Financial and Travel Tips

[Phan Thanh Lam <phtl@freenet.tlh.fl.us>]

Dear friends,

Summer is approaching and many of us will be travelling for 
leisure or to attend conferences and meetings.  Several VNSA members have 
just signed off to travel.  Most of us are aware of what I am about to 
write, but in case you are not, I hope the following tips would be of 
some help to you.  Here are some programs that you may wnat to join.

1.  Frequent Flyer Program:  All major airlines awarded points (frequents 
mileage) to trips made .  For example, a round trip from the US to Bangkok 
could earn almost 20,000 miles, a round trip from NY to CA could earn 
6,000 miles.  You can redeem these miles for free tickets or upgrades.  
Usually it would take 25,000 miles for a free ticket within North America 
and 50,000 miles for a free ticket from North America to  Asia or 
Europe.  This program costs nothing to join, and mileage can be 
accumulated years after years.

2.  Credit cards that award airline mileage points:  By the time you are 
about 
to get your college degree, all the banks would have your names and sent 
you tons of mail to offer you credit cards.  One should be 
careful in  applying for these cards since their annual fees vary, it can 
cost you several hundred dollars to have a credit card or it can be free, 
and the payment requirements and interest rates vary a great deal.  If 
you travel a lot, you may want to get a credit card with a major airline 
(such as Delta, Continental or US Air...) .  You may have to pay an 
annual fee of $35-75 but every dollar spent is worth a mile.  They will 
be accumulated and could be redeem for free air ticket.  Or you may want 
to get a Ford or Chrysler credit card.  The money spent will be applied 
toward a discount (up to $3500 in most cases) when you buy a car.

3.  Rights of trvellers.  If you get stranded in an airport because a 
flight is late for more than (2,3,4...) hours, you should go to the 
ticket counter and request a meal coupon that can be used in any 
restaurant in the airport.  The airlines will do this but only if you 
ask.  They would not announce it or let you know voluntarily, and their 
guidelines vary also.  Be sure to ask them.

Just some tips to take advantage of existing programs.  Please jump right 
in to expand on these tips or to add others.

Regards,

Phan Thanh Lam