Saturday Roundup
A few quick pieces of news and interesting stories this week.
Global entry price increase
US Customs and Border Protection recently announced a price increase for Global Entry, the program that allows travelers to use expedited customs processing when returning to the US from abroad and to use TSA PreCheck lines where available.
Until recently, the price to join this program was $100, and most major banks offered credit cards that offered $100 statement credits that could completely offset this expense. However, with the price jumping to $120, the $100 credit would leave travelers having to cover some of that cost themselves.
Thankfully, Chase and Citi have already increased their credits to compensate for the price increase. Hopefully other banks like Amex and Capital One will follow suit soon. If you have a Global Entry credit on a card that hasn’t announced an increase yet, considering trying to take advantage of the credit before the price jumps to $120 in October.
Big Costco discount on Southwest gift cards
Through tomorrow, May 5th, you can buy $500 Southwest gift cards via Costco for $430. That’s a pretty steep discount (although these gift cards are usually available for $450 at Costco), and you’ll still get points on the purchase (e.g. 2x with the Capital One Venture X or 2% cash back with Citi’s Costco Visa) and the SWA Rapid Rewards points when you use the card to book flights. Just beware that by using a gift card to book a flight, you might miss out on the protections—like trip delay or lost baggage insurance—that many credit cards can provide.
Hilton Hotel Sweepstakes
Embassy Suites is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a “Celebrate the Stay Sweepstakes.” Sign up free for a chance to win a 5-night stay at any Embassy Suites, worldwide, plus $500 in spending money. Ten winners will receive that grand prize, with lesser prizes available including 2-night stays
Last-minute cruises
Cruising is not my thing, and my schedule isn’t quite so flexible that I can jump on any old travel deal at the last minute. But if you're flexible, like to set sail, and want to travel on the cheap, check out this New York Times article about standby cruising.
Look out for travel scams
I really enjoyed this Points Guy article about common travel scams and tourist crimes. Although the article focuses specifically on Europe, being aware of these risks will help you travel more safely wherever you are.