Capital One Just Sweetened the Deal on the Venture Card 🎉

Capital One just dropped a great offer on one of my favorite travel credit cards. The Capital One Venture is a $95 annual fee card that punches way above its weight. 💪

The Offer

The new welcome bonus is 75,000 miles + a $300 travel credit for $4,000 in spend within the first 3 months.

This card earns 2x miles on every single purchase 💳 — no bonus categories to memorize — which makes it my go-to for anything that doesn't fall into a bonus category on another card.

The $300 travel credit has to be used through the Capital One Travel portal for hotels or vacation rentals, but hey — a free night at a hotel? Yes, please. 🏨✨

The Venture card also comes with up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® 🛂 — a nice perk if you haven't applied for either yet. This past week, TSA Pre Check announced the new Gateway program. 

What Can You Do With 75,000 Points?

Lots, actually! Here are your main options:

• Erase travel purchases — the easiest option, worth $750 toward past travel purchases
• Transfer to an airline or hotel partner — this is where you can unlock a lot more value. 🌍 I flew my family of 5 to Europe this way — read about how here
• Redeem for a statement credit — technically an option, but I don't recommend it since it gets you the least value for your points 👎

And here's a hack you'll definitely want to know: you can actually spend your Capital One points before your bill is even due. Read about that trick here 🤯

Good to Know Before You Apply

If you're after a flexible, everyday travel card, this is a strong pick. Just keep a few rules in mind:

• You can hold a maximum of five personal Capital One-branded cards at any one time
• You're only eligible for one new Capital One card every six months
• You won't earn the sign-up bonus on the Venture card if you've earned a bonus on that same card within the past 48 months — often called the 48-month rule

One more thing worth flagging: Capital One is known for pulling from all three credit bureaus when you apply, not just one, so keep that in mind before you submit an application. 📋

If you decide to apply for this credit card, use my referral link. 

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Talk to me about your next trip and I'll figure out the best way to use your points and miles, Book a 1:1 consulting call, download my ebook, custom tracker or Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process.

Right now, you can use the promo code "LETSGO" to get $50 off the coaching program. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

Gateside by TSA PreCheck: One More Reason to Get PreCheck 🎉

If you have TSA PreCheck — or you've been on the fence about getting it — here's one more reason to sign up. ✈️

The new Gateside by TSA PreCheck program lets approved travelers (anyone with TSA PreCheck or a Known Traveler Number) walk loved ones to the gate, greet them when they land, or meet up with friends inside the airport during a layover. No boarding pass required. 🙌

And the best part? It's completely free for TSA PreCheck members.

Where It's Available

The program has launched at 13 airports nationwide, with more expected to join soon:

• Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) – Arizona
• John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) – Ohio
• Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) – Texas
• Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) – Michigan
• Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) – Kansas
• Indianapolis International Airport (IND) – Indiana
• Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) – Nevada
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) – California
• Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) – Arkansas
• Will Rogers International Airport (OKC) – Oklahoma
• Eppley Airfield (OMA) – Nebraska
• San Diego International Airport (SAN) – California
• Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) – Utah

Keep in mind availability may be limited during peak travel times. 🕐 TSA Precheck launched touchless ID back in March at some airports. 

How to Apply

You'll need to apply for approval a few days before you want to use it. Here's the process:

1. Click Apply on the TSA PreCheck website
2. Log in to your Login.gov account
3. Enter your personal information
4. Submit your request
5. Be ready to show your approval at the TSA PreCheck checkpoint

👶 Traveling with kids? You can bring them along — just add them when you apply.

A couple of things to note: the number of passes issued per day is limited, and the personal info on your application needs to match your TSA PreCheck info exactly.

Don't Have TSA PreCheck Yet?

Signing up on your own costs $85, or $120 if you add Global Entry. But here's a smarter move — several credit cards give you this as a free credit. My favorites: 💳

• Capital One Venture X — Read about this card here Current offer: 75,000 bonus points after $4,000 in spend, $395 annual fee.
• Chase Sapphire Preferred — Read about this card here. Current offer: 75,000 bonus points after $5,000 in spend, $95 annual fee.

Either card pays for the PreCheck credit and then some, so it's a nice two-for-one if you're already planning to apply. ✨

Do you want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. 

Or you can pay a travel planning fee and we will find all the best points and miles deals for your trip! 

Or you can book a consulting call with us for just $100. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

***In honor of every new paid client, we will make a donation of 10% to one of our favorite charities.

Southwest Airlines Is Getting Airport Lounges ✈️🛋️

Southwest Airlines Is Getting Airport Lounges ✈️🛋️

Southwest just announced it's opening its first-ever airport lounges — and yes, the airline once known for open seating and free bags is officially stepping into the luxury lounge game.

Where and when: Construction is underway on four lounges, with guests expected to start walking in during late 2027:

• 🌺 Honolulu (Daniel K. Inouye International Airport)
• 🦀 Baltimore/Washington International
• 🎸 Austin-Bergstrom International
• 🎶 Nashville International

Southwest says at least seven more lounges are planned across high-demand business and leisure markets in the years that follow, bringing the total to 11+.

How you'll get in: Access will be tied to a new premium Southwest Rapid Rewards® Credit Card issued by Chase, also launching in 2027. Southwest is partnering with Chase to bring elements of the Chase Sapphire Reserve Lounge Network into the mix, layered with Southwest's own touches — think locally-inspired dining and design that still feels like Southwest, just elevated.

There's no word yet on Priority Pass access, day passes, or exact card benefits, so we'll be watching closely as more details roll out. 👀

Next month, we will be starting the countdown to earning the Southwest Companion Pass. Timing is crucial so that you earn the pass for two years. 

o you want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "LETSGO" to get $50 off the program. 

Or you can pay a travel planning fee and we will find all the best points and miles deals for your trip! 

Or you can book a consulting call with us for just $100. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

***In honor of every new paid client, we will make a donation of 10% to one of our favorite charities.

How to Use Your Bilt Points: The Complete Transfer Guide 🏠✈️

Bilt burst onto the scene a few years ago with a genuinely new idea: earn points just by paying rent. In theory, it sounded amazing — and honestly, it was amazing. These days, with credit cards, new partners, ratios, and features being added, the program has gotten a little more complex to navigate. 🧭

A few months ago, Bilt also ran a promotion letting you rack up serious points through the Rakuten shopping portal. I personally earned 57,000 Bilt points this way! You can still earn Bilt points thru Rakuten, but at a decreased ratio. 

If you built up a nice Bilt balance and now find yourself wondering "okay, what do I actually do with these?" — you're in the right place.

What Can You Do With Bilt Points?

Bilt points work a lot like Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou, or American Express Membership Rewards. You've got two main options:

• 🛫 Book directly through the Bilt travel portal (flights, hotels, and more)
• 🔄 Transfer your points to airline and hotel loyalty programs, often at a 1:1 ratio

Transferring almost always stretches your points further, so let's dig into your partner options.

Bilt Airline Transfer Partners ✈️

• Atmos Rewards (Alaska Airlines & Hawaiian Airlines) — exclusive to Bilt
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• Air France/KLM Flying Blue
• Avianca LifeMiles
• British Airways Executive Club
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
• Emirates Skywards — exclusive to Bilt among the major flexible currencies
• Etihad Guest / Airways
• Iberia Plus
• Japan Airlines (JAL) Mileage Bank
• Qatar Airways Privilege Club
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
• Spirit Airlines
• TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go
• Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
• United MileagePlus
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club & Virgin Red
• Aer Lingus AerClub

Bilt Hotel Transfer Partners 🏨

Hotel Program	Transfer Ratio
World of Hyatt	1:1
Marriott Bonvoy	1:1
Hilton Honors	1:1
IHG One Rewards	1:1
Wyndham Rewards	1:1
Accor Live Limitless	3:2
Preferred Hotels & Resorts (I Prefer)	1:2

That's a seriously expansive list of partners, which means you've got plenty of ways to put your points to work depending on where you're headed. 🌍

How to Transfer Your Bilt Points

Ready to move your points? Here's how:

1. Open the Bilt app and tap Rewards at the bottom of the screen
2. Choose the Hotels or Airlines tab, depending on where you're transferring
3. Select your partner program and link your account
4. Enter the amount and confirm your transfer

⚠️ One important detail: the name on your Bilt account and your partner loyalty account must match exactly, or the transfer won't go through.

The good news? Transfers land pretty much instantly, so you can move your points and start planning your next trip right away. ✨

Seems obvious, but you can transfer points from Bilt, Chase, Amex, Capital One and Citi into the same airline or hotel loyalty account so this is just another tool in your toolbelt to get almost free flights and accommodations. 

Do you want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "LETSGO" to get $50 off the program. 

Or you can pay a travel planning fee and we will find all the best points and miles deals for your trip! 

Or you can book a consulting call with us for just $100. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

***In honor of every new paid client, we will make a donation of 10% to one of our favorite charities.

Chasing Totality In Greenland

Incredible, overwhelming, otherworldly — that's the only way to describe it. A solar eclipse is something everyone should see at least once in their lifetime.

I've been fortunate enough to see three. One from a ship off the coast of Australia and one from a nature reserve in Cleveland, Ohio. The most recent one I watched from Eastern Greenland aboard the Quark Ultramarine expedition ship. I'll share more about the Ultramarine soon, but for now, let's talk eclipse. ☀️

What Exactly Is a Solar Eclipse?

Solar eclipses happen periodically when the moon moves directly in front of the sun. If you're in the path of totality — where the moon completely covers the sun — you experience a sunset-like darkness. Totality can last anywhere from one minute to six minutes.

The path changes depending on a number of factors. You might remember the last one that crossed the U.S. from Texas to Ohio in 2023, or the one before that in 2017 that crossed Oregon.

This latest eclipse, on August 12, 2026, crossed Northern Spain, Iceland, and Greenland, with a totality of 2 minutes and 15 seconds.

A Last-Minute Change of Plans

Our ship's captain had originally planned to position us in the Kong Oscar Fjord in Eastern Greenland. But as the day got closer, the weather wasn't cooperating, so he made the call to head further south to Scoresby Sund Fjord instead.

We arrived by noon on August 12th, and the ship got into position with the starboard side facing the sun. Dozens of photographers set up camp on the mid-ship helipad, while the rest of the guests gathered on the forward helipad. (Yes, the ship has two helipads — one for each helicopter! 🚁)

The Eclipse Begins

At around 3:30pm, we put on our safety glasses and watched the moon start to move into position. A "bite" appeared out of the sun, and it kept growing as the moon crept further across. But take off the glasses and look around, and nothing seemed different at all.

We passed the time playing with Saltine crackers and colanders, watching tiny crescent shadows appear on the walls and floor. 🧑‍🍳

Racing the Clouds

At approximately 4:05pm — just 25 minutes before totality — clouds started rolling over the mountains and into the fjord. The captain and expedition leader huddled to discuss moving the ship. By 4:10pm, the decision was made, and the announcement went out to guests.

Everyone held their breath. The ship turned and headed across the water.

Ten minutes later, it stopped and turned again so the starboard side faced the sun.

Totality

And at 4:33pm, the moon slipped completely in front of the sun. The light switched off. Everyone tore off their glasses and cheered. 🎉

If you've never seen a solar eclipse before, it's genuinely otherworldly. There's an energy that moves people to tears, a kind of peace that just washes over you.

Then, 2 minutes and 15 seconds later, the moon slides over to reveal "the diamond ring" — and just like that, it's over.

The light returns, the birds start singing again, and life moves on.

Where to See the Next One

The next solar eclipse is expected on August 2, 2027, with the path of totality crossing Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Southern Spain. If you want to see it, reach out and I'll help you plan. I'll be in the Mediterranean aboard a small ship myself — hope to see you there! 🚢

Do you want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. 

Or you can pay a travel planning fee and we will find all the best points and miles deals for your trip! 

Or you can book a consulting call with us for just $100. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

***In honor of every new paid client, we will make a donation of 10% to one of our favorite charities.

Turn Your Next Airbnb Booking Into Free Miles ✈️

When you book your next Airbnb, one extra step can earn you a nice stash of extra points or miles. It used to be just Delta SkyMiles or British Airways Avios. Now you can add Tap Air Portugal miles to the mix, too.

Here's how to make sure every Airbnb booking is working double-duty for your next trip.

• Delta SkyMiles Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on stays and 3 miles per $1 spent on experiences and services. Just connect your accounts via Delta Air Lines and Airbnb before you book.

Hot tip: this one has a catch. You'll need to book within a 10-day active window after connecting your accounts, so don't link up months before your trip and forget about it.

• British Airways Avios Earn 2 Avios per $1/€1/£1 spent on stays and 3 Avios per unit spent on experiences. Just click through the British Airways portal before you book your stay.
• Tap Air Portugal Miles Earn 2 miles for every 1 Euro spent on Airbnb. Simply log into your Tap Air Portugal account first, then book your Airbnb through the linked session.

Prefer VRBO? You're not left out. VRBO bookings can also earn extra points and miles through United Airlines, plus shopping portals like Rakuten.

The best part about all of this? It costs you nothing extra. Same booking, same price, just a few extra clicks for miles you'd otherwise leave on the table. 🧳

Do you want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. 

Or you can pay a travel planning fee and we will find all the best points and miles deals for your trip! 

Or you can book a consulting call with us for just $100. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

***In honor of every new paid client, we will make a donation of 10% to one of our favorite charities.

Site Visit: The Fairmont Grand Del Mar, San Diego 🏌️

I was recently invited for a site visit to the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, and I have to say — the property is stunning. Disclosure: I was not paid for this review and received no compensation in any form.

Let's get into it!

The Fairmont Grand Del Mar sits in Carmel Valley, San Diego, right on the edge of acres of protected nature reserve. It's consistently ranked among the top luxury resorts in the U.S., and it's part of Accor, a hotel brand that's better known outside the US.

This is a resort destination, not a beach resort — think Mediterranean villa architecture and grounds designed to keep you on property. And there's plenty to keep you busy: The Grand Golf Course (a private course designed by Tom Fazio), pickleball courts, archery, four pools, and a full stable offering trail rides, meet-and-greets, and riding lessons. 🐴

On the dining side, the resort is home to Addison by William Bradley, San Diego's only Michelin three-star restaurant. Reservations book up months in advance, but here's a hot tip: the tasting menu is available as a walk-in. The property also houses one of San Diego's best spas. 💆

With more than 200 rooms, accommodations here are spacious throughout, all with marble bathrooms, though sizes vary. There's also a villa that fits a group of 10 — and it comes with a round of golf included. ⛳

Since the Fairmont is part of Accor, both Capital One and Citi points transfer directly into the program — 2,000 Accor points is worth roughly $45. Loyalty members also unlock perks like free WiFi, room upgrades, and online check-in.

If a true luxury destination is what you're after, this fits the bill. Just plan on having a car or booking a Lyft, since there are no restaurants or shops within walking distance. All of San Diego's attractions are within a 30 minute drive. 

As part of the site visit, I am able to offer you a third night FREE at the resort. Let's chat! 

Do you want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. 

Or you can pay a travel planning fee and we will find all the best points and miles deals for your trip! 

Or you can book a consulting call with us for just $100. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

***In honor of every new paid client, we will make a donation of 10% to one of our favorite charities.