Date: Saturday Oct. 18

Time: 10am until 5pm; Social hour 9am to 10am

Location: Building PSH (Physical Science- H Wing) Room 150 at the Arizona State Univ. campus in Tempe. The building is immediately on University, 3 1/2 blocks east of Mill, and just east of the pedestrian overpass. You'll find it in the middle middle of the parking map.

Parking: Parking map here . Visitor lot 18, 1/2 block east of Mill on University, doesn't charge on weekends.

Public Transit: the Red Line city bus runs from PHX to Mill/University for $1.25 one way; the ride is 15 minutes and buses run ever 30 min. Bus schedule here.


101 seminar concepts:

- understanding frequent flyer programs
- identifying ways to maximize value for money spent
- cost/benefit analysis to determine your value for a mile
- understanding fares and fare rules
- understanding availability
- tips for constructing trips

Bonus topic: Award redemption tips: booking flights at standard (not double) redemption levels


I will use a variety of examples and speak to points of all major US carrier programs, plus limited discussion of foreign carriers.

The methodology I teach is how to build mileage runs manually (i.e. not using ITA) with the rationale that once you have a firm foundation on the basics, then you can use shortcuts. Think of it as learning long division, then later using a calculator. If you don't understand the concept of division, you can't verify that the easy output from your calculator is accurate.

People who have been through a seminar before will likely know a lot of the topics I discuss, but veteran attendees can attest that as the crowd is different at each seminar, the questions and the discussion can vary, too, although I do cover the core curriculum briefly described above.


Note: I reserve the right to request that no media attend and report content of the seminar, and that no participant record the seminar through any media.

Friday Oct. 17 dinner:

8:00pm

Horse and Hound Sports Grill
1320 E Broadway Rd
Tempe, AZ 85282
P. (480) 967-7977

Website: http://www.horseandhoundsportsgrill.com

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Saturday Oct. 18 Dinner


Pizzeria Uno
690 South Mill Ave (at Mill and University)
Tempe, AZ 85281
480-968-1300

Private room reservation at 5pm for the Flyertalk group

Menus are here and entrees are about $10-$12.



Pizzeria Uno is one block north of University on Mill, so we can easily walk 4 1/2 blocks from the meeting room to dinner. Note there will be a football game that afternoon, but there should be no trouble finding parking at 10am. People joining us for dinner only may want to park at the Centerpoint lot, on Ash north of University, which is usually reserved for people patronizing Unos, the movie theater, and adjacent businesses.

Count me in for sure. Arrival Friday 5.25pm, departure Sunday 12.05pm.

John

Aw crapola that's smack in the middle of a Florida trip I had planned already. I was really hoping to make it to this one.

Count me in - I am moving that week, but really love these events. VJ does an amazing job and I always learn something new when I attend. I found a decent deal on a rental car including free gas so I may drive down & back.

I'm going to do my best to be there, it sounds perfect. Anybody got any ideas for decent fares on SkyTeam from NYC area for that weekend? Best I found was $380...

Edit: Prices for times that work with the seminar have gone up. Maybe there was a rush of buyers from the NYC area after VJ stated the place/time? No chance for out/back same day from east coast I think. Anyone find anything, or at least reasonable friday/sunday morning?

Thanks for helping this newbie out.

Well I am having the same problem from WAS. And I even have the flexibility to stay a couple of nights. For whatever reason, it seems the lowest fares are tending to be available the 2 prior weekends in October only. May have to be really creative with this one.

I am in - thank you!

I plan on being there. Thanks VJ.

EDIT (10/13/08): Will not be able to join the group.

If it includes free gas, maybe the seminar should have been in Chicago

I am in. Even booking a car through Budget to get 7500 bonus DL miles on the trip. Coming from Austin.

Because I have an Alaska companion ticket, I am bringing a friend. She is so new to collecting miles that I needed to tell her about alliances (where I was a short time ago, before I discovered FT), but is always interested in learning something new. And I will give her some FT prep reading for the flight down. This should be fun. Thanks, VJ!

arrggghhhh. Had been hoping to catch the opening festivities @ EYW...
Decisions-decisions.

Does PHX have any 6-toed cats ??

Anybody attending WILL get a good show ^
/.

VJ does a great job and you will learn more than enough to cover the costs of getting there. Whatever it is.

Have fun.

Will probably be there...just a short drive from home for me. Only thing that could get in the way is a possible trip to PA to visit family

Let me know if anyone needs a ride from PHX.