Family Travel on Points, Solo Trip Ideas, and Booking Tools Compared: Your Travel Questions Answered

Summary

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways

Episode: Family Travel on Points, Solo Trip Ideas, and Booking Tools Compared: Your Travel Questions Answered
Hosts: Sally French, Meagan Coyle (Elizabeth Ayola filling in at start)
Date: May 6, 2026

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Episode Overview

This edition of Smart Travel dives deep into advanced travel hacking for families and solo adventurers, featuring practical strategies for making the most of points, choosing credit cards, picking travel tools, and maximizing value on upcoming getaways. With listener questions at the forefront, hosts Sally French and Meagan Coyle (with Elizabeth Ayola filling in early) compare tools like Points Path and Gondola, break down family travel hacks—especially with infants—and debate hot travel takes around solo destinations and credit card picks.

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Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Recent Travel & Points News ([03:34]–[09:47])

• Spirit Airlines Shutdown:

  • Spirit abruptly ceased operations on May 2 after repeated bankruptcies and rising fuel costs.
  • Affected travelers will get refunds and can access discounted “rescue fares” on several major U.S. airlines—for a limited time.
  • Tip: Book alternative flights quickly if affected.

• Wells Fargo Points Updates:

  • Added Cathay Pacific Asia Miles as a 1:1 transfer partner.
  • Best use: business/first class flights to Asia, or short-haul discounted point redemptions due to distance-based award chart ([04:25]–[05:19]).
  • Further expansion: Wyndham Rewards added too.

• Major Credit Card Offers:

  • Chase Sapphire Reserve: 150,000-point bonus after $6,000 spend in 3 months ([05:46]).
  • Quote: “That is easily worth at least $1,500 or more in travel.” – Elizabeth Ayola [06:09];
    Caution: “Please do not get blinded by the bonus… high annual fee of $795.” – Elizabeth Ayola [06:43]

• Amex Gold Card 60th Anniversary:

  • 5x points on prepaid Amex hotel bookings.
  • New Hertz elite status, expanded dining credits, Uber One credit, and 20% transfer bonus to Hilton ([07:16]–[08:23]).

• New US–Italy Routes:

  • ITA Airways (Houston–Rome) and Alaska Airlines (Seattle–Rome) launch direct flights.
  • ITA joins Star Alliance, opening up more points-use options ([09:04]–[09:41]).

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2. Listener Mailbag: Real-World Scenarios

Family Points & Travel with Infants ([12:11]–[20:02])

• Maximizing 30,000 Chase Points:

  • Best move: transfer to Hyatt for high-value redemptions.
  • Quote: “Hyatt points are worth 1.8 cents per point according to NerdWallet’s valuations.” – Meagan Coyle [14:07]
  • Consider off-season travel with a baby—not yet school-aged—to save big.

• Family Destinations Near SF Bay Area:

  • Recommendations: Monterey/Carmel/Marina—Sanctuary Beach Resort for baby-friendly relaxation ([14:40]–[15:52]).
  • Use Amex Platinum “Hotel Collection” credits for extra savings.

• Infant Travel Tips:

  • Babies under two fly free domestically (on lap).
  • Request bulkhead seats and bassinets on select flights.
  • Feed babies during takeoff and landing to help with ear pressure.
  • Prepare bottles ahead; avoid using airline’s limited hot water ([17:38]–[19:41]).

• Memorable Moment: Sally’s mother’s practical formula-mixing hack for airport travel [18:58].

• Recommendation: Take advantage of under-two flying benefits.

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Points Booking Perils & Travel Insurance ([20:02]–[23:54])

• Splitting Ticket Redemptions (JetBlue + Avianca via Air Canada Points):
  • Booking separate tickets with different points is risky if disruptions arise.
  • If a first segment is missed due to delays, the second airline isn't obligated to accommodate ([21:14]–[22:07]).
  • Travel Insurance: Must file claims within 20 days of the incident for Chase Sapphire Preferred; possible to claim change fees, but check timing ([22:07]–[23:45]).
  • “File the claim. You already spent the $70 on the change fee...it doesn’t hurt you to file a claim and hope for the best.” – Sally French [23:45]

Family Hawaii Flights on Points: Tool Comparison ([23:54]–[28:00])

• Tracking Best Flight Options:
  • Google Flights is excellent for tracking and price flexibility ([24:46]–[25:57]).
  • Points Path Chrome extension overlays cash vs. points value right on Google Flights (“use cash” or “use points” cues).
  • Consider using points for only some tickets in a large group, mixing with cash purchases.
  • Set points-price alerts on Points Yeah.
  • Sometimes, redeeming points on hotels yields better value.

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3. Credit Card Strategies for Non-Big-City Listeners ([30:23]–[39:49])

• Listener Emily’s Dilemma: Rural-based, doesn’t use urban-centric credit card perks; loves Hyatt transfers.

• Two Routes Debated:

  • World of Hyatt Card:

    • Generous sign-up bonus.
    • Perks: Discoverist status, late checkout (2pm)—“underrated”, bottled water, bonus categories ([32:10]–[34:10]).
    • Quote: “Highly recommend the World of Hyatt card just for the automatic elite status...late checkout comes in clutch when it’s needed.” – Sally French [32:10]

  • Bilt Palladium Card:

    • $495 annual fee; more complex.
    • 2x points on everyday spend, with up to 3x via “Points Accelerator”.
    • Points transfer 1:1 to Hyatt; unique built cash/redemption structure.
    • “This woman sounds like she really knows her points...this is a great way to get Hyatt points.” — Meagan Coyle [34:31]
    • Some tech bugs, limited rural redemptions for built cash; $400 annual travel credit (split into two $200 credits, two-night hotel min).

  • Live update: Sally is cautiously trying the Bilt Palladium card for herself, citing app bugs and limited utility ([38:33]).

  • Consensus:

    • If you want simplicity and direct value, go Hyatt.
    • For heavy points earners with strategic intent and tolerance for complexity, Bilt may yield more points, but double-check the rewards ecosystem in your area.

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4. Solo Women’s Travel: Top Destinations ([39:54]–[41:57])

• Listener Emily’s Solo Trip Ask:

  • Loves museums, action, not lounging.

• Sally: Big cities (e.g., New York) are safer, offer endless activities, and flexibility ([41:09]).

• Meagan: Recommends Tokyo for museums, futuristic infrastructure, excellent safety, and easy transit ([41:48]).

  • Quote: “You feel like you’re in a city of the future. And they also have a ton of great museums.” – Meagan Coyle

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5. Booking Tools Showdown: Gondola vs. Rove ([41:57]–[44:40])

• What is Gondola?

  • A platform that compares both cash and points rates across hotel brands.
  • Book direct for elite night credit; stack credit card points + “Gondola Cash” (cash credits for future Gondola bookings).
  • Quote: “Their tech is great compared to a lot of other hotel award search tools, which are still kind of developing.” – Meagan Coyle [42:28]

• Gondola vs. Rove:

  • Gondola Cash = booking credit (dollars/cents), only usable within Gondola.
  • Rove Miles = transferable to airlines/hotels (e.g., Cathay Pacific, Flying Blue, Japan Airlines).
  • Strategy: Choose according to whether your goal is direct hotel discounts or transfer partner flexibility ([43:22]–[44:26]).
  • Note: Both have special sign-up offers through NerdWallet.

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6. Hot Takeoff: Cruise Disembarkation ([44:49]–[46:20])

• Debate:
  • Meagan: Always be first off a cruise for smoother departures and easy transport ([44:50]).
  • Sally: Maximizes her time on board, even as staff ask her to leave ([45:59]).
  • Listeners invited to weigh in with their own “hot takeoffs.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “That’s like one sad airport hotel.” – Sally French, on low-point redemptions [13:16]
• “Feeding young children during takeoff and landing can help keep them calm.” – Meagan Coyle [18:18]
• “If you want to earn Hyatt points very fast...especially now that Hyatt has changed its award chart, I’d recommend [Bilt].” – Meagan Coyle [34:31]
• “Late checkout comes in clutch when it’s needed.” – Sally French [34:10]
• “I love solo travel. I love the freedom of not having to wait for somebody else.” – Sally French [40:31]
• “Their tech is great compared to a lot of other hotel award search tools...” – Meagan Coyle on Gondola [42:28]
• “I’m the one who’s waiting where they’re like, ma’am, ma’am, you need to leave, like 1pm the new people are coming in. This is the end. You gotta go.” – Sally French, on cruise disembarkation [46:20]

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Key Timestamps for Major Segments

• Recent Points/Travel News: 03:34 – 09:47
• Listener Mailbag - Family Travel/Points: 12:11 – 20:02
• Booking Award Flights Disasters/Insurance: 20:02 – 23:54
• Hawaii Flights on Points (Tools): 23:54 – 28:00
• Credit Cards for Rural Travelers: 30:23 – 39:49
• Solo Trip Ideas for Women: 39:54 – 41:57
• Booking Platform Comparison (Gondola vs. Rove): 41:57 – 44:40
• Hot Takeoff: Cruise Tips: 44:49 – 46:20

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Takeaways

• Family travel with points is best optimized by leveraging hotel partnerships (Hyatt via Chase) and traveling during off-peak seasons with infants to maximize value.
• Booking with multiple points currencies for complex itineraries risks compounding disruptions—proceed with caution and understand insurance claim deadlines thoroughly.
• Credit card recommendations should suit your geography: rural travelers may get more from simple, direct hotel cards or strategic transfer cards—not urban-centric perks.
• Stay flexible with your points and always monitor with the newest browser tools, and review destination rules for best value.
• Solo travel for women is thriving—major urban centers and cities like Tokyo are safe, lively, and culture-rich.
• Gondola and Rove both up-level points nerds’ hotel bookings—pick by your preferred loyalty/reward scheme.

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Listener engagement remains the show’s trademark. Submit questions for future episodes via email or Instagram. For in-depth guides, check the episode notes for links, including full reviews and bonus offers.

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Transcript

[Meagan Coyle]

The following is a paid sponsorship, not an endorsement by NerdWallet's editorial team. Today's episode is sponsored by Bilt. You've heard me talk about Bilt as the loyalty program that lets you earn points on rent wherever you live. And they've just leveled up even more. As of 2026, renters and homeowners can earn up to 1.25x points on their housing payments. This is thanks to Bilt's three new credit cards, the Palladium Card, Obsidian Card and Blue Card. All three can turn your housing payments, rent or mortgage into flexible rewards so you can choose the card that fits your lifestyle without missing out on points and exclusive benefits. Bill points can be redeemed at top airlines and hotels, Amazon.com purchases, future rent payments and more. Bill points have also been ranked by top publications as the industry's most valuable point currency. Your housing payment is most likely your biggest expense. Make it your most rewarding. Find the card that fits your lifestyle and apply today at joinbuilt.com smarttravel that's J-O-I-N-B-I-L-T.com smarttravel make sure to use our URL so they know we sent you. Terms and limitations apply subject to approval and eligibility. Bill cards are issued by column NA member FDIC pursuant to license from MasterCard International, Inc. This episode is sponsored by fora. You already know how to find which neighborhoods to stay in, which hotels are worth the splurge, and how to piece together an itinerary. You've been thinking like a travel advisor for years, so why not get paid for it? Fora is a modern travel agency built for people who love to plan travel. Their platform, training and community give you everything you need to turn that passion into a flexible, meaningful stream of income. As a Fora advisor, you'll get access to best in class training, powerful booking tech and a vibrant global community of experts and fellow advisors sharing real insider knowledge to help you launch and grow your own travel business. And with access to more than 7,000 preferred travel partners, from iconic brands to boutique gems, you'll unlock VIP perks like upgrades, resort credits and late checkout that regular travelers simply don't get. Every hotel, cruise or activity you book earns you a commission. Getting started can be as easy as booking trips for people you already know. Now's the time to finally turn your passion for travel into a fulfilling business with fora. Become a fora advisor today at foratravel.com smarttravel that's F O R A travel.com smart travel and make sure you tell them we sent you for a travel.com smart travel chase just dropped one of the biggest signup bonuses we've seen since the cards revamp last year, and that's just the start of today's show.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

Well, I can see that I picked a great day to fill in for Sally.

[Meagan Coyle]

Yeah, you did all right.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

Also in the news, a juicy new transfer partner for Wells Fargo Points. And it's the Amex Gold 60th birthday. Happy birthday. They also have some upgrades that we're going to be sharing.

[Meagan Coyle]

Then we're answering your most burning travel questions straight from the mailbag. How to use Chase Points for a family Hawaii trip, how to travel with infants, and whether gondola is actually worth your time. Welcome to Smart Travel from NerdWallet, a deep dive into the tips, tools and tactics to maximize your travel dollars. I'm Meagan Coyle.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

And I'm Elizabeth Ayola. I am filling in for Sally French,

[Meagan Coyle]

and we're the travel nerds ready to help you plan your next big trip.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

But first, we have to put our disclaimer out there. This episode will talk about credit cards, and a few are Nerd wallet partners. However, that does not influence how we discuss them. The benefits, terms and fees mentioned were accurate at the time of posting, but of course things can change. Some offers may have expired by the time you're listening, but for the latest details, follow the links in the episode description.

[Meagan Coyle]

Let's start with the Spirit airline shutdown, which abruptly canceled all flights and the airline ceased operations on May 2. The budget airline had filed twice for Chapter 11 bankruptcy within the last two years and was struggling with rising fuel costs as well. Travelers who had a Spirit flight booked will receive an automatic refund if they paid with a debit or credit card, but they will have to rebook themselves on another airline. And many U.S. airlines, including American, United and JetBlue, are offering reduced fares for spirit passengers, though some of those fares are expiring soon. So if this applies to you, you'll want to book as soon as possible. We'll put a link to our story about Spirit Airlines shutting down in the episode description. In other news, Wells Fargo just added Cathay Pacific Asia miles as a new transfer partner. The transfer ratio is one to one, meaning if you transfer one Wells Fargo point, you'll get one Asia mile.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

Oh la la. So tell me, how can people use Cathay Pacific miles? Or what can they use them for?

[Meagan Coyle]

Well, one of the best uses is to Use Cathay Pacific miles for business class or first class flights to Asia. Cathay Pacific has one of the most luxur premium cabins in the entire world. And there are also great redemptions with partner airlines. So you could book on airlines like American Airlines, Japan Airlines, even Qatar Airways using Asia miles. Because Cathay Pacific is part of the One World alliance that we talked about on smart travel just a few weeks ago.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

Now, I'm still new to booking with points, as you know, because I've been on here a couple times. But I did learn that Cafe has a distance based award chart which means shorter flights can be especially cheap in points. Right?

[Meagan Coyle]

Right. Things like short haul flights within Asia or even if you're flying within the US and there's a short domestic route, those things can be great deals with Cathay Pacific miles.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

So this transfer partner probably isn't going to be the deciding factor for people to get a Wells Fargo journey card. But it's always good to have more ways to redeem points for travel.

[Meagan Coyle]

And Wells Fargo is clearly expanding its transfer partners program. This is the second transfer partner added in April. The other one was Wyndham Rewards.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

All right, next up, Chase just dropped a big new offer on the Sapphire reserve. And that is my business because I have that card.

[Meagan Coyle]

It's a big one. 150,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 in the first three months.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

That is a huge bonus. And it makes me wonder, Megan, should I cancel my card and sign up again?

[Meagan Coyle]

You would have to check the eligibility rules because sometimes if you've already had a bonus within your lifetime, literally you've already had the card, then you won't be able to get a new offer sometimes.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

Okay, that's fine. So for people who don't have the card yet, that is easily worth at least $1,500 or more in travel.

[Meagan Coyle]

And if you are transferring your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to airlines or hotel partners, or even booking with Points Boost, which is this thing where you can get more value for your points when you book through the Chase Travel portal, the signup bonus could be worth even more than that, sometimes double what the value is, just 1 cent per point. So if you need ideas, we'll link to the article on Nerd Wallet about ways to spend 150,000 points. That's the fun part.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

But as always, please do not get blinded by the bonus. This is still a premium card. It has a high annual fee of $795, which I will be paying in a couple of months.

[Meagan Coyle]

Good. Call out Elizabeth, and you Want to make sure that the ongoing perks are actually valuable to you. Things like the lounge access and different lifestyle credits. There's also travel credit. They should fit your lifestyle, your travel and spending habits year after year.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

If you've been considering the reserve, you've been going back and forth. Should I, Should I not? This is one of the stronger offers we've seen since the cards revamped last year.

[Meagan Coyle]

Moving over to a different card, the Amex Gold card is turning 60, which is kind of crazy. And to celebrate, Amex is rolling out some updates.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

Let's start with the headline 5x points on prepaid hotels through Amex Travel. Up from 2x points. And that is a meaningful boost, especially for people who already booked through Amex Travel.

[Meagan Coyle]

There's also new rental car Elite status for Hertz. It's Hertz five star status, which gets you things like skipping the counter when you check in and potential upgrades.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

And for those who like to eat, you get $120 dining credit that is expanding with new partners like Buffalo Wild Wings and Wonder, which I just learned is a food delivery service. Do you use this, Megan?

[Meagan Coyle]

I do not. I've never heard of it either, but Buffalo Wild Wings I have heard of. There are also a bunch of limited time anniversary perks like a credit for Uber one. There's also limited time transfer bonus to Hilton of 20% and that's actually on all cards that earn membership rewards. And there are also some special Amex travel hotel offers.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

Now I would say these aren't huge changes, but I do think there might be some nice opportunities to transfer points to Hilton for better redemption rates.

[Meagan Coyle]

With the transfer bonus finally wrapping up with some good news ahead of the summer if you're going to Italy.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

Oh listen, this is probably the highlight of this whole episode for me because Italy is on my wish list. And how about as soon as I heard this news, I started planning my travel. Anyway, let me tell you the news first and then we can chat about a bit more. All right, so anyways, if Italy is on your travel list, we have some good news.

[Meagan Coyle]

Yes, there are two new routes to Italy that just launched. IDA Airways started flying from Houston to Rome on May 1st and they must

[Elizabeth Ayola]

have just heard my late night prayers because I live in Houston so I can take this flight.

[Meagan Coyle]

This is perfect for you, Elizabeth. Direct flight to Rome.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

I'm so excited. And also Alaska Airlines launched Seattle to Rome just a few days earlier.

[Meagan Coyle]

So more options from the US To Italy, which is always welcome, especially heading into peak summer travel season.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

Also worth noting ITA Airways officially joined Star alliance in April, which means you

[Meagan Coyle]

could use different kinds of points to be able to book this new flight from Houston to Rome if you fly with any airlines in the Star alliance programs like United.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

More routes, more alliance connectivity. It just all adds up to better options for travelers.

[Meagan Coyle]

Well, Elizabeth, thanks so much for being here today.

[Elizabeth Ayola]

Thanks for having me. Come back soon. Sally.

[Meagan Coyle]

We're back in a minute. Stay tuned. This episode is sponsored by Rakuten. Rakuten opens up a world of rewards. You can earn cash back on fashion, beauty, electronics, pet supplies, kid stuff, groceries. But what I'm here to tell you is with Rakuten, you can get cash back on travel too. Join and save on your next trip. You'll get cash back on the flight, the hotel and the car rental book on your favorite travel sites like Expedia, booking.com viator, vrbo, hotels.com, iHG and more. Save on cruises, vacation packages and experiences as well. And don't worry, cash back can be earned on top of your credit card points and with many loyalty programs because we know you're saving every way you can. So go ahead, take a trip. Find that perfect hotel. Book an artisan cheese experience inside a cave in Spain. Wherever you want to go, go with Rakuten. Join today for free. Go to rakuten.com or get the app that's R a K u T e N the following is a paid sponsorship, not an endorsement by NerdWallet's editorial team. Today's episode is sponsored by Build. You've heard me talk about Build as the loyalty program that lets you earn points on rent wherever you live. And they've just leveled up even more. As of 2026, renters and homeowners can earn up to 1.25x points on their housing payments. This is thanks to Bilt's three new credit cards, the Palladium Card, Obsidian card and Blue Card. All three can turn your housing payments, rent or mortgage into flexible rewards. So you can choose the card that fits your lifestyle without missing out on points and exclusive benefits. Bill points can be redeemed at top airlines and hotels, Amazon.com purchases, future rent payments and more. Bill points have also been ranked by top publications as the industry's most valuable point currency. Your housing payment is most likely your biggest expense. Make it your most rewarding. Find the card that fits your lifestyle and apply today at joinbuilt.com smarttravel that's J-O-I-N-B-I-L-T.com smarttravel make sure to use our URL so they know we sent you. Terms and limitations apply subject to approval and eligibility. Bill cards are issued by column NA member FDIC pursuant to license from MasterCard International Incorporated. It's time for another Listener Questions episode.

[Sally French]

We love your questions as always. You can email them to [e-mail] you can also send us a DM on Instagram. Our handle is Smart Travel Pod and

[Meagan Coyle]

we love voice memos so be sure to send those along. We have some to play today.

[Sally French]

That first question is from Molly. Molly says, hello Sally and Megan. I love your podcast. I have found it really helpful in planning my trips with malice and points. My husband and I are expecting our first baby in May, so I have a couple baby related questions. First of all, we have the Chase out for our preferred we use the points from our signup offer for our baby Moon to Kawaii. I love the baby moon. Molly says by October we will have about 30,000 points on it. Of those points, 7,500 are still eligible to be used for that 1.25 cent per point value on Chase Travel. Wow. Throwback. Of course, as we know the rest have that $0.01 per point value. Molly says she's not planning on traveling with the baby for at least the first six months or so. So she wants to know is it worth to keep saving her Chase points to try to get a good redemption for her first trip with the baby, which she says will not be until February 2027? What do you think?

[Meagan Coyle]

Hmm. Well, congrats on the baby. I wouldn't worry about those 7,500 points that still have the 1.25 cent per point value in the Chase Travel portal because it's like not a lot of points. That's only about $93 worth of travel.

[Sally French]

That's like one sad airport hotel.

[Meagan Coyle]

Yeah, exactly. So you know, Molly said that she was looking to book maybe something in February and by October she's going to have 30,000 points. What I would do with 30,000 points is probably book a hotel with Hyatt. And even though Hyatt has just made all those changes to their award chart, she could book up to a Category 5 on a upper night, which is kind of one of the more expensive nights, not the most expensive night at a category five hotel. And Category five is a decently nice hotel. I was just looking up one that was a Hyatt just outside of Zion National Park. That's going to be great for my trip There.

[Sally French]

Do you think we're taking a baby to maybe.

[Meagan Coyle]

I would love to get some outdoor time with a baby.

[Sally French]

Hike with that baby up to Angels Landing.

[Meagan Coyle]

Oh, no, don't do that. That sounds scary, but Hyatt points are worth 1.8 cents per point according to Nerd Wallet's valuations. So again, I think that might be the best way to get a lot of value for your 30,000 points by October.

[Sally French]

Or maybe just find a points boost deal that really works for you. Who knows?

[Meagan Coyle]

Sally, Molly also asked a second question, and this one is specifically for you. We're based in the San Francisco Bay Area. For our first trip with the baby, we probably want to go somewhere relatively close for a few days. Either a short road trip or a short flight. Where should they go?

[Sally French]

Do you think Molly wants my baby advice? I just said hike with your baby up to Angel's Lake.

[Meagan Coyle]

Yeah, maybe not that. Pick a nice hotel, Sally. A family friendly hotel.

[Sally French]

You know, the Bay Area is such a great spot because in San Francisco there is so much to do. But there is also so much to do. Within an hour or two drive, you could go up north to the Marin Headlands. You can go east to go either wine tasting or go out to Sacramento. Or really far east, go out to Reno or Tahoe. I might send her south to the Monterey Bay area. And Monterey is interesting because if you get really far south, you might go down to Big Sur, which I think is super expensive and super far. Carmel is also expensive. But I recently went to the Sanctuary Beach Resort, which is in a place called Marina, which is about 20 minutes away from Monterey. So if you want to take your baby to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, do that. But I think Sanctuary Beach Resort is much more relaxed. It's right on the water and you get these little cottages. It' so cozy. It is a little fancy. But if you want to get the Platinum card from American Express, this hotel is on the hotel collection, which is part of American Express and you get credits if you have the platinum card. So I might consider that one. I found it a very lovely, relaxing stay.

[Meagan Coyle]

And last part of the question, maybe not totally aimed at you. Sally, do you have any tips for traveling with infants or young children? And are there ways to save on family travel?

[Sally French]

I love all the listener questions, but Molly, you are sending questions to two dinks, so I'm going do my best. The one thing that I hear often is we give a lot of advice. Where we say travel in the off season, travel when the kids are in school and then we get these listeners who say something like, well, I can't do that. My kid is in school and I travel with my kid. This is impossible. But Molly, you are in a very good point in your life where your kid is not in school. So do travel in the off season. You don't want to be with the baby when all the other kids are running around at the resort. So use this time to take advantage of off season travel, which means fewer crowds and lower prices.

[Meagan Coyle]

In fact, I think some of the best times to travel with a kid is when they are infants or very early toddlers because they can fly for free domestically until the age of two if they're sitting in your lap. Now that's not the most comfortable thing for parents, but you do get to save that way. So I know a lot of people who really took advantage of the first two years of their kids lives to travel all over the US because it wasn't costing them a ton of money.

[Sally French]

Yes.

[Meagan Coyle]

Also usually have free cribs in the room if you're traveling with a baby. And then I also saw on a plane once, these parents actually bought access to bulkhead seats and then they could request a bassinet, which is basically a crib that attaches to the wall right in front of the bulkhead seats. It might be free on certain flights or you might have to pay a bit extra. But I think that's a great way if you don't want to hold your baby in your lap for an entire flight. You can just get that bassinet and you can put them down for a lot of the flight. You just have to hold them for takeoff and landing.

[Sally French]

Assuming you don't have a chunky baby. Megan, believe it or not, I was a 10 pound baby when I was born, so I was a chunky baby. And. And you need to make sure that you check the weight and height restrictions on these things because it is true some babies might be too tall or too heavy for a bassinet, even if they're the right age. So do check with your airline and put that baby on scale.

[Meagan Coyle]

And also none of this applies if you're flying internationally. There usually is still a charge to fly with the baby on your lap even if you don't buy them a separate seat. It's usually like a reduced fare or something to be able to fly internationally with your baby in your lap. And then I wanted to pass on a few tips from my mom because I just saw her this past weekend.

[Sally French]

The pod.

[Meagan Coyle]

I know, right? So sweet. We used to Travel with my sisters when they were babies as well. I remember taking my twin sisters when they were 1 years old to Hawaii from the Washington, D.C. area. And that is a long trip. I think it was like 17 hours of travel with the layover. And my mom did so many things to try to keep them entertained and happy. One of them is that the air pressure changes when you're taking off and landing can be unfamiliar and also really hurt, especially for kids. And so eating or chewing something really helps. Even as adult, it helps me. So feeding young children during takeoff and landing can help keep them calm.

[Sally French]

Feeding me before takeoff and landing helps keep me calm.

[Meagan Coyle]

Exactly. And if your baby drinks baby formula, my mom said what she used to do was she would put the dry baby formula powder in the baby bottle, and then she would carry, like, a separate thermos, you know, that keeps water hot. And she would get hot water from either a coffee shop or a lounge at the airport. And then she would literally mix the new bottles for my sisters right. On the airplane with the water from the thermos. So she said, don't do that on the airplane because the flight attendants have such little, like, supplies on the airplane. So taking their whole thermos of water, of hot water that they're using for tea and stuff, it just. They might not have enough. So she was like, do that at the airport, and then you can make bottles on the airplane.

[Sally French]

Okay. I didn't think about the flight attendant component that you don't want to bug them. They already have enough going on. All right. So thank you, Mama Wong, for the assist. I appreciate that. And final tip, I will say we did an episode on family travel a couple of weeks ago with Erin Hurd. She's our resident queen of family travel on points. She just brought her entire family. Get this. To Bhutan a few weeks ago on points. So do look for that episode in your Smart travel feed.

[Meagan Coyle]

Next question is related to the Chase Sapphire preferred. Again, this is such a popular card. We're going to summarize this one a little bit for clarity. Diana used two different types of points to book flights from New York to Ecuador. And so there was a layover in the middle. One leg was on JetBlue and the other was on Avianca. And she booked with two separate types of points. So she has two separate tickets.

[Sally French]

No, that's dangerous.

[Meagan Coyle]

Yeah. But also very advanced. Like, if that's the best way to use your points, then more power to you. Unfortunately, her itinerary got completely messed up during that big snowstorm in New York in January, so she couldn't make that first flight in her journey.

[Sally French]

Yo, that is dangerous. I knew it.

[Meagan Coyle]

I know. Diana had to pay a change fee of 70 Canadian dollars to move second flight to a different day. And she asked us if her Chase Sapphire preferred travel insurance would come in handy in this situation because she spent hours trying to reach Air Canada before her flight, hoping they would waive the change fee given the massive snowstorm. But she never got through. And she's still going to try to talk to them, but she's wondering if maybe travel insurance is the way to go now that all the flights are over.

[Sally French]

So my question is, why was Air Canada involved if she did a JetBlue and an Avianca flight?

[Meagan Coyle]

Oh, she booked the Avianca flight. Flight with Air Canada.

[Sally French]

Oh, I see. Okay.

[Meagan Coyle]

Yeah. So this is why it's very tricky. And there is definitely some risk in booking with partners. I was also in that snowstorm in New York and it was just an absolute mess. Like Diana mentioned that she's trying to get in contact and she can. And maybe there was some confusion because it was booked on a partner airline. So if you are delayed by weather and you're making a good faith effort to change the ticket ahead of time, the airline isn't obligated to necessarily waive these change fees and things like that. But I think still getting in contact with a human and talking to them, you might be able to get an exception from some of the rules. Because that Avianca flight that she booked with Air Canada points wasn't affected by the snowstorm, but she wouldn't have been able to take it. Right. Because she couldn't get out of New York.

[Sally French]

I know. And this is so tricky that I feel like Diana thought she was saving a lot of money because she probably booked two different airfares that were net cheaper than buying one that would have involved a different layover. And it's true. I'm sure she saved a lot of money on the outset by doing this, but typically I don't recommend booking on two completely different airlines because you can have this ripple effect. If the first airline has an issue and then you miss the second one, the second one doesn't care that the first one had an issue. If you are on the same exact itinerary and it was a connecting flight that had the issue, then they're more willing to help you out. So unfortunately, this is probably not would have. Would have done to begin with. I'm sorry. But Diana, you are smart to think of Your travel insurance? It is a bit hard to say based on the information you gave us. The canceled flight happened in January and for Chase After Preferred cardholders for trip cancellation and interruption insurance claims, you need to take action within 20 days of your trip being canceled or interrupted. So I hope you moved fast on

[Meagan Coyle]

this one and the travel insurance provider will be able to talk to Diana and ask her to follow up with more documentation and talk about whether or not her specific case is covered. We can't exactly do that, but just in doing some research for this answer, we did find out that Chase Sapphire Preferred Travel Protections do reimburse covered airfare costs, even if it's an award flight and you're just paying for taxes and fees. That's good to know that if you book a flight on points that you will be at least somewhat covered by your Chase Sapphire Preferred Travel protections. But Diana, we're not entirely sure if there's actually quality qualifies in your situation.

[Sally French]

I just say file the claim. You already spent the $70 on the change fee. You already spent hours on the phone anyway, so it doesn't hurt you to file a claim and hope for the best.

[Meagan Coyle]

I agree. Next question is from Lindsay. She says, I'm starting to organize our flights for a family trip to Hawaii around October, fall break for the kids. And I could really use some guidance on the best way to watch and book flights. I've been using a Google Flights tracker, but I'm not sure I'm doing it the most effective way. And some details about what kinds of flights she's trying to book. It's a family of five. There's three kids and two adults. They're flexible on the dates, but only a few days before and after and they want to go to the big island of Hawaii. The points that she has available is about 76,900 points on her Chase Sapphire Preferred. So those are Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Sally, what do you think she should do in terms of what tools she should be using or how to time buying the flight at just the right time to get a low price?

[Sally French]

Yeah, I mean you're on the right track that you definitely want to use Google Flights. I find that they are an incredibly good tool. So you can just type in your home, airport, whatever that one is, and then type in. What did she say? Kauai. Where's she going?

[Meagan Coyle]

Big Island. Big Island.

[Sally French]

Big Island. Big Island. So then you enter that airport and then you can either just write out the gate on Google Flights and click on departure and it will display A little calendar view, and you can see all the different prices. And that's a good way to just get an idea of what prices typically are. You can sort of spot trends that way. But the other thing that I would recommend that you do is you click on something called tracked prices. And from there, if you see a bunch of flights that you're possibly interested in taking, you can then click the button right there that says select the flight. And then you could track it. And then it's a little toggle at the top, right if you're on a desktop. And from there they will literally just email you when they see that fares have meaningfully changed. You can also be flexible where you can add a bunch of available flights. So it sounds like you are flexible on your dates. Google Flights is truly the best tool. It gives you so many options. Just fiddle around and have fun with it.

[Meagan Coyle]

Well, it sounds like she already did set up the Google Flights alerts, but I think she's looking to use her points. So I will say that 76,000 points probably won't be enough to get 5 seats round trip to Hawaii. She didn't say where she was coming from, though. But I mean, I think that would be tough. If you are booking in Chase's travel portal, 76,000 points would be worth about $760 unless you find again a booking that's eligible for points boost. But that's usually like premium or business class or something like that. So I think that might not be the best way to do it. What I would recommend is probably just trying to get maybe one or two tickets on the points and then paying the rest in cash because I don't think you'll have enough to cover the full flights.

[Sally French]

Lindsay, you might not know about Points Path. That is a browser extension. We have actually reviewed points pass on NerdWallet. But what you do is you install this browser extension and then when you go on Google Flights and you have it enabled, it will actually tell you what the the points cost is for that flight. So, for example, I'm looking at San Francisco to Kauai, and it's $129 or 15,600 United miles for this flight. I'm looking at Points Path then will tell you use cash because they have predetermined that that is not a good flight to use on points or miles. So you can also use that plugin and if you see one that says use points, that means your points are a good deal and spend your points. And if they're not a good deal. I say save them.

[Meagan Coyle]

And I'd also recommend if you want the alerts similar to the way you get them on Google flights, you could use a tool like Points. Yeah, you can set up alerts for points prices on that flight to Hawaii. And I think on a free account you can set up to four alerts. If you want to track more than that, you can pay for a pro account. But I would say that might be a great way to find ways to redeem your points with transfer partners, not necessarily using them in the Chase Travel portal.

[Sally French]

And then again, you can always use your points to book a hotel. Might be a better redemption anyway than booking a flight.

[Meagan Coyle]

All right, lots of family travel questions today. Let's take a quick break. We'll be right back with more of your listener questions. Today's episode is sponsored by Shopify. When we started recording the Smart Travel podcast, there was a lot of figuring it out as we went. The scripts, recording setup, workflow, all of it. It it's exciting of course, but it can also be overwhelming and lonely if you're launching a business or product on your own. That's why having the right tools makes such a difference for millions of businesses. That tool is Shopify. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world, handling about 10% of all E commerce in the US from huge brands to new small businesses. If you're building something new, Shopify makes it easier to get up and running. You can create a beautiful online store with hundreds of ready to use templates, no design experience needed, and they've got built in AI tools that can help write product descriptions, headlines and even improve your product photos. Start your business today with the industry's best business partner, Shopify, and start hearing. Sign up for your $1 per month trial today at shopify.com smarttravel go to shopify.com smarttravel that's shopify.com smarttravel today's episode is sponsored by Quints. Lately I've been trying to be a little more intentional about what clothes I'm buying. I want pieces that are comfortable, high quality and look good on camera. It just makes getting dressed for work or travel or let's be real often, both so much easier and honestly, Quince has been my go to they make it really simple to refresh your everyday wardrobe for spring with pieces that feel as good as they look. Everything is made with premium materials like 100% European linen, organic cotton and ultra soft denim, but without the markup. I've been especially loving their 100% organic cotton cropped cardigan. It has these statement buttons and comes in really fun limited edition spring colors. The fit is super flattering. It's one of those pieces I take with me everywhere in case I need an extra layer. They also have lightweight linen pants, dresses and tops that are all so breathable, easy and perfect for warmer weather. Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to quince.com smarttravel for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q-U-I-N c e.com smarttravel for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com smarttravel this next question is fun

[Sally French]

because it is a voice memo.

[Emily (Listener)]

Let's play it hi Megan and Sally. My name is Emily and I am 36 years old and live in Southern New Jersey. I'm a new listener to the podcast. I actually found out about you when I saw Megan's TikTok about the American Airlines credit card that was offering 50,000 points for just any purchase. So I signed up for that. So the cards that I currently hold are the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Freedom Unlimited and then this new American Airlines card. I get a lot of awesome big welcome offers because I have a good credit and I'm just trying to decide which one I should pull the trigger on. I do not live in a big city so a lot of them that advertise like the Infatuation credit or Uber credits, a lot of those just wouldn't be utilized by me. But I am interested in adding another card to the mix right now. I have been booking all my hotels for travel through transferring from Chase to Hyatt and it has been very successful for me. I really have enjoyed it that and gotten to stay in some great places. But yeah, I'm curious what cards you would recommend to round this out for me as I am one person not living in a big city.

[Sally French]

This is my biggest pet peeve is when you have credit card benefits and you can only use them in a big city. My stepdad lives in Warrenton, Missouri where I'm pretty sure Uber will not even come for you there and they do not have any of those fancy restaurants that you can use your fancy credit card benefits even at.

[Meagan Coyle]

Yeah, it is tough if you live outside of a big city, but I mean using the points to be able to travel or fly to places outside of your small town is worth it I would say.

[Sally French]

Okay, so as far as a Card recommendation. She said she wants to transfer her points from Chase to Hyatt. So my card recommendation is just going to be apply for the World of Hyatt car. Is that too obvious?

[Meagan Coyle]

I mean, I personally think you can earn more Hyatt points in other ways, but. Go ahead, Sally, tell us why you chose the Hyatt card.

[Sally French]

Well, if you are just looking to add a card to the mix, you do want to consider the signup offer. And at the time of this recording, remember, things can change, as we always say. But it is right now that you can earn 30,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening. Then there's like this add on offer where you can earn another 30,000 bonus points. If you hit it all, you can get 60,000 bonus points, which is a really good way to earn a bunch of high points in one go. Agree with you, Megan, there are other cards that are better for spending in other categories. However, this card earns 2 bonus points per dollar on dining, airfares purchased directly with the airline, gym memberships and local transit and commuting. So if you got a gym membership, use your card there. And then the card also has other benefits. If you want to transfer your points to Hyatt, I assume that means you stay at Hyatt and World of Hyatt Discoverist status is kind of this middle ground where it is definitely not the best, but it's not the worst. So some of the benefits is like, like free water bottle and you're like, thank you. But then other benefits come in really clutch. 2pm late checkout, when available, I think is so underrated. I was just on a work trip with someone and she didn't have late checkout and she got kicked out of her room and she was working in the lobby and I was like, la, la la. I'm gonna take a shower. I got late checkout. So I highly recommend the World of Hyatt car just for the automatic elite status. You can also earn two bonus points per dollar spent on dining, airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, gym memberships, and local transit and commuting.

[Meagan Coyle]

Yes, the hotel cards are great for getting you some elite status, but again, World of Hyatt Discover status is not super top tier, so that might not be really helpful unless, you know, you really need the two water bottles.

[Sally French]

No, but I'm telling you, late checkout comes in clutch when it is needed.

[Meagan Coyle]

Yeah, when you need it. I'm gonna go a different route and recommend a card that Earns transferable points that can transfer to Hyatt. So I'm gonna recommend the built Palladium card. Everyone grow.

[Sally French]

I'm throwing my mic off the table. Megan, why you do this?

[Meagan Coyle]

I think it's just a different option that a lot of people are scared of.

[Sally French]

But I'm scared.

[Meagan Coyle]

This woman sounds like she really knows her points, knows what she wants to spend it on. She wants to get high at points and this is a great way to get high points. So this card has a $495 annual fee that's higher than most of the cards she already has. I know people are turned off by Built because the program is is super complicated.

[Sally French]

Do you know people?

[Meagan Coyle]

I already know. But if you want to earn Hyatt points very fast, especially now that Hyatt has changed its award chart, I'd recommend this card because it earns 2 points per dollar on non housing expenses. That's all of your everyday purchases. And that is better than the 1.5 points per dollar that she would be earning on her Chase Freedom Unlimited. And let me tell you, those, those two points per dollar add up very quickly. You can listen to our built episode to hear more about, like how the whole program works and also get into the housing piece of it, which I'm not going to do here. But there are some really exciting options for even earning more than 2 points per dollar on all of your everyday purchases. So let me get into that.

[Sally French]

Oh, well, wait till she finds out she can also earn bill points and build cash in one go.

[Meagan Coyle]

I know exactly. That's where we're going with this. There is an option to earn built cash with all of your everyday purchases and then you can redeem your built cash for all these different credits or other benefits. And one of them is really cool. It's called the points accelerator and you can activate that with $200 of built cash. And actually that is one of the day one benefits of applying for this card and getting approved is you'll get $200 of built cash and you can just activate the points accelerator right away and you'll earn an additional one point per dollar on your next $5,000 of purchases. And you can do that up to five times a year. So let's just talk about like the sign up bonus. Like you just got this card in the mail and you are spending $4,000 to earn the signup bonus. Within the first 90 days you'll get the sign up bonus, which at the time we recorded this was 50,000 points. Also, some built Cash in there. But let's focus on the points. You'll get the sign up bonus of 50,000 points plus 12,000 points because you're earning 3 points per dollar with the points accelerator. Oh my gosh. That is 62,000 points. And you could not get that on the signup offer with the World of Hyatt card you just mentioned unless you were spending the full amount to get 60,000 points. And that might be a little bit harder.

[Sally French]

The Hyatt card doesn't come with a headache, with the stress, with the feeling like you got an F in credit card math.

[Meagan Coyle]

But again, just if you keep it simple, you keep the housing part of this out of the equation. Built is a one to one transfer partner of Hyatt. So those 62,000 points you earn from spending $4,000 in the first 90 days, you could transfer those points directly to Hyatt. And now you have 62,000 Hyatt points you didn't have before. And I think it'll keep going as you keep spending. This card is a great card for everyday spending. All those bonus categories that you like, can't keep track of. This one doesn't have anything complicated like that. It just has this 3 points per dollar possibility of earning that on all of your everyday purchases, not housing.

[Sally French]

Now, I will recommend you listen to our Bill episode, but I think we should give listeners an update. Megan, you convinced me to apply for the Built Palladium card, and I will never talk about something that I don't know. So I did apply. I have been using my Palladium card. Now I do. First off, the rollout of these cards was very confusing. They kept on changing their terms and I've already had some issues with this card. As simple as little tech issues. Whenever I log into my app, they're supposed to give you gold status, which I do technically have. Gold status is part of having the Palladium card, but whenever I log in, it says I have blue status.

[Meagan Coyle]

Oh, that's kind of odd, right?

[Sally French]

And I'm like, okay, this is a bug right here. Off the bat, what other bugs are we possibly working with? With other issues with the card, like you cannot use it to pay taxes. I would just watch out. I am using Bilt with hesitation. So I do want to just lay that out there. I just use my Hyatt card without hesitation. So consider that.

[Meagan Coyle]

And I do want to acknowledge that our listener asked for cards that she could use outside of a big city. And some of the Built Cash redemptions really are aimed at people In a big city, for example, you could use built cash to cover fitness classes like Berries. And I live in LA and I still haven't used built cash for that. But there are also other things you can use the built cash on. And this card does have a 400 built travel hotel credit and again comes with stipulations. It's twice a year and comes in like the form of 200 the first half of the calendar year, 200 the second half. There's a two night minimum. But if you were to use that to its full power, then you are pretty much offsetting a lot of the annual fees. And I think earning that many points that you could transfer to Hyatt would be worth it.

[Sally French]

All right. I disagree with you, Megan, but that's all right. I still like you.

[Meagan Coyle]

Okay, here is part two of Emily's question. Oh, let's play it.

[Emily (Listener)]

As women travelers, I would love to hear your opinion on where in the world you would suggest someone like me go next. I did my first solo trip to London in November and I just got back from my second one where I went to four cities in Belgium and Amsterdam. I love museums and I like having really full packed days. I'm not really like a lounger beachgoer when I am by myself. So I'm just curious about where you would send me next. Thank you so much for all the tips and I'm excited to keep listening.

[Sally French]

Oh, this is a very fun recommendation. I love solo travel. I love the freedom of not having to wait for somebody else and just wake up and go when I want to go to sleep. I can if I want to walk forever. I was just in New York and I was with another girlfriend and she was like, I'm tired, I'm gonna take a cab home. And I was like, I'm not tired because I'm Sally Energizer Bunny. I'm gonna walk four miles. So I love, I said New York and I love any big city, especially with big cities. I feel like there's so many people around. It feels so safe in New York. I'm like, if some creepers fall in me, there are so many restaurants and bars that I can just duck into that. I always feel safe in a big city like that.

[Meagan Coyle]

I would look at Asia, specifically Japan, maybe Tokyo, because Tokyo is just a world class city. You feel like you're in a city of the future. And they also have a ton of great museums. I really wanted to visit the Ghibli Museum when I was in Japan last time. Tried and Failed. Those tickets are so hard to get. I also looked at the Yayoi Kusama museum because she's an artist I love. I've seen her work multiple times in the US So again, tons of great museums in Japan. The public transportation is easy to navigate and it feels very, very safe. I'd recommend trying a trip to Japan, maybe on some of the new points you could earn through your new credit card.

[Sally French]

Oh, heck yes.

[Meagan Coyle]

You'll be there with everyone else and their mom and their dogs and no, I'm just kidding. Like, literally, it feels like everyone's in Japan right now, but there's a reason it's so popular.

[Sally French]

Alrighty, last question for today. Hi, Megan and Sally. Love your podcast. Your cheerfulness, upbeat attitude and candor makes my run entertain, entertaining and informative. Oh, my God, that's so nice. I look forward to every episode. And I share your admiration of Samantha Brown. She really is the best. Anyway, she says, what are the pros and cons of using Gondola for hotel bookings? I just learned about it. I'm wondering how it could help me when booking travel if I would be better off with Rove for hotel bookings or something else. I would love to get the best value of my points and miles. Jill, we all want to get the best value of our points and miles. What do you say to Jill, Megan?

[Meagan Coyle]

Hmm. Gondola is a hotel search and booking platform for people who don't know about it. It and it's great because it actually lets you compare cash prices and points prices for each hotel and across many different brands. It is awesome. Their tech is great compared to a lot of other hotel award search tools, which I feel like are they're still kind of developing and Gondola is a partner of Nerd Wallet. So we actually love using Gondola over here.

[Sally French]

We truly do. Not just because they are a partner. Actually, I gotta shout out Craig Joseph on our team. He's been on the pod before and and he is the one who introduced me to Gondola and I was like, whoa, they have so much interesting points data on here. I think the biggest pro about Gondola is that they make direct bookings and you know how I feel about booking direct. This is good because you can earn points and Elite night credits through your hotel reward programs. You can earn credit card points if you are still booking direct through the hotel, but then you can also earn something called Gondola Cash.

[Meagan Coyle]

And Gondola Cash is basically credit that you can use towards your next hotel booking. On Gondola. So. So the nice thing is that it's very simple to understand, like it's in dollars and cents instead of these random points currencies. But again, Gondola cash might not be the kind of rewards you're trying to collect. For example, Jill mentioned that she might be better off with Rove, which is another hotel travel booking platform. They also have a shopping platform and similarly, it lets you book hotels and you can can stack your rewards. And instead of just earning the hotel points and your credit card points, this one also lets you earn Rove miles. And that's actually a transferable currency that you could transfer to other airlines and hotels. Some of the really interesting transfer partners they have are Cafe Pacific Flying Blue, which is the loyalty program of Air France and KLM and Japan Airlines. So Gondola cash can only be redeemed for these other Gondola bookings, but Rove miles you could possibly transfer to another program.

[Sally French]

We have a full review of Gondola and a guide to Rove on our website. We'll link to both in the episode description so you can check it out again. I just want to throw out the disclosure. NerdWallet is a partner of Gondola. If you sign up through NerdWallet's website, you will get a special offer.

[Meagan Coyle]

All right, that is it for our listener questions today. Oh, so many good ones. Remember to send us more if you all have them. And let's do hot takeoffs.

[Sally French]

Do you got any?

[Meagan Coyle]

I do. Sally, I think you're going to like this one. You should always aim to be the first one off of the cruise, whether you're just coming in for the port or you are disembarking.

[Sally French]

Disembark day. You want to be off first.

[Meagan Coyle]

Yeah. You want to be off first. Because think about it. There's like thousands of people on this cruise with you. I do not want to wait behind thousands of people to get an Uber or to get through the security line or the customs line or whatever it is. I know it feels like, oh, man, I want to just like, like have one last free meal. You can do that and you can still be the first one off the cruise. Yeah.

[Sally French]

No, because how do you. Breakfast isn't ready when the ship pulls in.

[Meagan Coyle]

Sometimes it is. I think you should ask and time it correctly. Like, I just went on a cruise and they offered breakfast specifically early.

[Sally French]

What time?

[Meagan Coyle]

So it was 6:00am to, I think 9:00am on the last day and you could get off as early as 7:45. But they ended up being ready to go before that. So my mom and I were the first ones to eat breakfast at 6am and then we were downstairs and they were open early so we got off like before 7:45. It was great.

[Sally French]

Yo, no, I'm last one on the plane, last one on and off the ship because I just want to maximize my ship time. And I will say if you are the last one then you don't really have to wait in line because everyone has already cleared out. I'm like the one who's waiting where they're like, ma', am, ma', am, you need to leave like 1pm the new people are coming in. This is the end. You got to go. I'm that person.

[Meagan Coyle]

No, I like being the first one off. Let us know what you think of our hot takes and where you are coming off. When you are coming off a cruise,

[Sally French]

make sure to follow Smart Travel on your favorite podcast app, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio. That way you automatically download new episodes. And if you're listening on Spotify, drop us a comment right in the app. I literally spent my Friday night reading through the comments and I was responding to them and they were so fun. So I want to respond to you.

[Meagan Coyle]

This episode was produced by Tess Viglen and edited by Nick Karisimi. Claire Socie and Hilary. Georgie helped with fact checking and our disclaimer.

[Sally French]

We are not front end financial or investment advisors. This info is provided for general educational and entertainment purposes. It may not apply to your specific circumstances.

[Meagan Coyle]

We hope you're inspired to keep your passport full and your wallet even fuller. Thanks everyone. We'll see you next time.