A Conversation with Julia Menez — TripIt Blog

Likely Places is a new series from TripIt that highlights repeated travelers to showcase their distinctive vacation types and insider strategies. 

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, you could locate Julia Menez, founder of factors-and-miles strategy podcast and consultancy, Geobreeze, place-hopping all around Europe or Asia. She typically took four or a lot more international journeys a yr ordinarily flying in economy—and generally on details and miles. Her go-to mode for region-hopping? Cruises. Her favored prevent? Tallinn, Estonia. 

“I’m a big “Game of Thrones” enthusiast,” Julia advised me. “And Large Valyrian has roots in the Estonian language, so I was the natural way drawn to the spot. Tallinn was so charming. I advocate it to absolutely everyone!” 

Speedy forward to 2022, and travel looks a bit distinctive for Julia. 

“Now, I vacation a large amount additional domestically—and maybe twice a calendar year internationally. I also choose for company or initial course when I do. It’s fewer excursions, but a nicer experience—and nets out to be the very same price tag-wise,” she said. 

She’s also been arranging visits that require considerably less hopping around—and extra being put—as a result of the heightened border-crossing demands in place thanks to COVID-19. 

Points and miles—a sport wherever absolutely everyone wins 

When she’s not traveling, Julia runs her podcast where she interviews points strategists to master how they journey for absolutely free. She’s also a points method coach, encouraging folks degree up their points-and-miles recreation. 

Of study course, she’s generally on the lookout to place her have factors and miles to use. 

“I manage a bucket listing of award-journey sweet places, and then retain an eye out for great award availability,” she reported. “When it comes to booking, I always grab an readily available award first—whether that is a flight or a hotel—and then I construct the relaxation of my itinerary from there.” 

So, what’s on her bucket record of award-journey places? “For starters, Greece! I grew to become obsessed with Greek mythology at a young age. It is been my aspiration to stop by, but it’s usually been so costly to go when you’re having to pay with hard cash. I’m hoping to go this 12 months utilizing factors and miles.” 

Staying organized—from organizing to landing to loyalty status 

When it comes to organizing a vacation, Julia and her husband split up the duties. She handles booking flights and lodging with their points and miles he handles the on-the-ground information.

But when it will come to arranging their journey designs, Julia depends on TripIt. 

“I use TripIt to continue to keep all my affirmation figures in a single position. I really don’t have to dig via my email messages, especially when I’m examining into a flight. I also use it to ensure I have booked the right lodge dates. When you’re acquiring in late, the past matter you want to be thinking is, did I ebook a place for tonight?”

When she’s on the go, Julia employs TripIt’s airport maps to navigate the terminal and find out what lounges are nearby. She also checks the COVID-19 vacation guidance feature to know what to assume from different countries’ entry prerequisites. 

And when she’s back household, Julia takes advantage of TripIt to assistance her estimate when she’ll earn loyalty software standing. “Both the Stage Tracker characteristic and the way TripIt organizes itineraries are really helpful for keeping observe of when I’ll get standing each and every calendar year.” 

With a lot more luxurious vacation encounters on the horizon—and loads a lot more international locations to assert on her scratch-off earth map—you’ll most likely capture Julia individuals-observing at an airport lounge, assisting a person ebook their personal aspiration excursions with details and miles (check her out on Instagram for handy strategies!), or a bit of both. 

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