CONNEXXUS DID YOU KNOW
STA Travel has partnered with Connexxus. STA Travel is very excited
about the new and unique partnership with the Connexxus Travel
Program and the UC School System. As the Study Abroad Travel
Agency of record for Connexxus, STA Travel will use its 30 years of
experience as the industry leader in student, faculty and educational
travel to help university faculty, staff and students with all needs
related to studying abroad.
This includes:
• Individual and group airfare
• Rail passes
• Bus transportation
• Hostel & hotel accommodations
• International cell phones…and more
STA Travel is integrated with the UC Trips Program so that eligible UC
Travelers who book with STA Travel are automatically enrolled for UC
Trips Insurance.
STA Travel is a specialized provider for University:
• EAP Programs
• Summer Sessions
• Faculty Led Group Programs
• Quarterly Abroad Programs
• Other Abroad Programs
STA Travel looks forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership
with Connexxus.
To reach your on campus STA Travel contact please email,
connexxus@statravel.com or call (972) 310 8570.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1 Connexxus Did You
Know
2 Supplier Spotlight
9 Savings Opportunity –
Renting Off-Airport –
A Savings Example For
Connexxus
9 Connexxus Program
Evaluation – Q2 2011
10 BCD Travel for
Connexxus
10 How to Cut 90
Minutes Off Your
Time at the Airport
11 Connexxus Travel
Event(s)
11 Connexxus Kudos
12 Winter/Holiday
Schedule
12 Travel News & Links
October – December 2011
CONNEXXUS TRAVEL NEWSLETTER
We encourage you to share
your story ideas, questions
and comments about the
newsletter. To do so,
please contact
UCTravel@ucop.edu.
CONNEXXUS TRAVEL NEWSLETTER OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2011
2
STA Travel Coverage and Support: Worldwide Presence
STA Travel and Planeterra
STA Travel is involved in another important partnership - Planeterra. Planeterra, a
non-profit organization specializing in volunteer travel, evolved out of travellers’
desire to give back to the places they visit. Since 2007 Planeterra has developed
projects spanning Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Now, with STA Travel as a
partner, they are on their way to over 120 projects worldwide. More and more
these projects are being added to study abroad itineraries- enabling students to
give back in a meaningful way to the communities where they study and visit. For
more information please contact
connexxus@statravel.com.
STA Travel and Planeterra focus on initiatives for sustainability – positive impacts for the long term. By
supporting education, health, conservation and small business, people in the developing world have the
resources to build more sustainable futures. Planeterra and STA Travel connect travellers with community and
conservation projects and provide them with the opportunity to make a difference when they are travelling or
studying abroad.
In addition to the external benefits of the Planeterra partnership, STA Travel staff is also encouraged to give
back by volunteering internationally. The 2012 Volunteer Ambassador Program has just opened. This program
allows employees to experience Planeterra projects first hand by sponsoring 52 weeks of volunteering for staff
participation. Through STA Travel’s commitment to responsible travel, they are able to leave a long lasting,
positive mark on the communities of the world that are the foundation of our business. Please see the following
website for more information
http://www.statravel.com/planeterra.htm or email connexxus@statravel.com.
CONNEXXUS TRAVEL NEWSLETTER OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2011
3
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
LAN AIRLINES IS NOW A CONNEXXUS PREFERRED AIRLINE PARTNER
Great connections to Latin America from the West Coast
Whether your next trip takes you to Buenos Aires,
Santiago, Sao Paulo, Lima, Quito or beyond, LAN and its
affiliates offer an unrivaled network of routes and
destination within South America that make doing
business in the region easy and accessible.
Along with its nonstop connections from the East Coast,
LAN has direct flights from Los Angeles to Lima, Peru.
LAN also has the only nonstop flight to Lima out of San
Francisco, with easy connections to Sao Paulo, Buenos
Aires and Santiago. In November 2011, LAN will begin to
offer direct service from Los Angeles to Santiago, Chile.
Flying in one of the industry’s youngest and most
modern fleets, you can enjoy the tranquility and space
of their award-winning Premium Business cabin on your
next flight. Their Economy cabin with complimentary
on-demand entertainment in individual seat back flat
screens makes any journey fly by. Both cabins offer an
excellent wine selection at no additional cost to
passengers.
LAN is a member of the oneworld® alliance and allows passengers to earn and redeem travel rewards in all
member airlines’ frequent flyer programs.
Added Value Programs Include:
• Connexxus agency access to corporate sales support desk to
assist with all reservations and service related issues
empowered to support the agreement
• Many additional waivers/favors
• Monthly LAN newsletter with high level updates on LAN
Airlines and its affiliates
• Dedicated Account Manager based in the USA
Please contact
[email protected] with questions or if more information is needed about the partnership with
LAN Airlines.
CONNEXXUS TRAVEL NEWSLETTER OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2011
4
EMIRATES IS NOW A CONNEXXUS PREFERRED AIRLINE PARTNER
The Connexxus Travel Program has partnered with Emirates. With a fleet of 159 aircraft, we currently fly to over
100 destinations in 66 countries around the world, and their network is expanding constantly. Over 1,000
Emirates flights depart Dubai each week on their way to destinations on six continents. In fact, Emirates flights
account for nearly 40% of all flight movements in and out of Dubai International Airport. In recent years,
Emirates has made numerous significant announcements regarding the future of its already state-of-the-art
fleet.
Skywards is the award-winning frequent flyer program of Emirates Airline. Members earn Skywards Miles on
every flight with Emirates or miles from partner airlines such as South African Airways, Japan Airlines, Jet
Airways, Kingfisher Airlines and Korean Air. Your Miles are good toward flights to hundreds of worldwide
destinations, upgrades, hotel stays, tours, cruises and other exciting rewards. For Skywards information visit
www.skywards.com.
Please contact [email protected] with questions or if more information is
needed about the partnership with Emirates Airline.
CONNEXXUS TRAVEL NEWSLETTER OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2011
5
AMERICAN AIRLINES NEW DISCOUNT PROGRAM FOR CONNEXXUS
American Airlines is pleased to announce an upgraded discount program for Connexxus.
Upfront Cost Savings
• Discounts ranging from 2 – 15%
• The joint–business program with Japan Airlines, British Airways & Iberia offer significant discounts for
Connexxus: Discounts ranging from 12 – 55%
Added Value Programs Include:
• Sales Support Desk providing services unavailable to non-contracted companies and additional savings:
Seat unblocking
Missed ticketing time-limit waiver
Name changes on unused restricted tickets
Many additional waivers/favors
• AAdvantage Gold & Platinum status upgrades
• Dedicated Account Sales Manager
More Travel Choices – American Airlines and Japan Airlines
American Airlines and Japan Airlines have built an extensive network around key cities — Dallas/Fort Worth,
New York JFK, Chicago, Los Angeles (operated by American) and New York JFK, Chicago, Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Honolulu and Vancouver (operated by Japan Airlines) — offering you more flights, fares and
convenient schedule options.
• Tokyo (Narita) — Dallas/Fort Worth, New York JFK, Chicago and Los Angeles (operated by American) and
New York JFK, Chicago, Los Angeles, Honolulu and Vancouver (operated by Japan Airlines)
• Tokyo (Haneda) — San Francisco (operated by Japan Airlines)
• Beijing — Chicago (operated by American)
• Shanghai — Chicago and Los Angeles (operated by American)
More Travel Choices – American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia
American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia, members of the oneworld® alliance, will bring you even more
benefits of the enhanced relationship. You will now have more choices for flying to London - 15 flights a day in
total between New York City (JFK/EWR) and London (LHR/LCY) - than ever before. In total, you'll have access to
317 new codeshare routes. And all together, the enhanced relationship serves more than 400 destinations in
over 100 countries with approximately 5,200 daily departures. American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia now
offer the following five new routes to broaden your transatlantic travel options:
• Los Angeles — Madrid (operated by Iberia).
• Miami — Barcelona (operated by Iberia).
• New York JFK — Budapest (operated by American).
• Chicago — Helsinki (operated by American).
• San Diego — London Heathrow (operated by British Airways).
More for Frequent Flyers
There has never been a better time to be an AAdvantage member with more rewards and opportunities for
transatlantic travelers. Now AAdvantage members can earn and redeem AAdvantage miles on all American
Airlines, Japan Airlines, British Airways and Iberia flights. And the miles earned for flights on all airlines count
toward elite status qualification.
Please contact
[email protected] with questions or if more information
is needed about the partnership with American Airlines.
CONNEXXUS TRAVEL NEWSLETTER OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2011
6
SOUTHWEST (SWABIZ) – HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M GETTING MY CONNEXXUS BONUS POINTS?
In the New Rapid Rewards Program, points are awarded based on the type of fare
purchased. Different multipliers are assigned to the different fare categories. Bonus
points are not shown separately in your Rapid Rewards points profile – they are
added into the point total for the trip. To ensure you are getting your points, make
sure you book via SWABIZ in the Connexxus portal. Take the fare purchased and
multiply it by the correct multiplier (see chart below) and add the point bonus to see what your point total for
your trip should be (taxes and fees are not eligible for points, just the base fare).
Enroll in Rapid Rewards or find additional information about Southwest Airlines' award winning frequent
flyer program
Visit the Connexxus portal to make online reservation and for more information on the additional points earned
(
Partner Programs, Southwest).
HERTZ CAR RENTAL - HERTZ GOLD PLUS REWARDS AND NEW HERTZ GOLD CHOICE PROGRAM
Rent with Complete Control with new Hertz Gold Choice™. Now we give you the freedom
to pick the car you drive on the spot. Choose from any of the vehicles available in the
Gold Choice area at the airport for no extra cost. It's Quick. It's FREE. Check your profile
on
www.hertz.com for more details.
Get a Free Day!
Hertz #1 Awards® is now Hertz Gold Plus Rewards™, and the benefits begin with this fantastic offer:
Earn 500 Bonus Points* just for registering, enough for a Free Weekend Day
Earn 100 Bonus Points* for every rental day NOW through December 15, 2011
No Blackout Dates & Points DO NOT Expire!
Sign up for Fee Waived Hertz Gold membership ($60 Value), simply the fastest way to rent a car
Existing Gold Members, enroll in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards
More information is available in the Connexxus portal under
Partner Programs (Car).
CONNEXXUS TRAVEL NEWSLETTER OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2011
7
NATIONAL CAR RENTAL – EMERALD CLUB
Enroll in the frequent traveler program Emerald Club, if you are not
already a member.
Benefits include:
A fee-waived Emerald Club membership (a $50 value)
The ability to bypass the rental counter and choose your own car from the Emerald Club Aisle at most
major airports in the United States and Canada
Your choice of rewards - rental credits toward Free Days or frequent flyer miles
And more!
Once you enroll in the Emerald Club take advantage of the National Emerald Club biggest promotion of the year.
Earn Free Rental Days fast with the ONE TWO FREE Promotion.
• ONE –
Register now for ONE TWO FREE® and rent between August 22, 2011, and January 31, 2012.
• TWO – Earn a Free Rental Day with every 2 qualifying rentals between August 22, 2011, and January 31,
2012.
• FREE – Use your Free Rental Days anytime through June 24, 2012.
More information is available under
Partner Programs (Car).
HOW CAR RENTAL TAXES TAKE A TOLL – PROVIDED BY ENTERPRISE HOLDINGS
• More than 100 car-rental excise taxes have been enacted
across 43 states and the District of Columbia
• Local politicians market these initiatives as “travel” or
“hospitality” taxes on out-of-towners; but more than half of
car rentals are actually local
• Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) reports the
majority of its member companies spend at least half of their
car-rental budgets in their home markets
• GBTA is part of the broad-based Coalition Against
Discriminatory Car Rental Excise Taxes to publicly support
H.R. 4175 – “End Discriminatory State Taxes on Auto Renters
Act”
• Coalition also includes major car rental and car-sharing
companies (including Enterprise Holdings) - along with travel
industry, consumer, insurance, limousine and truck leasing
organizations
Bi-partisan bill “End Discriminatory
State Taxes for Automobile Renters Act
of 2009” held subcommittee hearings
throughout 2010-11
“Today’s hearing provided us with
valuable insight into what could be
discriminatory taxes on rental cars and
the companies that own them. During
these tough economic times, state and
local governments are looking to raise
revenue. But there is no place for
discriminatory taxes in business. The
testimony provided by our witnesses will
go a long way toward helping us in
Congress navigate this complicated
issue.”
-Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN),
Chairman of the House Judiciary
Subcommittee on Commercial and
Administrative Law
U.S. Travel Association Honoree Andy Taylor Speaks Out Against
Discriminatory Car Rental Excise Taxes
“These discriminatory taxes have drained more than $7.5 billion
from the wallets of car rental customers - all to fund special
projects and programs all over the country that have nothing to do
with travel or renting a car.”
- Andy Taylor, Chairman and CEO of Enterprise Holdings, 2010
CONNEXXUS TRAVEL NEWSLETTER OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2011
8
NATIONAL & ENTERPRISE CHARGE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER REFUELING FEES: USA TODAY, APRIL 2011
At all National and Enterprise airport locations, vehicles are provided with a full tank of gas. At off-airport
locations, vehicles may be provided with less than a full tank of gas. Both National and Enterprise offer our
renters several refueling options. Refueling rates vary by location, and the option selected.
Travelers may choose one of the following:
Option A. Prepay at all airport locations and select off-airport: At the time of rental pickup, renters may
purchase a full tank of gas at competitive industry pre-purchase fuel prices. This is called the Fuel Service Option
(FSO). FSO follows market value.
--This option is best for longer-term rentals, because to take full advantage of the competitive fuel price, the
renter must bring the car back completely EMPTY (we will not refund for any gas left in the tank). A significant
amount of driving must occur to empty the tank.
Option B. National and Enterprise—refuel: The renter will be charged the refueling rate based on current self-
service, per-gallon pricing, plus a fee of up to $0.70 per gallon (National) or no more than 33% over local market
price (Enterprise).
--This option, while competitive against standard refuel rates, is the least cost-effective method in general.
Option C. The renter refuels: The renter replaces all gallons used before returning the vehicle to avoid all
refueling charges.
--This option is the least expensive, in general, as the renter avoids any mark-up on the fuel.
*Average per-gallon gas prices charged by car rental companies at top airports on April 25, 2011 (Atlanta,
Boston, Chicago O’Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, New York LaGuardia,
Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle-Tacoma, Washington Reagan)
*Gas prices quoted may be rounded off to the nearest cent or omit 9/10 of a cent.
CONNEXXUS TRAVEL NEWSLETTER OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2011
9
SAVINGS OPPORTUNITY – RENTING OFF-AIRPORT – A SAVINGS EXAMPLE
FOR CONNEXXUS
PROVIDED BY ENTERPRISE CAR RENTAL
Renting off-airport reduces the rental cost by 25% --avoids the various on-airport fees, taxes and surcharges…
*For a 7 day rental of a Compact vehicle (Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris or similar)
CONNEXXUS PROGRAM EVALUATION
In the second quarter of 2011, Connexxus can identify annualized savings of $6.2 million across all UC locations.
The Connexxus Program aims to identify,
procure, and manage an efficient, cost
effective, and comprehensive travel
program. The program features supplier
contracts that contain industry-leading
terms and conditions coupled with high
utilization rates for sourceable
commodities such as agencies, rental
cars, hotels, and airfare. In addition, the
program focuses on ease-of-use for the
traveler, including a single travel portal
and online booking tools.
More information is available in the
Connexxus Portal (Resources).
Total Cost Estimate – Phoenix Sky Harbor
International on-airport*
Total Cost Estimate – Downtown Phoenix
off-airport*
1 Week @ $189.75 USD
$ 189.75 USD
1 Week @ $ 189.75 USD
$ 189.75 USD
Customer Facility Charge 6.00/Day $ 42.00 USD Vehicle License Tax $ 9.49 USD
Concession Recovery Fee 11.11% $ 21.08 USD Spring Training Cactus Lg Tax $ 6.17 USD
Vehicle License Surcharge 5% $ 12.64 USD SALES TAX $ 21.44 USD
Stadium Surcharge $ 8.22 USD
Trans Priv Tax $ 28.57 USD
* Total Charges $ 302.26 USD * Total Charges $ 226.85 USD
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
Enterprise
Holdings
Hertz Avis-
Budget
Dollar
Thrifty
With approximately 6,000
OFF AIRPORT locations
nationwide, Enterprise
makes realizing tax/fee
savings highly achievable
6,178
2,300
2,100
595
Source: Auto Rental News – Fact Book 2011
CONNEXXUS TRAVEL NEWSLETTER OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2011
10
BCD TRAVEL FOR CONNEXXUS
BCD Travel has been a partner of the Connexxus program since the
implementation of the program in the fall of 2007. Through our partnership with
the campuses, our program has been carefully designed to provide the highest
level of service whether you are booking online via Concur Travel or with one of
our full service agent. Through feedback from our Connexxus users and partnering with the leading technology
companies, BCD Travel is able to continue to evolve our services to meet the demands of our busy travelers.
Some facts about BCD Travel’s service for Connexxus
• Concur Travel search options have recently been expanded to give you control of which airports to
include in a single flight/fare search. Choose the link to “search nearby airports” to open a window that
allows you to specify the mileage range to search for surrounding airports and then select the airports
that you would like included.
• BCD Travel Full Service Agents all have more than 20 years travel industry experience each, working
with all types of travelers and trips stretching the globe. BCD Travel provides our agents with ongoing
education, both online and classroom training to keep our skills fresh and enhance our expertise on the
most current travel vendor benefits and policies.
• International Travel booking can sometimes be challenging due to the number of airline and flight
options that may or may not be available for your route. Concur Travel is an excellent choice for booking
your simple International trips online. If your trip includes more than one international destination or
more than one airline, we recommend that you contact our full service agents. Their expertise in
locating the best travel value for your schedule and utilizing BCD Travel’s specialized international rate
desk has saved the Connexxus program an average of 15% on international airline tickets.
HOW TO CUT 90 MINUTES OFF YOUR TIME AT THE AIRPORT
A CBS EARLY SHOW REPORT – PETER GREENGERG (NOVEMBER 2, 2011)
With more planes flying at full capacity, airport crowds are intensifying. A crowded airport is not just unpleasant.
More fliers means longer lines at check-in, security, boarding and baggage claims. And those longer lines
translate into significantly more time at the airport.
Everyone knows that printing out a boarding pass at home saves time, but did you know that check-in lines are
currently so long that it can actually save up to 30 minutes? That’s just one time-saving option.
Check out the
CBS Early Show report to see the Peter Greenberg method for efficient airport travel.
CONNEXXUS TRAVEL NEWSLETTER OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2011
11
CONNEXXUS TRAVEL EVENT
UC MERCED
UC Merced's fourth annual International Opportunities Fair took place Thursday,
September 22, 2011, outside Kolligian Library. There were several information sessions
on study, internship, volunteering, and teaching opportunities abroad throughout the
day. Twenty-nine providers including STA Travel, UC Merced Travel & Connexxus
participated at this event along with hundreds of students.
CONNEXXUS KUDOS
“I just wanted to send a note to you to tell you how very pleased we were working with Cindy Dotson [BCD
Travel agent] and that she did a wonderful job helping us get ready for the meeting we had on September
19
th
. She was incredibly helpful in arranging travel for travelers who had complicated schedules, quick to
respond and incredibly helpful in finding us a much lower cost for what was probably the most expensive ticket
we had to purchase.
We’ve worked with other agents with other companies for different meetings before and I really appreciated
how professional and helpful Cindy was. In the future, we’ll be contacting you again to help us make travel
arrangement for upcoming meetings.”
– Benjamin Hauschild MPH, Senior Research Associate, Forum for Collaborative HIV Research, UC Berkeley
CONNEXXUS TRAVEL NEWSLETTER OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2011
12
CONNEXXUS TRAVEL TIP
Travelers not taking a scheduled
trip should remember to cancel the
trip with the travel agency prior to
flight time in order to take
advantage of the unused ticket
credit.
CONNEXXUS PREFERRED
SUPPLIER INCENTIVES
Hertz # 1 Club Gold
Hertz Gold Plus membership
fee of $60 is waived for
UC/CSU employees.
Marriott Rewards
As valued UC employees,
Marriott will waive their 10-
night requirement, so that you
may experience immediate
benefits as a Silver Elite
member of Marriott Rewards
(available to new Marriott
Rewards members only).
Southwest Airlines Rapid
Rewards Bonus Points
Rapid Rewards members will
earn additional bonus points
per one way trip. Book online
via the SWABIZ links found in
the Connexxus portal.
Visit the Connexxus portal for more
information (Supplier Spotlight).
CONNEXXUS TRAINING
The Connexxus Travel Office
provides on campus and webinar
training to promote the use of
Connexxus. Training is offered to
all faculty and staff along with
individualized workshops tailored
to departmental needs. Contact
the Connexxus Travel Office for
more details: UCTravel@ucop.edu.
Published by the Connexxus Travel Office
University of California Office of the President
Website:
www.ucop.edu/travel
Email:
Connexxus Portal
TRAVEL NEWS & LINKS
Risk Management: Why You Need to Track Your Travelers
Best & Worst US Airports for Flight Delays
Hotel Chains Trump Independents on Green Policy
Universities Building Their Own T&E Expense System
IRS increases mileage rate for business travel
Transportation Security Administration
U.S. State Department Travel Info
G-28, Policy and Regulation Governing Travel
Connexxus Newsletter Archive
HOLIDAY / WINTER SCHEDULE
UC Office of the President
Closed: November 11
Closed: November 24 – 25
Closed: December 26 – January 2
BCD & Balboa Travel
Closed: November 24 – 25
Closed: December 26
Closed: January 2
Online support and fulfillment through Concur is available 24/7
24 Hour Emergency/After Hours Team will be available to assist all
clients
UC Travel Center
Closed: November 11
Closed: November 24 – 25
Closed: December 22 – January 2
GetThere, online booking tool, will be available during the closure
