travel hedging, exploring its mechanisms, benefits, challenges, and practical steps for implementation, providing a comprehensive overview for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of travel finances with confidence.

The concept of hedging, traditionally associated with financial markets and commodities trading, has found a relevant application in the travel industry. Travel hedging serves as a financial strategy to protect against losses from price fluctuations in airline tickets, hotel bookings, and other travel-related expenses. By understanding and employing travel hedging strategies, businesses and individuals can make more informed decisions, ensuring financial stability and predictability in their travel endeavors.

Travel hedging is the practice of securing a price or rate in advance to protect against future cost increases due to currency fluctuations, fuel price changes, or other factors that can affect travel expenses. It involves various financial instruments and strategies to mitigate risks and ensure cost effectiveness in travel planning.

The Need for Travel Hedging

In a globalized world, where international travel is a routine part of business operations, the ability to forecast and manage travel costs effectively is vital. Travel hedging addresses this need by offering a way to control budgets and reduce exposure to financial risks.

The Role of Travel Hedging in Financial Planning

Benefits of travel hedging.

• Cost Predictability: Locks in travel expenses, helping in budget planning and financial forecasting.
• Risk Management: Reduces exposure to unfavorable shifts in currency exchange rates and travel prices.
• Competitive Advantage: Enables more strategic financial planning and can provide a cost advantage over competitors who do not hedge.

Considerations in Travel Hedging

• Complexity: Requires an understanding of financial markets and instruments.
• Costs: There may be upfront costs associated with hedging strategies.
• Timing: Effectiveness depends on accurate predictions of travel needs and market movements.

Mechanisms of Travel Hedging

Financial instruments used in travel hedging.

• Forward Contracts: Agreements to buy or sell currency at a predetermined future date and price.
• Options: Contracts offering the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell currency at a set price during a specific period.
• Fuel Price Hedging: Locking in fuel prices for airlines and transportation providers to manage costs.

Strategies for Effective Hedging

• Budget Forecasting: Estimating future travel expenses based on historical data and future plans.
• Market Analysis: Monitoring currency and travel cost trends to identify hedging opportunities.
• Diversification: Using a mix of financial instruments to hedge against various risks.

Implementing Travel Hedging

Steps for effective travel hedging.

• Identify Exposure: Determine the extent of risk from travel cost fluctuations.
• Set Objectives: Define what you aim to achieve with hedging, such as cost stability or risk reduction.
• Choose Instruments: Select the appropriate financial instruments based on risk tolerance and objectives.
• Execution: Implement the hedging strategy, possibly with the assistance of financial experts or advisors.
• Monitoring and Adjustment: Regularly review the hedging strategy and adjust as market conditions change.

Choosing a Hedging Partner

• Expertise: Look for partners with experience in travel and financial markets.
• Tools and Resources: Ensure they offer the necessary analytical tools and resources for effective hedging.
• Transparency: Seek partners who provide clear information about costs and strategies.

Challenges in Travel Hedging

Market volatility.

The unpredictability of financial markets can affect the success of hedging strategies, making it crucial to stay informed and adaptable.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

The costs associated with hedging must be weighed against the potential benefits, considering the possibility of over-hedging or under-hedging.

Regulatory Considerations

Understanding and complying with financial regulations in different jurisdictions is essential for effective and legal hedging practices.

The Future of Travel Hedging

Technological advancements.

Innovations in financial technology and predictive analytics are making travel hedging more accessible and efficient.

Increased Adoption

As global travel continues to grow, more businesses and individuals are likely to adopt hedging strategies to manage financial risks.

Integration with Travel Management

Hedging is becoming an integral part of comprehensive travel management strategies, alongside logistics and itinerary planning.

Travel hedging represents a sophisticated approach to managing the financial risks associated with global travel. By understanding its mechanisms, benefits, and challenges, businesses and frequent travelers can employ strategic hedging to achieve cost predictability and minimize exposure to price volatility. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the importance of effective financial planning in travel cannot be overstated. Travel hedging, with its promise of stability and risk management, will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the future of travel finance.

FAQ Section

How does travel hedging differ from insurance.

While both aim to mitigate risks, travel hedging specifically addresses price fluctuations through financial instruments, whereas travel insurance covers losses from unforeseen events like cancellations or medical emergencies.

Can Small Businesses Benefit from Travel Hedging?

Yes, small businesses with significant travel expenses can benefit from hedging to manage costs and reduce financial uncertainty.

What Are the First Steps in Implementing a Travel Hedging Strategy?

Begin by assessing your travel expense risk exposure, understanding your financial goals, and then consulting with hedging experts or financial advisors to develop a tailored strategy.

Travel hedging is a testament to the complexity and dynamism of the modern world, offering a beacon of stability in the unpredictable seas of global travel. By embracing hedging strategies, businesses and individuals can navigate financial risks with confidence, securing not just costs but also peace of mind on their journeys across the globe.

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'Hotel Hedging' Is The Trick That Could Save You Money On Travel In 2023

Senior Entertainment and Lifestyle Editor

As a new year rolls in, many of us will be beginning to make plans to escape the UK for a much-needed break in the sunshine

However, the cost of flights and accommodation can add up quickly, so we’re always on the lookout for ways to save.

Fortunately, one travel expert has taken to TikTok to share how ‘hotel hedging’ could save us a packet on accommodation abroad next year.

Alexis Gould ’s method involves booking hotel rooms in advance of a trip, but ensuring that they’re cancelable and that you can get a refund on them.

The TikToker frequently shares ‘secrets’ and tips to bag free upgrades and save money on travel.

She shared in a video, which has amassed almost 1.8k likes since posting: “Hedging is a hack that hotels don’t want you to know about, which is why it’s my biggest secret yet.

@alexisgould.com BIGGEST TRAVEL SECRET YET - Hotel Hedging why booking a refundable room is definitely worth it #travelhack #travelhacking #travelsecrets #traveltip #travelbloggers #travelblogging #hedging #hotelhedging #travelbetter #lextravels #luxurytravelhacks #luxeforless #luxuryonabudget #letstravelbettertogether ♬ Summer day - TimTaj

“Let’s break it down – you’re going to make a regular advanced reservation when you book your trip. Now, the most important thing to do here is make sure it’s cancelable and refundable within 24 hours of check in.”

You do this to ensure that you have somewhere to stay, should your hotel hedging not work out, Gould explains.

As your trip grows closer, take a look around for cheaper last minute deals – Gould describes how many hotels are only at 60% occupancy most nights, so will sell off the remaining 40% of rooms at a highly reduced rate to fill them up.

“If you put the proper plans in place, you can take advantage of this,” she says.

Here’s her step-by-step guide for hotel hedging:

• Book a refundable hotel room
• One to two weeks before trip look into last minute hotel deals
• Find same hotel or better at a lower price and book
• Cancel your original room, get a refund and save money

One hotel worker commented on Gould’s video: “As someone who worked in hotels 16 years, that’s one of the smarter suggestions I’ve seen.”

Miles Earn and Burn

Lots of signal, little noise

Speculative Travel Hedging

Do this now : Book any speculative AA and Hyatt awards today for any potential travel in the next year.

Why? Both Hyatt and AA are expected to make major award price changes over the next few days.

1. Hyatt is going to introduce peak and off-peak pricing for hotel award bookings sometime in mid-October for stays in March 2022 and beyond, and last I checked October 14 probably counts as sometime in mid-October. The new chart can be found here . I’d book absolutely every hotel stay with Hyatt that you may possibly take next year, assuming your point balances allow it. If the price goes up you’ll be locked in at the old rate, and if it goes down you can get the lower price and the difference in points back, so the downsides are minimal.

2. AA is going to devalue AAdvantage mileage awards really soon, according to twitter personality JonNYC who has inside sources and is almost always correct. As a result, I’d book any business/first class international awards that you may possibly take in the next 330 days right now. If the trip or timing doesn’t work, you can always cancel the trip and redeposit the miles with no fee under current AA policies, but if you end up taking the trip you’ll be locked in at the current prices.

Remember when Citi added AA as a temporary transfer partner for ThankYou Points in July? It brings me absolutely no pleasure to report this, but the prediction that AA would devalue soon as a result of this partnership seems to be correct. I’d say that the US dollar would be good hedge against AA devaluation, but that seems to be undergoing a major devaluation of its own . I guess it’s time to hedge with pumpkin futures, just remember to sell them before Halloween.

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What is travel hacking and how do I start?

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Key takeaways

• Travel hacking can help you score free or discounted flights, hotel stays and more by strategically using rewards earned from credit cards.
• To get started, set a travel goal for yourself and investigate various airline rewards programs. You'll then want to choose a travel credit card based on factors like your credit score, interest rates and the ability to transfer rewards to partner programs.
• Using shopping portals and dining rewards programs is another way to score extra points, along with taking advantage of card-linked offers from programs like Amex Offers and Chase Offers.
• Stay on top of "mistake fares" by signing up for notifications from airfare deal sites, and consider booking travel during award sales or off-peak travel seasons.

Over the last decade, travel hacking has become a mainstream phenomenon. That’s largely thanks to social media, with influencers showing off exotic destinations on Instagram, reached through the clever use of rewards.

And the appeal is widespread. Families can significantly bring down the cost of a Disney vacation , while the aspirational crowd can book first-class tickets for pennies on the dollar.

As someone who has been travel hacking for over a decade, I’ve seen and done it all. It’s a rewarding hobby that can open up a world of travel opportunities. By hacking flights and hotels, you can save substantially on these expenses.

What is travel hacking?

Travel hacking typically refers to the variety of ways you can earn points and miles toward future travel, often without flying or staying at hotels. It involves strategically using credit card points or miles, or those earned with airline and hotel programs, to score discounted (or free) travel and other perks.

How to start travel hacking

If all of that sounds exciting and you’re eager to get going, here are some tips to help you get started:

The first step in your travel hacking journey is to set a travel goal. Earning points without knowing what you’re working toward can be an exercise in futility. When I started back in 2011, I made the mistake of mainly accruing Delta SkyMiles and American AAdvantage miles for a trip to Europe. I learned pretty late that American Airlines had a weak route network to Europe at the time, and that United MileagePlus miles would have been a much better option back then.

Think about where you want to go well before you start focusing on how you’re earning points. Then, research the best rewards programs to get you there. Bankrate’s travel toolkit highlights a variety of credit card, airline and hotel rewards programs to help you make the best choice.

Find the right rewards credit card

The easiest way to boost your points balance is with a rewards credit card . After you sign up and get approved, you can typically earn a welcome bonus of 50,000 or more points after completing a spending requirement over three or more months. While welcome bonuses are a significant draw, you can also take advantage of category bonuses and annual spending bonuses to maximize your everyday spending long-term.

Those ongoing rewards should be an important factor in your travel rewards card decision . Most people will benefit from credit cards that earn transferable rewards like these:

• American Express Membership Rewards
• Citi ThankYou points
• Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Capital One miles

These currencies offer flexibility because you can transfer them to several airlines or hotel programs at a 1:1 ratio. If one transfer airline doesn’t have award space on your desired travel dates, then you can transfer them to one that does. You’ll have options and stay protected against possible program devaluations as well.

Once you have a general sense of which credit cards to apply for, make sure you qualify and prepare to meet any application requirements. Here are a few things to consider:

• Your credit score . As you might expect, the best travel rewards cards require good credit . To incorporate credit cards into your travel hacking strategy, you’ll need a score of at least 700. If you’re still working on it, consider waiting to apply when you have a better chance of approval.
• The application rules . Every bank has its own rules pertaining to credit card approvals. Chase has the infamous 5/24 rule that restricts welcome bonuses if you’ve applied for five or more credit cards in the last 24 months. Amex’s once-per-lifetime restriction means if you’ve earned a welcome bonus for one card, you likely won’t be able to earn the same bonus again. There are many more credit card application rules to be aware of. Knowing them before you hit “apply” improves your chances of being approved for a travel rewards credit card.
• How much you’ll pay . If you struggle with paying your credit cards off every month, travel hacking with credit cards is probably not for you. That’s because the interest rates on these credit cards are generally high and will negate any rewards you earn. If you’re not confident you can pay off your balances, you’re better off skipping these credit cards and using alternate methods to earn points and miles .

Use shopping portals

Shopping portals are the way to go if you want to further maximize your points and miles earnings. Nearly every major loyalty program has a shopping portal you can earn rewards with, whether it’s your card issuer or your airline of choice. You’ll earn at least one extra point per dollar spent, plus the points from your credit card.

You can even more easily ensure you’re earning the most points possible with a shopping portal aggregator like Cashback Monitor . Type the name of an online merchant, and you’ll get a list of shopping portals alongside their earn rates.

Many shopping portals also offer spend-based bonuses around the holidays and right before the school year starts. These can be pretty lucrative and help you reach your travel goals faster.

Sign up for dining rewards

Dining reward programs are similar to shopping portals in that they require minimal effort to earn extra points. You can join one of seven airline and three hotel-affiliated dining programs to earn up to 8 additional points per dollar spent, including:

• Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Dining
• American Airlines AAdvantage Dining
• Choice Hotels Eat & Earn
• Delta SkyMiles Dining
• Hilton Honors Dining
• IHG One Rewards Dine & Earn
• JetBlue TrueBlue Dining
• Spirit Airlines Free Spirit Dining
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Dining
• United Airlines MileagePlus Dining

These programs can even offer first-dine bonuses and extra points when you write reviews or meet certain spending thresholds every year.

You can join all of these programs, but since they’re all part of the same network, you can’t register the same credit card with more than one program at a time. That shouldn’t be too challenging, even if you only have one credit card. Simply register your card with the program of your choice, earn the first-dine bonus and repeat with the other nine programs until you’ve earned them all. Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns bonus points on dining to maximize your earnings.

Get creative with earning rewards

Once you’ve gotten into the habit of maximizing your everyday purchases, it’s time to get creative. What else can you charge to your credit card while still maintaining a balance that you know you can pay off at the end of the month? I once convinced my boss to let me pay a $35,000 supplier invoice with my credit card. I’ve earned thousands of points on rent and mortgage payments through Plastiq . I’ve also used retail arbitrage to flip dresses worn by Kate Middleton and earn spending requirements.

Think outside the box and you could be well on your way to discovering new ways to boost your points.

What are the best travel hacks?

There are countless travel hacks out there, and the best ones are top secret (for good reason). But if you’re just getting started and want to keep things simple, here are the most valuable hacks to know:

Card sign-up bonuses

Credit card sign-up bonuses are by far the best way to get a lot of points within a short time frame. You may even piece together a luxury vacation by strategically applying for credit cards .

Just make sure you’re aware of any issuer rules that take into account how many cards you’ve applied for in the past. You should also be careful when applying to more than one card in a short time frame. Not only will you need to spend even greater amounts to get more than one bonus, but you can hurt your credit score and make yourself look risky to potential lenders.

Double (and triple) dipping

Double- or triple-dipping is one of the best travel hacks out there. Stacking travel hacking methods can help you earn significantly more miles. For example, let’s say you’re in the middle of a home renovation project — you’ve got expenses, and they’re big. If you can do some shopping online for your project, you can double-dip by earning rewards on your credit card and through an online shopping portal.

If you happen to have an Amex card, you could triple dip by taking advantage of Amex Offers . I’ve managed to do this for large expenses like travel bookings and furniture purchases. Before you buy, think about all the possible ways to earn points and find opportunities to combine them.

Mistake fares

There’s more to travel hacking than just earning and redeeming points. One of my favorite ways to hack travel is through mistake fares. Sometimes airlines mess up and publish fares well below market value. I’m talking about a $450 round-trip business class ticket to Shanghai or a $120 economy class ticket to Abu Dhabi. Over the years, there have been dozens of great mistake fares that travel hackers have taken advantage of.

In most cases, airlines have honored these mistake fares, which has been great for savvy travel hackers who managed to book them. Just know that you may need very flexible travel plans and dates to take advantage. A great way to stay on top of mistake fares is to sign up for alerts with Airfarewatchdog and The Flight Deal . These sites parse the web for amazing deals and share them on social media and their websites when they come around.

Maximizing award redemptions

When you’re ready to book that dream vacation you’ve been saving for, there are three types of awards you should look into: Sweet spots , off-peak award charts and award sales. Sweet spots, in particular, can help you save significantly on award flights.

Many airlines and hotel chains offer peak and off-peak award pricing. By being flexible with your travel dates, you can stretch your hard-earned points further.

How can I travel for free?

Despite what travel influencers like to put into their photo captains, there’s no such thing as free travel. You will almost always pay a fee to earn or redeem points. Whether it’s your credit card annual fee, award flight taxes or resort fees , there will always be costs.

But by leveraging credit cards, points and loyalty programs, you can book incredible travel experiences at a fraction of the cost.

The bottom line

Travel hacking can allow you to travel further and in bigger ways than booking with cash. From hotel, airline and transferable points currencies, you can travel for little to no relative cost by using credit cards to pay for your everyday expenses.

If you’re thinking about opening a travel rewards credit card, keep in mind your travel goals, the card’s sign-up bonus and benefits and how you plan to redeem the rewards you earn. From there, you can try more advanced methods of earning points such as through shopping portals or dining programs.

Don’t forget the responsibility that comes with credit card usage. Travel credit cards have higher interest rates, so be sure to pay your card off in full each month as often as you can.

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JGOOT (Just Get Out Of Town) - Bargain Travel Forum

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Has anyone used JGOOT (Just Get Out of Town)? I can't seem to find any reviews on-line that aren't posted by the company.

It isn't a travel agency - just a site that alerts you to travel bargains. It is free, but you can sign up for a premier service for a fee where you get more notifications and advance notice ahead of free subscribers. I just signed up for the free service, but am considering the premier service.

The advantage is that it allows you to input your preferred airport, so deals are focused on your preferred airport. Other sites send deals, but many don't fly out of my preferred airport.

I don't think I would do it, sorry.

Can't you get free alerts from other sites? I don't really use them, but I think there are some good free ones out there. It seems to me alerts are discussed more frequently on the Air Travel forum.

Of course I can get alerts from other sites, but the difference with this site is that it sends you deals from your preferred airport. The other sites I get alerts from frequently require travel from an airport that is not convenient for me. The deals aren't deals if I have to pay $$$ to get to another airport.

If you want to sign up, go ahead. But I really wouldn't recommend handing nay money over.

Just signed up. I can research trips myself but I'm at the point where I don't want tooo lol. It's good so far.

Anyone that has used JGOOT, how is it? Do you have the premium or regular?

Tripadvisor staff removed this post at the original author's request.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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The JGOOT Way of Travel: When You Just Get Out Of Town... You can travel more often, more luxuriously, and spend half as much [Print Replica] Kindle Edition

The JGOOT Way of Travel

The JGOOT Way of Travel is the ultimate guide for anyone who has dreamed of traveling more (and more luxuriously!), without breaking the bank. Written by Joel McDonald, the founder of “Just Get Out of Town” (JGOOT), this book offers a comprehensive, step-by-step approach that will help you book honeymoon-worthy vacations every year, for less than you thought possible

You will learn how to master the art of “travel hedging,” which is the perfect balance of earning and redeeming points without having to resort to credit card churning or chasing sign-up bonuses.

At just $7, you will gain access to:

• Strategies for building a travel slush fund by multiplying point earning by 3-5x.
• Little-known secrets for stretching points MUCH further than what credit card travel portals offer
• Insider tips and tricks for finding flight deals so good – you don’t even need points!
• Helpful formulas and online calculators to help you quickly determine the real value of your points and to instantly know if you’ve found an amazing deal or not
• Valuable advice on which time-wasting travel tips and tricks you should avoid
• Quizzes, exercises, and challenges to help you cement your knowledge and achieve long-term, repeatable success
• Exclusive access to the pathway for ultra-luxury travel

"Travel Hedging" is an essential resource for anyone who wants to take their travel experiences to the next level. Get the book and get your blueprint for taking a vacation of a lifetime every year for the rest of your life.

• Language English
• Sticky notes Not Enabled
• Publication date July 13, 2023
• File size 44175 KB
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Product details

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CBVT9BGW
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 13, 2023
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 44175 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Not enabled
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• #2 in Travel Writing
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About the author

Joel mcdonald.

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Is demand for premium and international travel here to stay? It depends on which airline you ask

After a summer of sky-high demand for international travel and premium cabins, the "Big Three" U.S. airlines — American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines — all reported record profits.

Now, those airlines are hoping those trends are long-term.

Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG's free biweekly Aviation newsletter .

"Overseas, we think there's just a lot more opportunity," Andrew Nocella, United's executive vice president and chief commercial officer, said at the Skift Aviation Forum in Fort Worth on Wednesday. "And, at the end of the day, it's not that it's just so amazing on average. It's amazing when you have the seven gateways that United Airlines has."

Nocella said he believed the U.S. market has matured due to having many different carriers operating in different markets. He added that he forecasted the industry's domestic growth would be tied to the gross domestic product by the end of the decade, making it difficult for airlines to achieve high growth rates domestically.

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom shared a similar sentiment, saying that the Fort Worth-based carrier isn't necessarily worried about an oversaturated transatlantic schedule next summer and pointing to its partnerships with Iberia and British Airways as part of the Oneworld alliance.

"A lot of our work is done in complement with those carriers, and we're very mindful of what our hubs can support," Isom said at the Skift Aviation Forum on Wednesday.

The Big Three airlines have doubled down on international demand and premium travel since the summer. United has added more routes to Asia and placed an order for 110 more long-haul jets .

Isom said American expects its premium-seating capacity to grow by approximately 45% by 2026 as it receives new deliveries of Boeing 787-9s and Airbus A321XLRs, starting in 2024. These deliveries are also a part of American's plans to expand its presence in Europe for the summer 2024 travel season.

"I think customers view that as something that benefits them; they wanna have access to [it]," Isom said. "So we're gonna be there with them."

However, Robert Jordan, CEO at Southwest — the nation's fourth big carrier — sang a slightly different tune.

Jordan offered a more cautious outlook on the high demand for international and premium travel, expressing skepticism on how long the travel trends will stick.

"We've seen patterns before. I'm not arguing that this won't stick. But I am telling you, if you go back over the long history of the airline industry, there's been a move to premium, there are seats in, seats out, seats in, seats out, as an example," Jordan said at the Skift Aviation Forum, referring to what he believed was cyclical demand for premium seating.

Southwest reported strong profits during its second and third quarters but didn't see the same soaring profits as the Big Three carriers. The Dallas-based carrier, which operates a low-cost business model, flew only domestic routes until 2014 . In the decade since then, the airline has added routes to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, but it lacks premium seating and the sprawling international route networks that have buoyed American, Delta and United.

"There is no doubt that premium and, again, long-haul international are seeing outsized benefits today, just like domestic leisure was seeing an outsized benefit, 18 months, 12 months ago," Jordan said. "We have continued to diversify our revenue significantly at Southwest Airlines."

Jordan added that ancillary products, Southwest's Rapid Rewards frequent flyer program and its cobranded credit cards have allowed the carrier to generate revenue at a faster pace than traditional seat growth. Southwest doesn't have any business- or first-class cabins in its fleet — instead, the carrier structures fares around other perks like priority boarding and free inflight internet.

While it's unclear how long passengers will want to shell out for first-class cabins or long-haul international flights, each airline executive believed their respective business models would work successfully in the long term.

The answer to what passengers really want likely will come soon enough. For now, though, look for the U.S. carriers to stick with what they believe is working.

Related reading:

• When is the best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare?
• The best airline credit cards
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• 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
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• What are points and miles worth? TPG's monthly valuations

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Hays Travel - Hedge End   Reviews

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14 St Johns Road, SO30 4QU Hedge End, GB

Reviews 4.9

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Hannah was extremely helpful

Hannah was extremely helpful, and very knowledgeable, a great example of a subject matter expert in her area of experience. Thank you Hannah for making the whole holiday selection process easy for us, we very much appreciate your help, it was a great customer experience.

Date of experience : April 14, 2024

Reply from Hays Travel - Hedge End

Thank you for taking the time to give us your review! It was a pleasure to get your holiday booked and I am glad we were able to get this sorted for you! Thank you for your continued support! Many Thanks, Hannah

Nici was extremely knowledgeable

Nici was extremely knowledgeable, patient and persistent in trying to find the perfect holiday to meet all mine and my families requirements. I felt no pressure to book, in fact the whole experience was very relaxed. I felt assured throughout the whole process and can't recommend Nici highly enough. She has also organised airport assistance for us and has looked into airport parking too. Her communication has been second to none!

Date of experience : January 31, 2024

Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. I am so glad we managed to find you the perfect long awaited family holiday! -Kind regards - Nici

Hays Travel Hedge End

Staff were very helpful and showed us lots of options for our short trip to Venice, answered are questions and gave good information on the area. Website could be better though.

Date of experience : September 14, 2023

Thankyou so much for your kind review, It was a pleasure to help book Venice for you both:) Kind Regards, Leah

Excellent service

Excellent service. The travel agent was very friendly and helpful. I was shown a virtual tour of the cruise ship and cabin. Prices were clear, and payment options were offered if I wanted. I did not feel obliged in any way. He also said he would help me find offers to suit me on another booking later in the year. Overall a very pleasant experience in comfortable surroundings.

Date of experience : January 19, 2024

Thank you for taking the time to give us a review! I am glad we were able to get your trip sorted for you and everything went ok, I will pass your comments onto Peter. Thank you for your continued support. Many Thanks, Hannah

To know they can get what they need at Haynes travel

Excellent the young lady we had to assist us was new but u could (mollie)went far and beyond to what we needed. Very helpful good at what she was doing would recommend her to our friends and family Thanks mollie may it continue

Date of experience : February 07, 2024

Thank you for such a lovely review! It was a pleasure to book your holiday to Benidorm, I'm sure you will have a brilliant time! Kind regards, Mollie

Hedge End Hays travel

Hedge End Hays travel, Hannah was recommended to me by a family member. We needed to get to Northern Ireland within 24 hours for a funeral. She was amazing, organising flights and car hire. Brilliantly professional and organised everything. Thank you

Date of experience : January 05, 2024

Thank you for taking the time to give us a review! I am glad we were able to get your trip sorted for you and everything went ok. Thank you for your continued support. Many Thanks, Hannah

Hanna was very helpful and…

Hanna was very helpful and knowledgeable helping me with choosing cabins etc nothing to much trouble.

Date of experience : April 03, 2024

Thank you for taking the time to give us your review! It was a pleasure to make your cruise bookings and we thank you for your continued support! Many Thanks, Hannah

Niccci is amazing

Niccci is amazing, she listened to our requirements researched options within our budget and remained patient and positive at all times whilst we changed our mind and tweaked our holiday. Thank you so much Nicci 🤩

Date of experience : January 22, 2024

Thank you for taking the time to give us a review! I will pass your comments onto Nici for you! Thank you for your continued support. Many Thanks, Hannah

Excellent customer service, friendly and thorough.

Excellent customer service, helpful advisor , patient, knowledgeable and thorough. She could not do enough for us. These are just some of the reasons we will be using Hayes for all our travel requirements in future. Well done.

Date of experience : January 07, 2024

Thank you so much for taking the time to give us a review! It was a pleasure to make your holiday booking for you and I am glad we got it sorted for you. Many Thanks, Hannah

Our travel adviser Hannah at the Hedge…

Our travel adviser Hannah at the Hedge End branch couldn’t have been more helpful. Her knowledge & expertise was so helpful. Nothing was too much much trouble & she was able to answer any questions we had. If we were to book another holiday, we would definitely want Hannah to be our adviser.

Date of experience : September 11, 2023

Wow! Thank you so much for such a lovely review. It was an absolute pleasure getting this sorted for you! Hope to see you again soon. Many Thanks, Hannah

Hays Hedge End

The patience of Natale our adviser to try and find the holiday we wanted.

Date of experience : February 21, 2024

Thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback! I will pass your comments onto Natalie and we thank you for your support. Many Thanks, Hannah

I was struggling to find the right holiday for some months and Hayes found some options very quickly and in budget and we decided to book one of them. Staff were all friendly and very helpful. Would definitely recommend.

Date of experience : February 25, 2024

Good day Kate, Thank you very much for you Feedback. Kind regards Leah

Have known Natalie for many years now…

Have known Natalie for many years now and she always looks after my requirements and is willing to go the extra mile. However I have recently received an email regarding my forthcoming cruise which says you are with me every step of the way. I am going to USA in January (cruise booked through Hays travel)and I have been informed that you are unable to help me with getting an esta. Therefore I disagree that you are with me all the way

Date of experience : October 18, 2023

Thank you for your positive feedback. We do appreciate your loyalty as a very valued cruise customer. Visas need to be primarily arranged by the customer and not a third party, however, we are more than happy to guide you and inform you as much as we can. Its always lovely to see you and help with your amazing cruise holidays, Many thanks, Natalie

Another excellent experience booking through Hays.

I book regularly with Hays, so I know that I will get excellent service, especially from Natalie because she understands me. As usual I choose my holiday with TUI online at home, but then walk down to Hays to do the actual booking in case I have missed anything important. Also I know that I can always pop in for advice.

Date of experience : December 07, 2023

Thank you for taking the time to give us such a fantastic review! I will pass your comments onto Natalie. Thank you for your continued support! Many Thanks, Hannah

As usual great service

As usual great service, from Hays (Leah and Ruth). An unknown glitch on a cruse website had us all scratching our heads for a while but the problem was tracked down by determination and phone calls. Made the booking and it was so much easier to deal with an issue, unrelated to Hays, in person rather from a screen or phone. Well done Hays, another great job and happy customer.

Date of experience : July 27, 2023

Thankyou so much for taking the time to leave us your feedback! We are both pleased that we could help with booking your cruise for you. Kind Regards, Leah and Ruth :)

The easy answer is Natalie nothing was…

The easy answer is Natalie nothing was too much trouble she would not stop until we were completely happy with every aspects of our cruise

Thank you for such lovely feedback. I really do appreciate your booking and I am sure you will have a wonderful cruise. I am happy to help with any aspect of your booking, hope to see you soon, Natalie

my wife and myself pensioners

my wife and myself pensioners, and getting old . we were delt with great patience and such helpfulness . we secured excactly the deal we wanted thank you so much

Date of experience : February 24, 2024

Thank you for such a lovely review! I will pass your comments onto Natalie. Many Thanks for your continued support. - Hannah :)

We are very thankful to Nici and Hannah…

We are very thankful to Nici and Hannah in Hedge End branch for taking through all the options to book a best holiday for us. They are very thorough and appreciate their support.

Date of experience : February 06, 2024

Thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback. I am glad we were able to get your holiday sorted for you and your friends. Thank you again for your continued support. Many Thanks, Hannah

Our hotel was going into refurb so had…

Our hotel was going into refurb so had to cancel with 9 weeks to go (booked 17 months ago). Ruth at my branch worked super hard to get another holiday with all of our requirements at short notice. We cannot thank her enough for all of her help.

Date of experience : July 30, 2023

Thank you for your kind review, I am glad we were able to get this sorted in good time for you. I will pass the comments onto Ruth as she has now gone on annual leave. Many Thanks, Hannah :)

Very helpful member of staff.

My first experience of using this company. We were booking a coach holiday, the member of staff was friendly, polite and helpful. All done smoothly and efficiently. A very pleasant member of staff with good customer service skills.

Thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback. I will pass your comments onto Natalie, and we thank you again for your continued support! Many Thanks, Hannah

THE JGOOT WAY

HOW TO TAKE A HONEYMOON-QUALITY VACATION EVERY YEAR

This book outlines a new strategy called "Travel Hedging" - which allows you to take a honeymoon-level luxury vacation every year for less than what most people pay for a budget vacation.

It gives you all of the perks of having top-status with airlines & hotels, WITHOUT juggling lots of credit cards, attending timeshare presentations, or spending irresponsibly.

TAKE ONCE IN A LIFE VACATIONS

EVERY YEAR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE !

Our new book, Travel Hedging , covers 3 simple, but rarely used, strategies that will improve your vacations in ways that aren't even possible when traveling "the traditional way" .

TRAVEL HEDGING 101

Discover rarely used features of Google Flights and Kayak that will allow you to find the best-priced 1% of flights in the world - any day of the week.

These are flights so inexpensive - you'll often be able to fly in business or first-class - for less than the cost of an economy flight. (Regardless of how much status or how many points you may or may not have).

TRAVEL HEDGING 201

Discover a rarely used loophole in hotel loyalty programs that will allow you to stay in 4 & 5-star luxury resorts - completely free - with 1/2 to 1/10th as many loyalty points as what most people pay for a budget hotel.

And learn how to wash/rinse/repeat these free hotel stays - multiple times a year.

TRAVEL HEDGING 301

Discover advanced point hedging strategies that will allow you to "Hedge" your normal, everyday credit card expenses so you can:

1) Earn 3 to 10 times as many points as you're earning with your existing credit card.

2) Redeem hundreds of dollars worth of points for for international business, if not first-class flights worth thousands of dollars.

*And you can do all of the above WITHOUT spending irresponsibly on credit cards, juggling lots of credit cards, or needing millions of frequent flyer points.

TESTIMONIALS FROM OUR CLIENTS

"These strategies have seriously changed how we look at travel, how much we get to travel, and it's just made life a whole lot more exciting! I can't recommend this book enough."

Renee and Paul

"Being able to sleep on the world's longest flight (17hrs 15mins) was wonderful! $8000 flights - all paid for with points I earned from normal, everyday household expenses on just two credit cards. Thanks for the guidance JGOOT!"

Amy Osborne

"I was warned that Sydney was an expensive city. But the money I've saved on flights & hotels using JGOOT techniques has allowed me to splurge on some amazing experiences!"

Kelly and Cezanne Cross

"This even works in peak travel times! With what we learned in JGOOT, we were able to fly during SPRING BREAK for only $22 in taxes! We also went to Belize over Thanksgiving for just $100!"

David Adcock

"Off to Prague and Berlin in business class on KLM! Thanks JGOOT for showing us how to do it for a fraction of what others pay for economy flights!"

Ashley Moyes

"Using JGOOT strategies, we took SEVEN trips this year--many in first class--and we paid less than ONE of our trips from last year!"

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL ALSO DISCOVER INSIDE THE BOOK:

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FLIGHTS

• Hidden features of Google
• Hidden features of Kayak
• Find the best 1% of flights
• Jaw-Dropping cheap fares
• Get 5X-25X point redemptions

SIMPLE MUST-HAVE FORMULAS FOR SUCCESS

• Online cent-per-point calculators
• Know if it's a good deal or not
• Instant feedback on your finds
• Simple formulas for repeat use
• Easy-to-use tools

THE SECRETS TO GETTING FREE ACCOMODATIONS

• Step-By-Step Directions
• Turn $1K of points into $5K
• Easily earn free hotel stays
• Use the process over and over

NO BULL$%&t CREDIT CARD RECOMMENDATIONS

• NO card-churning
• No need for dozens of cards
• Master points with just 2-3 cards
• Learn the BEST cards for travel

STRATEGIES TO MAKE YOUR OWN TRAVEL SLUSH FUND

• Create hundreds of thousands of points
• No chasing sign up bonuses
• No spending more than normal
• Straightforward techniques
• Have everything you need to travel more often , more comfortably , and for much less - for the rest of your life

TRAVEL HEDGING

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Cuyana Easy Travel Tote Review: Soft, Durable And Built To Last

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In our wider review of the best travel totes on the market, we named Cuyana’s System Tote our best overall option. After the brand’s recent debut of the Easy Travel Tote, we decided to test it to see how it compares.

As a frequent traveler, I’m always looking for a tote that is both durable enough to carry heavy items like my laptop, chargers and tablet as well as stylish enough to bring to lunch or dinner after getting off a plane or train. Cuyana, a women-owned clothing and accessories brand known for its long-lasting quality, wearability and design, has been a staple of my travels for the past few years (the Travel Beauty Roll comes with me on every trip), so my ears perked up when I heard of the brand’s latest release, the Easy Travel Tote .

The Easy Travel Tote is the latest travel bag from women-owned clothing and accessories brand ... [+] Cuyana.

I had heard raves from friends and coworkers about Cuyana’s bags, including the System Tote , which we named the best travel tote in our larger review. Made from double-sided Italian leather that softens over time, Cuyana’s bags are investments that are built to last. With multiple trips each month, I often burn through luggage and bags (airport baggage carousels can really do some damage), so I was especially into the idea of having a bag that can withstand my heavy travel schedule, and decided to put the Easy Travel Tote to the test on a weekend road trip.

Cuyana Easy Travel Tote

Dimensions:  14.2 x 25.3 x 6.3 |  Materials: Italian leather |  Weight:  2.9 pounds |  Accessories:  Detachable crossbody strap; easy tote insert; zipper pouch; flap bag (all sold separately) |  Care:  Wipe clean with damp cloth

• Weekend getaways and road trips
• Those seeking a spacious bag made out of high-quality Italian leather
• You need exterior pockets
• You’re looking for a bag to slide over your suitcase; this tote does not come with a trolley sleeve

The Best Thermometers For Kids, According To Experts

9 best laundry hampers to sort your family’s lights and darks, spacious with multiple pockets and a top zipper.

Like many of Cuyana’s bags , the Easy Travel Tote is made from buttery, pebbled Italian leather. I’m a big fan of leather bags since faux leather can often give off a very chemical or plastic smell. The Easy Travel Tote has a warm, earthy and high-quality leather scent that I noticed as soon as I opened it.

The tote has a deep interior with two large pockets on each side that are spacious enough to hold a pair of headphones, chargers or tablet case. While the interior pockets are not zippered, I do appreciate that this bag has a zippered top, which means I don’t have to worry about items flying out of my bag during bumpy rides or flights (yes, this has happened to me before).

The Easy Travel Tote is the newest travel tote from women-owned clothing and accessories bag Cuyana.

Functional, Versatile And Durable

Because I was only going on a weekend trip, I decided to use the Easy Travel Tote as my primary bag and see how much I could fit inside of it. After inspecting its interior, I knew I could easily put all of its 37 liters of volume to good use. It’s several inches larger and wider than the Classic Easy Zipper Tote , which is the next size down, so I could seamlessly slide in my 16-inch laptop, tablet, all of my chargers, several tops and bottoms, a denim jacket, a pair of shoes and my purse, meaning I didn’t need to bring a suitcase on this trip. Better yet, the tote didn’t feel clunky or look oddly shaped when I picked it up, so I was able to bring it with me to a restaurant for lunch without any issues.

Another great feature of this bag is its versatility. I used a wide shoulder strap , which is sold separately, to sling the bag over my shoulders, making it easy to carry around everywhere. I could also see myself using this tote on commuter days when I’m bouncing around from the gym to dinner and need to bring along my laptop; its chic exterior lets it blend into different environments, from a train station to hang-outs with friends.

For those who prefer a tote they can sling over their shoulder, Cuyana offers adjustable straps that ... [+] are sold separately.

Cuyana Easy Travel Tote: The Final Verdict

After testing Cuyana’s Easy Travel Tote, I can attest to its quality, durability and style. I was able to fit so much inside of it, and it didn’t take up too much space in the trunk of my car. I also found it to be incredibly comfortable: its straps made it easy to sling over my shoulder and carry around shops and restaurants. However, for flights, I would have loved to see this bag include at least one external pocket for easy access to my passport. I also fear that with as much as I packed in it, its lack of trolley sleeve would make it balance very precariously on the top of my suitcase. And at $428, this bag is certainly a splurge, especially when you consider that all of its accessories are sold separately (the adjustable wide strap I used is $88).

The tote's interior is spacious with two large interior pockets that can hold a 16-inch laptop, ... [+] chargers, headphones or other items.

Yet for frequent travelers like myself, this bag delivers. It can easily be used as a gym bag, diaper bag, commuter bag and a personal item on a flight, which means you’ll get a lot of use out of it. And its high-quality leather exterior not only allows it to hold plenty of items while still looking stylish (no easy feat), but it will keep its shape and luster for years to come, making this tote a worthy investment.

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Time travel and surveillance state paranoia collide in a witty, thought-provoking romance novel

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Book Review

The Ministry of Time

By Kaliane Bradley Avid Reader Press: 352 pages, $28.99 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org , whose fees support independent bookstores.

“People aren’t history,” scoffs Adela, vice secretary of the Ministry, whose work is shrouded in secrecy and subterfuge. This retort comes late in Kaliane Bradley’s debut novel, “The Ministry of Time,” but it’s a telling line. Its dismissal of individual lives reveals the novel’s stakes. If people aren’t history, what is? This is a disturbing statement to come out of the mouth of a high-ranking British bureaucrat. For a book that could also be easily described as witty, sexy escapist fiction, “The Ministry of Time” packs a substantial punch.

Of late, many critically acclaimed books embrace mystery and absurdity in a way that both suspends and expands conventionally held notions of time. Hilary Leichter’s “Terrace Story,” National Book Critics Circle award winner Lorrie Moore’s “I Am Not Homeless If This Is Not My Home,” Ali Smith’s “Companion Piece,” National Book Award winner Justin Torres’ “Blackouts,” and Marie-Helene Bertino’s “Beautyland,” among others, forge poignant, bracing emotional connections. Their playfulness reveals possibilities and perspectives that might be lost in a novel bound by fact-checked 21st century reality. After all, in a world where nothing feels normal, fiction that embraces a disregard for physics and convention mirrors our new upside-down quotidian life.

To this end, Kaliane Bradley proves that it’s possible to address imperialism, the scourge of bureaucracy, cross-cultural conflict and the paranoia inherent in a surveillance state through her utterly entertaining novel. “The Ministry of Time” begins with a sixth-round job interview for an undisclosed position. The unnamed narrator is caught off guard when “the interviewer said my name, which made my thoughts clip. I don’t say my name, not even in my head. She’d said it correctly, which people generally don’t.” For the narrator, who “plateaued” as a “translator-consultant” in the Languages department of the Ministry of Defense, this top-secret job that pays three times her current salary is worth the mystery.

Soon the work is disclosed. The narrator, whose mother immigrated to the United Kingdom from Cambodia, will be working closely with people who might bristle at the term “refugees.” She’s now part of the Ministry of Expatriation working with one of five “expats” scavenged from the past. Confident in her storytelling, Bradley sweeps away the details of how and why time travel exists in the novel.

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“All you need to know is that in your near future, the British government developed the means to travel through time but had not yet experimented with doing it.” With that, from the jump, readers and characters alike are asked to take a leap of faith as the narrator assumes the role of a “bridge” between an “expat” and modern life. The larger purpose of her work is elusive to her as well, but, in short, the narrator is tasked to be the roommate of an explorer named Commander Graham Gore who died on a doomed Royal Navy Arctic exhibition in 1847. He’s mannered, understandably jumpy, but also rather sexy for someone who died close to 200 years ago. Will this be an odd sort of meet-cute, or is something more chaotic afoot?

Buckle up, the ride has just begun. Juggling notions of “hereness” (the present) and “thereness” (the past), the novel’s five expats come to grips — or not — with the fact that they have been snatched from the past. The ministry selected individuals who were on the point of death so that their departures from the past would in no way rupture their historic timelines. But how would they affect the present? The bridges take notes, and medical examinations are de rigueur, but these collected data are merely passed along without much in the way of analysis.

The expats and bridges adjust to life together in a largely amusing fashion, sharing lovely homes provided by the ministry, visiting pubs, learning about the very existence of cinema. Music streaming services are a hit, but, generally speaking, the expats find it hard to accept the scale of modern life. Whether this is due to some physical mutation created by the process of time travel or if it’s merely the challenge of cultural displacement for people “loose as dust in narrative time,” true fissures begin to surface.

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In a manner that feels wholly unsurprising to the reader, suspicions arise as to the nature of the project. Why exactly is there a need for secrecy and what are the particulars about this ability to time travel that we’re asked to tacitly accept? Tensions also flare between the narrator and another bridge, Simellia, who are the two people of color in this tightly knit circle. The specter of imperialism looms and informs a certain tension between the narrator and Gore. Yet, as a green bureaucrat, happy to rise in the ranks, she confronts Simellia, saying, “You signed up for this job… [knowing], as much as I did, that what we were doing was world-changing. That’s what you wanted, remember? Do you think the world changes by being asked politely? Or do you think there has to be risk?”

But this brash confidence begins to waver. The narrator recognizes, “Every time I gave Graham a book, I was trying to shunt him along a story I’d been telling myself all my life.” Then she notes that the ministry “fed us all poison from a bottle marked ‘prestige’ and we developed a high tolerance for bitterness.” While the book does assume some obvious postures of university level post-colonial theory and language, it moves past these more cliched moments by focusing its attention on the characters. A tight narrative rich with witty banter, cutting observations and interspersed passages from Gore’s doomed expedition also keep the novel taut.

“Maybe I was tired of stories, telling them and hearing them,” muses the narrator. Curiously, while she made languages her profession (hence her tendency to consider that “the great project of Empire was to categorize: owned and owner, coloniser and colonised, evolué and barbarian, mine and yours.”), her antagonistic younger sister became a writer. Finding herself falling in love with Gore, the narrator becomes the story, upending history.

As the story’s momentum builds into that of a spy thriller, Bradley pulls off a rare feat. “The Ministry of Time” is a novel that doesn’t stoop to easy answers and doesn’t devolve into polemic. It’s a smart, gripping work that’s also a feast for the senses. An assassination, moles, questions of identity and violence wreak havoc on our happy lovers and the bubble they create in London. Yet our affection for them is as fresh and thrilling as theirs is for one another, two explorers of a kind, caught in a brilliant discovery. Bradley’s written an edgy, playful and provocative book that’s likely to be the most thought-provoking romance novel of the summer. Check your history: That’s no small feat.

Lauren LeBlanc is a board member of the National Book Critics Circle.

More to Read

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Introduction to AXA Travel Insurance

• Coverage Options Offered by AXA
• AXA Assistance USA Cost

AXA Customer Service Reviews

Compare axa travel insurance.

• Why You Should Trust Us

AXA Assistance USA Travel Insurance Review 2024

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate insurance products to write unbiased product reviews.

Travel insurance is important because it can help cover the cost of unexpected medical expenses while you're traveling. It can also reimburse you for lost or stolen baggage, canceled flights, and other unforeseeable problems that may occur while you're away from home.

Simply put, there's a lot to consider.

But not all policies are created equal, and you must understand what you're covered for before you purchase a policy. This article will look in-depth at AXA Assistance USA travel insurance. We'll discuss the costs, coverage limits, exclusions, and more to help you make an informed decision about whether or not this particular travel insurance provider is right for you.

• Trip cancellation coverage of up to 100% of the trip cost
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Generous medical evacuation coverage
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Up to $1,500 per person coverage for missed connections on cruises and tours
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Covers loss of ski, sports and golf equipment
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Generous baggage delay, loss and trip delay coverage ceilings per person
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage only available for most expensive Platinum plan
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. CFAR coverage ceiling only reaches $50,000 maximum despite going up to 75%

AXA Assistance USA keeps travel insurance simple with gold, silver, and platinum plans. Emergency medical and CFAR are a couple of the options you can expect. Read on to learn more about AXA.

• Silver, Gold, and Platinum plans available
• Trip interruption coverage of up to 150% of the trip cost
• Emergency medical coverage of up to $250,000

AXA Assistance USA is among the best travel insurance companies . It covers the fundamentals of travel insurance, with coverage for trip cancellations, medical expenses, and emergency medical/non-medical evacuation. With three plans, AXA also offers coverage for travelers with various budgets.

It's worth noting that many important add-ons aren't available for AXA's cheapest Silver plan, such as pre-existing condition coverage, rental car add-ons, and Schengen travel insurance. Cancel for any reason coverage is also only available for AXA's most expensive Platinum plan. 

Coverage Options Offered by AXA 

AXA Assistance USA offers three levels of coverage: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Each plan comes with different protections and varying coverage limits, with the Silver being the most basic option and Platinum offering the most premium coverage.

Some policies might even include added coverage free of charge, such as a waiver for pre-existing conditions , which is free for Gold and Platinum plans as long as you purchase your plan within 14 days of your trip deposit.

Specialized Coverage Options

The plan you purchase will determine which add-ons are available. For example, those with a Platinum plan can add CFAR (cancel for any reason) coverage , allowing you to receive a full refund if you cancel your trip within 14 days of making the initial deposit.

Or, if you want extra protection for your rental car, depending on your AXA plan, you might be able to add a collision damage waiver (CDW). Policyholders with Gold plans can add $35,000 CDW, and those with Platinum plans can include $50,000 CDW.

If you're traveling within the Schengen Territory, which is made up of 27 European countries, you may eligible for Schengen Travel Insurance, which covers you in all 27 countries. This option is only available for Gold and Platinum travelers and coverage lasts up to 90 days.

AXA Assistance USA Travel Insurance Cost

The premium you pay will depend on various factors, including the age of the travelers, destination, and total trip costs. The average cost of travel insurance is 4% to 8% of your travel costs.

After inputting some personal information, such as your age and state of residence, along with your trip details, like travel dates, destination, and trip costs, you'll get an instant quote for the plans available for your trip. And from there, it's easy to compare each option based on your coverage needs and budget.

Now let's look at a few examples to estimate AXA's coverage costs.

As of 2024, a 23-year-old from Illinois taking a week-long, $3,000 budget trip to Italy would have the following  AXA travel insurance quotes:

• AXA Silver: $83
• AXA Gold: $107
• AXA Platinum: $127

Premiums for AXA plans are between 2.7% and 4.2% of the trip's cost, well below the average cost of travel insurance. It's also relatively cheap compared to many of its competitors

AXA provides the following quotes for a 30-year-old traveler from California heading to Japan for two weeks on a $4,000 trip:

• AXA Silver: $109
• AXA Gold: $128
• AXA Platinum: $153

Once again, premiums forAXA plans are between 3.6% and 3.8%, below the average cost for travel insurance.

A 65-year-old couple looking to escape New York for Mexico for two weeks with a trip cost of $6,000 would have the following AXA quotes:

• AXA Silver: $392
• AXA Gold: $462
• AXA Platinum: $550

Premiums for AXA plans are between 6.5% and 9.2%, which is roughly in line with the average cost for travel insurance. This is to be expected, as travel insurance is often more expensive for older travelers.

How to Purchase and Manage Your AXA Policy

The process of purchasing an AXA policy is simple. After obtaining your quote, you'll need to decide which of AXA's three plans you want to buy. When you pay for your plan, be prepared to provide additional personal information, like your birthday, phone number, and address. 

Once you finalize your purchase, you'll have a 10-day free look period, in which you can cancel your policy and get your money back. 

How to File a Claim with AXA Travel Insurance

To file a claim with AXA Assistance USA, head to the claims forms online to find the appropriate form. Once you've filled out your form and gathered the required documentation, you can email them to [email protected] or send them by mail to:

AXA Assistance USA

On Behalf of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Affiliated Companies

P.O. Box 26222

Tampa, FL 33623

If you need assistance when filing claims, AXA's claims office can be reached at 1-888-957-5015 (within the U.S.) and 1-727-450-8794 (outside the U.S.). Office hours are 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. ET on Thursdays and 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. ET on all other weekdays. 

AXA's U.S. branch has few reviews on Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau — just over 20 between the two sites. Its UK branch has over 1,100 reviews, most of which are overwhelmingly negative. However, the quality of AXA Travel Insurance UK isn't necessarily indicative of its U.S. coverage. 

In fact, on SquareMouth, where the majority of AXA U.S.'s reviews, reviews are generally positive. It received an average of 4.22 stars out of five across over 900 reviews. Customers reported that adjusting an AXA policy was easy and the customer service team was responsive. However, reviews on the claims process was more mixed, with spotty communication and long wait times. 

See how AXA travel insurance compares to top travel insurance providers.

AXA Assistance USA vs. AIG Travel Guard

When comparing AXA to Travel Guard , we'll look at the coverage levels from their mid-tier plans, the Silver plan and Travel Guard Preferred plan, respectively.

With Travel Guard Preferred plan, you'll get:

• Trip cancellation coverage up to $150,000
• Trip interruption coverage up to $225,000
• Emergency medical coverage of $50,000
• Coverage for baggage loss, theft, or damage up to $1,000
• Travel delay coverage of up to $800

Comparing those Travel Guard coverages with AXA's Silver plan, you'll see that AXA's coverage limits are a bit higher. With AXA's Silver plan you'll get $100,000 in emergency medical coverage, for example. And the baggage loss coverage limit is up to $1,500.

If you're looking for greater coverage limits, AXA makes the most sense in this scenario. But premiums will also vary based on factors like the traveler's age, trip destination, and trip cost. So you'll have to run your own numbers to make a final decision.

Read our AIG Travel Insurance review here.

AXA Assistance USA vs. Allianz Travel Insurance

Allianz Travel Insurance provides single-trip and multi-trip insurance for travelers who want to go abroad for an extended period of time. And, like with all insurance, the various plans have varying degrees of coverage.

Allianz Travel Insurance's most popular single-trip option is the OneTrip Prime plan, which offers:

• Trip cancellation coverage up to $100,000
• Trip interruption coverage up to $150,000
• Emergency medical coverage for $50,000
• Coverage for baggage loss, theft or damage up to $1,000
• Travel delay coverage up to $800

Looking at AXA's mid-tier Silver plan, you'll see that, again, AXA offers more coverage for emergency medical and baggage loss, theft, or damage than Allianz Travel Insurance. That said, if cost is an essential factor for you, you'll have to get quotes using your personal trip information to make an informed decision.

Read our Allianz Travel Insurance review here.

AXA Assistance USA vs. Credit Card Travel Insurance

Already have a great travel credit card, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or American Express Platinum? Some of the standard coverages, such as rental car insurance, may be included in the card you already have. It's a good idea to research the terms of your credit card's travel protection before purchasing a separate travel insurance policy.

If you're driving to your destination and don't have any non-refundable trip expenses, the coverage from your credit card may be enough. Another time it might work is if you have health insurance covering you while abroad and you're in good health without worrying about possible medical costs.

It's essential to remember that credit card coverage is usually secondary. This means you'll have to file a claim with the other applicable insurance before filing a claim with your credit card company.

Read our guide on the best credit cards with travel insurance here.

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed AXA Assistance USA

We researched AXA by evaluating its travel insurance plans compared to other plans from the top travel insurance companies. The aspects we looked at included, but were not limited to, different coverage options, claims limits, what is covered, available add-ons, and extra services for policy holders.

What's important when choosing a policy isn't just the price — it's making sure you're getting adequate coverage that meets your needs without breaking the bank. Filing a claim should also be easy and stress-free if you ever have to use your policy.

Read more about how Business Insider rates insurance products here.

AXA Assistance USA FAQs

If you're diagnosed with COVID-19 before a trip and need to cancel, AXA may cover your expenses. Additionally, a COVID-19 diagnosis during a trip may be covered under AXA's medical expense, trip interruption, and trip delay benefits. Be sure to review your policy to ensure coverage details. 

While you may extend your coverage in certain circumstances, such as extended hospitalization, and update your travel dates prior to your departure, you can't extend AXA travel insurance plans while you're traveling. 

AXA's Gold and Platinum plan cover pre-existing medical conditions as long as you purchase your policy within 14 days of your initial trip deposit. AXA's Silver plan does not cover pre-existing conditions and has a 60-day look-back period. 

You can download AXA claims forms on its website and email them to [email protected].

AXA isn't the most flexible travel insurance company and isn't great at specializing, but it offers comprehensive general coverage. Its prices aren't significantly more expensive or cheaper than its competitors.

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