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š± My favorite app for travel
Plus, IHG just launched a way to easily rack up TONS of points, and Marriott also has a new promo.
Mike Dodge
September 19, 2024
Estimated read time: 4 minutes and 48 seconds
āļø KLMās fall and winter sale is here! Book by Sept. 24 for flights starting at under $500 from NYC to Rome ($436), LA to Barcelona ($520), and more. Premium Comfort and Business Class fares are also available. Travel from Nov. 1 to March 24, 2025. Read more here.
Good morning, and welcome back to Daily Drop, the coolest newsletter on the Internet. If newsletters were TV characters, we would be the Fonz.
Speaking of cool thingsā¦
šØ IHGās new global promotion
I donāt really know why, but IHG seems to always drop a million promotions at once rather than spreading them outā¦
Right now, there are FOUR different IHG promotions (one of which we just told you about a couple of days ago).
But this oneās even betterā¦ š
For the next three and a half months, you can earn 3,000 bonus IHG points for every two nights you stay.
Here are some more deets:
You must register for the promo
Valid for stays between September 19 and December 31, 2024
Only valid on paid stays
Overall, pretty nice.
I like promos like this that offer a simple (but still valuable) reward and donāt require a law degree to understand all the terms and conditions.
IHG has some pretty solid hotels and brands, too. This Hotel Indigo (one of my favorite brands) in the French Quarter of New Orleans costs $119 per night.
Two nights here would run you $238 and earn you at least 5,000 points (between being an IHG member and the promo bonus points).
If you have this credit card, your earnings would be almost 10,000 points, which is a great return on spend.
Since IHG includes the Holiday Inn family of hotels, there are plenty of hotels around the world where you can rack up cheap paid stays.
This hotel here in Bali only costs $60, for example. š
So hereās the bottom line:
IHG is one of my favorite programs. Between promos like this and their co-branded credit card, itās easy to save money on hotels while racking up a lot of points quickly.
So register for the offer and keep your eyes peeled for potential hotels through the end of the year.
š± The travel tool I use more than any other
Iām going to show you a pictureā¦
This picture is a little plastic case I carry in my bag. Itās full of SIM cards from about 25 countries.
This is old Mike. Donāt be like old Mike. Be like new Mike.
Thatās because new Mike uses a MUCH better system to get cell service abroad. Specifically, I use eSIMs now.
More specifically, I use an app called Airalo.
Airalo has literally changed my life and allows me to get cell service in every corner of the world I travel to.
I ran the numbersā¦ and in the last three years, Iāve purchased 42 different eSIMS with Airalo and used those SIMs in over 60 countries.
In addition to local SIM cards for specific countries, they also have regional and even global packages.
I personally use this package as my go-to backup SIM, which is good for 135 countries and even includes calls and texts. This is super useful to have, especially when Iām just passing through a country on a layover or just staying for a day or two. Itās not just good for having data the second you land in a new country but also for having a phone number to receive OTPs from local apps, make phone calls, etc. |  |
Personally, I always install eSIMs before I fly to a new country. Then, right when my plane touches down, I have cell service. Itās awesome.
But hereās the best partā¦
Airalo is sponsoring this edition of Daily Drop and offering all of you fine people a sweet deal.
You can get a $3 discount on your first eSIM purchase when you use code DAILYDROP at checkout.
The app is free to download and will instantly become a staple of your travel app collection!
So here you go:
Please support our sponsors!
š„ Save up to 20% with Marriottās Fall Flash Sale
Apparently, this week is the week for hotels to be on fire š„
Well, not literallyā¦ on fireā¦ but like, killing it. With promos and bonuses and such.
On top of all the other promos going on with different brands, Marriott has just released details for their upcoming Fall Flash Sale which will offer Marriott Bonvoy members up to 20% off hotel stays if you book between September 25-29, 2024.
So yes, you canāt book quite yet. But honestly, it feels nice to be able to PLAN for something for once, instead of acting immediately on a sale like a fire has been lit under your š
Here are some additional details:
As mentioned, youāll need to make your booking between September 25-29, 2024
Eligible travel dates for the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, and Latin America are between September 30 - November 11, 2024
Eligible travel dates for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa are between September 30 - November 10, 2024
Asia and the Pacific arenāt included in this promo (womp, womp)
This promo applies to stays from Thursdays to Sundays
You must book at least five days in advance
Use promo code QRI to get eligible rates when booking
Stays must be prepaid with a credit card at the time of booking and canāt be changed, canceled, or refunded
Check out the full terms and conditions here
I have no examples to show you for this one because it hasnāt actually started yet. Marriott has a nice little countdown for it thoughā¦ down to the second š
But with 6,000+ Marriott properties participating in this promo, I think there will be something for everyone.
Obviously, Iām a big fan of saving money whenever I can, as Iām sure you are as well.
So this feels like it will be a solid promo thatās eligible in a lot of great destinations and with a decent travel timeframe. Start planning!
We all know the feeling.
Your card anniversary is around the corner and you think to yourself, āDo I really want to keep this card with the $$$ annual fee?ā
Even if itās high, the annual fee can oftentimes be justified by the amount of perks and benefits you get from the card.
If youāre still trying to figure out how to justify a given card, this weekās podcast might just be the answer youāre looking for š¤
As always, you can listen along here or check it out on YouTube.
Thatās all for today, kiddos.
If you havenāt used Airalo before, I highly recommend you try it outā¦ itās such an efficient solution to a problem we all face at some point as travelers.
Anyway, have a great rest of your day, and Iāll see you tomorrow to finish off the week!
With love ā¤ļø