It’s a humbling position to find yourself in. The motto is simple: never: ever, try to keep up with the Jones’. And for the most part, it works. But not in this case. Yes, it’s true, we fly for free. Relatively, that is. Hotels…free. Rentals? Free. But deep down from within lies the insatiable thirst to take advantage of those, and quite frankly, insane mistake fares and flash sales. But alas, an airline hub city we are not. And therefore, whatever flights we book from that city, we must somehow make it to that city. It’s an endless tale for us of hub city- jackpots and jealousy by other cities.
So what is a hub airport? It’s a city that an airline uses as a centralized point to direct and concentrate air traffic. Essentially, it makes the job of the airline a little bit simpler by operating in a funnel of sorts. By steering all traffic thru hub locations, they can retain better control of the vast network of flights. And for those who live in these hub cities, it can help you save BIG on certain flights. According to the Tennessean, could a change be coming to Music City USA? More on that soon, but back to my reality.
It’s a jealousy that I simply can’t seem to overcome. It’s a torture to my own self-esteem as I purposely asked for the fare updates that are more than conveniently sent to me. As in all day. Every 15 minutes or so I hear that all to familiar sound of my mobile device. But it may as well be the sound of someone in NYC or Vegas or Seattle hitting that jackpot of the ridiculously low round trip flight to (insert dream location here). I should simply change the ringtone alert on my phone to “na na na boo boo” You know the rest.
Yeah, I Know There are Options But…
I’m more than aware that there are tricks to the trade where I could also take advantage, but there’s the factor of forgetfulness- of being a hub-free zone- that I can’t seem to get over. And therein lies the rub. Beer #1 retains my sanity, knowing that the fare just isn’t for me. By beer #3, “Man, that fare looks pretty sweet!” Beer #6: “Can I cancel that booking I just made?” It’s true I’m searching for simplicity and that can be tough to find in this game we play with cheap travel. But with the roar of airplanes right outside my backdoor, it’s a thought that rarely leaves my mind.
Believe me, I’m not ashamed of the life that’s afforded to me, but I could afford it more if I could snag these deals every now and then. It’s become mealtime fodder of sorts for the family. A synopsis of the day generally includes a rundown of the many locations that we won’t be visiting through these means. But we can dream, and soon, I can hope very soon, this fine city of Nashville will find a hubcap for its tire. Until then, we’ll read the ticker and smile over a beer or 6 for that simple moment when it may just be possible.
And then I wake up!
Live within your means, travel beyond them.
