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Primer on Chase Sapphire Reserve $300 Travel Credit
Update: Due to the lack of travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, Chase has extended the ability to apply the travel credit to purchases at grocery stores and gas stations through June 30, 2021. The annual $300 Travel Credit is easily the most lucrative benefit of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. Questions about what it covers and when it resets have been plentiful. It’s important to understand the benefit to know if and/or when you should apply. Fully monetizing the credit each year will effectively reduce the annual fee of the Sapphire Reserve from $550 to a net $250. You can receive this benefit twice in the first year of holding…
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Booking Cruises with Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Chase Ultimate Rewards points are a versatile currency. Much has been written about transferring them to travel partners and redeeming them for flights and hotels. Another great choice is to redeem them for a cruise. I freely admit that cruises aren’t for everyone. If you’re still reading, I suspect you might enjoy them. For those that do, it’s a great way to redeem a stash of Ultimate Rewards points. Since cruise fares include meals and entertainment, and many packages include drinks, gratuities and credit to use on board, you’re effectively using points to pay for your entire all-inclusive vacation. The Value of Ultimate Rewards Points There are currently 7 available…
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I Saved 40% on my Rental Car… So Far
See my final update near the end of this post. Autoslash continued to look for lower rates right up to my trip. I have an upcoming long weekend trip to Toronto where I’ll need to rent a car. Since I’m a points/miles/travel blogger I don’t need any help finding the best price, right? Wrong! For this rental, I decided to try Autoslash for the first time. I’ve heard plenty of recommendations in the past, but for some reason, I’d never tried them. I’ve always felt I could just do better on my own. Well, allow me to eat some crow. What is Autoslash? Autoslash likens itself to a team of obsessive grocery store coupon-clippers. You know the…
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Capital One Venture Adds Miles Transfer Partners
Capital One has finally introduced airline transfer partners to its popular Venture credit card. In the past, I’ve been critical of Venture for being nothing more than an expensive cash back credit card marketed as a travel card. That ends with this new benefit. Capital One Venture earns 2x miles on all purchases and 10x miles on eligible purchases on hotels.com. Each mile can still be redeemed towards $.01 of travel purchased with the card. In that respect, the cash back feature of the card still exists. Now, miles can also be transferred to airline partners at a ratio of 1.5 airline partner miles for every 2 Venture miles. This…
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TSA Adds 3 Additional Airlines to Pre Check
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced the expansion of TSA Pre✓ to 3 additional domestic and international airlines, bringing the total number of airlines participating in TSA Pre✓ to 56. A full list of airlines can be found here. Eligible passengers traveling on Norwegian Air, Icelandair and Via Airlines will now have the opportunity to experience expedited screening. What is TSA Pre✓ TSA Pre✓ is an expedited security screening program for known and trusted travelers departing from airports within the United States. On dedicated TSA Pre✓ lines, there is no need to remove your shoes, belts, or light jackets. In addition, laptops and 3-1-1 liquids can remain packed in your carry on bags.…
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Priority Pass Adds New Restrictions at PDX Capers Locations
In an effort to increase its footprint, Priority Pass has added restaurants and markets to its list of airport lounges. When dining at these participating venues, order off the menu as you normally would and Priority Pass will provide you and your guests with a credit toward your food and beverages. A full list of Priority Pass Restaurants and how the credit works can be found here. Priority Pass has added restrictions at 2 locations in Portland OR International Airport (PDX). In order to receive credit at Capers Cafe Le Bar and Capers Market, you are now required to show a valid outbound boarding pass for travel that day. This…
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Priority Pass Adds Bobby Van’s Steakhouse at JFK
In an effort to increase its offerings over the past few months, Priority Pass has begun to add restaurants to its list of airport lounges. The newest addition is Bobby Van’s Steakhouse in New York’s JFK International Airport (Terminal 8). Simply present your valid membership card, order off the menu as you normally would, and Priority Pass will provide you with a $28 credit toward your meal. Note that unlike other Priority Pass restaurants, members are limited to one guest at Bobby Van’s. Your guest will also receive a $28 credit for a total of $56 off your visit. You are responsible for gratuity. If you spent less than $28 per person,…
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Amex Plans Largest Centurion Lounge at JFK Airport
According to an article in USA Today, American Express is set to announce its newest and largest Centurion Lounge. The 15,000 square foot lounge will span two levels in JFK’s Terminal 4 and should open by early 2019. Centurion Lounges offer travelers free amenities such as unique hot and cold food choices, premium bar drinks, showers and WiFi access. American Express has promised sweeping airfield views and unspecified unique features at the new JFK location. JFK’s Terminal 4 is the international hub for Delta Airlines. It also serves international passengers flying Emirates, Etihad, Virgin Atlantic, Asiana, China Southern, Singapore Airlines and WestJet. Access to The Centurion Lounge is complimentary for global…
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New Exclude Basic Economy Feature in Chase Travel Portal
Booking flights via the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal just got more convenient. You can now exclude restrictive Basic Economy fares from your search. This is welcome feature to the site. A great feature of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is the ability to pay for airfare using points worth 1.5 cents per point. A $300 flight would only cost 20,000 Ultimate Rewards points. The downside was occasionally having no choice other than Basic Economy. Why is that such a downside? Basic Economy Basic Economy is a fare class offered by Delta, American and United in what they claim is their effort to compete with low cost carriers like Spirit…
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Priority Pass Digital Cards Now Available for Chase Members
Update: Priority Pass Digital Cards are not yet available for Chase Ritz Carlton cardholders. Good news for Chase Sapphire Reserve and Ritz JP Morgan Reserve card holders who have Priority Pass memberships. You can now create a digital card and use the mobile app for access to some lounges. Use the following link to register your card. Note: You must create a new login account after entering your card number. Create your Priority Pass digital membership card for Sapphire Reserve here Create your Priority Pass digital membership card for JP Morgan Reserve here One of the drawbacks with the Priority Pass benefit for Chase credit card holders has been that it…
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