Today is a long travel day for me. I know many of you hate travel days, but I love travel days with points and miles! Even my husband, who is a reluctant traveler at times, says they are a lot better than they used to be because we use credit card points and miles to have a better travel experience. Here are some reasons my 16 hours in the sky or at the airport today aren’t bad!  Today, I am traveling from Milan to JFK. 

 

In-Airport Hotel Stay

If I have an early flight out, I often use points to stay at a hotel with direct access to a terminal.  We could have stayed in Milan, ridden the train, or used a taxi to get to the airport. This would have entailed a very early wake-up in Milan and the stress of getting to the airport on time. It is about an hour away. 

Instead, we stayed at the Sheraton Malpensa Airport (review to come later) in Terminal 1 and a short walk to the gates. We slept well until 7:30, making our travel day much better.

I often stay at the Westin in Denver or a nearby Hyatt when I fly out early in Denver. This takes so much stress from an early departure. I count an early departure, anything before 11:00!😜

 

 

Flying Business Class for International Flights

When I fly business class, my flights are part of the whole travel experience – I enjoy them so much! I love to check out the seats, the space, the service, the food – all of it! I have traveled on many business-class flights, and it NEVER GETS OLD! I am like a little child, and I enjoy each flight!

Today I am on a Turkish Airlines flight and they are a dream experience. Great mocktails preflight, superb service and delicious food (even on a 2-hour connecting flight to Istanbul). The spaciousness can’t be beat and we were so excited to see that this connecting flight had lie-down seats too!

 

 

Taking Advantage of an Airport Lounge

Whether my airport lounge experience results from a business-class ticket or a credit card benefit, it is always enjoyable. Again, I love to check them out. Certainly, some are better than others, but it’s always fun to see what food they have. Using a bathroom in one is almost always better than being in the terminal. They are usually much quieter way to start a long day. 

Today, we went to the Gae Aulenti Premium Lounge with our business-class ticket. It was a great lounge! Modern decor, good food, and a lot of comfortable seating. It was also very close to our gate, so we had a short walk. A quick meal of Coke and some delicious muffins and we headed towards our flight.

 

 

Global Entry

Returning to the United States can be a hassle with customs at some destinations. Having Global Entry speeds up that experience. It is the benefit credit on many of my credit cards so I never pay for it and always enjoy the speed of arrival into the United States!

 

Staying at an Airport Hotel on Arrival to the US

Because I live near Denver, if I travel all the way home from Europe or Asia, I am usually exhausted due to jet lag from the time differences. I have found that spending the night on the East Coast after getting into the United States lets me get a good night’s sleep and greatly reduces jet lag. I prefer to fly home to Denver the next day.

Tonight, I am sleeping at the Hyatt Regency near JFK airport. It is a quick 10-minute Uber ride (using a credit from The Platinum Card® from American Express, of course) from the airport. I’ll get in about midnight, go to sleep, and wake up rested for my 4-hour flight home tomorrow. Of course, I’ll also have a complimentary breakfast because I’m a Globalist. And I’ll go to another airport lounge in the morning before my flight.

 

 

Bottom Line

I love travel days with points and miles. Before I started using points and miles for travel, that was not my experience. There was always the dread of a travel day. Now, not only do I travel for nearly free, but I travel in style and enjoy almost every bit of it! How have credit card points and miles changed your experience when you travel?

Related Posts

• Podcast 68. Unlocking Airport Lounges: How to Travel in Comfort and Style
• Positioning Flights for International Travel
• Credit Card Benefits You Might Be Missing Out On
• 5 Credit Card Benefits Every Traveler Should Have