✈ Misconceptions About Budget Travel, Alaska Airlines Cleared to Acquire Hawaiian & More News From TPG ✈

Also: How to bring frozen drinks through airport security August 20, 2024 [THE POINTS GUY]( [View in browser]( [TPG Daily Newsletter]( TOGETHER WITH [Partner Logo]( [THE POINTS GUY]( TOGETHER WITH [Partner Logo]( Budget travel can still be luxurious by Katie Genter, Senior Writer [TPG | Hero Image] When you think of traveling on a budget, you might think of overnight buses and [staying in hostels](. But in reality, traveling on a budget looks different for each person. As I wrote recently, many people have [misconceptions about budget travel](. Traveling on a budget really just means carefully considering how to spend your finite resources — points, miles, cash and time — when you travel. One of my [tips for traveling on a budget]( is to prioritize your spending around what matters most to you. For example, I don’t particularly enjoy visiting museums or fine dining, so I rarely spend my resources on these experiences. Instead, I prioritize centrally located lodging and save money by primarily exploring destinations on foot (as I did in Japan recently, pictured above). Learning to leverage points, miles, elite status and [rewards credit cards]( has also been key. I frequently redeem points or [hotel free night certificates]( to save on stays, including a luxury stay last year at the [Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa]( that I booked with Hilton free night certificates. Finally, don’t assume a premium travel rewards card like the [Chase Sapphire Reserve®]( or [Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card]( isn’t for budget travelers. Some card perks, such as airport lounge access, can be extremely valuable when traveling on a budget. For more tips on traveling on a budget, check out these stories: - [11 strategies to find cheap airfare]( - [5 times when traveling abroad might be cheaper than staying close to home]( - [Is it cheaper to fly or drive when traveling on a budget?]( - [How I maximized my points and miles to travel as a teacher on a limited budget]( Posts in this newsletter contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products, and this may impact how or where they appear. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, [visit this page](. Photo Credit: KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY. TOGETHER WITH [Partner Logo]( Get the perks and rewards travelers love Get more for your travel by earning 5x Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with the airline, as well as flights and prepaid hotels booked via American Express Travel when you use The Platinum Card® from American Express (points cap and terms apply). Card members also get up to $200 annually in Uber Cash to use for Uber rides or Eats orders in the U.S. and access to AMEX’s Global Lounge Collection®. Terms apply. [Learn more]( Today’s top stories [Merger of Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines moves forward, clears antitrust concerns]( The Department of Justice declined to file an antitrust lawsuit blocking the merger of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. [Read more]( [FYI: You can bring (frozen) drinks through airport security]( Here are the Transportation Security Administration's rules and how freezing drinks works in practice. [Read more]( [Deal alert: Fly United business class from New York to Paris for only 60K miles]( Act fast to snag this Star Alliance deal for flights to Paris this winter. [Read more]( [Back online: Air France and KLM award seats are bookable again through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club]( This option has resumed after a system error caused Flying Blue award seats to become unavailable on Virgin's site. [Read more]( [Marriott rolls out new partnership with vacation rental platform Sonder]( Marriott International announced Monday morning a partnership with short-term rental platform Sonder Holdings. [Read more]( The latest 1. [How (and when) to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest]( 2. [The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Carnival Cruise Line ship]( 3. [Marriott Bonvoy program: How to redeem points for hotel stays, airfare and more]( 4. [Your vendor doesn’t accept credit cards — what now?]( 5. [How to use your preferred name on a credit card or debit card]( 6. [The 8 classes of Carnival Cruise Line ships, explained]( 7. [Act fast: Save 25% on Southwest Airlines award redemptions]( 8. [Monday only: Earn up to 5 miles per dollar on Apple Mac and iPad purchases]( 9. [8 best all-inclusive resorts and packages in Bora Bora]( 10. [Seatback setback: United Airlines ditching paper version of Hemispheres magazine]( [fb]( [insta]( [yt]( [tw]( [in]( [mail](mailto:hello@thepointsguy.com) You are receiving this email because you opted in at [thepointsguy.com](. Where to find us: The Points Guy 100 5th Ave., 16th Floor New York, NY 10011 USA USA If this newsletter was forwarded to you, you can subscribe [here](. Changed your mind? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe]( at any time. Advertiser Disclosure: The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Please view our [advertising policy]( and [product review methodology]( for more information. Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. THE POINTS GUY © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2024