My Travel Resolution For 2017 (And A Few More)

The travel world keeps changing every year.  We’ve had huge, unexpected mergers (Marriott and Starwood) and expected cuts in service (see United’s Basic Economy product).  Heck, we even had Southwest jump in the game yesterday with disappointing news about companion passes.

What should we do moving forward?

I’ve given quite a bit of thought to what I want 2017 to look like from a travel perspective.  I also took some time to ask for opinions from fellow bloggers I read on a daily basis.  I asked each of them what their “Travel Resolution” was for 2017.  There were a host of really great answers.  Some of these names you’ll know, others you may not.  They’re all smart folks who have strong opinions on the world of travel. I’ve added links to their blogs and social media in case you want to track them down.

I’ll share my thoughts and resolutions at the end (special thanks to Tiffany for the featured image on this post).

AcCountingYourPoints writes:

My travel resolution for 2017 is to travel with family. While my wife and I have been all around the world, my parents and sisters have not fully accepted all that is the points and miles game! So this year I plan to do all the points work for them and help them travel the world without breaking the bank. In fact I already started on the resolution a couple weeks back when my father and I went on a trip to Havana, Cuba!

Tiffany (Social Media) of One Mile at a Time writes:

My travel resolution might sound ridiculous for One Mile at a Time, but I’m really trying to do more aspirational travel in 2017.

Most of my travel in 2016 and even 2015 was structured around price (either in dollars or miles) or convenience, and I just haven’t taken the time to book the more complicated or luxurious trips for myself. So I’ve flown a lot of mediocre products and stayed in more mid-range hotels than I can count. In fact, I just got off my only international first class flight of the year! I also want to spend more time in Africa and Central Asia, which are aspirational destinations in a different way — they’re often harder to get to, so using miles and points can be more challenging (and more rewarding).

I have the miles, flexibility, and know-how to travel further and better than I have this year, so I just need to make the planning time a priority.

Harlan (Twitter) of Out and Out writes:

BOOK THE TRIP is my new mantra. A couple of friends recently asked me a question about a trip beginning with “Should I…?” I interjected with a swift and firm, “Yes. BOOK THE TRIP.”

I’m looking forward to seeing more of the US, more of Europe, and possibly returning to South America (ah, I want to visit Patagonia!) in 2017.

Keri (Twitter) of Heels First Travel believes her money is better spent on experiences, not things:

It took years to convince family and friends that I was making the right choice. I remember one memorable conversation with my grandfather, trying to convince him that I’d made the right choice in spending my $300 on a chance-of-a-lifetime-business class mistake fare to Cyprus rather than putting it into retirement savings or towards a newer car.

But any sacrifices have been worth it. Even during my roughest of times, experiencing new things and seeing new topography could temporarily shake the melancholy and inspire me that better times were possible no matter how unlikely it seemed.

Charles (Twitter) of McCool Travel has a busy 2017:

My annual travel resolution is to visit places I have not already been to. I still have not been to South America or Antarctica, and only a very small portion of Africa and Asia. I have so much of the world left to discover and experience.

For 2017, a more specific travel resolution for me is to optimize point accumulation and redemption opportunities. Learn, earn, and burn! For instance, I have a batch of SPG points and two times in 2016, I made reservations for 4 nights only to discover that the 5th night is free. I did cancel both reservations but need to remember this.

The Flight Detective writes:

My travel resolution for the new year is not to let the behaviour of other passengers bother me. Many times I watch people do frankly annoying things such as getting up and down repeatedly to retrieve items from their carry on bag, or leaving the toilets in a mess, or reclining seats during meal service. I’ll endeavour to be more patient.

Summer (Twitter) from Mommy Points resolves for some one on one time with her oldest daughter and husband:

My biggest travel resolution for 2017 is to take a trip with just C. We are beyond overdue for some time with just the two of us as the baby continued to take more of my focus than I anticipated and for longer than I anticipated. We are supposed to go on a just C and me ski trip this winter and even though I am still nursing and not sure how I am going to logistically pull it off, I am doing to my best to make it happen. The same is true with Josh a few months later as we try to take our first “no kids” trip in about 3 years, which is a lifetime for us. Again, not sure how the logistics will play out, but those are my big 2017 travel goals!

Daniel (Twitter) is the Hotelion, and his resolution is to expand his travel:

Finally making it out to either Japan or Maldives, using my points generated in 2016 to fund First Class airfare, and decent hotel options.

Seth (Twitter) of Wandering Aramean wants to, well, wander more:

I travel a lot but far too often manage to stay in a bubble. I want to change that in 2017. Some of my absolute best travel experiences have come about by choosing to push my comfort boundaries and engage with locals around the world. Whether it was applying gold to the rock atop Mount Kyaiktiyo in Myanmar or riding the local ferry up and down the Chao Phraya in Bangkok or riding the metro instead of taking a car pretty much anywhere, these are the experiences that let me get just a tiny glimpse of how locals really live and interact with their cities. Sometimes it is unexpected and sometimes even unpleasant. And I want to do more of that in 2017.

Anne (Twitter) of TravelTheGlobe4Less wants Quality, not Quantity in 2017:

I have an addiction. My idea of a great Sunday afternoon is popping ‘Flexible’ into Skyscanner’s search engine and seeing what travel deals I can find. On Christmas Day morning, whilst waiting for the kids to arrive, I wasn’t preparing dinner. Oh no, I was booking flights to Zanzibar using this exact technique. Last year, I took ten trips and somehow found time to work full-time, write my travel blog and study for my MBA. So, what’s the problem I hear you cry?

Well unfortunately, I am not the beneficiary of a trust fund and whilst I earn a comfortable living, I have bills to pay. Ten trips was possible due to maximising UK travel hacking opportunities and being more frugal whilst overseas. More Airbnb (although those are definitely not slumming it) and budget hotel than five star luxury. Problem is, my 43 year old back really doesn’t like to be friends with discomfort in the way that my twenty year old one did so my travel resolution for 2017 is to travel less but in much more style. Ritz-Carlton here I come!

Gary (Twitter) of View From The Wing is burning in 2017.  His resolution:

Not to hoard miles. They won’t be worth more in the future than they are today, but they do buy fantastic experiences.  So I want to burn as fast as I earn, which can be tough for someone with limited time and rapid accumulation patterns.  So this may mean giving away more life changing experiences to friends and family, in order to keep up.

Lee (Twitter) of Bald Thoughts writes:

My resolution for 2017 is to renew my Kimpton Inner Circle status and Southwest Companion Pass for 2018.  And, I’d like to visit at least 3 new countries this year.

Jennifer (Instagram) of Jetsetter Homestead is looking for less in 2017:

With my travel, less means giving up some of my obsession with points/miles and going agnostic if it is in my personal best interests. While I’m not stepping off the ride, I am being more thoughtful about my well-being which means sometimes flying different carriers or staying in independent hotels if it is in my best interest. And saying yes means starting to plan a bit further out some of what I want to do and not being so commitment phobic about committing to plans months in advance.

M.A.D Trippin’ is trying not to worry in 2017:

My New year resolution is to not watch the news so much and travel more without worry!

Last, but not least, Jeanne (Twitter) from Le Chic Geek, has one of my favorite travel resolutions:

I resolve to travel more for the little things–birthdays, bar crawls, etc, to be more of a part of my friend’s and family’s everyday life.

The Final Two Pennies

That’s a lot of resolution for 2017.  If you made it this far, you might be wondering what my travel resolution for 2017 is.  Mine is simple.

Travel less.

I was gone too much last year for work.  My kids still love me and think I’m wickedly smart.  Who the heck knows how long that will last?  Seriously.  I say frequently I didn’t get married and have kids just to spend my life away from them.  I want to be here, with them.  Or anywhere, with them.

That’s my goal.  Whether it’s traveling with them or just spending time at home, it’s being with family.

Thanks for following along.  I’m looking forward to a great year as I enter my 9th year of Pizza in Motion.

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