Stuck in Qatar and being saved by travel points

Disclaimer. Everyone always ask me how I fly so often. Although I ramble about travel hacking a good deal and it has decreased the anxiety, I usually fly standby.

Don't shake your head and vow against it at this point. Yes, delta-bratting may have gotten me lost in the world a few times, but it also has given me the world. And for as many bumps and schedule crushing stories I have, there are 22 countries (and 174 to go) worth of exciting adventures, first class seats, relationships, and life changing moments that I never would have been able to do otherwise. So a little nervous standby action is definitely worth the trouble. 


And I will never give up being a Delta Brat. It is in my blood and I do love the anxiety of it. When it goes well, its great but when it goes bad - you are going to have to get creative. Which is how Katie and I ended up in Qatar. Doha to be exact!

But how beautiful is this place?! I love how a haphazard mistake in travel planning, a delayed plane-train-bus fiasco, or a route change can make your trip a million times better and you end up finding a favorite place or a favorite travel story to tell over and over again.

 

And I love a good travel story. 2014 seems to be the year of the travel story for me and I have already been saved (financially anyways) due to my recent attempts at travel hacking. Before our international adventure to Africa we began the never ending quest for flight points. Although a loyal Skymiles member, we applied for a Chase Sapphire Card to earn double points on all traveling and dining while we were away. Check my travel hacking post for more information, but I cannot recommend this card enough if you are a traveler and/or contemplating trips in the near future.This is the best travel card on the market right now.

And HUGE news in my world: as of May 1st, American Express will also waive all foreign transaction fees.

With our Chase cards, we were able to get very discounted seats RT from Johannesburg to Cape Town on South African Airlines (I won't mention the lost luggage SAA or the 15 hours it took to have it delievered...Grrr) and a FREE emergency flight from Dulles to Atlanta on US Air after 32 hours, over 20,000 miles, and multiple days of traveling.

But, when you are traveling you end up making great friends and spend the multiple 15 hour flights roaming around the Middle Eastern plane you are on "galley hopping" for wine.



Or watching the continent of Europe pass by. 

 

Or roaming with your new favorite travel buddies in matching socks. Oh, Qatar Airlines you are the greatest for providing us matching socks.

And since my 40,000 were not deposited yet into my bank, this was all done just by using the points I earned during our trip to Africa. However, Chase does have a 60 day policy to retroactively pay yourself back using points. Once deposited (it take 2-3 cycles), I used them to pay for our flight from Doha, Qatar to Washington D.C - meaning multiple, worldwide FREE trips. All it takes is swiping your card (which you are anyways) and ANYONE can fly as often as I do and spend a day along the Persian Gulf - or find your own new favorite place to travel.

Plus, I knocked off another continent! South America I am coming for you soon...