WORLD WISE
SWEETENING
THE DEAL
S
hortcuts in life are rare, and
road warriors are accustomed to
working hard to climb the ladder
of success. Still, there are a few
time-tested fast tracks to special
perks that travelers pick up along
the way. Be sure to take advantage
of them if you’re looking for an
extra oomph in your travel repertoire.SMOOTH SAILING AT THE AIRPORT
TSA Pre-Check is now so common that in
some airports, the general lines can actually
be faster. But airports with CLEAR lanes
give Pre-Checkers a leg up. While a fee
is involved for most travelers to join this
expedited path through security using finger-
prints or iris scans, the most frequent Delta
fliers are treated to a discounted or even free
membership. If you’ve got Delta Medallion
status, it’s beneficial to sign up.
Others may notice that airlines like British
Airways, Norwegian, and Delta have started
testing facial recognition for boarding
flights. What may seem a bit futuristic at
first will certainly speed up the process once
it becomes more commonplace. It’s not just
for boarding either; immigration officials are
testing it out at several airports to process
overseas arriving passengers.
Even if facial recognition isn’t in use at
your airport, there are other options. Global
Entry users have long promoted their faster
access through immigration, but the free
Mobile Passport app does the same thing
at many international airports. In fact, it’s
easier because no interview or applicationWORDS RAMSEY QUBEIN
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SEPTEMBER 2019 businesstravelerusa.comA few tricks in the business
traveler’s toolbox can make life
on the road a bit more sublimeis required. You simply enter your passport
information and answer some customs ques-
tions while taxiing to the gate. Once in line, a
quick scan by a border patrol agent com-
pletes the process. Or you can pay a nominal
fee to save your personal data within the app.
Be sure to download it before you travel.LUXE HOTELS ON THE CHEAP
If corporate budgets have you staying around
the airport, don’t despair. You can still
enjoy luxurious resort amenities and the spa
facilities of those splashy properties nearby.
A company called ResortPass offers a limited
number of day passes to well-known resort
pools, health clubs, and spas in 70 cities
worldwide without having to fork over big
bucks for an overnight stay.
Prices range from $15 to $150 for poolside
cabanas and often include food and beveragediscounts, wireless Internet and parking. Why
work from a cramped hotel room when you
can answer e-mails by a chic pool at places like
the Four Seasons Hotel Miami or W Hol-
lywood Hotel? This is an especially popular
option for Airbnb guests.
And forget those personal concierge services.
Hotel brands make it easy to request special at-
tention at the tap of your smartphone. Services
like the Marriott Bonvoy app allow guests to
top up reservations with amenities like more
towels, feather-free bedding and pillows, and
specific minibar or dining requests.
Whether you’re just beginning your travels
or returning to road warrior life after well-de-
served time off, keep in mind that hotel brands
often run elite status match programs to get
you to perks faster. Best Western is well-known
for its Status Match...No Catch program
which awards immediate status to an equiv-
alent level if you show proof of status with
another program. Other hotel brands often
run similar offers, although Best Western is
regularly considered the most generous.
Travel can be tiring and costly. But for
savvy travelers there are a few shortcuts to
better travels if you know where to look.Why work from a
cramped hotel room
when you can answer
e-mails by a chic pool?ISTOCK