“People think I’m a spy,” Lawrence Sherman jokes.
That may be an easy explanation for why he flies 300,000 miles per year. And it is more amusing to the former stand-up comic than the truth: Mr Sherman traverses the globe as an inspirational speaker and trainer at medical conferences.
A senior vice president at the medical education firm Topec Global in Zurich, he uses a corporate travel agent for bookings. But he still researches the best deals and experiences because at 35,000 feet in the air, he does not want to be crunched in his seat. Part of scoring that perfect ticket is timing: CheapAir.com said last week that 54 days before take-off is the best time to buy a domestic US flight.
With that in mind, Mr Sherman and other frequent flyers have some tips to offer to make the skies a little friendlier for business travellers. The first is that it pays to be loyal.
Even if you are not a jet-setter, frequent flyer miles add up. And the more they do, the more leeway airlines have to assist you. By joining the rewards programme of the carrier that serves your most frequent destinations, you can avoid bag hassles or score priority rebooking when flights are cancelled.
“Be loyal to an airline that has the most non-stop direct flights from where you live or has the most non-stop flights to a hub close to you,” says Peter Shankman, a New York City entrepreneur, angel investor and author who flies nearly as much as Mr Sherman.
By always flying United Airlines, Mr Shankman knows he can book the last flight of the night, which is usually the cheapest, but still get on an earlier flight without paying extra if seats are available. That is one of the perks that the businessman gets for his top status within United’s frequent flyer programme.
Mr Sherman, meanwhile, advises comparing flights on fare-aggregator websites, such as Expedia, Kayak and Travelocity. Then visit airline websites to check for better deals.
For a recent flight, all of Mr Sherman’s choices were equally priced on the aggregator sites, so he went to his preferred airline’s website to see if he could get a better deal.
“Emirates is awesomeness,” he said. “So I went on their site and got an amazing price for a great experience.”
Q&A
Any other ways to secure a good deal?
Fare classes come with varying restrictions. So paying an extra $20, for example, on economy could give you flexibility to make changes and reserve a seat. It could also mean better seats for a slightly higher fare. “Often you can’t upgrade on those economy tickets,” the US entrepreneur Peter Shankman notes. “So sometimes it’s worth paying more for the next highest fare class so you can upgrade.” Also be flexible with travel dates.
Why the need for flexibility?
Pricing varies day to day for international and domestic flights “Midweek buying is a great idea,” says Abby Bassett, founder of Austin-based Cntrl Media, a media content company. “I’ve found ticket prices tend to take a dip on Tuesday.”
Any other ways to reduce costs?
For Claire Nelson, using connections or adding destinations can lower costs. “Sometimes a multi-city journey is comparable to a single-city flight with transfers,” says Ms Nelson, who travels in the US to launch Urban Consulate, a non-profit network.
Do any websites offer insider tips?
For special insight, inspirational speaker Lawrence Sherman turns to FlyerTalk.com and SeatGuru.com – forums for expert travellers. Positive reviews on FlyerTalk helped Mr Sherman decide on a flight on a start-up airline between Doha, Qatar, and Dubai. If Mr Shankman is on a flight type he has not previously flown, he checks out SeatGuru.
business@thenational.ae
Follow The National's Business section on Twitter
