Five Ways to Celebrate Dads Who Love to Travel on Father's Day

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I have a love-hate relationship with Mother's Day and Father's Day. While it is a tremendously good idea to celebrate the mothers and fathers in our lives, the absolute last thing that a busy parent needs is the pressure to put something special together on a specific date for both their partner and parents. Love it or hate it, Father's Day is coming up in just a few days, and it is better to be over-prepared than start the day empty-handed.

If you want to celebrate dad in a points and travel-centric way, we have five ideas to help you out, starting with my two favorites.

Use your points to book dad some time off

Let's be real, being a good parent is really hard work. I know it may sound crass to mention celebrating Father's Day by getting dad away from the family, but I think a good percentage of fathers would be more than okay with a night off. Consider using those points to book him a night out by a lake, near a race track, at the casino, so he can go visit a friend, or whatever and wherever it is that will help him take a minute and rejuvenate his soul...at least for a night.

Get away together for a night without the kids

If you can swing coverage for the kids, I actually this idea even better than the first for a points-centric Father's Day. It is easy for dad to get lost in the shuffle of chores, kids, work, and life, so maybe for Father's Day, use some points to get away just with him. Have a nice dinner, do something like catch a late movie or a concert, and then sleep at a hotel that will make the bed, give you coffee, and maybe even cook you breakfast.

You don't even have to leave town to make this happen. Simple, short, low-pressure staycations can be some of the best ways to use a few points but get a big return in rejuvenation. Alternatively, if rates are low enough in your area, this might be the time to earn points on the stay. Just be sure to register for any available hotel bonus offers or use relevant Amex Offers.

Keep cords and toiletries organized with Man Junk Bags

I've written before about my love of the Makeup Junkie bags for lots of my own packing needs, but they actually have a line of Man Junk bags, too. Obviously, you can put whatever you want in these durable and leak-resistant bags, but my husband loves having one on hand to keep his various power cords organized on trips. The small or medium sizes are the right ones to consider for a few cords, with the medium being a good call if you have more than a couple cords to pack. The large is truly huge, and only necessary if you pack full-sized hair products or a family of small iguanas.

Block out life with a new pair of noise canceling headphones

You can spend as much or as little on headphones as your budget allows, so here are a few options at different price points. On the high end of the pricing scale are the popular Bose Quiet Comfort 35 (Series II) headphones that feature fantastic sound blocking capabilities, wireless use, and a classic design. The Sony MDR1000X headphones are very similar, receive top-notch reviews, and usually come in a bit less expensive than the Bose headphones.

If you think he wants some new in-ear headphones as opposed to the traditional clunky looking headphones, then the best in class option is usually considered the Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones that price a bit lower than the first two traditional headphone models listed.

At a much lower price point are some headphones that might be fun to have even if the dad in your life already has a primary pair of go-to travel headphones. These 'Cozy' headphones are under $20, wrap around your head, and look perfect for listening to a movie or music while you lay on your side and try and fall asleep. I actually ordered a similar pair for my kiddos to try out on a future trip, so I'll do a full review soon.

Get your dad lounge access by making him an authorized user on your cards

We have Josh's dad (and my mom) set as authorized users on Josh's Platinum Card® from American Express so that they can enjoy lounge access on their travels without having to pay big annual fees themselves. With the Amex Platinum, it costs $175 a year to have up to three authorized users (see rates & fees). This means that after adding me, we still had included slots for one of his parents and one of mine. An Amex Platinum authorized user card can get you into the Amex Centurion Lounge network, the Delta SkyClub when flying Delta, and even a Priority Pass Select membership.

With Amex, you can set spending limits if you are worried about your parents accidentally using the card to rack up lots of charges. In our case, it has been great to give our parents lounge access via the Amex Platinum for no additional out-of-pocket cost beyond what it would have cost to just add one authorized user.

If you have the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard, you can add up to ten authorized users for no additional charge! This means that dad (and his guests) can get into the American Airlines Admirals Club on their travels at no extra cost to you if you have this card! It is worth a mention that you cannot create a spending limit on authorized user cards via Citi, so just be sure you trust anyone you give an authorized user card to.

How are you celebrating the traveling dads in your life this Father's Day?

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, click here.