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"It’s one of my favorite places on the planet": Talking travel with alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin
MileagePlus® member and U.S. alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin spills on her most memorable trips and travel hacks.
Find out what Mikaela can’t travel without. Photo courtesy of Stifel U.S. Ski Team.
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U.S. alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin is an eight-time World Champion and boasts 101 skiing World Cup wins, the most wins in history. After years of jetting across the globe for ski camps, competitions and family vacations, not to mention her status as a United Global Services® member, the pro skier is also a pro traveler.
What do you never leave home without?
My phone: gotta stay in touch and stay close to my calendar, which helps me stay on track during the day! Then, I need my water bottle. Usually I want to have some hydration available so my Adidas Water Bottle is always on me. Finally, I can’t leave home without my Longines Conquest Chronograph watch. My wrist feels naked without it!
Favorite travel hack?
For long travel, I bring a hydrating face mask from Biodance for the flight, and I always brush my teeth with drinkable water. Sometimes, I change into a fresh pair of socks or underwear. Those few things help me feel cleaner and more refreshed when I arrive.
Also, with my MileagePlus status, priority check-in is a game changer for making the check-in process easier, especially when we are traveling with a lot of luggage. It's such a pleasant process before we get on our way for a long trip.
What’s your most memorable trip?
My family trips to Maui always stand out in my mind. It’s one of my favorite places on the planet and always feels very nostalgic. We love to windsurf, go for runs along the beach paths, hang out on the patio during sunset and body surf in the evenings.
Where are you going next?
I’m currently visiting family on the East Coast and will be heading to Norway soon to see my fiancé, Aleksander Kilde, and his family. It will be a mix of personal fun, lots of strength and conditioning training and some media and marketing work.
Where do you want to go the most?
Someday, I would love to go to Maldives and also South Africa. My brother and his wife went to Maldives for their honeymoon and just loved it. My mom and dad went to South Africa on a safari and then to the Seychelles for windsurfing before my brother and I were born, and they highly recommended that.
Follow Mikaela at @mikaelashiffrin.
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