Welcome to The Morning Shave. We read a ton of travel articles each day for our research to share the best travel tips, tricks, and news with you. Here are the articles for Monday, December 26, 2022, that we think you should read.
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The Morning Shave
How to exchange your unwanted gift cards for something you actually want.
Love them or hate them, gift cards are a common gift for holidays and birthdays. You can buy them almost anywhere, and they’re an easy out when you really don’t know what to buy someone. However, what happens when someone buys you a gift card for a store that you don’t like or it’s not enough to actually buy something that you’d like? Here’s how to exchange those gift cards for something truly special.
I flew Spirit Airlines for the first time ever from Miami to NYC. Here are 6 things I wish I knew about the budget airline beforehand.
While Spirit’s ticket prices seem like a good deal, actually flying them can feel like a bait-and-switch. The base price is often much lower than other airlines, but if you don’t follow their rules or plan ahead, you could end up paying much more vs. flying a traditional airline.
Hilton Changes T&C To Allow Removal Of Breakfast Benefit Globally.
Hotel loyalty programs are changing rules by eliminating benefits or making them so opaque that hotel operators can harm the guest experience. Hilton used to offer complimentary breakfast for certain elites, no matter the cost. Then, they switched it to a daily credit within the U.S. And, now, those rules have gone international. Blind loyalty no longer makes sense. Review your airline and hotel loyalty programs on a regular basis to ensure that they still deserve your loyalty. Otherwise, it’s time to switch and find someone that truly values your business.
From airports to hotels: Tips for skipping long lines when you travel.
Waiting in line sucks whether you’re at the airport, checking in at your hotel, or anywhere else. Follow these tips for skipping the line so that you can avoid wasting time and get started on the fun. For travelers, check out our comparison between TSA PreCheck vs. Global Entry vs. CLEAR to see which one is best for your travel style.
Here’s Why You Should Never Park at the Airport.
When you travel using miles and points, parking at the airport can be one of your biggest travel expenses. For a weekend trip, the cost isn’t too bad. But these daily charges can really add up over a long vacation. There are numerous ways you can reduce these costs, so explore them all to figure out which one works best for your situation.
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I should write for Insider or similar or some blogs. Amazes me what counts for articles… things I wish I knew before flying _____ or going to _____. Do these supposed travel experts have their heads in the sand or get put away into a sensory deprivation chamber when they come back in? I wish before I went outside that the sky was blue and that there is this thing called rain. Who knew?
Seriously. Anyone could tell you that airlines like Spirit are a horrible experience for many travelers with all of their petty fees. I’m happy that JetBlue is buying them to eliminate their icky fee structure. However, some people are willing to adjust their expectations to take advantage of their low prices. I’m not willing to jump through that many hurdles.
It amazes me that some articles make it to publication. But there’s an audience for these types of articles; otherwise, the site wouldn’t pay freelance writers to put them together. I’m a freelance writer too, and I’m surprised about some of the topics I’m assigned. The site has done its research, and it thinks it can make money on it. Experienced travelers like us sometimes forget how much we know vs. the average traveler.