Best Business Credit Card for Travel

Are you looking for the best business credit card for travel?

I know there are a billion options for credit cards out there (trust me, I'm an international traveler, turned international multi-preneur...I've looked)!  So I'll save you some trouble and help point you in the direction to help you maximize your points and minimize your fees if you travel a lot for business or own an international business, like I do!  I have the best credit card for travel on the market for my business needs!  Here's the breakdown:

Best Business Credit Card for Travel

The Chase Ink family of credit cards are hands down the best group of cards for business owners, and I particularly prefer the Chase Ink Business Preferred credit card (see what I did there?).  This card is especially for those of you who are often on the move, and ultra-highly recommended if you own an international business and/or travel a lot for business whether domestically or internationally.

The Pros of the Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

1. Excellent Sign Up Bonus Offer!

If you have high spending anyways, and are likely to spend $8,000 or more in the first 3 months, you'll be able to reap the rewards of the sign up bonus which equates to $1,000 cash back!  You could also choose to use the rewards points toward travel where they're worth 25% more for cardholders: $1,250!  I'm a travel agent, so I tend to stick to the cash back and use my insider skills to make that cash back work magic!

2. Avoid Late Fees with auto payments from Chase Checking or Savings

If you have Chase business checking or savings account, you can schedule automatic payments to make sure you're never late to be sure you don't get smacked with high interest or late fees

3.  Earn 3x the Points on common business expenses

When you spend on any of the following categories, you earn 3x the points for every $1 spent (up to $150,000 per year!): 

• shipping, 
• advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines, 
• internet, cable and phone services, and - of course - 
• TRAVEL!

4. 1:1 Travel Points with Airline Programs

 You can transfer your points 1:1 for travel with airline partner companies:

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• British Airways Executive Club
• Emirates Skywards®
• Flying Blue AIR FRANCE KLM
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards®
• United MileagePlus®
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

   5. 1:1 Travel Points with Hotel Programs

You can transfer your points 1:1 for travel with hotel partner companies:

• IHG® One Rewards Club
• Marriott Bonvoy®
• World of Hyatt

6. NO FOREIGN TRANSACTION FEES!

As someone who lives and works internationally, if you already do or will be traveling internationally this is a HUGE money-saver for you!  Most credit cards charge really high fees for international use - so you can save hundreds of dollars when you use this for international travel or purchases abroad!

7. Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance 

Make sure you book with your Chase Business Ink credit card!

8. Roadside Dispatch

For help if you run into trouble on the road!

9. Cell Phone Protection

I know a lot of you work from your phones, and if you are prone to break yours day one when your dog jumps up and knocks it out of your pocket, like me...this can be a huge help!

10.  Purchase Protection

This is important whether you travel or not - it covers damage OR theft for up to 3 months from the purchase date!

11.  Extended Warranty Protection

You can extend some warranties by up to a year!

12.   Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver

You can decline coverage with the rental company for theft and collision damages both domestically and abroad when renting a vehicle when booking your rental with this card!

The Cons of the Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

1.  There may be other cards with a more accessible sign up bonus

If you won't hit the bonus spend of $8,000 in 3 months, you may prefer to get a card with a bonus you can achieve!

2.  Annual Fee

There is a $95 annual fee (but, in case it helps to see the bigger perspective, the cash back alone pays the annual fee off for me, multiple times over)!

3.  Lower Interest Rates Elsewhere

The interest rate ranges are fairly typical, but you may be able to find options with lower interest rates if you shop around (though they likely won't provide the same number or level of rewards).

4. Restrictions May Apply!

As with ALL credit card rewards programs, please make sure you read the fine print about how the program works, be sure to use the card that the coverage if offered on, review the limitations on coverage, AND be sure to file any claim(s) correctly and on time per their requirements to make sure you're covered!

Summary of the Best Credit Card for Business Travel

I've been a Chase Ink Business client for a few years now and can absolutely recommend it from the standpoint of an international business owner AND as an international business traveler!  Whether or not you use Chase Checking and Savings for your business (which give you some added positives like those easy automated payments and fast turnaround times compared to making payments from other banks, it's a super intuitive connection.  Not only does the sign up reward you 12.5% back on the initial spending requirement, but the year-round card benefits are unrivalled for business travelers from what I've seen on the market!  If you're in the market for the best business credit card for travel or the best business credit card for international travel, take a look at the Chase Ink Business Preferred option and let me know what you think!

TShirt Travel Lingo

In case you ever thought you could never get along in a foreign country without knowing the language...you may be in luck!  They say "a picture is worth a thousand words" and these t-shirts may finally prove it!

See more here.

A tip for a happy work life.

Work Tip:  Stand up.  Stretch.  Take a walk.  Go to the airport.  Get on a plane.  Never return.

CRsurftrip: The best surf travel destination in Costa Rica!

I may be biased, but I'm stoked to announce the opening season for the very best surf travel destination in Costa Rica: CRsurftrip!

We're beyond excited that we are turning our dream of owning a business and our love of budget-friendly travel, the great outdoors, trip-planning and our passion for surfing, friends, and family into reality!

The inaugural surf season 2015-2016 is officially open at CRsurftrip: a fun, friendly, come-as-you-are surf school, camp and trip company based in Playa Sámara, Costa Rica.  At CRsurftrip, you can come alone or with a group and you can stay local for lessons or take one of our 1/2 or full day trips, or, even better, let us take you on a 5-day (or custom-length) adventure where you can see and surf multiple beaches!  Click here for info on surf options and pricing.

We also have a trip-planning menu that will allow you to combine our surf options with any of the following activities: yoga, kayaking, snorkeling, hiking tours, horseback riding tours, zip-lining, fishing, whale-watching, dolphin-watching, turtle nesting tours, whitewater rafting, and more!  

In addition, we have accommodation options to meet any budget from the "I'd rather spend money on activities"-minded traveler to the "I need a break and a massage and a cocktail beachfront, NOW, at any price"-traveler.  We've been both, so we've got you, no matter what is driving your travel desires and decisions!  All of our options are meant to keep you comfortable and give you the Costa Rican experience of culture while allowing you safety and privacy in your own space throughout your trip.

Before, during, or after your trip, you can get surf swag for yourself, your friends and family back home to represent the awesome experience that you're sure to have with us at CRsurftrip.  Send us your pictures to be featured in our gallery online and if you believe we're the best, tell us why and you could end up the headliner of our reviews page!

We can't wait to host you in our Costa Rican paradise for the experience of a lifetime.  Learn to surf, experience the culture and beauty of Costa Rica, make friends for life, and go home with a story to tell and a second-home to return to on your next CRsurftrip!

COME SURF COSTA RICA WITH US!

Sick of Baggage Fees?

Sick of airlines dropping travel prices only to be side-swiped by high costs for any of your baggage?  Me too.  Luckily, there's a company called Orion Travel Technology that is planning something special for the start of 2016: new luggage and fee-free-baggage (for up to 6 trips...not sure if this is one way or roundtrip?)!  If you're one of the first users, you'll be part of their lifetime membership which gives you unlimited fee-free-flights.

The catch?  It appears there will be a yearly fee for the service and the new luggage will turn you into a walking advertisement for whatever company logo Orion sends you to stick on the bag.

Still, you get to customize one side of the bag, pay $20 total for your 6 trips worth of baggage?  Just one bag can be $50, then additional baggage fees rack up quickly.  Are you really that attached to your designer luggage?  I, for one, am not.  So bring on the reduced airfare costs (you know...back to how it was when you thought the airfare included your luggage) and send me some new bags and fun stickers...I'll be your travel-model.  Watch me work that runway!

Supply and demand, my friends.  Advertising: running the world, and saving us from bag fees.

Thanks to AirFareWatchdog for the info!

Montauk, NY - A long ride for a beach town

We packed up and headed out to Montauk for the day, having heard mountains of goodness about the beach town near the Hamptons at the "end of the world" (which is really just one of the end-forks of Long Island, NY).  While the rich and famous often take their private jets and helicopters, we poor people went by car on a beautiful fall day.  The drive was easy, though the last hour or so was on one-lane roads and there was no room to pass, so I'm willing to bet that a summer weekend in traffic to get there would be enough to deter us from returning ever again.

We passed the Hamptons; men, women, and children were dressed to the nines at table-clothed restaurants lining the narrow main streets of town and we wondered if we'd made a mistake traveling in our surf shorts, tanktops, and beach hair, but we forged onward toward "the end."

I've got to say that coming over the hill that gives you a view of the ocean was a moment to remember: partly because of it's beauty and partly because it meant we would finally be able to get out of the car.

We drove through town, and continued onward, stopping at an overlook to take a few pictures. We went wandering on a tiny path there, where we saw some baby snakes crossing the trail and heard rustling in the leaves and bushes as we disturbed the peace of the area...we never found out where the path led...it was a long way to walk without knowing if there was a goal at the end worth reaching.  Another girl who had gone ahead of us turned back and ran into us with the same conclusion.  We abandoned ship and returned to the car onward to "the end."

Finally made it to the Montauk Point Lighthouse!  A cul-de-sac of sorts where you can pay $8.00 to park (unless you want to walk or bike since there is no parking allowed on the roadway).  The free stuff: take pictures of the lighthouse from the parking lot or take the walking path to the left or right of the entrance to the lighthouse that will take you down to the beach around the gated museum grounds (about a 30 minute walk if you don't stop to enjoy the views and relax).  Otherwise you can pay an additional fee of $10 per adult which allows you entrance to the gated park area, access to the indoor museum, and a ticket to climb to the top of the lighthouse.  All in all you won't spend more than an hour inside the gates.






We were really lucky because we were there on a beautiful day.  There were tons of boats off the coast but, since it was after Labor Day Weekend, the tourist count was low and there were no crowds.  We wondered if it would have been more lively with more people?

Heading back to town, we veered off to check out ditch plains where we heard the best surf is in Montauk.  We were lucky to run into a local who guarded our vehicle from cops since we didn't have a sticker to park in the lot.  He told us the waves were good.  We were disappointed to find 1' waves and still a whole bunch of surfers in the water (biggest crowd we saw in all of Montauk), but it was a really chill beach and there was a little food truck called the Ditch Witch.  I liked the vibe there more than anywhere else in Montauk that day.

It had already been hours since we left home base, and we were getting hungry.  We headed back to town where, luckily, there is a huge free parking lot, which was pretty much empty.  We walked to the beach looking for a restaurant on the water, but nothing in sight.  This is pretty typical on Long Island; homes on the beach, commercial properties inland. As with the rest of our day to that point, it proved to be just a quiet fall day.

A local woman pointed us to the German restaurant and told us they had the best beer in town, but we wanted something with more beach vibe, so we walked into town where we had seen more shops and people while driving through.  We were distracted from the main street by some music pumping from what eventually turned out to be a hotel pool, so we retraced our steps back to the main road and ended up at The Gig Shack, which is absolutely not a shack, and its prices were anything but shack-like but we can't complain because the pot of GigShack Mussels was both ginormous and delicious.  I would definitely suggest sharing this between more than two people, especially if you plan to eat anything else.  Our server was wonderful and brought us extra bread to soak up and scoop the chowder-like sauce.  Mmmm.  It was busy but not packed, they had surfing on TV and chill jams from the speakers, so I would say lunch was the highlight of our trip.


We stopped into a few of the shops in town but everything was really pricey.  I'm not complaining, because we'd always heard about Montauk and the Hamptons being mad expensive and the playground for the wealthy, but somehow I was still surprised that the prices of everything were so inflated.  A night in the hotel was going to cost us literally hundreds of dollars so we opted not to find a pet-sitter from the get-go and headed back west in time to enjoy the sunset during the long drive.

Overall Summary:

Montauk was a beach town-ish.  Definitely would suggest the drive out there during the off-season but I'd like to return during the high season because I have a feeling we completely missed out on the reason that it gets all the hype.  It would also be better to spend the time with friends who know the best places to go, since the typical online resources didn't really convince us of anything in particular.  Taking surf gear (and making sure there were some bigger waves) would also inspire us to try again.

I'd like to stay over to see what the nightlife is like or just to make the long drive a little more worth it, but unless we were to rent someplace between a group or stay with friends locally, I doubt we would find it worth the money to spend the night.  I couldn't find a single lodging option under $150 for the night...and again, it was after Labor Day Weekend.

Most of my insight changes if you're loaded...so if that's the case, please ignore me and go enjoy your quick, easy, and beautiful heli or plane ride down the coast, the overpriced food, beverage, clothing, and gear, by all means, but I think I'll stick with any of the other little beach towns that we passed along the entire Long Island Coast if I want another day trip.

The Gig Shack was delicious.

I'd love to hear comments or suggestions for a mulligan on this trip that would convince us otherwise.  We really wanted to love Montauk as much as everyone who told us about it, we just didn't feel it. :-/

My favorite thing...

What is your next destination?

#WanderlustProblems

Travel Addiction

Home is where the heart is...

Thank you, Thomas Paine.

LiveWorkWander...

Lucky me!  I just got linked to the blog and facebook page of friends of a friend who are traveling the country in their crazy van!  It looks like a total blast and their posts are fun, exciting, and downright hilarious.  Who are these wanderlust wanderers?  A married couple named Jessica and Jorge.  Down to Earth and up on wheels ;)  Check out their blog for the amazing photos and their FB for the quick and funny posts.  It's worth your time, I promise!

Take me back to St. Barth's!

We all squeezed our way onto our tiny charter flight to St. Barths, and sat down in seats seemingly meant for five year olds. I had never been on a plane so small, let alone one in which I could see the pilot and the tiny fan next to his head that was keeping his heat stroke at bay. With every bit of turbulence in the air my life flashed before my eyes and I prayed that the plane would not go down before I could see the paradise we were approaching. If the plane was going to get knocked out of the sky, my only hope was that it land on the beach so I would at least get a little bit of time to relax in the sand.  Thankfully the plane landed safely, with the captain making an incoherent speech into the mic which would have been much better understood if he had just turned around.

When we got off the plane I couldn’t help but smile. The wind was slight, but noticeable in the leaves of the tropical trees, and the sun felt like it was at max capacity in terms of power output. We all threw our bags and ourselves in a van that would take us to our villa, which had gained a mythical status in my mind in the weeks prior to the trip. Some of us took a red mini cooper convertible that seemed to embody the island we had just landed on. The only thing missing was for someone to yell “woo” and throw out their silk scarf while driving.

To say that people were excited when we got to the villa would a massive understatement - like saying the pope is excited for Jesus to come back. It quickly became apparent that the mythical status our villa had taken on was nothing but a lack of imagination.  Before I could climb the steps leading to the dream I would be staying in for the next week, people were yelling “oh my god” as if Oprah Winfrey was floating in the pool with a mimosa and a cigarette in her hand. No such luck though.  

The infinity pool was looking beautiful and untouched for a few seconds until one of us jumped in enthusiastically like bottled milk into a refrigerator. 

Surrounding the pool were some lovely seating areas, a living room enclosed by columns and flowing curtains, a huge open kitchen and an area where a stone-carved greek looking face was serving as a fountain. 

With tears in my eyes I found my bedroom and my eyes welled up even more. There was a big soft bed surrounded by mosquito nets, making it look like either a queen or an angel had slept there. I was fine pretending to be either one. In the bathroom I found the usual goodies, a toilet, a shower, and two sinks. At first I didn’t think I would need to use both sinks, but if I was going to live like a queen I had to live in senseless excess. I would need to find a servant to bring me martinis and aged cheeses.

That first night we went to a restaurant where most of us ordered plenty of mojitos and everyone shared an assortment of delicious foods. Judging by how much everyone enjoyed every dinner we had, I will say that I don’t think anyone has ever been disappointed in a meal while at St. Barth's, with the possible exception of our last dinner.  This was not due to the food, which was par-for-the course-incredible, but because of our waiter who made some off-color jokes and had a suspiciously thin moustache.

Either way, the whole week was pretty much spent eating the food of the gods, drinking the nectar of the gods, and laying on the beach of the gods. 

The water at the beaches was exactly as one would imagine it would be, warm enough to pee in and not notice a change in temperature, and clear enough to see your own happy toes. I would also say something nice about the sand but in reality it was very similar to other sands I’ve felt between my toes.

The views surrounding us as we splayed out on the beach were what made it truly memorable. There were cliffs and pint-sized uninhabited islands in the distance, with tropical trees dancing merrily in the breeze.

One day there was even a little goat family eating a grassy lunch. On one of our beach excursions we swam out to a cliff where we spent an hour or two jumping off into the water and building up the courage to do it again and again. Needless to say our daytime activities were magical.

Most of our nights we would walk to a small club where there was a somewhat secret back room, in which we found an assortment of costumes and wigs. This provided me with a great way to overshadow my ridiculous dancing with an even more ridiculous outfit. Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire, and peter pan with an afro looks almost natural when dancing/stomping around on a table. Maxwell, the man in charge of the costumes, truly had an artist’s eye in assessing the person in front of him and choosing a perfectly absurd getup.

After a week of discussing the merits of a wig with Maxwell and eating fish tartare, waking up on the last day was not much fun, to say the least. I just couldn’t understand why I was leaving. I had spent a week in paradise, waving hello to the sun every morning, and now I was returning, not very willingly, to the icy tundra that was New York. I wished I could have gone back to being four years old so I could throw a big hissy fit and shed some of the tears that had come back. These were not the tears of joy from earlier. Unfortunately, I had to keep my angst inside and leave a vacation that was better than anything I could have imagined.

As sad as returning to real life was, I now have a week’s worth of great memories of eating and drinking like a very portly king, relaxing like the naked old men at the beach, and spending time with a group of amazing people that were really the main reason for all of the fun had.

~Guest Blogger: Mark Milbrandt

If you want to spend a week in a luxurious villa, lounging, dancing in costumes, cliff diving and eating tuna tartare daily like Mark, or even just to find out more about this Godly Paradise, 

check out St. Barth's!

NYC to Nairobi Deal!!!

NYC to Nairobi, Kenya in November: $392

See the details at Chris Myden's Site by clicking here.

Working to Live? or Living to Work?

This is Prince EA.  He's like a modern day philosopher and poet.  I've actually seen a few of his videos and recommend checking him out.  This video gave me chills.  Break out and live!

Passport-less-ness

If there's a more terrible feeling than putting your passport in an envelope and sending it out of your life for an undetermined amount of time while the government sends you a renewal...I'm not sure what it is.  It's the feelings of restless, distress, hopeless, and sadness all mixed together: "passport-less-ness" seems an appropriate term to describe not only the state of affairs but the emotional component that goes along with it!

Here's your friendly travel reminder to always keep track of your passport expiration date!

Most federal governments have a policy in which travelers must have at least 6 months left before the expiration of their passport upon entering their country.  Be sure to know before you go!

There are expedited services in the US and, as long as your passport hasn't been completely destroyed, you can do a simple online form, get passport pics taken at your local drug store/pharmacy (CVS, Rite Aid, etc) and mail them in with a personal check.  You can pay cash or credit card at an agency, but it seems like a much bigger hassle.  Money makes the world go round, and it also makes YOU go 'round the world...faster.  For an extra fee you can get expedited service to have your passport back in your wanderlust hands faster than the average traveler.

You can get most information online these days, but, as always, please assure that you are on a legitimate government website so that you don't get duped!  Because nobody likes when that happens!  For U.S. citizens, the go-to passport renewal site is:

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/renew.html

Happy Travels All!

Bringing Your Pet?

Next year, JFK is opening "The Ark," an airport terminal dedicated solely to the safe and happy travels of pets and their people.  A private company has planned to rent the terminal for years to come and, as they say, money talks (about as much as parrots).  So hold onto your tails, and get ready for a new high-flying experience if all goes to plan...let the countdown continue!

Things we miss about traveling...

Here is a good list of 14 things every traveler misses when they return home.  Definitely not the full list but a good start, for sure!  I'd only disagree with sleeping in.  Though I love sleeping in, I wish I ddi it less when I'm traveling so I could pack more adventure into every second!

My favorite two are "meeting new people" and "getting lost."  I've found that when you combine the two, it's the best way to create lifelong friendships and to get to know the best parts of a place!

Lost...with direction

Never fear if you're feeling lost...we're all lost!  Just find your direction :)

Lower Airfare Near the Witching Hour?

Totally in the experimental stage still...but for the past two-three weeks when searching for airfares, they were almost always cheaper when I looked late at night (between 9pm and 12am EST) than when I searched during the daytime at the same flights.

By waiting until nighttime to buy, the price drop was significant going from as high as $346 to as low as $211 for a one way ticket, which is obviously an even larger gap if you need two of them.  Since a lot of airlines are changing over to an equal-equal pricing system, where you even buy your round trip tickets by combining individual one-ways, it's worth thinking about this daytime vs. late night buying timetable.  So if you're searching, try it for yourselves, and let me know if you guys are getting the same results!

Werifesteria...

Werifesteria: A word worth knowing if you've got wanderlust!