Tel Aviv is a place that honestly was never on my bucket list. Why? I have no idea. Perhaps like you, I always envisioned it to be a fairly buttoned up place, with serious people and even more serious heat. While the latter bit can be true in the middle of summer, and even autumnal tans are in play, the rest is laughably false.

Tel Aviv is like Santa Monica in the Middle East, but with better priced food, that arguably tastes a whole lot better on the whole too. The sunsets and beach walks are magic, the shopping is unique and everything from Jaffa to North Tel Aviv is one big buzz and fusion of open mindedness.

Whether it’s your first time, or you’re a regular and are looking for some drool worthy new dinner suggestions, here’s how to live it up, eat everything and see for yourself why people are flocking to this incredible destination…

Feel free to skip around as needed, but pay attention when it gets to the 48 hour itinerary : )

Getting Into Israel

Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) is a modern well laid out facility, and entry immigration is relatively painless, albeit with some long lines from time to time. If you’ve heard the stories about Israeli immigration, you’ll understand then when you leave, which is when any passport stamps from Arab countries will mean a nice lengthy security process for you…

If you’re looking to get into town ASAP, book yourself a VIP arrival from Maman Aviation to speed things up, or if you really want to splash out, an ultra VIP transfer via the new Fattal Terminal, which bypasses the entire public terminal! A VIP arrival is $199 per group, and an ultra VIP starts at $400.

Best Ways To Get From Ben Gurion Airport To Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport is about 40 minutes to central Tel Aviv, and only 45 minutes to Jerusalem as well, just FYI.

Uber, Gett and other rideshare apps work extremely well through the taxi firms in Tel Aviv, and the price from the airport to the central part of the city is roughly 135 shekels, or about $38 or £38 all in.

If you want to save a bunch of money, the train from Ben Gurion Airport to Tel Aviv departs from T3 and is a mere 13.5 shekels, which comes out under $4 and is pretty fast. The train stops in South, Central and North Tel Aviv, so if you’re travelling light, it can make a lot of sense, since walking to your hotel won’t be a big deal.

Of course, you could always grab a cab from the station and still come out way ahead. Just note: the train does not run during Shabat, which is Friday afternoon to Saturday evening. If you forget that, you might be sh*t out of luck.

Best Hotel Options In Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv has some fantastic hotels, albeit almost all at the fairly pricey end. For the absolute epitome of luxury, The Jaffa Hotel stands nearly in a class of its own in this city, but the Setai, The Drisco and The Vera are bringing added competition.

For the upper mid-range Brown TLV Urban Hotel, Royal Beach, The Sheraton, Hotel Saul, Margosa,  The Rothschild and The Yam are all excellent options.

Most loyalty program, chain centric hotels are well represented in Tel Aviv, particularly by Marriott, IHG and Hilton. If you’re looking to use points, this is a city where you can save a fortune by doing so.

Tel Aviv is home to some amazing Airbnb’s, and if you’r travelling on a budget, that’s probably the right play here. There are lots of brand new apartment buildings in great parts of town with rooms under $100 per night, and some for much less. Sweet Inn is a very good alternative to Airbnb in Tel Aviv.

Tel Aviv is also world class for budget hostels, but they book up fast, so if you’re more inclined to go that way – plan ahead.

Best Neighbourhoods In Tel Aviv

Getting your bearings in Tel Aviv is easy. If you’re looking at the water, or on the beach, the oldest parts tend to be to the left, which represents the South of the city. If you’re facing the water, things to the right will be the newer parts of the city, or further north, you’ll find beautiful residential areas and parks, like Luna Park.

Expect to spend most of your time exploring somewhere between Neve Tzedek Jaffa, Florentin and Lev Hair, which are all next door to each other. Here’s a breakdown of the neighbourhoods…

Old Jaffa – This is the original port area of Tel Aviv, where you’ll find beautiful old streets full of character. You’ll also find the Jaffa flea market, which is a bit hyped, but you’ll find amazing cafes and shops nearby, not to mention some great Banksy street art.

Neve Tzedek – Shabazi street is culture creature heaven with fantastic cafes, boutiques you won’t find in other cities and lots and lots of art. It’s one of the older neighbourhoods and the winding narrow streets. Start at the Old Train Station, hit the Dallal bakery and explore to your hearts content.

Lev Hair – If it’s time for some culture, it’s time to head to Lev Hair. This is where you’ll find UNESCO listed “White City’, as well as Rothschild Boulevard, known as Tel Aviv’s oldest road. At the same time, this is where Israel’s tech boom is booming. Have a sniff around Carmel Market, explore The Tel Aviv Art Museum and keep the camera close by.

North Tel Aviv – This is the leafy, residential are where you can find amazing restaurants, bars and insights into Tel Aviv life in one of the nicer neighbourhoods. This is far less touristy than other areas and if you’re into upscale semi suburban feel, it’s a good look.

Florentin – Florentin has become the equivalent of New York’s Meat Packing District, with edge warehouse vibes, street art galore, the hippest of hipster food – which is usually a compliment – and at night, it’s where you can find virtually all the parties.

Let Your 48 Hours In Tel Aviv Begin

But first, coffee. Hotels are traditionally horrible at anything other than a drip coffee, so if you’re into a well roasted flat white with alternative milks, V60, Chemex or any of the other preferable ways to max out your caffeine intake, you’ll want to branch out.

The Best Properly Roasted Coffee In Tel Aviv

Cafelix is an amazing roastery and shop which rivals any of the better coffee spots you’ll experience. It’s got a couple other outposts in the city, but Jaffa puts you in a great place from which to explore and start the day. Nahat is another star with a keen focus on proper roasting, all done in small batches with great frequency.

Coffee Shop 51 and WayCup are two other stars guaranteed to get you the proper caffeine fix, with all the alternative milks and speciality coffee you crave. Fear not, almost all of the above take contactless or credit card, so taking out cash generally isn’t a big deal.

Day One Tel Aviv Exploration

Everyone explores at a different pace, so wherever you leave off, just carry on the next day. A great way to start your Tel Aviv exploration is from old to new.

From Cafelix, make your way to the Port Of Jaffa and weave your way to Abrasha Park and surrounding gardens, which offer amazing views back toward the Tel Aviv skyline via HaMidron Garden.

Next, make your way to Jaffa Flea Market, just so you can say you went, and then spend your time in better ways by weaving the streets full of incredible design shops, clothing boutiques and cafes.

You may even find yourself some famous street art at El Jamila, on the corner of Yefet and Ole Zion.

After some window browsing, or sending quite a few things back home via post, it’s time to head to Florentin.

This area takes on two different characters between day and night, but day time is lovely. Walk up and down the streets as if you were searching for someone, with particular focus on Shalma Road, Florentin St and Abarbanel.

If you’re starving, Casbah is the lunch spot, and there’s even a mezcal bar if you need a cold one, appropriately called Mezcal. If you can wait just a bit longer, there’s more…

Tel Aviv Pit Stop

By now, you should still be well caffeinated and a few hours into the day, and are probably starting to get hungry. The good news; you’re fairly near all the good food in nearby Shabazi, Neve Tzedek and Lev Hair.

Since it’s the perfect spot for continuing your afternoon tour, Vicky Cristina isn’t Israeli, but does amazing tapas style food in a cool setting. If that doesn’t sound appealing, Romano, nearby is also fantastic.

After lunch, reward yourself with the city’s undisputed best ice cream at Anita. It’s pretty heavenly, especially in the abundant Israeli sun. And on that note, don’t forget to bring your sunscreen, because there’s not a lot of cover here…

Keep walking up Shabazi street (Northeast) until you reach Rothschild Boulevard, the grand dame of Tel Aviv.

The gorgeous street will take you through the Lev Hair neighbourhood past museums, clubs, shops and the UNESCO listed white bauhaus buildings which make this neighbourhood so famous.

Finish up with some time at the Tel Aviv Museum Of Art and then think about making your way back to the hotel for sunset along the beach, or if you’re not staying on the beach, make your way to Frishman Beach for a long sunset walk along this absolutely gorgeous promenade…

Best Dinner Spots In Tel Aviv

If you haven’t heard, aside from the gorgeous Santa Monica-esque beaches, amazing shopping and stunning markets, it’s the food of Tel Aviv that leaves people drooling and plotting their return.

Yotam Ottolenghi may be the most famous to do it, but Israel is home to so many fantastic chefs and their take on Middle Eastern cuisine shines in unexpected ways.

Oh, and some of these are open for lunch too…

For an upscale and refined but low key dinner, Mashya, Night Kitchen and Casbah are all great calls. HaBasta is another fantastic option amongst the highest end in the city, but in a setting which couldn’t be more laid back. It’s mainly the food and prices that are upscale.

For slightly more formal, Michelin star style dining where a blazer wouldn’t feel out of place, Shila by Sharon Cohen and OCD TLV and Toto are great calls.

Shila is the definitely one of the more amusing people watching spots in the city, so it can be fun even if you’re just there for a drink – and yes, the food is worth it.

If you’re thinking more low key, Miznon, Ha’Achim and Port Sa’id are the perfect ports of call. There’s great food everywhere here, but these places make you feel at home, just with food you couldn’t ever dream of pulling off…

Best Bars In Tel Aviv

If you’re into craft cocktails, you won’t be remiss here. This city stays up late, and the stiff drinks will keep you buzzing as long as you like. From speakeasies inside low key hotels to epic rooftops overlooking the beach, it’s got it all. For your big night out in Tel Aviv, any of these spots will leave you with a smile…

Imperial Cocktail Bar – If you like craft cocktails, it really doesn’t get better than Imperial. This seating only bar offers brilliantly inventive drinks with an irreverent service that warms to you as you warm to them.

From the all too smooth clarified milk punch to bartenders choice twists, you absolutely can’t go wrong. Reserve your seats though, otherwise you may end up on the outside. And don’t be put off by the entrance. Good things come to those who enter.

Haiku Lighthouse Rooftop Bar – For sunset drinks, it’s really hard to beat Haiku at the Lighthouse Hotel. This is one part clubby, one part beautiful and all things fun. Expect western five star hotel bar prices, but views that make them worth it too.

Just how often do you get to celebrate with stellar cocktails overlooking a stunning corniche? Live it up.

The Chapel at Jaffa Hotel – This is the spot for upscale drinks in a place where you’ll feel like a Bond villain. It looks like a church, or at least a chapel in every way possible, with stunning lighting in every direction.

The Chapel is “swanky” by every shade of the definition, in one of the best hotels in Israel. If you needed a reason to be swayed towards the Jaffa, this helps.

Day Two Exploring Tel Aviv

Alright, there’s a fair chance you didn’t get everything from day one done, so if you didn’t try to fill in the gaps. Also, it’s hard to beat relaxation in the sun, so if you did manage to do most of Day One, you can rest easy knowing you hit the main “must do’s” in Tel Aviv, so a day by the pool, or on the beach is totally fine.

On that note: if you’re looking to burn off a few calories from the day before, start the morning by taking full advantage of a run, walk, or bicycle ride along the beaches, which run from the South of the City all the way to the North.

It’s such a spectacular way to see things while getting a sweat on, and the walking and biking lanes are totally separated from traffic and make this an amazing way to get around.

Since you’ve now mastered South Tel Aviv, it’s time to move to the upscale, laid back and gorgeous areas around North Tel Aviv and areas just South.

North Tel Aviv is defined by places North of the Yarkon River, but all areas nearby semi count as “Old North”. Head to Benedict for breakfast, and then have a stroll through Independence Park. Recommendation: the shakshuka, of course.

Historically, this is the “posh” area of the city. Of course, the posh people positioned themselves along the nicest beaches too, so make your way to Secret Beach or Tel Baruch and then if you enjoy views similar to Central Park, work your way inward along the Yarkon through HaYarkon Park.

Enjoy the casual stroll, snap some pics and then head back South, where the good food is just South of the river.

Since you’ve maxed out on Israeli options already, it’s probably time for pizza, or at least some lunch. As pedestrian as the name might be, Brooklyn Pizza is world class, and if you like sushi, you’ll also find arguably the best in the city at Fu Sushi, with a mix of other Japanese inspired dishes as well.

Dizengoff St is your one way ticket back to Central Tel Aviv, and it couldn’t be a better way to get there. It’s lined with all things fascinating. In fact, it’s known as the Champs De Elysées of Tel Aviv.

Enjoy the high shops, zip past the massive embassies and be sure to save a little extra room for the numerous bakeries. Before you know it, you’ll be back at Dizengoff Square, which is one of the most photographed attractions in Tel Aviv.

At this point, you can say you’ve really seen Tel Aviv, and undoubtedly had some memorable meals, experiences and thoughts that will last a lifetime.

I never expected to fall in love with Tel Aviv the way i did, but I did quickly and keep coming back. You’ve got plenty of bars, restaurants and things to go back and revisit, so if you have any extra time left over, go make the most of it. Or, just watch sunset from the beach.

Oh, and before we go, be sure to get to the airport earlier than you’d usually expect to. Israeli exit immigration can take quite a long time, and you can expect to answer quite a few questions. With that in mind, don’t stay out all night…

The post 48 Hours In Tel Aviv: Live It Up, Eat Everything And See Israel appeared first on God Save The Points.

It was once a marvel when airline credit card bonuses hit 50,000 points. Then the ante was occasionally upped to 75,000 and only once in a blue moon did the six-figure likes of 100,000 enter the chat. They come, but more often they go.

That’s all to set the table for today’s absolutely enormous bonus of 125,000 point bonus opportunity on the Chase British Airways Visa Signature Card. Expectedly for a record offer, there’s no blogger commission on this bonus, so rest assured this is us purely sharing good news.

It’s not ever day you get a chance to grab 125,000 points just as a welcome bonus.

Valuable British Airways Benefits Beyond Points

This card is really a no-brainer for US customers who frequent Europe or the UK. One reason is that the annual fee is only $95 a year, but you can save so much more than that by utilizing the cards many perks, such as the standing 10% discount on British Airways flights. The card offers..

• 10% off British Airways flights, uncapped and in all cabins
• Travel together ticket after $30k in spend, which is a companion voucher
• Up to $600 per year in credits when you use Avios for a reward flight

In other words, $95 a year may save you up to $600 in taxes and surcharges when you actually book flights with points — and 10% off all British Airways flights from the US with cash. That’s a compelling offer, not even factoring in the 125,000 Avios.

British Airways Visa Signature Card: Avios And More

Avios is the points currency used by British Airways, Iberia, Qatar Airways and soon Finnair as well. They’re increasingly useful, particularly after British Airways made significant reductions earlier in the year to the taxes and surcharges added to flights with points.

Basically, you need a few more points than last year, but a lot less cash to book a reward flight with British Airways. A one way in business class from most US regions to Europe will run 80,000 points and $350 in cash.

How The 125,000 Point Bonus Works

The bonus is a two tiered offer, where you’ll unlock 75,000 Avios after $5,000 in spending within the first three months of opening the account and then an additional 50,000 Avios after a total of $20,000 in spending in the first year.

The $20,000 in a year equates to $1,666 in a month, which these days in the United States can be done on coffee purchases alone. I’m only half kidding.

Bottom Line: As Good As It Gets

If you’re finding good points uses with Avios this is a great offer. Want 10% off all the British Airways flights you book from the USA this year? This is also a great offer.

125,000 points is enough to seriously kickstart a journey and with the fee credits when you use points up to $200 per passenger it makes the already palatable taxes and fees and really makes them competitive. You can check out the offer here.

The post Huge 125,000 Point Bonus On British Airways Visa Card appeared first on God Save The Points.

If you didn’t already know, the ever lovable country known as Finland has already launched an e-Passport trial. What is an e-passport? Fair question. Basically, it means one day you’ll be able to leave the paper version with the pages you’re afraid to tear at home. If you’re Finnish and flying to London, the future is the present.

For most of us this isn’t yet a reality, but a huge push from airlines, governments and airports means that collecting stamps, like many other elements of nostalgia, will one day be just that and the airport experience may actually get better. Fewer queues for the win!

Here’s everything you need to know about e-passports, biometrics and the many fair questions being raised about privacy, data storage and everything else in this brave new digital world.

ePassports Will Replace Traditional Passports

In many countries, sending money requires the blink of an eye or a selfie with your phone to authorize the transaction. Why? Biometric data from your eyes and unique facial features are more secure than a pin code.

If we can do that, why can’t we travel with the same sort of secure validation?

Biometric personal data is regarded in the tech world as being more secure than traditional paper passport photos and pages, based on how easily physical copies can be altered and manipulated to differ from those originally installed. Secure databases for biometrics mean that in theory, they are more tamper proof and have more data points to scrutinize with real time photo capture.

As the technologies evolve the digital nature of “updates” gives the validating tools more to work with. That’s as creepy as it is cool, indeed.

Passports are next.

Finland has embarked on a trial allowing Finnish citizens on select, direct Finnair flights to register and trial its new digital passport framework. Think of your passport the way you would Google Pay or Apple Pay on your phone. You need to unlock the phone to access. This adds an extra layer of security, even if the phone is lost, unlike a wallet.

Once registered and approved for the trial, Finns were able to obtain their digital passport and were instructed to share their data with border authorities at least four hours before departure and proceed through special gates which compare the digital passport photo with the person, digitally. The idea is to save time and add confidence.

Croatia is on track for its own trial at Zagreb Airport later this year.

Alongside framework and guidance setup by IATA and the airline world, countries are exploring the viability of digital passports, creating a paper free and ideally touch point and immigration officer free validation experience.

Of course, a digital passport is only as good as the places that accept it, so don’t expect to tear your paper passport up any time soon.

Just like biometric boarding where you don’t need a boarding pass, but rather just a blink of an eye to board a flight, the big selling point is speed. Biometric boarding has seen things like 615 passenger Airbus A380’s boarded in under 20 minutes. Imagine that for passport queues.

The struggle with biometric boarding has been both with the learning curve and with those who don’t automatically match to their biometrics when going through the scan. Airline agents remain on hand to deal with these scenarios which greatly slow things.

Finland’s “world’s first” launch simply created an opportunity for Finns traveling to the UK on direct flights and back a chance to test a digital version of their passport. All who took advantage of the trial needed to jump through some additional hoops to register for the pilot. Nevertheless, it’s exciting and vital progress.

The Groundwork Is Already In Place

Those in the US who use the Global Entry program to streamline arrival back into the states will know that you can simply look at the passenger screening machines and your irises and facial data points authenticate you without whipping out a passport.

Again, many in the data and biosecurity argue that these digital markers are more tamper proof than paper passports, particularly those without e-chips that add a layer of information to the information found within each page.

e-Passports would also finally allow a use for blockchain that people might legitimately understand. Only trusted partners could access passport data from these e-passports and only they could alter or add information. This would make visas and entry records easier to scrutinize or confirm, with fewer paper forms or lost docs.

With many countries moving to United States style ESTA, ETA or other electronic travel screening systems, that’ll actually really come in handy. There’s strong indication that the EU is closely monitoring the trials in Finland in hopes of developing bloc wide trials in the near future.

The post Digital Passports Are Coming, But Will They Help Travel? appeared first on God Save The Points.

The Venture X card keeps getting better with new lounges and features. Read up on the latest changes and updates.

Enough already. If I wanted to spend my weekends using Excel spreadsheets I’d become an accountant. I don’t want any more credit cards that require me to keep detailed books and tabs on my “benefits”, just to justify the annual fee.

I just want an awesome credit card that rewards my spending handsomely, and gives me easy wins I can justify carrying the card for, from day one and every day after that.

No more math, no more making me sign up for things I don’t really want or need, but feel like I need, just to get better value out of my credit card. Just make it great, right?

Capital One has given us the premium rewards credit card we all deserve, which pretty much does just that — and more. If you’re on the fence, here’s all the details.

Capital One Venture X

The Capital One Venture X is about to turn two, but already, it really is the credit card we deserve. The annual fee is $395, but each year you get $400 in card value right away — and each year thereafter too.

If you do it right, you get so much more. There’s no proverbially clipping through silly coupons via the offers portion of your online account every weekend, just to justify the card.

For a limited time, the welcome bonus and benefits are extra incredible! The TL;DR version is that this new Capital One card is…

• Big Earning: Up To 10X Points Per Dollar.
• Easy Rewards: Simple Credits And Perks, Including Exciting Lounge Access.
• Revolutionary: New Travel Protections And Help You Might Actually Use!
• Perks For Family: Benefits For Users Without Fees.

Venture X: The Initial Rewards

Ok, so first off, there’s currently 75,000 points on the table as a welcome bonus. That’s amazing. But as to the long term viability of this card, there’s a lot more to it.

Each year, Capital One Venture X offers a simple $300 travel credit, which covers $300 of any travel purchase made on Capital One Travel, even if the overall amount is more. This can include flights, cruises, car rentals.

On top of this, you also get 10,000 points, annually, which is enough to erase up to a $100 purchase on your account, or you can simply use as 10,000 miles with the Capital One airline or hotel transfer partner of your choosing, like Emirates or British Airways.

A year later, this card is even better.

Capital One Venture X includes generous airport lounge access, not just for Capital One Lounges including the recently opened Washington Dulles Lounge, but also with Priority Pass and some Plaza Premium.

It’s a phenomenal way to transform the airport experience in most airports around the world. You’ve got a space to relax, and yeah, probably to grab a drink and toast, too!

Since the launch of the Venture X Card, Capital One has also added more 1:1 points transfer partners, Virgin Red — better known as the umbrella program for the likes of Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Hotels is one. Virgin Red gives access to things like Voyages. You can convert Capital One Miles into miles with so many airlines.

This means, among others, you can transfer your Venture Miles to Virgin or Virgin Atlantic with ease. Virgin is one of the best opportunity to book premium and upgrade to business class, or use miles on partners like ANA. Here’s all the transfer partners for Capital One…

• Aeromexico Club Premier
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue
• Avianca LifeMiles
• British Airways Executive Club
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
• Choice Privileges
• Emirates Skywards
• Etihad Guest
• Finnair Plus
• Qantas Frequent Flyer
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• TAP Air Portugal Miles & Go
• Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles
• Virgin Red (Virgin Atlantic)
• Wyndham Rewards

75,000 Points Is Phenomenal!

As noted, Capital One is offering a generous 75,000 point card welcome bonus after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months of holding the card. All approvals will be able to take advantage of the annual $300 Capital One Travel credit.

There’s also now a Capital One Venture X Business card with a whopping 150,000 point welcome bonus too.

There’s most of your annual fee back right away, plus 75,000 transferrable points, so then it’s all about what the card can do for you and why it matters. Answer: quite a lot. Some things, 10X Miles at a time!

More Capital One Venture X Perks

Capital One has historically partnered with brands like Turo, and Venture X members received a huge 10X points per dollar spent on Turo rentals. A $1,000 rental would earn 10,000 miles, which could be transferred to airlines, or used as cash back.

Capital One also announced a variety of new memberships and credits.

As part of the unveil, a new “Premier Collection” of hotels has been introduced. A new membership to PRIOR, a trip planning service valued at $149 a year is also included with the $395 a year card fee.

There’s an additional $220 value on Cultivist, which gets free museum access. The complimentary six months to ‘The Cultivist’ allows free access to over 100 museums, including the Guggenheim and Musee D’Orsay.

New “Premier” Collection Of Hotel Perks

As part of this year’s unveils, a new “Premier Collection” of hotels has also been introduced.

At these hand selected properties, Capital One Venture X members who book through Capital One Travel will receive a $100 hotel credit, breakfast for two and other features on all stays is now a fixture of the program. Any standard Venture cardholders don’t receive access to this curated new collection, which adds value to the “X” factor card.

Tons Of Value

Those new things alone are worth up to $540 — not bad for a $395 a year card. Plus, add up $100 in credit for dining or hotel services on each stay, and that can stack up — fast! You’re not even factoring in the value of lounge access, or the $300 travel credit.

Getting Approved For A Capital One Venture X Card?

So far, all reports suggest that it’s much easier to get this incredible new card than it’s been to get many other Capital One cards historically. It didn’t use to be that way.

Even people with more than one new Capital One Card in the last six months are being approved, as are people who already have two or more card total Capital One cards.

If you’ve got excellent credit and don’t mind adding a new inquiry, that seems to do the trick for applications, based on the data points we’ve seen. This is an exciting update, and most people are being approved with credit lines north of $20,000, since the minimum line is $10k!

Yep, the Capital One Venture X is a Visa Infinite Card, which means there are great little cardmember extras on top of the specific benefits offered by Capital One.

Venture X: The Card Perks

What separates Capital One’s Venture X from the Venture Card? Massive earning, airport lounge access and a $300 annual travel credit, among others. The travel delay protections are also phenomenal.

A big difference with this Venture X card versus others, is that the included travel protections are things you actually want to use, rather than just things like collision coverage or trip delay insurance, which you really don’t want to need to use.

Points Earning

Capital One Venture X will earn 10X on hotels and car rentals through Capital One Travel and 5X on airfare via the same. For everything else, it’s 2X everywhere. There’s a lot more to this than just points earning though, as you’ll soon see.

Since Capital One Venture Miles can be redeemed at 1 cent per point of value toward travel, this effectively makes for a minimum of 2% cash back on all of your purchases, since the card earns at least 2X.

On hotel purchases through Capital One Travel, you’re earning 10% back, which is big.

For what it’s worth, Capital One has also offered increased earning rates throughout the years on bespoke partners, with offers like 5X on UberEats, so it’s always possible to earn more on non travel spend with the card, via these opportunities.

Travel Protections: No Hassle Cancellation, Price Drop & Freeze

Capital One is taking a different approach to the “use our travel site” game than Amex or Chase, so far. And yes, they all want you to use their travel booking sites very much.

Instead of just creating a decent travel booking site and offering more points for using it, Capital One bought travel tech company ‘Hopper’, so that it can offer a world class travel booking site, and new and unique benefits for cardmembers who do use it, in addition to the extra points.

Basically, there is real reason to use it, beyond points. One of those? Hassle free, no reason cancellation options on all airline tickets.

The two most blockbuster of these Capital One moves is the new price prediction tool, which dishes out partial refunds to cardmembers when it’s wrong, and the ability to purchase “no reason” cancellation for a small fee.

Capital One’s new price prediction tool gives cardmembers a refund on the difference in price, if the flight booking engine tells someone to book a flight and then the flight price goes down.

There are also bespoke features like price lock, which lets you freeze a good flight deal for up to 14 days to lock in a good price, and features like no hassle cancellations for a full refund.

If you book a flight and no longer can, or want to travel for any reason, you get money back, minus the fee paid for the cancellation protection or terms of the deal. It’s kinda like travel insurance, but actually much better.

GSTP would argue that Capital One Travel offers one of the most consumer friendly air travel booking experience of any travel website, thanks to these customer centric price drop and lock features. Who wouldn’t want a price tracker and predictor that gives money back? It’s far better than what airlines offer their own customers.

Trip Delay & Other Protections Too

As you can see, there are lots of features that are really handy to use regularly within the travel protection space. But as one might hope, there’s plenty of coverage for the things you don’t want to use, like…

• Primary Rental Car Collision Waiver: This counts as up to $75,000 toward collision or damage as the primary cover for rentals.
• Trip Delay Coverage: Up to $500 per person for necessary items and hotels during trip delays. Super handy, as airlines continue to cut customer service policies!
• Lost Luggage Protection: If your bag fails to turn up, and the ticket was paid for using your Capital One Venture X Card, you can claim up to $3,000 for your lost items.
• Mobile Phone Protection: By paying your mobile phone bill with your card, you can claim up to $800, up to two times per 12 months, for lost, damaged and other phone issues.

Here’s a link to all the benefit fine print from Capital One, for reading another time.

Access To Card Perks For Your Family, And Other Users Too

One of the annoying features of many premium credit cards is paying for extra users like spouses, children or trusted friends to have access to the key cardmember perks.

Capital One will not charge any fees for supplementary cards, and things like lounge access to the new Capital One Lounges will be open both to the primary cardholder and also any authorized users. So yep, if you get a card, family or friends can benefit without paying more for their cards. Unless of course they want their own bonus.

Cardholders are also welcome to bring two guests into the Capital One Lounges per visit, free of charge — and any guests after that would be charged at $45 per visit — a discount on the standard walk in price of $65 per visit for non-cardholders.

FYI the Capital One Venture X card also offers PriorityPass access.

In other words, a parent could sign up for the card and order authorized user cards for all the kids and everyone would be able to use the benefits of the lounges when they travel, without any fees.

Top Tier Hertz Status Too!

Hertz Presidents Circle is the best elite status offered by the dynamic car rental company and it comes with your Venture X Card. This is particularly exciting, given that Hertz just signed a deal for 100,000 Tesla’s.

As rental car shortages continue to create havoc, having elite status gives you a better chance of your rental car actually being there when you turn up, and even perhaps a nicer one, too!

Venture X: Why This Card Is A No Brainer

This card is a no brainer for a few reasons. It’s actually harder to think of an argument why not to get the card, than it is to drum up reasons to add the card to any portfolio.

The fact that you can combine your Venture Miles from the Capital One Venture X, with any other Capital One Venture Mile earning balances is pretty cool too! Here’s why this card makes sense, for just about everyone who actually travels at least a couple times a year…

• Access to 15 1:1 Transfer Partners: transfer points into airline miles with top loyalty programs, with a minimum of 2 miles earned per dollar spent on these partners.
• $400 of Value Toward $395 Annual Fee Every Year: Most credit card require you to do a bit more work before you break even on your annual fee. With this card, you’re getting 10,000 points worth at least $100 and $300 travel credit each year.
• Lounge & Guest Travel Benefits Too: Being able to get authorized user accounts for trusted family and friends allows perks to be shared with ease, and without annoying fees. Plus, the new Capital One Lounges are seriously nice.
• 10X Earning On Hotels And Car Rentals: As hotel loyalty programs become less rewarding, booking any hotel you want and earning 10X points, or the equivalent of 10% cash back is phenomenal.

This card is valuable purely on the basis of flight price drop protection, so when you add in rapidly expanding lounge access, crazy earning rates and this limited time VRBO and Airbnb credit, this is one of the best offers we’ve ever seen.

Capital One Venture X applications are live, and you can apply here.

The post Capital One Venture X Review: Perfect Premium Travel Card? appeared first on God Save The Points.

For all consumers, I hope that virtually everything I’m about to say will no longer be true within two years. For now, I really believe it is for Delta and what the airline just pulled off may be one of the master strokes of the decade in air travel.

People are emotionally lamenting significant changes to the Delta SkyMiles program, mainly around how people earn perks like upgrades or lounge access. Loyalty is now less of a fuzzy feeling and more of an absolute number. Scratch that — truly a number.

The reaction is amusing and even personal friends are hitting me for reaction out of sheer amusement for the exploding heads, talking heads and threats to never ever fly again. In one of those conversations I laid out what a business wide touch of genius this was, and how o-n-l-y Delta could’ve pulled it off. I think it’ll be wildly successful.

Multi Year, Multi-Phase Stickiness

Romantic ideas of loyalty are long gone in this house, though I yearn and lust for every gesture of old world hospitality and recognition still out there. Travel should be fun, it should feel personal and if you want people to really pull out their wallet, you gotta have rewards worth the squeeze.

What I believe Delta has proven, which I believe is the crux of this master stroke I speak of, is that building something superior does not need loyalty. If you have the best of the best with your products, loyalty is an icing and cherry on top of a Michelin starred dessert.

As I say, it’s always better to earn and participate in loyalty than not, but the master stroke here is that I think most of the negative reaction about switching airlines is hot air right now. People would be masochists.

Here’s why: for now, Delta is the best in the United States.

I am not even a Delta loyalist or regular, so just shut the f*ck up a bit before we start to march down the “omg paid spokesperson” stuff. I’m a mostly Oneworld frequent flyer who dabbles in SkyTeam via Virgin Atlantic. I don’t care about Delta’s bottom line or have any personal loyalty or business connection to the airline.

But — what I believe Delta has done is use it’s entire business to create a product people won’t leave. Not easily! Let me lay out why I think Delta is the best airline in the US right now.

• truly good free WiFi on all flights for simply joins Delta SkyMiles
• typically the best on-time performance of any US airline
• currently the best business class experience among US airlines
• world leading in-app capabilities for flight changes, upgrades and more
• most choice in SkyClubs for personalizing experience (premium options)
• competitive credit card program driving butt in seat benefits
• economy offerings that don’t feel degrading or cheap
• staff that feel empowered thanks to profit sharing
• CLEAR airport security benefits for top tier elites

What I’m saying is that if every “big time” DYKWIA road warrior who thinks Delta is giving them the middle finger wants to leave, they can — but they’ve gotta check their ego versus what they’ll experience with other airlines.

None of this stuff happened overnight. WiFi rollout takes years. Seats take years. App investments and co-branded credit card deals are endlessly challenging. If Delta tried this at any time before now it probably would’ve failed. If another airline tried this now, they’d probably fail.

Delta’s FOMO Advantage

There are people who will prefer experiences with the other big US airlines that offer competitive loyalty programs and some will enjoy dabbling based purely on the price of the ticket. But that in itself means Delta won. They made it clear their airline loyalty program is for wholistic loyalty. They’re not interesting in chasing cheapest fare.

I can’t think of another airline that comes near matching Delta’s wifi capability right now. That alone is worth actual money, if faced with the choice of paying for access on another carrier. My time is certainly worth a lot to me, particularly with the arrival of a new baby boy this month, and on-time performance is always going to win a share of my coin.

Whether it was always the plan or a fortuitous circling of events, Delta really picked a master stroke time to pull these changes whether you like them or not. I really don’t personally even have an opinion.

All that matters to me is that they picked a time when they had maximum advantage with their hand, when service levels were down on other airlines and when they had launched better products and customer centric offerings than their competitors to make the big, bold move.

I’d argue if American felt like they had nailed the flying side, customer side and tech side as well as Delta, they’d have gone further with their Loyalty Points status changes in the last year.

I Hope This All Changes

I love free markets behaving properly and with all hope almost every bullet point of “why I think Delta has maximum advantage” to pull this sort of loyalty move will be challenged.

Let’s see all the other major players roll out truly fast, exceptional Viasat style wifi that delivers streaming speed to every seat. Bring on airlines racing to push out better in-app experiences. Gimme’ a US carrier launching a world’s best business class product rather than a North American best. It’s been a while.

Please, pretty please let us see airlines race out with product updates, juicy card offers and fun loyalty opportunities that challenge the status quo. It’ll come — but I reckon Delta has a year to enjoy the fruits of this move.

The master stroke played by Delta here was putting years of product and tech work into creating the best product and sharing that vision with their loyalty and co-brand card teams. Once the flying side of the business was at optimal competitive advantage, Delta hit “go” on a loyalty program that won’t please everyone, but will almost certainly bring in more money which can be reinvested in richer benefits for those who Delta thinks deserves them.

The post The Multi-Year Master Stroke Behind Delta’s SkyMiles Changes appeared first on God Save The Points.

Everyone is flocking to Tokyo. But what about a city that offers all the deliciousness, culture, intrigue and beauty, without as much bustle and generally some better prices too?

Osaka is hardly ever the first city most people think of when they start planning their Japan trip. With so many bloggers writing entries about Tokyo or Kyoto, you’d think maybe those are the only two cities worth visiting. 

If you’re willing to dig a little deeper and enjoy interacting with locals when you travel, then Osaka is definitely a Tokyo alternative, or trip complement, well worth exploring. Known for its comedians, “Takoyaki” and lighthearted people, Osaka and the greater Kansai region definitely has soul.

Osaka is the major city in the Western half of Japan. Stereotypes of the typical Osakan are shrewd business people who are thrifty, yet have no qualms with blowing their paychecks on food and drink.

It is within that spirit that you find that Osaka is a town that is not pretentious, sometimes gritty, but chock full of affordable but high quality eating and drinking. 48 Hours in Osaka will leave you with a smile and most definitely an expanded waistline. 

Arrival Into Osaka

Most visitors to Osaka typically arrive by rail from Tokyo or Kyoto on the bullet train. Osaka’s “Shin Osaka Station” makes for easy connection to downtown via the Osaka Metro(subway), located down the escalators once you exit the turnstiles from the Bullet Train portion of the station.

The “Midosuji Line” is a direct connection to Osaka’s two busiest parts of town, Umeda and Minami (home to Namba and Shinsaibashi)

If you arrive by a direct flight into Osaka, you’ll end up at Kansai International Airport (KIX). From there, if you happen to have a Japan Rail Pass, you can take the JR Haruka Airport Express train to Tennoji or Shin-Osaka station and take the metro or a cab to your lodging.

If the Rail Pass isn’t a factor, the fastest way into town is the Nankai Rapi:t Airport Express which takes 45 minutes and drops you off in the heart of the action in Namba. 

Getting Around Osaka

Osaka is a top 3 major city in Japan, and as such the public transportation is very good.

Rail would be your most affordable bet, with the JR Loop Line and Osaka Metro Subway lines getting you to pretty much anywhere worth going while in town. Definitely download an offline version of Google Maps for Osaka before you head out on the streets.

Uber is available but only in Uber Taxi form as of writing. 

Where to Stay In Osaka

Osaka has plenty of options for all kinds of budgets and types of travelers. Primarily divided into two areas: The North Ward (Umeda and Kita-Ku) and the South Ward (Namba and Shinsaibash known colloquially by locals as “Minami” which is Japanese for south).

Don’t go looking for a Kyoto style Ryokan in Osaka however; this is a big city! Whether you’re balling out or balling on a budget, you can find a place to suit your wallet.

Hotel Options And More

Starting “North” and heading “South”, Umeda (North) is home to most chains, including a Westin, a brand new Intercontinental, Hilton and Ritz-Carlton. 

For solo travelers on more of a budget, you can stay at the First Cabin Nishi-Umeda for a unique experience. Like the different cabins on a commercial airliner, the hotel is divided into First and Business class.

First class has rooms averaging $70USD per night with your own 32 inch Televsion, twin bed, safe and 4.4 square meters of personal space. Business Class is essentially just sliding door opening to a bed with 2.5 square meters of space.

Don’t fret though as there is a TV and a safe built into the bed itself. You do get to experience a Japanese communal bath for a “Onsen on a budget” type of feel. 

Getting A Feel For The Neighborhood

A few minutes south of these hotels in Nakanoshima, you will find a quasi brand new Conrad and the Rihga Royal Hotel, which has been around for over 80 years and while considered a luxury hotel, has cheaper rooms often found under $100 on one side of the property. 

In Honmachi, which is halfway between the North and South wards, you will find the St. Regis Osaka which has a beautiful terrace, complete with Japanese garden, on the twelfth floor for cocktails.

Honmachi is also home to a plethora of mid-level accommodations as well as business hotels (if you ever see the APA brand of hotels or Mitsui Garden Hotels show up on your travel site those two are safe bets for a clean and tidy room that won’t break the budget anywhere in Japan)

Shinsaibashi is the start of the South Ward/Minami and home to the Nikko Hotel owned by the Japan Airlines group. Rooms can be found for under $200 and while they aren’t the biggest, the location and access to the subway station make this a top choice for those staying around Minami.

Given that this is a highly touristy area, there are many hotels to choose from. By the Namba train station is the upscale Swissotel Nankai, which is also very convenient if you are arriving by air to Kansai airport since the train station is connected to the hotel itself. 

What to See & Do In Osaka

Osaka Castle is the primary landmark in Osaka. I’ll give you an insider tip: don’t bother going inside. It’s been gutted and turned into a museum. What you should do is grab a coffee and take a walk around the castle grounds because it is a beautiful outdoor park. 

The Osaka Aquarium, or “Kaiyukan” as it is known, is a giant aquarium specializing in fish and species from the Pacific Rim. The prized spectacle here is a nine meter by thirty four meter giant Whale Shark habitat. 

Dotombori Canal in Shinsaibashi/Namba area is the number one photo op spot for that “I went to Osaka” photo. Best go at night, when all the neons are lit up. Consider it Osaka’s version of Piccadilly Circus. Bonus points for posing as the “Glico Man” in front of their Neon. 

Want that perfect “I Went to a Temple” photo without having to schlep around Kyoto?

Head to Sumiyoshi Taisha. Complete with temples, a beautiful bridge over a pond, and a surrounding neighborhood which is like a walk back in time, Sumiyoshi Taisha is a perfect way to spend a little time in the afternoon.

Tsutentaku Tower is another famous Osaka landmark located in the Shinsekai neighborhood. While known to locals as a seedier part of town, it originally was made to mirror the more posh global cities like New York or Paris (With Tsutenkaku Tower being the Eiffel Tower-like centerpiece of the area).

Things to eat in this part of town? Fugu, or Japanese blowfish, at the famous Zuboraya restaurant and Kushi-Katsu, fried skewers of meats and vegetables but we’ll get to that in the food section below for better options elsewhere. 

Food Highlights Not To Miss!

What Osaka might lack in big ticket tourist attractions and glitz and glamour it surely makes up for in food. Forget Jiro and the notion that Japan is all about exclusive restaurants and bank breaking dinner tabs.

This is a town that’s about giving you maximum bang for the buck and believe me, if you can’t pump out maximum flavor for your yen, savvy Osakans will put you out of business quickly. 

“Locals Only”

For where the locals eat? You can’t miss with hopping around Osaka’s lively Fukushima neighborhood, accessible by the JR Loop line (Fukushima Stop) just west of Umeda in the North. There’s literally hundreds of little restaurants and pubs all around the train station and you can wander around the little alleys and sneak into a few places.

Let’s start with Takoyaki, THE Osaka dish.

It’s a starchy, circular puff filled with a piece of Octopus, some tempura batter and finely chopped ginger and scallion. Smothered in a savory sauce, Japanese mayonnaise and finely ground seaweed and bonito shavings, most neighborhoods in Osaka have street side vendors flipping these for a quick take home meal or a spot to stand and enjoy a beer with friends.

My favorite spot? The low key and lively “Takoya”. Try the “Sauce Mayo” takoyaki for a traditional start on your takoyaki adventure. If octopus isn’t your thing, there’s plenty of other interesting and fun Japanese pub-style plates to choose from as well as some top flight sakes. 

What’s Beef?

What’s a trip to Japan without some top ranked Wagyu?

Also a few minutes walk from the Fukushima station is an amazing Japanese BBQ restaurant, “Ushigatari”. The owner Mr. Yamaguchi, is from a family of Cattle ranchers from Yamagata Prefecture, home to a beef so exclusive, it only makes up for about 5% of all Wagyu consumed domestically and never for export.

Kobe beef? played out. THIS is the real deal. He only uses meat from his family’s ranch and fresh cuts are delivered daily.

Making our way south, in the basement of the aforementioned Rihga Royal Hotel, is an Osaka Sushi establishment with roots dating back to the year 1653. “Sushi Man” specializes in Osaka style sushi, which is different from the Edo-mae (Tokyo) style of sushi (and a conversation to be had with your chef about the differences when you arrive as part of the fun).

Whether its a la carte, or a coursed Omakase, you won’t find pretentious chefs here or the need for a reservation months in advance. You’re welcome. 

Heading further South back to the Namba area, another Osaka staple is Kushi-Katsu. Kushi meaning stick, and Katsu being a Japanese-English abbreviation of Cutlet. Meats, fish and vegetables all skewered up, dipped in a batter and deep fried to a golden color is a must-eat while in Osaka.

There’s plenty of places to choose from that are very low key but my suggestion for your first time is “Kushi No Bou” in Namba. It’s a more upscale version than you’d find compared to the street food, standing room only type of places. Here too you can do either a la carte or an Omakase style. 

How about some Korean food? Osaka is home to the largest enclave of Koreans and Korean descendants in Japan. If you’re feeling adventurous and don’t mind getting lost in a maze of vendors of Kimchi and BBQ restaurants, take a trip on the JR Loop line to Tsuruhashi station and get lost in the maze of markets below.

Want an easier alternative? Head to ”Shokudoen” just past the famous Dotombori Canal on Soemoncho Street. The place has been around forever and you can get some amazing beef to grill and eat some delicious Korean dishes as well. The place has a a truly unique vibe that is a trip back in time. Can’t miss it!

That’s it! Enjoy Osaka

If you happen to have extra time or a few extra days, Kobe is a great place to visit and close to Osaka. If world heritage sites and buddhism tickle your fancy, you can head south to Wakayama and visit Mt. Koya and stay at an actual buddhist temple as well.

Kyoto on your mind? here’s a pro tip: lodging in Osaka is going to be much cheaper and Kyoto is only a 15 minute bullet train ride away with the rail pass, or a 40 minute commuter train ride away.

The post 48 Hours In Osaka: Where To Eat, What To Do & More appeared first on God Save The Points.

Let’s be honest, on some level, everyone who loves elite status in travel kind of loves to see themselves as George Clooney or Vera Farmiga in ‘Up In The Air’. It’s fun to be the mysterious, ultra-important customer who the seas part for. That movie made people who previously didn’t pay attention, pay attention and aspire.

This week, people are mad at Delta Airlines for being a little bit more overt about which people truly matter enough to them to open up the coveted velvet ropes and extend valuable perks going forward.

Unfortunately for most of us, we’re just not nearly as important to our chosen hotel or airline loyalty program as we’d like to think we are.

It’s ok — take a deep breath and stop being emotional. The best thing we can do is to be as rational with our travel decisions as they are with their customer decisions.

Emotion VS Metrics

In an AI driven, data analytics world, we travelers still operate emotionally with our loyalty and in my opinion, it’s becoming our fatal flaw. No tears have been shed by airlines or hotels over you deciding not to renew your elite status. You either hit the heavily scrutinized and modeled numbers, or you don’t.

Yet here we are trying to justify spending hundreds or thousands on a trip we don’t need, or staying on the wrong side of town, just to hit that next level of the elite status game. We potentially get a perk in return which may in reality be worth less than the expense extended just to achieve it or too much hassle to enjoy.

Everyone has their vocals with violin of “I gave X number of loyal years to this, or that” and they can sing with that violin all they want, but when push comes to shove, no one is listening, no one truly cares and those days are over.

If we approach each travel transaction with equal clarity as these loyalty programs we can still have fun and enjoy the ever changing games.

My advice here is simple: always earn — and don’t play stupid games.

Participating in loyalty is always better than not. At the very least, points add up to discounts, savings or perks. Even if you no longer hit elite status benchmarks you’d be a fool to not earn something.

If you’re going to continue to pursue perks or elite status, choose your battles with the precision and data these programs do. Find the best perks that fit the organic patterns of your travels and don’t be struck with FOMO (fear of missing out) for things like perks you don’t really need, or will struggle to redeem later.

Enjoy the freedom of picking the best hotel on merit, or the best flight on schedule. And yes, still earn points and status where you can, obviously, just don’t get caught on a hamster wheel if the cheese isn’t worth the calories.

I made a conscious decision not to chase any hotel loyalty, because I found that working with travel agents with Virtuoso and other benefits yielded equal, if not better perks and allowed me to remain a free agent, not beholden to any one group. I stand by that, for my personal travel. I still earn minor tiers naturally, but I’m not addicted to top tier.

To be fair, I’m not a top tier guest either. That’s me coming to terms with my true value to the programs.

Let this data driven “show me the money” era of travel loyalty be freeing. Don’t chase status just so you can feel some sort of superiority or stand in line ahead of others at the airport or hotel. Trust me, no one is really that interested in your shiny luggage tag.

The adjustment will be seeing that there are still benefits if you stick with a program — heck Delta gives free wifi to all Skymiles members — just perhaps not the level of benefits people believe they were e-n-t-i-t-l-e-d to.

People talk about swapping over to other programs, but most data points would suggest its hot air. Very few actually swap, due to the ever changing nature of the game.

If Delta truly has superior products, it’d also be self sabotage to leave just out of spite. That’s personal choice. It’d be easy to argue that Delta’s products will only get better as the top tiers thin out to only those who spend enough with the airline to justify truly premium experiences. Harsh world, but real.

I’ve long argued that if everyone is “VIP”, no one is.

The reality is, many people lamenting Delta’s changes, and recent changes from other programs were doing crazy things to earn perks to fuel some sort of emotional feeling or connection. The ones that hit it naturally really aren’t impacted.

Delta has made it clear that spending money on flights or their credit cards is what matters to them. If that’s cool for you, cool. If it’s not, enjoy the feeling of free agency. Take even a small step out of the echo chamber of frequent travel forum and you’ll be told plainly that the behavior of flying somewhere or staying somewhere just to earn something you may or may not be able to use, is mental. It’s nice not to be crazy.

In many ways its sad that the “games” around status are over, but in many ways it’s also just cutting the chatter of the philosophical arguments rather than the cold hard numbers which truly justify the businesses giving out the benefits.

People did too much to earn things they probably didn’t need, or could’ve easily lived without, and that overstretched behavior created this deeply emotional rub between programs and travelers.

Path Of Least Resistance

Most but not all people choose the loyalty program with the easiest route to the thing that they want. In a world of comparison shopping and price drop alerts, it’s natural to look for the best pathway to the best perk.

But is that loyalty? It’s a handshake driving some sales for sure, but is it driving the best sales or the mutually beneficial loyalty where both parties are happy to indulge each other in rich benefits without red tape or hassle?

If too many people are “VIP”, no one is.

The truth is that for any functioning business, expenses are justified by income and the completely fun and totally amusing, but also completely convoluted world of air travel elite recognition metrics we mutually created is done.

Flying on a $200 USA to Australia ticket back and forth — over and over again where the airline makes $1 off the customer, but that customer gets more perks than the person who spends $1000 to fly from New York to Washington DC every week is just wrong.

Those in the know loved “the game”, including me — but if you ask me, the games that were created are dead, or certainly calling for the defibrillator. When we put emotions aside, we know it just doesn’t make sense, even if we’d like it to.

The true “dream” customer is unfortunately for most of us, a truly high margin one. The more data that comes in, the more that can be tracked back to that margin for the business, the more the airline or hotel has to invest in the benefits.

Loyalty will only become more impressive for those who pledge that 360° loyalty to fly, stay and spend with one airline and hit lofty numbers, and for everyone else, enjoy the freedom of making logical decisions for each trip. There will still be perks, but they’ll be different.

In 1994, the Wu Tang Clan declared “cash rules everything around me”, and when we put the emotion aside, it rules everything in travel these days too.

The post Stop Being So Emotional About Elite Status And Travel Perks appeared first on God Save The Points.

Now look, before you grab your pitchforks – no one is saying that the Italian Riviera isn’t one of the greatest and most worthwhile destinations on earth. It unquestionably is.

All we’re saying is that an unfair amount of attention goes to the places you already know, they’re expensive, and if you’re smart – it means there are destinations worth exploring right now for less, before everyone else does.

I think this way, because my dad ruined travel for me. As an American in the 60’s, he explored Europe when you could live on $2 per day, and I’ve held a grudge ever since.

While that dream may long be over, Albania may be the closest thing – and even if it wasn’t cheap, the views, the food and the culture are worth it. Here’s everything you need to know about this underrated (and under priced) gem. But don’t wait too long, it’s getting wildly popular this year, by “cool kid” terms…

So, Where Is The Albanian Riviera

Geography lessons in Europe are always fun, in part because they’re usually surprising. The Albanian Riviera is mere miles across the water from Corfu, on the border with Greece and couldn’t be closer geographically to Puglia, Italy and places along “the boot”.

If you weren’t sold on the potential for beautiful coastline before, hopefully the realisation that Albania is smack-dab in the middle of many of the most iconic beach and seasides in Europe helps. Think of the best of Greece and the best of Italy, but at prices that would blow your mind.

Getting There

Getting to Albania is nowhere near as difficult as it once was.

Top European airlines like Lufthansa and British Airways now offer direct services to Tirana, Albania, and many discount airlines such as Wizz Air, Alitalia and Pegasus do as well. But that still leaves you a 4+ hour drive down to the coast.

Instead, catching one of the endless number of flights to nearby Corfu is the smart play here. Not only does it create opportunity for a little two in one trip, but it saves you hours on the ground. From Corfu, you’re just a 30 minute ferry ride from the heart of the Albanian Riviera.

Who Would Like It?

If you’re looking for a spot with gorgeous beaches, delicious food and fascinating heritage, but without a back breaking price point – probably, you.

The Albanian Riviera offers the best of clear blue waters, sandy beaches and laid back life in an area that’s still largely under developed. If you had to compare it directly to another location, it’s probably gotta be Greece. Deep blue waters, beautiful cliffs, fresh seafood and laidback lifestyle, all served with enviable charm.

If you weren’t already sold, a carafe of wine is about $5USD for good stuff. You won’t get any of the $700 a night resorts of Greece or Italy, but if you want something amazing for under $70, this is your spot.

Where To Go

Let’s be real: nothing here fits the pop culture bill of “touristy”, like say… the Cinque Terre or Mykonos, but this little gem of an Eastern European secret is getting more attention with every day.

Saranda is the most popular riviera town and is worth exploring, but areas like Ksamil, Dhermi and Vuno are the areas that tend to win over hearts and minds.

Here’s a link to some Saranda hotels on Tripadvisor. There literally isn’t a hotel over $100 per night, most are around $50, and you can find others for far less. Same goes for Ksamil too.

The hardest thing to overcome is the mentality that hotels will automatically be horrible for the price, because they’re just not.

If you want to take things a step further, to a place which almost all critics agree is simply wonderful, Ksamil is the town. It’s everything rustic, charming, authentic and unique you seek, but with actual views like this…

The seafood rivals the best in the world, the beaches are beautiful, small and often half empty and the town puts you in a virtually perfect position to explore nearby places of cultural interest, including the UNESCO World Heritage site Butrint.

It’s a near perfectly preserved area from Greek and Roman times with incredible ruins and angles that will make your Instagram following very jealous. Oh, and the bus ride is less than $1 between the towns.

Because we as tourists are drawn like moth to flame toward anything crystal blue, liquid and beautiful, another must see along the Albanian Riviera is “The Blue Eye”. It’s accessible by bus for under a buck.

This mysterious natural spring is phenomenal to witness, in part because you can’t take your eyes off the deep blue eye. Imagine a placid, beautiful river style setting worth visiting anyway, but where a 50m deep hole with the most captivating aqua-blue-turquoise water bubbling up creates an optical illusion.

Syri I Kalter (The Blue Eye) is a prized place in Albanian history, and during the communist days of the country, only the elite were allowed to visit. Some say it holds magical powers, but whether you believe that kind of crap or not, you might as well see it.

When To Visit The Albanian Riviera

This area, like the Grecian and Italian cities surrounding it, is almost perfect from May to October. Obviously, in a place with gorgeous beaches and crystal blue waters you want to be able to actually enjoy them – so going when it’s warm enough is key.

You’ll find low rainfall and hot hot heat from June through late September. If you had to pick, late May before the summer crowds or mid September after them are probably the most idyllic times to visit. Really, you can’t go wrong.

In the larger sense though, the time is now. There just aren’t that many destinations where you can experience something beautiful and unique without a price gouge, and this up and coming part of the world won’t stay under the radar for long. On that note: bring cash, because credit card machines are not yet a “thing” here.

Like all the greatest seaside escapes, it’s the natural resources which make the Albanian Riviera so special. Right now, its just perfect.

GSTP originally recommended visiting Albania in 2019…

The post Albanian Riviera: Europe’s Most Beautiful Budget Travel Secret appeared first on God Save The Points.

There’s never a bad time to become knowledgeable.

Like they say in the Lion King, what’s in the past is in the past. We’re here to help dispel the silly tips and genuine fake news the internet may have delivered into your traveling tool box.

With far too much straight up bad information out there from upgrade tips to currency exchange tricks, there are quite a few myths which need to be debunked to get your next trip started off right, and to avoid sounding like. an idiot when talking to friends.

Here are 10 of the worst travel myths, debunked…

To Get Flight Upgrades, Don’t Assign A Seat

Not only are you not going to land a cushy upgrade with this advice, you’re probably going to get the worst seat in the cabin you paid for. Many airlines charge for advanced seat assignments, but there’s no advantage to not assigning a seat at all when they become free to select at check in.

Long story short: you should always assign a seat as quickly as you can.

Good seats get selected immediately when the 24 hour or 48 hour free seating assignment window opens and realistically, upgrades are dished out to top tier customers or travelers who have been inconvenienced and it’s almost never based on not having a seat. Here’s how to actually get upgrades…

There’s One Magical Cure To Jet Lag

If there is, the closest thing is melatonin – but there’s not. Fighting jet lag is about masterfully planning and orchestrating a series of events which keep you hydrated, get your eating cycles on destination time and send the correct signals to your brain about when you’re tired and what time it really is. It’s about light, diet, rest and invigorating your body, in a masterful concerto.

Here’s the very best advice for tackling jet lag. Sadly, it’s not a one word read.

On that front, fasting, including resisting alcohol, is very sadly one of the best ways to avoid jet lag on significant time zone changes. Here’s more on that, in case you feel like joining the crazy anti jet lag crowd. If you really want to tackle jet lag, you’re going to need to devote an hour to planning.

All Touristy Things Are Bad

There’s a never ending supply of tourist mistakes around the world, but being a snob is one of the biggest. Some places, no matter how touristy, are worth visiting even if just for the view, the scent, the history or the waves.

Don’t be so cool that you miss one of the best attractions and see what makes people happy by thinking you’re Anthony Bourdain. There was only one.

Be as willing to explore the pop culture stuff as you are to jump off the beaten path and you will be rewarded with a wealth of happiness and cultural understanding. And don’t be afraid to explore this one simple rule for travel, which helps to bring the most rewarding experiences.

Use Home Currency When Paying Abroad

Travellers throw away billions of collective dollars every year by getting short changed on credit card transactions abroad. It’s called DCC, or dynamic currency conversion. The next time you hear “it doesn’t matter which currency you choose”, they’re wrong and usually lying.

To avoid this frustrating travel myth, always choose the currency of the country you’re standing in – not the currency you use at home. Just make sure you use a credit card with no foreign exchange fees too. Here’s more on all that. Basically: pay in whatever currency is the local currency, every time.

All Hotel Booking Sites Offer The Same Price

Hotels love offering “best rate guarantees”, but those are based on the best rates you can find publicly. The truth is: there are better rates out there in private. Travel agents and private hotel membership can offer rates which aren’t shown to the general public via things called “bed banks”.

Though they sound dingy, they’re worth learning about. They’ve saved up to $1000 on just a three night stay for us before. Never buy a hotel room without checking at least three websites, comparing the price with booking directly and then also looking into any membership sites, or travel agent perks.

Countries With Travel Warning Should Always Be Avoided

Dreaming of going to Rome, Paris, Turks and Caicos, Cancun or the Taj Mahal on your next vacation? If you follow every travel warning, you’ll never get there. Travel bans are different, but warnings at most levels are just warnings, not advice not to go.

The United States issues travel warnings on 4 levels, and these “Level 2” countries mean to simply exercise increased caution and be careful in large crowds. Basically, don’t be an idiot – which is good advice anywhere.

But also: Don’t let cheap fear mongering headlines, like “Italy moved to level 2 travel warning” ruin travel dreams.

We’ve got a great resource which breaks down what travel warnings actually mean, including links to what they really suggest. Most of the time, they’re just telling you to be careful. They’re not telling you not to go. The world is too amazing to miss.

There’s A Magic Day Or Week To Book Travel

Know this: Black Friday and Cyber Monday are no joke, but they’re the very closest thing you’ll find to a magical day to book travel. Hint: it’s not “Tuesday”. To score the best flight deals, it’s often more about when you want to go than when you want to book, and setting price alerts to see when prices do change.

Want to really win?

Think about changing your travel plans to shoulder season months when airfare can be 43% lower or better. Here’s a few tips. As far as magic days, it’s easier to talk about ones to avoid, like any number within 7 days of flying, when last minute penalties kick up, unless you book a package with hotels too.

Also, don’t be afraid to learn everything you can about Google Flights, so you can let the best deals you’ve searched for come to your inbox. Setting price alerts early, sitting back and relaxing is often the best strategy to save.

It’s Always Cheaper To Buy Wine When You Visit A Country

Wrong, and to the tune of 20% in some places. It’s true: it’s cheaper to buy (great) wine in France than just about anywhere else on earth, but some countries are far more focused on exporting their precious grapes, than travelers guzzling wine on home soil.

In Australia, it’s actually 20% cheaper if you buy the wine and have it shipped out of the country, which basically means it’s the same price outside of the country too. If you want to stay extra savvy, Vivino is the best wine app for travelers, in our opinion.

The Airport Is The Best Place To Take Money Out

This is flat out wrong. Despite the “no fee”, “no commission” or other alluring neon signs you’ll find, you’re getting duped another way. These money exchange services use a consumer rate of exchange which is often 10% worse than the actual current exchange rate offered at that moment between banks.

It’s almost always cheaper to take out one large sum with your debit card abroad, paying just one ATM fee, or ideally – none. By doing so, you’ll get a “bank rate” of exchange, which can save 10% or more. Just tell your bank you’re traveling first.

Paying one ATM fee is almost always going to save more thanks to the bank rate of exchange, than a ‘no commission’ exchange using the consumer rate. Oh, and here’s a full guide on the subject, since this can get complicated.

The Northern Lights Are Only In Iceland

You’ve gotta give Iceland credit. Despite the Aurora Borealis existing since the dawn of time and covering vast swaths of the upper Northern Hemisphere, travelers seem convinced that Iceland is the only place offering the dazzling, electrically charged light display.

They’re wonderful there, no doubt, but there are so many other places to see them, and many which are cheaper. The Northern Lights are best viewed anywhere with minimal artificial light, so the more remote you can go the better. There are countless places to find them, like Norway, Canada, or Lapland.

Frequent Flyer Miles Are Too Complicated To Bother

Why bother, right? No. Credit card points and airline miles may be complicated, but anyone not bothering with collecting them is simply a fool. At the very least, they’re a rebate towards future travel.

The way the industry is going, points are becoming easier to use and even have more defined value than ever. For example, Delta lets you use 10,000 points to take $100 off a flight. This is a myth too expensive to believe. You need to play the points game, and you can do it without even flying or having a credit card.

The post 10 Silly Travel Myths Debunked, Including Upgrades appeared first on God Save The Points.

Greece is glorious. There, that’s all you need to know.

That means it’s time to get excited and start to fully prepare for all the food, dramatic sights and stellar wine you’ll encounter on your next trip to Santorini, Greece, the off the charts beautiful Cycladic Island. Yep, it may not be the most “low key” island, but there’s a reason it is what it is and always will be.

Of all the blessed islands and viewpoints in this big wide world, it’s hard to even imagine another which offers the natural drama, beauty and color juxtaposition of this incredible island known as Thira – aka Santorini.

Some destinations are about exploration and discovery, while others are for hitting reset, finding your own little slice of heaven and relaxing to the max.

There’s plenty of exploration on offer in Santorini via hikes, boat trips, vineyard tours and nights out, but even the locals would excuse you for finding the perfect view, and not moving an inch.

Well, maybe just one or two to sip some wine or enjoy the truly up and coming dining scene.

If it’s your first trip to the island, choosing which village to stay in is absolutely crucial and each one will bring a completely different travel experience, so use this easy guide to help pick the best places to stay, find some restaurant gems and discover where to watch the sun set in ways that will take on an entirely new meaning!

Santorini Airport: Transfers And Chaos

Santorini Airport was a bit of a $h!tshow for the last few years thanks to constant construction and dated facilities, but renovations are complete! It’s like, not even that bad now. In fact, it’s easy.

Hot Tip: If you are flying into Santorini, you absolutely want to avoid being in the middle of the plane.

Get a seat in the front, or the way back, because almost all flights deplane using both doors, and last off will face the longest wait at immigration. If you’re in the middle, you will be last off.

Departing, it’s a fine dance between arriving as late as possible and saving enough time for immigration, but as a relatively small airport, you don’t need to get there in “panic early” kinda times.

For airport transfers from Santorini Airport (JTR), you’ll definitely want to arrange all this in advance with your hotel, or Airbnb. It’s all a bit of a hustle at the airport door, particularly if you don’t speak Greek.

Many hotels will arrange these for you with no sweat in advance, so if you don’t want to sweat it when you arrive – take them up on that offer. Seriously.

Santorini: Where To Stay

Santorini’s villages are dotted with boutique hotels, but you’d be excused for walking past most of them. Very few hotels feature grand entrances, with most simply offering a gate with a sign offering its name.

Don’t mistake that for modesty: the good stuff is down a series of steps with uninhibited Caldera views out to the sea below.

With an increasing number of cruise visitors and party people, choosing which village to stay in is everything. Here’s a breakdown, and a few suggestions for each. If you just want to skip to our two favorites, The Vasilicos and Santorini Sky win, hands down.

Fira

This is the town where all cruise traffic ends and begins, and to say it’s by far the most tourist centric is an understatement. Think: McDonalds, not moussaka, busses not bicycles and yeah, all that kind of stuff.

That’s not to say it’s not worth a visit, because there are pretty areas tucked away, but it’s just  experiencing an incredible amount of traffic, without much of the charm you’ll find in smaller villages nearby. Enigma Suites or Aria Suites would be two options here.

Pirgos

With an enviably high position overlooking the island, this is a cool place to stay which is just outside the chaos, all with a very local and authentic feel. It’s easy to get around to Imerovigli and then onto Oia with amazing food all around town.

Another benefit? It’s generally a bit cheaper than the full on tourist scenes and it’s a great place, especially if you like Airbnb. Amazing villas can be had at prices half what you’d pay in other parts of the island for smaller places. Here’s the top Airbnb in the area, and Carpe Diem is a solid hotel option.

With the opening of Santorini Sky, there’s another top contender with social distancing at its heart, offering private villas replete with amenities – including a pool!

Imerovigli

Sure, people go to Oia for sunset because that’s what they’ve been told, but Imerovigli may be the best value in Santorini, while also offering arguably even better sunset views. You get wow factor left and right, without the same hustle and bustle.

With a beautiful and safe walking path through the idyllic town that runs all the way to Oia, this is an amazing way to enjoy Santorini in a far more low key and authentic setting, without compromising on jaw dropping views.

The caldera is “right” there. There’s a place in Imerovigli which I think is beyond stunning and is easily one of the most private and secluded hotels in the area, with a huge distance between the fence (where people may try to take sunset pictures) and the actual hotel. That’s the Vasilicos.

The Vasilicos is easily one of the best hotels we’ve ever enjoyed and Cavotagoo is another gem which caters to more of a “club scene” and relatively obscene opulence.

Oia

This is the “scene” of Santorini, with the famous windmills, blue roofed churches – which are also in other villages by the way – and the buzzing restaurants. Oia is no longer the peaceful getaway it once was and sees more than 5,000 people descend upon it every night at sunset.

There are luxury hotels here which will blow minds, but it’s much more of a music by the pool with champagne than read a book and relax environment. Canaves Oia and Mystique are the high end options in this area, all of which will properly blow minds, and not just because of the price.

Santorini Must Do Activities

As most locals will tell you, experiencing Santorini isn’t about turning over every stone, it’s about finding the stone you like most and spending as much time enjoying the natural splendour of it all. In other words, don’t go crazy trying to tick all the boxes.

There’s no deep underground or West Village full of boutique shopping to get lost in for days. Come, relax, eat delicious food and take in vantage points that you can’t believe with your own eyes, even when you’re standing there. With that said, there are a few great things to do…

A Boat Tour

If you do one thing, and only one thing: take a boat ride. But don’t just take any boat ride, hire a private or semi private boat from a boutique operation which isn’t packing 100’s of people onto a deck that feels as if you’re on a pirate ship.

Know this: Santorini, more than most destinations, is all about peeling back the layers between tourist gouging and local relationships, so it’s fully possible to hire a private boat for the same price mainstream tourists will pay to sit arm to arm with 100’s of others.

For a really fun day, hit up George at Santorini Yachting Club, we took the Captain Lambros traditional boat and loved every minute.

Imerovigli – Oia Hike

By hike, we really mean a nice walk on a well manicured path, but the steps will definitely make it feel like quite a hike. The walk takes around two hours, so don’t expect it to be the fastest thing you do, but it’s definitely one of the most rewarding.

Each lookout provides another photo you’ll never forget and there are so many great little cafes and tavernas to grab anything from a cold water to a nice glass of assyrtiko, and definitely a mouth watering Santorini salad too. Once you’ve done this, you’ve really seen a lot, and still have at least half a day left. You can always cab it back…

Wine Tasting Or Vineyard Tour

Other parts of Greece have done well with dry red wine, but Santorini is the new hot spot for the world’s top mineral driven whites.

The assyrtiko grape is an incredible expression of rich, opulent flavour, all with the minerality you’d expect from a black soil, black rock Volcanic island. Vassaltis offers an amazing experience as far as high end wine goes, and Santo Wines offers truly stunning views with great menus. Booking ahead is likely a great idea.

Check Out Red And Black Beaches

Santorini is not the island you come to for beaches. In fact, it’s one of the worst in that regard, at least if you ask a Greek. To me, it’s still pretty cool!

Although they’re more soften volcanic rock than soft white sand, these beaches are dramatic, picture worthy and are a great place to relax for the day, particularly if you don’t have an amazing view or private pool where you are staying.

Red Beach, Perivolos and Kamari are all great calls if you want to dip your toes in, or just take a walk. There’s also a big emergence of Mykonos style beach clubs, so toast the trip with a glass of rose and some European dance tunes?

Great Places To Eat On Santorini

Perhaps it’s the weather, but whatever you think you’ll be craving here, the heat of Santorini in summer tends to make all the amazing vegetables and fresh produce shine to levels which make your tastebuds even more overjoyed than imagined.

Think fresh caught fish crudo or carpaccio, aromatic herbs over fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and local cheese and all sorts of lovely dishes involving honey, yoghurt and all that good stuff. Here’s a few places sure to delight…

Melitini

Laid back, delicious and with enviable views over Oia, Melitini is such a great call. Prices are extremely fair – think €10 for a main course – and made with real attention to detail. This menu isn’t fussy but offers a truly local take on the best of Greek food, with friendly and forgiving staff. You can’t go wrong for lunch or dinner.

Kaliya

Modern, sleek, upscale – Kaliya is a stellar option for a nice meal. This isn’t budget dining, but it’s brilliant dining for sure. Think raw bar, incredible salads, market fresh catches and inventive twists. It’s not grandma’s food, but it might taste just as good, or better.

Red Bicycle

This is the go-to for slightly more sophisticated dining, and although prices are a bit higher than elsewhere, the food really doesn’t disappoint. Go for the views, stay for the food – you’re paying for both. Can’t go wrong with the squid or the smoked eel, if it’s in stock. Marios Tsouris the chef has worked in some of the best kitchens in the world and for a special meal, Red Bicycle is way up there.

Metaxi Mas

It’s popular, but with good reason. This is yet another great example of low key delicious food with great service aiming to please. Metaxi Mas books up fast on a pretty night, so don’t sleep on it if you want in. Of course, there are less crowded places to go – but this is a good one.

Aroma Avlis

Looking for lunch? Ding, ding-ding. This is modern Greek done right, with exacting presentation and style but all with the laidback vibes you are looking for on an island vacation. Aroma Avlis prices are fair, views are nice and lunch is definitely the best value with fewer crowds too. And hey, it’s a winery, so you know they’ve got that covered too…

Salty Bone

Seafood, seafood and better seafood? Here you go. Salty Bone uses ancient Greek recipes and unparalleled fish market access to bring truly outstanding fresh fish and seafood to life. Some is cooked, some is not, but it’s always presented and dressed in ways which make you so glad you came. This is a must.

The Vasilicos

The Vasilicos is a hotel with perhaps the best view of Skaros rock at sunset. This makes for the true definition of “jaw dropping” views in every direction from the hotel terrace. Dinner is on a reservation only basis and the food is outstanding, albeit a bit pricey – but the sunset views definitely help justify the cost, and there’s no other way to get in if you’re not staying…

What’s your best Santorini tip?

Thanks to our friends Greek for Points for showing us around, year after year to keep these guides on point : )

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