This article rings a bell for me. I retired in 2015 and turn 65 this summer. Like many of your readers I’ve been tight with a buck my entire life (the benefit of having Depression-era parents). My wife and I travel frequently but always looked to scrimp and save. Now, however, I am ok adding another 10% or so to the cost to smooth over some of the rough spots. Here are a few things we have tried: Fly premium economy to Europe (reclining seat, more legroom, upgraded meal) and then regular coach home. We probably slept 5 hours on recent JFK-Zurich flight. The upcharge was about $300 per person. Worth it to not arrive feeling like a zombie. We also fly (from Cincinnati) to JFK (Newark and Boston also work) and fly early the next morning to London. Depending on the airline there is no additional cost for the stopover in NYC. The added cost is a night in a hotel near JFK and a second night near Heathrow. I find the jet lag is minimal with the daytime flight, so we go coach both ways. We rarely take cabs overseas, but I have begun to crack open the wallet for a taxi or car service when going to an unfamiliar city – recently Sofia and Istanbul. Before Covid I learned a lesson when we took the subway to downtown Beijing and then spent over an hour trying to locate the hotel (finally had to break down and ask for directions at a tourist oriented restaurant). Nonetheless we always get comfortable with public transportation and take the bus or subway around town and back to the airport. Sometimes we will also pay extra for upgraded accommodations. Last summer we paid a few hundred more for a balcony cabin on a transatlantic crossing. And last month I upgraded our room during a ski trip in Finland to include the hotel’s water park. My wife does not ski so this was a big hit with her.
Comments
This article rings a bell for me. I retired in 2015 and turn 65 this summer. Like many of your readers I’ve been tight with a buck my entire life (the benefit of having Depression-era parents). My wife and I travel frequently but always looked to scrimp and save. Now, however, I am ok adding another 10% or so to the cost to smooth over some of the rough spots. Here are a few things we have tried: Fly premium economy to Europe (reclining seat, more legroom, upgraded meal) and then regular coach home. We probably slept 5 hours on recent JFK-Zurich flight. The upcharge was about $300 per person. Worth it to not arrive feeling like a zombie. We also fly (from Cincinnati) to JFK (Newark and Boston also work) and fly early the next morning to London. Depending on the airline there is no additional cost for the stopover in NYC. The added cost is a night in a hotel near JFK and a second night near Heathrow. I find the jet lag is minimal with the daytime flight, so we go coach both ways. We rarely take cabs overseas, but I have begun to crack open the wallet for a taxi or car service when going to an unfamiliar city – recently Sofia and Istanbul. Before Covid I learned a lesson when we took the subway to downtown Beijing and then spent over an hour trying to locate the hotel (finally had to break down and ask for directions at a tourist oriented restaurant). Nonetheless we always get comfortable with public transportation and take the bus or subway around town and back to the airport. Sometimes we will also pay extra for upgraded accommodations. Last summer we paid a few hundred more for a balcony cabin on a transatlantic crossing. And last month I upgraded our room during a ski trip in Finland to include the hotel’s water park. My wife does not ski so this was a big hit with her.
Post: Wishing My Life Away
Link to comment from April 8, 2023