Travel Enrolling for EasyPASS-RTP at Frankfurt Airport Upgraded to Economy, December 10, 2023December 10, 2023 When entering the Schengen Area, non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens are required to go through manual border control upon arrival… except if they arrive in Germany and are enrolled in the EasyPASS-RTP program. What is EasyPASS-RTP? EasyPASS is the German government’s name for their eGates used for automated border control. EU/EEA/Swiss citizens qualify… Continue Reading
Travel How easy is it for foreign visitors to navigate Chinese society as of 2023? Upgraded to Economy, December 1, 2023August 11, 2024 In recent years, China’s rapid growth meant that many services were made available to users with a Chinese Resident Identity Card (shenfenzheng), but not to foreigners. This is because of Chinese regulations. The Chinese government is strict about preventing crime and binds all social services to one’s identity. Consequently, in… Continue Reading
Do I still need other credit cards if I already have the Capital One Venture X? Upgraded to Economy, November 30, 2023November 30, 2023 Many people wonder why bother with additional credit cards if they’ve already found the “perfect one”. Maybe it’s too obvious for me to write out an entire article on it, so first, I’ll ask GPT. Then, I’ll tell you how accurate it was. What does GPT say? Here’s what Bing… Continue Reading
Lounges Lounge review: Capital One Lounge at Denver (DEN) Upgraded to Economy, November 24, 2023November 24, 2023 Capital One opened their third lounge at Denver International Airport in November 2023. I just so happened to be in town for a show and took the chance to check it out. This time, instead of taking pictures, I took a video. Take a look below. Comparison to the Dallas… Continue Reading
Travel APEC Business Travel Card: an underrated hack Upgraded to Economy, November 17, 2023November 24, 2023 Global Entry members tend to be spoiled for clearing immigration when heading home to the United States. Visiting other countries, however, might not be such a great experience when they lose access to the fast-track immigration clearance they enjoy in the U.S. and have to wait in hours-long lines at… Continue Reading
Lounges Lounge review: China Eastern Airlines International VIP Lounge at Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) Upgraded to Economy, November 13, 2023November 22, 2023 Hello from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, the original airport of Shanghai (and the one that’s closer to the center of Shanghai). It’s primarily used for domestic flights these days, but it also hosts a limited number of short-haul international flights, such as ones to Tokyo–Haneda. I flew JAL out of… Continue Reading
Flights Trip review: Japan Airlines (JAL) Premium Economy seats (Tokyo–Haneda to Shanghai–Pudong) [HND to PVG] Upgraded to Economy, November 13, 2023November 13, 2023 On my recent flight from Tokyo–Haneda to Shanghai–Pudong, I rode on a Japan Airlines (JAL) Boeing 787-9. This is a three-class cabin with business class, premium economy, and economy seats. However, the flight was sold as a two-cabin flight; the premium economy seats were treated as regular economy class, but… Continue Reading
Credit Cards My first solid hotel points redemption with Hyatt Upgraded to Economy, September 22, 2023September 22, 2023 After years of hoarding my credit card points for a solid hotel redemption, I’ve finally found one. I tend to not use my points unless the opportunity truly presents itself. That happens whenever there is an amazing points deal or if the cash price is extremely high and it’d be… Continue Reading
Travel My tips on going through the border crossing interview in the U.S. and Canada Upgraded to Economy, August 21, 2023August 23, 2023 Hate the intense questioning that the U.S. and Canadian border guards ask you? I got so tired of it that I first applied for Global Entry and then later NEXUS. Ben Schlappig from One Mile At A Time has a poignant article explaining he wants NEXUS because of the intense… Continue Reading
Driving Finally approved for NEXUS! (And how I was almost denied) Upgraded to Economy, August 20, 2023July 25, 2024 As I said in my previous post, I was able to snag an August appointment in Blaine, WA after using Appointment Scanner. Previously, I was only able to schedule a September appointment. I made the trek this past Friday for my interview. I was almost denied for NEXUS, but eventually… Continue Reading
Travel Transborder arrival and departure experience at Montréal–Trudeau International Airport Upgraded to Economy, August 16, 2023August 23, 2023 This week, I took flights to and from Montréal via LaGuardia Airport. I had a trip to New York with friends that got cut short because of some late cancelations. Therefore, due to my proximity to Montréal, I booked last-minute plane tickets between LaGuardia Airport and Montréal–Trudeau. Flights between major… Continue Reading
Trusted Traveler Programs NEXUS conditional approval after 15 months Upgraded to Economy, August 8, 2023August 16, 2023 On May 11, 2022, I applied for NEXUS after becoming a member of Global Entry in March of that year. I was planning on moving to Seattle and anticipated driving across the border to Vancouver every other month. From prior experience, I knew crossing the border could take a few… Continue Reading