His luxurious travel style fascinates blog readers, twitter followers, instagram lurkers and immigration officers around the globe. From flying First Class to sleeping at Presidential Suites… Bart Lapers pulls it off. By tweaking hotel and airline loyalty programs, promotions and error fares, he manages to experience ultimate luxury travel… on a budget. Bart shares travel his tips & tricks via his blog, social media channels and travel seminars. Next TravelMagic seminar: Saturday Sep 21, 2013 at The Hotel - Brussels, Belgium.

1. www.b!r".#!
Luxury Travel on a Budget

3. What I do...
Traveling luxurious with a limited budget:
✓Luxury hotels at a fraction of the regular price
✓Flying Business & First class at Economy prices
✓Score as much extra’s as possible (upgrades, free
breakfast, internet, lounge access, late check-out...)

4. How?
✓Using online powertools
✓By maximizing promotions
✓Loyalty Programs
✓Error fares & Error rates

5. HOTELS

6. IC Paris Le Grand - Royal Suite
Rack Rate €4000

7. Paid: €0

8. •Priority Club Free Nights: Stay 2 get 1 Free
•Mattress Run
•Used free nights at most expensive IHG Hotels:
✓CP NYC New Year’s Eve (2 nights = €800)
✓IC London Park Lane (2 nights = €1404)
•InterContinental Ambassador Status
How?

9. St. Regis Bangkok - Caroline Astor Suite
Lowest Rate €380 - Average €700

10. Paid: €176

11. How?
•Used aggregator: HotelsCombined.com
•Ebookers.com: Suites cheaper than standard rooms

12. Lowest Rate €500

18. Free breakfast with a view

19. Paid: €165

20. How?
•Bought 150,000 Hilton HHonors points
for $825 via Daily Getaways promo
•Free breakfast & WiFi
•Discount on required number of points
•Thanks to free Hilton HHonors Gold status

21. dailygetaways.ustravel.org

22. London 2012 Olympic Games

23. Hotel Indigo London Tower Hill €115

24. •Booked Sunday Aug 14th 2011 (50 weeks in advance)
•Points + Cash ‘trick’
•25K Priority Club Points = $150
•Booked 9 nights, normally +€5000
•Made last minute changes without any penalties!
How?

25. IC Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa
Lowest rate €650

31. Paid: €140

32. How?
•Mistake points rate 30k ipv 50K
•Points + Cash ‘trick’
•30K Priority Club Points = $180
•Free breakfast, 2 level upgrade and free internet
thanks to Royal Ambassador status

33. Park Hyatt Sydney
Lowest Rate €650

34. Paid €272

35. How?
•Used Hyatt Stay Certificate
•Upgraded to Opera King room
•Free breakfast & WiFi
•Thanks to Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond Status

36. GH Kuala Lumpur - Grand Suite
Lowest rate €660

37. Paid: €171

38. How?
•Used Hyatt Diamond Upgrade Certificate
•Free breakfast & WiFi
•Access to Grand Club lounge
•4PM late check-out
•All thanks to Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond Status

39. Naladhu Maldives - GHA ‘Flash’ Sale

41. Error Rate

44. AIRLINES

45. Lufhansa First Class

47. Lufhansa First Class

48. Lufhansa First Class

49. Lufhansa First Class

50. Lufhansa First Class

51. Lufhansa First Class

52. Lufhansa First Class

53. Lufhansa First Class

54. Lufhansa First Class

55. Lufhansa First Class

56. Lufhansa First Class

57. Lufhansa First Class

58. What does it cost?
LH longhaul First Class return flights:
€6000 - €10000
With purchased miles:
< €2000
With saved miles at Miles & More:
< €500

59. How?
•Save miles using ALL opportunities (flying incl. mileage
runs, credit cards, hotels stays, magazine subscriptions,...)
•Purchasing miles (also at Star Alliance partners)
•Best Value: Use your miles for Business & First Class flights

60. Normal ticket price: €15210
Used 315,000 miles + €930 instead :)

61. Singapore Airlines - First Class

74. Singapore Airlines First Class
+ Air New Zealand
Business & Economy Class
Normal ticket price
>€6000
Paid: €369

75. How?
•Unintentional C & F reward release during SQ
Booking Engine upgrade July 2012
•Used 45K United Miles
•98K Wyndham Rewards points €237
Daily Getaways campaign
Converted to 39,200 United miles
•Used 5800 miles from United MileagePlus account

76. Thai Airways - First Class

85. Paid: €1189

86. •Last Minute booking using 80K United Miles
• 26600 miles €129 Wyndham Rewards 16K Bonus Point Offer
United Hotel Points to Miles Transfer Bonus
• 26388 miles €437 using United Award Accelerator offer
• 25000 miles €470 using United Miles 40% off offer
• 2000 miles €50 part of MilePoint.com Premium membership
How?

87. Even cheaper!
•€931 with Avianca/Taca
LifeMiles!
•Tip: sign-up now for free
LifeMiles.com account
•Existing account required
for 100% bonus promos!

88. Why is this possible?
•Requires knowledge, effort & flexibility
•Attracts revenue to Airline Alliances & Hotel
chains with best loyalty programs
•Exposure of product/service to new customers

89. I’m not alone
‣ Communities in USA, UK, DE, SE, PL, AU,...

90. TravelMagic 2013
Sat September 21
www.travelmagic.be
The Hotel, Brussels