Secret Travel Tools to Travel More Often & More Comfortably
Okay, so maybe they’re not so secret, but these three things have completely changed the way I travel. I get a lot of questions about how I am able to travel more than the average person; how I don’t pull my hair out when my flights get delayed; and how I track my trips. These three travel tools are the answer!
Global Entry & TSA PreCheck®
After traveling for a work trip where I was the event planner in charge, I decided it was time to get TSA PreCheck®. No one wants to wait behind someone who needs to take 4 laptops and tablets out, one by one while trying to slip off shoes and jackets. You’ve been there. It’s not fun. And when it’s you, it’s even worse. You can feel the glares of travelers behind you burning through the back of your head. That’s for sure!
TSA PreCheck® allows you to “skip the line” so to speak when it comes to TSA screening at domestic airports. I will say that it’s gotten more popular over the years so if you’re in a super small airport like Providence or Hartford, sometimes the pre-check line is actually just as long as the regular line, but don’t let that deter you. You don’t have to take off your shoes or belts and electronics and liquids can stay in your bag which makes things about 10 million times easier in my opinion!
Then, Global Entry, also known as the Trusted Traveler Program, allows you to skip the customs line upon your return to the U.S. It’s a game-changer for international travel. My personal nightmare is waiting in the customs cue after 10+ hours of travel. Now, Global Entry will make sure that never happens again (well, in the U.S. anyway). When you arrive at a U.S. airport that allows Global Entry, you simply go to a kiosk where you scan your passport and answer some questions. Your photo gets taken and you print a receipt which you hand over to an agent and you’re on your way! I will say, it’s so quick that usually, we’re hanging around to get our bags anyways but still, it’s a better wait with a little more freedom to wander.
When people ask which they should get, I don’t think there’s an exact science to it. But, if you travel mostly domestically or don’t travel internationally at all, I’d opt for pre-check. Global Entry has a pretty rigid application process. You have to fill out an application about what you’ve been doing for the past 10 years essentially. Then, you go to a TSA office to do an interview and get fingerprinted. But, Global Entry does include pre-check, so if you’ll be going international at least once, go for it!
And my credit card actually covers the cost for Global Entry and Pre-Check every three years, so it’s a win-win. So, let’s talk credit cards, shall we?
A Travel Credit Card
I’ve used points for flights, to upgrade to the luxury suite I’m eyeing, and for rental cars I can’t bear to pay for out of pocket without totally cringing. You get the idea!
If I had to estimate, I think I get at least one to two trips totally paid for by points a year. So, inevitably we now travel more often because we can with that little boost.
Now, full disclaimer, my husband and I use the same card and put literally every expense on it, solely to get these points that are worth their weight in gold! We have the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, which has a hefty annual fee, but we find we get back more in value than the fee. Here’s what we love about it:
Airport Lounge Access via Priority Pass Membership
If I had to choose a favorite perk My life is forever changed after gaining lounge access. Does it make me a bougie traveler? Maybe. Am I okay with it? Heck yes.
It makes waiting for flights and long international layovers immensely more comfortable. Depending on the airport you get:
- Free beverages (pre-flight bubbly, anyone?)
- Free food (snacks and full-on meals you can order off a menu)
- Complimentary wi-fi that’s usually far better than the airport general Wi-Fi
- Comfy seating
- Private restrooms that are way cleaner than public restrooms—some even have showers which creep me out, but I can see where it would come in handy with a long-haul flight, multiple layovers, or crazy delays.
The AirFrance Lounge in Logan International Airport in Boston is our personal favorite so far. Self-serve champagne to celebrate your pending adventure? Yes, please!
$300 Annual Travel Credit
At the start of your annual billing cycle, you also get a $300 travel credit. So whether you’re paying a parking meter, airfare, a hotel, whatever—you’ll automatically get refunded up to $300 for anything that falls under the travel category.
3x Points on Food & Travel
Since pretty much the top two things my husband and I do are eat and travel, the 3x points on dining and travel really pays off for us, literally!
Global Entry/ TSA Pre-Check Fees Waived
You can get a credit every four years to cover your renewal for these frequent traveler programs.
50% More Value on Travel Redemption
When you redeem your points for travel, you get 50% more value. So if you have $750 in points, that’s worth $1,125 in money for travel. Cha-ching!
No Foreign Transaction Fees
When you’re on a long international trip, international transaction fees can add up really quickly. This saves you on those fees!
$120 Back on Peloton Memberships
As a Peloton fam, we love this perk! It means we get about 3 months of membership free each year.
Basic Travel Insurance
There’s protection built-in with insurance on every travel purchase you make. Now, during COVID we’ve been buying additional travel insurance through HTH that covers COVID, just in case. But, pre-COVID we just used the coverage included.
We’ve convinced a lot of friends to get this card, and no one has regrets yet! Now, as I mentioned the fee is pretty high. We pay $550, plus $75 for my husband to be an authorized user. That’s not in everyone’s budget and I totally get that. There are other cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Capital One Venture One card that also give really great perks for a far lower annual fee.
The TripIt App
A friend turned me on to the TripIt by Concur app and now I’m truly unsure how I ever lived without it. If you work a corporate job you’ve probably logged into a Concur system before, and I have to say, this is far better than any Concur system I’ve used before.
So, I’ve ditched the Google Sheets while traveling and put everything into the TripIt app so I have a running itinerary of where I need to be, when.
Track Activities, Accommodation, & Confirmations
From your email, you simply email any confirmation you get, whether it’s an Airbnb Experience or a hotel confirmation, to plan@tripit.com. Then, as long as the info is clear, it will automatically upload to your alerts where you can file it to the right trip. I have mine set to automatically forward for flights, hotels, etc. which also makes it even easier.
It will even alert you if you get an email about a flight delay, sometimes quicker than the airline app itself I’ve found.
Get Destination Information & Directions
Then, within each activity, you’re able to search for spots nearby like restaurants or bars, and get transportation times, tips, and estimated prices! Right now, they also have a full COVID-19 section for each destination that provides up-to-date restrictions and entry requirements.
The best part? It’s totally FREE. All those capabilities and I was really surprised they didn’t charge for it. You can upgrade to a pro version, but honestly, I think the free version offers more than enough value. In terms of free travel tools, this one is my fave.
Alright, there ya have it! A few of my favorite travel tools that I can’t live without. If you decide to use any of them, let me know how it goes in the comments! Oh, and be sure to follow along on Instagram when I go to Morocco next week…
P.S. None of this is sponsored by anyone, I’m just totally obsessed and love traveling even more when I use these three things!
