Hey Reader,
(⏱️ 1‑min 37‑sec read)
This past Sunday I was deep in travel planning mode and wow, Gondola AI saved me so much time.
Here’s what I booked:
- Wichita for TBEX — to connect with other travel content creators
- Portland for FinCon — paired with a side trip to Cannon Beach
- Chicago for the Points & Miles Seminar (🤞 hoping to speak!)
All flights and hotels were booked through my brand new Chase Ink Business Preferred card that just arrived in the mail. If you’re not using a business card to earn points on your business expenses this is your sign to set up a call!
Community Win of the Week
A full-circle moment...
A buddy I met during a spring break trip to Cabo in 2012, recently reached out. We’d kept in touch, and I’d even done an ultrasound demo for him back in my medical device days.
He and his wife travel often but were dropping over $100 every time they hit the airport with their kids. We broke down the top personal cards with Priority Pass access and travel credits. Now they are set up with our favorite cards.
We cover the full breakdown in an annual fee & upgrade perks podcast episode.
🧠 Actionable Travel Tip: Skip the TSA Line for Free
Are you flying this summer and dreading the security line?
(Especially over the next few days for July 4th)
Check out CLEAR Reserve: a free way to reserve a timed security slot (no PreCheck or CLEAR membership required).
How it works:
- Go to this link
- Choose your airport + airline
- Book a 20-minute window (add up to 10 people)
- Show your QR code + ID
- Proceed through regular TSA screening (you’ll skip the long wait!)
Available at:
✅ U.S. airports like DEN, PHX, SEA, MCO, JFK
Pro Tip: It’s not everywhere (yet), but it’s a huge time-saver where available. Long-term?
Pair this with a credit card offering TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or CLEAR credits.
⏳ Expiring Travel Point Transfer Bonuses – Don’t Miss These!
Before mid-July hits, consider transferring your points to take advantage of:
- ✈️ 30% bonus from Amex MR ➝ Avios (ends July 15)
- 🛫 20% bonus from Chase UR ➝ Aeroplan (ends July 17)
- 🌍 20% bonus from Citi ThankYou ➝ Flying Blue (ends July 19)
These bonuses can turn a good redemption into a great one. Not sure how to use Transfer Partners?
Make sure you are looking at our free points and miles cheat sheet!
🎙️ This Week’s Featured Podcast Episodes
🇭🇷 How to Travel to Croatia for Free With Points
Dreaming of Dubrovnik or sailing the Adriatic? In this episode, I cover:
- Booking award flights from US hubs using Aeroplan, Avios, and more
- How to book hotels with Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton, and IHG points
- Must-know travel gems in Dubrovnik + Split (including Game of Thrones bars, cliff jumping spots, and my fav restaurant you can only get to by boat)
🎧 Listen here:
💳 Top Personal Travel Credit Cards for Flights & Hotels
Whether you're optimizing work spend or planning that dream vacation, here’s what you’ll learn:
- Best flexible points cards like Chase Sapphire Reserve + Capital One Venture X
- Top hotel cards (Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton, IHG) for free nights and upgrades
- How I stacked points for my wedding + honeymoon travel & saving over $3,200 using 5 free nights with this card (the welcome offer is still valid)
🎧 Catch episode 87 here:
🌍 Adopt the Traveler’s Mindset: Episode with Kat Medina
Kat has traveled to over 40 countries and in this episode, she shares:
- How to bring the joy of travel into everyday life
- The mindset shifts that helped her overcome burnout
- Her story behind writing “The Joys of Jet Lag” + her new kids book
🎧 Tune in →
If you enjoyed this week’s tips and tools, hit reply and let me know which part helped you the most.
Feel free to share it with a friend who could use a faster airport experience or better travel card setup.
Have a great 4th of July!
Ross
P.S. next week and all future weeks stay on the lookout for 2 newsletters. Tuesdays will be ultimate guides to specific destinations we've gone and links to places to stay, things to do, and much more.
Affiliate disclosure: Some links may earn a commission at no cost to you. We only recommend cards and products we genuinely trust.
