Flexibility Reward on AirAsiaX

If you have booked a flight on AirAsiaX, you now have 3 options to choose from.
1. Upgrade to Premium Class
2. Book Empty Seats beside you
3. Earn money to delay your flight to another day

This third option is brand new at the time of writing. For those persons who don't mind departing several days later, you will be rewarded between RM120 up to RM200 for the change. The difference in payment is dependent on how much notice you would be given. Here's how to check it out:

Book Empty Seats on AirAsiaX

AirAsia is getting very ingenious in earning ancillary income. First was the option to Upgrade to Premium class which I have blogged about earlier. After all, why waste empty seats on the Premium Class?

Following the same concept, why waste empty seats on the Economy Class too? Yes you heard it right. You can now BUY empty seats next to you for a minimal fee. You can no longer hop to any empty seat you wish on the aircraft, because someone may already have purchased it! This is what you need to do.

Scoot Airlines from S$88

Finally after months of teasing and taunting, they have revealed their prices. Booking is open for members from 21 Mar - 22 Mar. After you have signed up, click here to access http://www.flyscoot.com/member/

Here is the full booking process.
Final cheapest price:
Return Airfare  = S$211.17
15kg Bag = S$28.00 x 2 ways
Payment by Visa/Mastercard = S$8 x 2
Total = $283.17!

Last chance for Christchurch via AirAsia

In case you haven't heard, AirAsiaX will be suspending their KUL - Christchurch route on 30 May 2012. You now have 2+ months to plan your super cheap trip to New Zealand before it becomes a whole lot more expensive via other airlines. My 2012 calendar is really packed with trips, but I was still toying with the idea on whether this could be done or not. As a quick guide, this is what you can get:

1. Air tickets to Christchurch. The cheapest combination for a short trip, happens to be on a the labour day weekend. Price per person = RM1638 for return air tickets (yet to add for baggage and meals and insurance)

RM1638 per person for air tickets from 27 April - 1 May 2012

Planning for Japan 2012: Speaking Japanese

Before arriving at any country, I have a basic set of phrases to learn up before arriving. Here are some which I have found to be useful:

1. Numbers in Japanese

1 ichi	21 nijuuichi	100 hyaku	10000 ichiman
2 ni	22 nijuuni	150 hyakugojuu	100000 hyakuman
3 san	23 nijuusan	200 nihyaku	10000000 senman
4 yon/shi	30 sanjuu	300 sanbyaku
5 go	31 sanjuuichi	400 yonhyaku
6 roku	32 sanjuuni	500 gohyaku
7 nana/shichi	40 yonjuu	600 roppyaku
8 hachi	41 yonjuuichi	700 nanahyaku
9 kyuu	42 yonjuuni	800 happyaku
10 juu	50 gojuu	900 kyuuhyaku
11 juuichi	51 gojuuichi	1000 sen
12 juuni	52 gojuuni	1500 sengohyaku
13 juusan	60 rokujuu	2000 nisen
14 juushi	61 rokujuuichi	3000 sanzen
15 juugo	70 nanajuu	4000 yonsen
16 juuroku	71 nanajuuichi	5000 gosen
17 juushichi	80 hachijuu	6000 rokusen
18 juuhachi	81 hachijuuichi	7000 nanasen
19 juukyuu	90 kyuujuu	8000 hassen
20 nijuu	91 kyuujuuichi	9000 kyuusen

 * Items marked with bold indicate a slight change in pronunciation

Planning for Japan 2012: What to buy?

My trip to Japan is drawing closer. As part of the planning, it is important to know what is good / cheaper to buy there. These will be my aim:

1. Tongs for Potato Chips

I normally eat chips with chopsticks, but this would be real cool!

Photo credit: http://www.edgyjapan.jp

Ho Chi Minh City's Sea of Motorbikes

Date of Travel: 27 - 30 October 2006
Conversion: US$1.00 = 16,000 Vietnamese Dong VND

A typical scene anywhere in Ho Chi Minh city

Over 5 years ago, before AirAsiaX came along and we got bored with AirAsia's destinations, I brought mum on an adventure in Vietnam via Tiger Airways. It was a first for many of us. Back then, we had never stayed at a so-called "Boutique" hotel before. Our pre-booked Indochine Hotel (http://www.indochinehotel.com) turned out to be a wedge between shophouses. For US$25/night, I couldn't complain much. The first impression we had of Vietnam was: Motorbikes and Motorbikes and even more Motorbikes.

Redeem AirAsia RM100 voucher

What does it take to get a free RM100 AirAsia E-Gift Voucher. I travel with AirAsia the majority of the time with they can be at really cheap rates if booked donkey months ahead of the travel date. So with my credit cards in hand, all of them have the option of redeeming AirAsia gift vouchers.

Card Brand	Type	Redeem	Spend Amt	Percentage
BIG Card	Visa	RM100 voucher	RM16000*	0.625%
Citibank Platinum	Visa / Mastercard	RM100 voucher	RM17100	0.585%
Citibank AirAsia	Mastercard	RM100 voucher	RM17000	0.588%
Citibank Premier Miles	Visa Signature	RM100 voucher	RM  9780	1.022%

* Note: RM16,000 is only for expenses on AirAsia and its selected subsidiaries


I know that 1% return is not as good as some other credit cards offering 2% cash back but those come with conditions and tiers of spending. Citibank Premier Miles currently offer unlimited access to the Plaza Premium Lounge in LCCT and KLIA, as well of 2 times per year entry into worldwide lounges under the Priority Pass program.

Over the next year, I have 6 flights booked departing from LCCT. Let's see how beneficial it will be having access to the Plaza Premium Lounge.