I keep at least 30,000 credit card points at all times for emergency flights and hotel rooms. Chase Ultimate Rewards earned with my Chase Sapphire Reserve are my favorite points to have on hand because of their high value and flexibility, but I’ve also used Hyatt points and Delta miles to save hundreds of dollars …
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I stayed in one of Italy’s ghost towns that’s selling off homes for $1, and I was treated like royalty
In June, I traveled to Sicily to visit some of the towns that are selling off homes to foreigners for as little as €1 ($1) to see what they were really like. In particular, I stayed in Sambuca, whose scheme has received some of the most widespread media coverage. While the town was unsurprisingly quiet, …
The top 30 countries in the world to work, make friends, and raise a family in 2019
More than 20,000 expats living in 187 countries and regions rated various aspects of their lives away from home for InterNations, an expat network based in Germany. They were asked questions from the cost of living, to the quality of medical care, to the ease of making local friends. Their answers were then weighted and …
5 of the best luxury credit cards that can get you into exclusive airport lounges
Some luxury credit cards like the Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve include access to airport lounges with free drinks, fast internet, and clean bathrooms, among other perks. American Express is known for its wide range of lounges, but other brands also give you lounge access through Priority Pass Select. After …
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Frequent flyer miles aren’t always as valuable as Chase and Amex points, but you should still consider an airline credit card for these 5 reasons
When it comes to rewards credit cards, the most valuable options are generally those that earn you bank points, like Amex points with the American Express® Gold Card and Chase points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. However, there are several reasons to consider airline co-branded credit cards as well. Not only do airline cards …
One of NYC’s most iconic luxury hotels was used to film ‘Gossip Girl’ scenes and is home to two $25,000-a-night penthouse suites. I got a tour — here’s what it looks like inside.
The Lotte New York Palace is one of New York City’s most iconic luxury hotels. Rates range from about $349 for a standard king room to $25,000 a night for each of the two penthouse suites at the five-star Manhattan hotel. I recently got a tour of the $25,000-a-night penthouse suites, the Champagne Suite and …
Amex Gold Card vs Chase Sapphire Preferred: Which rewards card is right for you?
The American Express® Gold Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred Card are two of the best travel rewards credit cards available now. Both cards earn points that transfer to over a dozen travel partners. Amex points can be converted into Delta SkyMiles and Hilton Honors points among other options. Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners include Southwest, …
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How to get a new passport or renew an old one in a few simple steps
The proportion of Americans holding passports is on the up and up, and if you want to be a world traveler, you’ll need to join the club. Getting a passport may seem like an arduous task, but in fact, it’s quite straightforward. In this guide, we break down how to get a passport, how to …
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Hotel review: Picture yourself in Provence — this charming French chateau and winery is stunning, upscale, and under $200 per night in winter
Domaine de Fontenille in Provence, France is a chateau-turned-luxury hotel with an onsite winery and Michelin-starred restaurant. Rates typically exceed $250 per night in high season, but visiting at other times avoids crowds and yields competitive deals. I visited in winter 2019 for two nights and paid $170 a night. If you’ve ever dreamed of …
You can earn up to 100,000 miles with the United Explorer Business card, but only for one more week
The United Explorer Business Card is currently offering its highest-ever sign-up bonus: up to 100,000 United miles. You’ll earn 50,000 miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months, and another 50,000 miles after spending $25,000 total on purchases in the first six months. That’s a high spending requirement, but keep in mind …
Our family of 3 traveled the world for 7 months and only spent $288.30 from our savings — here’s how
In 2019, Mary Kearl and her husband left their full-time jobs to travel throughout the US and Central and South America with their one-year-old child. They had saved up and expected to spend $36,000 on their trip, but because they worked while they travelled they only ended up spending $288.30 of their savings. Kearl walked …
If you’re a business traveler who prefers Marriotts, the Bonvoy Business Amex is worth a look — especially now that it’s offering a 100,000-point welcome bonus
The Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card is a great credit card for business owners who frequent Marriott properties during their travels. While the card has a $125 annual fee, the benefits can easily help you offset it. Additionally, when you apply for the card now, you’ll be able to earn 100,000 bonus Marriott points …
This $11 luggage scale has saved me hundreds of dollars in overweight bag fees — I’ve been using it for more than 3 years
International overweight bag fees range from $50 to $200 depending on airline carriers and how much your bag is over the predetermined limit. This $11 digital luggage scale can save you hours of frustration and hundreds of dollars even if you don’t consider yourself an overpacker. It can weigh bags and suitcases up to 100 …
27 haunting photos show the crumbling ruins of an abandoned Soviet-era spa resort once used by Joseph Stalin
Urban exploration photographers are no strangers to visiting the most remote corners of the Earth to capture photos of abandoned and forgotten buildings. Urban photographer Roman Robroek visits and photographs abandoned sites and buildings all over the world, allowing viewers to look inside deserted castles, eerie churches, and important landmarks now overcome by nature. Here …
Amex Membership Rewards can take you all over the world, but my 3 favorite ways to use them provide exceptional value
Anyone with an Amex card like the American Express® Gold Card or Platinum Card® from American Express earns Membership Rewards points, which can be redeemed through partner airlines, hotels, or Amex’s own flight-booking portal. Choosing between so many redemption options can be challenging, but my three favorite redemption choices — short-haul British Airways partner bookings, …
After months of contemplation, I finally upgraded to the Chase Sapphire Reserve with a 10-minute phone call
I recently upgraded my go-to rewards credit card from the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card to the Chase Sapphire Reserve. I wanted to upgrade to earn even more rewards on dining and travel purchases and utilize two statement credits: an annual one for travel and another for the TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee. By calling the …
Cruise lines like Carnival and Norwegian offer credit cards with benefits like bonus points. Here are the pros and cons you need to know.
Just as most airlines offer co-branded credit cards, cruise lines have their own credit cards. For frequent cruisers, cruise-branded credit cards offer the appeal of earning points toward free trips, and like most other rewards credit cards they often come with sign-up bonuses that get you rewards for meeting a minimum spending requirement in the …
8 beautiful Airbnbs that can cost you less than $100 per night
When it comes to planning a vacation or weekend getaway, finding an affordable place to stay can be harder than it looks. Luckily, there are quite a few adorable and cozy Airbnb rentals you can stay in for less than $100 per night, depending on when you book. Here are eight Airbnb rentals you can …
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You could earn more than $150 back by putting a year’s worth of dining out on a credit card like the Amex Gold
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American family spends about $3,424 on dining out each year. No matter how much you spend on food away from home, you can maximize those purchases with a card that earns bonus points or cash back on dining, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express® Gold …
The ‘world’s greatest living travel writer’ has spent 32 years in Japan. Here’s what he’s observed.
Pico Iyer is the author of eight works of nonfiction and two novels. The following is an excerpt from his book, “A Beginner’s Guide to Japan: Observations and Provocations.” Iyer has spent 32 years in Japan, his adopted home. In this excerpt, accompanied by Iyer’s original photography, Iyer offers a poetic introduction to the intricacies …
Chase’s Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card with a $95 annual fee is now offering a 100,000-point sign-up bonus
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card from Chase is the moderately priced personal Marriott credit card of the three options available to new applicants. There’s also the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card, with no annual fee, and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card. The Bonvoy Boundless just launched a new welcome bonus of 100,000 …
Inside the ‘monstrosity,’ a gritty, mostly-abandoned bus station in Tel Aviv that’s become an oasis for artists and urban explorers
Israel’s Tel Aviv New Central Bus Station is one of the largest bus stations in the world, second only to Millennium Park Bus Depot in Delhi, India, according to Hindustan Times. But, even though it’s only 15 years old, only a fraction of the station is still used for travel, and a motley crew of …
A picturesque car-free village in the Netherlands is being overrun by tourists and ‘nuisance perpetrators’
Giethoorn is a car-free village in the Netherlands, about 75 miles from Amsterdam. The main form of transportation is by bicycle or foot on the roughly 180 wooden foot arch bridges, or by boat on the over 55 miles of canals, according to Condé Nast Traveler. Some residents, however, have been complaining about an onslaught …
The 4 types of credit cards everyone should have to diversify rewards and benefits and enjoy travel protections
When it comes to picking the right credit cards for you, it makes sense to tailor your choices to your spending habits and travel goals. That said, there are some key benefits and rewards everyone should consider, and you’ll find them with these four different types of cards. A cash-back card like the Fidelity Rewards …
The Centurion ‘black’ card has a $2,500 annual fee and is invite-only, but you can get most of its benefits with the Amex Platinum.
The Amex Centurion “black” card makes other premium credit cards look downright affordable. With an initiation fee of $7,500 and an annual fee of $2,500, it’s for big spenders. It’s also invite-only; you can’t apply without permission from Amex. The card offers some incredible benefits, like complimentary elite status across four hotel chains and with …
I took a flight on a $10 million private jet, and it shows why one business case for private-plane ownership makes perfect sense
Private jets have a reputation for being opulent or extravagant, but in many cases in the US, a private plane is actually a smart business resource. For those who need occasional access to a jet, but don’t have the need or funds to buy one outright, fractional ownership presents a model that can be helpful. …
Norwegian Cruise Line is ditching plastic water bottles on its ships as the cruise industry comes under fire for for polluting the seas (NCLH)
Norwegian Cruise Line announced on Wednesday that it’s banning single-use plastic bottles next year. The cruise line will instead use paper water bottles from Just Goods. Just Goods’ water bottles are made mostly from paper and plant-based plastic, and the company says its materials and production processes produce 74% fewer emissions that are harmful to …