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| What I'm excited about this week |
| by Brian Kelly |
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I just got back from an amazing weeklong trip to Guatemala — this was my fourth time going, and I think it’s one of the most underrated countries. The people, food and culture are all amazing, and while it gets a bad rap for crime, once you leave Guatemala City, there are so many places to experience.
I recommend checking out locations like Antigua — I love this city, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and I’ve stayed at the Hotel Casa Santo Domingo, a former convent with absolutely stunning architecture and a fabulous spa. Lake Atitlan, which is where we stayed this past week, has a luxury boutique hotel called Casa Prana; it was magical and I just can’t recommend it enough.
Tip of the week: US State Department travel alerts
My main tip for this week is to make sure you sign up for the U.S. Department of State’s STEP program whenever you travel abroad. As we have seen this year with earthquakes and political unrest around the world, it’s critical that you register with the program — it’s really easy to do — so you’ll get alerts from the embassy wherever you’ve registered your travels.
For instance, in Guatemala, I got an alert that there were nationwide protests scheduled on my departure day that would block many roads across the country. I had planned to stay in Guatemala City on Sunday night, but due to this information, I decided to fly home on the red-eye (which is not fun on the United Airlines 737 MAX) to not risk getting stuck. Maybe it’s my dad instincts coming out, but I was grateful to get the alert because you just never know.
Amex Business Gold Card changes
This week, the American Express® Business Gold Card got a refresh; Amex raised the annual fee but added some extra perks. Overall, this is one of the cards where I earn the most points because I put a lot of internet spending for The Points Guy on it, and it earns 4 points per dollar in that category. I still think it’s a great card, and I get way more than the annual fee back in value.
Some of the new categories that were added include transit & wireless. You’ll earn 4 points per dollar spent on your top two spending categories each billing cycle (on up to $150,000 in combined spending). U.S. purchases at gas stations and restaurants, including takeout, will still continue to earn at the 4x rate.
I’m not really excited about the Walmart+ credits, but overall, with the 70,000 bonus point welcome offer — after you spend $10,000 in the first three months of card membership — and the rich 4x categories, the card can still make a lot of sense in your wallet. The card is now available in a rose gold color, which I love.
Stunning new first class
And finally, I’m also really excited about the news that Japan Airlines debuted its new beautiful first-class suite on the A350-1000. I cannot wait to try it out.
I haven’t been to Asia proper since before the pandemic, and I’m planning a trip for the end of this year, but trying to find award space is really tough! More on that in a future newsletter.
Safe travels,
BK
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| Photo Credit: WYATT SMITH/THE POINTS GUY. |
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