Pro Travel Tips for Every Aspect of Your Next Trip with Leigh Rowan

#1: Travel pro Leigh Rowan joins Chris to discuss the travel tactics you need for your next trip, including getting the best prices on flights and hotels, having authentic local experiences and not getting ripped off changing money.

Leigh Rowan (@leighrowan) is a serious travel optimizer. He is the founder and CEO of Savanti Travel, a travel management company for executives and prior to that was the COO of The Points Guy.

Selected Links From The Episode (Advertiser Disclosure)

Chris's Newsletter: Sign Up

Leigh Rowan: Twitter | Savanti Travel

Top Credit Cards and Signup Bonuses: Top Cards for 2021 | Best Signup Bonuses

Best flight search tool: Google Flights

Find travel advisers who might have flight/hotel deals: Virtuoso

Find your airline’s seat map: SeatGuru

Great deals on rental cars: Costco

Airline Vacation Portals: American | Delta | United

Find guides from your local library using this extension: Library Extension

Free concierges from your Credit Cards: American Express | Visa | MasterCard

Find a local to show you around at your destination: ShowAround

Eat with a local: EatWith

Do a photography session at your destination: Flytography

Local guides to what's happening: TimeOut

Switching to an eSIM: Verizon | AT&T | T-Mobile

Offline mode to save data: Google Maps | Google Translate

Phone Plans for International Travel: Google Fi

Show Notes

Leigh's background in the travel industry [01:40]

What to do before planning any trip [03:59]

What if you just want the cheapest trip or just a warm destination? [06:35]

Should you pay with miles or with cash? [07:30]

Why you shouldn’t book flights from Expedia and book from the airline directly instead. [08:34]

How do you get access to lower corporate rates for flights? [10:11]

How to pick the best airline for your next international flight? [10:31]

Making sure your rental is still available and being treated like a VIP. [12:18]

Which Costco travel deals are good and which ones are bad. [14:16]

Take advantage of COVID flight flexibility policies for future trips [15:48]

When on google flights, make sure to add this to your search [16:26]

How do you narrow down your hotel search? [17:05]

Should you pay for Tripadvisor plus and how does it work? [18:58]

How does your experience change depending on how you book your hotel?  [20:48]

Doing this may help you get perks at your hotel, you might even get upgraded. [22:43]

Why speaking to the hotel beforehand really matters [25:09]

Should you trust hotel concierge food recommendations? [25:30]

How to get the best price on a vacation home or villa. [26:52]

Why you should do a food tour as soon as you arrive at your destination. [28:49]

More tips for planning your trip  [29:40]

How you can plan experiences you won’t find in a guidebook [32:00]

What is a destination management company? [33:31]

A photography session is the best souvenir you can get when you travel. [34:14]

How can you find hidden experiences and what your credit card concierge might know. [34:47]

Services your credit card concierge probably does and whether you can trust them. [36:44]

Where to find the best food and how to avoid tourist food traps? [38:58]

The safest and cheapest way to have cash on hand when traveling. [42:33]

The best way you can get rid of local currency at the end of your trip without getting ripped off [44:20]

Don’t fall for this bank travel scam. [45:40]

Getting a local cell phone service or data. [47:37]

Preparing your phone for travel. [48:55]

Trips where you shouldn’t bring your main phone/laptop [50:53]

Leigh’s upcoming trips. [51:48]

What is Savanti Travel? [52:34]

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