Survey Says: You Have More Ways To Use Points. But That’s Not Necessarily Good News. by Ryan Smith April 21, 2024 1 If you're like me, you feel like there are ever-increasing options for using your points. In fact, the data backs it up. But this expansion of redemption options isn't good in and of itself. Here's why new ways to use your points aren't necessarily a good thing.
Why I Intentionally Paid a Foreign Transaction Fee While Overseas by JT Genter April 20, 2024 5 Foreign transaction fees can be an obnoxious part of international travel. No one likes to pay an additional ~3% on every transaction just for using a credit card outside the United States. But this week, I intentionally used a credit card that charged a foreign transaction fee instead of one of the cards in my wallet with no foreign transaction fees. Here's the story why.
How To Check Your Credit Score for Free by Jenna Hansen April 19, 2024 2 Knowing and understanding your credit score is important in many aspects of life — from buying a home or car to opening new credit cards. There are many ways to check your score for free. Most banks offer free checks, along with other non-bank options. This article takes a look all of the ways to make sure you're on top of your credit score and credit report.
How To Stack Offers for Thousands of Points, Free Food & Minimal Spending by Skye Class January 1, 2025 0 Right now, you could take home some inexpensive meals while earning a ton of points. Through the practice of stacking — combining multiple offers on top of using the right credit card — you could spend a low sum while earning a ton of rewards. You'll also get some food in the process. Let's look at a clear example of how (and why) you should stack.
Do Air Europa SUMA Miles Expire? by Sam Helmy April 14, 2024 1 Air Europa SUMA miles will expire if you have no activity on your account for a period of time. Fortunately, a host of activities will keep your miles active, including taking flights with SkyTeam partners. Here are the full details of this expiration policy.
How To Use Your Hotel Elite Status for Free Cruises by Brie Bash April 13, 2024 1 Cruise lines want to attract gamblers to their casinos, so they're willing to give away discounted and even free cruises. But you don't have to be a high roller to get in on this game! One hotel loyalty program can get you the same free cruises without ever setting foot in a casino.
You Shouldn’t Cancel a Credit Card Within Your First Year of Membership. Here’s Why. by Tyler Glatt April 8, 2024 0 Credit card issuers want your business. And to get it, they'll offer you big welcome bonuses complete with points, miles, or cash back. But what happens when you're ready to move on from your card? Of all the things you could do, you shouldn't cancel your credit card within the first year of membership. Here's why you'd be wise to avoid canceling a credit card less than a year after opening it.
What Happens to Frequent Flyer Miles When You Die? by Senitra Horbrook March 27, 2024 28 Have you ever wondered what happens to your credit card points and frequent flyer miles when you die? If you have a lot of them, it matters. Some programs allow you to gift these to others in your will; other programs immediately close your account if they're notified of your death. Here are the policies.
Why the Charles Schwab Debit Card Is a Must for International Travel by Samantha Holland March 25, 2024 7 Some international ATMs charge anywhere from 1%–3% for withdrawing cash. That's why travelers need the Charles Schwab debit card. Use it at ATMs around the world and, at the end of each month, get reimbursed a lump sum for any international ATM fees. That's on top of paying no foreign transaction fees with the card and other traveler-friendly benefits. Here's why you need this card and how to get it.
How To Use Carnival Fun Match To Score a (Nearly) Free Cruise by Brie Bash February 5, 2025 2 Carnival Fun Match allows you to use your existing loyalty to hotels and casinos on the land for nearly-free cruises on the sea. The idea is that luring you with offers could replicate the same loyalty you have to other brands, but now to a cruise company. Here's how I used status matching for a big discount on a cruise.
462 Delta Award Routes That You Can Book for Just 7,500 Points by JT Genter March 24, 2024 0 Delta SkyMiles can be a frustrating program. Sure, some domestic Delta economy awards can only cost a few thousand SkyMiles. Other times flights can climb astronomically high. Thankfully travelers have a way to get predictable pricing on Delta award flights: Booking through partner airlines. One of the best sweet spots for booking Delta awards is Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Here are the 462 Delta routes that you can book using just 7,500 Virgin points — and the many ways you can accumulate Virgin points.
Point.me Review: Game-Changing Award Availability Tool by Ross Denkin March 18, 2024 15 Point.me makes a monumental step forward in flight award search efficiency. Search dozens of airlines and award programs all at once rather than one at a time. Plus, step-by-step booking guidance helps turn search results into booked flights. Here's our full review of this game-changing service.
9 Ways To Prevent Credit Card Fraud When Traveling Abroad by Andrew George Bradshaw March 18, 2024 0 Traveling internationally can be one of the greatest experiences of your life — but can also turn into a nightmare in an instance. As we roll into 2024 and an ever-increasing digital age, scammers and hackers are evolving in their abilities to commit credit card fraud. That's why it's important to protect yourself in any way possible. In this article, we dive into 9 different ways to avoid getting scammed during your upcoming travel abroad so you don't encounter the headaches I had from a recent trip.
Hotel Denied Your Reservation? Here’s What To Do and Why by Dan Miller March 11, 2024 3 Just like airlines, hotels can be oversold. If you find yourself being "walked" from a confirmed hotel reservation, you have rights. You may be eligible for compensation in exchange for being booked at another hotel.
1,284 American Airlines Routes That You Can Book for Just 8,000 Points by Tyler Glatt March 9, 2024 0 Qantas Frequent Flyer isn't a well-known mileage program for many Americans. But it should be on your radar if you want to turn Amex points, Capital One miles, or Citi points into cheap American Airlines awards. Here are the 1,280+ American Airlines routes that we found you can book for just 8,000 Qantas points each way.
How Citi Merchant Offers Works by Jenna Hansen February 28, 2024 12 Citi Merchant Offers gives card members even more options to save money when they load the offer and use their linked card to make purchases from hundreds of merchants. The offers are similar to Amex Ofers and Chase Offers, though with a few differences. Here's what you need to know.
How I Got $78 Back in Under 8 Minutes Through the Capital One Travel Price Match Guarantee by JT Genter February 18, 2024 0 The Capital One Travel portal offers a price match guarantee, letting travelers claim the price difference if they find a cheaper rate elsewhere. This week, I utilized this perk to get $78 back through a process that took less than 8 minutes. Here's what you need to know about the Capital One Travel price match perk.
How To Use the Capital One App to Track Lounge Capacity and Join the Waitlist by Tyler Glatt February 16, 2024 0 With the demand for travel nowadays sky-high, airports are busy places. And given that many travelers carry a credit card that offers lounge access, lounges are busy places, too. To give prospective visitors a heads-up, Capital One has rolled out a new feature to let you track the lounge capacity and join a digital waitlist if the lounge is full. Here's how the new feature works.
What Is a ‘Player 2’ in Points and Miles? by Samantha Holland February 16, 2024 0 A "Player 2" can help you level up your points and miles hobby in a variety of ways. Learn more about what it means to team with other people while earning and redeeming points and miles, including how to stay organized, work together, and earn referral bonuses. Here's everything you should know about what a Player 2 is.
You Can Now Enroll for Global Entry Before Departure at Washington Dulles by Tyler Glatt February 14, 2024 0 If you're conditionally approved for Global Entry but unable to secure a coveted interview slot, Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is here to the rescue. You can now complete an interview for Global Entry before departing Washington Dulles on an international flight. Here's what you need to know about Washington Dulles' new Global Entry enrollment option.
American Airlines Flagship Lounges: Where They Are and How to Access Them by Ajay Jain and JT Genter February 11, 2024 4 American Airlines Admirals Clubs are fine for a short layover. But, did you know that American Airlines also has an even more premium type of lounge called the Flagship Lounge? Read about what is an American Airlines Flagship Lounge, the difference between them and Admirals Clubs, and how to access a Flagship Lounge on your American Airlines or Oneworld ticket.
Claiming Compensation for a Delayed, Overbooked, or Canceled Flight in the US and EU by Andrew George Bradshaw February 9, 2024 57 Flight delays and cancellations can be expensive and stressful. Fortunately, there are some protections in place to make sure you don’t get stuck with the bill when irregular operations force you to change your plans. If you know your rights, you can avoid worrying about covering extra costs out of pocket and make sure you extract the full compensation to which you’re entitled.
683 United Award Routes That You Can Book for Just 6,000 Aeroplan Points by Tyler Glatt February 8, 2024 4 One of the most consistent ways to redeem Aeroplan points for great value is right here in the United States: on United Airlines flights under 500 miles. For these flights, you'll pay just 6,000 Aeroplan points. Here's a list of the 683 routes where we've found this excellent award rate, plus a review of Air Canada's transfer partners and other ways to get Aeroplan points.
Which Luxury Hotel Brands Offer the Best Value for Your Points? by Tyler Glatt February 6, 2024 6 No two luxury hotel brands are alike. And on top of that, neither are the values of what your hotel points are worth at these properties. But AwardWallet has done the math, and the results are in. Here are the luxury hotel brands where your hotel points will go the farthest.
What You Need To Know About Breeze Airways by Sam Helmy February 5, 2024 16 New airlines don’t come around that often, and Breeze Airways is one of the newest, launching its inaugural flight in 2021. Here is all you need to know about the airline and its loyalty program, BreezePoints.
What Is Southwest Upgraded Boarding, and How To Get it for Free by Samantha Holland May 29, 2024 2 Southwest Airlines may have an unusual seating policy and boarding system, but perks like Upgraded Boarding can help you skip the line. Learn the ins and outs of Upgraded Boarding, including which credit cards offer the benefit plus a step-by-step purchasing tutorial.
Score 35K Bonus SkyMiles, Delta Elite Status With Private Flights by Tyler Glatt January 28, 2024 0 If you're going to fly private, you might as well bank some extra rewards while you're doing it. Through Delta's partnership with Wheels Up, you can earn 35,000 SkyMiles by signing up for a Core membership and even spend your way to Diamond Medallion status. Here's what you should know about this unique but expensive path to Delta Medallion status.
Enjoy These Airline Perks for Your Birthday by Jenna Hansen January 26, 2024 2 Who doesn't love a good birthday celebration? Better yet, enjoy bonus perks from airlines just because it's your birthday. This post looks at some of the fun options you have from different airlines, along with how to take advantage of these birthday-related benefits.
Here’s When You Will and Won’t Pay Resort Fees on Award Stays by Toni Southam and Sam Helmy January 25, 2024 3 Resort fees are never fun to pay, but they are even more frustrating when they are implemented on your free nights and award stays. Here are all of the hotel brands that waive resort fees on award nights — as well as the ones that don't. This should help you know what to expect during your next hotel stay.
Which Airlines Allow Elite Status Extensions for Life Events? by Tyler Glatt January 23, 2024 0 Sometimes, life happens. And if you lose your elite status when it does, almost a dozen airlines stand at the ready to help you get it back. Whether you've got a newborn, adopted a child, went on military deployment, or had to care for a sick family member, many airlines will help you get back the status you lost in the interim.