Travel Resources
Here are some of my favorite travel resources that I use when planning my travel, and some frequently asked questions to help you plan your next trip!
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Protect your internet privacy while in public with Surfshark VPN! I use Surfshark on my phone and laptop when I’m online to keep my private data private. Using a VPN hides your IP address and online activity so that no one can snag your important data (like banking info!) I’m also able to use the VPN while abroad to make the computer think I’m back in the US so that I can watch my US-based Netflix shows!
Cashback on Travel
What is Rakuten? Formerly Ebates, Rakuten is a cash-back portal that offers from 1% to as much as 20% cashback on certain online purchases. Many of the big travel booking sites offer varying percentages of cashback through their portal. And if you have an American Express card that earns Membership Rewards, you can choose to receive those instead of cashback.
Frequently Asked Questions
What travel credit cards do you recommend?
I know a lot of people like the Chase Sapphire and the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit cards, but my primary travel credit cards are currently the Capital One Venture X credit card and the American Express Platinum credit card.
Both a great cards, but do come with annual fees. However, the annual fees can be offset by the perks that the cards offer. The Venture X annual fee is $395, however, you receive an annual $300 travel credit and a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus (which equates to $100 of travel spending).
AmEx comes with a heftier $695 annual fee (waived for active duty military members). The fee can be offset by utilizing things like the Fine Hotels and Resorts annual credit ($200) as well as the airline incidentals credit ($200) as well as other smaller credits, like the monthly Uber and streaming service credits.
I’m planning a trip, but don’t know how to keep track of everything. Any suggestions?
TripIt is my favorite way to keep my travel plans organized. You can set up trips in the app and when you book a flight, hotel, or activity, you simply forward the confirmation email to your TripIt account and it ingests the information and adds it to your itinerary. Not only does it give you a day-by-day breakdown of your travel plans, but it also keeps all your confirmation numbers and contact info for tour operators in one place. The best part? It’s free! There is a paid option, but I’ve used the free version for more than a decade with no need to upgrade.
Help! I’m having packing panic!
My safer travel packing list is full of items you may not think of when packing for a trip!
Venture X Credit Card
One of my favorite travel credit cards, Capital One’s Venture X comes with a $395 annual fee that can be fully offset by utilizing the benefits the card offers. On top of that, it earns 2 miles/$1 spent on all purchases and up to 10 miles/$1 on certain travel purchases.
Booking.com is a great one-stop shop for researching and booking flights, hotels, rental cars, and cruises. I’ve found great deals on air and hotel packages and I love that you can filter your hotel search for things like whether or not breakfast is included or the hotel has a spa. They also frequently offer cash back through Rakuten, so be sure to check the portal before booking!
When I’m researching a destination, Viator is the first place I head to get a sense of what activities I can expect to find while I’m in the locale. And when I’m ready to book, I hit up Viator to finalize my plans. Foodie tours are among my favorite things to do while I travel and I’m a sucker for anything that gets me out on the water and Viator has no shortage of options!
I’ve used TripIt for more than a decade, starting way back when for business travel. Once I receive an email confirmation for a flight, hotel booking, or tour, I simply forward the email to my TripIt account and it’s added to the itinerary for my trip! On the road, I use the app to access all my confirmations and travel details, making my trip stress-free!
Everything You Need to Know About Driving on the Left
It’s not as scary as you think!