Frequent flyer Q&A: Agustin Aguero, from Buenos Aires
This January, I joined a very special flight, traveling from Frankfurt, Germany to Bogota, Colombia, with three fellow aviation geeks. Gino Bertuccio and Cherag Dubash flew on the port side of Lufthansa's Airbus A340-600 first-class cabin, in 1A and 2A, with Buenos Aires-based travel agent Agustin Aguero seated with me on the starboard side.
I had plenty of time to chat with Agustin during the 12-hour journey. I learned about his adventures, including self-funded travels around the world. It's common for travel agents to get discounts or even complimentary nights at hotels and resorts, but premium-cabin travel is rarely included; if they want to fly up front, they're often left to buy a ticket themselves, or book or upgrade using points and miles. Agustin provided some insight into how he gets it done.
Question: What do you do for work?
Answer: I'm a travel agent. I prepare personal travels, flights, hotels and activities.
Q: How many miles did you fly in 2019?
I flew 69,000 miles last year.
Q: How many nights do you spend at home each year?
About 300.
Q: How much of your travel is business vs. leisure?
100% of my travel is leisure.
Q: What’s your favorite first-class product?
Singapore Airlines, but I prefer the 777 over the A380.
Q: And business class?
Q: Do you ever fly economy?
Yes, for short-haul travel.
Q: When was your first international first-class flight?
Bangkok to Doha with Qatar, in 2017.
Q: What are some of your favorite places to visit?
Sydney, Istanbul, Tokyo, London and Amsterdam.
Q: What are your preferred airlines?
I prefer Asian airlines, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific, and also Qatar Airways.
Q: Do you have a preferred hotel chain?
I prefer boutique hotels, since they’re more private.
Q: What’s your biggest travel pet peeve?
When people get too drunk when they fly.
Q: Which credit cards do you use on a regular basis?
Tarjeta Visa Signature LATAM Pass, from BBVA (only available in South America).
Q: Aside from your passport, what are some items you’ll never leave home without?
My credit card, and my iPhone 11 Pro.
For a closer look at what it’s like to travel like Agustin, see:
Top offers from our partners
How we chose these cards
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets |
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels |
| 1X | Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
The Citi Premier’s 3 points per dollar spent across a wide range of popular categories is one of the more lucrative offerings in the world of points and miles. The Citi Premier comes with a $95 annual fee and is currently offering a solid sign up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. It also has some valuable transfer partners to make the most of your rewards. Add in access to Citi Entertainment plus a $100 hotel credit for any single-stay hotel booking that exceeds $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through the Citi travel website, there are few reasons why the Citi Premier should not be in every traveler’s wallet.Pros
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
- $100 annual hotel savings benefit (on single hotel stay bookings of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through thankyou.com)
- Points transfer to 16 airline programs, from JetBlue to Virgin Atlantic.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits, extended warranty, damage and theft protection.
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Lacks travel protections that other travel rewards cards come with
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
Rewards Rate
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets |
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels |
| 1X | Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Intro Offer
For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account openingEarn 80,000 ThankYou® points60,000 pointsAnnual Fee
$95Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.670-850Excellent, Good
Why We Chose It
The Citi Premier’s 3 points per dollar spent across a wide range of popular categories is one of the more lucrative offerings in the world of points and miles. The Citi Premier comes with a $95 annual fee and is currently offering a solid sign up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. It also has some valuable transfer partners to make the most of your rewards. Add in access to Citi Entertainment plus a $100 hotel credit for any single-stay hotel booking that exceeds $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through the Citi travel website, there are few reasons why the Citi Premier should not be in every traveler’s wallet.Pros
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
- $100 annual hotel savings benefit (on single hotel stay bookings of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through thankyou.com)
- Points transfer to 16 airline programs, from JetBlue to Virgin Atlantic.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits, extended warranty, damage and theft protection.
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Lacks travel protections that other travel rewards cards come with
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases