Travel Smarter: Hacks, Deals, and Spiritual Journeys with Tyler Diehl (The Velvet)

Published Jan 29, 2025, 8:00 AM

Kelly catches up with entertainment travel agent Tyler Diehl for a much-needed travel reboot. After sharing her own booking nightmare with third-party sites, Kelly and Tyler dive into why those shortcuts aren’t worth it—and what to do instead. Tyler shares insider tips on how to maximize travel points, score the best deals, and avoid common travel pitfalls. Plus, they explore the future of travel, Tyler’s favorite destinations, and how travel can be more than just a trip—it can be a spiritual experience.

Socials: 

@tjdiehl

Travel Socials:

@erikankullberg

@thepointsguy 

Tyler's Favorite Spots: 

Heckfield Place

The Dolder Grand  

 

HOST: Kelly Henderson // @velvetsedge // velvetsedge.com

Conversations on life, style, beauty, and relationships. It's The Velvet's Edge Podcast with Kelly Henderson.

Okay, we are recording now. It's always so interesting when I'm doing podcasts with friends because some of my actual like podcast technique goes out the window. So we'll see what's about to happen, y'all. My good friend Tyler Deal is here and he is a travel agent with Zapdog Travel. You've actually been on the podcast before. Hi, Ti, Hi, You're like you're one of the OG guests. I feel way backway.

I actually I end up being like anonymous callers. Every now and then.

Too, we get random voicemails. We haven't been using our voicemail system as much. I need to actually go check that and see what's happening.

You should check it.

Oh boy, there's probably some gifts for me if you follow me on Instagram. I recently went on a rant about Expedia. I had some really bad travel well dynamics happened with them over the holidays, and I had to eat my words because Tyler told me multiple years ago, do not ever book through a third party, and so whenever I was going on this rant and I'll get more into like the Expedia story in a minute for those of you who don't didn't see that on Instagram. But we went back after that happened and we were thinking about our first podcast. It kind of came back up because again Tyler had warned me never to use third party travel for booking, and we were like, whoa, the whole travel world has changed immensely because that was pre COVID. So we're going to kind of get into some of the same topics, but the updated version, and Tyler's going to give tips on easy ways to travel, tips that we should know if you're thinking of booking a big trip, how things have changed over the years. But you actually do entertainment travel, which is how we know each other. So explain to the listeners what you do and how you got into this.

When I was living in Los Angeles, I was working in hotels as an entertainment sales manager, which is kind of like when you go and travel, someone is calling the entertainment sales manager at that hotel to get the groups set up. Okay, so they're specifically in charge of the entertainment industry.

Okay.

So that's that's what I was doing in hotels.

So there's like a specific rep for that at each hotel.

Not every hotel, but like the nicer hotel, bigger ones, yeah, boutiques. Yeah. And so part of that job was me going to travel agencies and basically selling the hotel, here's our property, this is what we have, this is what we can do for you, and then hoping that that agency would push some of their bookings to our property.

Okay, So that.

Kind of introduced me to the travel agent world because I didn't before that. I didn't know anything about it. And I went to school for hotel restaurant management really even mentioned I.

Didn't even know that was the thing either, hotel restaurants. I mean, I get, I's just like I don't know that you can major in that.

Oh my gosh. Yeah, yeah, it's pretty wild. So I was seeing these travel agencies, and I think a lot of people have an idea in their head of what a travel agent is or does. Yeah, you know, you think of like someone sitting with like a headset and they're booking a cruise or we've talked about this before, but that's not what I was seeing. I was seeing these like younger people driving these really nice cars, and I.

Was like, what is it?

Like, I didn't understand what was happening. Yeah, so I just got tuned in, I guess. And then an opportunity came up. One of the agents that I was visiting she was hiring an assistant. And it was kind of crazy because I was on a track and I decided to leave this like secure, you know, situation of a steady paycheck and health insurance and all that to go work for her as her assistant to learn that side of our business. And it just went from there. I worked for her for a little while. She's crazy, but she did teach me a lot, and she was like old school Hollywood, like she worked on like Dances with Wolves.

Oh my God, some really big favorite movie.

And because of her, really I got moved into the entertainment space. And then I went out on my own and I've been on my own ever since. That was in twenty fourteen, twenty thirteen. I had an office in Beverly Hills and then you know, now I'm in Nashville. I've worked on big budget movies and I do a lot of music touring and there's more to it than just that. But it's like the bulk of it is, you know, moving the tours around from city to city, and the crew and people like you.

I don't That's what I don't think a lot of people understand about. Like the music industry is a great example, for instance, with all this touring, you don't really think about all of the pieces that go into that puzzle on a day to day and when you show up in the job, like either one of ours, and you see all of the people and all of the pieces. I mean, there is so much that goes into people seeing, especially these big stadium shows and stuff, and you're kind of at the beginning stages of that. So what kind of thing are you booking like rooms, flights, all of that stuff for the tours?

All of it? Yeah, I mean everything from you know, the plane ticket to the hotel room, to the greeter at the airport, at the car service that's picking up the talent and taking them, you know, to dropping them off backstage waiting for them. I mean we basically anything that falls under the umbrella of.

Travel, movement basically, yeah, yeah, movement from one place to another.

And it is really crazy, like when you see the big picture, like you said, you know, somebody goes to a two hour long movie or a two and a half three hour show, but like all the work that went into just that show is just so wild.

It is wild. What's the craziest request you've ever gotten or kind of demand you've had to fulfill in the line of work that you do.

There have honestly been so many.

And like you can't even pick one.

I I thought about this before. I wish I had like written them down along the way. I used to have a sheet that I would write like ridiculous things that people said and we would laugh about it, and that I don't know where that is now. But some of the weird or like out there requests. There was a pop musician who every time we did rental cars for her, we would have to reserve like three to four different options so that when.

Oh boy, and.

Like calling your hurts rep and like talking to them about this, of course they're like rolling their eyes, right, but you do it, you make it happen, So that that was up there. She also had a weird like nothing could have a scent, so if she would get into a car service and like the driver head on cologne, you would get out, oh boy, need another car.

Was this pre pandemic or post.

This was post Actually wow, because.

I do feel like, and we'll get into some of the other big changes. I feel like after the pandemic, some of the diva behavior has had to go. That's been my experience because everyone's been a little shut down in the world that I work in. Obviously it's country, and so maybe people are a little more chill. I don't know, the pop world seems a little more diva, but it feels like after the pandemic, people kind of got to grasp on yo, that's not important, like get some perspective.

I don't know if I would fully agree, but like maybe that is your experience, but I have kind of experienced pretty much the opposite. Oh really, COVID was it forced everybody to slow down, well not everybody, but most people to stop and just kind of like take a breath and like really look inward. Yeah, And I my biggest hope during COVID was that we were going to come out of it and people were going to be a little more relaxed because there's some bad behavior We're lent around COVID, And I think some people got the memo, but then some people like double down. Yeah, and what happened was the customer service aspect after COVID has changed. I think before COVID, we were still functioning on that customer is always right, and that is not the case anymore. And you see push back from people in customer service jobs when people are behaving badly or whatever, or even not behaving badly. You know, people are just fed up. And so so all of a sudden you have these people who double down after COVID, and now they're met with the customer service agent who is not entertaining that behavior. So it's been this like and I've seen a lot of that, and I actually have been like the last couple of years, We've all been through it. But like even myself with some of the people that I was working with, I was like, this isn't really lining up with like what I want to be doing or who I want to be dealing with. I mean, I've made some changes too. I do think the country world is a little.

Different, Yeah, a little more so.

It's softer.

Yeah, well you brought up obviously customer service, which is the perfect transition into my Expedia round own. So when we recorded, I think it was twenty eighteen when the podcast first started, or maybe the beginning of twenty nineteen that we were first discussing these things, and you literally said to me, straight up, verbatim, do not ever book through a third party site. And I was like, okay, okay, I hear you. Your reasoning being, if something goes wrong you can't really get in touch with anyone that can make changes for you, then the hotel or the airline is out of luck with helping you too, because you booked through this third party. And I heard you, I believed you, but I hadn't experienced it for myself, and so I think I still was taking shortcuts on some things. And that's what that feels like to me. It's like if you go into I mean, my experience is Expedia. So I'll say that if I go into plug in something into that, it makes it a lot easier for me. It takes out some of the research things like that, and so I would just do it a lot of times they advertise lower prices.

You know.

I didn't do this all the time, but if I was going somewhere like I was over the holidays where I had never been, it just felt like it made it a little easier. However, my experience the customer service piece that you just mentioned is exactly right. There was no at all like customer service, the customer's right, Oh, we see where you could have read our tiny little fine print in that vein and applied it in a different way than we meant it. There was none of that. They didn't care. It was fair, but yeah, exactly like, seems like you're out of luck, but you're still paying for two nights even though you're staying for one. And that was the instance, and it became this thing where I was like, I don't even care about the money. It's the principle of how much they don't care and how much I am proving my point of the misleading website information and they just didn't care. It was very much like if I would prove a point, oh well, you didn't look at this part and that part. And it was like when I say fine print teeny tiny in the background of some eight emails that I didn't get or you know whatever, and they didn't care. And so I texted you and I was like, wow, you are right. So let's talk through third party sites and give people maybe the inside that you gave me before, but also with how things are now a little different, Like why would you say don't use a third party site.

When you're booking with those third party sites, you're basically booking with them and not the hotel or airline or whatever. Yeah, so, like hotels participate in those because they kind of have to because so many people use them. It would be missed revenue if those hotels didn't participate. But it's low rates, soout making a lot of money. It's just the volume. And they just don't touch those reservations. I mean even years ago when I was working in hotels still, I would go print in a rival's list and I would see who was coming in that day and how they booked the reservation. So I could see like, oh, came from this travel agency in Nashville, Oh, Kelly Henderson booked through booking dot Com. And the ones that came in through the third party website, like you.

Just don't touch them.

Don't touch them.

They're at the bottom of the list.

And if you got to the hotel, yeah, literally, And if you got to the hotel and there was an issue, they would most likely refer you back to the website that you use.

Well that's what kept happening. But then the website like Expedia, would then say, oh, well, this is the hotel's issue. So they were both sending me back and forth, and it became very apparent to me nobody actually gives a shit about my travel booking. They were just like, yeah, we're not going to deal with you. Like Expedia very much was like we got your money. And then the hotel was very much like what you're saying. I was at the bottom of the list, and it was easy for them to be like, you didn't book through us, So we're not making this our problem. This is a you problem.

Yeah, yeah, totally. So. I don't think those websites are all bad. I think what you were saying earlier about I take some of the research work away. I agree with you. If you don't know much about where you're going, or like what flights operate in that destination or whatever, if you want to look around on those websites, right, that is totally cool. And even if you know, you find a hotel that you like and it's saying that's a little cheaper there than it is on the hotel's website. A lot of times the nicer hotels. If you call and ask to talk to someone in reservations or even sales, just kind of explaining what's happening, they'll try to work with you, maybe honor that rate that you're seeing Expedia or whatever, or meet you in the middle. Some of them won't, but I used to do that. I would tell people if I had a corporate account or something and they're like, hey, our rate is two hundred, but I see a one hundred and fifty dollars rate on Expedia. I would just honor the Expedia rate for them. So, like I said, it differs from hotel to hotel, and like, that's not going to happen at like a you know, two hundred dollars a night price point, probably right, because if you call the Court air by Marriott or the Hilton Garden In or whatever, they're like, what are you talking about? So it's that really only works when you get to like a certain level of property.

But it's nice to have in your back pocket, and like what you're saying about, you can still utilize those sites for research. And here's the thing. In the past, I would never have said utilize a business and not pay them. But because of how bad my experience was. Like I'm not even exaggerating, you guys, this is how adamant I feel about this. I will in the future use them as research platforms, but I'm not going to ever book again through a third party, Like I might get the information, but then I'm always going to either call the hotel, call the airline and book direct and Expedia. If you're listening, this is what you get. Like that is literally like you treat people like shit and this is how things will happen. When I posted about that, even I had so many dms saying the same thing, and so I think it's like we all have to unite because they're treating their customers like shit.

Sadly, I don't think they're going to go anywhere. Yeah, I mean, they'll always be a thing. But to try to smell the word mean awareness.

Podcast, it's all about what's the biggest myth that you would say about people booking online? Like why do we think that that seems like such a good idea versus actually maybe even using a professional or utilizing someone like you, Do you think there's a myth like why do we do that?

I think it was like it was good marketing, and it was kind of sold to people is like come here, we have it for cheaper and it's all here. It's for the masses.

Yeah, I mean, like, yeah, I.

Don't think people in that are doing corporate travel and entertainment industry travel and like high end leisure travel, like they're not using those sites. It's people like, you know, taking their vacation Myrtle Beach every summer or like that.

That kind of right, So you want something easy. I think it's like one thing I realized about our society, and I think we're seeing this in a lot of different places, is that we want things that are easier, you know, And that's why influencers blew up the way they did. You're like, tell me how to live my life to make it easier. Take the like research out for me, take the time out, just tell me what to do so I don't have to think about it because I'm so overloaded in my life. And so maybe things like those sites have grown because of that. It takes out the extra effort, it seems, until something goes wrong exactly.

Yeah, And I mean it probably is lovely if everything goes as it should, sure, yeah, but when it goes wrong, it goes it goes.

Really really wrong. Well, let's talk about how travel has changed since the last time we did the podcast. I know, obviously we've kind of touched on the fact that the pandemic happened, and you had this idea like, Okay, the world has shut down, so one we're getting a reframe on what's important. And two when you can't travel, it seems like you would just be so excited and grateful and happy to have any sort of travel experience. But the world has changed, so we need to be more patient and understanding. But what's been the truth about post pandemic travel.

Well, like, right after when things started to open back up, it was a bit of a struggle. Like there weren't rental cars to be had anywhere. Like it was really not that there were all these like weird things, and like people weren't fully staffed, and it was just so there were so many issues, and like travel came roaring back because people wanted to go places of course. Yeah, so it was pretty challenging and I think, like I had said earlier, some people like doubled down on the bad behavior and when it was met with all of you know, those staffing shortages and things like that, like hotels took away, like room service and just like weird things that you don't think about. It made things difficult. I would say that it's normalized at this point, but it's not really the same. I don't think we'll ever go back to what it was before. But good things did come out.

Of it, Okay, tell us the good things.

Well, airlines, a lot of them used to charge like the two hundred dollars change fee if you needed to you like switch your flight or something that went away. I mean there still is some change fees on like international stuff, but as a whole, there isn't. That doesn't really exist anymore.

I don't think I realized that was a pandemic thing, a pandemic change. I guess that airlines needed business. So they were like, yeah, so well you were talking earlier about the movement of people and how you know, we just have these high expectations and I think we thought after COVID, surely people are going to have better behavior, and it almost was like the opposite.

Of course, Yeah, I think it just got worse and.

Like impatience or what do you see.

Yeah, I do think that there have been more delays and disruptions.

It does seem that way with airlines specifically.

Yeah, that's at least what I said see and people are just like everybody is just so ready to be angry, and it's like you're not the only one that can't get to their destination. Like that's all just chill for yelling, yelling at the ground crew or the gate agent. Like it's not going to get you anywhere because people don't people don't respond to that anymore. I feel like before you could kind of yell and maybe get your way, and that's not really a thing anymore. You're going to get yourself into a deeper hole if you're you know, mistreating someone. But people just aren't willing to be flexible. What I have seen though, And I actually kind of like this. Some clients will book a flight and they also book a backup.

Can delays happen or things like that.

Yeah, yeah, like if it's like a where they have to be there, and like it's if they you know, that flight doesn't take off or they miss it or whatever, So I do book more of that. Now, Okay, you can't do that on the same airline, but you know, you can use another airline as a backup option and then just buy a refundable fare and refund that if you don't need it.

Basically, what I'm hearing you say is be prepared and be flexible. So be prepared for delays and disturbances to your travel, and then also be flexible have a backup plan kind of thing.

Yeah, and like as soon as we're done here, we're driving to the airport, flying to New York, and any anytime I travel now, I just kind of I mean, I want it to go smoothly and everything to be on time and all of that, but like I just kind of mentally prepare for it to not be smooth because it might not be and it's a.

Little extra meditation maybe.

Exactly, It's not the end of the world either, so.

Right, we have lived through work said this life than your flight being delayed, Okay, so get some perspective, have a backup plan, and then also just prepare for there to be delayed so that you're not like mentally and emotionally so you're not freaking out if that does happen. I love that tip. Let's do a little more Like I love these travel hacks. What are some common mistakes you see people make when they're booking travel.

Booking basic economy on the airlines, What does that even mean? The airlines ruled this out a couple of years ago, okay, before the pandemic. It's another fair category, so it's their cheapest okay, and it will say somewhere on their website like basic economy, but it's usually kind of small. They don't look at that. They see like the cheaper price and they're like, oh, you know, let's go with that. But it's super restrictive, so that way you can't change it. If you want to change it, you basically forfeit the amount of that ticket. You don't get a seat assignment until like you check in, you're at the airport, there's restrictions on baggage. Like it's just such a mess, and we actually have a like an overlay in or system that doesn't even let you pull that price or book the basic economy ticket because it's so problematic. I've had people like, similar to your Expedia story, book a basic economy ticket and then like lose their mind because they can't do it, make any change it, and the airline will basically like you booked it it said everything was there in the.

Fine print is giving total trauma or memory media.

So that I would say is a big one because you know, people don't know. They go on, well, we.

See cheapest and that's what we're gonna go with.

Yeah, but a lot of times, most of the time, it's not really that much cheaper. It's like twenty to maybe fifty bucks cheaper. It's like not worth it.

So that's like emotional and a mental fee that would be worth it to pay. Yeah, I do find that with travel it's hard because obviously, especially if you're doing a big trip, you want to cut costs anywhere you can, because the costs add up very fast, especially on big trips. But really a lot of times it ends up not being worth it because you'll end up coming across problems, you can't make changes, and it puts such a damper on your trip. When that's the experience that truthfully, the mental and emotional fee of whatever that is is kind of worth it if you can afford it. Yeah, So definitely don't book the basic economy for reasons. Like we've discussed before, don't book through a third partying. It's all about changes and difficulty with that. It sounds like.

I've always said this, but like I get to the airport on the earlier side, not like crazy, but I know you like to play a little closer than me.

It's not that I like to, it's just it's a thing you're wiring problem. I literally could have all the time in the world, and somehow I'll find a way to be late for something.

You're like the scene and home alone when they're running.

Through, and sometimes it works and I'm like, nailed it. You know, Yeah, I got there later than everyone. I didn't waste a lot of extra time. But the times where it's stressful, it's really stressful.

Yeah, And see I get so worked up like stuff like that. So I just don't put myself in the situations. Yeah. So I'm all about getting to the airport early, although I'd have to say that probably all of my clients don't right as much as much as I say do they don't.

But yeah, so I have noticed that since COVID we need to allot a little more time, Like it seems like everything just moves a little slower. It was really bad right after the pandemic. Do you think it's gotten a little better? But especially here in Nashville, like our airport's grown, you really do have to add in traffic time getting around things like that. So do you think it's about knowing your city, knowing your airport, and maybe giving yourself that little extra bit of time. I'm gonna work on that, you know, it's a constant work in progress on that.

I know you have gotten better, I will say.

Sometimes I don't know, you know, I always hear about people being like, oh, I got upgraded or I got this extra perk. Do you have any tips for people like me who just I don't even know where to look for that stuff or how to go about that, Like, what would you say is a good way to set yourself up to get an upgrade, have a better travel situation, things like that.

I mean, it all comes down to how much you're traveling. Okay, so you know, if you're taking a few flights a year, like domestically, you're not going to get upgrades and you're not gonna have a high status or anything like that. Those people, I think you just have to pay to have that experience. But people that travel frequently somewhat frequently should really pick an airline that they enjoy and that they've had a good experience on and just try to stick with that airline to get to a level of status, and then once you're there, then you get to enjoy things like free bags or potential upgrades, lounge access. The other thing is that there are credit cards out there that will kind of get you some of this stuff. I think the airline loyalty programs are literally ever changing, like they just constantly all the time, and I think some changes are good. Like Delta has it used to be that you could essentially just like buy your way into their lounges with a credit card with the Delta American Express. They've changed the program so now you have to have like the the top card, like the Reserve to get you lounge access. But those things do help. I mean that I have the Delta Reserve Amex okay, and Brian has the American Airlines MasterCard, so like we get lounge access with American and with Delta and the free bags.

And saying like as a couple, it's a really good thing to invest in two different I think that's great.

The split the points, yeah, yeah totally, and we travel like separately, you know, And he has switched over to American, like he he's got status for life on American because of his years and then the music business flying place. But yeah, so, like there are credit cards out there that and I'm not an expert on all of them. There are quite a few. But I just went with the reserve ax with Delta because I have pretty much always been a Delta person. I have status on Delta, so it just felt like the right choice. But you know, outside of those things, I have joked about this with friends in the industry, I feel like you just have to pay now to make travel. Traveling is kind of miserable.

It's not cush like it used to be.

No, Like I hate going to the airport. I hate I just people are on their worst behavior, Like it's not really fun.

That's really funny coming from a person who works in the travel industry.

Yeah, I know, I know. So I think you know there are things you can do they have to pay for that make the experience a little better, and I do the I do those things usually now when we travel because.

Peace of mind. Yeah, I want to circle back to the credit card thing. Like I was saying to you before we did this podcast, Yes, I actually want a new credit card. I want to switch because, like you said, some of these points and the card that I currently have, they've changed their program so much that I don't feel like I'm benefiting anymore. And so I was going to look into, Okay, which card would be best suited for me. So that's a great tip of pick one airline like pick or pick one kind of hotel properly, like a Marriott, a Hilton, whatever, all of those properties, and stick with it because you'll get the most points throughout a year. But didn't you tell me there's a certain place that you've gone, Like that guy with the points guy or something.

Oh yeah, he's on Instagram. I think it's just the points Guy. And he also does a blog or has like a website with all kinds of information like h'll he talks about like the new aircraft that whatever airline is rolling out, and like the gets into the specifics and it's really informative. And he talks about credit cards too, and like the frequent flyer programs and the changes and the pros and cons. He's definitely one that I follow. There's also I believe a website called nerd wallet.

Oh I've seen nerd wallet. Yeah, and it.

Does like comparisons in it. I think you can like filter out like travel and it'll pull the best like travel cards and what the perks are, and because there are others out there, like Chase has a good one, but I think it's kind of like a broad just it's it's not specific to any like brand I don't believe. Okay, so they're out there, but no one should be using like a debit card or you know what.

I mean, figure out to do that.

I never really understood that until this job. But you absolutely should be points and using them for something.

The way I always do it is because I know a lot of people are like, well I don't like to use credit cards. We'll just pay it off every month, like use it like a debit card, but make the payment after so that you get the points too.

The amx app like it literally if you if you open up the app, it'll have like the charge that you just made on you know whatever, and it has a pay now like oh it's lyrically just but.

You're getting the points. Yeah, okay, that's a great tip. So the points guy is a good one in nerd wallet. That's so interesting. I literally got an email from them or a ping from them or something this week, so you go check those out. Personally. We did talk a little bit about all this changes Southwest is making because in our last podcast I was such an avid Southwest person at that point because the clients that were traveling me for work, they all flew Southwest, and so I had high status. And it does change, like your whole entire experience if you have, like with South left West, it's like a list or a list preferred, or I had a companion pass for a while where I got someone could fly with me for free at all times, which is crazy. I mean, all of these benefits, but you were very anti Southwest.

I threw some shade in that part.

I totally did. It's changed, though, I think this is what we've seen with all of the airlines. I think it fluctuates, and Southwest went through some big problems for a while with their booking system. I think everything crashed, and so now they're even changing to seat assignments, which is totally different. Have you seen any other big changes. I know we always talk about too that Southwest you don't have to pay for bags, But isn't it kind of just like equal across the board, like their ticket prices are higher now.

So yeah, you and I were just saying this, and Brian and I actually talked about it recently. But like I will often find that Southwest is more expensive times than you know, American, her Delta whatever. The bag thing is a nice perk, the getting the two free bags. Yeah, the seating thing, I don't know the specifics I think there. It's like the later half of this year is when they start to roll that out, So I don't know. I kind of like that. I thought the open seating was like chaotic and just not cute.

Yeah, if you had status, it was great because you boarded first and you got to pick it up you wanted and yeah.

Yeah, I mean I just didn't fly someth list. M h.

He was a real diva in the last podcast if you Go.

I have flown Southwest since we did that podcast, and yes, it wasn't terrible.

Okay, he's coming on.

It's still not my favorite because I do think that, and I've seen these posts on Instagram, like the people who fly Delta are different than the people who fly American, than the people who fly Southwest.

And I've seen the true like there's a personality.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, and I just don't really align with the Southwest.

Okay. The reason I have for so long is I felt like Southwest somehow everyone else is canceling their flights and Southwest is not. Like that was happening for a lot that's changed since our last podcast, But that was my experience at the time, and it was just easy and their customer service was the best for me. And that was when the old airlines there was always a change fee, and my schedule is one that I need to be able to have flexibility with changes. But again, a lot of that has changed, and I do think you're right, like each airline has a different personality, so it really is about finding which one fits you best. Like a lot of people would go with what's always cheapest, but I think it's imperative if you're traveling a lot, like you said, to stick with one more to really reap the benefits of being a loyal customer.

I agree.

Do you feel like there's one piece of advice, Like we're at the beginning of twenty twenty five right now, and obviously people are probably thinking through Okay, if I'm going to plan a big trip, or what's my big splurge going to be. Do you have one piece of advice that you would give as a person that sits in your position and is booking travel constantly.

I'm going to have more than one, but I will give us a few. I would say, first and foremost, be flexible and be kind. You're going to get further and have a better experience. But most people don't need a travel agent because we're not really here to get you a deal. Okay, We're here to get you access and help and maybe some perks along the way. But a lot of people just want their vacation to be cheap and a good time, So you don't need a travel agent for that. But if you're taking like a once in a lifetime kind of trip and you're going out of the country or whatever, you're spending a lot of money and you really I mean I have felt this when I book trips sometimes, like you, you're spending a lot of money, so you want it to be amazing, and there's a little bit of stress behind that because if it's not amazing, right, So I think if you're in that situation, it's probably a good idea to engage a travel agent because you're really not going to end up paying them a whole I mean it's probably going to be for like a you know, leisure trip like that, You're probably going to pay maybe tops like three hundred bucks or something like that. But you're getting a professional who knows where you're going, knows the properties, probably has a contact at the hotel that you want to stay in. They might be able to get you a complimentary upgrade to the next room type. Like, there's just things that they can do behind the scenes that you just don't have access to.

Or even think about. Yeah, stuff we were talking about before the podcast. You were saying, sometimes you'll use a car booking service because the whole day has been really stressful and you're like, I just want someone to pick me up for me not to have to worry about it, to help me with my bags, things like that. And you mentioned a site that you use that I was like, wait, what's that. I would have never been one this.

Yeah, yeah, it's called it's black Lane by the way.

Black Lane Okay, yeah.

Yeah, they're big in Europe and bigger cities. I don't think they have service in Nashville. So there's a time and a place I think for travel agent. Yeah, of course we exist in the entertainment industry and you know, corporate America.

And luxury travel.

Yeah yeah, yeah, but just people who are just concerned about getting the best price. Like I don't really need to engage a travel agent. I would say Google and you know, go direct shop on Expedia and orbits and then go to that vendor and book the ticket with them or book the hotel with them. And then yeah, if you're going to do one of those big trips and you're spending a lot of money, find the right travel agent because there are a lot of quacks out there.

Talk about that a little bit. I was going to ask you this question, but you're you're bringing it up, so it's perfect.

Yeah, there are a lot of these like you know it like reeks of Pyramid scheme, Like it's like, come join our agency and you can like book your friends vacation travel and make money off of it like that kind of a cell and people do it, and it's just those are not the people that you want to book a trip with. Like you want an agent who's got an IATA number and who's honestly they should be affiliated with a larger agency, because what comes along with that is you get access to contracts and perks and upgrades and those kinds of things that those like one off travel agents in your little hometown or whatever, we.

Don't have, so we need to look. I was gonna say, how do we find them? But you said look for an IOTA number.

Well, you can't really look for their An IOTO number is what a travel agency gets, and it's like an electronic stamp like from the agency. There's no way for you to really.

Know what if people are at Like, is it weird to be like, can I see your IOTA number?

I mean they could, they could ask if they were registered with an IDO number, for sure. I guess what I would say is like, if you're planning a trip to Italy, you could google Los Angeles travel agents specializing in Italy.

Okay, so different agents specialize in different trips.

Yeah, for sure. You've got entertainment travel agents who were kind of like off on our own, and then you have leisure travel agents who are doing like the you know, pricey vacations and safaris and things like that. But then you have people booking cruises and that's all they do. You have people like doing Disney stuff. That's all they do. Like, there's there's a lot, there's a lot out there.

So those people are like I mean, not to be cheesy, but they're like experts in that kind of trip, which is the ones you would want because they'll know all the ins and outs, where you can get the perks, where you can get upgraded things like that.

And the other thing is a lot of the big agencies, if you just call and talk to like the front desk person, they'll put you in touch with someone. Okay, so the Appointment Group is who I'm affiliated with, and they have an office here in Nashville. You could call the Nashville office and talk to the front desk and do you guys specialize in travel too? Im, really, this is what I'm doing, And they can point you in the right direction.

They'll tell you who to use. Yeah, yeah, which I think a travel agent sounds like an extra expense that maybe it sounds intimidating to us regular folk or whatever, but from what you've described to me, it's not. Again, like if you're spending a ton of money on a trip, it's not that much more to add this little feet in and there may be a lot of things that you get or don't even know to get, or they can lead you in certain directions of different excursions or things that you might want to do that you wouldn't know would even be possible. So sometimes it just takes out the guesswork, which to me sounds worth it.

Yeah, and while you're on that trip, you have someone in your corner, Like if you you know, you're abroad and something goes wrong, Yeah, and you know you need a different flight or whatever, you can call that agent and they can they'll help you. And then you don't. You're not standing in line or arguing with a you know, front desk person and whatever.

Yeah. That sounds lovely to have someone do the battle for me. I mean, so obviously the biggest thing we're leaving this podcast with is never use a third party. Never never use a third party. Guys, just trust me, trust me on that one. All right. Well, if people want to know more about you, where could they find you?

I mean I don't, I'm just me on Instagram TJ deal. I mean, shoot me a DM Yeah, I'll answer. Yeah, Okay, I'm all for pointing people in the right direction. If I don't know I can find somebody that does. That comes up a lot, Okay in my job, like people travel places and I don't.

Not it's not your expertise. Yeah, sure, yeah, okay, Well, I'll put all of his info in the description of this podcast, as well as the couple things that we mentioned about, like the points guy and all that. I'll link that for you guys.

We forgot to mention Erica.

Erica Kolberg on Oh yes, I actually love her because she gives you all these like finely print legal legal issues. She's a lawyer that specializes in kind of how to figure out how to figure out travel and credit cards and things like that for yourself, like get get away with some of the things corporations are missing.

Yeah, and she'll also she dives into like what do the airlines actually owe you when X happens? Yes, so, yeah, she's a good one.

I'm gonna yeah, I'll link her Instagram. She's a good follow for sure on Instagram. I'll link that in the description this podcast as well. I know you have some travel to go get to, so we don't want to keep you any longer.

Yeah, headed to New York?

Was there ever? I do want to ask you do you have a favorite place you visited recently or one spot, like a property that you're just like, I can't get over. I know you've done a lot of travel this last year.

I was in the UK and Switzerland in October early November and we stayed at Heckfield Place, Okay, which is like it's like an hour outside of London and maybe like thirty forty minutes from Heathrow, but it's like out in the countryside. It's an old manor house that they converted into this like five star I.

Was blown away, like reposting about this place.

I have stayed in some nice places one of the perks of my job, right, this was just I like could not get over it. The whole experience, the arrival experienced, the property itself, the room. It's on a farm, and like everything that they do there comes from the farm, so all the food, Yeah, it's wild, and like they have this cabinet in your room. Open it up and it's got like coffee and tea, and the milk in the refrigerator is from the cows. Like the soaps are all milled there.

Oh my god.

It was mind blowing.

That's like organic, organic, the.

Most beautiful place I've ever seen, like massive grounds and the forest you can walk around and just kind of like be on your own and oh my god, it was.

I want to go there.

If you're in London. It's probably a great place to like end your London trip because it's so decompressing and it's pretty close to Heathrows, so you can finish up with the city and head out there and just kind of rely their spa. I think I told you about the medicine sauna thing that we did in the spa.

What is that it was?

They were like beating me with like bushels of oak leaves and like burning. I know it sounds ridiculous, but like I got emotional, Like.

I'm sure it sounds like an emotional experience.

In this room. And you went from like the sauna to the steam room and then you would sit around a fire and they would give you this elixir to drink and like you're eating these leaves that came out of the garden and it's like.

People are listening, like what, but actually my audience is pretty pretty ready for this.

The Nordic priestesses who were like chanting and like my it was I cannot say enough unbelievable. It is one of the coolest hotel experiences I've ever had.

Called Heckfield Place, Yeah, heck Field Place.

London so stunning.

I love London too, so.

Yeah, yeah, that's probably The older Grand in Zurich was also kind of blew my mind. It was just like everything servis the property Zurich, It was just it was amazing. Yeah, but those are other sticking out.

Okay, Well, if you are looking for international travel, that comes from a man who has done a lot of really great travel. So he's swimming from his teacup right now, Tyler, thanks for doing this with me. We needed an update, so we did. Yeah, this was this was due.

It was my pleasure. Always good to see.

You likewise and save travels.

Thank you all.

Right, thank you guys for listening. You can also hit Tyler up if you have any questions. He is happy to answer and direct. I think so with all that info in the description of the podcast, thanks for listening.

Thanks for listening to The Velvet's Edge podcast with Kelly Henderson, where we believe everyone has a little velvet in a little edge. Subscribe for more conversations on life, style, beauty, and relationships. Search Velvet's Edge.

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