In June 2013, our family made a weekend trip to Houston to complete the interview for Global Entry. Subsequently, we have enjoyed five years of Precheck and Global Entry privileges. Global Entry membership expires after 5 years, on each member’s birthday. Membership renewals can be applied for one year prior to the expiration date which …
In April of this year, we traveled to Seattle for a weekend on Alaska Airlines. Our bookings were made using our Alaska credit cards. One of the benefits of the card is the companion fare. At the time that Mr. JJ applied for it, he was offered a companion fare of $121 ($99 base fare …
While researching our trip to Japan, Mr. JJ came across the Japan Rail Pass. The Japan Railways group (JR) has an extensive network of trains that easily and efficiently move people all over the country. We had planned a trip from Tokyo to Kyoto and we wanted to try the Shinkansen, the bullet train to …
In the last several years of traveling, we have somehow not had the opportunity to fly Alaska Airlines. And despite years of planning, we have not visited the Pacific Northwest, either. An area that remains, sadly, unexplored by our family. This year, we decided to end the drought. We now have family that lives in …
I have had the Citi Prestige in my wallet for close to a year and a half now. But somehow, in all these months, I haven’t been able to use the 4th night free benefit on this card. Either I have used hotel points or made short stays of less than four nights in a …
The US Department of State has a service called the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for US citizens and nationals who are either traveling/living abroad. The STEP website states the following: The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip …
This is spring break week in Texas. For our travel this week, I had booked a trip to Panama and Nicaragua using United miles. All the itineraries that were offered for our return trip from Panama showed a stopover in Nicaragua. So I decided it might be wise to use the stopover to visit the …