Category: Travel Tips

Personal tips for saving money and enjoying your travels more.

Travel Tuesday: I Hate Southwest's Boarding Process - But Now I'm Going to Miss It
As you've probably heard, Southwest Airlines is getting ready to make some big changes. This includes moving to a reserved seating model sometime in the near-ish future. In other words, the carrier will start to look a bit more like the vast majority of its competitors — and I have some thoughts on that. Look,...
looking down a long stretch of road
The Ultimate Road Trip: A Helpful Guide to Saving Money on the Open Road
Is there anything that says “summer” more than a good old-fashioned road trip? Whether you’re looking to experience our vast and beautiful country first-hand or just want to save a few bucks versus flying, there are many advantages to hopping in your car and hitting the open road for your next vacation. However, while road-tripping...
airplane tickets and globe with an airplane
My Initial Experience in the Overwhelming World of Travel Hacking
Over the past few years, my wife and I have had the good fortune of getting to enjoy an increasing amount of travel. This includes heading to domestic locations such as Los Angeles for the D23 Expo and Orlando to visiting Walt Disney World, as well as international travels to Paris, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. Heck, we...
The Club CLE sign
Travel Tuesday: The Club CLE Lounge Review
Last fall, my wife and I kicked off a multi-city excursion by flying out of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. As we arrived for our short flight to Detroit (before an extremely long flight to Hong Kong), I was surprised to find that a lounge we had access to was available at the airport: The Club...
a couple siting in a plane
Travel Tuesday: Delta is Changing Its Boarding Procedures... Kind Of
As a loyal-ish Delta customer, I like to think that I have a pretty good handle on what to expect when flying the airline. This includes knowing the order of their boarding groups — and even what I'd need to do in order to move up the food chain. Well, soon, that's all changing... at...
entrance way to a king suite at Hilton Grand Vacations Tuscany Village Orlando
Travel Tuesday: Hilton Grand Vacations Tuscany Village Orlando Review
When we returned from our trip to Hong Kong, we didn't go back home. Instead, we headed straight to Florida for a friend's wedding. But, with a week to spend in Orlando, we decided to try a few different places during our time there. We also happened to wait until just a few days before...
MGM REWARDS
Travel Tuesday: How I Earned $50 with MGM's Resort Hopping Offer for Las Vegas
Last week, I attended my fourth CES in Las Vegas. Ahead of the show's actual start, I had a chance to check out some of what was new on the Strip — or at least new to me, since I haven't been there in 18+ months. Incidentally, something new to me happened to fall into...
Matina Lounge ICN entrance
Travel Tuesday: Matina Lounge ICN Review
In the time that I've had my American Express Platinum Card, I had only ever visited one lounge via the Priority Pass that the card comes with — and even that wasn't a real lounge (it was a Minute Suites where my pass got me one hour for free and a discount on the second)....
Travel Tuesday: Using Octopus Card on Apple Wallet in Hong Kong
If you've ever been to Hong Kong, you've probably seen a logo that looks reminiscent of the infinity symbol. You may have spotted it at a convenience store, grocery store, train station, or even a vending machine. This logo actually represents the city's Octopus card system — which, as I alluded to, is not only...
entryway to the American Express Centurion Lounge Hong Kong
Travel Tuesday: Amex Centurion Hong Kong Lounge Review
Even though I've been an American Express Platinum cardmember since 2019, prior to last month, I had only been to three Centurion Lounge locations: LAS (multiple times), PHL, and CLT. That's partially because my travel took a bit of a dip soon after gaining my card (for obvious reasons) and also because my Delta loyalty...
Alaska Airlines plane
Travel Tuesday: Alaska Airlines is Offering a Status Match Challenge to Delta Elites
A few weeks back, Delta announced numerous changes impacting their most loyal customers. While I personally focused on the SkyClub entry rules and restrictions that are on the way, the adjustments made to the SkyMiles program were arguably even more disruptive. Not only did the airline move to a model that's based purely on Medallion...
model of the American Express Centurion Lounge at EWR
Travel Tuesday: Amex Centurion Lounge Coming to EWR in 2026
When I was a kid, my family would travel between Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey at least once per year. Because of this, I have plenty of distinct memories from both hubs — but especially EWR. I still think about the signs at baggage claim warning travelers about...
Featured Articles
How Utilization Impacts Your Credit Scores: My Real-Life Example
You may already know that Credit Utilization is the second-largest factor FICO considers when determining your credit score. Specifically, it makes up 30% of your score, topped only by Payment History at 35%. But what does that look like in practice? Well, I recently got the "opportunity" to see firsthand. In April, I elected to...
Travel Tuesday: Allbirds Weatherproof Hightops - How They Compare to Mizzles
As I've mentioned more than a few times before, after purchasing a pair of water-resistant Allbirds Runner-Up Mizzles a few years back, they quickly became my go-to travel shoe. That's because they're not only comfortable but also help protect my feet from wet weather while on the road (there are few things I hate more...
This New Hardshell Carry-On Luggage Option Has My Attention
Welcome back to another Quick Tip — and the latest edition of our occasional, unofficial series Things Kyle Wants to Buy. When I returned from my most recent trip, for some reason, I had hardshell luggage on my mind. That's strange because my current soft-sided luggage has served me well and, moreover, I've traditionally not...
Would it Be Wrong to Try This Potential Free Checked Bag Trick?
I don't remember the last time I paid for a checked bag on a plane. Granted. I've paid for carry-ons while flying Allegiant — but, in the cases where I have elected to check a bag in recent years, it's been a free gate check since I occasionally volunteer to part with my bag early...