i miss travel

Why I Miss Traveling and What We Can Do This Year

by Laurie Jonas | Jul 17, 2020 | Just for Fun | 0 comments

During the summer, we usually go on two or three weekend trips to golf tournaments, friends’ cabins, baseball games or visiting my kids. Sometimes we actually get on a plane and go to Vegas or visit my aunt in California. When my kids were younger, we tried to take family vacations in between all of the sports. Life was always busy, but I love to travel and see new things. That’s why I miss traveling right now.

It’s usually towards the end of summer that we start thinking about where we want to go this fall for our Anniversary or where we want to go for a winter break. I realize I am lucky to be able to make these kinds of decisions, but its also how we choose to experience life. So, with everything up in the air around Covid-19, its hard to make plans.

What I Miss Most About Traveling

Something to look forward to.

When you can plan a trip of any kind, you can put it on the calendar and have something to look forward to. If you are having a bad day or just need a break, you remember that there is a fun get away coming up and it makes it easier to get through.

“There’s no way I was born to just pay bills and die.”

Something To Plan For

Maybe you can buy a couple new things to wear on your trip or research things to do in a new destination. Planning can also take you away from the mundane of everyday life. It’s something new to do.

“When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money.”   -Susan Heller

Whether this is good or not, I love to eat when we travel. I feel like all diets are off and I can enjoy all the goodness of eating out and snacking whenever we want. I usually pay for it when I get home, but so worth it!

“Meals make the society, hold the fabric together in lots of ways that were charming and interesting and intoxicating to me. The perfect meal, or the best meals, occur in a context that frequently has very little to do with the food itself.” Anthony Bourdain

The Fun with Friends

One of my secret dreams is to live in a big house with friends. That way you always have someone to talk to, eat with, do activities with. You can get that for a short time when you travel with friends. I miss that.

“I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.”- Mark Twain

Not Knowing Anyone

This is the total opposite of traveling with friends. But I love vacations that are truly get aways! Get away from your everyday life and get away from your co-workers, family and friends and just be free. Do what you want, look how you want, talk to strangers, and maybe create a new life for a week! I got a little taste of that when I went to Arizona this past January . Looking forward to doing that again someday!

“The more I travelled the more I realized that fear makes strangers of people who should be friends” – Shirley MacLaine

Having a Drink at the Airport

I miss the feeling of the start of a vacation. Packing up the suitcases, driving to the airport, getting through security and then having the chance to relax before you get on the plane. There is just something about sitting at the bar and ordering a drink knowing your next stop is vacation! And, the people watching is amazing.

“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home.” -James Michener

The Adventure to New Places

As I said in my post, Expand Your World , “It is so easy to just sit at home and hide behind the computer or the TV, but life was meant to be lived!  Have some adventure, expand your world.  Life is so precious, so short, so undiscovered. There is such a big world to explore, through travel, reading or education. Open your mind to a vast world of possibility.”

“Live your life by a compass, not a clock.” -Stephen Covey

I can’t wait until we can adventure to a new corner of the world. Italy is on my list!

If You Do Travel

Most of us have the choice of whether we want to risk traveling. And some people have to get on a plane to see family or for business.

My son flew home over the 4 th of July. He said it was fine because not a lot of people are traveling, and he was able to socially distance himself. Masks are required, so that wasn’t a problem either.

If you are in the camp of people who are either choosing to or have to fly, I ran across this list of products you can use during the pandemic on Skimm .

My favorite on the list is the Brass No-Touch Door Opener and Button Pusher . A small tool you can use so that you don’t have to touch most surfaces. Especially bathroom door handles or elevator buttons.

Other things on the list are seat covers, masks, pouches to hold everything you bring from home and your own pockets or tray tables.

Some great ideas to limit the things you touch! Even if you don’t buy these, you can probably create something similar.

And of course, maintain your social distance, wash your hands, sanitize the surfaces near and on your plane seat and wear your mask.

Whether Covid-19 is as serious as they say or not, there are a lot of germs on an airplane.

If You Would Rather Wait to Travel

If you are in the camp of people who would rather wait until there is a vaccine or more factual information on this virus, you can find adventure all around you.

• Plan a road trip within a couple hours of your home.
• Make a meal from another culture.
• Invite a few close friends over for an outdoor barbecue.
• Drive yourself to a park and pretend you are in a different country.
• Find an outdoor bar and talk to your friend or partner as if you were getting ready to travel to your dream destination. Discuss all of the things you will do when you get there.
• Stay home and read about the many places you want to visit someday soon. Here is a list of books I found on Roadaffair.com. Two that caught my attention are, “How to Not Travel The World”, by Lauren Juliff and “The Geography of Bliss”, By Eric Weiner.

Thanks for reading and letting me vent a little about what I miss about traveling.

What do you miss? Or, maybe you are happy to not be traveling for awhile? Let me know in the comments and we can commiserate together.

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Miss Travel Review: A True Travel Dating Platform?

Do you want to be wooed while satisfying your wanderlust? If that sounds like the perfect combo, then do we have a dating app for you?

Miss Travel is a luxury travel dating app designed to depart from other mainstream dating platforms. It’s where people who want to jet off to exotic destinations with their dates. But don’t pack your bags and update your passport yet—read our complete review of the Miss Travel app for 2024 to find out it’s the real deal!

• Introduction to Miss Travel

Who Is Miss Travel Best For?

• Compatibility Matching System
• Miss Travel’s Communication Features
• Membership Options
• Creating Your Profile
• How to Delete Your Account

Customer Service

• Frequently Ask Questions

Our team has independently researched all products and services that we have listed on this page. If you sign up or purchase through our links, we may receive a commission. See how it works .

Introduction to the Miss Travel Dating App

According to MissTravel.com, its goal is to “provide a platform that enables travel lovers to connect while also having the opportunity to find love.”

That sounds vague, doesn’t it? So we did a little more research and found that while you can connect with fellow wanderers and explore the world together, the dating app is typically used to connect sugar babies with generous sugar daddies who will pay for luxury travel in return for a younger woman’s companionship while jetting off to exotic locales.

Founded in 2012 by CEO Brandon Wade, who also heads up the specialty dating apps Seeking.com , OpenMinded.com, and WhatsYourPrice.com, Miss Travel has a user base of over one million members worldwide and more than 680,000 active members. Despite criticism that it’s a sugar arrangement dating app, the platform’s user base keeps growing–not that there is anything wrong with sugar arrangements as long as both parties consent and know what they are getting into!

Miss Travel’s Unique Approach to Online Dating

The primary objective of the Miss Travel app is to serve as a platform that fosters connections between financially successful men who travel extensively and attractive women who come with them, with the potential for romantic relationships to blossom. It sounds pretty ideal: if you connect with a compatible match, you can head off into the sunset and get to know each other while exploring whatever destination you’ve chosen!

The dating app’s tagline is “Take a departure from ordinary dating and jet off to luxury destinations across the globe in search of romance using Miss Travel.” Users join by creating profiles and searching through the platform’s members to find a travel companion.

If and when you connect with a compatible match, you can plan a memorable (and luxurious) vacation with them!

Is Signing Up for Miss Travel Worth It?

In our honest assessment, if you are a hot younger woman who wants to see the world but either doesn’t have the financial means to do so or simply wants a free getaway, we think the Miss Travel platform could be worth it!

The same goes for the older rich men, ahem, sugar daddies, who are looking for an attractive younger partner to whisk away to an exotic destination.

While this seems like a win-win for all parties involved, as it usually is with sugar arrangements, we do have a few safety concerns about traveling to a far-flung place with a stranger you met on a dating app that we’ll get into later in the review.

Our Ratings

Our reviews of dating apps are always meticulous and objective–we consider various factors, such as the overall number of users, the price of premium memberships, the efficacy of the platform’s matching process, and the variety of features and benefits offered to premium subscribers.

If you’re interested in an on-the-road sugar relationship, try out the Miss Travel dating app, which came in with a rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars.

What We Like

There’s a lot to like about Miss Travel, especially if you are a travel junkie! Here are our favorite things we learned about the platform during the review.

• Free Travel – Want to see the world for free? It’s possible with the Miss Travel app! Women can search all of the posted trips on the platform, and, if they click with the man who created/is paying for the getaway, they can pack their bags and travel on his dime!
• Free for Women – Just like the trips, access to all premium memberships is totally free for the women who join Miss Travel–we love that for them!
• Luxury Trips – Look, we saw some of the posted trips, which are lavish with a capital L. Some of our dream destinations were posted on the platform, and our mouths were watering at the thought of hopping on a plane and taking off to a gorgeous place with delicious dining.
• Great for Sugar Arrangements – Mutually beneficial sugar arrangements are surging among singles in the last few years, so if you are interested in making a connection and doing so while on an amazing vacation, Miss Travel was made for you.

What We Don’t Like

We can’t deny that there are benefits to joining the Miss Travel app, but we also have some big concerns–specifically regarding women’s safety.

• No Background Checks – Hello, if you are heading to a different country with a stranger you met on a dating app, shouldn’t he be thoroughly vetted? We think so. We know it’s up to users to use caution, but when a platform is built just for travel, we feel it’s the app’s duty to check out the members to see that they’re above board in every way.
• Potentially Dangerous for Women – This isn’t a dig at Miss Travel, as meeting up with strangers from the internet always comes with a risk, even if you’re just going to a bar in your neighborhood. But something about being in a far away, possibly foreign country sounds way more dangerous than a local watering hole. We don’t think it’s a Taken scenario where Liam Neeson will have to use his “particular set of skills” to rescue his daughter, but the fact that it even comes to mind is concerning!
• Fake Profiles – Since Miss Travel does not vet its members or have any sort of verification system in place, the dating platform has quite a few fake profiles milling around and masquerading as rich men.
• No Mobile App – While the dating service functions well on any mobile device’s browser, we always like to see a dedicated mobile app for users!

Miss Travel provides a unique way for wanderlusts to explore the world. The community is comprised of real people interested in seeing the world and sparking new connections. Instead of meeting for dinner and drinks at a local restaurant, our members choose to date while traveling in luxury, staying in the best hotels, and indulging in the finest dining.

Travel and culture enthusiasts are the target audience for Miss Travel, and the platform’s user base is skewed significantly toward those who appreciate exotic vacations. They’re the sort of vacationers who like to dine at Michelin-starred restaurants and stay in only five-star hotels. The male members tend to be middle-aged or older rich guys searching for a traveling buddy.

There are two categories Miss Travel members fall under:

• Find a Travel Partner: Generous members have the resources to travel in luxury and wish to share the experience with a beautiful companion.
• Travel for Free: Attractive members desire a lavish lifestyle and enjoy spending time with wealthy people who provide companionship and access to the best life offers.

Meaning the sugar daddies are paying, and the free travelers are attractive younger women who come along for the ride. The site boasts a diverse and friendly user base of over 1 million users with a gender ratio of 70% men and 30% women. It attracts primarily American, British, and Belgian members.

Relationship Types Best Served by Miss Travel

To be perfectly honest, this service is a sugar arrangement platform with one key difference between the usual dynamics of a mutually beneficial relationship. Instead of the sugar babies receiving financial assistance and expensive gifts in return for their company, they get to travel the world on an all-expenses-paid vacation with an older man.

The Miss Travel Compatibility Matching System

As far as we can tell, there is no matching system or sophisticated matching algorithm at work on the Miss Travel app. Users simply create a profile and either create a trip to garner interest from others, or they search for a trip they’d been interested in taking.

From there, it’s up to the members to connect and communicate!

Miss Travel Dating App’s Communication Features

Women have free full access to all methods of communication, while men have to upgrade to paid premium memberships in order to send messages to other members.

There are only two methods of communication available to interact with other members–you can either send a private message or add someone to your favorites list, which lets them know you are interested.

The Miss Travel dating platform employs sophisticated SSL encryption methods to protect user’s private data from possible hackers or data breaches.

Miss Travel’s Membership Options

Users of Miss Travel can either join for free or have restrictive communication ability, which, what is the point of joining if you can’t chat with other members who you want to take on a vacation, or they can upgrade to one of the three available premium membership tiers.

Women have unfettered free access to the service–they don’t have to shell out for a premium subscription–only the male members do.

Free vs. Paid Memberships

As a basic free user, you can access search tools, and although they are limited, they are still helpful.

When you click on the search tool icon, you can choose from four ways to search:

• Explore members
• Upcoming trips
• People near me
• Top destinations

Premium Membership Features

• Unlimited communication (only men have to upgrade for this feature)
• Anonymous Browsing
• Higher ranking of planned trips in searches

Premium Membership Benefits and Pricing

What do you get when you subscribe to a paid membership? Although you don’t get much, some helpful features will benefit your time on the platform:

• Create a Trip: This feature will assist you in publicly sharing your future trip plans! After your trip is approved, it will become visible to all other members, who can then request to accompany you. It’s important that you give specific details regarding the spot, the dates, and who is responsible for covering the trip’s expenses.
• Add to Favorites: The Favorites List is a useful tool that allows you to create and maintain a personalized list of profiles that interest you –you can find it at the very top of a member’s profile photo when in search mode.
• Lists: Miss Travel offers an array of organized lists for your benefit–when you access your list of favorite profiles, you will see tabs that take you to your “Favorited You” list and the “Visited Me” choices.

Discounts and Promotions

At the time of this review, Miss Travel is not offering any discounts or promotions to new users or current members.

Creating Your Miss Travel Dating Profile

We created an account, signed up for Miss Travel, and completed a dating profile. The entire process took about 5 minutes from start to finish and was easy to do!

If you want to know how to create your dating profile , we’ve outlined the step-by-step process for you below!

Step 1: Go to Miss Travel’s Homepage

On your computer or mobile phone’s web browser, navigate to MissTravel.com , enter your email address, and create a password to begin creating your dating profile.

You can also choose if you want to find a travel partner or travel for free when creating your account, or you can do this when building your profile and choosing your dating preferences.

Step 2: Enter a Username & Create Password

The next step is to create a username, create and confirm a strong password, agree to Miss Travel’s terms and privacy, and then click the “signup” button.

Step 3: Enter a Few Basics

Tell Miss Travel who you want to be matched with in terms of gender, birthdate, and location. Then click “Create your account” to move to the next step.

Step 4: Read the Terms and Privacy Policy

Read and accept Miss Travel’s terms of use.

Step 5: Confirm Your Email & Enter Details About Yourself

Miss Travel will send an email with a link to activate your account. Once you have done that, you’ll need to fill in your ethnicity, body type, relationship status, who you are interested in traveling with, and what you’re looking for relationship-wise, and describe yourself to other members so they can get to know you a little!

Now enter your height, education, religion, number of kids, lifestyle habits, and why you want to travel.

Step 6: Explore Potential Traveling Companions

And that’s it! You can now search for compatible traveling buddies or potential romantic partners.

You can also check out the trips members are interested in taking and if they are footing the bill.

Step 7: Build Your Profile

Although it’s not required, you should fill out your profile and upload profile pics so other members can see how cute you are and how adorable you’d look wearing a beret in Paris!

You can also create your own trips that others can request to join, but that means you’re paying.

How to Delete an Account

If, for any reason, you want to delete your Miss Travel account, whether you’ve found the perfect traveling companion or if you find it’s not for you, the process is simple–just follow the process below.

• Step 1: Go to Your Miss Travel Dating Profile – Open your Miss Travel dating profile and click on your profile pic in the upper right corner. Then click on the settings tab.
• Step 2: Deactivate Your Account – Scroll down until you see “Deactivate Your Account” in red text and click.
• Step 3: Enter Your Account Password – You’ll need to enter your Miss Travel profile account password—then read and agree to the terms written. Once you have done that, simply hit “Deactivate My Account” once it turns purple after confirming your password.

As we noted above, the customer service options are adequate, but they could be better! While they have an extensive FAQ section, no live help is available via phone number or chat.

We aren’t sure how long it takes them to answer an email ([email protected]) or a support ticket; while we submitted both at the time of this review, they still hadn’t gotten back to us.

• Hong Kong Address – Room 2103, Futura Plaza, 111 How Ming Street, Kwun tong, Hong Kong
• Cyprus Address – Paster 6, Flat/Office 101, 1055 Nicosia, Cyprus
• United States Address – 3250 Pepper Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89120

Frequently Asked Questions

And we are at the end of our Miss Travel review! It’s the end of the road, and we hope we’ve given you more insight into what the platform is about and who it’s best for.

If you have any other concerns, check out the frequently asked questions we’ve heard from our readers regarding Miss Travel.

Is Miss Travel Legit?

Miss Travel is definitely a legit dating platform–while we can’t vouch for its members and their assets, we can unequivocally state that it is a legitimate business and dating service.

Can I Use Miss Travel for Free?

Yes! But women have it better when it comes to the “free” version–they don’t have to pay for a premium membership to get premium features. And while men can use the free basic version, they won’t be able to do much in the way of communicating with other Miss Travel members, so we recommend that the guys upgrade to a paid account if they want to make real connections and find a travel mate!

How Do I Make a Miss Travel Dating Profile?

Head to the Miss Travel homepage to begin the sign-up process; follow the steps to register, activate your account via email, and then fill out your profile with details and images!

How Do I Delete My Account?

Follow the steps below to delete your Miss Travel account:

• Login to your account • Click “Settings” in the upper right-hand corner of your profile • Scroll down to the “Deactivate Your Account” button at the bottom of your settings

What Payment Methods Does the Platform Accept?

The Miss Travel app currently accepts the following forms of payment:

• Credit and Debit Cards (Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Discover)

Does Miss Travel Offer Refunds?

We aren’t sure! We read through the terms and policies, and the language about refunds was unclear, so we advise you to contact customer support for a definitive answer to this question.

Does Miss Travel Use Auto-Renewal?

Yes! Your premium membership will auto-renew at the same price at the end of each subscription cycle unless you cancel it–purchasing a premium membership authorizes Miss Travel to charge the card on file at the time of subscription renewal.

How Do I Disable the Automatic Renewal Feature?

Here’s how to cancel your premium membership to avoid future billing:

On your desktop: • Login to your Miss Travel account • Go to the upper-right side and click on your account drop-down menu • Hit ‘Settings’ • Click on ‘Subscriptions’ • Select ‘Cancel Subscription’ below the payment method you used

On your mobile browser: • Click on the ‘More’ button at the bottom • Select ‘Settings’ • Choose ‘Cancel Subscription’

How Can I Expedite the Approval of My Photos and Dating Profile?

To verify that users use Miss Travel appropriately, the reviewal team carefully examines all submitted photos before making them public. The review process can take some time, but it is required to uphold community standards and maintain the integrity of the user base.

Submissions are processed in the order they are received, with priority given to premium members in the reviewing queue.

The following are some tips for choosing the best pics for your Miss Travel profile:

Basic Guidelines for Photos • Format: Pictures must be in JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF, or TIFF formats. • Size: Less than 5 MB • Orientation: Photos need to be upright • No nudity • No watermarks • You are not in the photo • Has multiple people in them • Includes personal or identifying information (names, addresses, phone numbers, etc.) • Includes minors • Illegal act or activity is depicted • No collages (more than one photo) • Offensive to the average user • Good lighting • Use a recent photo • Your main photo should be a close-up or headshot. • Upload a body shot that fits your selected body type • Smile!

How Do I Submit a Trip Proposal?

Miss Travel customers may make entirely customized Trip Proposals. All trip ideas are submitted to the central staff for review and approval. An “Approved” label will appear next to the member’s proposed trip if/when it has been accepted.

If your travel proposal is rejected, you’ll see the word “Denied” displayed next to your proposals, but a user can submit a new Trip Proposal at any time.

6 Things That I Miss Most About Travelling

• December 12, 2013

Shanna Schultz

Inside this post...

I took my last trip almost 5 months ago.  Anyone who knows how much I am used to travelling will readily see that for me, this seems like an eternity.

There is a good reason for my hiatus , and I have plenty of other things to keep me busy at the moment, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t missed travelling just about every day since our last big trip .

I know that you are reading this because like, me, you miss adventures and going places. I feel your pain. Here are some other bits of travel inspiration. Feel free to leave me a comment or shoot me an e-mail and we can daydream together about future travel 🙂

• Driving in France: How I Overcame My Fear of Driving in a Foreign Land
• Boldly Go: How Seeing the World Has Changed My Perspective
• Too Much Travel?  Jetlag and Other Consequences of Going Too Much

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Anticipation.

I miss the anticipation and anxious months of planning a trip .  Having a trip out on the horizon to look forward to becomes like an addiction, almost as much as the travel itself.  I miss spending spare moments looking in travel books for ideas and putting together itineraries that we almost never actually stick to.

Last Minute Packing

I even sort of miss the rush of the last minute packing and that anxious night that I always have before we leave, not able to sleep because I am just too darned excited (and it doesn’t seem to matter how much we travel or now many places I have been, this doesn’t get better).

The Airport

The airport is always an exciting place for me, and I miss our familiar airport rituals and the incredible sense of sheer potential that I always feel when in an airport to travel somewhere.  I imagine the airport as a portal to a whole new world of new experiences.  The airport is always the beginning of a new adventure, and I love knowing that infinite possibilities for adventure lie before me when we step off of the airplane.

The Thrill of Exploring

I miss the thrill that travel gives me.  I miss being out of my comfort zone.  When we travel, I get a real sense of accomplishment when I have to think on my feet to solve a problem, or the way that being in a new place can help you to see things in a different way .

I know this might sound strange, but I miss sorting through our photos (I usually sit on the airplane ride home and tag and label them while the memories are still fresh).  I miss the process of looking over the photos that we took once we return home, reliving the wonderful things that we experienced while away.

Coming Home!

Lastly, I miss coming home .  I miss that first night home in my own bed, and the difference in perspective that traveling gives you about the place that you live.  It makes you appreciate my space in a new way and usually gives me a renewed sense of passion and purpose in my life.  I love the feeling of returning home, refreshed and ready to take on life again.

What do you miss most when you are not able to travel?

Angelina Travels

miles of inspiration, with all points in between

My Actual Experiences with MissTravel – Yes, I Met Someone in Person.

May 15, 2012 by Angelina Aucello 26 Comments

My Back Story/Inspiration:

Those who know me on a personal level can easily describe me as a “glass-half-full” type of gal. Always joyful, positive, and perhaps a bit idealistic (though never naive, don’t confuse the two), I’m fearless when it comes to stepping out of my own comfort zone, because let’s face it – that’s usually where the magic happens when it comes to self-discovery and growth. When we put ourselves in obscure situations, we tend to learn many of our valuable life lessons.

On a recent trip to Chicago with some of my girlfriends, my free-spirited friend Allison, told me about how she has been hosting dozens of strangers on her couch while filming a documentary about CouchSurfing.com . At first I was shocked that she easily trusted strangers that she only knew from an online profile, but after listening to her reasoning, she was absolutely right in my eyes. Her response was something along the lines of, “many people live in fear and expect the worst from people. You have to believe in the common good of the universe and you’ll attract that. In fact, out of every single person from around the world that has stayed with us on my couch, zero have been negative experiences. I’ve made dozens of like-minded friends and learned quite a bit so far.”

Back to MissTravel… let me first say that I have never had a profile on any online “dating” website ever in my life. Nor have I been on a “blind date”. I’m quite sheltered from modern dating, I guess. This was about to be a completely new [and slightly uncomfortable] experience for me. While making my profile, I made sure that there was nothing suggestive in my writing and photos. I was not looking for a sugar daddy, casual sex, or any kind of dubious arrangement. I merely wanted to meet with a fellow travel enthusiast for lunch or coffee.

My Main Photo

Considering that my main photo was not the slightest bit suggestive or “promiscuous”, I was shocked that I actually received dozens of messages from “generous” members and about 10 “trip proposals” within the first few days of being on the site. Men from around the globe asked me to travel with them to luxurious places such as Hong Kong, St. Kitts, Hawaii, and Rome – just to name a few.

Some of my trip proposals on MissTravel

While I did not respond to many of the messages, I did have contact with two members in particular. Of the two that I responded to was a man in his early thirties from Australia who reports on his profile that his annual income is over $1 million dollars. He had mentioned to me that he would be visiting New York for two weeks and was interested in getting to know me over brunch.

I agreed – we’d be in a crowded public place, what’s the worst that can happen? Of course I told my parents and close friends what I was doing, who I was meeting, and where I was going for safety reasons. And I made it very clear in all of my contact that this was a brunch-and-only-brunch kind of meeting.

The Meeting

Before meeting “MrTravel” on Saturday at 11 am at a trendy Chelsea brunch hot-spot called CookShop, I met up with my close blogger-buddy, Bonnie, who also happened to be in NYC that morning at the Westin in Times Square. I told her what I was doing and how I was super nervous (so nervous that I almost bailed) because I have never met anyone from an online site before. She thankfully rested nerves and told me to pretend I was Diane Sawyer conducting an investigative interview. She was right. It was just brunch… and a blog post.

When I arrived at CookShop, MrTravel was there waiting outside and we were immediately escorted (bad word?) to our table. I was actually pleasantly surprised by how much we had in common. Our conversation and laughter felt totally normal, and there was never an awkward silence. It was a fantastic experience. I initially expected brunch to last about 45 minutes, and I couldn’t believe that a whole two and a half hours flew by!

So what did we talk about? Everything from travel (duh), to Chinese medicine, to spider bites, to cancer… and what seemed like everything in between. Of course I had to ask him the obvious – Why exactly did he join MissTravel?

He told me that he also primarily joined out of curiosity because the site was receiving so much media attention during its immediate debut. He was open-minded about the idea of meeting locals during his travels. He also said that being in a new global city every week for work is very lonely. He described himself as a self-proclaimed foodie who enjoys trying a different restaurant at every meal but does not like to dine alone. Traveling to him is learning, and there’s no better way to experience culture than to sit down and talk to the people who live in it.

I also asked him how many people he’s met since being on the site, and he said I was his 4th brunch date.

After brunch was over, we shook hands and parted ways. Now, who says there’s no such thing as free lunch?

The Verdict

With any situation in life, you will attract what you project. You are in control of every interaction you have in life. Whether you’re meeting somebody on the street, at a business meeting, or even on a site like MissTravel, it’s important to be smart and set your boundaries. In all honesty, I’m proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone – I have a new-found confidence (I can apparently survive in the online-dating world, LOL) and a positive experience to look back on.

P.S. – if the idea of traveling with a stranger still creeps you out, or perhaps you’re all “miss independent”, you can always travel for free using my favorite method – by picking up the best travel credit card with an awesome sign-up bonus.

About Angelina Aucello

Hi! I'm Angelina, and traveling and deals excite me. Simply put, I'm a points & miles fanatic who takes too many vacations.

May 15, 2012 at 9:21 pm

Thanks for the Cookshop tip!

May 15, 2012 at 9:34 pm

Great blog topic. Interesting experience. It’s amazing how many people keep their fears from preventing them from doing things. Way to put yourself out there. :)

May 15, 2012 at 11:00 pm

Omg… If I was your boyfriend, I would call that cheating! But u did it for fun with no intentions of moving forward from the brunch date

May 16, 2012 at 12:34 am

That is so interesting!

May 16, 2012 at 2:44 am

Too bad guys can’t get free lunch :P

May 16, 2012 at 10:00 am

I’m a little disturbed by the “attractive” and “generous” labels. I think it’s a great idea to help you find people in the places you travel or someone to travel with but I wish there was a way to meet as equals…

May 16, 2012 at 10:01 am

what did you boyfriend think?

May 16, 2012 at 10:12 am

Interesting blog post, never heard of the website, but it sounds like a great idea for us travelers.

I agree with Jess, what’s with the “generous” and “attractive” labels? Is there anything on the site to find just a travel buddy where you each pay for your own travel?

May 16, 2012 at 10:14 am

Great article. I certainly feel more open to reviewing “MissTravel” site now. Thanks

May 16, 2012 at 11:23 am

If only I was attractive. :)

May 16, 2012 at 11:39 am

@Dan: it was a great place!

@Debbie: thanks! It was definitely an interesting experience and I was pleasantly surprised!

@Jamison and oneeyejack: I’m very fortunate that Kevin is supportive! We have a very secure relationship so he was fine with it :)

@Jess and Sam: I agree that the generous and attractive labels might steer people away. I guess every site will try to find their distinguishing “niche” in order to stay competitive lol. However there are no specific “level of attractiveness” or “level of generousness” standards in place so I guess anyone could join (though generous members must pay to use the site). I’d love to find a generic travel buddy website too!! Right now I’ve been soliciting my friends on Facebook for travel buddies lol.

May 16, 2012 at 8:29 pm

Interesting post. I doubt his reasons for joining. That’s a safe and cliched answer. His true reasons were probably sexual since the site is clearly designed as a wink-wink quid pro quo of sex and travel. It’s less brazen than say AshleyMadison, but it’s clear what misstravel.com pitches.

Another reason I think his true motives were sexual is that there are much bigger non-sexual sites that offer the service he wants, namely couchsurfing, which is the easiest way in the world to find a brunch buddy in a new city. But MissTravel offers what couchsurfing does not, a self selected pools of girls who consider themselves pretty enough for it to be a good deal to buy them a plane ticket.

If Bonnie gave you the Diane Sawyer advice just to calm your nerves, that’s nice of her. But in general I think it’s a bad idea to go into any meeting with a new person with the mindset that it’s an investigative interview. It’s a way of not fully engaging or committing. Many girls do this on dates set up online, and it never leads to a good outcome for either party. I think the idea to treat the date like an interview or experiment or something of the like is a way for most girls to rationalize that they are on a dating site. They’re thinking, “I’m not some loser who needs online dating. I’m here to find out why he joined, and if I meet someone great…” I’m not saying you had that thought process. In fact since you mention a boyfriend in the comments, it’s clear you weren’t treating this as a date at all. But it’s a common thought process to protect the ego of the girl, and it eliminates the possibility of a connection.

In the end I would say that MissTravel piqued my interest, so I was interested in a first hand account. But I don’t think you signed up for the site for its intended purpose–do you?– so I’m still left with questions about the site’s operations.

May 16, 2012 at 10:22 pm

For the most part sex is implied with the site. If some guy is taking you on a trip that costs thousands of bucks I am pretty sure some quid pro quo is expected…

A brunch meeting… well, thats probably just the warm up ;-)

May 17, 2012 at 10:40 am

Thanks for taking the risk. I just might do the same. “Every now and then you gotta say WTF…” Risky Business

May 17, 2012 at 1:11 pm

@MileValue: First off, great blog – I find myself reading it more and more frequently recently, and thanks for taking the time to comment on the post. You’ve raised a lot of interesting points, and with this being such a controversial blog topic to begin with, I had expectations of a variety of comments from all kinds of viewpoints. In one aspect, I agree with you – MissTravel’s marketing message seems to be a little concerning in some areas, but unlike CouchSurfing, who’s audience tends to be low-budget backpackers, MissTravel is trying to appeal to a different demographic – the wealthy, “stylish” traveler as most members on the site tend describe themselves as. Based on the profiles of several “generous” members on the site, they all seem to project that they want to (and can afford to) experience the “high life” and “luxury”, so I can understand the appeal of having “attractive” members. Take a look at Las Vegas, and even the entire night life industry itself – the marketing behind that industry defines luxury as being around beautiful people. In fact, the night life industry is the 3rd most profitable industry in the world at this point – so there’s definitely a large viable market.

Do I necessarily choose to live “the high life”? No so much. (after all, being a points and miles fanatic is the travel version of extreme couponing LOL). But I do understand where the seed is planted.

You’re right – I was not treating this as a date at all and frankly I don’t think he was either. Right there on my profile it says that I am a blogger, and I also indicated that I was only interested in friendship and I was open to meeting men and women (no, I’m not bi-sexual). I received dozens of messages from men from around the world, and usually by reading the first sentence of their message, I can see what their intentions were. Like anything in life, you just have to ignore and disregard the ones that don’t align. However, the two I spoke to seemed “normal”. I told them I was a blogger, and that I wasn’t looking for any type of meeting besides brunch (I even told them I’d blog about it). They were fine with that. There were no “expectations” after brunch. And even if he had hopes of something, the boundaries were pre-set and there were no mixed signals.

To be completely honest, most of the people on the site are frequent flyers like you and I, and have top-tier elite status with airline and hotel loyalty programs. Most are self-employed and have the time and resources to travel freely as they choose. Being self-employed myself, it’s extremely hard for me to find a travel buddy in my immediate group of friends. I’m 25 so most of my friends have 9-5 jobs and are still paying off student loans. It would be nice to meet someone (man, woman, or group) who I can see the world with (I’m sure my Dad and Kevin are getting tired of me soliciting them with a monthly vacation haha).

Would I travel with anyone on the site? Perhaps, but it would take A LOT of getting to know them. That’s not even on my agenda anytime soon. I’m happy I was able to step out of my comfort zone to meet someone in person at this point. I find it hard enough to travel with some of my close friends.

I don’t ever feel the need to “owe” anyone anything. When a guy decides to send me or one of my girlfriends a drink at the bar, the only thing we “owe” him is a smile and a thank you – whether his intention is “just to be nice” or something else, that’s a risk he’s taking and I’m sure guys know that. Bottom line: you’re always in control of every situation you find yourself in life :)

@FlyThai: I certainly agree that they should restructure the message on the site, but it’s up to the users to choose how to present and use the site.

@Beth: That was my attitude! Just be safe and be very straightforward with your intention! :)

May 21, 2012 at 1:48 am

That’s a good comparison to a guy buying you a drink. Thanks for posting this; I look forward to reporting back when I sign up for MisterTravel.

June 15, 2013 at 3:24 pm

Interesting, I was looking for some reviews on the traveling part, but good to know about the free lunches. I also do CouchSurfing. Well get us post it if you know about the traveling part. Thank you for your post :)

August 20, 2013 at 3:55 pm

Ladies…great write up. Advice to ladies – Most men will expect sex after any little contribution they give be it brunch, a tissue to wipe your nose, or a plane ticket. Men are men. This site just helps eliminate the broke sad ones who want sex for a grain of salt. As we play the game better we feel a lot better if the date goes south.

October 9, 2013 at 8:22 am

Nice article, but all guys know this is for sex (be it a delayed method). I signed up, met a Euro girl, and essentially paid for sex (flight, going out, etc). Not going to sugar coat it. She was fun and wanted to stay. If I were a girl and attractive/well off guy said “I’ll fly you to X and pay for everything” it would be kind of dim witted to not think sex to be involved IMO. Best of luck in the tough world of acting.

October 14, 2013 at 6:58 am

You live in USA, New York. I live myself in North of Europe, have been very popular on another free dating sites, but haven´t got anything from here, been a member since August, feeling very disappointed.

October 24, 2013 at 9:05 am

I write about my MissTravel dating site´s experiences as an attractive member here: http://misstraveltripsblog.wordpress.com/ http://misstraveltrips.blogspot.fi/ https://twitter.com/misstraveltrips

July 28, 2015 at 6:57 pm

Be careful some of these women lied about their age. If you travel domestic with them, then it is easier for them to hide their true age, but if you travel outside the U.S. territories you need a passport, then you be shocked to find out the true age of some of these women.

I had one Asian lady in the Silicon Valley area that took off 7 years from her real age from her profile. She is actually in her mid 40’s She is a scam. She is on both SeekingArrangement.com and MissTravel.com and is a career prostitute for years and she closes and re-opens her accounts and telling the men on these sites that she is new to this kind of stuff. Well, she is not. She is a liar and I spent a lot of money on her and she didn’t put out much. I had to replace her. She has stretch marks all over her stomach , but pretty pale skin and has nice pair of legs. She always wear makeup, but when she takes it off she looks like a dog. She has one child so don’t let her scam you.

September 30, 2017 at 7:10 am

Americans are such prudes. I would never invite an American girl on a sugar date or trip and this woman is a perfect example of why. Of course sex is expected you morons. SeekingArrangement, misstravel and nameyourprice are all about normal girls and normal men engaging in paid sexual agreements. Dating by agreement is an interesting, beneficial and fun way to meet new people that you would not ordinarily consider in real life situations.

It’s paid companionship and sex by consenting adults. Get over it.

September 27, 2020 at 1:35 pm

I was in need of a female travel companion to go with me to Hawaii toward the end of 2017 and I had quite a few beautiful women to choose from very quickly after I posted my trip proposal on MissTravel. I narrowed the field down to two finalists who I then video chatted with. Both women were young and beautiful but one stood out (a young woman from Norway) as being much more sincere and interested in getting to know me. The other woman, a young professional from Chicago, did not make our video chat a priority, imho, since she decided to take it from her car while en-route to a coffee shop instead of from a place where she was entirely focused on our call and nothing else (like I was).

The trip itself was pretty fair for what I wanted to get out of it. By my way of thinking, My Norwegian travel companion did not pack her bag with clothing she could actually use and wear on our trip, so I ended up buying her several “Hawaii Outfits” and a swimsuit on our first full day in Hawaii. She had brought a huge suit case filled with random, thrown together and largely mismatched nightclub outfits. I found that odd at the time… and I now suspect that the jumbled contents of this large suit case represented her complete collection of possessions in a “nomadic” sort of way. My Norwegian travel companion also had a ton of beauty supplies of every possible imagination and she ended up strewing these all around our bedroom. It got so bad that I would have to spend about ten minutes every night moving her stuff out of the way just so I had a place to sleep! She also did not seem well versed in how a shower / bathtub worked and I felt inclined to show her how to position the inner, plastic shower curtain inside the tub in order to avoid flooding the bathroom floor whilst taking a shower… oh boy!

On the whole… I would say that I got what I wanted out of my MissTravel experience. It was wonderful having a beautiful, sexy model caliber woman with me for this trip. I hope my Norwegian travel companion enjoyed my company and what she managed to see of Hawaii… she had a lot of “down time” dealing with things like bad hair extensions (which we fixed together by buying new ones and sewing clips to the new extensions as an unexpected but fun craft project and bonding experience) and smartphone issues with her new but not-so-waterproof Samsung Galaxy S8.

Alas, my Norwegian travel companion and I parted ways after our trip to Hawaii… largely because I challenged her to aim a little higher in life so that it would actually align more closely with the version of herself that she portrayed on her Instagram account. She was not at all amused by my suggestion and she made it clear that we would not be remaining in contact going forward. While I respect her decision, I do find her lack of gratitude very unsavory. Especially given how well I respected her boundaries during our trip and how well I treated her. For example, my Norwegian travel companion ditched me on our last night in Hawaii to go to a “party” allegedly hosted by some locals she had met. She was gone all night and she did not respond to calls or texts. I didn’t sleep at all that night out of worrying for her safety. I was so worried that at around 4 am I called the hospitals and the local jail to see if she was admitted or locked up. She finally turned up back in the morning (looking very tired and disheveled) less than one hour before we had to leave for the airport. Despite this, I bought her some souvenirs on our way to the airport along with some holiday gifts from Hawaii that she could give to her family back in Norway,

Regardless of the bizarre and sometimes annoying experiences I had on my trip to Hawaii with my Norwegian travel companion… If I am ever in need of travel companionship again, I would use this site.

Tip for consumers: Immediately Avoid and Block ANYONE… 1) Asking you for money up front. 2) Who refuses or defers in any way your request for a live video chat to verify who they are. 3) Who acts in a way that indicates they are not really interested in getting to know you for you. 4) Who’s actions do not align with their stated intentions.

[…] Another Points Traveler signs up for Miss Travel (“Who Needs Money, Beautiful People Travel Free!) and gives it a […]

[…] http://justanotherpointstraveler.boardingarea.com/2012/05/15/my-actual-experiences-with-misstravel-y&#8230 ; […]

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What to Do If You Miss Your Flight

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It has happened to the best of us: oversleeping, a hotel forgetting the wake-up call, snarled traffic, waiting in long security or immigration lines, weather disruptions and delayed connecting flights. While "What happens if I miss my flight?" is a common question, the answer isn't, since it depends on the circumstances of why you missed the flight.

To miss a plane can be a frustrating experience, but it’s not necessarily a lost cause. There is recourse — from refunds to free rebooking options — although certain possibilities may not apply in every situation. For instance, if an airline cancels your flight , different rules and compensation options are available.

Here's a look at the variety of circumstances and what to do if you miss your flight.

Common causes of missing a plane

At-fault reasons, such as oversleeping, traffic and long check-in lines.

If you are unable to make your departure time because you overslept or traffic was backed up, contact the airline (via phone, social media channels or an agent at the airport) as soon as possible, preferably before the plane takes off. Acting quickly is your best chance of getting another flight that day.

Asking to stand by for a later flight is your first priority. Flying standby means that the airline puts you on a waiting list for a flight, but you typically aren't a confirmed passenger until closer to departure time. Your ability to fly out ultimately depends on if there are available seats on the next flight, which isn't always the case.

Standby policies vary by airline and ticket type. For example, Southwest Airlines will list a passenger for standby on the next available flight as long as they arrive at the airport within two hours after their original departure. Southwest doesn't charge change fees , but if you must take a later flight, you may have to pay any fare difference.

Many airlines freely offer elite status members the ability to stand by for a later flight at the airport.

With Delta Air Lines, only Gold Medallion members and above are permitted to travel on same-day standby for a later departure. Basic economy passengers aren't eligible.

If you’re already at the airport, review the departure screens to see what the next options are, and be prepared to pay a change fee or the fare difference. If you’re at home, search online so you know about the other options when you speak with the airline.

Be sure to have the airline’s app because you may be able to handle rebooking directly there (or at least see what the options are for later flights).

Medical emergencies

No matter what, contacting the airline before you miss your flight (or having someone do it on your behalf or as soon as possible) is wise. Airline agents can document the record with details on why you missed the flight for consideration of a refund.

In this case, travel insurance may come in handy, but you will need the appropriate documentation from a medical professional to file with the airline for any applicable refund.

Connection issues, such as long immigration lines and delayed flights

Connections can be a drag. Depending on why you missed the second flight — like long security, immigration and customs lines — if you're en route, have already taken the first flight and the connecting flight was booked on the same ticket, airlines will usually rebook you on the next flight.

If the connecting flight was booked on two separate reservation records (perhaps to save money and find a lower fare), the airline operating the second flight isn't responsible for any delay based on the first flight (even if it were within the airline’s control).

Booking flights on two separate reservation records is risky although it can save some cash . If you choose to do so, be sure to allow a lot of time for the connection (and beware that checking bags may require collecting them at the interim stop — and delays can make this difficult).

Can you ask for a refund if you missed your flight?

If it is your fault for missing the flight, receiving a refund generally isn't an option. It may be worth asking, but most airlines won't return your money, especially if you booked a nonrefundable ticket.

» Learn more: Can you get a refund on a nonrefundable airline ticket?

'Flat-tire rules'

A flat-tire rule is an unofficial policy that some airlines honor. It is an option for travelers who show up at the airport shortly after check-in time or departure, for whatever reason. (Its name suggests that it helps those who have unexpected traffic or transportation issues.)

Airlines use different approaches to accommodate these situations.

Southwest’s two-hour window after the flight departs is the way the carrier handles passengers who show up close to departure time. Delta, meanwhile, handles these types of requests on a case-by-case basis only.

Other airlines have unpublished policies. Generally, if you show up at the airport soon after the original departure, you might be in luck. Be kind, patient and respectful as you request the airline make special accommodations for your situation.

What happens if you miss your flight after checking in?

With online or app check-ins, it isn't unusual to have no-shows at departure time — including people who have already checked in for the flight. This means that gate agents are accustomed to giving away seats just before the flight departs.

If you are already at the airport, you could still miss a flight. Slow security and immigration lines can be a frequent cause (programs like TSA PreCheck or Clear and Global Entry or Mobile Passport could help prevent delays). You may hear a page with your name for final boarding, but not all airlines do this.

If you checked a bag for a domestic flight, your bag may travel on the flight without you. This means having to deal with getting your bag at the destination by taking a later flight. If it is an international flight and you have to collect it at customs and recheck it, the bag will stay with you.

In both of these scenarios, airlines will assist by getting you on the next flight although sometimes there will be a fee. Elite status members will have more options than those without status. Basic economy passengers may be less fortunate, but that is a risk when booking a low-cost fare.

What happens if you miss your flight on purpose?

Some travelers may choose to miss a flight on purpose; this is known as "hidden city ticketing." There's a service called Skiplagged that finds these tickets for travelers.

This is frowned upon by airlines , especially when some passengers book a connecting flight to a destination they have no intention of visiting to get a lower airfare.

If you do this, you are at risk of losing your frequent flyer account or being charged a higher fare to cover the original cost of the flights you do take. If you check a bag, your bag will continue on to the final destination.

What tools are helpful if you miss a flight?

Frequent travelers who pay for access to websites like ExpertFlyer will be able to more quickly determine their next steps after missing a flight. For example, American Airlines makes availability for a confirmed flight change visible via Expert Flyer. This can be helpful for AAdvantage members with elite status looking to make a fast confirmed change for later in the day.

If an airline won’t let you rebook later for free — for example on a basic economy ticket — consider using frequent flyer miles. Paying for a last-minute ticket in cash can be quite expensive , but your miles can serve as a backup. Websites like SeatSpy can prove helpful in a time crunch.

Keep in mind that many online travel agencies that show flight options may not include all budget carriers. If your original airline cannot get you on the next flight and you need to buy another, look directly at websites for airlines like Allegiant Air and Southwest. These can be cheaper, even at the last minute.

Can credit card travel insurance help if you missed your flight?

Some credit cards come with travel insurance , which can be a valuable perk when plans go awry.

However, coverage typically won't include oversleeping or procrastination. But insurance may cover situations when you were late to the airport due to public transportation delays, extreme weather or traffic issues not covered by an airline’s flat-tire considerations.

on Chase's website

on American Express' website

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 12 hours.

• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

• Baggage delay: Up to $100 per day for five days.

• Lost luggage: Up to $3,000 per passenger.

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 6 hours.

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per trip for delays more than 6 hours.

• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.

• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.

Terms apply.

Just remember to keep proof or any other records about the reason you were late for a flight to file with any travel insurance .

I missed my flight! A recap of what to do

You’re not the only person to have ever missed their flight for reasons within or beyond their control. Some airlines will get you on the next available flight (even if on standby). Others may charge a fee.

Your first steps should be to contact the airline, alert them that you are missing your flight and determine the next best alternative. It may be getting a standby flight, paying a change fee or asking for a travel credit. Not all of these options are possible for each ticket type (basic economy tickets are the most restrictive). But, being polite, patient and informed can work in your favor when you miss your flight.

Insurance Benefit: Trip Delay Insurance

Up to $500 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.

Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Insurance Benefit: Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance

The maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.

Insurance Benefit: Baggage Insurance Plan

Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Covered Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier Vehicle (e.g., plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an Eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked Baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per Covered Trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each Covered Person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip.

Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

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Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

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2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options

75,000 Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.

I Went On A Travel Date With A Total Stranger & Here Are 7 Important Things I Learned

“This sounds like a scam… or prostitution" is what pretty much everyone told me when I first decided to give travel dating a go . And truth be told, I thought the same thing. But I’d made it a personal goal to be more adventurous in my dating life this year… and when a PR firm offers to send you on an all-expenses paid getaway with a cute guy (separate hotel rooms included), you say yes.

Which is how I ended up embarking on not one, but two destination dates last month: the first with a complete stranger named Josh* (who — spoiler alert! — did not murder me), and the second with a guy named Peter*, whom I’d met in Paris and serendipitously found on travel dating site MissTravel a few weeks later (he didn’t murder me, either!).

For those who may not know, travel dating is kind of like Tinder, but instead of swiping right and left, you scroll through profiles — which also include photos and quick bios — and search by trip. In the case of MissTravel, users can create and list trips with a few key details: destination, specific dates, and whether you’ve got an “extra ticket” (i.e. you’re willing to cover your travel buddy’s expenses), have your “own ticket” (i.e. you’re taking this trip and would like for a date to tag along and cover their own expenses), or, most ambitiously, would like someone to “take you along” (i.e. you’d like to head out on this vacation and have someone else pay for the trip).

From there, you can match with and message other users based on how interested you are in jetting off with that person. Conversations are a bit more loaded than those you’d have on other dating sites or apps, with fewer games of “Would You Rather” and more “So, what’s your travel style?” But for the most part, it’s not crazy different.

Naturally, I now consider myself a low-key expert in travel dating. So here’s everything you need to know about foregoing first-date drinks to fly across the ocean with someone you barely know: highs, lows, and jet-lag-induced drooling included.

1. You've Got Options

For starters, you’ve got to decide which destination dating site or app to try. I’ve only ever used MissTravel, which basically invented travel dating, but there are tons of other sites and apps in this space now, including TravelHostDate , TourBar , and YourTravelMates .

Some are designed to help you connect with locals while exploring a new city; others are good for finding fellow vagabonds to sync up with on your next adventure. Your call.

2. Yes, It's Safe

Yes, heading off on a vacation with someone is a way bigger commitment than dinner and drinks. And no, unfortunately many of these apps do not verify users. But think of it in these terms: How often do you get to watch your date stroll through a metal detector or get a pat-down from the TSA? If you’re meeting a person at a far-away destination, be sure to touch base with the hotel staff in advance to ensure they’ve got your information (and I’d strongly recommend getting separate rooms). Many of these travel dating sites and apps also suggest Skyping, FaceTiming, or even grabbing coffee with your potential travel date (location permitting) to ensure you’re completely comfortable with each other before clicking “book.”

Other than that, I’d say follow standard Tinder protocol and you’ll be fine. Just trust your gut, stick to hanging out in public areas, and ask a friend to track your location from their phone (maybe spring for a temporary Wi-Fi pass or roaming cell phone plan as well).

3. And Yes, You Really Can Find A Handsome Stranger

A lot of travel dating sites were initially created for sugar daddy types to find young, hot business trip companions, which has given the whole concept a bit of a bad rap. But fret not — more and more millennials are joining these sites and apps; according to MissTravel, more than 400,000 18- to 35-year-olds have joined its site in the last two years alone.

Sure, you might have to scroll through a few pages of the aforementioned businessmen, but you’ll also find plenty of charming, adventurous gems; I can personally vouch for that. Josh (travel date one) was 28, with two master's degrees and Zayn Malik vibes; Peter (travel date two) was a hot 23-year-old I’d already met and clicked with at a bar in Paris (think Troy Bolton turned New York finance bro).

4. Don't Worry About Being Awkward

The (very) socially awkward side of me was panicking before my trips. Like, breaking-out-in-a-stress-rash level panicking. But both were surprisingly easy, and honestly, way less awkward than most Tinder dates I’ve been on. Because you’ve got so much time together, conversation lulling here and there is not only totally fine, it’s expected. And knowing you have 48 hours to fill gives you a steady stream of topics to cover as you plan your next move — i.e., would you rather have In ‘n Out for dinner, or head to The Mission for tacos? Should we spend the next few hours strolling through markets, or checking out a few museums? Socializing becomes way easier when you’re actually doing things, not just staring at each other’s faces over a charcuterie plate.

That said, Josh and Peter might tell you a different story here. I mean, I sensed virtually no awkwardness, but I’m also happy to chat about my appreciation for Voldemort in surprisingly intricate detail, so…

5. But Worry A Little About Jet Lag

I’ve been flying back and forth across the Atlantic pretty regularly for the past two decades (mostly for school), but jet lag still gets me every. Damn. Time.

Both of my dates involved adjusting my internal clock (the first was Boston to San Francisco; the second Boston to London), and I did a terrible job. As in, I fell asleep and drooled on Peter a few times and aggressively insisted on taking naps. Thankfully, both dates saw the merits of this (especially after the drooling). Keep that in mind when choosing a destination. If you’ve only got a couple of days to spare, maybe don’t travel across too many time zones (and if you do, well, remember that nap time is the best time).

6. You Can Try Out Different Travel Styles

Turning a trip into a first date (or visa versa) also gives you the chance to experience different travel styles. I typically travel solo, end up getting lost down random side streets, and spend an inordinate amount of time filling notebooks with my thoughts on a city. Josh, on the other hand, was all about seeing the top attractions: ensuring we didn’t miss a photo opp in front of the Golden Gate Bridge or hanging from the side of a trolley. And Peter — well, Peter and I were pretty much drunk for two days straight and somehow ended up on a boat. Or, as I affectionately dubbed it, “A magical island pub floating on the River Thames… LET’S GO TO THERE!”

Personally, I didn’t ask either date about their own travel styles before meeting up, as I’m generally pretty happy to go with the flow (especially the flow of the pub boat). But if you’re a more structured traveler, definitely chat through the details with your date to make sure they’re on the same page.

7. It's A Great Escape From Modern Dating

Modern dating is so focused on strategy and scheming, balancing "hard to get" with "I'm definitely interested in you." But the cool thing about travel dating is that it strips all of that away. In most cases (mine included), your dates exist in a vacuum: You live in different cities and have zero mutual connections, so why let the fear of coming on too strong, too weird, too excited about late-night Big Macs keep you from having a great time and enjoying each other’s company? Hold hands and mess with his hair! Knock back tequila shots and check out a burlesque club! Get lost in Shoreditch, London, at two in the morning! Who knows, you might hit things off and find a new lover.

Or maybe, like me, you’ll end up with some new friends, a phone full of photos, and little bit less of your liver.

*Names have been changed.

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MissTravel has a rating of 1.6 stars from 97 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about MissTravel most frequently mention fake profiles, credit card, and email address problems. MissTravel ranks 735th among Dating sites.

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“Really people.? Scammers?”

For all those men who say that this place has nothing but money hungry women trying to get a free trip...? This is literally a traveling /traveler lover dating site... what other type of people were you expecting? (respectfully)

“The men are the problem”

I completely 100% have no doubt that there are a ton of fake female profiles out there and scammers. With that being said I am a hot, normal, classy, REAL woman that will never use this sight ever again! I have had nothing bad experiences. It would be pretty awesome if there was a single guy on MT that treated the sight for its actual purpose. All these men want is a prostitute. I'm sure the reason they don't just go rent one for a week is because they're cheap! They'd have to pay for her time and the trip. By tricking an unsuspected regular girl into hooking for free essentially they're saving thousands I'm sure. Not to mention this site is filled with fat, dirty old men. I did end up meeting one guy for lunch. He was a poster child for the expression "thirsty" and actually started touching himself under the table! Ladies save yourself the hassle. A free trip isn't worth your safety and dignity!

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I joined this website about 5 years ago when it was still legitimate. Unfortunately it is now flooded with fake profiles, mostly from women from Eastern Europe and Africa. I report them but get absolutely no response from anyone at Miss Travel. The fake profiles are simple to spot: a) The self-description always omits subject pronouns: "am nice woman" "am 30 years old" b) the ethnicity is listed as "Native American" or "Mixed" c) the location is often listed as "Florida City" d) the person describes herself as "God fearing" and looking for "true love." e) phone numbers are given with requests to text them. In brief: don't waste your money.

• Comments (1)

Is there a membership cost?

How much does it cost, can the site admin ask all men to upload police criminal record checks so that the women feel safe that they are going out with bonified verified men., why would my a count beimited. i can't send messages,, can’t see your question ask to get answers from the misstravel staff and other customers..

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The leading online dating site for those with a passion for travel - find your ideal travel partner & explore more with MissTravel.com!

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MissTravel: Dating and Global Travel

Have you wished you had a special someone to explore the world with? You might want to check out MissTravel.com , an online dating site for travelers.

Headquartered in Las Vegas, MissTravel is among the new wave of dating sites that cater to specific lifestyles. Entrepreneur Brandon Wade founded the site in 2012 and serves as chief executive officer.

RewardExpert spoke with Hannah Dela Cruz, MissTravel’s public relations manager, about the site’s offer to add an extra dash of romance to your travels.

How Global Dating Works

“You can ask someone to travel with you around the world,” says Dela Cruz. As they do on other dating sites, users register on MissTravel, fill out a profile and browse profiles. The big difference is that dates can be set up far from home, even overseas.

Everything is coordinated through an online app, which is available on the website in iPhone or Android versions.

MissTravel has about 600,000 users in 135 countries. People who use the site are adventurous and eager to meet new people, says Dela Cruz.

“People use the site in different ways. They may go on activity dates or connect based on interests, such as meeting for snorkeling or a ski trip,” Dela Cruz says.

“We have users from around the world, including students and professionals,” says Dela Cruz. The ability to travel isn’t a requirement to join the site. Some use the site to find dates locally.

Who foots the bill on a long-distance first date? MissTravel gives members the option to offer to pay for both people, to split the costs, or to ask the other person to pay. According to Dela Cruz, the costs most often fall on men. Most men (80% on the site) are willing to foot the bill. Most of the women (70%) agree: he can pay.

Basic membership in MissTravel costs nothing, but men pay an extra $39.99 per month for premium features such as messaging. For women, premium features are free.

Success Stories

Dela Cruz says that successful matches have lasted longer than the trip. While user information is kept strictly confidential, she tells a story about a woman from Canada who traveled to South America to meet a date. Their initial spark has turned into a relationship that’s still going strong two years later.

“I’ve recommended it to my friends,” Dela Cruz says. “They love the experience. Actually, one of my friends met someone while on a trip to California.”

A web series, Love at First Flight , engages those who are curious about MissTravel. The episodes follow pairs of travelers in destinations such as Costa Rica, Cabo San Lucas and Las Vegas. For the series, MissTravel recruited men who are well known social media stars and paired them with women who were actual users of the website, says Dela Cruz.

Safety of Blind Dates Abroad

Paying airfare and lodging to entertain a stranger seems like a big risk. The couple may click, but naturally, there are concerns about safety.

One of these concerns is “catfishing,” where someone puts up a misleading profile on a dating site. MissTravel encourages users to get to know each other and recommends having an online video chat before buying any plane tickets.

MissTravel’s 24-hour support team monitors the site, but Dela Cruz also praises the website community, which is self-policing. Users can flag inappropriate language, pictures or behavior.

Travel Mileage or Points Offers

MissTravel knows the gifting of frequent flyer miles can happen among members. However, the site is focused on making love connections, not travel arrangements. If users want to share their miles or use partner coupons, MissTravel advises that they consult with their airline loyalty or rewards program for rules and fees.

Any time you travel, you have a chance to find something you’re looking for. MissTravel just might improve your odds if love is on your list.

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

UGC Disclosure: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

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All of our items are designed by us and made-to-order and shipped by our supplier from locations around the world. If there is a country or location you would like to see featured and it's not listed here, please let us know and we'll be happy to create it for you! Our website is in it's infant stages, so keep checking back as new items are added weekly.

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"Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.”"

Hey wanderlusters.

If you miss packing your suitcase, checking in, eating new food, making new friends, getting lost in foreign cities, stumbling through new languages, calculating exchange rates and exploring the unknown - imisstravel.ca is for you. Let's mope and reminisce together.

Unique Gift Ideas

If you don't know what gift to get for that travel-loving friend or co-worker who has been stir-crazy for a year, imisstravel.ca is for you too! Surprise them with a mug, t-shirt, hat or other accessory that expresses the feelings and memories we leave our favorite destinations with.

The last year has been rough, but we will be exploring the world again soon. Stay tuned for more travel-related content as we all wait for travel to be a thing again.

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” –  Gustave Flaubert

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What happens if you miss your connecting flight?

When you're reuniting with a loved one or landing at a destination you've always wanted to visit, the airport can be a place of great joy. But when you miss your connecting flight, it can be quite the opposite.

It's possible to miss a connecting flight for a variety of reasons, from things that are out of your control like weather, sickness, staffing and mechanical issues, to human error, such as when you lose track of time or booking flights with a too-tight connection window. Regardless of the reason, your No. 1 priority should be getting booked on a new flight and getting to your destination.

Here's how to get rebooked quickly and determine if you are eligible for compensation from the airline, along with some expert tips for avoiding this situation when it is in your control.

Getting rebooked on a new flight

As soon as you learn that you will miss your connecting flight, it's time to find a new way to get where you are going. It's best to start searching for available flights before you contact customer service — this can expedite the rebooking process.

"Anticipating you may need to rebook your flight if you miss your connection, it's best to start getting all of the information you need to rebook. Have your flight details, booking reference and personal ID ready, so you can rebook as soon as you're able to connect with the airline," Eric Napoli, chief legal officer of AirHelp (a company that helps passengers claim compensation for canceled and delayed flights), told The Points Guy.

Related: Flight canceled or delayed? Here's what to do next

Luckily, there are multiple options for getting in touch with your airline and getting rebooked.

If you are at the airport, you can visit your carrier's nearest customer service desk and speak with an agent to find a new flight. However, if your connecting flight was canceled, there may be dozens of other people attempting to do the same.

"If the line to speak with the airline staff is already long, passengers can contact the airline via phone, mobile app or social media. Many airlines can rebook over the phone or directly through their app, allowing passengers to bypass the line and get assistance even quicker," Napoli said.

Related: Don't wait on hold: Here's how to reach airline customer service quickly

Some airlines, including Delta Air Lines and American Airlines, have customer service phone numbers exclusively for loyalty members. These usually have shorter wait times than the general customer service numbers. If you booked your flight through a travel agent, you should reach out to them for assistance. Many airlines also now have live online chat or text functions that can save you time. Have those customer numbers handy.

There may also be an international phone number that will have shorter wait times.

If you have access to the airline's lounge, the larger clubs for Delta, American or United oftentimes have agents that can help rebook you as well. That is reason enough sometimes to make getting lounge access a priority for frequent travelers.

Related: Best credit cards for airport lounge access

If the airline cancels your connecting flight, it may automatically rebook you on the next available flight. If this happens, you should receive a text or push notification with the new flight information.

If you miss your flight and there are no additional flights that day with open seats, you may be able to stand by for a flight later that day. Policies vary per airline, but you can speak with a gate agent or customer service representative to be added to the waitlist.

If you cannot secure a new flight with your original carrier, you can search for alternate flights on a budget airline or use airline miles to book a last-minute ticket to your destination. In this scenario, you may not be eligible for any type of reimbursement, but it may be the quickest way to get where you are going.

If you know that you will miss your connecting flight while you are still on your first flight, don't wait until you land to take action. According to Napoli, you should speak with a flight attendant right away.

"The flight attendants are likely to have updated information about passengers' connecting flights," he said. "They can also advise on the flight's status, gate information and what to do once you land. In some cases, the flight attendant can inform the pilot or the ground crew about the situation to delay the departure of the connecting flight."

Diane Dupont, a flight attendant for French Bee, a low-cost, long-haul airline based in Paris, shared similar advice.

"As a flight attendant, I often get help requests on board concerning connecting flights. There are two ways in which we can help," Dupont said. "If the passenger booked their connecting flight with the same airline or a partner airline, we can begin assisting them right away and direct them to see a ground member when we land."

In some cases, if it's too late to book a connecting flight that day, the ground staff can help passengers book a hotel or find a flight departing on a later date.

"In the second scenario, if the passenger has yet to book the second flight with the same company, we try to find passengers with a tight connection an empty seat closer to the front or middle door to save them time when we disembark. In an A350-1000 with 480 passengers on board, you can gain up to 25 minutes when you disembark first compared to the last ones," she said.

Do you have to pay to change your flight if you miss your connection?

Depending on who is at fault for your missed flight (yourself or the airline), you may be able to secure a new flight without paying an additional fee. If you missed your connection because it was canceled or the first leg of your flight was delayed, you should be able to get on a new flight without penalty. If you were at fault, you may have to pay for your new seat.

When you speak to a customer service representative, ask them if the airline charges a rebooking fee or if you will have to pay a fare difference for your new flight. These situations are often addressed on a case-by-case basis, so even if you are at fault, the airline may take pity on you and rebook you without any additional charges.

If you booked your trip with a credit card that offers trip delay reimbursement or purchased a travel insurance policy , you may be eligible to claim covered change fees under your policy.

What happens to your checked baggage if you miss a connecting flight?

If you miss a connecting flight because of a delay or cancellation, the airline should automatically reroute your bag to your new plane if it rebooks the flight for you.

Related: Here's what happens if you miss your flight but you already checked a bag

If you are at fault for missing the connecting flight, your baggage may go on without you and you will need to visit the luggage services office at your final destination to collect your luggage.

Are you entitled to compensation or accommodations?

If the missed connection was within your control, you probably won't be eligible to claim compensation or accommodations like meals or a hotel stay. If you miss your connection because of a delayed or canceled flight , the airline may be required to provide you with things like meals and a hotel.

Compensation for domestic flights

If you miss your connecting flight because your original flight was delayed or the second leg of your flight was delayed overnight or canceled, you may be entitled to certain accommodations per the U.S. Department of Transportation's Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard .

While U.S. airlines aren't required to provide cash compensation for delayed or canceled flights, most will provide meal vouchers, hotel accommodations and ground transportation to affected passengers when the delay or cancellation is within the airline's control (such as when the delay or cancellation is due to something other than weather). You should be eligible to receive a meal voucher for a delay of three hours or more, but hotel accommodations and ground transportation are only available for overnight delays.

Related: Can I get flight delay compensation? These are the ways you qualify

However, this doesn't mean you can buy a surf-and-turf dinner or book a room at the nearest Four Seasons resort if your flight is canceled or delayed. You will need to speak with an airline customer service representative and follow their instructions for meals, hotel accommodations and ground transportation. Airlines often partner with hotels close to the airport to provide overnight stays to stranded passengers.

If the airline significantly delays (usually by three or more hours) or cancels your flight for any reason (including weather) and you choose not to accept the alternate flight offered, you are entitled to a refund for the unused portion of your ticket, per the DOT .

Compensation for international flights

For flights within the European Union, flights departing from the EU to the U.S. (and other countries), and the connecting flights you book within the U.S. are all eligible for compensation unless the delay was caused by "extraordinary circumstances." These circumstances include weather, political strife, air traffic control decisions that are out of the airline's control and security risks.

"Missing a connecting flight is a nightmare setback on a long journey," Napoli said. "But if you are traveling to or from Europe you might be protected by regulation EU261. If you miss a connecting flight due to a flight delay, cancellation or being denied boarding, you could be entitled to up to 600 euros compensation. A simple way to find out if you are owed compensation is to use AirHelp's eligibility checker ."

Trip interruption insurance

Trip delay insurance may help in the case of a missed connection. Some credit cards come with built-in trip delay reimbursement that can help you recoup reasonable costs incurred from a significant delay or cancellation and other reasons, including illness.

The required length of the delay and the maximum coverage amount varies per card, but these built-in policies come in handy for weather-related delays that airlines don't provide accommodations for or miscellaneous expenses like clothing or toiletries.

For example, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® have trip interruption reimbursement policies that cover eligible expenses of up to $500 per ticket for delays of six hours or more.

If you purchased an optional travel insurance policy , you should also be able to submit a claim for reimbursement for a missed connection, though what is considered a "covered event" varies per policy.

For any of these, be sure to keep the receipts (and take photos of them for backup) to expedite the reimbursement process when you file a claim.

How to avoid missing a connecting flight

Some missed connections can't be avoided, like when the airline cancels your flight due to bad weather or when the first leg of your flight is delayed. But, to avoid controllable missed connections, you need to give yourself enough time to travel through the airport from your arrival gate to your departure gate.

According to Napoli, the timing depends on the airport, the airline and whether it's a domestic or international flight. "For domestic flights, one hour is the minimum I would recommend," he said. One and a half or two hours would be best to provide a buffer for any unexpected flight disruptions. For international flights, one and a half to two hours is the minimum I would recommend. However, three hours is ideal for international flights."

Dupont recommends an even bigger buffer. "If passengers are traveling on a long-haul flight with the same company, I recommend two hours between the flights," she said. "But if the second flight is on another airline, I would schedule more time, about four hours, in case of a delay. Also, due to international flying requirements, passengers need to allow time for baggage claim and rechecking bags if they checked a bag while flying there."

There are times when the airline will show you flight options with connection times under an hour. Keep in mind that just because you can book these flights doesn't mean you should . If there are any hiccups with the first leg of your flight, you may not have enough time to make it to your connecting gate.

If you are dealing with an ongoing flight delay, it's important that you stay near your gate and check in about every 15 minutes. If the flight is able to leave earlier than expected and you aren't near the gate at the new departure time, you could find yourself left behind.

Bottom line

No matter how carefully you plan or how often you travel, it's still possible to miss a connecting flight. The good news is that most airlines already have procedures in place to help you get on a new flight as quickly as possible and provide compensation to eligible travelers.

Related reading:

• Missed your flight? Here's what to do
• My flight left without me — here's what happened, so it doesn't happen to you
• Here's what happens if you miss your flight but you already checked a bag
• Can I get flight delay compensation? These are the ways you qualify

Homesick Queenslanders from the country want higher healthcare travel subsidies

By Chloe Chomicki

By Emily Dobson

ABC North Qld

Topic: Health

Ms Stanford says she appreciates the scheme but every long trip to access health care leaves her out of pocket. ( ABC North West Queensland: Emily Dobson )

In short:  

Advocates say subsidies for Queensland patients who travel hundreds of kilometres multiple times each year to access health care are falling short.

Eligible Queensland patients can currently claim $70 per night and 34c per kilometre travelled.

What's next?  

The National Rural Health Alliance is calling on the Queensland government to fully reimburse patients for travel costs as a state election looms.

Sylvia Stanford hoped to mark her wedding anniversary by sharing a fresh piece of barramundi with her husband at their home in Queensland's remote gulf country.

But one of Ms Stanford's many health complications meant the Royal Flying Doctor Service had to take her hundreds of kilometres from her Karumba home for medical treatment.

"I'm a professional patient now," she joked outside Mount Isa hospital.

"I think I might be eligible to apply for frequent flyer points."

Since Ms Stanford was diagnosed with bladder cancer, long hospital stays far from home have become common.

Though she tries to make light of her situation it is taking a toll.

In the past week, Ms Stanford has celebrated her birthday and wedding anniversary in hospital. ( ABC North West Queensland: Emily Dobson )

"I miss my husband and our daughter," the 74-year-old admitted.

"I know the answer is move closer to a major hospital, but the thing is my life is Karumba, I'm happy in Karumba and I want to die in Karumba.

"Community is as important as family to me."

Subsidy scheme 'not a gift'

Ms Stanford was most recently flown to Mount Isa with an infection.

For cancer treatment, her 79-year-old husband Graham drives her 900km to Townsville, four times a year.

Rural patients like her can access the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme (PTSS) to claim 34 cents per kilometre for petrol and $70 per night for accommodation.

The NWHHS called for local feedback on the patient travel subsidy scheme earlier this year. ( ABC North West Queensland: Emily Dobson )

But National Rural Health Alliance chief executive Susi Tegen said the PTSS was barely scratching the surface.

"It gives people an opportunity to get some money, but does it support the patient enough? No," she said.

"I understand it's a subsidy, but they are getting a subsidy to cover part of a service that they should already be getting.

"If you can't supply a service, you should cover the cost, it's not a gift."

Ms Tegen says accessing health care should be made as simple as possible for rural patients. ( Supplied: National Rural Health Alliance )

Ms Tegen has called for the Queensland government to fully reimburse patients for the cost of travel and review the PTSS every six months to ensure it matched inflation.

Ms Stanford said full reimbursement would alleviate pressure on her budget.

At the very least, she wanted the fuel subsidy increased and taxi fares to be covered.

"Keeping up with inflation is a big headache for a lot of pensioners," she said.

Patients and advocates are calling for relief at the October state election. ( ABC Southern Queensland: David Chen )

'Heartbreaking conversations'

Despite the cost of travel, Ms Stanford has kept up with her appointments but she knew people who did not.

"I know one friend has refused hip replacements because he can't afford it," she said.

Brisbane advocate Justine Christenson runs an online community helping patients navigate the subsidy scheme and said many people were forgoing crucial treatment.

"I'm contacted by people throughout Queensland just for recommendations on subsidised accommodation or navigating the process," she said.

"Some of the hardest conversations I have had are with people who have said, 'It's all too hard', 'I am better off staying at home', 'It'll cost me too much money'.

"It is heartbreaking and it's a frequent conversation."

Ms Stanford says her life is in the Gulf and moving closer to coastal hospitals isn't an option. ( ABC North West Queensland: Emily Dobson )

Ahead of the October state election, Katter's Australia Party, which could hold the balance of power after the poll, has campaigned for PTSS subsidies to be doubled. 

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said the Labor government had delivered a 13 per cent increase to mileage subsidy rates and boosted the scheme by $70.3 million.

"This year we abolished the 'four-night rule', meaning that patients can access subsidised accommodation from day one when they travel for health care," the minister said.

"We are always engaging with local stakeholders and patient advocates on this issue to hear directly about improvements that can be made to the scheme."

LNP MP and opposition health spokesperson Ros Bates said an Queensland Audit Office report of First Nations health outcomes tabled in parliament last year highlighted the need to increase PTSS subsidies.

"The Auditor-General said it in black and white, Queensland Health has not acted to improve the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme," Ms Bates said.

"The LNP is committed to empowering local doctors and nurses and that includes delivering more health services in regional Queensland."

The report stated that while the PTSS fully covered the cost of commercial travel, the fixed accommodation subsidy could leave patients significantly out of pocket.

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Best fall deals on Tumi backpacks, duffels and more for fall travel

By Carolin Lehmann , Nina Bradley , Kaylyn McKenna

Edited By Leslie Gornstein , Fox Van Allen , Nina Bradley

Updated on: September 5, 2024 / 4:46 PM EDT / Essentials

CBS Essentials is created independently of the CBS News editorial staff. We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms.

If you've got a fall vacation on the books, we have great news: We've found great prices on Tumi luggage . This is a luggage  brand whose sales are, to put it mildly, popular and rare. Right now, the high-end luggage brand has some steep discounts on select styles, including duffel bags, suitcases and totes of varying sizes and more.

Tap the button below to score some epic Tumi deals before your upcoming travel , or read on for our expert-curated Tumi deals.

Tumi 19 Degree short trip packing case: Save $145

The Tumi expandable packing case is a great option for short trips and weekend getaways. It includes zip entry to the main compartment, expandable zippers, compression straps and a luggage tag. The four spinner wheels and three-stage telescoping handle make maneuvering simple, while the integrated lock provides extra security. It also features a warranty.

What we like about the Tumi 19 Degree packing case:

• It has a lightweight and durable design with practical features for easy use.
• It offers smooth maneuverability with four spinner wheels.

Tumi McLaren Just In Case duffel: Save $71

The versatile Just In Case duffel bag combines function and durability, featuring a double-zip main compartment, convenient shoulder straps, top handles and an additional adjustable shoulder strap for various carrying options.

This Tumi McLaren duffel is currently $279, reduced from $350.

Why we like the Tumi Mclaren Just In Case duffel:

• It offers multiple ways to carry comfortably.
• The sturdy nylon exterior is easy to maintain.

Tumi Sport Excursion backpack duffel: Save $240

The Tumi Sport Excursion backpack duffel is a versatile and durable bag designed for carry-on or active lifestyles. The main compartment features a zip closure while the water-resistant bottom compartment helps separate items. There are multiple front pockets for easy access to necessities and adjustable backpack straps that can be tucked away when not in use.

Why we like the Tumi Sport Excursion backpack duffel:

• The water-resistant bottom compartment of this travel backpack  is perfect for keeping wet and dry items separate.
• Adjustable backpack straps can be tucked away allowing the use of leather handles for versatile carrying options.

Harrison Avondale top zip brief: Save $111

The Avondale top zip brief organizes work essentials, accommodating up to a 16-inch laptop. The exterior features a zip closure, leather top handles, a removable shoulder strap, two zip pockets, an add-a-bag strap and a luggage tag. There's also a padded laptop pocket, zip pocket, open pockets, card pockets, pen loops and a key leash. This brief includes the Tumi Tracer for tracking lost or stolen items, and warranty.

What we like about the Harrison Avondale top zip brief:

• This design fits up to a 16-inch laptop, making it ideal for work.
• The removable shoulder strap, add-a-bag strap and Tumi Tracer provide added convenience and security.

Carolin Lehmann is an expert in health, fitness, furniture, apparel, gift guides and books for CBS Essentials. She's always testing new products to recommend. Some of her current favorites include Stanley cups and Alo Yoga workout sets.

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“As many as 10 people were trying to assist, trying to smash the window.”

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