The hotel credit on my American Express Platinum Card® stands among my favorite card perks. It’s highly valuable, providing me with up to $600 per calendar year (up to $300 semiannually) in the form of a statement credit on prepaid stays booked with American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection* through American…

Solo travel can be very rewarding, whether it’s just a weekend to yourself or a much longer journey of self-discovery. Although planning your first big solo trip may seem daunting, most people find the experience empowering. You’ll have the freedom to plan your trip (or play it by ear) based on your own preferences, without…

Anyone who’s sat through an inflight credit card pitch or glanced at an airport billboard knows how heavily airlines have leaned into credit cards. But one of the largest U.S. airlines just took things to a whole new level. This week, United Airlines arguably went further than any competitor, so far, in drawing a distinction…

If you’ve looked at your American Airlines account recently, you’ve likely seen two numbers: miles and Loyalty Points. Although Loyalty Points and American Airlines AAdvantage miles are related, they differ greatly — and since Loyalty Points reset to zero every year on March 1, it’s important to know the difference. So, here’s what you need…

The American Express® Gold Card is a card we can’t live without, even considering its $325 annual fee (see rates and fees). If you’ve got the Amex Gold in your wallet, you should consider pairing it with another card. Doing so will grant you access to additional bonus categories, more statement credits or even hotel…

One of the fastest-growing sectors of cruising in recent years has been “expedition cruising,” a type of cruising that involves traveling on specialized vessels to remote, hard-to-reach places like Antarctica. This is a type of cruising so different from what the big mass-market lines offer that it might as well be considered an entirely different…

IHG’s fourth-night-free perk is an easy way to get more value from your IHG One Rewards points. Through the IHG fourth-night-free benefit, I saved 204,000 points across nine stays in 2025. Based on TPG’s February 2026 valuations, these points are worth $1,020. Of course, the value you’ll get from the benefit will depend on how…

Delta Air Lines flyers with an eligible cobranded American Express card have access to a lucrative benefit: a 15% discount on all award flights, dubbed TakeOff 15. If you hold one of the participating cards, your SkyMiles are at least 15% more valuable when used for Delta award tickets. All you have to do is…

When the sky’s been gray for weeks, the furnace can’t keep up with the chill and you’re tired of deicing the driveway, going somewhere warm for even a week can be the secret to maintaining your mental health. Even if you’re lucky enough to live where it doesn’t snow, you’ve likely been rained in for…

Three of the most visited U.S. national parks have decided to roll back their entry requirements in 2026. In recent years, timed entry systems have become increasingly common at popular national parks — an attempt to curb overtourism, preserve park infrastructure and make the visitor experience more enjoyable. Reservations are typically required during the summer…