What I (re)learned from flying Business Class internationally
I was in the fortunate position of flying international Business Class using frequent flyer miles recently. Yes, it’s hard to complain. And while it was a great experience, a lot of what made it...
View ArticleTravel hacking blunders: The hotel
I’ve talked about how I’ve used travel hacking to allow me to have experiences that I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish any other way. I frequently stay in hotels for free, and have on more than...
View ArticleTravel hacking blunders: The lounge
Travel hacking is not all about glamour and flying around the world with ease and style. It’s also about trying out schemes and having them totally not work. So continuing on from my post on blowing...
View ArticleIs it worth it to purchase lounge access?
As mentioned in the discussion of my failed attempt at extending my airline lounge access, I had purchased lounge access for a year, and had enjoyed the experience. But I balked at renewing my...
View ArticleHow to save money on airfare by purchasing frequent flyer miles
Frequent flier miles can be a really amazing tool for seeing the world. I used miles to travel in international business class when I came home from Europe earlier this year, and while it was a bit...
View ArticleBecome a Trusted Traveler with NEXUS (and get your eyeballs scanned)
A few months ago, I wrote about my experience signing up for NEXUS, the joint border clearance program between the US and Canada that allows for expedited travel in, out, and between the two...
View ArticleNEXUS is inconsistently awesome: a report on flying to Canada
I’ve written before about NEXUS and how much of a good deal it is for most people who fly on any regular basis. To recap: $50 and an interview (and your eyeballs scanned) will get you expedited...
View ArticleDoes a mileage run ever make sense?
I was trying to find a round trip ticket on Alaska Airlines that would end up being more than 6,342 miles round trip. This is difficult. Alaska runs a rather short-haul system, and the longest flight...
View ArticleChallenge: Travel to one new country every year
Got any travel plans for this year? Still think that travel isn’t in the cards for you, despite your wish to the contrary? I have a challenge for you. And I think you can achieve it, both this year...
View ArticleWhy foreign transaction fees are (annoying but) no big deal
WARNING: This post contains math. Are you old enough to remember travelers checks? When I went on my first trip abroad when I was much younger, that was still the de facto method of using currency...
View ArticleThe absolute best way to use frequent flyer miles
I’m going on a big trip starting this week, and I’m really excited about it! I’ve hinted about it in previous posts, but I wanted to lay it all out here so you can share in my excitement and...
View ArticleGetting my mom and I to London and back: a study in trip planning
In my last post I talked about how my mom and I were going to Europe together. Specifically London, although we threw in Paris at the last moment. It’s a really exciting time. For me, one of the best...
View ArticleBeware the second time around
We were stuck at the Gare du Nord with no place to stay. We had arrived on the Eurostar, fresh from London, with accommodations all arranged. We had booked an apartment near the Champs-Élysées...
View ArticleMost people never leave their backyard, or The speed of adulthood
We were standing on the top of the Arc de Triomphe. (Side note: no, this was not something I thought you could do, but it was great that we could.) It was a kind of “triomphe” for my Mom, for whom...
View ArticleThe best time to travel is coming up soon!
It’s getting to be my favorite time of the year in the US for flying! Planes will be empty, fares will be cheap, airports will be a breeze to get to and around in. I’ve already booked a flight, and...
View ArticleHow to determine where to travel next
I have a travel goal. Every year, I travel to a new country. Seeing one new country in a year is possible without quitting your job or being independently wealthy. In fact, it’s a challenge that...
View ArticleMy ideas for my new country for the year
All this talk about me helping you decide where your next “new country” trip is going to be rather sidesteps the slightly uncomfortable fact that I myself don’t actually know where my own “new...
View ArticleCalculate the opportunity cost
Opportunity cost can be defined as “the value of the choice of a best alternative lost while making a decision.” Or, more colloquially, it’s “what you could have done if you had chosen differently.”...
View ArticleDoes frequent travel conflict with financial well-being?
If you’ve been reading this site for a while, you’ve no doubt seen me periodically talk about my quest to see one new country a year. You might find this topic potentially a diversion, even perhaps...
View ArticleYou don’t need to wait until you’re old or rich to see the world
I’ve been in Scotland for the past week, the first time I’ve been here in about twenty years. The first time I was here was on a break from college. I had taken a spring semester off, and was planning...
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