Room Blocks, Rental Cars, and a Plus-One: Smarter Wedding Travel for Savvy Guests

Summary

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways - Episode Summary

Episode Title: Room Blocks, Rental Cars, and a Plus-One: Smarter Wedding Travel for Savvy Guests
Release Date: April 16, 2025
Hosts: Sally French and Megan Coyle (with Tess Vigland filling in for Sally)

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Introduction: Setting the Stage for Wedding Travel

The episode kicks off with a lighthearted exchange between Megan Coyle and Tess Vigland, Sally French's producer, who humorously suggests renaming the show to "Where's Sally?" after Sally departs to travel the world. Megan shares her extensive experience attending eight weddings this year, positioning herself as an authority on budgeting and planning travel for such events.

Notable Quote:
“Tess, are you going to any weddings this year?”
— Megan Coyle [00:05]

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News Segment: Travel Industry Updates

Before delving into wedding travel, the hosts briefly discuss recent developments in the travel industry:

1. MSC Cruises' New Terminal:

   • Details: MSC Cruises inaugurates the world's largest cruise terminal at Port Miami, featuring advanced biometric security and streamlined boarding processes.
   • Speaker: Tess Vigland
   • Timestamp: [02:03]

2. Delta Airlines' Growth Adjustment:

   • Details: Delta Airlines revises its 2025 growth projections due to economic uncertainties, signaling potential challenges for domestic travelers.
   • Recommendation: Megan advises booking Delta flights early to secure better rates before capacity constraints arise.
   • Speaker: Megan Coyle
   • Timestamp: [03:55]

3. Travel Price Drops:

   • Details: NerdWallet's latest travel price index reveals decreases in airfares (down 5.2%), hotel prices (down 3.7%), and rental car costs (down nearly 9%) year-over-year.
   • Insight: Despite base fare reductions, ancillary fees like baggage and seat selection remain a concern.
   • Speaker: Tess Vigland
   • Timestamp: [04:44]

Notable Quote:
“Flying might still feel pricey, but if you know how to play the game, use points, pack light, skip seat selection, you can absolutely come out ahead right now.”
— Megan Coyle [05:25]

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Deep Dive: Smarter Wedding Travel Planning

The core of the episode focuses on strategies to manage the costs and logistics of traveling to weddings, both as couples planning their own weddings and as guests attending them.

1. Understanding the Costs

• Statistics:
  • Survey Findings: Nearly 1 in 10 Americans (9%) will attend a wedding this summer, with an average estimated spend of $1,989 per attendee for transportation and lodging alone.
  • Impact: Travel costs significantly influence the decision to attend, with 46% citing them as a major factor.
  • Speaker: Sally French and Megan Coyle
  • Timestamp: [08:18]

Notable Quote:
“Weddings can be meaningful for both the couple getting married and you as a guest. But you should not go if it's going to derail your financial goals.”
— Sally French [10:34]

2. Booking Flights Strategically

• Advance Booking:

  • Recommendations:
    • Domestic Flights: Book 1-3 months in advance.
    • International Flights: Book 2-8 months in advance.
  • Lead Time: Utilize the lead time from save-the-date announcements to set price alerts and secure flights early.
  • Speaker: Megan Coyle and Sally French
  • Timestamp: [11:01]

• Optimal Travel Days:

  • Cheapest Days: Saturdays are typically the cheapest to fly. However, Megan advises against booking flights on Saturdays for cannot-miss events due to high chance of delays.
  • Extended Trips: Encouraging guests to extend their stays by flying on Tuesdays or Wednesdays can lead to significant airfare savings.
  • Speaker: Megan Coyle and Sally French
  • Timestamp: [11:31]

Notable Quote:
“If you're on my invite list and are listening to this podcast, please do not book a Saturday flight.”
— Sally French [11:51]

3. Lodging: Hotel Room Blocks vs. Airbnb

• Hotel Room Blocks:

  • Pros: Simplifies booking for guests, potential for reduced rates.
  • Cons: Discounts may be minimal (5-10% off standard rates), and limited flexibility.
  • Strategy: Utilize points (e.g., transferring from Ultimate Rewards) to book rooms for better value.
  • Speaker: Sally French
  • Timestamp: [13:08]

• Vacation Rentals (Airbnb):

  • Savings: For larger groups, Airbnb rentals can be up to 33% cheaper than multiple hotel rooms.
  • Considerations: Ensure all group members are invited to avoid awkward booking scenarios.
  • Speaker: Sally French
  • Timestamp: [16:17]

Notable Quote:
“If you're traveling solo or with just one other person, a hotel is generally better. Meanwhile, if you're traveling with a group and you can split the costs across everyone, a vacation rental is generally better.”
— Sally French [16:17]

4. Managing Wedding Gifts and Financial Priorities

• Gift Considerations:
  • Opinion: Sally suggests that guests prioritize attending without financial strain over sending extravagant gifts.
  • Etiquette: Presence is often valued over presents, especially for destination weddings.
  • Advice: Thoughtful gestures or cards are sufficient if travel imposes a significant cost.
  • Speaker: Sally French and Megan Coyle
  • Timestamp: [17:05]

Notable Quote:
“I think other couples getting married might hate me for saying this, but in my opinion, I'd much rather a guest skip the gift and show up if it's a trade-off between sending a gift and spending all this money on travel.”
— Sally French [17:24]

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Listener Engagement: Q&A on Sustainable Points Usage

A listener named Megan poses a question about making the use of travel points sustainable over multiple years, beyond the initial signup bonuses.

Strategies Discussed:

1. Optimize Spending with Reward Cards:

   • Tailored Cards: Choose credit cards that align with personal spending habits (e.g., groceries, dining).
   • Example: Built World Elite MasterCard allows earning rewards on rent payments, which can be transferred for travel.
   • Speaker: Sally French and Megan Coyle
   • Timestamp: [19:00 - 20:32]

2. Leverage Annual Perks:

   • Benefits: Utilize recurring benefits like elite status, lounge access, and free night certificates offered by premium travel credit cards.
   • Maximizing Points: Use points strategically by taking advantage of offers like fifth-night free deals with brands like Hilton.
   • Speaker: Sally French and Megan Coyle
   • Timestamp: [20:01 - 20:50]

Notable Quote:
“If you're a frequent traveler, cards with recurring statement credits can be valuable even without the intro offer or signup bonus.”
— Sally French [22:02]

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Conclusion: Final Tips and Takeaways

The hosts wrap up the episode by reiterating the importance of smart travel planning for weddings, emphasizing the need to balance financial responsibility with the desire to attend meaningful events. Sally shares her personal experience with obtaining a premium credit card for its long-term travel benefits, even without the initial signup bonus.

Final Advice:

• Plan Ahead: Early booking and strategic scheduling can lead to significant savings.
• Use Points Wisely: Tailor credit card usage to maximize rewards aligned with your lifestyle.
• Prioritize Financial Health: Avoid incurring debt for travel expenses related to weddings; consider presence as the greatest gift.

Notable Quote:
“We are not financial or investment advisors or relationship advisors. This info is provided for general educational and interview entertainment purposes and may not apply to your specific circumstances.”
— Sally French [22:57]

Closing Remark:
“Keep your passport full and your wallet even fuller. See you next episode.”
— Megan Coyle [23:10]

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Key Takeaways

• Budgeting for Wedding Travel: Understanding and planning for the associated costs can make attending weddings more feasible.
• Booking Strategies: Early and strategic booking of flights and accommodations can lead to substantial savings.
• Leveraging Points and Rewards: Sustainable use of travel points involves aligning credit card rewards with personal spending habits and utilizing annual perks.
• Financial Prioritization: Guests should balance the desire to attend with their financial goals, prioritizing presence over expensive gifts or overstretched budgets.

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This episode of Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways provides a comprehensive guide for navigating the complexities of wedding travel, offering practical advice on budgeting, booking, and leveraging rewards to ensure that celebrating loved ones does not come at the expense of personal financial well-being.

Transcript

[Tess Vigland]

Megan, how many weddings are you going to again this year? 8.

[Megan Coyle]

Wait, who are you and where's Sally?

[Tess Vigland]

I'm Tess, your producer. And Sally donned a red and white knit cap and left to travel the world and tell us about it. And from now on, the show is gonna be called Where's Sally? I'm kidding, of course.

[Megan Coyle]

I kind of love the idea though.

[Tess Vigland]

Right?

[Megan Coyle]

But why does she get to have all the fun? I'd like a spinoff called Where's Megan?

[Tess Vigland]

Probably at a wedding.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah, so.

[Tess Vigland]

Oh my goodness, eight weddings. That's a lot of travel to figure out. Me. Especially if it involves a flight. And what's likely to be at least two nights in a hotel, maybe a rental car, all to celebrate someone else's love story. And you're doing it eight times.

[Megan Coyle]

Certainly makes me qualified to talk about how to budget and plan travel specifically for weddings. Welcome to Smart Travel, a deep dive into the tips, tools and tactics to maximize your travel dollars. I'm Megan Coyle.

[Tess Vigland]

And I'm Tess Vigland, in for Sally French. And we're the travel nerds ready to help you plan your next big trip. At least we're one half of the travel nerds.

[Megan Coyle]

Welcome to the front of the microphone, Tess, out from behind that virtual production booth.

[Tess Vigland]

Thank you, thank you. Yeah, Sally will be joining you for the back half of the show to talk wedding travel. But right now she's on a giant boat sailing away. And I mean, you know, it is a travel show after all. You both should be hosting from parts near and far every week.

[Megan Coyle]

I did just bring my mic to Sequoia national park this weekend to check out the new auto Camp Sequoia location.

[Tess Vigland]

Oh, I can't wait to hear what the trees had to say.

[Megan Coyle]

We'll have to do a follow up episode to the national parks one. But first, a bit of news for our cruisers out there. MSC Cruises just cut the ribbon on the world's largest cruise terminal at Port Miami.

[Tess Vigland]

And when they say largest, they are not kidding. This four level terminal spans nearly half a million square feet and can check in 36,000 passengers a day for their cruises.

[Megan Coyle]

In fact, that's why Sally's not here. She went to check out this new terminal for herself.

[Tess Vigland]

We'll be doing an episode on cruises and I'm sure she'll tell us about this once she's back.

[Megan Coyle]

Some dispatches she sent me from the cruise though. This new terminal is high tech. It's the first cruise terminal in the world to get you through security using all biometrics check in online. You drop your bags right from the parking garage and breeze through security and boarding just by scanning your face at the face scan pods. And you only need to show your passport once.

[Tess Vigland]

Yeah, creepy and convenient. I do have to say though, if airports are stress inducing, this specific cruise terminal sounds like the exact opposite. A calm, tech powered welcome to your vacation. I do have to say though that our new airport here in Portland, Oregon is pretty calming too.

[Megan Coyle]

It's gorgeous. It's like being in a forest. There's so many real trees. Speaking of trees, I love the trees.

[Tess Vigland]

It is. You know, and it's this new crown jewel here in the arboreal Pacific Northwest. And they did design it to sort of feel like a forest and it does.

[Megan Coyle]

Well, they did a great job. And speaking of air travel, we've got some turbulence ahead.

[Sally French]

Yeah.

[Tess Vigland]

Delta Airlines is pulling back on its growth plans for the second half of 2025, citing, quote, broad economic uncertainty. Translation Bookings aren't coming in quite as strong as expected, especially from cost conscious travelers and cautious corporations.

[Megan Coyle]

That's according to Delta's earnings report released last week. Consumer and corporate confidence is dipping. In the March quarter, The airline reported 13 billion in adjusted revenue. That's up 3.3% from last year. But that's less growth than the airline previously projected.

[Tess Vigland]

So the airline is withdrawing its financial forecast for 2025, lowering revenue projections for this quarter and reducing some of the capacity growth they had planned in the second half of 2025.

[Megan Coyle]

Delta says demand for international bookings and tickets in premium cabins are doing all right, but the domestic cabin demand is meh.

[Tess Vigland]

So what's a smart traveler to do? Megan?

[Megan Coyle]

Well, if you're planning to fly Delta later this year, book sooner rather than later, especially for fall and holiday travel. Capacity won't be increasing, so you might want to reserve your seat now before limited availability can push those prices up.

[Tess Vigland]

Interesting. And we'll have to keep an eye on whether other airlines follow Delta's lead. But for now, it is a reminder that the skies aren't just shaped by jet fuel and weather. They're shaped by Wall Street, Washington and global confidence, too.

[Megan Coyle]

What isn't? And last news item today. Well, I saved the best for last.

[Tess Vigland]

Good news is the best news.

[Megan Coyle]

So get this. According to NerdWallet's latest travel price index, lots of travel prices are dropping across the board. Airfares are down 5.2%, hotel prices have dropped 3.7% and rental cars are down nearly 9% year over year. Geez.

[Tess Vigland]

In this economy, where we're usually watching grocery bills, balloon tip screens pop up literally everywhere. It's kind of wild to think that travel, of all things, is the one category that's actually becoming slightly more affordable.

[Megan Coyle]

And here's another interesting fact. Airfare is actually 12% cheaper than it was 10 years ago. That's not something you usually see in consumer categories.

[Tess Vigland]

Now, what about the listeners who are thinking, wait, flying still feels expensive. You know, I get that base fares are down, but airlines are really leaning into those ancillary fees. You know, the bag fees, the seat selection charges, the boarding zone upgrades, all those extras that are not factored into the sticker price.

[Megan Coyle]

Flying might still feel pricey, but if you know how to play the game, use points, pack lights, skip seat selection, you can absolutely come out ahead right now. I also recommend frequent flyers look to airline branded credit cards. Some offer benefits like free checked bags if you hold their credit card, and that can help keep your prices lower.

[Tess Vigland]

All right, well, Megan, I'm packing my own free checked bags to go back behind the scenes so you and Sally can talk weddings and how to pay for them both as the happy couple and as friends and family. Celebrating the big day.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah. Tess, are you going to any weddings this year?

[Tess Vigland]

No, but I am heading this week, in fact, to one of the most romantic places on the planet, Paris. Does that count?

[Megan Coyle]

Oh, well, it depends if you get married.

[Tess Vigland]

If I do, I'll let you know so you can talk me out of it. I think the extent of my relationships in and with Paris should be limited to, let's say, cheese, baguettes, and fashion.

[Megan Coyle]

Oh, can't knock that plan. Tess, thank you so much for helping us out today. On with the show. Wedding bells are ringing. You, Sally, are the pro here since you're getting married this September.

[Sally French]

Yes.

[Megan Coyle]

You're also the most wildly frugal and free food obsessed person I know. So I'm excited to hear how your wedding planning is going and what you have in store for your guests.

[Sally French]

So by now, listeners may have gathered that I am a budget traveler through and through. And yes, I am absolutely bringing that energy to my own wedding. So I will say, I'm not one of those totally budget people who are like, I threw a wedding for $1,000. I have mad respect for you people. But I also think if you made a Venn diagram of people who plan budget weddings and people who are super crafty, the overlap, that part in the middle is where you find the successful budget weddings. And I am definitely not in that overlap. I am not Crafty Megan, you know those photos of Pinterest fails? Yeah, that's me.

[Megan Coyle]

But you know what? You know yourself. You know your limits. I respect that.

[Sally French]

So our wedding is not a super budget wedding, but I also don't want to waste money either. Our venue allows us to bring our own alcohol, so we're going to load up on alcohol at Costco. We also have a super fancy cake, but it only serves 12. We do have more than 12 people at our wedding. We have more than 200 actually, so we're serving the people Costco sheet cake.

[Megan Coyle]

Oh, I would eat Costco sheet cake any day.

[Sally French]

Okay, good. I also got my wedding dress off Craigslist, so I tried on a bunch of $3,000 dresses, and I'm just having nightmare visions of me spilling teriyaki sauce on my dress. So I found a dress from the exact same designer worn once on CraigSL. $500. I bought it and in fact, I negotiated down to $450.

[Megan Coyle]

Yes. I love this tip. I remember you're supposed to negotiate things like your Wi Fi bill, but I never thought about doing this for a wedding dress.

[Sally French]

Oh, definitely. And I fully realize how expensive weddings are for the couple. By the way, that makes it a great time to apply for a new credit card if you can put some of those big expenses on a new card to earn the signup bonus and.

[Megan Coyle]

Make sure to refer your partner. So you two can get two sign up bonuses.

[Sally French]

Ooh, two player mode.

[Megan Coyle]

Plus a referral bonus. Yes. And those points could go a long way towards a nice hotel for the honeymoon. Or those business class flights. Let's do a honeymoon episode after your wedding, Sally, because I know you have this really fun idea for that.

[Sally French]

I do. And so I mentioned weddings are expensive for the couple getting married, but they are definitely expensive for everyone attending to.

[Megan Coyle]

Yes, me. Okay, so let's set the stage with some numbers. According to a new NerdWallet survey conducted by the Harris Poll, nearly 1 in 10Americans, that's 9%, are attending a wedding this summer. That requires at least one night away from home.

[Sally French]

If you're not going to a wedding this year, you may very well be going to one next year.

[Megan Coyle]

Which means you might need to Start saving now. NerdWallet study also found that guests estimate they'll spend $1,989. That's almost $2,000 on average, just for transportation and lodging. That's not including the dress. That's not including the gift. Oh, my goodness.

[Sally French]

That high. I mean, that's four times my wedding dress budget and like 20 times my Costco sheet cake budget.

[Megan Coyle]

And here's the thing. 87% of Americans say they'd be willing to travel for a wedding, but 46% say travel costs are one of the biggest factors in deciding whether to go between the flights.

[Sally French]

Hotels, rental cars, rideshares, possibly needed to take time off work or get childcare. That's all a lot of money.

[Megan Coyle]

The other big reason that people decide to go to weddings is the location. 42% say the wedding destination is a top consideration, which makes total sense. I think that probably goes hand in hand with the travel costs.

[Sally French]

And I know you're going to not one, but two weddings in a vineyard. Not in our home state of California, but in fact in Italy.

[Megan Coyle]

Yes, I got so lucky that two different, different couples that don't know each other decided to do weddings in Tuscany.

[Sally French]

Just incredible.

[Megan Coyle]

Ten days apart. So yeah, I'm gonna stay there the whole time. It's gonna be great. One of them is one of my best friends from college. And she and her fiance knew that her wedding would be mostly like a friend's wedding. Some of my favorite memories with her and my college friends is traveling together. So this couple chose Italy because we all get to stay together on the same property.

[Sally French]

Nice.

[Megan Coyle]

A castle in the countryside. And the cost of her four day, three night wedding in Italy was going to cost the same as if she'd had a nicer and wedding us.

[Sally French]

You know, I've heard that.

[Megan Coyle]

I thought it was really sweet. She even linked to some of our Nerd Wallet resources on Points travel on her wedding website. It's so cute.

[Sally French]

Now, I'll say this as a bride, if someone cannot attend my wedding because of travel costs, I totally understand. Weddings can be meaningful for both the couple getting married and you as a guest. But you should not go if it's going to derail your financial goals.

[Megan Coyle]

That's why planning ahead is key.

[Sally French]

Okay, let's talk strategy and actually planning ahead for wedding travel. That's up next, so stay with us.

[Megan Coyle]

So, Sally, for airfare, NerdWallet recommends booking domestic travel one to three months in advance and international travel two to eight months ahead. With weddings, you probably get to save the date months in advance, so use that lead time to set your price alert and book flights.

[Sally French]

Exactly. For our wedding, we sent out invitations about nine months early for that reason.

[Megan Coyle]

Often, though, more important than how many months in advance you book is what day of the week you fly. We got some data from travel booking app Hopper showing that Saturdays are the cheapest day to fly of the week.

[Sally French]

They are. But it's generally not a good idea to fly out day of for a can't miss event. Flight delays are surprisingly common. In fact, across 2024, 22% of flights in the US were delayed. Yeah, I know. I would be sad if a guest booked a flight and missed my wedding just because of a delay. So if you're on my invite list and are listening to this podcast, please do not book a Saturday flight.

[Megan Coyle]

The next best thing you can do if you're going to a wedding over the weekend is to extend the trip. So the second cheapest days to fly are Tuesdays and Wednesdays. So if it's the kind of destination that you can make a trip out of it, I'd recommend extending your stay a few days. If you can. Of course, you have to calculate whether your savings on the airfare by flying midweek will be washed out by paying for extra nights of lodging. But if you have free lodging, this might work out.

[Sally French]

Yeah, and I'm glad you say that, because we actually want our guests to fly in early to our wedding, Both to avoid the panic of missing their flight and also to get lower airfares. So for our guests, we're actually hosting a welcome bonfire at the beach on Thursday. Really? Just so we can see the people who flew in early.

[Megan Coyle]

And then the single most expensive day to fly is Sunday. Usually the day after the wedding, of course.

[Sally French]

So I'm like to my guests, do not fly out on Sunday. Extend the fun. We are doing a brunch at my fiance's parents house. Well, I guess he'll be my husband at that point, but we're doing that brunch the next day. And we're also coordinating a drinks and fun hangout Sunday evening.

[Megan Coyle]

You're such a travel planner and I think this makes you good at planning parties too.

[Sally French]

You know, the two things go hand in hand.

[Megan Coyle]

All right, let's talk talk lodging. Sometimes couples offer room blocks at a hotel, meaning they ask the hotel to set aside a group of rooms specifically for wedding guests. So guests can book those rooms at a reduced rate. But those don't always guarantee big savings.

[Sally French]

This is something I learned when planning my own wedding. Our wedding block is at Hyatt, and the discount was only about 5 to 10% off the standard rate.

[Megan Coyle]

Huh?

[Sally French]

Yeah, it's not nothing, but it's not amazing either. I expected it to be more. Yeah, we are not even booking in our own room block. We are booking at that hotel. But instead of Booking with our room block. We're paying with Hyatt points transferred from Ultimate Rewards. Highly recommend doing this if you're sitting on points.

[Megan Coyle]

Oh, yes. Hyatt is the best Ultimate Rewards transfer partner hands down. Nice work.

[Sally French]

Thank you. It's so nice being on the Travel team at NerdWallet and seeing the numbers get crunched and saying, yes, I did just book the best hotel room for my wedding on points. That is NerdWallet approved.

[Megan Coyle]

Yes.

[Sally French]

If you aren't sure what points are actually worth. NerdWallet has the values of how much your points are worth, so you can actually compare whether the room block rate or using points is a better deal. In the description of today's episode, you can find a link to an article where we analyze the value of the points and miles of 16 different loyalty programs.

[Megan Coyle]

My boyfriend and I use that to determine whether we should use Marriott points instead of booking a room with the room block at a wedding hotel.

[Sally French]

Oh, nice.

[Megan Coyle]

I have to say, we love the convenience of being able to you stay at the wedding hotel and just walk upstairs to your room at the end of the night. But if the cost is too high, the points might make more sense for you. Sally, you're not getting married at a hotel and you don't seem too concerned about guests using the hotel room block. So should guests stay at your wedding hotel anyway?

[Sally French]

I'm glad you asked. They totally do not have to. I really only decided to even make a room block because so many guests were asking about it. What I like about a room block is it takes away the decision fatigue for people who don't want to research the best hotel, especially if they have no strong feelings about using points.

[Megan Coyle]

And sometimes it's just easier to stay together. Like I just said, I know my role at weddings since these are my friends usually getting married. I gotta be out on the dance floor. You do? Gonna be at the hotel bar for the after party?

[Sally French]

Yes.

[Megan Coyle]

If you don't feel that pressure, where else should guests stay?

[Sally French]

The one bummer about our wedding venue is there are no hotels within walking distance. I do kind of feel bad about that. And we're not offering shuttles either. It was just too complicated with guests staying all over the place to even know where to send these shuttles. So we're encouraging rideshares U to the venue. We recommend our guests stay wherever is in your budget.

[Megan Coyle]

I say stay at the cheaper place down the road if you can. For that Marriott hotel we booked on points, we stayed at a cheaper place a little further away Also on points a few days before the wedding. So it just cost us less points. And I thought that was a great alternative even.

[Sally French]

I'm going to a friend's wedding and their wedding block is at this super fancy hotel. And I appreciated. My friend flat out told us, do not feel pressure to stay at this fancy hotel. We are not. We are totally staying at a cheap Hilton Garden Inn down the road.

[Megan Coyle]

Good reminder to comparison shop even when you're going to weddings. And also consider some of those other expenses you might not think of, like parking. So if you're driving to and from the wedding and you need to park overnight at your hotel, how much is that going to cost? Can you carpool or should you just share an Airbnb with a bunch of people? I know that you, Sally, have worked on a bunch of data for us around the prices of hotels versus vacation rentals.

[Sally French]

I have. I have dug into the data by hand and found that the average Airbnb for six people was 33% cheaper than booking three hotel rooms, but the average hotel room was 29% cheaper than booking an Airbnb for two. So basically, what does that mean? If you're traveling solo or with just one other person, a hotel is generally better. Meanwhile, if you're traveling with a group and you can split the costs across everyone, a vacation rental is generally better.

[Megan Coyle]

Just make sure everyone in your group is actually invited to the wedding because. Awkward. So awkward when you message the whole group of college friends trying to book a vacation rental and you find out only half were invited.

[Sally French]

I mean, I would say ask the bride and groom who is invited. You can totally ask them. That alone is not awkward. But it is worse when you ask your friends and then someone in the group is not invited.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah. Okay. Another awkward situation. What about gifts? Like, if you're already spending $2,000 to attend a wedding, are you off the hook with getting a gift?

[Sally French]

Okay, so Megan, you know that disclaimer that we say at the end of every episode that we are not financial advisors?

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah.

[Sally French]

I think I want to add a disclaimer here. We are not friendship advisors either.

[Megan Coyle]

So true.

[Sally French]

I'm just gonna add my own hot takeoff early. I think other couples getting married might hate me for saying this, but in my opinion, I'd much rather a guest skip the gift and show up if it's a trade off between sending a gift and spending all this money on travel. Quite frankly, I will say it is always okay to skip the trip entirely if it's a financial burden.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah, I agree. You shouldn't go into debt for this. And for what it's worth, I don't think that this is that much of a hot take. Many etiquette experts agree that when it comes to destination weddings, or really any wedding requiring travel, your presence is the present. If you still want to give something, a card or a thoughtful gesture goes a long way.

[Sally French]

We are just excited to have all our friends under one roof.

[Megan Coyle]

So whether you're the one throwing the wedding or just trying to be a good friend with a manageable credit card balance, remember, travel smart, plan ahead, use your points, and don't be afraid to say no if it's not in the budget this year.

[Sally French]

And please, no one go into credit card debt to come to my wedding or anyone else's. Let's just get dinner together when we see each other.

[Megan Coyle]

So for real, it's hot takeoff time now. Do you have one this week?

[Sally French]

Okay, I have a second one.

[Megan Coyle]

All right, let's hear it.

[Sally French]

So you know me well and you know I love free food. Here is my hot take. Most weddings have absurd amounts of leftovers. I am concerned mine will too.

[Megan Coyle]

It's definitely better to have too much food than not enough.

[Sally French]

Oh, that's not the hot take. That is a fact. But my hot take is every wedding should have a pile of to go boxes for people whose hotels don't have free breakfast. Bam. Free breakfast.

[Megan Coyle]

I love it. Thank you. And finally, a listener question. This one comes from someone also named Megan. Great name, Megan.

[Sally French]

Hello, Megan the listener. Here's what she writes. I started listening to the Smart travel podcast because I'm curious about using points for the trips that I go on with my family. It seems like a lot of the accounts are showing how you can use signup bonus offers to pay for a trip or two. That's great. But my question is, how do you make traveling off of points sustainable over multiple years? There are only so many credit cards and bonuses that you can get. I'd love some advice on what happens after that to keep taking trips and using points. Points.

[Megan Coyle]

Love this question. And you're absolutely right. Signup bonuses are the flashy first date of points and miles. They woo you, they whisk you away on one or two dreamy trips, and then what? You're left wondering if it's all just a fling.

[Sally French]

Megan, that's great. If we're gonna go with this, then I would say that there is good news and that's that long term love is possible with points. You've just gotta shift from honeymoon phase to Sustainable relationship.

[Megan Coyle]

I'm loving this, like, wedding love analogy.

[Sally French]

Okay, beyond our pros, Megan, let's tell listener Megan what we mean by this.

[Megan Coyle]

First, you should use cards that actually reward you for your lifestyle. So if you spend a lot on groceries or gas or dining, there's a certain points card for that.

[Sally French]

Yeah, and NerdWallet has guides to individual common spending areas. If you're always dining out, you might search best card for dining. Sometimes you can even pay your rent with a credit card.

[Megan Coyle]

You know? I do.

[Sally French]

You're such a built Stan. For listeners who don't know, the built World Elite MasterCard lets you charge and earn rewards on your rent payments. And those payments are transferable. We'll talk about that in another show.

[Megan Coyle]

What I would say is that if you don't travel enough and you want that long term relationship, don't sleep on the recurring travel benefits that come as annual perks. On some of these premium travel credit cards. I'm talking about things like automatic elite status statement credits, lounge access, or free night certificates.

[Sally French]

And you can also be smart about how you spend your points. Brands like Hilton help you stretch your points further with things like fifth night free deals, but only when you book on points. Okay, so Megan, with this, I'm gonna slip in with one more hot take. I'm sorry.

[Megan Coyle]

Oh, my gosh. How many are there?

[Sally French]

Okay, so. So I actually applied for the platinum card from American Express without even getting the welcome offer.

[Megan Coyle]

Really?

[Sally French]

I know this is kind of unhinged, but I wanted to get the card even if it meant not getting the massive windfall of points tied to it.

[Megan Coyle]

I am shook. Amex approved you for the card, but not the welcome offer.

[Sally French]

With the Amex cards, it's possible to qualify for the card, but not the welcome offer. For example, if you had the same card previously and closed it, if that happens, you'll get a pop up message letting you know you're ineligible to earn a welcome bonus. I had never had this particular card, but I have had many other Amex cards that I have held onto for just about a year and then closed.

[Megan Coyle]

Yeah, you do have dozens of cards. I can't keep track.

[Sally French]

Yeah, so anyway, when you get that pop up, you can then choose to cancel your application if you really only want it for the points. Or you can decide to continue knowing that if you do get approved for the card, you won't be eligible to earn a bonus. So, Megan, in my case, I decided, you know what? I'm still gonna go for it.

[Megan Coyle]

Whoa.

[Sally French]

I know. Even without the welcome offer that listener Megan is talking about. I still think the card is worth its $695 annual fee based on my travel habit. You know, I went to 37 lounges.

[Megan Coyle]

Last year, so if you break that down per lounge Visit, that's like $19 per visit. I mean, you can barely get an airport coffee and a bagel for that price.

[Sally French]

All that to say cards with recurring statement credits like that one can be valuable even without the intro offer or sign it Bonus. My anecdote is proof, okay, amazing.

[Megan Coyle]

That card is not for everyone, but can work for you if you're a frequent traveler, which is definitely you, Sally. And with that, I think that's our show.

[Sally French]

If you're not already doing it, you can follow the show on your favorite podcast app, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeartRadio to automatically download new episodes.

[Megan Coyle]

This episode was produced by Hilary Georgi and Tess Biglin. Claire Soci helped with fact checking, and a big thank you to Nick Karisimi for editing our audio.

[Sally French]

And here's our brief disclaimer. We are not financial or investment advisors or relationship advisors. This info is provided for general educational and interview entertainment purposes and may not apply to your specific circumstances.

[Megan Coyle]

Thanks for listening. We hope you're inspired to keep your passport full and your wallet even fuller. See you next episode.