As much as I love to travel, there’s nothing better than coming back home to your own bed (and family).

Assuming no last-minute changes, I'll be in NYC for the next 10 days and am looking forward to catching up on everything I missed.

That said, I had a blast in Asia. I split my time between Hong Kong and Tokyo, and will have recaps of where I stayed and what I did in upcoming newsletters.

I can’t pinpoint one particular highlight, but whether it’s standing underneath the ginormous Cathay Pacific retro Boeing 747 or checking out the newly revamped Park Hyatt Tokyo, this was a great trip.

I capped it off with a bucket-list flight on the way home. Catch up on all that, as well as the latest travel and loyalty news, below.

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Yesterday, I posted a recap of my flight home from Tokyo: Japan Airlines business class on the Airbus A350. I also mentioned that I paid ~$700 for the flight, and no, I didn’t redeem any points.

So how did I pull it off?

Well, I originally booked an economy ticket on American and upgraded into business using a systemwide upgrade. But I woke up to a notification that my American flight was delayed by 3+ hours, so I called the airline to see about rebooking options.

The friendly agent offered an earlier Japan Airlines flight, and I immediately jumped at it.

This was a rare last-minute opportunity, but I guess it was my lucky day.

This is also why I always recommend waiting until the last minute to change or cancel your flight. This is one of my travel tips that no one else is talking about. Here are the rest of them.

Even if I had paid sticker price for the JAL A350, I would’ve walked away impressed by the new biz product.

Japan Airlines is the launch customer for the Safran Unity seat, which offers a ton of storage, a personal wardrobe, and a supremely comfy bed.

Plus, JAL installed high-tech touches, including the first-ever in-seat speaker, to make this a really well-rounded product.

In my mind, the product is right up there with Qatar Qsuites and ANA’s The Room as the top business class in the world.

And that’s before I even mention the dining experience, top-notch service, and plentiful amenities, which are always great on Japan Airlines.

Historically, there have been two popular ways to book Japan Airlines business class: redeem either American AAdvantage miles or Alaska Atmos points.

The problem is that award availability has become almost impossible to find, but there’s a third, far more reliable way to book.

Redeem miles directly with Japan Airlines’ proprietary Mileage Bank program.

You’ll often find more availability via Mileage Bank, and business-class flights start at 55,000 miles each way between North America and Japan.

Even if you don’t have a Mileage Bank account, I’ve got good news. There’s a 30% transfer bonus right now from Capital One to Japan Airlines Mileage Bank.

It expires on Feb. 28, and if you’re looking for the fastest way to boost your Capital One Miles balance, the 75,000-mile sign-up bonus on the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is 100% the way to go.

Check out my detailed recap of the Venture cards and their welcome offers below.

There’s no subway system I find more enjoyable than the Tokyo Metro.

Navigating (in English) is easy. The stations and cars are spotless, there are plenty of public restrooms, and there’s even cell service between stations (and no one is playing music on their speakers).

Plus, you can create a Suica card in Apple Wallet for easy tap-and-go payments without stopping at a kiosk.

My first few rides on the NYC subway after returning from a Japan trip are always the toughest.

Did you know the iPhone calculator can convert currency with no plug-in or additional app required?

I recently learned about this feature, and it’s been a game-changer for my travels.

I have really bad news.

Our 15-month-old daughter has officially outgrown the Doona car seat/stroller combo.

The Doona made our trips so easy since we didn’t need to carry a separate car seat and stroller. If you have a baby, I’d 100% recommend it.

Now we need to decide what to use next for our travel car seat. Please reply with your suggestions.

For what it’s worth, we already swear by the Bubagoo Butterfly 2 travel stroller. Another splurge that’s absolutely worth it.

Chase’s Sapphire cards are two of my top recommended credit cards (be sure to use my links whenever you’re applying for a new card!).

The cards are getting more valuable with the introduction of a limited-time offer in partnership with Whoop.

Chase Sapphire Reserve® users can receive a $359 statement credit when purchasing an annual Whoop Life Membership by May 12.

Meanwhile, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card gets a one-time $100 statement credit on any Whoop membershipsby May 12.

Note that you need to activate your offer in your Chase account before making your Whoop purchase.

I’m not sure about you, but my fitness tracker of choice is the Apple Watch. My wife uses the Oura ring (an Amex partner).

I guess this is a valuable perk if you use (or want) a Whoop, but otherwise, it probably doesn’t move the needle.

Question: How do you use an eSIM to save on roaming costs?

Answer: If you’re sporting one of the newest smartphones, including the new iPhone 17 lineup, your phone does not have a physical SIM card tray.

Instead, all cellular connections need to be made via a digital eSIM.

When you’re roaming, you could:

I always suggest doing the latter because, unless you’re using T-Mobile, roaming charges can add up quickly.

I generally recommend buying eSIMs from Airalo, Gigsky, and Saily. I’ve had good experiences using all three providers.

You download their app, buy and install your eSIM, and then use it when you’re abroad. Be sure to turn off data roaming from your home line when you’re traveling to avoid unwanted roaming charges. (If you want a foolproof way to ensure you don’t trigger charges, just temporarily turn off your line entirely.)

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