Kinney Chaos

Experience the Ordinary

You are here: Home / Archives for travel tip

travel tip

Travel Addiction Confessions You Need to Know

By Leave a Comment

Some people like to play sports for an adrenaline rush.  That is one of the reasons I go to UFC fights, after all, it’s the biggest adrenaline rush I have had without playing sports.  Over the last several months, I have looked back at my travel hacking and wondered if I do it due to the adrenaline rush or if it’s become a travel addiction. You are always looking for the next deal, the easiest way to get points.  It’s almost like any other addiction as you are looking for your next fix, best/cheapest way to get your next trip.
www.kinneychaos.com

Travel Addiction – Extra Miles

Over the last year, I have found I have miles for airlines that I do not know of any trips or reason to take planned to the areas that they cover.  Over the last year, I have started to use some of these off the path miles such as Alaskan Airlines to take partner flights to Las Vegas. My goals always had an endpoint, but it was more of just throwing out processes to see what would stick.
Travel Addiction

Challenge Accepted

Several years ago, someone told me “Miles will never get you a trip.  You are wasting your time…”.  So what started as something to maybe get one free Vegas Trip turned into several set goals.  The smaller of the goals was to reduce costs to flying to Las Vegas.  Back when I started, it was for people watching and the weather.  With the lack of humidity, it seems like that is the only place where my body does not hurt.  Over the years now it has turned into Las Vegas flights for UFC fights.  This little travel addiction has at least been able to pay for the airline flights each time.
Travel Addiction
The more significant challenge has been being able to provide memories.  Earlier this year I was able to fly to Hawaii with Joni and Cheyenne.  I do not know if I would be able to make this trip again due to the length of the flight.  Joni always said she wanted to go to Hawaii for our 15th wedding anniversary.  I always thought it would never happen because it would be too expensive.  “We will see…”.  That gave me three years at the time to get enough miles and hotel points for this trip.  Challenge accepted.  We were able to book the flights during our 15th year all due to miles.
Travel Addiction
Now that I have accomplished those two goals I have had a chance to sit back and look closely at my hobby.  Are there things I would do differently?  Yes.  But sometimes its the journey and the steps you have to take along the way.  Just make sure you take a step back to enjoy your life. Read our article about Why Travel? 5 Reasons You Should and you don’t let your travel habits become an actual compulsion.

Travel Essentials – Carry On Luggage Musts

By Leave a Comment

Packing smart can be a challenge, especially for your carry on luggage.  All the proof you need is sitting in your airline seat and see the multiple people trying to cram a larger than allowed suitcase in the overhead compartment along with their purse/bag, coat and their shopping bag from their airport purchases.  I do have a couple essentials in my airline packing that I rely on each trip.

Checked vs Carry On

There are certain items you will never want to put in your checked bags.  Some of these may be obvious such as cash, prescriptions, liquids and jewelry.  Keep in mind, never check anything that you would cause an issue if they were lost or delayed over a period of time.

Carry on Luggage Must have’s

A couple items I always put in my carry on luggage:
  • At least one change of clothes.  It comes in handy in case something is spilled on you in the plane or your bags are delayed.
  • All phone chargers and portable battery packs.  I like to have the ability to charge my phones in the airport before boarding the plane.  Also you never want to check the USB battery packs per airline policy due to the possibility of them exploding.
  • A days worth of Prescriptions along with over the counter pain reliever of some sort.

Type of Carry on Luggage

My bag preference is a hard shell bag that fits the airline size requirements.  This allows me to put my computer/tablet inside with my other stuff.  This way I don’t have to worry about my electronics being crammed together as the many other airline passengers shove their stuff into the overhead bins.  I have watched someones laptop bag get demolished as someone decided to fit their large bag the size of the continent into the overhead bins.  I personally would prefer to have that extra protection.
The one item though, for a flight, that I refuse to leave without is a good pair of noise cancelling headphones.  This is one item that I believe that quality is worth the price.  I love my set of Bose noise cancelling headphones.  When these are turned on, you can barely hear the screaming child the row behind you or the loud hum over the next 3 hours of the engine just outside the window.  These can make a big difference over a longer flight on how you will remember your airline experience.
All in all remember to have fun no matter what your destination is and don’t over pack. DO pack your essentials in your carry on and check your airline for Carry on Luggage size requirements.
Other articles you may find interesting:

Travel Essentials and Carry on Luggage Must have's #luggage #traveltips #travelhacking #essentialpacking

United Airline Miles Using the Mileage Plus X App

By Leave a Comment

The easiest way I have found to build miles over time is one little app – Mileage Plus X App.  Nowadays people are often using their cell phone to pay for their store purchases.  Now when you go to restaurants or stores, you can get extra miles in addition to using your points or cash back credit card by adding one little step.  Welcome to the Mileage Plus X App by United Airlines.  Keep in mind this is not going to get you a free flight overnight but will help pad your balance or add up over a period of time.

How do you get the Mileage Plus X App?

The Mileage Plus X App is available the App Store or Google Play. Simply search for Mileage Plus X and download the application by following your device instructions.

How does the Mileage Plus X App work?

By downloading the app and linking it to your United Frequent Flyer account it will all you to purchase the gift cards while you are sitting at that restaurant or department store.  The credit card numbers are held through United.com on your flyer account.  At restaurants it comes in handy where they give you the bill at your table, you can type in the dollar amount down to the penny, and pay at the register.  All you have to tell them is that its a digital giftcard and hand them your phone for the numbers some of them can even scan the barcode which makes it easy for them too.  Some of the restaurants that we use this for are : Buffalo Wild Wings, Panera Bread, IHOP and Joni’s Second Home – Starbucks.
You can also do online shopping at Amazon, ebay, and Best Buy.  The value of points per dollar vary depending on the store.  However keep in mind that every little bit helps.  As Joni and I eat out often, We easily got over 10,000 miles on this app last year by restaurants alone.  United Airlines Miles expire if there is no activity every 18 months.  Some users purchase an Amazon giftcard through this app just to extend their expiration date on their miles another 18 months.
This app is one of the ‘double dip’ options available to you when you purchase the gift cards with a mileage or cash back credit card.  If you go through an online shopping portal – if you are getting something from somewhere like Best Buy it gives you an option for a ‘triple dip’!
Some other articles you may be interested in:

If you enjoyed this article please share it!

United Airline Miles Using the Mileage Plus X App