Spencer Howard – 10xTravel Contributor 

Disclosure: We receive compensation from some links that are on this site. We appreciate your support.

In Part 2 of our Introduction to Small Business Cards series, we discussed some perks that business cards can provide. You can check out Part 2 here.

If you missed Part 1, we covered who is eligible for business cards. Click here to find out if you can get a business card to boost your miles and points.

Now, let’s get to the fun part! What Card Should You Choose?

Now that you’ve discovered you are eligible for a small business card, you’ll need to figure out which card (or cards) will get you on your way to some amazing travel experiences.

Here are some of our top choices. Continue Reading

Hi Travel Junkies,

The Chase Sapphire Reserve application is now publicly available!

The Sapphire Reserve is arguably the greatest travel credit card we have ever seen and I plan on getting one myself. Here’s why you should consider it too:

Chase Sapphire Reserve:

• 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points (worth $1,500 when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards) after you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months (valued at ~$1,500)
• $450 annual fee
• $300 annual travel credit
• $100 Global Entry credit
• Complimentary access to over 900 airport lounges
• 3 points per $1 spend on travel and restaurants, 1 point per $1 on all else.

Personally I would value the 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points closer to $2,000 thanks to the ability to transfer them to Chase’s many travel partners (Southwest, United, Hyatt, Marriott, etc.). But even redeeming them through The Ultimate Rewards portal will get you at least $1,500 of travel.

The $300 annual travel credit is also an amazing perk because it can be used for travel purchases such as airfare and hotels. This certainly makes the $450 annual fee a little more bearable.

Bottom line, this card is an absolute must for any travel enthusiast.

Happy Travels,

Bryce

Spencer Howard – 10xTravel Contributor

Disclosure: We receive compensation from some links that are on this site. We appreciate your support.

When we last spoke, we explored who is eligible for a small business credit card. If you missed Part 1, you can check it out here.

In this post, we’ll discuss some of the basics to help you get started.

Points and Perks

Small business credit cards provide a great opportunity to utilize different bonus categories and enjoy a few other perks that can save you money or make your travel experience just a little bit better.

There are a number of possible bonus categories depending on the card you choose. Some of the categories include:

• Airfare
• Gas stations
• Hotels
• Office supply stores
• Shipping
• Telecommunications (hello, cell phone bills!)

With categories like these, small business cards will not only help you keep your business expenses separate, but also earn you some serious points you can use to travel.

But what about the perks?! Continue Reading

Spencer Howard – 10xTravel Contributor 

Just when the summer credit card season was feeling a little dull, Chase swoops in with the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

This card has the potential to be a strong choice for earning Ultimate Rewards points and enjoying some massive benefits.

What We Know:

Thanks to a leaked application today, we are able to share some details about what to expect from the Chase Sapphire Reserve. Several lucky folks were able to apply and be approved today but you will be able to get this card on August 21. Continue Reading

Spencer Howard – 10xTravel Contributor 

Disclosure: We receive compensation from some links that are on this site. We appreciate your support.

Hey world travelers,

This is the first of a three-part series in which we’ll investigate how small business credit cards can play a role in your points-earning strategy.

Today, we’re going to start with one of the questions we hear most often.

“Who can get a small business credit card?”

If you’re like me, your first thought when you heard about business cards was something like:

“Those look great! But I don’t have anything that even resembles a business.”

Well, let’s get into that and investigate this assumption.

Eligibility

So, who can get a business card? Business owners, of course!

Glad we could solve that mystery for you. Now, why did we need an article to tell us that? Continue Reading

Luke Sims – 10xTravel Contributor

Last week I received this text from my wife, “Sooo I may not have a seat on the plane… what do I do?!”

Like any good husband, I turned off my phone and continued stuffing my face at Smorgasburg so she could figure out her own problems. Just kidding.

I sprang to action, like a superhero, to save my damsel in distress. I remembered reading somewhere that being denied from your flight can turn into some big bucks, so I texted Bryce to confirm my game plan and then walked my wife through the steps.

About three hours after her original arrival time, my wife walked in the door with a tired smile and a check for $1,100. Here’s how she did it.

What Is Overbooking And Why Does It Happen

Before I explain how to capitalize on your poor situation, let me briefly outline the overbooking conundrum that airlines put you in.

Airlines oversell flights because they expect a certain percentage of passengers not to show up.

There’s a bunch of math and diagrams I could bore you with that explain why airlines do this, but I’d rather get to the part where I tell you how get back at these evil airlines for the crap they pull. Continue Reading

Hi Travel Junkies,

There are many different kinds of points in the travel game, which can make things a bit confusing and complicated. So today I want to break down one of the most overlooked points currency, Citi ThankYou Points, and talk about how to use them for maximum value without making your head spin.

Let’s get right to it.

How to Earn Citi ThankYou Points

By far the fastest and easiest way to earn Citi ThankYou Points is to take advantage of one of Citi’s credit card offers.

The Citi Prestige Card – Citi Prestige is currently offering a signup bonus of 40,000 points after you spend $4,000 in your first 3 months. Prestige earns 3x points on travel, 2x points on dining and entertainment, and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.

Citi Prestige has an annual fee of $450 that is not waived for the first year. It does however come with a $250 annual airline credit, which can be applied to flight-related expenses such as airline tickets, baggage fees, upgrades, and more.

Prestige also comes with a number of other premium benefits, including Priority Pass membership and a $100 Global entry application fee credit.

Continue Reading

There are few things that I despise more than hidden travel fees that chip away at your vacation budget. Unfortunately these fees have become much more prevalent as hotels, airlines, and other travel companies fight to show the lowest rate on travel booking websites.

Today we are going to talk about seven of the most common hidden travel fees and a few tips on how you can avoid them. Let’s get started.

1) Checked bag fees – Most airlines charge ~$25 per bag each way, with that number being closer to $50 per bag for some of the budget airlines. And of course that fee can more than double if your bag exceeds the posted weight limited for each airline.

Sure, you can try to fit everything in to a carry-on bag to avoid this fee, but that just isn’t realistic for some trips.

A better way to get around checked bag fees is to consider picking up the airline’s credit card before booking and taking your trip. Most major airline credit cards provide free checked bags as one of their many perks, which can add up to some serious savings if you travel frequently or with a large group.

Another option is to consider using points from a card such as the Barclays Arrival Plus or Capital One Venture card, which earn points that can be used to erase any travel charge made with the card (including checked bag fees). You can read more about those cards by clicking the banner on our credit cards page.

You can erase checked baggage fees with the Capital One Venture Card

2) Resort fees – Resort fees are mandatory fees added to a hotel stay in exchange for the use of amenities such as Wi-Fi, fitness centers, parking, etc. These fees have become incredibly common over the past few years, particularly in popular destinations like Las Vegas and the Caribbean.  Continue Reading

Hi Travel Junkies,

Today I am very proud to announce that we have added two very talented individuals to the 10xT team, Spencer Howard and Dillon Carter!

Spencer and Dillon will be joining as Contributor/Travel Gurus, so you’ll be seeing a lot of them both on the blog and one-on-one as they work with you to accomplish your travel goals.

I’ll let them introduce themselves in their own words. Take it away guys!

Spencer Howard

Hello, fellow world travelers!

My name is Spencer and I’m told that I’m obsessed with miles and points. Just because I spend three to four hours a day reading, talking, or thinking about points and the many ways to use them to travel doesn’t mean… fine, I’m obsessed.

I spend my days working for a trade association in D.C. (and thinking about travel). Fortunately, my office has made it their mission to get employees to use their vacation time and I’m happy to live the mission, and live it in style. Continue Reading