My Plan for the Chicago Seminars

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I arrived yesterday to Elk Grove, Illinois to get ready (and get over jet lag) for the Chicago Seminars tomorrow. My box of t-shirts to give away was waiting for me.

What’s my schedule for the Chicago Seminars? What’s the hotel shuttle information? How can you get a free t-shirt or win a $50 gift card?

MileValue has a sponsor’s table for the Chicago Seminars, so that we have a convenient place for you to find us.

Drop by to talk to me about

• miles
• points
• award booking
• solo travel
• college basketball
• hostels
• Oktoberfest
• CouchSurfing
• safaris
• Buenos Aires
• poker
• Hawaii
• improv comedy
• free oneways
• credit cards
• Los Angeles
• The Wire
• cliff jumping in Dubrovnik
• anything else

If that’s not a big enough draw, Tahsir and other expert award bookers will be around too.

Still not convinced to drop by the MileValue table?

I have a limited number of t-shirts to give away. Because there are so few, I’ll give them to people willing to wear them the rest of that day. I’ll have some to give away Friday afternoon (time TBD, check @milevalue), Saturday at 10 AM, and Sunday at 10AM.

Still not convinced?

There are three chances to win $50 Amazon gift cards. Two are contests, and one is a drawing. Full details will be at the table.

Still not convinced?

I have printed a few dozen of my favorite travel photos from this year, and they’ll be displayed on a 5th-grade-era tri-fold poster board at the table.

Still not convinced?

I’ll have a few resource reference sheets at the table. These will include All the Credit Cards that Earn Each Type of Mile and the Credit Card Application Bible. Take them home to help you keep a lot of miles-and-points info straight in one place.

Still not convinced?

Candy. Come by for a sweet snack.

Still not convinced?

Well then there’s no convincing you. 😉

I’ll be at the table tomorrow as soon as I can set it up in the afternoon. The Seminars start at 6:30 PM. Registration is before that, and I’ll probably be around by 3 PM at the latest.

On the weekend, I’ll be at the table from 10 AM on.

Where else will you find me?

If I’m not at the table, I’m probably eating or watching a presentation. Or Friday night, I’ll be at the hotel bar to buy all the drinks I promised loyal readers who emailed me as directed in this post. (The offer is now dead. This is the second straight year I’ve hidden something like this in a post. About double the people found it this year.)

Anywhere you see me, you should say hi! I’m here to meet you.

Hotel Shuttle Info

I’ve recently ridden the hotel shuttle from O’Hare to the Holiday Inn-Elk Grove, so I learned a few things you may find useful.

1. The shuttle was free (plus tip.) This was nice since the hotel’s site says it costs $5.
2. The shuttle leaves the hotel every hour on the hour.
3. The shuttle leaves O’Hare from the hotel shuttle area–once it picked up at Door 1 and once at Door 2–every hour on the :30.
4. I asked the drivers if there were increased shuttles during the Seminars. One indicated two shuttles would be running. Let’s hope that means pick ups every half hour.
5. There are several Holiday Inns (Express) in the area. You want the shuttle that says Elk Grove Village and Holiday Inn not Holiday Inn Express. Confirm with the driver if you’re confused.