If you didn’t already know, the ever lovable country known as Finland has already launched an e-Passport trial. What is an e-passport? Fair question. Basically, it means one day you’ll be able to leave the paper version with the pages you’re afraid to tear at home. If you’re Finnish and flying to London, the future is the present.

For most of us this isn’t yet a reality, but a huge push from airlines, governments and airports means that collecting stamps, like many other elements of nostalgia, will one day be just that and the airport experience may actually get better. Fewer queues for the win!

Here’s everything you need to know about e-passports, biometrics and the many fair questions being raised about privacy, data storage and everything else in this brave new digital world.

ePassports Will Replace Traditional Passports

In many countries, sending money requires the blink of an eye or a selfie with your phone to authorize the transaction. Why? Biometric data from your eyes and unique facial features are more secure than a pin code.

If we can do that, why can’t we travel with the same sort of secure validation?

Biometric personal data is regarded in the tech world as being more secure than traditional paper passport photos and pages, based on how easily physical copies can be altered and manipulated to differ from those originally installed. Secure databases for biometrics mean that in theory, they are more tamper proof and have more data points to scrutinize with real time photo capture.

As the technologies evolve the digital nature of “updates” gives the validating tools more to work with. That’s as creepy as it is cool, indeed.

Passports are next.

Finland has embarked on a trial allowing Finnish citizens on select, direct Finnair flights to register and trial its new digital passport framework. Think of your passport the way you would Google Pay or Apple Pay on your phone. You need to unlock the phone to access. This adds an extra layer of security, even if the phone is lost, unlike a wallet.

Once registered and approved for the trial, Finns were able to obtain their digital passport and were instructed to share their data with border authorities at least four hours before departure and proceed through special gates which compare the digital passport photo with the person, digitally. The idea is to save time and add confidence.

Croatia is on track for its own trial at Zagreb Airport later this year.

Alongside framework and guidance setup by IATA and the airline world, countries are exploring the viability of digital passports, creating a paper free and ideally touch point and immigration officer free validation experience.

Of course, a digital passport is only as good as the places that accept it, so don’t expect to tear your paper passport up any time soon.

Just like biometric boarding where you don’t need a boarding pass, but rather just a blink of an eye to board a flight, the big selling point is speed. Biometric boarding has seen things like 615 passenger Airbus A380’s boarded in under 20 minutes. Imagine that for passport queues.

The struggle with biometric boarding has been both with the learning curve and with those who don’t automatically match to their biometrics when going through the scan. Airline agents remain on hand to deal with these scenarios which greatly slow things.

Finland’s “world’s first” launch simply created an opportunity for Finns traveling to the UK on direct flights and back a chance to test a digital version of their passport. All who took advantage of the trial needed to jump through some additional hoops to register for the pilot. Nevertheless, it’s exciting and vital progress.

The Groundwork Is Already In Place

Those in the US who use the Global Entry program to streamline arrival back into the states will know that you can simply look at the passenger screening machines and your irises and facial data points authenticate you without whipping out a passport.

Again, many in the data and biosecurity argue that these digital markers are more tamper proof than paper passports, particularly those without e-chips that add a layer of information to the information found within each page.

e-Passports would also finally allow a use for blockchain that people might legitimately understand. Only trusted partners could access passport data from these e-passports and only they could alter or add information. This would make visas and entry records easier to scrutinize or confirm, with fewer paper forms or lost docs.

With many countries moving to United States style ESTA, ETA or other electronic travel screening systems, that’ll actually really come in handy. There’s strong indication that the EU is closely monitoring the trials in Finland in hopes of developing bloc wide trials in the near future.

The post Digital Passports Are Coming, But Will They Help Travel? appeared first on God Save The Points.

Now look, before you grab your pitchforks – no one is saying that the Italian Riviera isn’t one of the greatest and most worthwhile destinations on earth. It unquestionably is.

All we’re saying is that an unfair amount of attention goes to the places you already know, they’re expensive, and if you’re smart – it means there are destinations worth exploring right now for less, before everyone else does.

I think this way, because my dad ruined travel for me. As an American in the 60’s, he explored Europe when you could live on $2 per day, and I’ve held a grudge ever since.

While that dream may long be over, Albania may be the closest thing – and even if it wasn’t cheap, the views, the food and the culture are worth it. Here’s everything you need to know about this underrated (and under priced) gem. But don’t wait too long, it’s getting wildly popular this year, by “cool kid” terms…

So, Where Is The Albanian Riviera

Geography lessons in Europe are always fun, in part because they’re usually surprising. The Albanian Riviera is mere miles across the water from Corfu, on the border with Greece and couldn’t be closer geographically to Puglia, Italy and places along “the boot”.

If you weren’t sold on the potential for beautiful coastline before, hopefully the realisation that Albania is smack-dab in the middle of many of the most iconic beach and seasides in Europe helps. Think of the best of Greece and the best of Italy, but at prices that would blow your mind.

Getting There

Getting to Albania is nowhere near as difficult as it once was.

Top European airlines like Lufthansa and British Airways now offer direct services to Tirana, Albania, and many discount airlines such as Wizz Air, Alitalia and Pegasus do as well. But that still leaves you a 4+ hour drive down to the coast.

Instead, catching one of the endless number of flights to nearby Corfu is the smart play here. Not only does it create opportunity for a little two in one trip, but it saves you hours on the ground. From Corfu, you’re just a 30 minute ferry ride from the heart of the Albanian Riviera.

Who Would Like It?

If you’re looking for a spot with gorgeous beaches, delicious food and fascinating heritage, but without a back breaking price point – probably, you.

The Albanian Riviera offers the best of clear blue waters, sandy beaches and laid back life in an area that’s still largely under developed. If you had to compare it directly to another location, it’s probably gotta be Greece. Deep blue waters, beautiful cliffs, fresh seafood and laidback lifestyle, all served with enviable charm.

If you weren’t already sold, a carafe of wine is about $5USD for good stuff. You won’t get any of the $700 a night resorts of Greece or Italy, but if you want something amazing for under $70, this is your spot.

Where To Go

Let’s be real: nothing here fits the pop culture bill of “touristy”, like say… the Cinque Terre or Mykonos, but this little gem of an Eastern European secret is getting more attention with every day.

Saranda is the most popular riviera town and is worth exploring, but areas like Ksamil, Dhermi and Vuno are the areas that tend to win over hearts and minds.

Here’s a link to some Saranda hotels on Tripadvisor. There literally isn’t a hotel over $100 per night, most are around $50, and you can find others for far less. Same goes for Ksamil too.

The hardest thing to overcome is the mentality that hotels will automatically be horrible for the price, because they’re just not.

If you want to take things a step further, to a place which almost all critics agree is simply wonderful, Ksamil is the town. It’s everything rustic, charming, authentic and unique you seek, but with actual views like this…

The seafood rivals the best in the world, the beaches are beautiful, small and often half empty and the town puts you in a virtually perfect position to explore nearby places of cultural interest, including the UNESCO World Heritage site Butrint.

It’s a near perfectly preserved area from Greek and Roman times with incredible ruins and angles that will make your Instagram following very jealous. Oh, and the bus ride is less than $1 between the towns.

Because we as tourists are drawn like moth to flame toward anything crystal blue, liquid and beautiful, another must see along the Albanian Riviera is “The Blue Eye”. It’s accessible by bus for under a buck.

This mysterious natural spring is phenomenal to witness, in part because you can’t take your eyes off the deep blue eye. Imagine a placid, beautiful river style setting worth visiting anyway, but where a 50m deep hole with the most captivating aqua-blue-turquoise water bubbling up creates an optical illusion.

Syri I Kalter (The Blue Eye) is a prized place in Albanian history, and during the communist days of the country, only the elite were allowed to visit. Some say it holds magical powers, but whether you believe that kind of crap or not, you might as well see it.

When To Visit The Albanian Riviera

This area, like the Grecian and Italian cities surrounding it, is almost perfect from May to October. Obviously, in a place with gorgeous beaches and crystal blue waters you want to be able to actually enjoy them – so going when it’s warm enough is key.

You’ll find low rainfall and hot hot heat from June through late September. If you had to pick, late May before the summer crowds or mid September after them are probably the most idyllic times to visit. Really, you can’t go wrong.

In the larger sense though, the time is now. There just aren’t that many destinations where you can experience something beautiful and unique without a price gouge, and this up and coming part of the world won’t stay under the radar for long. On that note: bring cash, because credit card machines are not yet a “thing” here.

Like all the greatest seaside escapes, it’s the natural resources which make the Albanian Riviera so special. Right now, its just perfect.

GSTP originally recommended visiting Albania in 2019…

The post Albanian Riviera: Europe’s Most Beautiful Budget Travel Secret appeared first on God Save The Points.

I’ve been to pretty much all the nicest and most sought after airport lounges in the world from the stunning Lufthansa First Class Terminal to Qantas First in places like Sydney and Melbourne, as well, Singapore’s Private Room and the more accessible lovely places like Virgin Clubhouses.

If you fly often enough and camp out in these places when you do, the law of averages means you’ll eventually see some people with some claim to fame in the process. I’ve had some amusing interactions through the years and also learned a lot from teams which handle these clients for airlines.

Hidden Rooms Within Lounges

The first thing to know is that you’ve probably been in a lounge when a celebrity, athlete or high level government official type is there and had no idea. I’ll share more on the chameleon skills I’ve observed, but there’s also a cheat code.

Many airlines which cater to, or regularly count high profile celebrities as customers have private rooms or spaces within their lounges. Unless you see the person make a very quick entrance or exit, they’ll be virtually invisible for the duration of their stay.

Virgin Atlantic famously has curtains that provide discrete hiding places within their JFK and Heathrow Clubhouse Lounges where those with enough clout to arrange services of this sort are whisked. I’ve seen Madonna slip in and out of these a few times.

These spaces range from what look like storage cupboards to more like boardroom style setups. Some even have en-suite bathrooms. I’ve seen many of them and frankly they’re not as fun as the lounges. It’s purely a privacy play.

Chameleon Behavior: An Artform

There’s one very clever and coy move I’ve seen over and over again and when the celeb or known person isn’t dressed like something out of a Limp Bizkit video or a children’s video game, which admittedly is rare. When they pull this feat off, they hide incredibly well.

That move is basically sitting nearest the entrance to the lounge, but sitting in a direction that faces adjacent or away from those walking in and exiting.

By doing this they’re not in view of anyone really gazing around the main space at all. People tend to hurriedly walk once their boarding pass is scanned and only get nosy once they’re in and settled in.

Another strategy I’ve seen work well is the safety in numbers, where a person is dressed fairly incognito and is with others. People tend to give less scrutiny to a small group that looks like colleagues or family.

Finally, just dressing like any quasi-normal person really works well. I wouldn’t necessarily say it makes me fortunate, but I’ve been able to rub shoulders with many high profile people in life and most aren’t as big or ridiculously glamorous as movie posters make them out to be.

Those who just rock a casual outfit and don’t do the dark glasses and brooding faces thing are often left completely unnoticed. But maybe that’s the point of the dark glasses and baseball cap thing?

Private Lounges Outside Of The Terminal

As the one percent of 1%’ers — and celebrities too — increasingly find plebs harder to deal with, there’s been a meteoric rise of airport “lounges” that you won’t get into with airline status or a standard credit card. They’re also not even in the terminal.

Services like PS @ LAX have stormed the market, now expanding to places like Atlanta and Miami too. They accompany stalwarts like Heathrow VIP, Changi VIP and others which provide an extraordinary experience, bypassing the public airport terminals almost entirely.

Think a minimum of $1000 per passenger for a private space away from the public terminal with private security and a ride in a prestige level car to the plane. Some even offer private immigration so you don’t have to think about lines!

Very Little Drinking, Or A Whole Lot

This is purely anecdotal, but it’s been an interesting one to observe. In Facebook groups you actually often see similar mentions with this theme. In short, I rarely see anyone commercially famous drinking in lounges or on board. When I do, they’re on quite an enjoyment ride.

I know that people are often on their way to a premiere, interview, gig or something that requires a level of freshness and looking the part and I’ve often heard this is why there’s a pretty strict routine followed. For what it’s worth I rarely drink on board or in the lounge these days as I follow a strict jet lag routine.

Like I said, whenever someone does seem to be drinking, they’re often hitting it pretty hard which has lead to a few interesting encounters and some missed flights!

The post Celebrities In Airport Lounges: Amusing Insights appeared first on God Save The Points.

Some airlines…

Summer is supposed to be the time that airlines rip us off on price thanks to wild demand and then run to shareholders to say that they did a thing! That crass take may be crass, but it’s not wrong.

What’s surprising this year though, is that not every airline is running back from the summer with something to shout about. Many are reporting results below estimates and forecasting a bit of a cliff’s edge for upcoming shoulder season travel.

Most intriguing? Many are sharing the same point of view on why this summer hasn’t been quite the thing they dreamed of, and it’s all about aspiration.

Bucket List Travel Is Winning

If your airline flies to bucket list destinations for the US market, it’s been a good summer. British Airways is a fair example of that, with their ownership group IAG reporting a record quarter. If your airline flies to often overlooked cities in the United States, there’s been a lot less to shout about.

Airlines including Alaska, JetBlue and Frontier have each come out with explanations for their lackluster results this summer and if you synthesize it into one theme, it’s that all their customers “went to Europe” or somewhere else they’ve always dreamed of.

There are countless US cities worth a visit from Charleston to Seattle, but that kind of summer traffic just hasn’t materialized for intra-US travel. People are going big, going abroad and putting those “easier” trips off for another time.

Is this a short term shift, as people rekindle places they struggled to visit from 2020 to 2022, and were sold out of last year, or is this the new emotion in travel?

Spontaneous Travel Taking A Hit Too

Across the pond, Ryanair and EasyJet reported an excellent summer, but not one exactly as they expected. The airlines noted that the “close in” spontaneous style air travel bookings haven’t materialized.

There are plenty of ways to read this. On one hand, you could say that the stress of travel restrictions in recent years really killed the vibe for the screw it, let’s do it crowd who simply get excited and go. Another way to hypothesize would simply be price.

This will undoubtedly trigger a shift in pricing strategies and perhaps innovation as airlines look to change their fate with last minute bookings.

A Weird Time For Travel

Inflation in travel has massively outpaced inflation in other industries, so it’s possible that we’ve reached a tipping point on price. Hotels are typically giving less and charging more. A challenging summer of weather and staffing shortages have seen many dream trips marred by flight delays.

One thing is clear: patterns are shifting and if people are spending on travel right now, they’re ticking the big box items off, rather than so called anytime trips.

Are you?

The post How “Bucket List” Travel Is Killing Airlines appeared first on God Save The Points.

Bali is a part of Indonesia which moves to its own rhythm. As a primary tourism zone and economic driver, life on the laid back island hits a bit differently than many other Indonesian cities or islands.

And sometimes rules or restrictions that apply elsewhere don’t apply here in practice, such as the highly controversial, and frankly appalling law that puts people including all tourists in legal jeopardy for having sex outside of marriage.

This time around, it’s Bali with a proposed law specifically for the island, as the ever fascinating governor, Wayan Koster seeks to ban scooters, which have always been one of the most popular modes of transport on the island among tourists.

Bali’s War On Scooters

If you want to divide an audience, talk about scooters in travel. In this instance, we’re not talking about Lime or any of the ones crowding city blocks in metropolitan capitals, but rather more the “moped” style that’s common in Asia.

Tourists in Bali have historically rented scooters as a primary means of transportation and a not-so-cottage industry of locals renting scooters to tourists has been a powerful avenue of income on the island.

Apparently, Governor Koster isn’t a huge fan of people moving freely and enterprising Balinese people setting up shop.

Koster wants to ban all foreigners from renting any form of road transportation on the island and require all visitors to be driven in official vehicles wherever they go. There’s absolutely no chance he’s just been handed a stake in a taxi firm, no chance at all.

The Bali Sun reports the news as part of a series of controversial proposals which could re-shape the tourism experience on the island. This has historically been a place of discovery, with welcoming roads to explore the many less touristy and commercial zones of the island.

“Those tourists have to travel, walk, and use cars to travel. It is no longer allowed to use a motorcycle or anything that is not from a travel agent.”

Wayan Koster, Governor of Bali

Prohibiting visitors from traveling on their own and requiring them to take official transport would make Bali feel more like Disney World than a stunning remote island. It would also likely take away economic opportunity not only from locals who rent out scooters to visitors in towns like Ubud, but from communities more removed from the big box hotels, which would likely see a decline in visitors.

So What’s Next For Bali Visits?

As of right now, these are proposals. Despite this, language issued by Governor Koster indicates that there’s some immediacy to the effect.

Locals and visitors alike are already seeking clarification on ways to operate without falling outside of the law. Like many “brilliant” ideas by governments globally, the real world implications are rarely thought out in practical terms in advance.

According to the Bali Sun, visitors are already restricted in how they can obtain a rental and locals run a great risk by not following protocols.

Moving forward, until any further ban on tourist driving is written into legislation, tourists can only hire a motorcycle from a business that is registered with the relevant trade agencies or the transportation renting association in Bali. Tourists cannot simply rent a motorcycle from a guesthouse owner, local friend, or rental owner who is not a formally registered motorcycle rental company. 

The Bali Sun

If you’re thinking about going to Bali, you’ll now need to think about how you’ll get around. It certainly won’t be like it was before, unless this proposal and law is repealed entirely.

The post Bali Wants To Ban Tourists From Scooters appeared first on God Save The Points.

And sometimes, if you’re lucky, the star meal won’t be what you expect. Coming to London you might expect fish and chips to bowl you over, but like all great cities, the city of London brings the world to you.

My current favorite dining experience in London is a taste of Japan, with a Thai and Colombian twist, paired with the irreverence of a team which only respects delicious.

Kurisu Omakase

Kurisu Omakase is exactly what a seasoned sushi fan may expect it to be, but it’s also not at all. That’s contradictory, so let me explain.

Yes, it’s an 8 seater and yes, they only serve a set meal omakase showcasing the finest fish with incredible starter courses and delectable nigiri. But it’s also not at all what the sushi glitterati may expect at all.

There is no velvet curtain drawing you in with a single carving of Hinoki wood serving as an ornate counter top paired with acoustically treated walls. There is no air of luxury pretension at all. You’re in Brixton — like really in Brixton and refinement is for food.

As Chris and his team tell every guest, he’s half Thai, half Colombian and the cultural formalities of Japan are respected, but left optional on the dining invite.

Sure, he trained at the top sushi academy in Japan and has dined at most of the world’s greatest sushi dens himself, but the pomp and circumstance isn’t really his joint.

And that’s why you have things like the toro “spliff” to finish the meal, which may be my fave when it’s on the menu. Nigiri pieces are every bit as precise as a top omakase in Tokyo, but might have incredible, Thai inspired herbs adding a depth of flavor that traditional nigiri might restrict.

The dedication to every piece of rice and exquisitely cutting every piece of fish to maximize texture and experience is endless devotion, but the desire to play within the confines of what a truly traditional Japanese omakase offers is not there — at all.

Pieces have names and you’ll never forget them. Once you’ve had the “Houdini”, Harry won’t be what you think of. The “chop chop”, don’t even get me started. It’s the most wow factor combination of toro, hot and cold.

What you get is this eclectic, amusing, hyper formal yet informal meal all served in Brixton, in a shop window. It’s gloriously weird and tasty. While formality may not be a thing here, respect for food is. At least brush up on omakase etiquette before dining and definitely don’t ask for the soy sauce.

Jay Rayner, Hype And Present

Jay Rayner, at least to me, is one of the world’s greatest ever food writers. He takes words and makes you see, taste and hear things. It’s sensory overload via text, with a dry and painfully direct humor.

When Jay Rayner reviewed Kurisu Omakase in the summer of 2021, it was an instant kingmaker moment. Jay l-o-v-e-d the meal as he penned in the Guardian and what was already a hot ticket, with tables laid out in quarterly drops and gobbled within 6 hours, became gobbled within the hour.

Many restaurants get into all sorts of shenanigans to capitalize on their moment of fame. Some even do straight up dumb $#!t to print coin while the spotlight is on. But a true restauranteur changes nothing. Clearly, what was working is working, so why do a single thing about it?

This is where my love for Kurisu Omakase has grown into romance. I’ve reviewed it, but since then I’ve aimed to visit at least once a month and pretty much have. Every meal, yes every single meal has been a new experience luring me back.

Sure, the nigiri pieces will always be largely a take on the same stunning fish, both hyper local and globally sought after, but the little twists which elevate this food from simple omakase into a meal that’s respectful of sushi tradition yet unaccepting of the usual confines are everywhere.

The starter courses though, damn. Those are just a different world of seasonality and I think my takeaway is that if everyone who went to Kurisu Omakase just once as a treat knew how stunningly different and fun a return visit the next season would be, a table would truly become impossible.

I thought things hit peak with a Jerusalem Artichoke fish tempura — yes I did forget the exact fish — dish months ago, but the pink peppercorn based sauce of late was extra.

It’s clear that hype is not a part of this experience. The traditional dedication to the every day process of creating truly great sushi and omakase meals is the experience. That, plus an irreverence for traditional ingredients and stuffy settings.

This meal is smack dab on the road in bustling Brixton, with all the sounds and amusements that come with it. Frankly, I’d be sad if it were ever tucked behind vaulted doors with pristine hinoki wood. This is the multi-cultural brilliance of London taking on Japanese tradition and it wouldn’t be the same without the eclectic mix.

Hot Tip: Kurisu Omakase Reservations

Kurisu Omakase reservations are fun, because they’re not fun. There is no VIP line to call. Chris lets Instagram followers know when the next quarter of tables is dropping and off to the races you go.

But, there’s a bit of a hack. Life “happens” and people occasionally need to bail on their long coveted reservations. When that happens, Resy “Notify” is your friend. If you turn alerts on for any seatings you’d be interested in you can occasionally score a seat that had long been sold out.

The post Kurisu Omakase: London’s Most Exclusive Sushi Keeps Beating Hype appeared first on God Save The Points.

Continuity is a big word in Hollywood productions with entire teams of people employed to ensure that nothing is missing or changed from a scene over time. It’s an important way to avoid embarrassment in a final product. Yet when it comes to planes and private jets in films — all bets are off. They get so much wrong all the time.

I’ll be the first to raise my hand and say I probably care about the accuracy of plane shots more than most, but I’m certainly not alone, and with such large teams of pros out there on any shoot to get things “right” I can’t help but wonder how they still get so much wrong both inside and out when it comes to planes.

Interior/Exterior Fails

The most egregious Hollywood oversights of aviation are visible even to the totally untrained, uncaring eye.

They show something like a double decker Airbus A380 for a take off scene, but then when the plane lands, they show a small single deck plane gently squishing its wheels against the runway. This ain’t Transformers, am I right?

Hollywood wouldn’t shoot a Ferrari exterior with a minivan interior, would they? Yet, this is exactly what happens with aviation scenes.

Surely someone on the major studio production can tell the difference between a big double deck super-jumbo like the Airbus A380 and a little Boeing 737 Southwest jet?

Some Hollywood plane errors are more pedantic, but almost more frustrating. Like when they show a tiny little Learjet 45 exterior, a small private jet that holds about 6 people at a push, but then the “scene” inside the plane is a big Gulfstream G650 with like 16 seats and a bedroom rather than the cramped 4 to 6 tiny seats, which despite the “luxury” of a PJ can feel cramped in practice.

I guess what I don’t get is that few industries love and demand private jets quite like the glitterati of Hollywood. There’s plenty of people from film financing to directors and the stars themselves who most certainly know the difference first hand. It’s not like there’s only stock footage of one jet available.

There are so many more examples where an exterior shot offers a big transatlantic Boeing 777, the largest single decker passenger plane on earth with two aisles, before zooming into a small commuter plane that you might fly from Tulsa to Omaha with a lone aisle.

Even Guy Ritchie, who I’m told is an aviation enthusiast makes the exact error during an animation sequence in his new film, where a BBJ interior is shown but a Boeing 777, which could basically eat a 737 in one mouthful is seeing jetting through the skies.

Hooray: Succession Gets It Mostly Right

There may be an example where the show has historically gotten it wrong, but it’s never caught my eye. That binary pass or fail is impressive, because I usually can’t help but notice and complain, to the chagrin of my partner.

In Succession, at least in the most recent season, the cabin interiors all match the size and scope of the type of plane being flown. And in true Succession style, they’ve been going “big” on the PJ’s.

When Logan goes “big” and takes the Boeing 737 “BBJ”, they use an actual BBJ for the exterior shots. The plane on the tarmac is a BBJ and when the plane ceremoniously lands (no spoilers here), it’s also a BBJ.

Crucially, the interior cabin is a single aisle plane that looks almost certainly to be a real BBJ too. That stands for Boeing Business Jet by the way — and once you Google one it’s really hard to ever feel bad for some people ever again.

Kudos to Succession for hiring perhaps the first person in the history of Hollywood to have the #avgeek context to make sure that aviation scenes actually make sense.

The post Succession: Hollywood Finally Gets A Private Jet Scene Right appeared first on God Save The Points.

A room nearer the elevator, a right justified room, a view of this street not that street, or one with a slightly larger television.

Virtually all of the above will soon become selling points in the strategic hotel vision of moving from boring room categories like standard, deluxe, or suite to newly unlocked opportunities to charge different prices for what would’ve previously been considered the same room type, by charging for exactly what you want instead.

There’s a lot to unpack and it’s not necessarily all bad. It may even offer marginally better pricing on entry level rooms, and for now it’s all in the name of personalization.

Whatever happens, thanks to new “attribute based” technology, there’s no escaping that the sales process for hotel rooms will change more in the next two years than in the last 25. Here’s everything you need to know about this clever new adaptation.

Hilton Is Leading The Way

At the Skift ‘Future Of Lodging Forum’ in London, Hilton championed their cutting edge new “attribute based” sales technology built in the cloud which aims to make it easier for guests to get exactly what they want out of a hotel stay, particularly when booking direct.

It all started quite simply: guaranteed connecting rooms at the time of booking. It sounds basic, but this was previously a disjointed process which required manual contact with the hotel desk to request and hope.

Hilton developed its own sales system which is able to integrate with each hotel on a more detailed “mapping” level that can automatically block specific connecting rooms, rather than just saying something to the hotel system like book two standard rooms, with the subsequent, manual request to connect in the reservation notes.

No one likes that stress. The system solved that.

It’s been a remarkable triumph with more than 1 million of these connecting rooms booked thus far according to Hilton, but it’s nowhere near the complete vision of what “attribute based” sales can bring. The vision is mega sales personalization and with that usually comes opportunity — both for guest satisfaction and revenue.

As we all know, all deluxe rooms aren’t created equal.

A hotel may have 50 deluxe rooms and currently charge the same price for each, but in reality most are different.

Some will be corner deluxe rooms, some will have specific views like river, skyline or courtyard. Others will have the room justified in different directions and many will be spread across varying floors and varying distances from the elevators.

These things are already “productized” to an extent, but not as far as they could be. For now, it’s being referred to as personalization, but it’s an entry point.

Hilton is arguably the first seizing on the opportunity to find new margins by defining these differences and individual guest preferences but they certainly won’t be the last.

Hilton teased that this new sales and hotel integration system is an opportunity to better personalize the sales flow. Hotels will be able to map and uniquely identify the things which make specific rooms different and that will create opportunities to charge different prices accordingly.

Pricing won’t just be standard, deluxe, junior suite or suite anymore. It will be further fragmented by what matters to the guest, rather than an internal label like deluxe. It might be a room close to the elevator with a South facing view and a larger screen.

Zooming out, you can think of the technology as allowing rooms to be sold like a build your own burrito bowl rather than just choosing a burrito bowl off a set menu of four options. Each customization adds exponential opportunity to charge a different price.

Specific rooms are currently selectable in many Hilton properties already, but this wider choice and variety in selling specific features even within the same standardized room category has lagged ever so slightly.

Once you see the possibilities here, it’s hard to unsee them.

The ability to charge even just $5 more for a specific feature of a specific room within a previously “one sized” room type across millions of nights booked, brings in millions in new revenue potential.

Being able to commoditize even the smallest unique room features and turn them into small pricing differences can really add up at scale. Typically, that’s meant customers paying more, but from a loyalty perspective, it’s a great opportunity to reward valued members more too.

One thing is for certain, the days of standard, deluxe, junior suite and big suite are on thin ice. They’ll always exist internally in some fashion, but customization will erode these classic labels as people cherry pick the features they value most, and the hotel itself is the only label that really matters.

Who cares if you’re in a deluxe room or a superior room, if it’s exactly what you want?

The post Clever New Way Hotels Will Charge More For The “Same” Room appeared first on God Save The Points.

Virgin Atlantic doesn’t need much introduction in most of the world.

The bold, red airline with flare tends to make quite an impression wherever it lands. But despite best efforts, it still doesn’t land “everywhere” yet, and that’s where the news news that Virgin Atlantic has officially joined SkyTeam comes in hot.

With Virgin Atlantic joining SkyTeam, a whole new world of route possibilities, ease for customers and value from the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club has emerged. Here are 5 key takeaways from the alliance move — and how they might impact your travel now that it’s all live.

More Destinations With Seamless Transfers

By joining SkyTeam, Virgin Atlantic has expanded the regions and countries it serves via its new SkyTeam member airline partners. It also makes buying tickets to these places, and flying with connections far more seamless.

Once an airline is in an alliance, bags tend to transfer more easily, tickets that could only be booked over the phone can eventually be booked online and added options in key hubs become available. All that good stuff, and connection help too!

From increased connectivity with Mexico via Aeromexico, to gorgeous Vietnam with Vietnam Airlines, Korea with Korean Air, Taipei with China Airlines and plenty more, there are so many more route possibilities. This, of course, comes in addition to the pre-existing partnerships with KLM, Delta and Air France.

New Benefits For Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

For people who achieve “elite status” with Virgin Atlantic, good times are here. It was exciting to have elite benefits like lounge access extended to Air France, KLM and Delta flying, but now that’ll expand further. The same perks apply across the alliance.

Elite status with Virgin Flying Club now unlocks access to Korean Air, China Airlines, Aerolineas Argentinas, Kenya Airways, ITA and other airline lounges — 720 in fact — all thanks to your elite status, even when flying economy.

Perks like extra baggage allowances and security fast tracks, known within SkyTeam as “Sky Priority” or “SkyTeam Elite Plus” will also be extended.

Status or no status, all Flying Club members benefit.

In addition to increased comfort and connectivity along the way, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club members now receive access to more airline seats using points, on so many more SkyTeam airline partners.

More Earn And Burn Options On More Airlines

You can find all the new “earn and burn” tables for how many Virgin Points you’ll earn, or can redeem for any given partner here. You’ll also see the tier points you’ll earn for your progress to Virgin Atlantic Silver and Gold status.

Immediately, you’ll see amazing new choices like Korean, Vietnam Airlines, and Garuda Indonesia and China Airlines, which operate stellar routes to Taipei with excellent connectivity throughout Asia. Direct London to Vietnam is now possible.

MEA and Saudia offer new connectivity throughout the Middle East and itineraries connecting with these airlines are already available using Virgin Points or cash.

More Competition For Sustainability

Virgin Atlantic has been a powerful force in sustainability, but SkyTeam stole the show last year with an incredibly clever Sustainability Challenge. That challenge will run again this year.

The alliance challenged all member airlines to compete for the most sustainable flight, but unlike other one off, “look at me” efforts from other airlines, the goal was not only to win, but to learn.

All participants shared their strategies and learnings not only within the alliance, but to the world at large. That’s pretty cool. Whether you care about sustainability, or not, less waste is good for everyone. Virgin will undoubtedly participate next year.

Strengthening Airline Alliance Functions

Airline alliances are supposed to make travel better for customers. Alliances have invested heavily over the years in things like teams to help with tight connections in major hubs, and ‘around the world’ airfare options.

With Virgin Atlantic officially in SkyTeam, it’s the first “major” signing for the alliance in recent times, and it should spur competition for passenger satisfaction from the Star Alliance and Oneworld alliances as well.

Each has announced unique ambitions, from alliance wide loyalty currencies to alliance wide upgrades and technology platforms. Let’s see what SkyTeam brings to the mix.

More Virgin Points Earning On More Airlines

There’s an opportunity cost to every airline ticket you purchase. Purchasing with an airline you’ve never flown before may offer savings, or a fresh start, but it won’t be adding to your existing mileage balances, or perk goals via elite status.

With Virgin Atlantic joining SkyTeam, you’ll be able to earn Virgin Points from the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club while flying on at least 18 alliance airlines, and counting.

More is more. It’ll be easier to work towards points goals, while expanding your travel more globally flying both on Virgin Atlantic and partners.

More points, more upgrades, fewer problems. That’s the dream and SkyTeam should help plug most of the coverage gaps in the Virgin Atlantic network. That’s good for all.

The post Virgin Atlantic Joins SkyTeam Alliance! 5 Ways It Impacts Your Travel appeared first on God Save The Points.

Surprise, surprise — as the world rediscovers its love of travel after a few tumultuous years, countries are eager to capitalize. Wherever you plan to go, expect new fees for an electronic travel authorization or visa in the years to come.

But one such fee which was set to impact hundreds of millions of travelers from May of this year is delayed, yet again.

The European Union has been eagerly awaiting the rollout of their new ETIAS travel authorization which would pre-authorize people to visit the bloc of European nations and charge $8 for three years of access.

In response to a myriad of technical issues and demand for recovery, that 2023 launch is now being pushed back again to 2024. Summer travel to Europe should remain as seamless as ever, for now.

European Union ETIAS Delayed

The United States was among the first to introduce an electronic authorization system with the ‘ESTA‘ approval required in advance of travel for all tourists entries. The visa that’s “definitely not a visa” is used to pre-screen travelers of concern and to help fund tourism infrastructure.

In response to this tit-for-tat fee imposed on European citizens and to help pre-screen travelers bound for Europe, the EU plans to launch its own version of the ESTA with the ETIAS authorization.

Registration and mandatory use was expected to begin in May of 2023 but now won’t come into effect until 2024, with no further specification as to when.

In separate but related news, the UK plans to launch its mandatory entry fee before the end of 2023, which will remain separate to any access to the European Union such as the ETIAS.

What Does It Mean For My Travel?

It was largely expected that tourists headed to Europe this summer, or fall would’ve needed to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization and pay the fee ahead of travel this year. That’s no longer the case.

Though an $8 fee and a typically 24-48 hour wait until approval for an ETIAS travel authorization will eventually hit in 2024, it won’t be happening this year. If you have any plans to travel to Europe in 2023 any requirements will be much the same as they are presently.

The European Union allows visa-free entry from many countries, so if you could enter without paperwork before, that should largely still be the case. An American heading to Madrid this summer won’t be required to apply for an ETIAS, nor will any applications be available.

The post That New “Tourist Tax” To Enter Europe Is Delayed, Again appeared first on God Save The Points.