Tag: amex

  • My favorite ways to earn points during the winter holiday season

    Some people love to shop. But I’m not one of those people. So when I do have to shop, like during the holiday season, I want to give myself a little incentive to make it more fun! My incentive is trying to earn the most points I can. Then each purchase isn’t just a gift—each…

  • Virgin Atlantic discounted companion award seats

    Update: Since the Virgin Atlantic award-chart changes in late October 2024, the Companion Fare 50% discount does not seem to exist anymore. I have a confession to make: I didn’t know until recently that Virgin Atlantic offered discounted award seats when you fly with a companion. My family has flown on Virgin Atlantic more than…

  • Lounge review: Air France Lounge, CDG Terminal 2F (February 2024)

    Charles de Gaulle is normally one of my least favorite airports to have a layover in because it’s huge, it’s always crowded, and there are no Priority Pass lounges worth visiting, no matter what terminal you’re in. We’ve had several layovers at CDG over the past year or so, and each one has been mediocre…

  • Flight review: Air France business class LAX-CDG (Boeing 777-300ER) (February 2024)

    Overall review: Air France business class on the 777-300ER was really enjoyable, with great food, a comfortable seat, solid entertainment, and good service. It felt like such a treat! It’s one of the best options to get to Europe in a pretty darn nice business class for relatively few miles and taxes/fees from the West Coast,…

  • Best offers for January 2024

    These are the best credit-card offers available right now, in my opinion. I’ll give you the quick rundown of why each card is worth considering below! If you’re ready to get going earning points for almost-free travel in 2024 and don’t have a particular “next card” in mind, one of these is probably going to be…

  • December 2023 transfer bonuses

    This is a short post because there are only two (or three) transfer bonuses going on right now. 1. Chase has a 25% bonus when you transfer Ultimate Rewards points to JetBlue through 1/10/24. 2. American Express has a 30% bonus when you transfer Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic through 12/31/23. If you’re lucky,…

  • Best travel credit card offers for November 2023

    If you plan to earn the Southwest Companion Pass this fall, your best offers are here. If you’re not in the market for a Companion Pass but are ready for your next card to earn free travel, here are your best options right now! These cards all earn transferable points, so you can use them…

  • Lounge review: American Express Centurion Lounge, SEA

    Early in 2023, the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport American Express Centurion Lounge reopened after a big renovation, and the hype about how great this lounge was after the renovation was in part what led me to have my husband apply for his AmEx Platinum card. I needed to get access to this lounge, y’all. And it…

  • Hotel review: Hotel Aquarius (Venice, Italy)

    Stay: July 2023 Paid: Transferred 50,000 Citi ThankYou points at 1:2 ratio to Choice Hotels hotel program, which resulted in 100,000 Choice Hotels points after the transfer. This covered two rooms for two nights at the peak rate (25,000 Choice Hotels points per room per night). Status: None Rooms: Suite & Junior Suite Would I…

  • Drastic changes to the personal Platinum AmEx authorized-user fees

    Can the most expensive travel-rewards card get even more expensive? Sure can! And American Express is testing the limits of what people will pay with their recent changes to the fee they’re charging for authorized users on the personal Platinum American Express card. The good news is that if you’re a current cardholder and aren’t…