So What Is this Travel Hacking?

So here we go. This is our first newsletter and we’ll do our best to keep this under 5 minutes. During these last few weeks we’ve seen some good flight deals and some early Black Friday sales (watch out for upcoming newsletters). But first, let’s go over some basics and some other good tips.

Estimated read time: 4 minutes and 51 seconds

✈️So What Is this Travel Hacking? - Unlock Free Travel

This is our intro article that give you a brief glimpse into the world of Travel Hacking. If you are new to this game, you’ll learn some core concepts of travel hacking - collecting credit card points and miles to travel for less. 🌍💳

Follow these concepts and you be on your way of booking that trip to the Maldives like in this photo, or just a quick trip to Vegas. And who doesn’t like a quick trip to Vegas.

But wait, there’s more. To expand on these concepts, we’ve developed the 8 Steps to Travel Hacking for Beginners. This was included in your welcome email, but just in case you skipped it…

✈️Player 2 Mode - Maximize your Points and Miles

Discover how couples are cutting travel costs and unlocking amazing rewards in Player 2 Mode. 💑✨

Did you know you can enjoy business and first-class flights, luxurious hotels, and exclusive airport lounges for less?

🔗 What's Player 2 Mode? A clever strategy where partners maximize credit card rewards without harming their credit scores. It's like a well-choreographed dance of earning and saving.

✈️Rakuten - It’s not just a Pixar movie

As we are getting closer to Black Friday, the deals start to show up. This includes items on Rakuten.

What is Rakuten? Glad you asked. Rakuten is a shopping portal that lets you save your online purchases. But wait, there’s more. If you have an Amex Gold or Platinum, you can earn the valuable Amex Membership Rewards points!

Some of the deals include 95% cash back on LifeLock! For those playing the Amex game, that’s 95x the purchase price.

✈️Chase Credit - GoPuff

For those who happen to have Chase cards (Sapphire, Business Ink, Freedom) are able to receive $10 statement credit for purchases through GoPuff, which is BevMo. That’s right, you can use that Chase card to get $10 off those hard seltzers, your favorite six pack, tequila or even a late night snack.

But hurry because this deals ends on December 31, 2023. Unfortunately, you can’t combine the credits if you have multiple Chase cards. Who me? But, stack this deal with Rakuten for even more. That’s right, you can use a Chase card to purchase at GoPuff and also get Amex Membership Rewards through Rakuten.

✈️ Master the Art of Traveling Light: Carry-On Only ✈️

Don’t you hate waiting at the baggage carousel for your checked bags? Imagine gliding past baggage claims, skipping check-in queues, and never worrying about lost luggage. Welcome to the world of carry-on-only travel!

Carry-on only travel is your ticket to start that trip off the right foot. This blog post will give you all the details. But here are some key takeaways:

- Understand airline carry-on regulations.

- Choose the perfect carry-on bag.

- Master packing techniques.

- Dealing with airport security.

Travel light, travel smart!

✈️Deals - TAP Airlines

TAP Airlines has deals right now and if you know us, this gets our attention - Portugal! TAP Airlines has Black Friday deals until November 24. The deals are for Economy or Business Class. Flights starting at $379 round trip on travel through May 32, 2024. Not a bad deal.

✈️More Flight Deals!

Madrid and Barcelona - From $390 (typically $850), December - March, Departures from most of the major US airports, Air Canada, American, Delta, United, and other partners (like TAP).

San Francisco to Cancun - Who doesn’t like a trip to Cancun, especially roundtrip for $289 (typically $480), December - March with some other dates in September 2024.

Los Angeles to Paris - And last one is a little glimpse of how you can use your points and miles. 12,000 points on Air France in January 2024. This flight is typically 15,000, but with a transfer bonus with Chase Ultimate Rewards, the price drops to 12,000 points! With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you can book this flight and a flight back!

✈️The Top 5 Noise-Canceling Headphones for Flights

Don’t you hate those low quality headphones the airlines give you? Can’t drown out that crying kid or the guy snoring next to you? Ready to elevate your in-flight experience? Discover the world of noise-canceling headphones designed to turn your journeys into peaceful escapes. From technology insights to choosing the perfect pair, we've got you covered. Swipe through to find your ideal travel companion!

This blog post will go over the Top 5 Noise-Canceling Headphones for Flights. And you know it’s almost Christmas…bonus would be to find a good deal on Rakuten!

• The World's Shortest Commercial Flight Lasts Just 57 Seconds!

• The busiest day recorded in aviation history is July 24, 2019, with more than 225,000 flights on that day

• AAA projects 55.4 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday travel period

We love hearing from you! Share your travel stories, tips, or ask us burning travel questions. Ask me a question or advice on points and miles or other travel questions. Who knows, your story might be featured in our next newsletter!

🔗 Stay Connected - Don't forget to follow at @pointsplanensimple for daily doses of travel inspiration!

✨ Safe Travels & Happy Landings! Thank you for flying with us on this newsletter journey. Until next time, keep your passports ready and your adventures grand!