Bill Rancic is taking a little break from his hectic schedule to spend time with his newborn son Duke, but the entrepreneur and reality star will be back on the road soon.
toofab's Lawrence Yee caught with up Bill, who has teamed up with Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card. The card offers extensive benefits and special rewards to travelers. With countless flights and hotel stays under his belt, Bill offered up these five travel tips:
1. Never check a bag
Take control of your destiny and never check a bag. Once you check that bag, you are at the mercy of that airline. If you have your own gear with you and they cancel that flight, you can pop over. If American cancels you can run over to United and at least get home. But when that bag is there, it's in the abyss.
It's something that I've learned to do and now [wife] Giuliana Rancic does it. It took me awhile to convert her into carrying on because she used to pack so much junk. How many pairs of high heels [do you need]?
I have had bags lost. We got married in Italy and we had to have a lot of bags sent over with all the stuff for the wedding. I'd say 30% of the stuff was not there in time for the wedding. We had to do some scrambling on the Isle of Capri when we got married. It was frustrating and not what we hoped for.
[Among the missing items] were wedding programs. We were putting together things for our guests who had made that long journey to spend that special day for us. We had gotten all that done here in the U.S.
2. Maximize every opportunity you can
Make sure you squeeze every mile out of it you can. The HHonors Reserve card helps me maximize every dollar I spend on the road [by earning bonus points for hotel stays and purchases].
3. There's no harm in asking
Try to get upgrades when you can. It's amazing what you can get when you ask. If you are someone who is a frequent flyer or traveler of certain hotels, those upgrades are provided for you. It makes the experience much more enjoyable and takes away a lot of the stress.
4. Try to fly direct whenever you can
So many travelers are pennywise and pound foolish. I talk to so many people who say, "I'm flying from Chicago to L.A. and saved $40 but I'm going to connect in Phoenix"
That might sound great when you're booking it. But when that flight's delayed in Phoenix and then you've missed your connection and you're there overnight, suddenly that $40 you're saving isn't worth it. You've missed your meeting or your vacation is starting a day later. When you have that layover you're doubling your odds of getting delayed or getting canceled. It's not worth the risk.
5. Pack properly and bring your sneakers!
I was in Corpus Christie and I had never been there before. I had my shoes with me and went for a run.
It's a great way to explore the city. Hiking, walking, jogging, whatever it is -- getting out and getting active. When you're traveling, you're cooped up in the plane, you're in meetings, or you're sitting in hotels. I always like to get out and see what that city has to offer
Most hotels have a great concierge, this guy gave me a great running path to go and I was able to see the whole city of Corpus Christie and it was spectacular. But you gotta be prepared. Had I not had my running shoes I wouldn't have been able to do that. It's all about preparation.
For more about the Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card, click here.
