Flights How to use an Alaska Airlines MVP Gold Guest Upgrade Upgraded to Economy, September 29, 2024September 29, 2024 Want a cheap way to be upgraded to first class on Alaska Airlines? You’re in luck, as Alaska Airlines provides each Mileage Plan member who reaches MVP Gold with four MVP Gold Guest Upgrades that expire at the end of the year after your qualification. These can be used to… Continue Reading
Some unspoken rules in Japan Upgraded to Economy, September 1, 2024September 1, 2024 In my guide for first time Japan visitors, I spelled out the basic ground rules. However, there’s a lot more unspoken rules that you’ll want to know if you want to be respectful. Don’t eat or drink while walking This is something I do very often, especially when I have… Continue Reading
Flights Flight review: Condor A330neo business class (Seattle to Frankfurt) [SEA to FRA] Upgraded to Economy, August 26, 2024August 26, 2024 In December 2023, I took a business class flight to Germany for a business conference. I wanted to take a direct flight from Seattle to Frankfurt. There were two airlines offering this route: Lufthansa and Condor. Lufthansa’s business class remains uninspiring and resembles domestic first class in the United States…. Continue Reading
Travel Checklist for traveling to Europe Upgraded to Economy, August 11, 2024August 11, 2024 After forgetting my power adapters during my last business trip to Germany, I became determined to never let that kind of oversight happen to me again! Here’s a checklist to read before traveling to Europe. Things to bring Things not to bring Things to do before boarding your plane Continue Reading
Travel Checklist for traveling to Japan Upgraded to Economy, August 10, 2024October 6, 2024 Even I can forget what I need to do before going to Japan. Here’s a list of things to keep in mind. (Last updated October 6, 2024.) Things to bring Things not to bring Things to do before boarding your plane Things to do immediately after arriving in Japan By… Continue Reading
Travel Why I applied for a second U.S. passport Upgraded to Economy, August 9, 2024August 9, 2024 A little-known fact is that U.S. citizens can in fact hold two valid U.S. passports simultaneously. (To emphasize: this is not dual citizenship—they are both U.S. passports.) U.S. citizens are usually not permitted to have more than one passport. However, the State Department has the legal authority to make exceptions…. Continue Reading
Travel The Indian e-visa is not for everyone! Upgraded to Economy, August 6, 2024August 11, 2024 In preparation for my upcoming trip to India at the end of the year, I needed to apply for an Indian tourist e-visa. As a United States citizen who is not of Pakistani descent, I’m in theory eligible to apply for it. And in fact, prevailing online opinions show that… Continue Reading
Driving Best toll passes for driving across the United States (2024) Upgraded to Economy, July 25, 2024July 25, 2024 The United States has a wide variety of disjoint tolling programs. This can make driving around on toll roads difficult when you travel to different states. I often rent a car in the East Coast and find myself driving on toll roads. While I could use the rental car company’s… Continue Reading
Driving Flying to Vermont and driving up to Montréal Upgraded to Economy, July 13, 2024August 10, 2024 For my third trip to Montréal, I decided to try something more niche. Instead of flying directly to Montréal, why not fly to a city close to the border but still in the United States and drive up instead, crossing the border by land and not by air? Why? There… Continue Reading
Travel Reconciling different travel styles in group trips Upgraded to Economy, July 13, 2024August 10, 2024 So you’ve found a group of travelers who want to embark on the same journey as you and you’ve all booked a trip together. Congratulations! But once you set out, you realize you’re going to be with these people either all or most of the time until the end of… Continue Reading
Why it’s okay to save up credit card points Upgraded to Economy, June 28, 2024June 28, 2024 Some websites will make you think that saving up credit card points is hoarding, which has a negative connotation. They say it’s one of the worst possible things you could do and you’re losing so much in opportunity cost by doing so. However, those websites have a profit incentive to… Continue Reading
Credit Cards How many miles is a good deal? Upgraded to Economy, June 12, 2024October 23, 2024 A friend recently asked me about how I booked tickets in business class. When I am not traveling for business, I pay for business class using miles instead of cash. These tickets are called award tickets. However, business class award redemption prices can vary widely. Different airlines charge different amounts… Continue Reading