We recently spoke with Adeline Hampton, Vice President/Advertising Sales, Discovery Communications, Inc., this year’s winner of American Way magazine’s Road Warrior contest, receiving two million Hilton HHonors points and one million American AAdvantage miles.
InsideFlyer
What were some of your first thoughts when you heard that you had been selected as the American Way Road Warrior?
Adeline Hampton
I was absolutely thrilled and so grateful to all of my friends and family who voted for me.
IF
Do you have any thoughts on why you might have won?
Hampton
I work for the Discovery Channel for Latin America and besides working on our children’s channel, I also work with our digital business. When I heard that I was one of the finalists, I thought, why do I really want to win this? There is a charity, wishuponawedding.org, that had caught my attention and I really wanted to be able to give to this organization. I also thought, what else can I do to pay it forward? So I created a fan page on Facebook and I invited people to post their ideas about what they could do to change the world. And whoever got the most likes for their idea on the fan page, I would give them 100,000 miles, 50,000 of which they would keep and the other 50,000 they would donate to a cause of their choice.
IF
What is it about the nonprofit Wish Upon a Wedding that inspired you to donate some of your miles and points to them?
Hampton
I believe in my heart that hope and love are two essential qualities to life that make life so beautiful. And when I heard about this charity, it really touched my heart. Because wishuponawedding.org puts together these weddings where one person of the couple is facing serious health issues. It’s a way of bringing hope back into their lives. For me, that’s what really drew me to it. And I thought, wouldn’t it be great if more people knew about this fabulous organization?
IF
Do you have any plans to spend your miles and points?
Hampton
My sister lives in Oregon, which is a little challenging to get to since you can’t get there on a direct flight from most places. She is pregnant and it will be the first grandchild for my parents. So I’m already using some of those miles and hotel points to get our relatives out there to be there either for the birth of the child or shortly thereafter.
IF
How often do you travel and what do you enjoy the most about it?
Hampton
I travel quite frequently since I work in the Latin America division for Discovery Communications. Ever since I was growing up I thought one of the most amazing privileges we have is to live in this day and age when air travel is possible–to be able to fly to another country or city and just all of a sudden be there. I think it is such a gift to be able to experience a new culture and meet new people.
IF
And the least?
Hampton
Sometimes it’s rough taking an overnight flight and having to get off the plane at 5 o’clock in the morning and then go all day in meetings in the office wherever I’m traveling to. Sometimes the lack of sleep is what gets me.
IF
Would you share one memorable travel experience?
Hampton
I enjoy very much traveling for my job but for me the most memorable experience was in the past year when I had a chance to go to the Amazon for 12 days, which is the longest vacation I’ve taken in my entire life. It’s a trip of a lifetime and it just completely changes your perspective on the world–and gives you such an appreciation for Mother Nature. It’s a trip I would recommend to anyone. I was so grateful to be able to fly there and have that experience.
IF
Is there any destination you haven’t been to that you’d like to visit?
Hampton
I have not been that frequently to Asia and I’m hoping that at some point I can get to China and India. And also Egypt, although right now may not be the best time to go there.
IF
Can you give our readers one “road warrior” tip?
Hampton
Life is unpredictable and so is travel. Really be willing to go with the flow because things happen that sometimes are beyond anyone’s control–the airline’s and the individual. When I travel, I get into a specific mindset to just try to be relaxed and go with the flow.
IF
Why do you choose American Airlines as your preferred airline?
Hampton
Since I’m based out of our Miami office and since I travel so frequently to Latin America, American Airlines is the airline that has the most coverage and is the most convenient for us to get to our destinations directly.
