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Airport Lounge Access, My Experience

 The first rule of airport lounges is to not talk about airport lounges. So crowded because people would take all their friends and extended family in, then fill their cargo shorts with little sandwiches. Yeah this is why we can't have nice things. I've found the best  lounges to be those that airlines let you into when you're flying in an international premium cabin. Fortunately or unfortunately, lounge operators are catching onto these tricks and are limiting guest access or number of visits. It remains to be seen if these tactics will work. Anyway, how do you get into these mythical places anyway, and is it even worth the hassle? Every card listed below comes with a statement credit to cover the application fee for either Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check, so you can spend a bit more time in a lounge, if you departure airport has one. ----------- Capital One VentureX  (Referral Link) The CapitalOne VentureX i s probably the most cost-effective credit card for frequent trav...
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How to fly Lie-Flat Business Class to Japan on Points

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The Worst-Kept Secret in Award Travel - Lie flat business to Japan. Flights between the Continental United States and Asia are long, 10-12 hours is common. Fortunately, there are ways to make the flight a lot more bearable. International business and first class seats are not the slightly larger leather seats that you walk past on your flight between Denver and Spokane, they turn into a bed, yes, fully lie flat. You get better food, complimentary drinks including champagne, and in most cases, airport lounge access that even includes showers.  It takes planning, flexibility, and luck to make it happen on a budget. Trust me, it's worth it, but it might ruin you. The business class meal on JAL is fabulous. Even the old style business class seat is great on the Japan Airlines 777. This is one of those redemptions that is getting harder and harder. You either need to be mega flexible, or have the right type of points, but with some patience, planning, and a touch of luck, it's possi...
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The Basics of Hotel Awards (MEGA POST)

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Hotel Awards, a Topical Look at Most of Them Booking hotels using points is an art. Focus too much on the fewest points for a retail value, chasing CPP (cents per point) and you can get yourself stuck in a suboptimal location on vacation. Or if you do it right, can give yourself an unforgettable experience many tens of stories above an amazing city or in a beautiful resort next to the ocean. You can also save a hundred bucks here and there on your road trips. We have used our points and certificates for all of the above. The Major Chains: IHG Hyatt Go to Top Hilton Marriott Wyndham Choice Hotels IHG - Intercontinental Hotels Group  "I don't know man, that seems like a lot of points" Go to Top (Credit Cards - Chase Mastercard:  Public Link  |  Referral Link  -- As of writing this post, they are the same, but sometimes one is better than the other ) The standard welcome offe...
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