Hope your week is going well!
Aside from my recent weekend getaway to Portland, Maine, I don’t have travel plans for another week. (I can’t be the only one who gets the itch to hit the road after too many days at a desk.)
Good thing the rest of my August is packed.
Until then, here are the deals and updates worth knowing about today.
📋 In this edition
Plan around EES lines
I’ve spilled plenty of ink about Europe’s new Entry/Exit System. Over the past few weeks, hundreds of you have written in about wildly inconsistent experiences at the kiosks.
Some days the immigration hall is empty. Other days you’re stuck for hours — as I was on my most recent transit through Paris.
Because the system is so unpredictable, I rebuilt my EES line prediction tool to help you plan around it.
I analyzed flight schedules from today through July 31, 2027, and broke down expected EES crowding hour by hour based on how busy each airport gets through next summer.
I’d suggest using it as a forecast when you’re booking flights to Europe, especially itineraries with a connection. If your times are flexible, aim to land during one of the quieter windows. Hope it helps!
The August edit
A new month means another round of clothing and gear picks, curated for style and ease of wear on the road.
Men
Rugby shirt for fall travel ($128)
Women
Coming soon — my wife has had a busy week so far
Travel and family gear
Stylish kid’s backpack ($80)
We’re sending our daughter to school this fall, and I love this collab between her favorite pajama brand, Magnetic Me, and State. There’s plenty more worth a look in the collection.
Starter kit for my favorite sunscreen brand ($38, a $66 value)
Blackout sleep tent when sharing rooms with kids ($199.99, pricey but worth it)
One round-trip, one Companion Pass
Southwest just launched a limited-time offer to earn a promotional Companion Pass after booking one round-trip (or two one-ways).
The pass can be used for a companion to travel with you for free on any Southwest flight (subject to $5.60 in taxes on domestic tickets).
Here’s how it works:
Register for the promotion before you book — existing reservations don’t count
Book by 11:59 p.m. CT tomorrow, Aug. 6, with travel completed by Nov. 18
Earn a promotional Companion Pass valid for travel from Jan. 5 to March 3, 2027
Southwest runs these promos every so often, and it’s one of the best offers in travel. Points bookings even qualify, and you can swap your designated companion up to three times, which stretches the value even further.
If Southwest had a bigger presence in New York, I’d be all over this.
Verizon keeps failing me
When I’m traveling, I often use my mobile hotspot to get work done, especially at airports and on planes still sitting at the gate.
Verizon has been my carrier for as long as I can remember. Lately, I’ve found that reception has fallen off a cliff across major U.S. airports and around New York City — especially at subway stations, at sporting events, even Central Park on a weekend.
It’s gotten bad enough that I’m looking at AT&T and T-Mobile. Moving carriers is a pain (I’m on a grandfathered family plan from years ago), but it’s getting in the way of my productivity.
Plenty of you are on the road far more than I am, so I’m curious: are you seeing the same thing on Verizon? And has another carrier been more reliable?
Hit reply. I read every one.
Your 100,000-point starter guide
Congrats to everyone who grabbed the now-expired 100,000-point welcome offer on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
(Chase updated the welcome offer to 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 within the first three months. Still very respectable if you missed out, but not the same.)
I heard from plenty of readers who got in, so here’s a starter guide to putting those points to work.
Note that Chase points transfer to all of the partners listed below — always confirm award space before you transfer.
Hit the minimum spend: You need to spend $5,000 in eligible purchases within the first three months from account opening to earn the bonus points. Insurance premiums, tax payments and utility bills are easy ways to get there.
United flights from under 10,000 miles: Plenty of domestic United routes, especially short hops, price below 10,000 miles. You’ll find more of them as a United cardmember or Premier elite.
Business-class to Europe for 60,000 points: Air Canada business-class awards to Europe start at 60,000 points. The airline partners with Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, and others to get you to Europe.
Domestic hops for 4,500 points: Southwest’s dynamically priced awards shine on short routes like Los Angeles to Las Vegas, where the cheapest seats start around 4,500 points.
Five nights in Hawaii: Even post-devaluation, plenty of World of Hyatt properties in Hawaii still go for 15,000 points a night. At the new 4:3 transfer ratio, that’s 20,000 Chase points per night — so a 100,000-point bonus still covers five nights. (Get even more value when paired with a Chase Sapphire Reserve® that offers 1:1 Hyatt transfers.)
Round-trip to Japan in business: One of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club’s best sweet spots: 105,000 miles for round-trip business class from the West Coast to Japan on ANA.
All-inclusive escapes: While you could transfer points to Hyatt to book all-inclusives across Latin America, don’t forget to check redemptions directly via the Chase Travel℠ portal. With Points Boost, booking directly sometimes beats the transfer.
Pool your points: Combine balances from your other points-earning Chase cards, or pool with a partner or family member to reach a bigger award faster.
Use your hotel credit: Don’t forget that the Preferred card offers an up to $100 annual hotel credit for bookings via the Chase Travel℠ portal. Be sure to use it each year to easily offset the annual fee.
Qsuite in style: Qatar’s legendary Qsuite business class is bookable starting at 70,000 British Airways Avios. Availability drops in waves, so keep an eye out.
💡 Tray Table Tip: Avoid this rental car mistake
We rented a car in Portland this weekend, and I watched nearly everyone at the lot make the same mistake.
They tossed their bags in the car and drove off without taking a slow, detailed video of the car’s condition.
This 60-second habit has bailed me out more times than I can count, especially overseas, whenever an agency tries to bill me for damage I didn’t cause.
🗞️ News you can use
Hotel points bonanza: Both Hilton and Marriott are running promos on purchased points.
At Hilton’s increased award rates (especially at luxury properties), I’d skip this one.
The Marriott promo can be worthwhile if you have a near-term use for the points. And before you buy, remember you can share up to 100,000 points a year with another member — assuming you have a friend or family member feeling generous.
Save on Alaska Atmos awards: Alaska just launched its next round of monthly award discounts, up to 50% off flights to select destinations. See the discounted routes.
Earn 3x Avios on rent: Bilt just announced that U.S.-issued Qatar Airways Privilege Club cards can earn 3 Avios per dollar on rent payments, capped at $50,000 a year, or 150,000 Avios. It joins existing promos that earn 2x United miles or 3x Alaska Atmos points on rent. All of these still carry a 3% transaction fee, which eats much of the value.
🔗 Links to use
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