← Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways
Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways
Travel Questions Mega-Episode: Top Tips from Our Top Listener Questions
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Today's episode is sponsored by Fora.
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The thrill of travel starts way before takeoff.
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It is so satisfying to plan a trip when you find a great deal snag a hard to get reservation and the itinerary just comes together. It's like a flow state.
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Now if you love comparison shopping, planning vacations and learning about new places, you could make this a new source of income.
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With Fora, you get the training tools and insider access to turn your passion into real earnings as a travel advisor.
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For Fora is a modern travel agency built for people who love to plan travel and help others travel well.
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With a Fora subscription, you'll get everything you need to run a travel business.
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With it, you'll have access to more than 7,000 preferred travel partners. I am talking iconic brands from the four seasons to Disney cruises.
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As a Fora advisor, your subscription gives you access to best in class training, powerful booking tech and a vibrant global community of experts and fellow advisors who share real insider knowledge to help you launch and grow your own travel business with with confidence.
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Every hotel, cruise or activity you book as a Fora advisor earns you money in the form of a commission or percentage of the booking cost.
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Now's the time to finally turn your passion for travel into a fulfilling business with fora.
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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 said to you for a travel.com smart travel. I love that smart Travel listeners love to know what's in the fine print, like how can I guarantee a suite upgrade?
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The real question is whether listeners are going to like the answers.
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It is our first listener questions episode of 2026 and you all sent in questions on everything from destination trips to credit card hot takes.
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Welcome to Smart Travel, a deep dive into the tips, tools and tactics to maximize your travel dollars. I'm Megan Coyle.
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And I'm Sally French.
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And and we're the travel nerds ready to help you plan your next big trip.
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And today we are diving into the mailbag with an entirely listener questions episode.
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You've got status questions, airport lounge strategy, even a marriage debate about points versus cash back. We are covering it all.
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But first, our disclaimer and that is that we are not marriage advisors. So that answer will need to be taken with a grain of salt if your relationship is at stake here. Secondly, we gotta do that legal disclaimer which is that we'll talk about a few credit card companies that are NerdWallet partners in this episode. That does not influence how we discuss them. The benefits terms and fees mentioned were accurate at the time of posting. But things can change. Some offers may have expired by the time you're listening. For the latest details, follow the links in the episode description. So it's March, which means Wyndham Rewards Member Month is back. This is the sixth year they've done it, and the week one offer was pretty legit.
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All right, break it down for us, Sally. What's happened in week one?
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The core deal that happened in week one is that you can earn 7,500 bonus points for every two qualifying nights you stay. You can do that up to four times. So the ceiling is 30,000 bonus points total. And 30,000 points can get you, Megan, up to four free nights at thousands of Wyndham properties worldwide.
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Okay, so the math is actually pretty straightforward here. Two nights in, one night free. And if you're doing a lot of spring break travel, that could stack up really fast.
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The window to book this is also pretty generous. So you need to book by May 9, but you have until June 30 to complete those stays. Pretty good lead time, especially with that spring break coming up.
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So member month runs all of March and new deals are dropping every week. In fact, there are new deals dropping today and every Wednesday through April 1st. And of course, to get these deals, remember that you have to register for member month on wyndham site before May 9th.
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Register first. I cannot genuinely stress this enough. With so many loyalty programs, they always make that gotcha. To actually get the deals, you got to hand over email every time.
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Read the terms, people. That's basically our whole show.
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Next up, Vail Resorts, one of the biggest mountain resort companies just put their season pass and multi day passes. Those are called the Epic Pass, on sale for the 2026, 2027 season. Pass holders get access to dozens of mountains to ski or snowboard. Mountains on that pass include Vale Mountain in Breckenridge up in Colorado, Whistler, Blackcomb way up in Canada, and then out in my favorite place to ski, Tahoe, there's Kirkwood, Heavenly and Northstar.
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We'll talk about this more next week on Smart Travel. But buying ski passes now like this month, can save you hundreds of dollars because this price is the lowest price of the season. And even then, it's still pretty expensive. The unlimited highest tier Epic Pass, which gets you access to 90 plus ski resorts, is $1,089 for adults.
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Megan, it's rare when we have good news, though, and I got good news for you, and that is that the kids and young adults passes will actually cost less this year if you want the Epic Pass. So skiers and riders ages 13 to 30 can now purchase that Epic Pass for this upcoming season, as well as the Epic local pass for 20% than standard pricing, which works out to prices starting at $869.
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I would be all over that if I was still in college. There are also other ways to get discounted Epic Passes, including buying a local Epic Pass. That one has some blackout dates and restrictions on the number of visits at certain mountains, but that one starts at $809 for adults. So slowly chipping away at that $1,000 price tag.
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And another good reason to buy that Epic Pass right now, if you're considering it, is if you purchase now, you get 10 friend tickets for that season as well. The Epic friend ticket is a 50% off lift ticket for adults or 25% off for kids.
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And one more tip, eligible skiers and riders who already visited any of the company's 37 North American ski resorts so they have a lift ticket from the 2025-2026 season can save up to $175 off the price of their new Epic Pass for next season.
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Yeah, I think the big news here really is just looking at what I mentioned is that lower price for kids and young adults. I don't know if they're trying to build loyalty, get them in when they're young, get the Gen Zs hooked on ski trips now. But it is good news no matter what.
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I want snow sports to be more accessible, and lowering the cost and getting kids learning them early is the way to do that.
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Of course, before you jump in on this deal, do consider how much you'll realistically use the passes. Sometimes you think, is the snow going to even be good? Can I even go this many times and actually ski? I think about it just like the way we talk about credit card benefits. How many times do you have to go into a lounge to actually make the huge annual fee on your credit card worth it Again? How many times do you have to go skiing or snowboarding to feel like you got your money's worth? So do your own math. Look at the price of what you would pay for an individual ticket versus is this pass really worth it?
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All right, now to the points world. There's a new transfer partner for Rove. Rove is a travel booking and online shopping platform that lets you double or sometimes triple stack your rewards. You'll not only earn credit card points, but also this kind of currency called Rove miles.
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Rove miles are interesting because they are transferable. In fact, last week, Megan Ro launched a one to one transfer partnership with Japan Airlines.
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Woo. Which is exciting because Japan Airlines is one of those programs that can unlock some really valuable premium cabin redemptions, especially to Asia. I know everyone was all over it when Bilt ran a transfer bonus to Japan Airlines earlier in the month. So if you missed out on that, this new partnership with Rove is another
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chance at it, at least for now. Japan Airlines is an incredible business and first class redemption. I do get a little worried when we see all of these amazing deals to transfer points to Japan Airlines. Are those really good redemptions going to be there? Because if everybody has them, if everybody's special, then nobody's special. But at least for now, I say this could be a good option.
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And just a reminder, Japan Airlines is also a transfer partner of Bill with a one to one transfer ratio. That's the best transfer ratio that you want. And Capital One is also a transfer partner of Japan Airlines, but their transfer ratio is a little bit lower. It's 2 to 1.5. So that means two capital one miles will turn into one and a half Japan Airlines miles. So again, think about which points you have access to before you transfer so that you're getting the best transfer ratio.
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All right, that is news out in the travel world. But Megan, I was browsing your Instagram and I saw some news from you personally that I thought was hilarious. You went to Vegas for two nights. Tell me why.
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So it was the end of February and the American Airlines elite status calendar, like qualification calendar, actually ends at the end of February. It's not like a calendar year. So people who are in the American Airlines loyalty program have until February 28th to earn all the loyalty points they can to earn elite status. Okay, let me tell you the situation. Like, February 26th, two days before the end of the month, I had 60,000 loyalty points points. And that was enough for the first level of elite status with American Airlines, but not enough for the second level, which is platinum. That one would require 75,000 loyalty points. And to put this into perspective, like, I fly a lot between the east coast and West Coast.
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You love American.
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I do love American. But flying literally from the east coast to west coast will get you like 1500 loyalty.
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It's a long way from the 15,000. You need it.
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Exactly. I was like, am I going to fly to the east coast like 10 times? Probably not. So. So I was like, I think I'm just going to give up on this year. But here's what I believe about points. You shouldn't take trips just to earn points. Like, I think it's kind of sad.
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I agree. It drives me bananas when people are like, I went to Dubai and I didn't even leave the airport and I turned around. Exactly. I don't want to pass too much judgment, but I am judgy.
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I wanted to go somewhere. So honestly, I wasn't even looking for it. It came to me. So my friends texted me on Thursday night and we were like, oh, we should hang out this weekend. Maybe we'll go to dinner. Maybe we'll go to the beach. And it was like, you know, actually, I really want to see David Copperfield, you know, the magician in Vegas. And I was like, oh, I love David Copperfield. I saw him last time when I was 8 years old or something like that. And he actually made my stepdad disappear, which is a whole nother story.
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Wow.
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To this day, my stepdad won't tell me how he disappeared. But going back to this. So my friends were like, should we just go see David Copperfield this weekend? And we looked at flight prices and the prices weren't too bad. And then I realized I could book a hotel through a Advantage Hotels, which is American Airlines hotel platform, and earn a bunch of loyalty points on this day. So I found one night at the Fountain Blue in Las Vegas and it was 8,800 loyalty points.
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For one night?
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For one night. That would get me halfway there, plus a little bit of points from the flights and then booked the second night. So those points are based per stay. So I needed to stay at a different hotel on the second night. So I found New York, New York. And that one was, I think, 6,000 ish loyalty points. And I have a special bonus right now on earning loyalty points from hotels. So I think I got a 20% loyalty point bonus.
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B
Wow.
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So through all of that, in the last two days of the month, I was able to earn 15,000 loyalty points.
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15,000 points off of one flight to Vegas and two different hotel nights at different hotels.
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Exactly how much were the hotels?
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Were they deranged? Expensive?
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They weren't too bad. I think the Fountain Blue was under 300. It was like 280. And then the second hotel, I don't remember, but I remember the whole total was $600. And the interesting thing is that American actually has this upgrade pass that you can buy.
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Yeah, I've seen that. You can pay us fifteen hundred dollars and we'll just boost you to the next status level. Yeah, you did it for 600.
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Mine was, I think $1300 was the offer to boost up to platinum and I did it for literally less than half of that. So I thought it was a great way to do it. And now I'm really sold on maybe a Advantage Hotels slightly earlier in the qualification year. So I'm not rushing to book a hotel on the last day, but I'm glad the way it worked out. And we did get to see David Copperfield who actually just announced that he's ending his 30 year long residency in Vegas at the end of April.
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I mean, I guess I knew you could book through a Advantage Hotels. I knew it existed but I was like, who does this? What is the point? The point is to rack up a ton of miles. Unbelievable. I'm going to look through this now.
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Miles and loyalty points. So if you ever need a huge influx of those, especially abroad or at places that have a lot of hotels, I think Vegas was just the perfect place to go because the hotels weren't too expensive and you could actually hit a couple of hotels in one stay. So highly recommend.
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B
Great tip everybody. Look through those airline hotel portals. Who knew? Thank you so much for that. Sally.
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A
Where did you go last week?
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B
I didn't travel too far. Now I traveled about a mile away from my house over to the Chase Center. I did something that is an amazing Chase Ultimate Rewards redemption. They do this thing once a year in San Francisco and then once a year over in New York called Dinner on the court, where for 25,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points or $250 cash, you get to eat dinner on the court. So this was where the warriors play. Now there is a catch. You have to have a Chase Sapphire reserve in order to book this. So not anybody can pay $250. And I am telling you, this is one of the most underrated benefits of having a Chase Sapphire reserve card. This whole event was unbelievably worth it. Now I will share. I did not pay for this. Chase invited me as their guest to come check it out and see what it's about. And let me tell you what it is about. You start by going into this fancy exclusive lounge. They have an open bar. They have past appetizers. The appetizers are not a sad cheese cube that you would get in a party pass lounge. The appetizers were like fried quail topped with caviar.
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A
Oh, fancy.
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I know.
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A
Wait, this lounge was at the Chase Center.
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Yeah, it's a fancy lounge in the Chase Center. So during a game you might have, the fancy VIPs are there. So we're just hanging out there and then they're like, it's time to go down to the court. The court is decked out in beautiful florals. They have these big communal dining tables on the court. The most beautifully plated court I've ever seen. Then they have dinner from this restaurant called State Bird Provisions, which is a Michelin starred restaurant. The dinner itself was very, very fancy. Have players out there. Festus Zeli shout out Festus. He is a former warriors player, the nicest guy on earth. You get to talk to him. Then they give you a swag bag. The swag bag itself, I calculated the cost was technically more than $250 value. They gave you a Steph Curry jersey among a bunch of other things. Unbelievable value. Now there is another catch. It was very difficult to actually score tickets for this. The tickets sold out the same day.
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A
Oh wow. I didn't realize it was so popular.
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B
Oh my gosh. I mean it's too good of a deal. $250 or 25,000 Chase points is way too good to be true. So the catch is really just getting tickets. But they do events like this periodically around the country. Many of them seem to be targeted in major cities. But past events in the similar vein have included dinner on the stage of the Public Theater in New York and you got to have dinner with Lin Manuel Miranda. And so that already passed. But other upcoming stuff, there are VIP tickets around the 2026 PGA Championship coming up. So my hot tip is do not sleep on checking out the Chase Sapphire Reserve experiences. Everybody assumes you got to use your Chase points to just book flights and hotels. But this experience so worth it if you are a Warriors fan. So do check it out. Of course you got to jump on ASAP because they sell out fast.
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A
I have to agree with you. I think some of the experiences that you can book through your credit cards are super underrated. I did this bagel making class in new through MasterCard and I was like this is incredible. Again that was something that I got invited to do and just to try it out. But you can't even book this bagel making class regularly.
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B
Was it with one of those rainbow bagel celebrities chefs?
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A
No, no, no. Even better. It's Russ and Daughters legendary bagel maker in actually just a whole bakery in New York. And it was fantastic. I loved it.
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B
And did you have to have a World Elite MasterCard to be able to
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book it, you do have to have a MasterCard. It depends which one you have, like what kind of points you could possib. Or similar to the Chase Sapphire Reserve event that you went to, you could also pay cash for it if you have an eligible MasterCard.
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Underrated credit card benefits out there. All right, it is time to get to the stuff you guys have been asking about. It is listener questions time. That is right after this. Are you dreaming of the perfect prom? But there's just one thing holding you back.
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Speak English, Mom.
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Welcome to Ethnosync Ethnic Modification.
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What is this place? We help you reach your true potential. How are you feeling? It's good to be Hawaii.
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B
Hey, new girl. Hey.
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A
Look at what you've done to yourself. For a new plant to grow, the seed has to die.
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B
Slanted. Rated R Only in theaters March 13th. Side effects may occur.
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A
Spring is here. And there's a whole new way to chai at Starbucks that's made perfect for you. Choose your sweetness.
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Dial it up or keep things light. Add a touch of pistachio, a hint of strawberry or vanilla. Or make it a spring classic with lavender. Because this season, there's endless ways to chai at Starbucks.
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A
It is listener questions time. These questions came from our email account where you can send us your own questions. The email is travelerdwallet.com we also got
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B
some questions from our social accounts. You can message us there. I'm on TikTok and Instagram as well. Save with Sally.
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A
I'm miles with Megan Co. And we also love to hear from you on our shared account for the podcast, which is Smart Travel Pod. That's all one word on TikTok and Instagram. You can always send us questions there or leave it as a comment on one of our posts.
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B
Yeah, leave a comment.
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A
So let's get started. Sally, what's the first question?
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This one came to me from my Instagram account, so I gotta give her the save with Sally style answer. Her name is Shauna. Shawna says I have Wyndham diamond status from a credit card offer. If I book a cheaper room in Orlando, would I get a free suite upgrade based on my status?
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A
All right, great question, Shauna. Here's the deal. Wyndham's official language about diamond status is that those members are eligible for a suite upgrade upon request and of course, is subject to availability. That applies to paid stays, free nights, and points in cash bookings at participating properties.
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B
Subject to availability is definitely the key phrase here. So I do want to point out that And a few other caveats. One, the suite upgrade is not automatic. You do have to request it. So when you go to the check in, say, do you have any suites available? I got status. I would like to request it. And then again, going back to that subject availability thing, this is determined at check in.
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A
So basically if a suite isn't available, they'll just bump you to the next best available room category.
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B
Yeah. So you do kind of just have to do a toss up of whether you decide to book the suite outright with your own money or pray that you're going to actually get a sweet upgrade. Megan, what do you think? What should she do? Book the cheapest room and hope for a suite upgrade?
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A
If you're okay with the risk of possibly not getting a suite, then I think it's totally cool to go ahead and book the cheapest room. But if you really need a suite, you need the space. I think it's better to just book that outright.
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B
It really comes down to how bad you want that suite. The other thing I will say is specific to Orlando. That does tend to be a high occupancy market, especially around school breaks. If suites are sold out, there's no way you can get one even if you have elite status. I'm not sure, Shawna, when you're going, but just know your odds are likely better in the off season. For Orlando, off season means whenever the kids are in school.
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A
One more thing. Shawna mentioned she got Windham diamond status from a credit card offer. And I bet listeners are wondering which card it was.
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B
I'm glad you brought that up. We should talk about this. So I'm guessing Shawna has the Wyndham rewards earner business card. This is a very compelling card. It has just a $95 annual fee, but get this, with it, you get 15,000 bonus points on your card anniversary every year. That can snag you a free night at plenty of window properties. But here's where it gets better. At some properties, 15,000 points is enough for two free nights. That is so much better than other cards in the similar annual fee price point. So for example, the World of Hyatt credit card, that one comes with an annual free night certificate in category one through four hotels. But it is just a single night. It's not points based. So you can only get one night. And this one, if you're smart about it, you could possibly get two nights.
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A
And like we mentioned, that card also comes with diamond status, which means you could get other benefits like late checkout or early check. In on top of that potential for a sweet upgrade when you get lucky. But we should remind everyone that business cards are only for business owners. Although you might be surprised, almost all types of businesses and side hustles count towards your eligibility for a business credit card. So we'll link to a bunch of stories about your eligibility for business credit cards, details about the Wyndham Rewards Earner business cards and the Wyndham Rewards Elite Status Guide. Because you should know which benefits you might get before you pursue elite status.
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B
And if you're thinking about starting up that Etsy shop to create your own small business, now might be your sign.
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A
All right, up next is a question from traveler Suze. It seems she is writing to us literally from the China Airlines Lounge at SFO before her Emirates flight. She wants to know what is your favorite priority pass lounge at sfo? Sally, what are your recommendations for priority pass lounges at sfo?
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B
Suze, if we're talking priority pass lounge only, I'm sorry, I'm not actually going to recommend the China Airlines Lounge, although their beef and broccoli is pretty excellent. But my favorite lounge is the club at sfo. This lounge is unbelievable. We usually dunk on priority pass lounges, but this lounge really bucks that trend. It's got a cool layout with a fire pit and it's got showers, private rooms for the phone call, for the yoga. Really good food. I find they often have this really good Asian chicken dish in the evening and then in the morning they got breakfast, they got eggs, they got pickled onions. Is really good. So all times of day I love this lounge.
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A
I love it also because it's in Terminal 1, which might be the best terminal in the best airport in the us. So a lot of things to love about this lounge.
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B
Yeah. Now if it seems too good to be true though, all of the party pass lounges in SFO tend to have lines and this one I find tends to have the long line simply because it is the best I've seen lines 30 to 45 minutes to get in, so do brace yourself or get there early. We will post a link to the episode description of all of SFO's party pass lounges because I have been to all of them. The other good thing to note is that SFO has all of its terminals connected post security. You're seeing this more and more now where it used to be if your flight was out of Terminal 3, you could only be in Terminal 3 and it was really, really hard to get to Terminal 2. Now you can walk around the full airport. Fair warning. It is big. 20 to 30 minutes, depending on where you're going gate to gate. So do account for proximity. Suze, I have a feeling that might be why you're in the China Airlines lounge if you're flying on Emirates. That lounge is fairly close to the Emirates gates, but I would say if you're open to maybe even, you know, getting that, walk in before your flight, then go to one of the lounges farther away.
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A
Also, there are a lot of other lounges at SFO besides priority pass lounges. One of my favorites is the Air Canada Lounge. You can actually get in if you have a Chase Sapphire reserve card and you're flying a Star alliance airline like United Airlines, which has tons of flights out of sfo. That Air Canada lounge has an outdoor deck, so really nice to get some fresh air and do a little plane spotting before your flight. We will post a link to the review of that lounge and some of the other ones at sfo.
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B
Elite answer with the Air Canada Lounge. I'm going to give you one more elite answer. We got to shout out that Centurion Lounge at sfo. Megan, I was there the other day, and you know what I ate to eat?
- [24:24]
A
You got steak and lobster. I saw the video. Sally, I follow. Same with Sally.
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B
I know this was wild. I'm going in for breakfast, and they got the eggs, they got the sausage, the normal stuff. And I ate breakfast number one. And then this employee starts walking around and she's like, hey, just to let you know, they just brought out steak and lobster. It's like 10:00am I'm like, I have room for a steak and lobster in my belly at 10am so do temper your expectations. I've only seen this one. Usually it's like chicken thighs and eggs, which I'm not dunking on, but wasn't that amazing?
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A
That looked so good. Although I'm like, do they have a special event or something? Can't they do this every day? That would have been the best. All right, here's another fun question that requires us to weigh in on a marital debate. Am I qualified? I'm not even married.
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B
I've been happily married for a grand total of six months.
- [25:14]
A
Okay, great. All right, Chrissy, you're getting advice from the experts. She says, in our marriage, one of us swears by cash back, saying it is more valuable than points. The other person thinks points make more sense if you're trying to travel, especially internationally. And then her question is, help.
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B
Great, Great question. I mean, I. I'm gonna Appease both you and your spouse. I'm gonna give the most annoying answer. I'm gonna say both are good. So Cristy, cash back it is great because it's simple, flexible, there's a guaranteed value. We all know what cash is worth. However, points as we talk about often on the show can unlock those really outsized redemptions. Especially we see the best redemptions tend to be at those top tier luxury hotels or at those international business class flights. If you are someone who is willing to put in the work to hunt for that award availability because it's often not guaranteed, if you're willing to mess around with your transfer partners, then points can absolutely outperform cash back. But if you are someone who values the simplicity, you don't want the headache. You don't want to mess around with transfer partners. I do think cash back really has a time and place.
- [26:25]
A
Exactly. You have to consider that cost of time and energy to optimize points redemptions. If you can do that, I think it's very likely that you can get more than 2 cents per point back or even up to 7 cents per point back or even more for international business class redemptions. So if you're really thinking about it on a cents per point basis, then yes, travel is probably the best way to get the most value out of your credit card rewards. But again, if you are happy with your $0.01 per point consistent redemptions and you want to be able to spend your cash back on things besides travel, maybe in a year that you're not traveling a ton and you need to pay for a big house repair, then maybe cash back would be better for you.
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B
So Megan, which half the debate do you think Christy is? You think Christy is team cash back or travel rewards?
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A
I think because she emailed us, I have a feeling that she is on the travel side of this. So Christy, we're all in the same boat with you. We love travel points.
- [27:25]
B
I was thinking the same, but email us, let us know how the marriage is going. I'm sure it's great.
- [27:30]
A
All right, next reader question comes from Beth. She says can you please go over any benefits for the Chase Sapphire Reserve? My boyfriend and I have this sapphire preferred, but I would upgrade to the next one if the benefits were good.
- [27:43]
B
So, Beth, I will. I know we love to talk. So long. So in the interest of cutting it down, Beth, I do want to point you to our episode on June 18, 2025. That was shortly after Chase announced all of their changes and we did a big deep dive into the Card. We talked about all its benefits in great detail. So I would recommend that you go to listen to that show.
- [28:04]
A
The biggest thing you need to know about upgrading is that you will be paying a much higher annual fee. The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a 95 annual fee and the Chase Sapphire Reserve has a $795 annual fee. It works for people who want to take advantage of some of their credits. So things like their lift credits, dining credits, hotel credits. If you use those things anyway, if you are going to pay for those things anyway, then having this card is just another way to pay for those and get more value. Those credits help justify this huge annual fee.
- [28:39]
B
I think we can definitely recommend Beth listen to that show to hear all the credits. We call this the Bougie coupon book because it really is so many credits. But Megan, let's each name our top three favorite card benefits. I'll go first. I like to keep things simple, so I appreciate their $300 annual travel credit. This is super flexible. It applies to so many forms of transit, whether it's your plane tickets, ferry tickets, even public transit often qualifies for this. And I almost find that I use this within the first month because it's so flexible, easy to use, no messing around with transfer partners or opting in or enrollments or anything like that.
- [29:14]
A
Okay, I'm gonna hop on that bandwagon and Talk about the $250 of statement credits for hotels in the edit collection. Those are like these fancy hotels that are part of a special collection that will give you actually even more perks when you book. So things like free breakfast, free upgrades, possibly late checkout or early check in. I love a fancy hotel and the list has some really cool properties on here. So I'm excited this year since it's kind of like the first year that we're fully using the edit credits in its current form. That I'm trying to figure out how to take advantage of this, particularly abroad and stacking it with the new credit for IHG hotels.
- [29:55]
B
I will say that that credit does have some hangups. You gotta do a two night minimum stay. Also, it really only applies at fancy hotels. If you're a Best Western kind of girl, you're not gonna find it on the edit. So to recommend to Beth, only look out for this edit credit if you're someone who does stay at those fancy hotels. Now, you said you're a luxury hotel girl. I'm a lounge girl. And what I love the most about the Chase Sapphire Reserve is the airport lounge access. Particularly Access to Chase's own lounges. You know, I just went to their lounge in Las Vegas. I love this lounge primarily because the food comes from one of my favorite restaurants. It is called Momofuku. Momofuku has outposts in la, New York. There's one in the Cosmo Hotel in Vegas. But now you don't even need to leave the airport. They have their food served in the lounge. It's primarily Asian fusion food. The best thing you gotta get on the menu is the pork buns.
- [30:49]
A
I love pork buns. Okay. Yes. And then if you are trying to get to the airport to maybe visit one of these Chase lounges, they also have a Lyft credit. It's up to $10 in monthly in app credits. So that's $120 annually to use on Lyft rides through September 30, 2027. So you have a couple of years to keep getting these monthly credits. I love a ride share credit because I find that these are super easy to use when you're traveling at all. Whether you're going to the airport or going around a new city, I find the Lyft credits to be super useful.
- [31:22]
B
Now, speaking of driving, if you are renting a car, probably the most underrated perk on the Chase Sapphire Reserve is their primary rental car insurance. We were talking about this offline and there's a lot that people want to know about rental cars and rental car insurance specifically. So I think we're going to actually do a full episode on rental cars in the future. I will just say it for you, Beth. Now just know that this is a hugely valuable thing. Perk.
- [31:43]
A
Last one, a quick shout out for the Apple TV credit. I love my Apple TV subscription. There are so many good shows on there. So you can take advantage of this perk through June 22, 2027.
- [31:56]
B
Beth, since you asked, I would recommend just go through the list of all the benefits. I'm going to post a link to the in the episode description that lists all the benefits. There are literally dozens. Just go through it and see. Do I use these perks? Do I pay for Apple TV anyway? Do I do the Lyft rides anyway? If you could easily say yes, yes, yes to all these things, it might make sense to hold it. But if you're like, I don't even know what they got on Apple tv, which is personally what I say, if you feel like you're juggling credits just to break even, then do feel free to skip this card.
- [32:24]
A
We should say not everyone with The Chase Sapphire Preferred card should upgrade. For example, I have a Chase Sapphire preferred card and my partner has a Chase Sapphire reserve. And I am really happy with just keeping my preferred card. It's a $95 annual fee. And I really use the Chase Sapphire Preferred card to get access to Chase's transfer partners like Hyatt, United Airlines, Southwest. Those are really the reason I try to earn Chase points so that I can transfer them there. I don't need a Chase Sapphire reserve to be able to transfer.
- [33:00]
B
Yeah, I don't necessarily consider a reserve to even be better than the preferred. It's just so much different. Both of these cards have the very high value transfer partners. That's great. What you're getting at the Chase Sapphire reserve is unlocking what we call the bougie coupon book. If that works for you, Beth, then go for it. If the bougie coupon book does not work for you, it's not like you're somehow holding an inferior card because you just hold the choose Sapphire Preferred. All right.
- [33:26]
A
Speaking of bougie, we have a listener, Laura, that's heading to Singapore.
- [33:30]
B
Ooh, I love Singapore.
- [33:31]
A
She wants our help. She wrote, I've been loving following your adventures and tips and tricks. I'm headed to Singapore for a day layover and then off to Phuket. I'm a pretty naive international traveler. Thought I'd reach out to see if you had any tips or recommendations for Singapore.
- [33:46]
B
Yes, Singapore is a great destination, especially if you're a newer traveler, which is what it sounds like. Singapore is also just one of my favorite places.
- [33:54]
A
It's also one of my favorite places to just hang out at the airport and explore. And it's not that big of a country, so even if you do leave the airport, I feel like you can do a lot with just a small layover.
- [34:06]
B
So what's nice is, first off, English is spoken everywhere, so you already don't have to worry about that. Now let's talk about that layover length. Megan mentioned not leaving the airport. I would say rule of thumb, if you have eight hours or more, and this goes for pretty much any city, of course, some variability based on how far the city is from the airport, but generally speaking, eight hours or more. I say go out, explore the city. Now, Laura, to actually get into the city center of Singapore, ditch the taxi. I know you're a newer traveler and you might feel like it's easier to take the taxi. Take the mrt. That's their version of the train. It is clean, it's Easy. It costs way less. And the real reason to take this is it is a really good use of time. Generally takes roughly the same time as just driving. And then also if there's traffic, you're possibly saving time, but you will get
- [34:55]
A
a little sweaty doing it. Singapore is very humid.
- [34:57]
B
We should mention it is Good tip. Now where are you taking the MRT to? Good question. I would say head to Marina Bay Sands. That is that big fancy building that you've seen in probably any postcard of Singapore. While you're there, walk over to the mall. And I typically am not one to recommend go to a mall when you're traveling, but this mall is unbelievable. It has lakes and canoes, canals inside. Also great way to get a little cool off from all the humidity that Megan mentioned. Then when you're ready to venture back outside, go over to the gardens by the bay. That's also something you've probably seen in the postcards. They've got that super tree forest. So it's those big trees and they light up at night. I'm not sure what time you're going to be there, but go check that out. Other thing I would recommend you do, I know it's touristy, I'm sorry, but I'm going to say it. Go to the merlion. That is that statue right along the water of the merlion. You got to see it.
- [35:50]
A
I also love kaya toast, so maybe get that during your layover. It is this toast with kaya which is like a coconut jam and sometimes they'll serve it with like a soft boiled egg or something like that. But honestly I just love the pure toast. I actually have an ice cream shop near me in Los Angeles that serves a kaya toast inspired ice cream. And I love it. I get it every time.
- [36:14]
B
My only qualm about this is there's not a ton of of protein in the kaya toast. So I'm gonna, I'm gonna send Laura someplace she can get some protein and that's gonna be a hawker center. So hawker centers are all around Singapore and they have a bunch of different food stands. Walk around, just see what looks good. And what's interesting is a lot of people say Singapore is really expensive and they're not wrong when they're talking about those sit down restaurants. But hawker centers can be incredibly affordable. You can go to any one. Since it sounds like you don't have a ton of time, you're just there for a layover, I would say go to Hong Lim, that is downtown. And as far as what to eat there. I don't have a single recommendation. Just wander around, see what speaks to you.
- [36:54]
A
Or, I mean, you could just get the chili crab.
- [36:58]
B
Ooh, I like that red.
- [36:59]
A
It's like crab in chili sauce. And I mean, what's not to love?
- [37:04]
B
I love it.
- [37:05]
A
All right, so if your layover is under maybe like six hours, then maybe you wouldn't want to leave the airport. And honestly, that's fine because Singapore Airport is consistently rated one of the best in the world. It has all these different amenities, including a bamboo grove, a butterfly garden, a cactus garden, a rock wall, a hedge maze, and of course, my favorite, this giant waterfall in the center of the airport.
- [37:30]
B
Megan, you know, they call that the rain vortex, and it is the world's tallest indoor waterfall.
- [37:36]
A
It's a very apt name for it. I think this is also a place
- [37:39]
B
where Priority Pass shines. We mentioned Duncan on the Priority Pass lounges, but in Singapore, I find that their lounges are excellent. Many are 24 hours. Many have showers. I have done this in Singapore, where I'm too cheap to pay for a hotel because their hotels are extremely expensive. So if you can align your flight time that you sleep during the night and then you have a full day layover during the day, I still want to at least get a shower in to kind of wake up fresh and up. I do that in a lounge. Priority Pass is your ticket there.
- [38:08]
A
Lots of credit cards can get you into Priority Pass lounges, so we'll put a link to that giant list in the episode description.
- [38:15]
B
Alrighty, Laura. Have the best time in Singapore. Up next, we've got a bunch of questions about cruises, as well as that new Disney credit card that is oddly good. We will dive into those questions after this. Foreign.
- [38:33]
A
We're back with some cruise questions. This one comes from Jeffrey. He says, I am interested in sailing solo and would enjoy a suite with a balcony that includes concierge service. I'm not interested in bringing a second wardrobe for fancy pants seated dinners. Oh, my gosh. I also hate those.
- [38:50]
B
I love that.
- [38:51]
A
But I do appreciate an upscale tropical vibe rather than shorts and T shirts. He also says he's interested in entertaining hibachi cooks, good shows and entertainment that don't go too late into the night and destinations in the general Caribbean. Because he's a diver, snorkeler, and sailor and enjoys being immersed or introduced to local cultures and traditions. Sally, what do you recommend? That's a lot of requirements.
- [39:17]
B
I appreciate how specific he is because a lot of people are just like, I'm going on a cruise. What do I do? And I like how specific he is. Is. So my immediate gut for Jeffrey specifically goes to Norwegian Cruise Line. The reason I say this is because he is traveling solo and Norwegian does the solo cruise cabins. With this, you do not have to pay for the double occupancy rate. So if you want to do a solo cruise on many cruise lines, they force you to effectively pay for two people. You're getting a two person cabin, but only one person is eating all the food and, you know, enjoying the pool. So I find the solo cruise cabin is hugely beneficial in making sure you're not subsidizing someone else's costs. What Norwegian Cruise Line also does is for their solo travelers. They have something called the studio Lounge. It's basically a hangout area that's got coffee and drinks. You have private keycard access, meaning only other solo travelers can access this lounge, which I find is a really good way to meet like minded people. However, the other thing, Jeffrey sounds kind of bougie. I know he said not fancy pants, but I'm still getting bougie vibes. And Norwegian Cruise Lines has this thing called the Haven. This is a trend we are seeing in more cruise lines where it's called a ship within a ship. So basically you get access to this private area. There's butler service, and it feels more like that intimate, almost yacht experience. But then you do get the benefits of the bigger ship, like the slides and the big shows. When you're in the Haven, you got a private sun deck, you have your own private pool, Jacuzzi, only for other haven people. So I do find that you, you kind of have access to that upscale area and then you also have the big fun area of the kids and the ship everywhere else.
- [40:58]
A
It's really similar to hotels with a club lounge. So those club lounges are basically just an exclusive space that you can only access if you buy a club level room. And again, it comes with more perks, maybe like free food in that club lounge. And it makes you feel like you've gotten kind of a more upscale experience without, you know, maybe needing to buy the most expensive type of fare for this cruise or at the hotel.
- [41:27]
B
Jeffrey mentioned food and I gotta shout out teppanyaki. I love a teppanyaki place, especially on a cruise.
- [41:33]
A
So cheesy. Sally.
- [41:35]
B
Oh my God, I love teppanyaki. It's so fun. And they do the same jokes at every single one.
- [41:41]
A
Oh my gosh. And they always make you catch the shrimp in your mouth. And you're like, I, I literally cannot do this. I do not catch anything else in my mouth. So it's like, what?
- [41:50]
B
It's dinner and a show. So go to Hisuki. That's what the Teppanyaki restaurant is called. On most NCL ships. You're gonna have a great time. And also like, Jeffrey wants to meet people. He's a solo traveler and he like, can joke around with the people next to you. Right. If you don't want to talk to people, Megan, go to one of the shows. NCL has top tier entertainment. So I was just on Aqua, which is one of their newer ships. They have this Prince tribute show. Wow. I was not a Prince fan until I saw this show. Unbelievable. I'm going to post a link to the Aqua in the episode description so you can see for yourself what it's like. The other thing Geoffrey mentioned, the Caribbean. What's intriguing about NCL is they have their own private island called Great Stirrup Cay. This checks your box. It also underwent some major improvements recently. They have since added a pool. They have a water park come in in the future. Most importantly though, they added their own pier so you can walk off the ship. Previously you had to do what's called tendering, where you take, take a small boat over to the island. Now you can walk, which makes it so much more convenient.
- [42:55]
A
A lot of cruise lines do offer a private island in the Caribbean. So again, if that's what you're looking for. A lot of different cruise lines have their own version of this and they're
- [43:05]
B
also starting to expand and have their own private beaches on existing islands. I was recently sailing with Royal Caribbean in Nassau, which I'm going to be honest, is not one of my favorite cruise port stops. But they have launched their own Royal Beach Club. It's an extra fee, but you go to Nassau and then you get to go to this private area and they got food, they got drinks, really amazing pool, beautiful beaches there. So also something to consider. You might want to look at Royal Caribbean.
- [43:33]
A
Our next question is also another cruise question. This one comes from Austin. This is a really easy one. He says, do Royal Caribbean cabins have European outlets? Can you bring adapters? I can take this one. Yes. A lot of Royal Caribbean cabins do have European outlets and you can bring adapters if you want to take advantage of those outlets in addition, addition to North American outlets. So a lot of these ships are typically built in Europe and a lot of them sail the Mediterranean before they come over to the Caribbean or wherever else they're going in the world. And so most of these cruise lines do have a lot of European and North American outlets. And I think bringing adapters is a good way to take advantage of all the outlets. Because, Sally, I bring 50, 000 cords when I travel.
- [44:20]
B
Really?
- [44:20]
A
And I want to use every single port available.
- [44:22]
B
Your cord, lady. Oh, my gosh. I'm like, one cord. Just, just. Computer has the same cord as my iPhone, and that's all I have. What are you bringing?
- [44:30]
A
You have to charge your computer and your phone separately. Like, I'm doing 50 things at once. You know what I mean? Also, I was burned once because I had a layover in the UK and I forgot to bring any UK adapters. And so I had to go an entire night before my early morning flight without charging my phone. I got on that plane, Sally, with like 5% battery, and I was like, I don't know how I'm gonna survive a 12 hour flight with 5% battery.
- [44:55]
B
I'm probably slacking you. And you're like, stop. Stop eating my battery. I'm not responding to this.
- [44:59]
A
Please everyone ignore me. I'm in airplane mode already. I'm not even on the flight yet.
- [45:03]
B
Okay, so, Austin, you don't necessarily need to bring adapters if you don't want to because they do have US Ports in your ship that you're going to. One thing, though, this reminds me, Megan, you said you bring a million different chargers. Austin, do check. Because many cruise lines do tend to ban related items like power strips, extension cords, multiplug outlet extenders. These are electrical hazards, so these are something. They typically won't even let you bring it on the ship. So don't pack these.
- [45:31]
A
Okay, now we're gonna get into a bunch of questions about the Disney credit cards, specifically the new Disney Inspire card, which launched in February 2026. Before we get to the questions, Sally, do you want to give listeners an overview of the card?
- [45:46]
B
This is an interesting card. So previously, Disney just had two credit cards and they have added a third one to their lineup. It is the highest end of all cards, meaning it has the highest annual fee and it also has some of the best benefits. So $149 annual fee on this card gets you a few benefits, including 200 Disney rewards dollars. After spending $2,000 on US Disney Resort stays or Disney cruise line bookings each anniversary year, it also gets you an $100 statement credit. After spending $200 on US Disney theme park tickets each anniversary year, it gets you an $120 annual credit on Disney's streaming services like Disney plus and Hulu, that's broken out as monthly statement credits on purchases of $10 or more. You do got to opt in to get that one. So all those three credits right there are potentially $420 in value. Reminder, the annual fee is $149. So if you max it out, that's a really good deal. There's also that welcome offer. This welcome offer is $300 in Disney gift cards for new card members upon approval. And then if you spend a thousand dollars on purchases in the first three months from your account opening, you will get an additional 300 statement credit. That's a grand total of $600 in potential value.
- [47:01]
A
This signup offer was available when we recorded this, but it could change. So by the time you're listening, you should check the Nerd Wallet website to see the latest offer.
- [47:09]
B
And then of course, we should talk about the spending rewards, which I will say off the bat, are good, not great. So the best rewards bonus category is 10% at Disney plus.com, hulu and ESPN.com, though the rest of the rewards are kind of mediocre. There's 3% at most other US Disney locations. Again, that includes annual passes, or magic key passes, as they're called at Disneyland gas stations, and then 2% at grocery stores and restaurants. 1% on all other card purchases. We totally agree. 1% on all purchases is a no go. Do not use this as your everyday spend card.
- [47:45]
A
And honestly, the 3% at other US Disney locations, depending on what category that is, maybe you're spending at a Disney restaurant or staying at a Disney hotel, you could get that or even better with different travel credit cards. So I would really consider whether or not, first of all, you want to earn those rewards rates or if you want to earn those rewards rates with Disney rewards dollars, because of course, those are limited to only redeeming them with Disney.
- [48:13]
B
Even though this is my favorite of the three Disney cards, this is not the one that you're putting a ton of spending on. This is the one you are flashing at Disney Disney to get cardholder perks. And then you're also putting that spending for the resorts and the theme park tickets to get those statement credits and then also the Disney plus streaming credits. But really, I would not recommend most people do their general spending on this card.
- [48:35]
A
So first question about this card is from Courtney. She asks, is it worth getting the Disney Inspire card for one year to get all the bonuses right now and then drop it down to the no annual fee Disney card next year. We're going to Disney this year but won't go yearly.
- [48:49]
B
Courtney knows she sees all those annual statement credits and she knows they are really, really worthwhile for a Disney trip. So Courtney, you are not wrong in the sense that holding it this year is probably going to be beneficial for you. That said, NerdWallet does recommend having a card that you'll hold onto for many years. I do hesitate to recommend that you get this card if it's going to be something that next year you're not going to get value from. And then you'll find yourself, myself having to basically downgrade this card.
- [49:21]
A
Then a related follow up is does downgrading hurt your credit?
- [49:26]
B
Interesting. Okay, well, I'm glad that they asked that. I'm glad the listeners are thinking about the impact to their credit, not just trying to get some quick rewards.
- [49:33]
A
And the answer to that is generally no. Downgrading does not hurt your credit because basically your product swapping your card to another card with the same issuer and often within the same family of car cards and so it'll keep your credit line and your account history intact. That is very different from canceling a credit card that will affect your credit.
- [49:54]
B
That is a practice we recommend not just with the Disney card but with any credit cards. When you decide that annual fee is no longer worth it. Maybe you had something like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and you decided you stopped watching Apple TV and now it's not worth it anymore. You can always do a product change. Typically you have to get on the phone and call and say I want to do a product change change to another credit card in that same family with a $0 annual fee. That way you don't have to worry about paying an annual fee, but you still maintain that credit history, which is generally good for your credit scores.
- [50:25]
A
I like this next question from Meredith. She says if I pay in installments towards my Disney package, which is well over the $2,000 minimum, will that still count towards the $200 credit or does it need to be one purchase that equals or exceeds $2,000? I love that she's looking at the fine print here.
- [50:44]
B
An easy an yes, you can still qualify even you don't need to spend the $2,000 right off the bat. It's just that you'll get those Disney rewards dollars after you finally hit that $2,000 threshold. So this is important not just for you. Meredith, who is paying for it sounds like one hotel stay over many installments, but also if you're someone who says I don't spend $2,000 at Disney in one go, but I go to Disney two or three times a year. You could also still qualify just as long as you spend $2,000 at US Disney resorts over the year.
- [51:17]
A
Some way, somehow Mason has a question about the Disney Inspire card and how it compares to the Disney Premier card. That's the card with a $49 annual fee. So that's the lower annual fee. And that 1 earns 5% on certain streaming services, 2% at select US Disney locations, grocery stores and gas stations, and 1% everywhere else. Womp womp. Again, all of this is in the form of Disney rewards dollars. Sally, what do you think? How do these two cards compare?
- [51:48]
B
Mason, I strongly dislike the Premier Disney card. There is honestly no one on earth I would recommend this card for. I used to tell people, don't get the Disney card. That was before the Disney Inspire card. So I do really, really like the Disney Inspire card for people who go to Disney every year. But the Premier card you are paying an annual fee for effectively nothing. The rewards rate is super meh. I don't know why you would have it. The only reason why you would have it is because the cards themselves are really cute. They got like Stitch and Mickey on the cards, but other than that, no. So if you want Stitch and Mickey on your card, just get a boring cash back card that earns higher than 1% and put a Stitch sticker on your credit card and you're good to go.
- [52:32]
A
Okay, the next question comes from TikTok. The account is named the Down Low Travel. They want to know is the Disney Inspire card worth it for a Disney Vacation Club or annual passholder?
- [52:45]
B
I am inclined to say possibly. So for an annual passholder? Almost absolutely yes. Because you get that $100 statement credit after spending $200 on US Disney theme park tickets. That does also apply to annual passes, so you're getting good value there. However, if you are in the Disney Vacation Club and just to tell the other listeners this is kind of like a quasi timeshare program for Disney, then I'm assuming you are not staying at traditional US Disney hotels paying with your credit card. You're using your DVC points to book those rooms that will not qualify for the resort credit. So do keep that in mind. To get that credit, you're going to have to either book separate US Disney resorts days, which you might be doing if you're really an avid Disney fan. Also, maybe if you're booking Disney Cruise Line with regular cash register rates, but if you're not able to do that $2,000 in spending at U.S. disney resorts. Otherwise you are losing out on a lot of value of the card. At that point you have to look at other factors like maybe the Disney plus credit or the 3% cash back at Disney. If that's worth it to you, then yes. But do know that you are leaving money in a sense on the table by not being able to use that credit, assuming you're staying at DBC Hotels rather than that standard cash rate for a U.S. disney Resort sort.
- [54:02]
A
Okay, another question from TikTok. This one is from Jane Doe. D o u g h oh, I love that. I want to know if she has a lot of dough. Is dough just like her favorite passion?
- [54:14]
B
She's eating that churro dough.
- [54:18]
A
So she asks, I stay at Shades of Green. And just so people know, Shades of Green is a military hotel at Walt Disney World. So people who are active duty, Reserve, National Guard, retired person personnel, disabled veterans and Department of Defense civilians can book rooms there. So Jane Doe is asking whether if she books rooms at this military hotel, will the Disney Inspire card work for her?
- [54:44]
B
Now the answer I would give for Jane is pretty much the same thing I would give to the DVC person and that is you are getting some value of the card, but not all of it. Shades of Green does not not qualify for that Disney Resort credit. So the Disney Resort credit, if you're using it at the Florida Parks, only applies to what's called the Disney Resorts Collection. So those are those really standard Disney hotels that you would think of, but it does not include shades of green. I know it's right up against Disney, but it does not include shades of green. It also doesn't cover some of the other hotels we know and love. I'm a huge fan of the Drury Disney Spring Springs. There are also some great Hiltons near Disney springs. So that U.S. disney Resort credit is not going to qualify for those hotels. So Jane, you can still take advantage of the ticket credit. It sounds like you can probably take advantage of the Disney plus credit, but it sounds like you're not going to be able to take advantage of the hotel credit, which again, just like I told the DVC person, you are leaving some value on the table there.
- [55:48]
A
And of course you don't have to get a Disney credit card if you are staying at a property that does not apply for the Disney credits. You can always book that hotel on just a regular travel credit card that earns more points on hotels. So you have a lot of options. Thanks. So Much for all the questions, everyone. That was a really fun episode. If you have other questions, email us@traveldwallet.com and of course, you can always send us messages on Instagram or TikTok. Tick tock.
- [56:15]
B
All right, time for some hot takeoffs.
- [56:17]
A
Yeah, let's do it. Okay, I have one for this week. Premium economy is 100% worth it on International Lights if you can get a great deal on points or cash.
- [56:30]
B
Oh, okay. Is that a hot takeoff? I'm just excited that you say that because I am flying home from London for my honeymoon and my husband was like, I want to splurge just a little bit. We're not doing first class. But he did splurge on premium economy seats for flying Virgin Atlantic back home.
- [56:46]
A
Yeah, I mean, I think it's a hot take because some people are like, especially in the points world, first class or bust. You know what I mean? Like, they don't think it's worth to pay that medium price for a premium economy ticket. But I actually think it's a really good deal in some cases. I booked premium economy for me and my fiance coming back from Australia last year. I booked it for me and my dad going to Ireland last year.
- [57:11]
B
Okay. And.
- [57:11]
A
And the thing is, you get like these much bigger seats that are more similar to a domestic first class seat. So they're kind of like armchairs and they don't necessarily lay flat, but they do recline more than economy seats.
- [57:23]
B
Yeah, it's like enough to sleep.
- [57:25]
A
Yeah. And you also just get so much better service and better food. My dad was delighted that he got a hot meal for both dinner and breakfast on the way to Ireland. He was like, I cannot remember the last time I had a meal on a flight.
- [57:39]
B
Although don't. International economy is always a hot meal meal. Yeah, it's a better hot meal.
- [57:44]
A
Oh, my gosh.
- [57:45]
B
Yeah.
- [57:45]
A
And it has silverware.
- [57:46]
B
Oh, silverware.
- [57:47]
A
You just get a lot more service like snacks and drinks and all that kind of stuff. So I really love the premium economy experience also, I think because it's sort of that weird middle kid between first class and economy that oftentimes it doesn't get fully booked. Depends what flight, of course. But when my fiance and I were flying back from Australia, there were so many open seats in premium economy that it felt like we actually had more room than if we were in the business class or first class cabin at the front because those were like, fully booked.
- [58:22]
B
Do people get upgraded automatically to business or first, but they don't get upgraded
- [58:26]
A
to premium economy, usually not on international flights. Like they don't really upgrade people with elite status, for example, from economy to premium economy. So this is one that you really actually just have to put book outright or take one of those upgrade deals if you see them. That's something I did. Another good tip, if you are looking to fly premium economy and have like a slightly better experience than economy, look for some great deals on upgrades or bidding on an upgrade.
- [58:53]
B
Ooh, okay. Although don't bid on the upgrade on my flight. I'm flying home Virgin Athletic from the UK because I don't want anyone else in the premium economy. I want.
- [59:01]
A
I want no one next to me. Nice.
- [59:03]
B
Although I guess my husband's next to me, so never mind.
- [59:05]
A
Oh yeah, you got to take him.
- [59:08]
B
All right, tell us what you think about premium economy. Tell us what you think about the Disney credit card. Send us your other questions again. Email us@travelwallet.com and of course, connect with us on social media too.
- [59:20]
A
And make sure to follow Smart Travel on your favorite podcast app, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeartRadio. That way you'll automatically download new episodes. You won't miss a thing.
- [59:30]
B
You can also leave us a comment and a five star rating would be highly encouraged.
- [59:35]
A
This episode was produced by Tess Viglin and edited by Nick Karisimi. Claire Soci and Hilary Georgi helped with
- [59:40]
B
fact checking and that disclaimer. We are not financial nor investment advisors. This info is provided for general educational and entertainment purposes. It may not apply to your specific circumstances.
- [59:49]
A
We hope you're inspired to keep your passport full and your wallet even fuller. Thanks everyone. We'll see you next time. Monster Energy. Everybody knows White Monster, Zero Ultra.
- [60:13]
B
That's the og. It kicked off this whole Zero sugar
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A
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B
You've got Strawberry Dreams, Blue Hawaiian Sunrise, and Vice Guava.
- [60:24]
A
And they all bring the Monster Energy punch.
- [60:27]
B
So if you've been living in the
- [60:28]
A
White can branch out.
- [60:30]
B
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