Who says loyalty isn't appreciated? Follow the advice laid out in The Penny Pincher's Passport to Luxury Travel and you may find yourself wallowing in the pleasures of luxury without breaking the bank--especially if you travel often and stick like glue to one company. Grateful airlines and hotels often respond to such brand loyalty with free seat or room upgrades, the first steps towards living the life of Riley at the same cost as those Joes cramped behind in coach. Widzer--with a business degree from Pepperdine, a career in marketing, and a million-mile award from his chosen airline--knows all the ropes when it comes to the business side of traveling in comfort, and explains how to ask the appropriate questions to get the desired results. If you're paying full price because you booked last minute, for example, asking for perks often gets you luxury extras. Widzer shares strategies for saving money depending on if the dollar is strong or weak; regularly obtaining airline seat, hotel room, and car rental upgrades; effectively voicing (and being compensated for) complaints, as well as knowing whom to tip when. With an appendix of travel resources, this is the book for those willing to do their homework to win the prize. --Stephanie Gold


From Library Journal
Widzer believes in traveling in style but without paying luxury rates. He manages to achieve this using his travel experience (he flies at least 100,000 air miles each year) and his knowledge of the travel industry. By carefully maintaining customer loyalty and by knowing exactly who, how, and when to ask, Widzer manages to get much more than he pays for. Here he explains how. Arranged topically in ten chapters, clear explanations with examples detail how to leverage customer loyalty and travel mishaps. Examples and strategies attempt to cover all types of travelers, from very frequent to infrequent, but are more effective for frequent travelers. Customer service providers may find this interesting as an analysis of what quality really means to a customer. Purchase for larger public libraries.AAlison Hopkins, Queens Borough P.L., Briarwood, NYCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


The Washington Post Sunday, August 1, 1999
First Class Travel for . . . You? It's rare we feel compelled to recommend a travel book, but we can't resist telling you about "The Penny Pincher's Passport to Luxury Travel: The Art of Cultivating Preferred Customer Status," ...you'll find that [this] book aimed at, well . . . you. You, the not-quite-frequent flier who chases bargains... The guide makes a convincing case that even, you can enjoy a more dignified style of travel -- mainly by judiciously consolidating your travel business, however occasional and frugal, with a small universe of travel suppliers... by spending those dollars very carefully, get some of the same perks coveted by plutocrats everywhere. This is provocative stuff, counterintuitive to most self-respecting bargain travelers. (Note: If you take three trips a year or fewer, this book won't do you much good.) But if flying first or business class most of the time all year long sounds preferable to saving $350 on that "free" ticket to the in-laws' place, check it out. But do remember to use your airline affinity credit card to pay. Hey, every mile matters.


Randy Petersen, InsideFlyer Magazine
"This is one book that I can honestly say...I wish I had [written].... It's a wonderful approach to the best kind of information anyone needs when they are traveling."


Randy Petersen, InsideFlyer Magazine
"Don't let the title of this book fool you. This book can make any kind of your travel much better for you."


Randy Petersen, InsideFlyer Magazine
"I'm usually consider[ed] a know-it-all when it comes to travel. After reading this book, I realized, I don't really know it all. A must read and more importantly, a must take along for every traveler."


Randy Petersen, InsideFlyer Magazine
"At the risk of checking my luggage if I have to, I'm taking this book on board with me every time I get on an airplane in 1999."


Book Description
World travel expert Joel L. Widzer shares his proven techniques on how to travel first class at a fraction of the usual cost. Discover, step by step, how to: fly first class on a regular basis, get a luxury car at subcompact prices, stay at the world's best hotels at a fraction of the cost, become a preferred customer, use off-seasons to your advantage, turn mishaps into opportunities, and be the customer luxury companies want back again and again.


About the Author
Joel's interest in traveling has taken him to more than 20 countries, logging over 100,000 air miles a year and accumulating more than 1.5 million frequent flyer miles. Joel has developed the unique ability to view traveling from the viewpoint of a consumer as well as from a business perspective. His pursuit of luxury travel while maintaining loyalty earned Joel the coveted Million-Miler award from Delta Airlines and invitations from Delta Airlines to participate in their frequent flyer's round table discussions. After receiving a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Pepperdine University, Joel followed a career path in sales and marketing. He wrote marketing literature for C.R. Bard, a multi-billion-dollar manufacturer of medical equipment and played an instrumental role in boosting sales for Tom Hopkins International, a leading author, speaker, and sales motivational company. In addition, Joel has appeared before groups as a motivational speaker to sales organizations and Fortune 500 companies nationwide. These companies include IBM, Ford Motor Company, Merrill Lynch, Century 21 Real Estate, and ADP. In writing The Penny Pincher's Passport to Luxury Travel, Joel draws on his own travel experience and his extensive research of the travel industry. This vast experience has earned him firsthand knowledge of heretofore-undiscovered travel secrets and an intimate understanding of travel programs. It is this insight that allows Joel to travel the world in ultimate luxury while paying coach prices. It is Joel's intent to share his simple techniques and strategies with others. Currently, Joel is completing a doctoral degree in industrial/organizational psychology. Joel lives with his wife, Nancy, in Tustin Ranch, California, and has a nine-year-old daughter.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

This is the first book ever to reveal the secret strategies of experiencing the world of luxury travel at a fraction of the usual cost. Discover, step by step, how to: travel first-class while paying discount prices, obtain luxury service, travel to the most desirable destinations, use frequent-flyer programs to open the door to luxury travel, build long-term relationships with distinguished travel companies, and cut through the confusing array of rate structures, restrictions, booking options, and numerous frequent-user programs.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal