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7 Stars & Diamond Aspiration Level 2 Annual Retreat Airfare

Discussion in 'Comps' started by easy_money, Apr 19, 2015.

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  1. easy_money

    easy_money High-Roller

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    According to TR, the Annual Retreat airfare for Diamond level 2 ($750) and 7* ($1250) is for coach only. How many of you have been able to successfully/unsuccessfully get your host and/or Passport Travel to book a first class ticket instead of coach/economy seats? I have seen other posts on where members were able to get 1st class tickets. Not sure if they upgraded and paid themselves or they got it via the retreat airfare.

    Reason is, I asked my host to book my retreat and gave her details for my itinerary and it was for 1st class seats. The airfare did not exceed the amount. She stated that it's for coach only and wasn't able to submit my itinerary to Passport Travel.
     
  2. NewOrleansSlimm

    NewOrleansSlimm VIP Whale

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    passport books the cheapest tickets so even if its within your airfare for 1st class you get coach...some people will pay the extra to upgrade, not sure if they still do it but some people used to pay outright and get reimbursed...new orleans and few other properties will take your reward points to cover the reimbursement
     
  3. newmans

    newmans VIP Whale

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    I've heard of people booking a 1st class ticket (it was within the7 star retreat allotment). I have also had tickets booked for my 7 star retreat that were not the lowest cost ticket,but still within the $1200.
     
  4. SandsFan

    SandsFan VIP Whale

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    For the diamond Level II and Seven Stars trips I gave my host the exact flights (economy) I wanted and had not problem getting it. By the time they booked it, one was a little over the limit and they used my RCs to make up the difference
     
    The 3 P Trip (Paris and Palms)
  5. NewOrleansSlimm

    NewOrleansSlimm VIP Whale

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    i had 2 experience points to use from last year for doing so much over the 150k tier...i used the $500 folio and $500 airfare and decided to use it for fight weekend...when i asked my host to book my flight, it was $460...he decided that he wasnt going to talk to me and wouldnt respond to anything for almost a month...i made a call to harrahs new orleans GM and a few minutes later i got a call from my host apologizing, when it was all said and done and he finally got me booked through passport, the flight southwest airlines was $898, they covered everything over my $500 air credit and didnt touch any of my reward points
     
  6. Tellafriend

    Tellafriend MIA

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    This is not true. I've been 7* for years and had one of my two hosts book me first class many times. One is a good host and one doesn't give a shit, which is primarily why I hate Caesars so much. But anyway, the hosts can absolutely tell Passport to book you first class. They just have to want to keep you happy bad enough to go to the trouble, and that all depends on your play and what you mean to them.
     
  7. shellieshoe

    shellieshoe Low-Roller

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    I think it depends on your host at the property. On my 7 star trip to Windsor, the host was able to book me first class. He works with Passport Travel quite a bit. The amount was about 200 over my limit and they never took it off of my points or charged my credit card.

    That said - most of the times the host will contact or forward my flight requests and will be told that it is for economy only. I really believe if the host firmly told Passport Travel that he/she wanted to book it under first class- they would. But I think most hosts are afraid to be told no.
     
  8. easy_money

    easy_money High-Roller

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    Thanks for the info. I believe I have a similar situation. I don't really have a close relationship with my Vegas host, even though she has been my host for the last 4/5 years and booked every trip for me. But my AC host, I have known for a while, maybe 7/8 years and I go at least once a month to AC. So I was thinking of asking my AC host to book my 7* trip for me.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Thanks for all the inputs everyone.
     
  9. NewOrleansSlimm

    NewOrleansSlimm VIP Whale

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    a few years ago, yea the would do it, the last 2 years, dont know anyone who has had them successfully get 1st class going through passport...a lot has changed with CET....now last year they put me on a junket to cherokee and i was in first class but CET chartered the whole plane
     
  10. rjh1979

    rjh1979 Tourist

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    I booked a first class ticket using my Seven Stars annual retreat to Vegas for Super Bowl weekend this year. Used it for just one ticket and the total was just over the limit, paid the difference with RCs. No hassles...not sure if it'll work for next trip nut my plan is to try.
     
  11. Julie888

    Julie888 VIP Whale

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    It really is a PITA having to go through your host and then wait for Passport Travel. Sometimes are faster than others.

    Based on the pricing I've seen, if CET had allowed me to book myself they would have saved themselves the cost of PT employees, had a lower cost flight and had a much happier Player. I like to know my flight is booked and that I'm really leaving on the date and airline I've selected. When you arrive in Vegas, take the receipt for travel to a TR rep and get a refund or casino credit. Casino credit works for me.

    I don't blame the host, they're at the mercy of PT. Once it was the host but that's another story.
     
  12. Flowers

    Flowers VIP Whale

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    OP, What your host told you was simply wrong. Just two days ago I used the Diamond Aspirations benefit to book a one way first class fare that was about 775. I gave them my CC for the 25 difference. But I made it so that all my host had to do is forward an email to the travel folks. I went online and checked the Virgin America first class airfares myself and picked the good flights that were around 750 or less. In case a less expensive flight would be gone by the time travel folks got the email from my host I gave them a first and second choice with the EXACT flight numbers, times, fares. Incredibly, two days later my host sends me an email back from travel saying the flight I wanted was 1600 ONE way and my host, who is horrible, actually asks me if I want to book it. I then went online and saw the good fare is there (but about 10 bucks more). I emailed her back saying "I am looking at a fare that is 770 right now and I assume CET travel can see what I see." Twenty minutes later my flight was booked and then I called Passport Travel directly to give them my credit card for the amount over 750 (though my host should have picked that up as it was about 25 dollars). I am using Jet Blue points to fly TO Vegas. For my seven stars trip I flew coach on Jet Blue with even more space seating going TO VEGAS and VA first class FROM Vegas. Again , I did the research and sent to my host, who forwarded it on to the passport travel people.

    Sorry for typos but I am typing this on my phone. Good luck. Unfortunately you have to educate your host. Geez.
     
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2015
  13. dankyone

    dankyone VIP Whale

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    Correct, it is absolutely possible to book first class tix on the seven stars trips. I have done it multiple times and nobody blinked an eye when I asked.
     
  14. easy_money

    easy_money High-Roller

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    I can't agree more. I travel a lot for business and I've always booked my own trips for flight, hotels and car rental. I don't like depending on others so then there's less room for errors or miscommunication.

    Thanks for the details Flowers. I always put in work and research for all my flights. I had it all planned out with airport, times, flight numbers, etc and forwarded to my host. That's when she told me the retreat is only good for coach tickets only. Which I later checked the TR site which does say coach tickets. I can understand and see why they do that as most people are under the amount or go over. I assume most would try to get as close to 1200/750 as possible without going over. Most round trip domestic flights are rarely over $750/$1200, unless it's busy holiday weekends. So they may save a couple $$$ here and there if folks are under the specified amount. The less $$$ they spend out of pocket, the less expense for them, equating to more profit.
     
  15. easy_money

    easy_money High-Roller

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    After reading the several posts, I assume it's either my host or maybe a hit and/or miss thing with Passport Travel. So I decided to contact my AC host and told him what happened with my Vegas host. He said it "usually shouldn't" have been a problem since I'm flying solo and I didn't go over the cap limit. But, due to the recent issues with CET, finances have been getting tighter with everything, as we all can see with the various posts on here. He told me to submit the info to him and he'll talk to Passport Travel to see if he can push it through. I told him if he can push it through with the 1st class tickets, go ahead. But if not, I'll just go through my Vegas host as I don't want to burn that bridge. Thanks for all the inputs. I'll update and provide feedback once I get word back from my host to see how it went.
     
  16. Tellafriend

    Tellafriend MIA

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    My gf and I flew first class on delta Dec 2014. Thanks to cet and passport. Your host doesn't like you enough.
     
  17. Gamesman

    Gamesman VIP Whale

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    There's no first class available from San Diego to Vegas, I'm jealous.
     
  18. BCMike

    BCMike VIP Whale

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    I'm not 7* but I do fly first class. I find it crazy that CZR's would force their best customers (IMO) to fly economy just to save a few bucks. I'll actually take a longer flight route just to take first class versus getting their faster or without a layover.
     
  19. Iceicecool

    Iceicecool Low-Roller

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    No, but if you fly Spirit you can pay an extra $15 for a "big front seat". (just kidding)
     
  20. Flowers

    Flowers VIP Whale

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    I flew first class in early December 2014, early January 2015, earlier this month and will again in early July (booked three days ago), all as part of a Diamond Aspirations or Seven Stars trip. I don't know the host but sounds like OP has a host that needs a serious education.

    I feel for OP. I am so frustrated with CET right now. It kills me that folks earned Seven Stars or Diamond Aspirations last year and and now are getting nickeled and dimed. I normally do NOT fly first class but this is the one benefit as a solo traveler that I really like because it enables me to "splurge" with a first class flight, at least one way. When I flew back last Sunday on VA First Class it was so enjoyable it was almost like my trip was extended. Made for starting the work week much easier.
     
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