Happy weekend and welcome back to another Weekend Round-Up!

As the only member of the writing team who currently travels with a little one, my travel style looks a little different these days.

It also means I get excited about family travel news.

Which is why I’m putting a family-friendly spin on this weekend round-up. 😏

So, let’s get into the family travel news that made me perk up this week!

🏨 Earn 2x elite nights with Marriott Homes & Villas bookings this fall.

🏝️ Book a luxury Caribbean getaway using this 25% transfer bonus to Leaders Club.

💻 Stream your favorite shows and save $$ with these handy merchant offers.

🛳️ Cruise News: Carnival unveiled a new loyalty program for earning and redeeming points.

🤔 The one underrated credit card perk that no one remembers until they really need it.

💳 Last chance to earn 100K points (after meeting the minimum spend) on two no annual fee biz cards - that’s this one and this one.

🏆 Our Favorite Pick: 3 big wins for family travel

#1.👋 Greet family at the gate again

If there’s one thing I did NOT have on my travel BINGO card, it’s the return of 90s airport reunions.

I have hazy memories of waiting at the gate for grandma to land or being greeted by dad at the gate when landing, but those childhood memories are from an era that seem long gone post 9/11.

But 25 years later, those welcomes and send-offs, last-minute hugs, and excited hellos are back – at least for those with TSA PreCheck.

Trusted travelers with TSA PreCheck (or a Known Traveler Number) can now go through security and access the terminal beyond airport security without a ticket thanks to the new Gateside by TSA PreCheck – currently trialing at 13 airports across the country.

How does this benefit families?

If you’ve got an unaccompanied minor, it now means you can apply (1-3 days before) to go through TSA PreCheck and wait with them before they board their flight — or pick them up at the gate on their return.

And if a parent is traveling solo with the kiddos, a Trusted Traveler parent or friend could tagalong through security to help them wrangle the kids (and stroller + bags) through the airport for 2+ hours before they board the plane.

As someone who has been there, done that solo – having the extra set of hands or someone to watch the baby while you run to the bathroom is huge!

The new program works for anyone with PreCheck, whether you’re meeting a friend for lunch during a layover, assisting an elderly family member to the gate, or just an aviation nerd who wants to plane-watching spot.

It’s currently trialing at 13 airports – you can read more about the program here.

I, for one, hope it sticks around and expands to more locations!

#2 👶 Lap Infant Policy Leap Frog

Atmos Rewards, the loyalty program of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, made a big change to their lap infant award policy: they’re now charging just taxes and fees for lap infants on long-haul international award flights.

Lap infants typically fly free on domestic flights – or for just the cost of taxes and fees.

But international flights are a whole different animal, charging anywhere from a flat 2,500 points to 25% of the adult cash fare (!!!), depending on the loyalty program with which you book.

And when you’re booking a business class award ticket that normally runs several thousand dollars, you can be looking at paying hundreds for your infant (under 24 months) to sit in your lap. 🙅‍♀️

Atmos Rewards just did away with all of it, charging only the mandated government taxes and fees, and leap frogging over every other award program’s lap infant policy in the process to snag the top spot.

They already have some of the best award space and sweet spot redemptions, so with this development Atmos Rewards just became one of the best programs around in my book — at least until my daughter turns two. 😉

The only downside is Atmos Rewards points are difficult to get, as the only program that transfers to them is Bilt Rewards.

This change has me looking at Bilt cards in a whole new light now — it might just be the best card for new parents and anyone looking to travel with littles. 🤔

#3 The Most Family-Friendly Place on Earth

What’s more family-friendly than Disney?

Well… the cost. Which is feeling more and more un-family-friendly these days. 😅

The Daily Drop YouTube team did families a solid this week and showcased how to save big time on your next Disney trip.

Watch this week’s video for all the in-depth details of how to use points and miles at Disney — including the best programs to use and where to stay – here in the U.S. and at parks abroad.

👀 This Week’s Must-Reads

Best Fall Foliage Drives in the U.S. This week’s Roadtripper covered the top destinations for peak fall views across the country. Plus, a new unique rental car promo for earning hotel points. Read More

The 5/24 Rule Explained What is the often mentioned 5/24 rule, what counts and what doesn’t. Plus, why you should care and how it effects the order you should open credit cards. Read More

🌍 Week in Review

• Monday: 🍔 A short one, because it’s a long weekend 

• Tuesday: 🚼 Atmos deleted lap infant fees

• Wednesday: 💅 Book luxury hotels in the Caribbean

• Thursday: 🛳️ A new program to earn points on cruises

• Friday: 🤨 The perk no one brags about

I just feel like Saturday has got to be the favorite child of the week.

Sunday is a 50/50 toss-up on whether it’s the overachieving firstborn or chill “easy child.”

Either way, love them equally and go enjoy them to the max.

See y’all next weekend! 👋

With contributions by Sam Anthony and April Wilson.

Estimated read time: 5 minutes

☀️ Hi y’all,

Me again. Sam here.

Today is a somber day in the travel world – actually, for the entire nation. 9/11 goes down as one of the worst tragedies in modern history that our country has ever seen.

As a New Yorker, almost everyone I know had a personal connection to that dark day. My grandma remembers the chaos of getting out of her downtown Manhattan office. My dad was a floor trader who worked at the World Trade Center (he even brought kid me into work once) – though thankfully he no longer did in 2001. My uncle was a first responder who sustained lifelong lung damage from the smoke and debris.

Damn, I’m tearing up in this coffee shop, so I’ll stop there. Just know that if you know anyone whose life was lost or altered on that day, my heart goes out to you.🫂

I've always believed the best way to honor the people we lost is to remember them, and then go live a big life on their behalf. For me, that’s exploring the world.

So with that, let's get into today's drop.

• 🤨 The most underrated credit card benefit

• 1️⃣ One (unofficial) rule to rule them all

• 🐭 How to visit Disney for (almost) free

🤨 The most underrated credit card benefit

We talk a lot about flashy credit card perks. Lounge access. Elite status. Travel credits.

There’s an obvious reason – they make travel easier, more fun, and (let’s be real) just a lil more glamorous. 💅

But there’s one benefit that doesn’t get enough airtime imho. And it’s the one you’re going to miss most if you don’t have it when you need it.

Travel insurance.

I get it. At first glance, it’s not exactly the sexiest topic. But I think that’s why I’m so weirdly passionate about it (I got unreasonably excited when this card added emergency evacuation and transportation coverage up to $100,000 earlier this year… that’s huge).

I need y’all to know about how it’s saved me sooo many times, and how it could do the same for you. Travel insurance paid for when:

• I dropped my phone on cobblestones in Brazil – this card’s cell phone protection bought me a new one

• I got overnight delayed in Atlanta on the same trip – that same card covered my hotel, Ubers, and dinner

• A rock hit and cracked the windshield of a rental car – this card’s primary rental car insurance paid for the repairs

• My baggage got delayed – the same card paid for essentials for a couple days til I got it back (and that was the last time I checked a bag – 10 years ago)

Paraty, Brazil - the scene of my cell phone mishap

Credit card insurance has saved me literally thousands of dollars over the years. But it’s one of those benefits that’s hard to value. You might go years without using it… then suddenly get reimbursed hundreds of dollars when something goes wrong. 🤷‍♀️

I personally wouldn’t travel without some kind of backup, whether that’s coverage from a credit card or a separate travel insurance policy. It’s one of the reasons I’m hanging onto this premium card – it has the best travel insurance in the game. It’s one of the only cards that offers some medical coverage, along with primary rental car insurance. And yes, I’ve read the fine print on all the policies. 🙃

So here’s my advice to you:

• If you already have a credit card, go read the fine print. You’ll be glad you know what’s covered before frantically trying to figure it out mid-trip.

• If you’re shopping for a new card, make travel insurance part of your decision, especially if you’re a one-card kinda person.

• Remember: you need to put your travel purchases on that card to trigger coverage. Yes, that usually includes paying the taxes and fees on an award ticket.

• If something goes wrong, save everything. Receipts. Screenshots of delay notifications. Photos of airport screens showing cancellations. There’s no such thing as too much documentation when you’re filing a claim. Make it as easy as possible for them to say yes (I’ve yet to have a claim denied).

There’s sooo much more to travel insurance, so if I’ve sparked some questions, head to our comprehensive guide to learn more.

1️⃣ One (unofficial) rule to rule them all

5/24.

If you’ve poked around any internet forums (like the Daily Drop Facebook lounge), chances are you’ve come across these numbers.

No, they’re not some secret password that unlocks first class on every flight (wouldn’t that be nice).

It’s a bit less exciting – but no less important. 5/24 is one bank’s (unofficial yet reliably consistent) guiding light of approvals.

The short version: if you’ve opened more than five personal credit cards in 24 months, you’re pretty much almost certainly going to be denied a new card from this bank.

Fewer than five personal cards in 24 months? You’ve passed this level of scrutiny, onto the next one (that’s what your whole credit history is all about).

This week’s article is a deep dive into 5/24, what it means, what counts (personal credit cards), what doesn’t (your mortgage, shockingly enough), and all the other nitty gritty details that are actually weirdly fascinating once you get into it.

🐭 How to visit Disney for (almost) free

Phew! This has gotten to be a bit dry of a newsletter… let’s bring back the fun.

For many of y’all, Disney = ultimate fun.

And in case you didn’t know, Brendan is quiiite the Disney fan. Like… “visited Disney parks over 20 times (in multiple countries)” and “books a trip to Disney with his daughter before she’s even born” kind of fan. 🤯

So in this week’s YouTube video, he shares his years of experience on how to visit Mickey with miles and points, including:

• Finding the best award flights to get to the parks

• Booking Disney hotels on points

• Booking Disney park tickets on points (but also…whether you should)

• Using park expenses to strategically earn more points

• Visiting Disneyland Paris & Tokyo (it’s cheaper than you think)

Without giving away the whole video (don’t you hate when movie previews do that?), I’ll just drop the link here so you can watch it yourself. 👇

Alright, that’ll do it for today! I gotta get out of this coffee shop. The couple next to me – like one foot away from me – is breaking up, and I can’t concentrate anymore. Wait maybe they’re not? Idk y’all… sitting here with my espresso tonic has been a wild ride. 😶

One thing’s for sure – Daily Drop is here to stay, and we’ll be back with ya on Monday morning. Have a delightful weekend until then. ✌️

With contributions by April Wilson.

Estimated read time: 5 minutes

☀️ Howdy from Houston — where summer is still going full swing!

Katie here, taking the baton from Sam to keep this race going.

You might know me from the Weekend Round-Up, Roadtripper, or from my rule-breaking ways in our Get Me To series. 🙈

Thankfully, Mike didn’t leave any ground rules behind for me to break, but I’ll do my best to behave behind the keyboard today!

Let’s run through what we’ve got in store, so I don’t go off the rails. 😉

• 🛳️ A brand new cruise rewards program

• 💳 When paying for a cruise pays for itself

• 🥘 A world of flavor at your door

🛳️ A brand new cruise rewards program

I live an hour from Galveston and was raised by an avid cruiser (hi Mom 👋) so I’m no stranger to cruises.

So, when Carnival completely overhauled their rewards program this month, it was NEWS in the family chat.

Gone is the old VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) loyalty program that rewarded sailors for number of days sailed. 😭

Taking its place is Carnival Rewards, a program that consists of Carnival Rewards Points and Status Qualifying Stars.

What are Carnival Rewards Points?

The new program rewards basically any of your Carnival expenses with points earned on experiences such as:

• Cruise fares

• Onboard shopping

• Specialty dining and beverages

• Shore excursions

• Spa treatments

• Casino play

Accumulated points are awarded after your cruise has sailed and can be redeemed on future cruises and experiences.

Earning Status Qualifying Stars

Nights spent aboard no longer factor into your status. Instead, you earn stars based on spend:

• 3 stars per $1 spent on eligible Carnival purchases

• 1 star per casino point

• Additional stars can be earned by using the Carnival Mastercard

As you can see, it now takes a serious amount of stars (read: cash spent) to get elite status, and any status achieved is only valid for two years, after which it resets.

Regular cruisers who breezed to elite status in the past with frequent voyages are the ones taking a hit here, as loyalty is now tied entirely to dollars spent. But infrequent cruisers now have more opportunities to earn status.

There is some good news, though. If you were a VIFP with Diamond status, you’ll get Lifetime Diamond status after enrolling in the new Carnival Rewards.

Those with VIFP Platinum can keep their Platinum status with the new program through December 31, 2028 after enrolling. After that, they’ll start each new two-year earning cycle with a 10,000-Star boost, providing Gold status.

They’re softening the blow with a limited-time offer on their Carnival Rewards™ Mastercard®: 50,000 Carnival Rewards points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days.

My thoughts?

It kinda feels like the self-proclaimed “FunShip” is trying to grow up and get serious. And that feels decidedly less... fun.

But if you’re an infrequent cruiser, this might be your way to earn points you can redeem for experiences on your next cruise.

In reality, I don’t expect to see massive savings on cruise fares themselves unless you’re intentional about racking up a ton of Carnival Rewards Points. If you’re content to redeem your points for a free drink, specialty dinner, or massage, this could be the ticket.

💳 When paying for a cruise pays for itself

But unless you live near a port or want to stay in my guest bedroom before your cruise… cruisers need an overnight stay on one, if not both, sides of their cruise.

Plus, if you’re any sort of cruise snob, you know the better itineraries often sail out of destinations that can require a flight, like Puerto Rico, Florida, or Seattle.

Flights + hotels + cruise means a much more expensive vacation. 😣

Unless… your cruise deposit helps you earn a welcome offer that covers your flights and hotel.💡

Luckily, Capital One just dropped a limited-time offer on their Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card that comes with an instant $300 travel credit toward hotels and vacation rentals through Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, along with 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. 🚨

$4,000 can easily be a cruise deposit for two sailors or more depending on the cruise, so you’d have the needed minimum spend to bank the 75,000 bonus miles welcome offer right there. Perfect for using on flights to your cruise port.

Take these United flights to Fort Lauderdale. They’re just 15,000 points per person through Air Canada, which is one of Capital One’s transfer partners. 👇

The 75,000-bonus-mile welcome offer would cover round trip flights for two at that rate, with 15,000 miles leftover.

Then use the one-time $300 travel credit towards a hotel in your port city, like this one in Fort Lauderdale that includes a complimentary airport shuttle.

Boom. Whole trip booked on the welcome offer from one card. 🫳🎤

Obviously, this method isn’t for everyone. But if you were planning on taking the cruise anyways, the limited-time offer on the Venture card could help you get there — without an outsized annual fee.

This might be my mom’s preferred method of meeting a welcome offer’s spend requirements and if that doesn’t shed light on where I got the travel bug… 😂

PRESENTED BY HELLOFRESH

🥘 A world of flavor at your door

One of my favorite parts of traveling is trying new dishes and flavors wherever I’m visiting — in fact, I almost always book a food tour of some kind.

But then I come home and quickly fall into a rut, making the same 5 dinners on repeat.

That’s why HelloFresh is the perfect fix-dinner solution, delivering recipes from 50+ countries straight to my door—so every night can be a stop on a food tour.

And with 100 new recipes to choose from each week, I’m never bored with my options.

Not to mention that sampling flavors from places I haven’t visited yet — like Japan or Morocco — means nightly dinners just became travel inspo too. 😏

And their current limited-time offer includes some of my all-time favorite cookware: a FREE Caraway Mini Fry Pan ($115 value), with your 3rd box of HelloFresh.

🥘 Grab the limited-time offer here! 🥘

It’s legit my favorite pan, gets used daily at my house and ridiculously easy to clean. Is it weird to be obsessed with kitchen items? Cause I lowkey kinda am with my Caraway pan. Which might be why I’m so excited about this offer. 🙈

Incredible meals inspired by global flavors with zero grocery-store guesswork and the fry pan of your dreams thrown in? That’s a drop-everything-and-grab-now kind of deal, friends.

Snag this limited-time offer before it’s gone and embark on your HelloFresh flavor adventure here — no passport needed!

Alrighty, y’all thanks for hanging with me today!

I did my best to tell it to ya straight, no loopholes or cheats needed. 😊

I’ll undoubtedly see y’all again soon, though… so no promises for next time!

With contributions by Sam Anthony.

Happy Wednesday and welcome back to Roadtripper,

The newsletter that’s always on my mind, even on the weekends.

But seriously, I went to a concert this weekend to see one of my favorite performers, and when he sang a song called Drive, I spent all of it thinking about y’all and your passion for road trips!

Presently, my passion is planning a last-minute fall road trip anywhere cool. Like legitimately crisp and autumnal.

Because autumn is a foreign concept in Houston, I’ve had to do some research, and I’m sharing because that’s caring. ☺️

So let’s hop to it!

• 🍁 Route Report: 5 Fall Foliage Destinations to Consider

• 🤝 The Assist: Earn 5,000 I Prefer Points on Sixt Car Rentals

• 🏨 The Check-in: Preferred Hotels and Resorts

• 🛑 Pit Stop Poll: Where would you go?

🍁 Route Report: 5 Fall Foliage Destinations to Consider

I’m looking to take a 5-day trip in October (yes, I’ve procrastinated planning this trip 🙈), and I’ve been debating where I want to go.

The criteria: somewhere cooler and preferably in the mountains, though foliage and fruit/wine harvest would be a big bonus.

That’s a wide net to cast, so here’s what I’ve been considering.

1. New England

The obvious answer for the ultimate autumn experience is New England, most notably New Hampshire and Vermont, though the whole region is known for its foliage.

We could drive the covered bridges of Route 100, a scenic 216-mile highway that runs north to south through the heart of Vermont. Brilliant fall foliage is just the background for the two-lane road that passes local general stores, cider mills, maple syrup shacks, the Ben and Jerry’s flagship store, and the well-known leaf-peeping town of Stowe, Vermont.

Though I fear accommodations booked up here months ago, and honestly, it can get a little crowded during peak weekends.

Photo by Jonathan Ng on Unsplash

I’d be remiss not to mention New Hampshire’s famous Kancamagus Highway, the 35-mile route from Lincoln to Conway that boasts some of the best fall foliage views in the country. A National Scenic Byway with plenty of scenic overlooks, waterfalls, and hiking spots, it draws millions of visitors annually — which inevitably makes for some slow-moving traffic during peak color change. 😅

My sister-in-law brought me back some granulated maple sugar from her New England trip. It has become my go-to latte topping, so I may have to go just so I can restock!

2. New York State

New York often gets boiled down to just the Big Apple, but the more I learn about it, the more I want to see.

I’m not alone: New York’s Adirondack Mountains were named the top leaf-peeping destination for 2026, according to hotel data from Priceline.

There are at least 18 scenic drives that wind through the Adirondacks, at least according to visitadirondacks.com, so you can’t go wrong with whatever route you choose — I just want to make sure I hit Lake Placid along the way to appease my husband, who is low-key obsessed with the Miracle on Ice. 😂

With ample opportunities for hiking and lake views whenever you need to stop and stretch your legs, the region easily lends itself to a fall weekend getaway.

Photo by Jordan Finnerty on Unsplash

The other option for a late October trip is to head to N.Y.’s Finger Lakes, where leaf color change peaks a little later than in the Adirondacks (check the New York State tourism board’s official Fall Foliage report for an up-to-date map when leaves start to change).

The region is also home to orchards and vineyards, and harvest is typically September-October, so you can’t go wrong with a visit here whenever you choose to visit. Fall foliage + apple harvest + wineries just might be the perfect weekend, if you ask me.

Drive along the Seneca Lake Wine Trail, with stops for wine tastings along the way, or hike Watkins Glen State Park's gorge trail with its stacked waterfalls and stone bridges — one of the most photographed spots in the state.

3. Oregon

This option wins the nostalgia vote for me, as I lived in the Willamette Valley as a kid — though the perks of growing up in some of the best Pinot Noir country in the world were lost on me as an 8-year-old.

I’d love to go back and experience Oregon wine country as an adult. I’d revisit some childhood hits like apple cider donuts, corn mazes, and pumpkin patches where the pumpkins are actually still on the vine — not just trucked in and dumped in a field.

We frequented E.Z.’s Orchards in Salem as a kid, but the Hood River “Fruit Loop” takes you on a 35-mile loop past 32 farm stands, wineries, breweries, and cideries (the area is known for hard cider), all in the shadow of Mt. Hood.

It’s just an hour from Portland, and to get there you’ll travel the Historic Columbia River Highway (US-30), America’s first scenic highway. Wind through the Columbia River Gorge, where maples turn bright red against basalt cliffs, and stop for a visit at the postcard spot of Oregon’s tallest waterfall, Multnomah Falls.

Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash

Fall foliage often doesn’t peak here until later in October, so it may be out of the running for me, but worth considering if you’ve never experienced fall in the Pacific Northwest.

4. Great Smoky Mountains, N.C./T.N. 

I can’t cover fall foliage destinations without mentioning the most visited national park in the country that also happens to have some of the best fall colors.

I feel like it’s never a bad time to visit the Great Smoky Mountains, but cooler fall temps will win for me hands down every time.

Photo by Jordan Whitt on Unsplash

We covered how to get to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in this previous newsletter, and those same drives put their best foot forward in the fall — though peak foliage varies depending on the elevation. Higher elevation areas like Clingman’s Dome and Newfound Gap see the earliest color change.

Stay in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee (featured in this Roadtripper), or opt to visit the North Carolina side. Stay in Hendersonville for fall everything (u-pick, cider donuts, hard cider, and corn mazes) or Asheville for a romantic stay (the historic Biltmore Estate, River Arts District, and breweries).

If you want to go a different route, drive the Blue Ridge Parkway from North Carolina to Virginia, towards Shenandoah National Park. The drive spans 469 miles with over 6,000 feet of elevation change, which means you’re all but guaranteed to see peak foliage at some point along the full drive.

5. Colorado Rockies

We went to Colorado Springs last October around the same time. While we loved it, it was a little warmer than we’d hoped for, so we’re torn on whether we want to return.

If we did head to Colorado, we’d consider venturing further out this time, potentially out to Palisade, CO, to explore the Fruit and Wine Byway, which consists of 3 separate routes that pass orchards, vineyards, and wineries with great views of the Grand Valley.

Or we could head southeast to drive the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway, a 236-mile loop through Durango, Telluride, Silverton, and Ouray, the town dubbed “Switzerland of America.” The route includes the Million Dollar Highway, a 25-mile stretch of US Route 550, known for its cliffs, switchbacks, and lack of guardrails. The “million dollar” nickname is rumored to be the cost of the road, or the amount of nerves needed to brave the drive itself. 😳

Photo by Carol Highsmith's America on Unsplash

Late September through early October is usually the best time to watch the aspens turn a brilliant gold— though the rich oranges and deep reds of other iconic fall foliage destinations will be notably absent here if that’s what visitors are after.

The upside of Colorado in my book? We now have family in the area, and that means one thing… babysitters. That’s gotta be the most important travel hack of all, right?

Bottom Line

I know I’ve left plenty of must-see fall destinations off my list — there are just so many to choose from — which might be why I’ve struggled to pick just one to visit. Though, honestly, can you really go wrong wherever you end up?

Unless you’re local, all of the routes above will need a rental car, so keep reading for a unique rental car promo below. 👇

🤝 The Assist: Earn 5,000 I Prefer Points on Sixt Car Rentals

If you’ve never heard of these programs, or don’t use them, you might be tempted to scroll right on past.

I get it. I’ve yet to use either program myself, but that might change now that I’ve taken a closer look.

Sixt is a car rental company with 2,000 locations in over 100 countries, and they recently partnered with Preferred Hotels and Resorts.

As part of that partnership, they’re allowing I Prefer members to earn 5,000 I Prefer points on their qualifying Sixt car rentals — and the promo is worldwide, so international car rentals apply here too.

It’s free to join the I Prefer loyalty program, and if you attach your membership number to your Sixt booking when renting, you receive the following rewards:

• 5,000 I Prefer points per rental

• Up to 15%* discount with the SIXT Status Match

• Exclusive rates with status match*

• New vehicles (6 months old on average)

• Free reservation changes and cancellations when choosing 'stay flexible'

• No credit card charges

The biggest perk is obviously earning 5,000 I Prefer points on each rental, which are valued at about 0.5 cents-per-point, meaning 5,000 points are worth about $25, though the exact value varies depending on how they’re redeemed.

Status Match for better benefits

If you’re an I Prefer Silver or Gold member, you can apply for the SIXT ONE Gold status and enjoy the following exclusive offers:

• Up to 10% discount

• Skip the counter

• Member-only offers

If you hold I Prefer Titanium status, you can status match to SIXT ONE Platinum status and get access to member-only offers, skip-the-counter access, up to a 15% discount on rentals, and eligibility for free upgrades.

If you’re like me, though, and have never stayed at a Preferred Hotels and Resorts property and therefore don’t have status, there is a workaround if you have status with another rental car company.

For instance, I have Hertz President’s Circle status thanks to my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, which I can then match to Sixt’s Platinum status.

So, it could be worth looking into if you have status with a different rental car loyalty program — read more about the partnership here.

Bottom Line

I Prefer rewards nights start at 15,000 points a night, though the locations I found in the U.S. started at 30,000 points a night.

So a few car rentals could net you a free night if you booked them using your I Prefer membership number. Worth considering if you’ve got your eye on a specific stay.

🏨 The Check-In: Preferred Hotels and Resorts

If you don’t rent cars often and aren’t sure what you’d do with 5,000 I Prefer points, you could always pair them with points and miles transferred from Capital One, Bilt or Citi, which all transfer at a 1:2 ratio.

So after one car rental earning 5,000 points, you’d only need to transfer 12,500 miles from Capital One to reach the 30,000 I Prefer points needed to book an award night.

It’s suddenly a much more interesting offer, IMO.

While the Preferred Hotels and Resorts U.S. footprint isn’t as big as other hotel chains, the program specializes in unique boutique properties, such as historical buildings.

The I Prefer program is a little weird in that not every hotel is bookable with points, but they do help you out by listing properties you can book with points here.

Take this property in Memphis: The Guest House at Graceland, an Elvis-themed hotel walkable to the King’s mansion. 👇

That’s 15,000 Capital One Miles or just 12,500 if you’ve taken advantage of the Sixt promo from earlier. And luckily, Capital One is one of the few programs that lets you transfer rewards in increments of 500, meaning no leftover points stranded in your I Prefer account.

If you aren’t an Elvis fan (or weren’t raised by one 🙋‍♀️) there are plenty of other interesting properties, including The Lake House on Canandaigua, which Sam could wax poetic about for hours (dreamy library bar, outdoor pod saunas and hot tub, lakeside firepits with s’mores…).

While rates are a bit steep, if you’re considering a Finger Lakes fall foliage trip, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better property at which to spend your points in the region👇

So if you’re looking for something special or unique on your next trip, I Prefer is a program worth considering.

🛑 The Pit Stop Poll: Where would you go?

🚘 The Dashboard 🚘

Rearview Recap Last week, we explored 5 different alternative options for a quieter beach town getaway. Plus, a new tool for planning accommodations along your next route. Read More

If you have a favorite fall road trip or other recommendation I should mention in the weeks ahead, lemme hear it! I’m all ears, friends.

Until next week, 👋

Katie Begnoche
Writer, Daily Drop
29.7604° N , 95.3698° W

with contributions by Sam Anthony.

Estimated read time: 4 minutes and 39 seconds

☀️ Hey y’all!

Sam here, tagging in from April on this week’s Mike-is-out relay race. 🤝

My hand is in every newsletter as the editor, but it’s fun to occasionally be on the front lines to bring my own spin (and memes) to things.

I’ve got kind of a random potpourri for you today, but stay with me… it’s good stuff:

• 💅 Book luxury hotels in the Caribbean

• 📺 Stream for free with these merchant offers

• 🫂 Meet your friends & fam at the gate

• 🙋‍♀️ Poll

💅 Book luxury hotels in the Caribbean

A few weeks ago, Mike shared the deets on his first time transferring to the latest transfer partner of MR points: Leaders Club (the rewards program of Leading Hotels of the World). I was intrigued. You were intrigued. We were all intrigued.

In fact, a dear reader reached out to share a personal win thanks to that newsletter:

Bank details blacked out for compliance, sorry y’all

We were all so happy to hear that Daily Drop made an impact on an important day. Hope you two have a lovely stay! (Btw, we absolutely love getting feedback, so don’t hesitate to hit reply or email us on the side.)

So I thought it’d be the perfect time to highlight a current 25% transfer bonus from ThankYou points to Leaders Club:

Keep in mind that while the bonus applies to all cards that use ThankYou points, the best ratio is with the more premium Citi cards like the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card and the Citi Strata Premier® Card (which have a higher base ratio):

Up until the addition of MR points as a transfer program, ThankYou points were the only points that transferred to Leaders Club, and at a 5:1 ratio. So with this transfer bonus, that makes it…. the regular transfer ratio from MR points. 🙃

I do think it’s a lil suspicious that this transfer bonus appeared the month after Leaders Club launched its new partnership. It’s like Citi went, “Hey! You gave them a better ratio after all these years together?!” 😅

Meanwhile, I’m over here like:

But hey – this is still a solid transfer ratio, and if you have ThankYou points, it’s worth paying attention to.

So let’s look at where this bonus could take us in the Caribbean.

Because here in the Northeast, we’re at fall’s doorstep — which unfortunately means the grim reaper of winter is lurking right behind it. 😭 And I need to start planning a February getaway to cope.

Luckily, Leading Hotels of the World has plenty of properties to help with that👇

Find a LHW hotel

I spent way too long perusing LHW’s luxurious Caribbean properties. There are some niiiiice ones, y’all.

I found some availability in mid-February at the Windjammer Landing Resort & Residences in Saint Lucia for 5,679 Leaders Club points per night:

Let’s see how that breaks down:

·  5,679 Leaders Club points × 3 nights = 17,037 points
· 17,037 × 4 = 68,148 ThankYou points needed (69K rounded up, or 23K points/night)
· The cash value of the same stay was $1,786.59 = 2.62 cents per point

That’s a solid redemption… sooo who’s booking it? 🤔

📺 Stream for free with these merchant offers

Speaking of the change of the seasons… It’s here. Football. Netflix and chill. Movie nights. And this bank is leaning into all the couch-potato-ing that’s about to happen with a host of streaming subscription merchant offers.

Now I’m more of a reader than a TV watcher, but I’ve been using these offers to try streaming services for free or cheap. This offer from Paramount+ is currently helping me watch Twin Peaks for free, only... 35 years late (don’t @ me. Also, no spoilers).

I suspect a lot of you will be more excited by this new offer though:

That $240 subscription stings a lil less when you get $35 back – which you can now spend on snacks. 😋 

Other targeted streaming subscription offers that I got:

• HBO Max

• AMC+

• YouTube TV and YouTube Premium

• HISTORY channel

• Sling TV 

Streaming credits might feel like small peanuts, but I love when my cards save me money in the background. If I save $40 on subscriptions I would've paid for anyway, I've effectively knocked $40 off my annual fee.

So every so often, I check my offers, add anything I might use, and go about my life. They’re not flashy, but these little savings are one more reason I like keeping a card that earns MR points in my wallet.

🫂 Meet your friends & fam at the gate

Something that absolutely was not on my bingo card for 2026: being able to pass through security without a flight. What is this… 1999? 🕺

Gateside by TSA PreCheck launched this weekend with the promise of exactly that. It’s pretty straightforward:

Katie immediately reminisced about meeting her visiting grandma at the airport as a kid, before post-9/11 security ended that tradition. 

Great news: kids can meet grandma at the gate again! Well… if you live near one of the 13 pilot airports. 😅

See the full list of airports and read more about the program here. It’ll be interesting to see if this is successful. Could we be re-entering an age of rom-com reunions and families waiting at the gate? 🤔

But friends don’t let friends pay for TSA PreCheck. Hordes of cards offer a statement credit as a benefit (one of our favs just launched an elevated offer yesterday).

Better yet, if your card’s credit also covers Global Entry (most do), get that instead — it includes PreCheck.

And frequent U.S.-Canada travelers? Consider NEXUS, which includes expedited Canada entry, Global Entry, and PreCheck. Signed, a border-city dweller who learned this immediately after renewing Global Entry. 😮‍💨 Check out the difference between all of the programs here.

🙋‍♀️ Poll

That about does it for today! Hope you enjoyed dreaming about a wintertime escape and how to get money back from streaming. I’ll be popping in your inboxes again later this week, so let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to hear from me. 🤝

With contributions by Katie Begnoche and Alison Carrico.

Estimated read time: like… 20 seconds

Hey y’all, it’s Mike. 👋

I’m technically on vacation this week…. But something just happened and I had to sign on to tell you about it quick. 👇

The Venture Card from Capital One just dropped an insane new offer to earn 75,000 Capital One miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months, along with a whopping $300 credit to use toward hotels and vacation rentals in the Capital One Travel portal (in your first cardholder year).

The card has an annual fee of just $95. So let me put it simply:

• $95 annual fee

• 75,000 bonus miles (which you can transfer to airlines and hotels)

• $300 hotel and vacation rental credit to use in your first cardholder year

• Earn a minimum of 2x miles on everything

So yeah. I’ll tell you more about how to use those miles and credit for good value, but for now, just apply for the card. It’s the biggest no-brainer offer of the year:

By the way: you get that $300 credit instantly after approval, so that’s a little extra instant gratification for you.

Alright, I’m going back to apartment hunting for the next few days. See you soon. 😉

-Mike

Estimated read time: 5 minutes

Good morning! Mike’s on vacation this week, so the team is subbing in. This morning, you’ve got April again. Aren’t you lucky?

If you’ve got a little hitch in your giddy-up after a long holiday weekend, welcome to the club. I’m having a hard time getting going this morning, but here goes nothing!

• 🤓 Travel Trivia

• 👶 Atmos Rewards just made flying with a baby dramatically cheaper

• 🏠 Double elite nights on Homes & Villas, Thanksgiving included

• 🛳️ Semi-annual Virgin cruise sale

• 🌐 Travel Trivia Reveal
  

🤓 Travel Trivia

👶 Atmos Rewards just made flying with a baby dramatically cheaper

If you have ever priced an award ticket with a baby on your lap, you know exactly where it falls apart. You find the business class seat for 45,000 points, you feel like a genius, and then the airline mentions that your fourteen-month-old owes ten percent of the cash fare. On a $3,000 one-way, that’s $300 for a passenger who gets no seat, eats nothing, and will spend the flight chewing on their binky. 🤦‍♀️

But Atmos Rewards, the combined program for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, just changed the game. 👇

On long-haul international award bookings through Atmos Rewards, lap infants now pay only the applicable government taxes. No points, no percentage of anyone's fare. 👏 

(A lap infant is a passenger under two years old on every travel date of the trip who is not occupying a seat. They already flew free on Alaska-operated domestic awards.)

The requirement is that the ticket be issued by Alaska or Hawaiian Airlines, and that includes partner-operated flights. British Airways, Japan Airlines, American, Icelandair and Starlux are all in play.

Two important notes. You must call to add the infant (you can’t add them online). And if you pay cash instead of redeeming, the ten percent is still there, which is a pretty… odd… incentive structure that happens to work in your favor. 

Where the points come from: Atmos Rewards transfers from very few programs. Bilt Points transfer at 1:1, and among the major transferable partners that is essentially the only route in. So if a family trip abroad with infants is anywhere on your 2027 calendar, I’d start earning Atmos rewards now.

🏠 Double elite nights on Homes & Villas, Thanksgiving included

Marriott Bonvoy is running double elite night credits on Homes & Villas bookings, which is the kind of promotion that either does nothing for you or solves your entire status year.

Book by September 30, complete the stay between September 3 and December 15, and every eligible paid night earns a bonus elite night credit on top of the standard one. A four-night stay becomes eight nights toward status.

The fine print is real. You need two or more consecutive nights at the same property, at least $1,750 in cash spend, and you have to register on the promotion page before you book. Award stays are excluded.

The Thanksgiving window is where this gets interesting. Stays during November 21 through 30 (my writing team’s new favorite week ever) earn the double elite nights and 2x bonus points on cash spend.

Which might come in handy if you don’t want to host everyone at your house, and you want them to help with all the cooking! 😏

For example, I might drag my extended family here so we could shop at Jungle Jim’s for the ultimate Thanksgiving Feast.

If you’d like to up your Marriott status, this is the card I'd read up on first (it automatically comes with Silver elite status); our review has the full breakdown before you commit to anything.

🛳️ Semi-annual Virgin cruise sale

I’m going on my first cruise later this year, so I’m not sure if I’m a cruise girlie or not. But if YOU love cruises, Virgin is having their semi-annual sale right now.

Daniel and I were just chatting about wanting to do a transatlantic cruise, and I am absolutely going to share this amazing deal with him:

This price is for a cruise departing in April 2027; other dates may be more.

As you can see, that’s for an inside cabin, the cheapest fare type. However, even sea view and terrace rooms are also incredibly cheap:

So if a cruise has been on your wishlist for 2027… time to lock it in. 💪

Virgin Red is one of the only transferable points programs that allows you to book cruises directly with points, however not all cruises are eligible, and the points pricing can get pretty crazy. You’re generally better off grabbing sale fares with cash.

If you want to pay for your cruise with miles, you’re not out of luck though. Just use a card like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, which allows you to use your miles to reimburse yourself for travel purchases made 90 days after the fact.

Anyway, we know that y’all are interested in hearing more about how to save money on your cruise journeys (a lot of you have cruises booked!) so watch this space for more info. 👀

🌐 Travel Trivia Reveal

Earlier in the newsletter, we asked you to guess where four countries meet.

If you guessed Africa… you’re right! 🏅

Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Namibia meet at the Kazungula Quadripoint AKA the “Four Corners of Africa.” The point is located in the Zambezi River, and unsurprisingly, it’s been a somewhat disputed border. Building a common bridge took a hot minute to agree on, apparently. 🤷‍♀️

Geopolitics aside, the area is best known for one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the spectacular Victoria Falls (just 46 miles away):

Photo by Sammy Wong on Unsplash

The region has so much natural beauty to offer, including national parks with plenty of epic landscapes and safari opportunities. Herds of elephants. Hippos and crocs splashing in the water. All the birds (over 450 species, to be exact). They’re all here. 🐊

If you’re looking to visit this corner of the world on points and miles, there aren’t a ton of options. Actually, there’s just one option nearby: the Protea Hotel Livingstone, a Marriott property just 7 miles away from Victoria Falls.

Although, some good news: Hyatt is set to open a Grand Hyatt in Victoria Falls in 2027, so keep an eye on that if you’re interested. 👁️

Alright guys, those are three pretty cool things that made travel cheaper instead of worse. And after a three-day weekend, I'll take it.

I need more coffee.

See you tomorrow!

- April

With contributions by Sam Anthony and Katie Begnoche.

Happy Labor Day from a team that is, appropriately, not laboring today. Our office is closed. ☺️

I hope you're somewhere pleasant with nothing urgent on the calendar. Maybe that's a backyard and a cooler; maybe it's a 6 a.m. airport gate because you found a fare too good to pass up. Both count.

We're keeping this one short because you have better things to do. One thing worth knowing before you go back to ignoring your inbox: Daily Drop Pro is on sale right now and the sale ends tomorrow. Don’t miss out!

That's it. Go enjoy the last unofficial weekend of summer.

-April

With contributions by Sam Anthony.

Hiya weekend friends, long time no see! 👋

Missed y’all last weekend and glad to be back!

September is here. It’s less than 90 degrees in Houston. It’s a 3-day weekend.

What more could a girl want?

How about some monthly points and miles promos to save on travel??

The sun is shining (metaphorically cuz otherwise it’d be hot here) and we’ve got some ground to cover, so let’s go y’all. ✈️

🛂 In a passport pinch? Here’s how to get a new one in just 3 hours.

🏈 Seahawks fans, get ready to rack up Delta SkyMiles this football season.

🏨 See if you qualify for this targeted IHG offer to earn an extra 2,000 points on two-night stays.

😎 Rove Miles debuted a new app with a dining platform and more, which means more ways to earn and burn those super valuable miles.

🎥 The Daily Drop YouTube team gave us the inside scoop on their experience with Under Canvas, the glamping chain, and whether it was worth it in this week’s video.

🏆 Our Favorite Pick: New month, new promos

September is finally here, which means a few things:

1. It might begin to cool down outside 🙏

2. Starbucks launched their fall drinks ☕️

3. We’ve got a bunch new monthly promos and transfer bonuses 😎

The start of a new month always has us on the edge of our seats, waiting to see what new deals are coming down the pipeline. Let’s review what we’ve gotten so far.

#1. September Flying Blue Promos

One of the mainstays of monthly promos in the points and miles world, we can always count on at least a few decent promo deals from North America to Europe.

This month, we got the standard economy deals starting at 18,750 miles from a handful of cities scattered across the U.S., along with Montreal in Canada.

And then a little smattering of premium economy deals – starting at 30,000 miles each way from:

• New York (JFK)

• Boston (BOS)

• San Francisco (SFO)

• San Diego (SAN)

• Vancouver (YVR)

And then supposedly one business class deal for 45,000 miles each way from Minneapolis (MSP) to Europe but good luck actually finding any availability between now and February when the travel window ends. 👎

I’ll be curious if the pending Flying Blue deval next week means that moving forward these promos will only be for the new Light fares, which would be a sad blow to this monthly award.

Might be worthwhile to book now if you’re at all interested! 

#2. 30% Transfer Bonus to Japan Airlines

Turning the page to a new month doesn’t always mean transfer bonuses will drop, but they often do. This week, Capital One just announced a 30% transfer bonus to JAL.

It turns the usual 4:3 ratio into roughly a 1:1 ratio (close enough for our purposes) and because Capital One Miles are super easy to earn with cards like these, it’s a bonus that’s pretty easy to take advantage of.

If you saw our Get Me to Japan newsletter last week and are contemplating a trip there now, this transfer bonus could bring that within reach.

You can book business class from any U.S. city to Japan for as little as 55,000 miles (or economy for just 27,000 miles), like this flight from New York (JFK) to Tokyo (HND) for 55,000 miles + $300 in fees.

That’s a trip across the world in a great business-class suite – with decent availability if you look far enough out in the calendar.

Don’t want to go to Japan? JAL partners with a wide range of airlines outside its alliance, including Air France, Korean Air, JetBlue, Emirates, LATAM, and more.

The transfer bonus ends September 30^th so you’ve got all month to ponder this one, just don’t wait for award space to disappear on ya! 

#3. 30% transfer bonus to Hilton

Normally, we don’t get excited about transfer bonuses to hotel programs… they're typically not a great value unless you’re topping off your balance for a specific booking.

But this transfer bonus to Hilton is a little different. MR points already transfer to Hilton at a 1:2 ratio, so with the 30% bonus, 1,000 MR points now become 2,600 Hilton points.

If you can find the right redemption, that ratio can do some serious work for you. Take this resort in Bali that costs 50,000 Hilton points a night. 👇

4 nights here would run you 200,000 Hilton points but with the current transfer bonus drops you down to just 77,000 MR points.

And if you’ve got a Hilton co-branded card, you get a 5^th night free on award bookings, thanks to the included Hilton Silver status.

Which means 5 days in Bali for less than one welcome offer on a card like this. 🤯

#4. Good and Gone

The two below are either expired or about to be… But before you get mad at me, hear me out: I’m mentioning them because they’re recurring monthly promos. So they might be worth preparing for next go around!

🫥 Global Getaways

The Atmos Rewards program took a page from Flying Blue’s playbook, and earlier this year launched a monthly promo called Global Getaways.

And I kinda like their deals better!

Some of these destinations can be booked at better award prices (London or Tokyo), but including more off-the-beaten path locations like Apia, Samoa and La Paz, Bolivia is a nice touch.

You have to book by September 5th, though, so if you’re reading this after the fact, ya done missed out on this one. But it’ll come around again next month and there’s almost always something good… it actually has me wondering if I might need a card that earns Atmos Rewards so I’m prepared for October. 🤔

🪦 100% Transfer Bonus to Virgin Atlantic

There was also the Bilt Rent Day 100% transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic on the first of the month — it’s in the dust now but they do massive transfer bonuses regularly on the first of each month.

So if you’ve had your eye on a Bilt card (for their crazy good list of transfer partners) this is another reason to consider one before the next offer comes around.

Bottom Line

A new month means lots of new promos, but they’re useless if you don’t have the right points and miles ready to go.

If you think you might be interested in a monthly promo like one of the ones above, it might be worth doing a little planning for future months!

We just really like Lion King here at Daily Drop 🤷‍♀️

👀 This Week’s Must-Reads

A Reader From Japan Rewrote Our 7-Day Itinerary Remember our Get Me To Series last week? A reader had some feedback for our Japan trips. She gave us a local’s perspective with a personalized itinerary! Read More

5 Beach Town Swaps for a Quieter Getaway Whether you’re looking for a last-minute Labor Day getaway or quiet alternative to a popular beach, this Roadtripper is for you. Plus, a tool for mapping hotels along your next route. Read More

Don’t Miss This Week’s Travel Trivia Mike shared his favorite part of the world for backpacking and the bag that gets the job done. Don’t be like me and drag your rolling bag around town while Mike and Sam have cool backpacks. 🤦‍♀️ Read More

🌍 Week in Review

• Monday: 🤯 100% transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic

• Tuesday: ⏰ How to get a passport in 3 hours

• Wednesday: 🤩 Book Delta flights for 3,400 SkyMiles

• Thursday: 🏈 Watch football, earn airline miles

• Friday: 🌎 Fly around the world of 25,000 points

Hope you can take advantage of one of the transfer bonuses or promos we discussed!

Alright, y’all, go forth and enjoy that long weekend! You earned it.

See ya next weekend!

With contributions by Mike Dodge and Sam Anthony.

Hiya weekend friends, long time no see! 👋

Missed y’all last weekend and glad to be back!

September is here. It’s less than 90 degrees in Houston. It’s a 3-day weekend.

What more could a girl want?

How about some monthly points and miles promos to save on travel??

The sun is shining (metaphorically cuz otherwise it’d be hot here) and we’ve got some ground to cover, so let’s go y’all. ✈️

🛂 In a passport pinch? Here’s how to get a new one in just 3 hours.

🏈 Seahawks fans, get ready to rack up Delta SkyMiles this football season.

🏨 See if you qualify for this targeted IHG offer to earn an extra 2,000 points on two-night stays.

😎 Rove Miles debuted a new app with a dining platform and more, which means more ways to earn and burn those super valuable miles.

🎥 The Daily Drop YouTube team gave us the inside scoop on their experience with Under Canvas, the glamping chain, and whether it was worth it in this week’s video.

🏆 Our Favorite Pick: New month, new promos

September is finally here, which means a few things:

1. It might begin to cool down outside 🙏

2. Starbucks launched their fall drinks ☕️

3. We’ve got a bunch new monthly promos and transfer bonuses 😎

The start of a new month always has us on the edge of our seats, waiting to see what new deals are coming down the pipeline. Let’s review what we’ve gotten so far.

#1. September Flying Blue Promos

One of the mainstays of monthly promos in the points and miles world, we can always count on at least a few decent promo deals from North America to Europe.

This month, we got the standard economy deals starting at 18,750 miles from a handful of cities scattered across the U.S., along with Montreal in Canada.

And then a little smattering of premium economy deals – starting at 30,000 miles each way from:

• New York (JFK)

• Boston (BOS)

• San Francisco (SFO)

• San Diego (SAN)

• Vancouver (YVR)

And then supposedly one business class deal for 45,000 miles each way from Minneapolis (MSP) to Europe but good luck actually finding any availability between now and February when the travel window ends. 👎

I’ll be curious if the pending Flying Blue deval next week means that moving forward these promos will only be for the new Light fares, which would be a sad blow to this monthly award.

Might be worthwhile to book now if you’re at all interested! 

#2. 30% Transfer Bonus to Japan Airlines

Turning the page to a new month doesn’t always mean transfer bonuses will drop, but they often do. This week, Capital One just announced a 30% transfer bonus to JAL.

It turns the usual 4:3 ratio into roughly a 1:1 ratio (close enough for our purposes) and because Capital One Miles are super easy to earn with cards like these, it’s a bonus that’s pretty easy to take advantage of.

If you saw our Get Me to Japan newsletter last week and are contemplating a trip there now, this transfer bonus could bring that within reach.

You can book business class from any U.S. city to Japan for as little as 55,000 miles (or economy for just 27,000 miles), like this flight from New York (JFK) to Tokyo (HND) for 55,000 miles + $300 in fees.

That’s a trip across the world in a great business-class suite – with decent availability if you look far enough out in the calendar.

Don’t want to go to Japan? JAL partners with a wide range of airlines outside its alliance, including Air France, Korean Air, JetBlue, Emirates, LATAM, and more.

The transfer bonus ends September 30^th so you’ve got all month to ponder this one, just don’t wait for award space to disappear on ya! 

#3. 30% transfer bonus to Hilton

Normally, we don’t get excited about transfer bonuses to hotel programs… they're typically not a great value unless you’re topping off your balance for a specific booking.

But this transfer bonus to Hilton is a little different. MR points already transfer to Hilton at a 1:2 ratio, so with the 30% bonus, 1,000 MR points now become 2,600 Hilton points.

If you can find the right redemption, that ratio can do some serious work for you. Take this resort in Bali that costs 50,000 Hilton points a night. 👇

4 nights here would run you 200,000 Hilton points but with the current transfer bonus drops you down to just 77,000 MR points.

And if you’ve got a Hilton co-branded card, you get a 5^th night free on award bookings, thanks to the included Hilton Silver status.

Which means 5 days in Bali for less than one welcome offer on a card like this. 🤯

#4. Good and Gone

The two below are either expired or about to be… But before you get mad at me, hear me out: I’m mentioning them because they’re recurring monthly promos. So they might be worth preparing for next go around!

🫥 Global Getaways

The Atmos Rewards program took a page from Flying Blue’s playbook, and earlier this year launched a monthly promo called Global Getaways.

And I kinda like their deals better!

Some of these destinations can be booked at better award prices (London or Tokyo), but including more off-the-beaten path locations like Apia, Samoa and La Paz, Bolivia is a nice touch.

You have to book by September 5th, though, so if you’re reading this after the fact, ya done missed out on this one. But it’ll come around again next month and there’s almost always something good… it actually has me wondering if I might need a card that earns Atmos Rewards so I’m prepared for October. 🤔

🪦 100% Transfer Bonus to Virgin Atlantic

There was also the Bilt Rent Day 100% transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic on the first of the month — it’s in the dust now but they do massive transfer bonuses regularly on the first of each month.

So if you’ve had your eye on a Bilt card (for their crazy good list of transfer partners) this is another reason to consider one before the next offer comes around.

Bottom Line

A new month means lots of new promos, but they’re useless if you don’t have the right points and miles ready to go.

If you think you might be interested in a monthly promo like one of the ones above, it might be worth doing a little planning for future months!

We just really like Lion King here at Daily Drop 🤷‍♀️

👀 This Week’s Must-Reads

A Reader From Japan Rewrote Our 7-Day Itinerary Remember our Get Me To Series last week? A reader had some feedback for our Japan trips. She gave us a local’s perspective with a personalized itinerary! Read More

5 Beach Town Swaps for a Quieter Getaway Whether you’re looking for a last-minute Labor Day getaway or quiet alternative to a popular beach, this Roadtripper is for you. Plus, a tool for mapping hotels along your next route. Read More

Don’t Miss This Week’s Travel Trivia Mike shared his favorite part of the world for backpacking and the bag that gets the job done. Don’t be like me and drag your rolling bag around town while Mike and Sam have cool backpacks. 🤦‍♀️ Read More

🌍 Week in Review

• Monday: 🤯 100% transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic

• Tuesday: ⏰ How to get a passport in 3 hours

• Wednesday: 🤩 Book Delta flights for 3,400 SkyMiles

• Thursday: 🏈 Watch football, earn airline miles

• Friday: 🌎 Fly around the world of 25,000 points

Hope you can take advantage of one of the transfer bonuses or promos we discussed!

Alright, y’all, go forth and enjoy that long weekend! You earned it.

See ya next weekend!

With contributions by Mike Dodge and Sam Anthony.

Estimated read time: 3 minutes and 55 seconds

Congratulations! It’s Friday, and you survived the work week!

I’ve got a reward for all that hard work: some amazing points and miles deals to help you turn that mid-Friday daydream into a real trip.

Here’s what we’ve got:

• ✈️ Use this award tool to save points

• 🌎 Atmos Rewards Global Getaways

• 🏨 Earn 2,000 IHG points per two nights (targeted)

• 💳 Current Transfer Bonuses

✈️ Use this award tool to save points

If you don’t have Daily Drop Pro yet, you might want to reconsider… Before I tell you why, I’ll tell you that we’re currently offering $50 off your first year with our Labor Day Sale.

What is Daily Drop Pro, you ask?

At its core, it’s an award search tool. When you have a trip in mind and want to find how to book it with points, you can simply run searches in Daily Drop Pro to find the best deals.

Even if you’re savvy with points and miles, you might be surprised at some of the results you find.

For example, I needed to book a flight from Montreal to Toronto next week. It’s a short domestic flight in Canada, so your first instinct might be to go to Aeroplan, book a flight for 11,000 points, and call it a day.

But that would be a mistake, and you’d be wasting points.

If you run a search in Daily Drop Pro, you’ll see that there are actually tons of daily flights on Porter Airlines for 4,500 points, bookable with Atmos Rewards.

If you didn’t know about this unique partnership, you’d be spending double what you actually need to.

Oh, and if the screenshot above looks a little different than what you’re used to seeing on Daily Drop Pro, that’s because we’ve got brand-new search functionality. It looks better, works faster, and most importantly – has a much wider range of results. 😎

Sign up now while your first year is $50 off. The sale is only valid through September 8, so you’ll want to move quickly. 👇

🌎 Atmos Rewards Global Getaways

Speaking of Atmos Rewards… there’s another reason you’re about to wish you had a pile of them sitting around.

Atmos is back with their monthly Global Getaways promo, offering discounted award flights around the world for a limited time.

You need to book these deals by TOMORROW, and each destination has a specific travel window where the pricing applies (mostly early in 2027).

Before we get into it, I just gotta say – it’s kind of annoying how last-minute these sales are. Like… at least give us a week or something.😒 

Okay, enough complaining into the void.

Here are the destinations and prices:

• London, England for 20,000 points

• Apia, Samoa for 25,500 points

• Athens, Greece for 25,000 points

• Taipei, Taiwan for 30,000 points

• La Paz, Mexico for 20,000 points

• Tokyo, Japan for 27,500 points

So, which of these deals are worth it and which ones should you skip?

London and Athens are both bookable for WAY fewer points using programs like Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic, sometimes for just 6,000 miles.

So those two are out.

Tokyo is a good deal, but you can also fly there using just 27,000 JAL miles (which transfer from Bilt, Capital One, and Rove) for the same price from the U.S.

The big difference is that Atmos will charge you lower cash fees than JAL… but Atmos points are also harder to earn.

Taipei, Samoa, and La Paz are all good deals. The first two are far away, expensive cities to fly to. Samoa is literally on the other side of the world from most of the U.S., so getting there for 25,000 points is awesome.

La Paz isn’t as far, but it is a pretty small airport with limited options, so paying 20,000 points isn’t crazy.

This is another example of why we love Atmos Rewards so much… they really have some of the best deals in any part of the world.

The only way to transfer to Atmos is from Bilt Rewards, so if you want to get in on next month’s deals, make sure you go rack up some Bilt Points ASAP.

🏨 Earn 2k IHG points per 2 nights (targeted)

IHG is out with a new targeted promotion to earn 2,000 bonus points per two nights.

This one is short and simple, so here are the details:

• You must be targeted and register for the offer

• Valid only for cash stays

• Valid for stays between September 1 and September 30

• Maximum of 6,000 points earned

For reference, you can buy IHG points for just $0.005 each when they have a sale going on, so these 2,000 bonus points are worth about $10, and the cap of 6,000 points is worth about $30.

So yeah… nothing to write home about.

Still, if you’ve been targeted for the offer and have any IHG stays coming up, you might as well register and get the extra bonus points.

If you’re looking to maximize your stays further, you can pay for the stay with an IHG co-branded credit card.

When you tally up the points from being an IHG member, card earnings, and these bonus points, it starts to get interesting.

Anyway… IHG – do better next time, please. 🙏🏼

💳 Current Transfer Bonuses 💳

That does it for this week, folks. I’ll be off all of next week, so you’ll be getting emails from the rest of our wonderful team until I’m back.

Take care and see you again soon,

With contributions by Sam Anthony and Katie Begnoche.

Estimated read time: 4 minutes and 55 seconds

Good morning from up in the sky in Delta first class! 🥂

If there are any typos today, it’s because I’m on my third coffee trying to type while being thrown around in turbulence.

You know, just another day in the office.

Here’s what we’ve got today:

• 🌎 Flying Blue Promo Rewards (September)

• 🏈 Delta + football = free SkyMiles

• 🏨 30% transfer bonus to Hilton

• 💧 Take a walk on the salty side

🌎 Flying Blue Promo Rewards (September)

Every month, Flying Blue releases a batch of Promo Rewards, which are discounted award flights between the U.S. and Europe (and beyond).

The latest batch just dropped, and it's valid for bookings through the end of the month for travel through next February.

This time around, we’ve got economy, premium economy, and even business class on the menu.

Economy flights will run 18,750 miles and cover these U.S. cities:

• Washington, D.C. (IAD)

• Chicago (ORD)

• New York (JFK)

• Detroit (DTW)

• Los Angeles (LAX)

• Montreal (YUL)

• Miami (MIA)

Premium economy is a small step up at just 30,000 miles each way, and applies to the following cities:

• New York (JFK)

• Boston (BOS)

• San Francisco (SFO)

• Vancouver (YVR)

• San Diego (SAN)

Finally, business class will cost 45,000 miles each way, but only applies to flights between Minneapolis (MSP) and Europe.

It’s a great deal, but I couldn’t find a single flight that actually costs that price between now and when the travel window ends in February… so yeah. Kind of annoying.

Personally, I’d eye those premium economy deals.

Paying an extra 11,000 miles to go from economy to premium could make a huge difference in the overall experience of traveling to Europe.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, that Vancouver route likely has more availability than the U.S. routes, too.

As a reminder, Flying Blue miles are extremely easy to get because you can transfer to them from basically every U.S. credit card that earns transferable points.

🏈 Delta + football = free SkyMiles

If you live in Washington state, Delta just turned every Seahawks game into a mileage-earning opportunity.

The airline is teaming up with the Seattle Seahawks to give residents one Delta SkyMile for every passing yard the team throws this season (both home and away), regular and postseason.

To put that in perspective: last season, the Seahawks racked up over 4,000 passing yards. If they hit a similar number this year, you’d be looking at 4,000 free Delta SkyMiles for doing literally nothing.

Here’s how it works:

You need to be a Washington state resident, be at least 18, and have a Delta account address that reflects that.

You’ll also have to register at 12status.com (though the site might only load if you’re physically in Washington – though I was able to access it with a VPN 👀).

Once you’re in, you’ll also get Group 5 boarding on all Delta flights departing from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) during the Seahawks season.

Bottom line: It’s a bummer this is limited to Washington residents, but it’s still a sweet promo and nice win for West Coasters.

Fingers crossed Delta decides to roll out similar partnerships in other hub cities – because who wouldn’t want free miles just for watching (or not watching) football? 🤷‍♀️

🏨 30% transfer bonus to Hilton

Hotel transfer bonuses are generally not as valuable as airline ones; there’s no denying it.

Usually, that’s because transfer ratios are almost always 1:1, and hotel points are worth way less than airline miles.

But this one is different…

Until October 14, you can transfer MR points to Hilton with a 30% bonus.

The reason this is different from normal transfer partners, however, is that MR Points typically transfer to Hilton at a 1:2 ratio.

With this bonus, transferring 1,000 MR Points will result in a whopping 2,600 Hilton points, which is not shabby at all… depending on the redemption.

For example, I have a Hilton stay coming up in Toronto at this property, which costs 70,000 points per night:

At a cash rate of $481 USD per night all in, it’s pretty solid value.

But I booked a 5-night stay, and thanks to my Hilton co-branded card, I get the fifth night free — a perk available to Hilton Silver members and above when booking reward nights. (All Hilton co-branded cards come with at least that level of status.)

Before the transfer bonus, this stay would’ve cost me 280,000 Hilton points. 🫨

With the transfer bonus in question, I only needed to transfer 108,000 MR points.

Yes, that’s a lot… but since the stay would otherwise cost over $2,400, I’m getting more than 2 cents per point in value from my MR points, which is great.

The value of Hilton points varies WIDELY from hotel to hotel, so make sure you crunch the numbers as I did before transferring any points.

If you’re traveling to Asia, your Hilton points (and MR points) can go even further. For example, this Conrad resort in Bali costs just 50,000 Hilton points per night.

A 5-night stay here (with Hilton’s 5th night free perk) would cost you just 77,000 MR points with the transfer bonus.

Anyway, if you want to rack up some MR points, here are some options:

• This card is perfect for dining, groceries, and travel. It has a middle-ground annual fee but lots of credits to offset it.

• This premium card comes with Hilton status (which unlocks that 5th night free perk) along with lounge access and thousands of dollars of credits and perks.

Anyway, this transfer bonus won’t be for everyone. But don’t write it off entirely before doing the math. 🤓

PRESENTED BY LMNT

💧 Take a walk on the salty side

Salt often gets a bad rap, but I, for one, would argue that sodium isn’t always the bad guy.

I’m the queen of adding salt to my food and drinks — I even add salt to my homemade lattes sometimes. 🙈

Because it tastes better and I feel better afterwards.

I’ve found that a little extra salt in my routine can really make a difference in my day. I go from a struggling, tired zombie to a normal-functioning human after an electrolyte-loaded jumpstart.

And if you’re on a keto diet, a heavy sweater, really active, or just struggle with hydration, you might be in the same boat and could actually benefit from a few more electrolytes in your life.

That’s where LMNT comes in. Each packet is loaded with the right balance of sodium, potassium, and magnesium to keep you hydrated and feeling great all day long.

Image by LMNT

One little stick mixed with 32 oz of water, and I’m off to a good start, wherever my day might start.

And since there’s zero sugar, that means all the hydration benefits without any of the sugar crash. So I feel good about a drink that makes me feel good. 🤝

Whether I’m working out, spending an afternoon out in the summer heat, or just dragging due to run-of-the-mill dehydration — LMNT is the electrolyte my day needs.

Try the salty life for yourself and get a FREE sample pack (eight of their delicious flavors) when you make any purchase at DrinkLMNT.com/DAILYDROP.

✨ Get your LMNT today! ✨

That’s it for today, amigos. See you next time ✌️

With contributions by Sam Anthony and Katie Begnoche.

Howdy Roadtrippers,

Labor Day is basically here, which means two things: you should’ve already booked your trip for the long weekend, and summer is quickly coming to a close.

If you don’t have any long weekend plans yet (or you refuse to bid the beach adieu just because September is here), I’ve got a few last-minute beach getaways for ya today.

In fact, today is kinda like a little smorgasbord of road trip ideas, tools, and reviews. Nibble what you like and come back for more on your next trip. 😉

Please tell me I’m not the only one who makes multiple passes through the kitchen. 🙈

Anyways, let’s see what we’ve got on the menu today 👇

• 🏖️ The Route Report: This, Not That Beach Edition

• 🏨 The Roadside Assist: Marriott’s new road trip tool

• ⛺️ The Check-in: Is a $400 tent worth it?

• 🛑 The Pit Stop Poll: Popular vs. Off-The-Beaten-Path

🏖️ The Route Report: This, Not That — Beach Edition

If the idea of a weekend relaxing at the beach sounds great, but the reality of circling a crowded parking lot just to haul your beach gear a mile to the sand gets you down, this one is for you.

We’re taking the fan-favorite, sure-to-be-crowded spots and giving you a quieter alternative — so your long weekend road trips are restful instead of stressful.

1. Ocean City, MD ➡️ Assateague Island, MD

Skip the busy Ocean City beaches and head to Assateague Island for a quieter, nature-forward beach experience.

Enjoy pristine beaches, kayak on the bay side, or climb the still operational Assateague Lighthouse (open Friday and Saturdays until Labor Day, then Saturdays only through November 21, 2026).

And of course, don’t miss the wild horses the island is known for. 🐎 

Assateague Island ponies

Choose between the National Seashore for backcountry camping, the state park for more modern camping facilities, or stay in nearby Chincoteague Island, VA or Ocean City, MD, and make the day trip.

2. Hilton Head SC ➡️ Edisto Beach, SC

TimeOut recently named Edisto Beach the third best hidden-gem beach in the U.S., largely reliant on its relaxed atmosphere and the feeling that time slows to a crawl here.

I found plenty of reviews from locals begrudgingly backing that up — i.e., they don’t want the crowds to find out. 🤫

And because of that, they’re doing the most to preserve the town, with strict rules to prevent high-rises and a commercialized beachfront.

In fact, the town has no hotels — or stoplights — so vacation rentals are your best bet here.

Just an hour south of Charleston, you can really slow down and enjoy island life here. Bike around town. Rent a golf cart. Eat local food (there are no chain restaurants).

Check out the local history museums or visit the island’s nature reserve, Botany Bay. If you’re into creepy crawlies with scales, head to the Edisto Island Serpentarium. 🐍

Botany Bay Road, Edisto Island, SC

3. Nags Head, NC ➡️ Ocracoke Island, NC

Being accessible only by ferry (make your reservations here), private boat, or small aircraft has got to be an easy way to severely cut down on the crowds — because you’ve got to be determined to get there.

But once you are on Ocracoke Island, you experience the magic of island time.

This small beach village keeps things local (no chain restaurants or hotels) and moves at a slower pace, with minimal driving needed. Your own two feet, a bike, or a golf cart can cover a lot of the town.

Part of the protected Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Ocracoke Island maintains its natural beauty and wild heritage — with long stretches of quiet sandy beaches, abundant wildlife, and plenty of island nature to explore.

Visit the second oldest active lighthouse in the U.S., soak in the lore of Blackbeard’s pirate days, and pay your respects at the British Cemetery to sailors who lost their lives in WWII’s Battle of the Atlantic.

Ocracoke Lighthouse

Choose from local boutique hotels, mom-and-pop B&Bs, vacation rentals, RV parks, or opt for campgrounds by the beach in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

4. Cape Cod, MA ➡️ Block Island, RI

Situated 12 miles off the coast of Rhode Island, Block Island is a great alternative to the more popular Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, or Nantucket.

With 17 miles of public beaches, you can pretty much turn in any direction and start walking… you’ll be sure to hit a beach soon.

It wouldn’t be a proper island without a lighthouse to visit, and Block Island has two:

• North Light House: more remote and home to nesting areas for rare birds

• Southeast Light House: easily accessible, with tours in the summer months

The Mohegan Bluffs are the must-see attraction in my book. Descend the steep 200-foot cliffs to the rocky shore (via 141 steps down a wooden staircase) or stay at the top for sweeping views of the Atlantic.

Mohegan Bluffs

Block Island has a little of everything a beach town is known for — water sports, bike tours, shell fishing, boat cruises, small art galleries, local shops, seafood, and even an extensive network of 28 miles of walking trails!

This is another island reachable only by ferry, charter boat or plane, so plan ahead and book your ferry to ensure your spot.

5. Destin, FL ➡️ Grayton Beach, FL

I’m going to tentatively recommend this one with the caveat that “quiet” on Florida’s 30A scenic highway is both relative and harder to come by these days.

Grayton Beach State Park has the same sugary sand and emerald coastline that the Florida panhandle is known for — without the high-rise condos that a lot of Florida is also known for.

Grayton Beach

It also boasts a diverse ecosystem with salt marshes, dunes, and Western Lake, a rare coastal dune lake. They’re found in only four countries worldwide — and in the U.S., only in this part of Florida and Oregon! 🤯

There are RV and camping facilities in the park, or you can choose to stay in the historic beach village that shares a name with the state park.

Don’t come for me, Floridians, if you prefer a different beach… There are just SO many to choose from! 🙈

Bottom Line

Straying from the crowds can get you somewhere quieter, with more wildlife and nature and a slower, more relaxing trip — still with plenty of interesting things to see and do.

And while chain hotels might be in short supply, that doesn’t mean points and miles can't be used or earned on trips like these.

This is where cards that earn on vacation rentals — like this one — or cards that have travel credits, like the $300 travel credit (when booking through Capital One Travel) from the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, can really shine and be used to book smaller local accommodations.

🏨 The Roadside Assist: Marriott’s new road trip tool

If you’re headed out on a bigger road trip though, you might find yourself in need of lodging across the country, which can be stressful to research and book ahead of time.

Marriott, however, has added a tool (exclusively for iOS, sorry Android friends) to its mobile app to make finding lodging along your route much easier.

When you open the app and go to book, you’ll now see an option labeled Road Trip.

Click that tab, and you’ll be taken to a screen where you can either enter your own starting and ending points or select from popular road trips like Route 66, Pacific Coast Highway, and more.

From there, you’ll select your dates or click flexible dates. Then, choose whether you want to pay with cash or points and run a search like normal.

It’ll then take you to a map screen and show you ALL the Marriott locations along your route with pricing for those dates. And if more than one route is available, you can choose your preferred route.

It will even show you how far away that hotel is from your starting point in miles and drive time, which is pretty handy IMO.

Is it an earth-shattering feature? No. But it could be a useful tool if you’ve got a stash of Marriott points or some Free Night Awards from one of these co-branded cards (a couple of which have elevated offers btw).

Plus, it’s just nice for the road trippers to get a little love and attention sometimes, and a cool feature like this does just that. 🥰

⛺️The Check-in: Is a $400 tent worth it?

I’ve talked about Under Canvas, the small chain of glamping locations bookable through Hyatt, a few times now — in previous newsletters to Moab, the Smokies, and Maine.

I know I’m not the only one fascinated with these properties, as some of y’all have written in raving about them as well. I mean, who doesn’t want to stargaze as they fall asleep??

Well, the Daily Drop YouTube team did us a favor and broke down whether they were really worth it during their trip to the Grand Canyon earlier this year.

See their review, details about the property, and how to book — as well as a tiny little peek at the views that await you on the road and at your destination!

🛑 The Pit Stop Poll: Popular vs. Off-The-Beaten Path

🚘 The Dashboard 🚘

Rearview Recap Last week we covered the Road to Hana in a fun crossover with the Get Me To Hawaii feature in the daily newsletter! Plus, a tip for beating motion sickness. Read More

September might actually be the best time to hit the beach. The kids have gone to school, the crowds have thinned out, and it’s quieter without being too cold.

If the beach isn’t your vibe — that’s cool too. We’re headed elsewhere next week!

Lemme know if you have any fun trips planned for the long weekend— I’d love to hear about them. 📩

Talk to y’all soon! ❤️

Katie Begnoche
Writer, Daily Drop
29.7604° N , 95.3698° W

with contributions by Sam Anthony.

Estimated read time: 5 minutes and 13 seconds

Good morning and welcome back to Daily Drop, the healthiest part of a morning routine. As they say, “a newsletter a day keeps the doctor away.”

But only this newsletter. 😉

Here’s what we’ve got today:

• 💳 September Top Cards Update

• ✈️ 30% transfer bonus to JAL

• 🍽️ Dinner delivered without compromise

💳 September Top Cards Update

Woah… Is it already September? I guess it’s time to update you on the latest and greatest credit cards out there.

This month, there’s a clear highlight to tell you about, and that’s the suite of Delta co-branded credit cards, some of which have elevated welcome offers right now.

Which one is best?

You could look at this a couple of ways:

1. Which one earns the most miles

2. Which one has the best benefits for your situation

On this card, for example, you can earn a welcome offer of 200,000 Delta SkyMiles after meeting the minimum spending requirements. If you’re someone looking to rack up as many miles as possible, that’s a good start.

If you’re looking for something with a low annual fee (but still has a hefty welcome offer), you could go for this card – you can earn 90,000 miles after meeting the minimum spend.

Personally, I went for this card, which is the “Goldilocks” option. The annual fee is in the middle of the other two, but the benefits and credits are also solid.

The 100,000 SkyMiles from the welcome offer can get you pretty far, too. I’ve been seeing some pretty crazy deals lately, like short regional hops for as few as 4,000 SkyMiles.

That means the 100,000 miles you could earn on this card could book you as many as 25 flights.

On the higher-fee card, you can earn 200,000 miles after meeting the minimum spend, which could book you FIFTY flights like that.

Those prices get even lower when you have a card

One of the best reasons to have a Delta co-branded card is the TakeOff15 benefit, which comes with all Delta cards.

With that benefit, all Delta flights booked with Delta miles are 15% off, in any class of service.

So those 4,000-mile flights from earlier? That’s just 3,400 SkyMiles when you hold a card.

Of course, that benefit becomes more meaningful with longer and more expensive flights.

For example, this round-trip flight between New York and London costs 41,200 SkyMiles in economy:

As a cardholder, that whole trip costs 35,000 miles, or 17,500 miles each way. That’s pretty awesome when it comes to Delta miles.

The benefits and credits

Most of these cards come with various other credits and perks…

I won’t get into all of them, but they include everything from hotel credits to dining and rideshare credits – all things that most people could use pretty easily.

So here’s my advice:

Go check out our list of Delta co-branded cards. Whether you’re a Delta loyalist or just someone who wants a bunch of miles and a 15% award discount, there’s an offer for anyone.

✈️ 30% transfer bonus to JAL

Until last year, Japan Airlines’ loyalty program (Mileage Bank) wasn’t really on many travelers’ radars.

Then, multiple programs added them as a transfer partner, which opened up some unique opportunities, especially with the ability to transfer Capital One miles.

Sadly, Capital One transfers to JAL at a depressing 4:3 ratio…. except for right now.

They just launched a new 30% transfer bonus through September 30, putting that up to a 1:0.975 ratio (we’ll call it roughly 1:1 for simplicity).

If you’ve recently signed up for a Capital One miles-earning card, this is a unique moment to scoop up JAL miles at full value before the bonus ends.

If you don’t have Capital One Miles, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card are both offering 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening.

And let me tell you exactly why this is such a good deal, even at a simple 1:1 conversion.

Emirates business class for less than Emirates itself

One of the most mind-blowing uses of JAL miles is on Emirates flights.

Emirates offers some of the best business-class seats in the world, especially on their newer planes (or older A380s).

Earlier this year, I used JAL miles to book Emirates business class from the Maldives to the Seychelles via Dubai for just 42,500 JAL miles and $270 in taxes and fees:

Not only that, but availability is actually quite good when flying Emirates to various cities around the world.

For reference, Emirates itself was charging 66,000 miles + $870 for the exact same flight on the exact same day. 👇

That’s insane…

Japan Airlines international business class

Using JAL miles to fly on JAL itself is also a fantastic use of these miles.

You can snag business class from any U.S. city to Japan for as little as 55,000 miles (or economy for just 27,000 miles).

I found seats far in advance, like New York (JFK) to Tokyo (HND) for 55,000 miles + $300 in fees when booking almost a year in advance.

That’s 14 hours in a full business-class suite… and availability is quite good when booking that far out.

…and a whole network beyond Oneworld

Unlike most airline programs, JAL partners with a wild mix of airlines outside its alliance like Air France, Korean Air, JetBlue, Emirates, LATAM, and more.

So if none of the above routes are your jam, there’s probably still a killer sweet spot hiding somewhere.

JAL’s website is really frustrating to use. In my experience, using the app is way more streamlined and allows you to make more searches more quickly.

With the current transfer bonus expiring on September 30th, now’s the time to:

• Scope out routes (Emirates, JAL, LATAM, etc.).

• Create a JAL account if you don’t have one.

• Transfer miles while the 1:1 (ish) window is open.

This is one of the best ways to fly some of the world’s most luxurious business-class seats for pennies on the dollar.

I rarely use my Capital One miles these days, but I’ve been loving my JAL redemptions this year (Emirates, British Airways, and more).

So personally, I’ll be cleaning out my Capital One balance while I can use them at such a good ratio for JAL.

PRESENTED BY FACTOR

🍽️ Dinner delivered without compromise

Fall is right around the corner, which means back to school, busy schedules, and getting back into routines.

The perfect time for a little mini healthy habits reset between the lazy days of summer and holiday chaos.

But that’s easier said than done at dinner time, when I needed food on the table 30 minutes ago, and the quick-fix alternative is a fast-food drive-thru. 😅

But then I was introduced to Factor.

My first thought? Another meal kit service that I still have to cook is not really helping me out.

Until I looked into it and realized Factor was actually ready-to-eat meals, centered around whole foods, real ingredients, nutritionally balanced, and designed to meet specific health needs and preferences.

And because Factor’s prepared meals are chef-crafted and dietitian-designed, I don’t feel like I have to choose between convenience, flavor, and my health goals.

Real food — fresh, never frozen — that meets the goals I’m prioritizing without spending what feels like increasingly limited free time researching recipes, shopping for ingredients, prepping, and cooking dinner 5+ nights a week.

Because dinnertime doesn’t have to be hard.

Make it real, make it nutritious, make it tasty, make it convenient — without making it at all with Factor.

Try one of Factor’s plan sizes—6, 8, 10, 12, 14, or 18 — and choose from 100+ delicious meals, all delivered straight to your door each week.

Get 50% off your first box + Free Greens* when you use the code DAILY50FG at checkout.

Get started with Factor

*One free 3-pack Daily Greens per box with active subscription while supplies last until 09/27/2026.

That’s all for today, folks. I hope you enjoyed this look at some good earning and redemption opportunities.

See you next time,

With contributions by Sam Anthony and Katie Begnoche.

Estimated read time: 6 minutes and 38 seconds

Good morning from the Big Apple, New York City. 🍎

Today’s newsletter is going to be longer than usual. But it’s also going to be useful, actionable, and fun… and educational... and fun (did I say fun already?).

Let’s get into it:

• 🤓 Travel Trivia Tuesday

• ⏰ How to get a new passport in 3 hours

• 🌎 Travel Trivia Reveal

• ✈️ How to travel on buses and budget airlines

🤓 Travel Trivia Tuesday

There are almost 50 countries in Europe, and I’ve been to all but 3 of them, many of them multiple times.

For today’s trivia, I want to mix things up with something actionable and personal.

So see if you can guess:

Keep reading for the answer and some fun tips for booking a trip there!

⏰ How to get a new passport in 3 hours

Something funny happened last month… I was crossing the border in Tanzania, and the border agent looked through my passport and said, “you need a new passport… this one’s full.”

Sure enough, my 52-page passport was full… even though I just got it 2 years ago.

Thankfully, I had plans to spend a few days in the U.S…. And you might not realize that just a few days is more than enough time to get a new passport.

In fact, just one single day is usually enough time.

When I was in Vermont last week, I walked into the passport office at 8 am and walked back out at 11 am with a fresh, new, shiny, 52-page passport.

Yes, my old passport was so worn down that there was nothing on the front

Today, I’ll tell you how to do the same.

Who is eligible

If you have international travel booked in the next 14 calendar days, you can make an appointment at a U.S. passport agency… that’s basically it.

If you need a foreign visa for your trip, you qualify once you're within 28 days of travel… but depending on the visa, that might not be enough.

There are 28 agencies and centers scattered around the country, and the list goes well beyond the obvious big-city locations.

Along with New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, there are agencies in places like St. Albans, Vermont, where I just got mine.

That’s important because it’s much harder to snag appointments in the bigger cities… whereas the Vermont office is wide open every day, every week.

I once had a friend fly to the Puerto Rico office for a day because it was so easy to get an appointment there. 😏

You book an appointment (for free) through the State Department's official site, or by calling their line at 877-487-2778.

What you need to bring

• Your application form filled out but NOT signed. You sign it in front of the agent, and they'll make you start over if you signed it at home.

• Your old passport, assuming you have one.

• One 2x2 photo that you can get at places like CVS for ~$10 (though the Vermont office offers free on-site photos, and it seems like more locations might be rolling this out soon).

• Proof of international travel within 2 weeks. Theoretically, if you make a booking and cancel it right after you get your passport…🤐

What it costs

If you're renewing, it's $130 for the book plus the $60 expedite fee, so $190 total.

If it's your first passport, there’s a $35 execution fee on top of that, along with some extra documentation requirements.

Honestly, paying an extra $60 to walk out with a new passport on the same day is a steal.

The catch

Same-day pickup is not guaranteed.

Officially, agencies do same-day pickup when you're about to miss your trip. Otherwise, you're looking at next-day pickup or a few days by mail.

But I’ve always gotten mine on the same day, because I always aim for the first appointment slot of the day (usually at 8 am).

I can’t guarantee the same will be true for you, but I have done this four times and gotten it the same day every time. 🤷🏼‍♂️

The bottom line

If you have international travel booked and you need a passport, you are not stuck.

Find an agency you can easily get to and see which appointments are available – you might just have a shiny new passport in your hands tomorrow. 😉

🌎 Travel Trivia Reveal

Once you get that fresh new passport, you’re gonna want to put it to use and travel somewhere.

And there’s no better place to do it than the Balkans – which is also the answer to today’s trivia question from earlier. 🎉

I LOVE the Balkans.

You get a little bit of everything: nature, old cities, weirder languages… and it’s all SUPER affordable.

Like other parts of Europe, it’s also easy to get around, which makes it a great backpacking spot.

Let me give you some quick recommendations for booking a trip there. 👇

How to get to the Balkans

Before you go looking for award flights to Sarajevo, stop. Stop that. 🛑 

The best thing to do is use points to fly into bigger cities, then work your way to the Balkans.

For example, if you live in the Midwest, you can fly nonstop from Chicago to Rome for 40,000 Aeroplan points on United:

Since most of our Top Credit Cards allow you to transfer points to Aeroplan, this is a solid way to get across the Atlantic with good availability. (Also, this bank has a 20% transfer bonus to Aeroplan until the end of the month btw. 👀)

By the way… this pricing applies when connecting to Chicago from smaller cities, too.

If you live in Fort Wayne, Indiana, you can book the same route with a connection in Chicago:

Once you're in Rome, getting into the Balkans is absurdly cheap. Wizz Air and Ryanair will fly you from Rome to Sarajevo for $41.

Once you get there, your money (and points) suddenly starts to go much further.

Buses, trains, and beautiful nature

From Sarajevo, you can take buses and trains all over the region for next to nothing.

The train from Sarajevo down to Mostar costs a few euros and spends most of the ride running through a river canyon. It's one of the prettiest rides in Europe and puts you in one of the coolest cities in Europe.

Mostar is famous for people jumping off of that bridge in the photo.

From Mostar, you take a bus to Kotor, Montenegro, and from Kotor over to Tirana.

The rides are long, but super cheap. I did it last year and loved the whole thing.

During my trip, I opted to stay the Hyatt Regency in Kotor, which was phenomenal (mostly thanks to my private rooftop jacuzzi). 😎

As a Category 5, it’ll definitely cost you…

But UR points (if you have this premium card) and Bilt Points transfer to Hyatt at 1:1, so you have plenty of cards that can earn you those points to book it.

In Tirana, the hotel game gets even better. I personally stayed at the Marriott in Tirana, and it was one of the best Marriotts I’ve stayed at anywhere in Europe.

It's priced at 32,500 Marriott Bonvoy points (or less in the off-season) against a cash rate of about $264 USD a night.

There are two ways to make that cheaper:

First, Marriott offers every fifth night free on award bookings, so a five-night stay only costs you four nights’ worth of points.

Also, multiple lower-fee Marriott co-branded cards offer annual 35,000-point free night awards, which are perfect for a hotel like this.

Just like the trip out to Europe, getting home is a piece of cake when you combine budget airlines and good award deals.

First, our old friend Wizz Air will fly you from Tirana up to Paris for $64.

After a night or two in Paris to get your Western Europe fix, you can get home to Chicago nonstop on Air France for 12,000 Virgin Atlantic miles in economy.

Yes, the points price is lower… but the taxes and fees are higher. 😮‍💨

But given the cash savings of traveling in the Balkans, I think it’s worth it for the nonstop convenience.

Plus, there’s good availability. Most banks transfer to Virgin, so opening (and earning the welcome offer on) a single card that transfers points to Virgin could get you flights for the whole family.

The bottom line

The Balkans offer some of the best value in Europe right now, both with or without points.

The food is excellent, the mountains are enormous, and the old towns are older and a lot emptier than the ones you usually hear about.

Try taking a trip there – you might just end up loving it as much as I do. 🤗

✈️ How to travel on buses and budget airlines

Now I know what most of you are thinking after that last section:

My answer is:

Imagine this:

No checked bags to drop off before (or wait for after) flights, no rolling a suitcase on cobblestones, no fighting for overhead bin space, no paying $60+ for extra baggage on budget airlines.

It’s more doable than you’d think… but you need the right travel backpack to do it. So I’m going to tell you about one of my favorites:

The Nomatic Travel Pack

Nomatic is an AWESOME travel brand that makes bags and other travel gear.

Their famous travel pack looks like a sleek, normal backpack, but opens flat like a suitcase.

Your clothes go into an actual compartment and lie there properly, so you're not stuffing them down a hole from the top and hoping for the best.

And there's also an unreasonable amount of organization inside for everything else.

I'm not the only one on the Daily Drop team who loves Nomatic. Sam has owned a Nomatic bag for years. When she was fully nomadic, her entire life fit inside it, and it’s still the only bag she uses. Of course, she brought it to Toronto last week for our meetup:

Nomatic’s other gear is also awesome. I’ve personally been using their toiletry bag for years.

It's compact and water-resistant. It also unfolds and hangs from a hook, so you're not laying your stuff out on a wet counter in a guesthouse bathroom in Mostar. 😬

It fits neatly inside the Travel Pack, but it'll work with whatever bag you already use.

I love being able to recommend travel brands and products that I actually use, so I have no issue telling you how great Nomatic is.

We've been fans of their gear for years, so it's worth poking around at the rest of what they make too. 👇

If you buy anything, we’ll get a tiny commission. But Nomatic was not involved in the writing or publishing of this newsletter in any way – these are just our personal opinions on a brand that’s made our travels better. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Phew. That was a long newsletter, but I had fun writing it. Did you have fun reading it?

Thanks for tuning in, and I’ll see you tomorrow.

Byeeeeeeeeeeeee

With contributions by Sam Anthony and Katie Begnoche.

Estimated read time: 4 minutes and 39 seconds

Good morning from Pittsburgh, PA! While I daydream about my next flight, here are some tips to help you book yours:

• ✈️ Up to 100% transfer bonus to Virgin (tomorrow only)

• 🍽️ Rove launches a new app, dining platform, and more

• 🧁 What if cravings aren’t your fault?

✈️ Up to 100% transfer bonus to Virgin (tomorrow only)

Bilt Rewards is out with another mediocre Rent Day promo… But for the right person with the right Bilt balance and the right redemption, it could be extremely valuable.

Tomorrow only (September 1), you can get a 25-100% transfer bonus from Bilt Rewards to Virgin Atlantic.

The transfer bonus amount is tiered based on your level of Bilt status, which includes members with no status.

Here’s the breakdown:

That means that you can all get a 25% bonus to Virgin tomorrow. Bilt Platinum members can also use $200 of Bilt Cash to get a one-time boost to a 100% transfer bonus tomorrow.

Oh, and you can only transfer up to 150,000 points total. That part probably doesn’t apply to most people, but worth keeping in mind.

But the reason I’m not super excited is that we see very frequent transfer bonuses from ALL banks to Virgin ranging from 30-40%, usually valid for weeks or over a month.

I’d also argue that transferring Bilt Points with no bonus to partners like Atmos Rewards, JAL, or Hyatt is more valuable than transferring to Virgin with a 25% or 50% bonus.

All that being said, Virgin is still an awesome program with some solid redemption opportunities.

How to use Virgin miles for good value

The obvious use of Virgin miles is for Virgin itself, which flies between the U.S. and U.K. for as few as 6,000 miles in economy, 10,500 in premium economy, or 29,000 miles in business class:

Shaving even 25% off of those prices is great… but shaving 100% off for top-tier Bilt elites is an absolute no-brainer.

But Virgin is also a good program for partner airlines like Delta.

Last week in my article about flying to Italy for Thanksgiving, I told you about a redemption I found from Seattle to Amsterdam (on Delta) for 30,000 Virgin miles.

That’s just 24,000 Bilt points with a 25% bonus, or as few as 15,000 points with the full 100% one.

Here are some other quick-hit use cases for Virgin miles:

• Flying KLM and Air France on short hops around Europe

• Flying around Asia on airlines like Garuda, China Airlines, Korean Air, and more

• Flying around Africa on Kenya Airways

The bottom line

Virgin miles are great and transfer bonuses are great. But this one is leaving me a little underwhelmed.

Still, it’s another reason you should consider getting a Bilt card and racking up some points.

When a more appealing transfer bonus comes around, you’ll be happy you did. 😉

🍽️ Rove launches a new app, dining platform, and more

Rove just announced some big news: they’ve officially got an app now. Plus, they just added some new features to the overall program.

The headline is Rove Dining, which lets you earn Rove miles at restaurants just for paying with a linked card.

First, the app

Rove is on iOS now, with a public beta for Android.

There’s not a ton to say other than that it’s basically normal Rove but a little more convenient.

Rove Dining is the real news

You can now link credit cards to your Rove account, eat at a participating restaurant, pay with that card like you normally would, and earn a crap load of Rove Miles.

That's the whole thing… it’s straightforward, but potentially very rewarding since it stacks with your existing credit card points.

For example, there are tons of restaurants in New York City that earn up to 12x Rove Miles.

If you link this card to Rove (which earns 4x MR points at restaurants worldwide up to $50,000 per calendar year), a $100 dinner could earn you 1,200 Rove Miles and 400 MR points on the same meal.

If you do this on a regular basis (at home, traveling, expensive meals, cheap meals), those points can really add up.

What else is new

• Tens of thousands of new hotels, higher earning rates, and Loyalty Eligible rates at roughly 99% of eligible chain properties

• Cleaner hotel bookings with more accurate room configurations

• Gift cards where the miles post instantly, which is perfect for topping off an award redemption

• Chrome and Safari extensions with thousands more stores, so you don't have to start your shopping on Rove's site

The bottom line

It’s nice to see Rove upping their game again. There’s nothing ground-breaking here, but I’ll definitely be leveraging that dining program while I’m here in the U.S.!

Oh… And if you don't have a Rove account, you'll get 1,000 Rove miles instantly for signing up through our link. 🤝

PRESENTED BY PENDULUM

🧁 What if cravings aren’t your fault?

Fellow chocolate lovers, sweet tooth savants, and salty snack savorers, listen up!

What if those cravings aren’t your fault? 🤔

If you’ve ever felt like you just need a little more dieting willpower, here’s a little truth for you: cravings aren’t a discipline problem — believe it or not, cravings actually start in your gut.

But scientists have cracked the gut-GLP-1 connection and turned it into a probiotic called Metabolic Daily — that helps curb cravings and reduce appetite without overhauling your diet overnight.

Here’s what users say:

• 91% reported fewer food cravings*

• 88% saw reduced sugar cravings*

• 72% felt less fatigue**

Which sounds like less craving-induced guilt trips and more living their best lives.

Plus, when 29,000+ medical professionals are recommending Pendulum’s Metabolic Daily to their patients, that’s saying something worth listening to.

Kick cravings to the curb and try it for yourself (you can even use your HSA/FSA funds), and get up to 48% off your first membership order!

✨ Try Pendulum’s Metabolic Daily ✨

*based on a consumer survey of 274 participants using a product containing three strains found in Pendulum Metabolic Daily for 6 weeks

**based on a consumer survey of 50 participants using a product containing three strains found in Pendulum Metabolic Daily for 8 weeks

That’s all for today, amigos! Take care, go earn lots of points, and I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow.

Ciao,

With contributions by Sam Anthony and Katie Begnoche.

Woo! The weekend is here! 😎

I'm home. One of my cats is still giving me the cold shoulder in protest. 🐈‍ (I’m not taking it personally; he’s always been a diva.)

This is going to be a shorter-than-normal Weekend Round-Up. You deserve a little break from me.

We spent last week offsite in Toronto. While we were out, we did an experiment across four days, based on some of the requests that landed in my inbox.

Three writers, twelve itineraries, and a week of Thanksgiving dates nobody in their right mind would volunteer for.

You voted. You wrote in.

Some of you were inspired and took action immediately! 💪 

And some of you said these examples helped the whole points-and-miles thing really start to click! 💡

We’re glad this week resonated with you, and we hope you’re feeling more confident now to go out there and make it happen. ✈️

🏆 The Winning Formula: It pays to be flexible

This week you saw 12 itineraries.

Three destinations that were picked by you. Party sizes from one to four, different departure airports, different programs, different writers.

Every single one of those nine trips landed between 189,000 and 200,000 points.

Then Thursday I told them to roll the dice and plan whatever they'd actually book for themselves. Mike went to the mountains of Yunnan, in southwest China. Party of one, exact same week.

127,750 points. He finished with 72,250 points and $1,222 still in his pocket.

Compare that to his Italy trip. Same writer, same party of one, same seven days: 200,000 points, and not one left over.

The variable wasn't skill. It was who picked the destination.

There are two levers that impact great redemptions and cash prices that are truly amazing deals.

• Lever one is the calendar. Katie moved an Italy departure from Saturday to Monday and watched two one-way seats drop from over 100,000 points to 37,500. In Japan, she shifted two days and cut her flight from 88,000 to 48,000. On her Christmas market trip, she flew one day later and paid 24,000 instead of 50,000. Somewhere around Tuesday I stopped calling that a coincidence.

• Lever two is the map. Every seat to Italy, Japan, and Hawaii over Thanksgiving is competing with every other person who has a points balance and the same office closure you do. Mike went where nobody was bidding against him and found award space open every day that week, out of three different West Coast cities.

If your dates are locked, you might want to get a little creative with your destination. Like Mike suggested, try Albania instead of Italy. Same vibes, less crowds, better prices. If your destination is locked, your dates have to move. Lock both and you'll pay full retail in points, and you'll do it while feeling like you’re doing something wrong.

You’re not. That's just what one of the busiest weeks of the year actually costs.

Bottom Line

A little flexibility can be the difference in affording that dream trip or not. Change your destination, change your dates, or change your departure airport and you might find a better option.

Or be willing to potentially shell out a few more points for those fixed dates/destinations.

In short, fortune favors the flexible. 🫡

👀 This Week’s Must-Reads

What is a Transfer Bonus? A lot of the writers had to use transfer bonuses this week in order to meet the budget and miles constraints. If you are new to this concept, this article explains it all for you! Read More

Drive the Road to Hana This week’s Roadtripper tied into the Hawaii portion of this week’s challenge, showcasing breathtaking (and maybe nausea-inducing) bucket list drives. Plus, a tip to beat motion sickness! Read More

Mike’s Hot Take of the Week It basically boils down to, “Lord, why are you going to Italy?” See what Mike recommends instead of crowded tourist traps to get your Roman Empire on. Read More

🌍 Week in Review

• Monday: 🍝 Get me to Italy!

• Tuesday: 🏯Get me to Japan!

• Wednesday: 🌴Get me to Hawaii!

• Thursday: 🎲 Get me to…Wildcards!

• Friday: 🏆 The winners!

Not sure which was more challenging, planning these trips or solving this escape room... but we did it!

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming!

News, deals, and card content are back on the schedule starting Monday, August 31.

Thanks for a genuinely fun week, friends.

-April

With contributions by Mike Dodge, Katie Begnoche, and Sam Anthony.

Woo! The weekend is here! 😎

I'm home. One of my cats is still giving me the cold shoulder in protest. 🐈‍ (I’m not taking it personally; he’s always been a diva.)

This is going to be a shorter-than-normal Weekend Round-Up. You deserve a little break from me.

We spent last week offsite in Toronto. While we were out, we did an experiment across four days, based on some of the requests that landed in my inbox.

Three writers, twelve itineraries, and a week of Thanksgiving dates nobody in their right mind would volunteer for.

You voted. You wrote in.

Some of you were inspired and took action immediately! 💪 

And some of you said these examples helped the whole points-and-miles thing really start to click! 💡

We’re glad this week resonated with you, and we hope you’re feeling more confident now to go out there and make it happen. ✈️

🏆 The Winning Formula: It pays to be flexible

This week you saw 12 itineraries.

Three destinations that were picked by you. Party sizes from one to four, different departure airports, different programs, different writers.

Every single one of those nine trips landed between 189,000 and 200,000 points.

Then Thursday I told them to roll the dice and plan whatever they'd actually book for themselves. Mike went to the mountains of Yunnan, in southwest China. Party of one, exact same week.

127,750 points. He finished with 72,250 points and $1,222 still in his pocket.

Compare that to his Italy trip. Same writer, same party of one, same seven days: 200,000 points, and not one left over.

The variable wasn't skill. It was who picked the destination.

There are two levers that impact great redemptions and cash prices that are truly amazing deals.

• Lever one is the calendar. Katie moved an Italy departure from Saturday to Monday and watched two one-way seats drop from over 100,000 points to 37,500. In Japan, she shifted two days and cut her flight from 88,000 to 48,000. On her Christmas market trip, she flew one day later and paid 24,000 instead of 50,000. Somewhere around Tuesday I stopped calling that a coincidence.

• Lever two is the map. Every seat to Italy, Japan, and Hawaii over Thanksgiving is competing with every other person who has a points balance and the same office closure you do. Mike went where nobody was bidding against him and found award space open every day that week, out of three different West Coast cities.

If your dates are locked, you might want to get a little creative with your destination. Like Mike suggested, try Albania instead of Italy. Same vibes, less crowds, better prices. If your destination is locked, your dates have to move. Lock both and you'll pay full retail in points, and you'll do it while feeling like you’re doing something wrong.

You’re not. That's just what one of the busiest weeks of the year actually costs.

Bottom Line

A little flexibility can be the difference in affording that dream trip or not. Change your destination, change your dates, or change your departure airport and you might find a better option.

Or be willing to potentially shell out a few more points for those fixed dates/destinations.

In short, fortune favors the flexible. 🫡

👀 This Week’s Must-Reads

What is a Transfer Bonus? A lot of the writers had to use transfer bonuses this week in order to meet the budget and miles constraints. If you are new to this concept, this article explains it all for you! Read More

Drive the Road to Hana This week’s Roadtripper tied into the Hawaii portion of this week’s challenge, showcasing breathtaking (and maybe nausea-inducing) bucket list drives. Plus, a tip to beat motion sickness! Read More

Mike’s Hot Take of the Week It basically boils down to, “Lord, why are you going to Italy?” See what Mike recommends instead of crowded tourist traps to get your Roman Empire on. Read More

🌍 Week in Review

• Monday: 🍝 Get me to Italy!

• Tuesday: 🏯Get me to Japan!

• Wednesday: 🌴Get me to Hawaii!

• Thursday: 🎲 Get me to…Wildcards!

• Friday: 🏆 The winners!

Not sure which was more challenging, planning these trips or solving this escape room... but we did it!

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming!

News, deals, and card content are back on the schedule starting Monday, August 31.

Thanks for a genuinely fun week, friends.

-April

With contributions by Mike Dodge, Katie Begnoche, and Sam Anthony.

Estimated read time: 5 minutes, 30 seconds

Whew! What a week it’s been! 😅

First of all, I want to thank all of you for your warmth and engagement with this “non-traditional” week of newsletters from the Daily Drop team. We had an amazing planning session in Toronto… and it was the first time in my 25 years of leading people that I have EVER had my staff ask if we can meet for even MORE hours than I’d put in the agenda. 🤯

That’s how die-hard this writing team is. And I feel so blessed to be able to call them my team.

Mike, Katie, Sam. Thank you.

I know what I asked you three to do was really, really hard. WAY harder than you thought it would be. I’d say it was worth it.

Now without further ado… let’s get into the “winning” trips!

🏆 Reader Picks: The Best Trips of the Week

First, one little data-nerd nit-pick: the votes are still coming in for the Wildcard trips we sent you today. But writers have deadlines, and I’m at… mine. So the Wildcard winner is subject to change!

The Winning Italy Trip Goes To… Katie! 🌟

Almost half the votes went to her Party of 2 trip. Mike’s Dolomites (Party of 1) trip finished 16 votes behind, and it was neck and neck every day I refreshed the data to look. Here’s what you said:

• Party of 2 voter: “Two of my favorite places in Italy, no brainer!”

• Party of 1 voter: “I've been to Rome. Done that. Got that t shirt.”

Sam's trip for a party of four came in last, but got the most enthusiastic feedback. One of you did the math and reported back:

• “Sam wins, she got 4 (!) ppl over with fewer miles than anyone else and only $469 per person!”

She moved four humans to Italy for less than anybody else, and you knew it:

The Winning Japan Trip Goes To… Sam! 🏆

People really loved the trip that Sam put together (she won by a wide margin):

• “Looking at Tokyo this Spring and today was incredibly helpful!”

• “Redeeming with Qantas sounds good, plus there's money left over for fun things.”

I do want to say that I wasn’t the only one that liked the Party of 4 trip that Mike told you not to take. Those of you who ARE a party of four liked it a lot:

• “As someone who regularly books trips for a large-ish family on fixed schedules, this looks about as good as it gets to me!”

• “I’m so glad you shared this! I’ve been trying to find the cheapest way to get our big group to Japan.”

• “Traveling with two kids is definitely a challenge. We’ll take any opportunity to get a better deal than outright paying for everything.”

Mike, I don’t wanna be the jerk that says neener-neener, I told you so. (But I just did.) But you put together a solid trip that I would take my own party of four on. ✈️ 

The Winning Hawaii Trip Goes to… Katie! 🥇

Whoa! Party of 4 coming in hot! Our team didn’t forecast a landslide victory for four people – Katie even admitted this was a really tough trip to plan. But you all loved it.

• “Companion passes FTW! I'm taking a very similar trip in October.”

• “We are actually planning this trip in March…spring break time and I’m having a challenge finding flights. We have 100,000 UR points, and a little extra. We are Southwest members and have a bunch of those points as well. Our dates are NOT flexible because of teaching schedule.”

• “I’ve been to Waikiki a few times before but never the other islands. And a party of four is more fun than a party of two.”

   

The Winning Wildcard Trip (so far) Goes To… Katie! 👑

Turns out many of you have always dreamed of going to the European Christmas markets. Some of you even told us that this helped you plan your trip!

• “I have always wanted to go to the Christmas Markets in Europe!”

• “I’m trying to plan to same trip right now!”

• “Europe and experiential travel - a winner. And one card keeps it simple.”

Ireland wasn’t far behind in votes. Heck, by the time this publishes at 6:30 AM tomorrow, the results may have changed.

Also… while Southwest China finished last on votes, it produced some of the best comments of the whole series:

• “I think it really depends on how people perceive American holiday season. I prefer China because I can visit anywhere in the U.S. during the winter if I want to feel like I'm in a Hallmark movie. But you can't recreate China and luxury options in the U.S. for the prices presented in that trip. I'll choose new experiences versus following what's already available.”

• “I like shoulder season and somewhere different. Would do Southeast Asia rather than China though. Been there. I love the adventure of keeping the car slow and traveling more. We are in our 80s and still travel economy. I appreciated your challenge for people who have to travel the standard holidays.”

🤝 We Hope You Feel Seen

About a month ago, many of you wrote to me asking for more practical suggestions for couples and family travel on fixed dates, with limited points and a fixed budget. If we could build them around holidays where people were already off for office closures, even better. (And don’t worry, party of five and party of six people – your itineraries are coming!)

• You asked if we could show more origination airports than East Coast or Chicago.

• You asked if we could show our thought process behind how we’d look for deals and how we’d know what was worth it.

• You asked us to write about the three bucket list destinations of Italy, Japan, and Hawaii specifically.

Personally, I hoped that some of you would feel empowered by this week and go forth and book your own last-minute Thanksgiving trips. And you did!

Kaitlin, we are absurdly happy for you, and we want a postcard.

🏅 April’s Superlatives

You all voted. Now I’m going to give my wholly subjective, “Hell, Yeah” team awards. All of them got an A+ on their homework from this former teacher.

• Most Likely to Break the Rules: Katie (we’ll call her a Rebel With A Cause)

• Take Me Off the Beaten Path: Mike (zigging while everyone else zags)

• Every Detail Covered: Sam (all trips were both adventurous AND thoughtful)

Knowing what card or partner program to use to get you there for the best price and redemption isn’t easy. I wasn’t surprised to see some of these cards come up over and over… but some DID surprise me.

• Most Likely To Get You There Points Program: This one. Pick a card, any card. All of them are solid. It showed up over and over and over in the itineraries.

• Quiet Powerhouse Card: This one. It’s not flashy, and we don’t talk about it a lot, but this card did a lot of work for Mike and Sam.

• Most Unexpected (at least for me): This whole ecosystem. Who knew how powerful it can be? Not me!

As you know, we are able to provide you great content like we did this week because of the affiliate relationships we have with our partners. We’re not just trying to sell you; these are the cards our team uses over and over to book our own travel. If you’ve been sitting on the fence, we say – go for it! Get your passports out and go chase your travel dreams!!

Some of you asked which trips I personally would take out of all of them this week. Basically my answer is: Yes. All of the Above. (Except for those hiking trips. I only want to go hiking if there’s a room full of cheese at the top of the mountain, and I can take a helicopter back down.)

We’re already planning our next whack at this exercise (spoiler alert) since you all loved it so much. In addition, you giving us some grace this week really helped us focus on new ways to bring you great content that helps you travel more, travel better, and save money. 🥰

My inbox is always open if you have more content requests for us! Don’t be shy. 🫣

Have a great weekend, y’all,

April

With contributions by Sam Anthony.

Estimated read time: 5 minutes, 21 seconds

Hello!

Last day of curated trips by our writers! I hope you’re enjoying this series while we’re offsite.

Today I told them: Roll the dice, and plan whatever you'd actually book for yourself. 🎲

I assumed this would be the most fun for them of all the trips they’ve put together this week. I learned instead that the thought of actually booking this for yourself was almost more overwhelming than having a set assignment. Who knew? ^{🤷🏻‍♀️}

The rules

Now, they did have the same fixed dates as before. November 21 to 28, 2026. Their budgets and parameters were:

• 200,000 points or miles, any program they want

• $2,000 cash

• Flights and hotels only; meals and activities are on them

• Three cards, maximum; bonus points for pulling it off with one

Katie is planning for two. Mike is going solo. Sam is planning for two. The fact that no one wanted to plan for a party of 4… wasn’t much of a surprise. 🤣

Katie, party of 2: Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, and a glühwein in every one

Katie wanted to be standing in a European Christmas market holding food. That was the entire brief she gave herself, and she has the camera roll to prove it.

Her problem wasn't award space. It was the calendar. Every market opens and closes on its own schedule, sometimes differently within the same city, and getting it wrong means flying to a town where the whole thing packed up three days ago. She calls it Christmas Market Math, and she means it as a real constraint, not a joke.

Then she found the cheapest lever in the hobby. Same route, one day later, 24,000 points instead of 50,000. Her advice: work a half day, fly out that afternoon, bring your boss back a cookie.

She also prices the budget version and the bougie version of Salzburg side by side and lets you choose. Sixteen thousand points at a dated property a 25 minute walk from the markets, or 87,000 at a hotel that's been standing since the 1400s eight minutes away. She's honest that the cheap one is the smarter redemption and the expensive one is the better night.

One card, start to finish.

Points: 103,000, or 174,000 if you go bougie in Salzburg
Cash: $1,653
Cards: 1
The tradeoff: she moved the dates a little. Is anyone really surprised at this point??

Mike, party of 1: Los Angeles to Hong Kong to the mountains of Yunnan

Mike went to China, which will not shock anyone who has read the newsletter this year. He calls China his happy place.

The reason it works is competition, or the lack of it. Every other trip in this series hit the same wall: it's the busiest travel week of the year and everyone with a points balance is chasing the same seats to the same handful of places. Mike went where nobody is bidding against him. Award space across the Pacific was open every day that week, out of three different West Coast cities.

Then the prices get ridiculous. A genuine luxury tower in Kunming for 6,000 points a night. A train to Dali for about $20. A business class train seat for $35. Two nights inside a UNESCO old town for 9,000 points and roughly two dollars.

He's also upfront about the one ugly number: $502 in taxes and fuel surcharges on the long haul. It's the biggest single line item in his whole trip and he puts it right out front instead of burying it in a table.

Points: 127,750
Cash: $778
Cards: 3
The tradeoff: the longest flight of anyone this week, and he ran a day outside the window on each end

Sam, party of 2: Dublin, Cork, Killarney, and a rental car the size of a shoe

Sam went to Ireland, in business class, on one card, on the exact dates I gave her.

She made the assignment harder on purpose. I'd said there were bonus points in a single-card strategy, and she's the kind of person who chased a 105 on high school tests, so she went and did it with one card and one program.

Most of her points went into the flight. She found five business class seats to Dublin available on her dates for two people, and once you find that, the trip more or less decides itself. She'd tell you the seat was worth more to her than the destination.

The rest is her being sensible in ways I appreciate. She waited two days to pick up the rental car, because driving on the opposite side of the road straight off a red eye is how you end up in a ditch. She priced the same hotels on two platforms and switched when one paid better. She got the smallest car available and has no regrets about it.

And she admits the fancy hotel at the end isn't really her taste. She booked it because she had cash left and I told her she had $2,000 to spend.

Points: 192,000
Cash: $1,946
Cards: 1
The tradeoff: she used nearly the whole budget, and she got a lie-flat to Europe out of it

The scoreboard

Now compare this against the version of the challenge where I picked the destination. We sent three writers to Hawaii under these same rules and all three of them spent nearly the entire 200,000 and came home with nothing. Same writers, same week, same budget.

This time Mike finished with 72,250 points and $1,222 still in his pocket.

The variable wasn't skill. It was who chose the destination. Mike didn't out-optimize the other two; he went somewhere that wasn't crowded, and the crowd is what sets the price during Thanksgiving week.

Sam spent nearly all of hers and I don't think she was wrong to. She wasn't paying for Ireland; she was paying for eleven hours of sleep on the way there. That's a defensible way to spend a balance as long as you know that's the purchase you're making.

Two of the three had to leave the window to make their trip work.

That's a wrap on the challenge. Twelve trips, one week of dates, and a lot of feelings about how hard is it to plan for 4 people. Tomorrow will feature all of your feedback about this series, as well as the “winning” trips for each destination, as voted on by you. 🏆

Thanks for coming along.

-April

With contributions by Sam Anthony, Katie Begnoche, and Mike Dodge