🦇🦸‍♂️ The Batman & Robin of points

Estimated read time: 4 minutes and 34 seconds

Well hello there 👋🏼

Welcome back to Daily Drop, the in-flight safety video of newsletters — you don’t really need it, but you’ll feel weirdly guilty if you skip it.

Let’s have some fun today:

• 🦇🦸‍♂️ The Batman & Robin of travel cards

• ❄️ Iceland saved my marriage (before it really even started)

• 🤓 Travel Trivia Reveal

• 😂 Meme

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🦇🦸‍♂️ The Batman & Robin of travel cards

Some cards are powerful on their own… but the real magic happens when you pair them.

Enter the [[ chase-sapphire-preferred-card.name ]] and the [[ capital-one-venture-x-rewards-credit-card.name ]] — the ultimate tag team for points lovers.

Earning rates that complement each other

The [[ chase-sapphire-preferred-card.casual-card-name ]] (which earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points) shines when it comes to 3x on dining and 2x on travel — great rates for a low-annual-fee card.

The [[ capital-one-venture-x-rewards-credit-card.casual-card-name ]] balances the duo with a flat 2x Capital One miles on everything else, so every dollar you spend is pulling its weight and earning more than one point per dollar.

Transfer partners that cover the globe

This is where the combo really becomes unbeatable. Both cards have excellent sets of transfer partners, but each card has some partners that the other doesn’t:

• Chase Ultimate Rewards gives you access to World of Hyatt, United, and Southwest.

• Capital One miles bring Turkish, Avianca, and EVA Air to the table.

Put them together, and you’ve got coverage across almost every major airline alliance and hotel program — plus some of the best redemption sweet spots in the game.

Additionally, many programs (like British Airways, Aeroplan, and Flying Blue) partner with both issuers, allowing you to effectively pool points for those larger redemptions.

Premium perks at a bargain price

Here’s where the math gets fun:

• [[ chase-sapphire-preferred-card.casual-card-name ]] has a [[ chase-sapphire-preferred-card.annual-fee ]] annual fee.

• [[ capital-one-venture-x-rewards-credit-card.casual-card-name ]] technically runs at [[ capital-one-venture-x-rewards-credit-card.annual-fee ]], but it’s easy to offset with a suite of benefits, including:

  • $300 annual travel credit for the Capital One Travel portal

  • 10,000 anniversary miles

That means [[ capital-one-venture-x-rewards-credit-card.casual-card-name ]]’s annual fee is incredibly easy to justify for anyone who travels even occasionally.

On top of that, you’re getting some of the best lounge access in the game with unlimited access to Priority Pass (with enrollment) and Capital One lounges.

Why it matters

On their own, each of these cards is strong.

But together, they’re the Batman & Robin of travel — flexible, powerful, and always ready to take down overpriced flights and hotels. 💪

🦇 Check out the [[ capital-one-venture-x-rewards-credit-card.casual-card-name ]] 🦇

🦸‍♂️ Check out the [[ chase-sapphire-preferred-card.casual-card-name ]] 🦸‍♂️

❄️ Iceland saved my marriage (before it really even started)

Alison here, reporting live from Sacramento, CA. 😎

Okay, I’ll admit it, that headline’s a little clickbaity. But I swear, what I learned in Iceland truly is the secret to a long, happy marriage (at least for me).

Two words: Scandinavian Sleeping.

Let me explain.

Back in 2019, my husband and I whisked off to Iceland to celebrate our newlywed bliss. We checked into our first hotel in Geysir and saw… dun dun dunnnn… two comforters on the bed, side-by-side. 😱

What the heck?! At first, I felt like we’d been downgraded to “roommates.” I was bummed.

But that night, after a long travel day, we crawled under our separate covers, and I realized: this is genius.

See, my husband is one of those human tornado sleepers — tossing, turning, and yanking all the covers in his sleep. But with two duvets? He could steal all he wanted… from himself!

Over the next 10 days, as we road-tripped the Ring Road, from Hvammstangi to Akureyri, Egilsstaðir, Höfn, Vík, and Reykjavík, every single hotel had two comforters.

And I slept better than I had in years (no offense, Brad! 😘).

When we got home, my very first purchase was (you guessed it) two comforters. Haven’t looked back since.

If you want to try it for yourself, grab two twin-size duvets and covers. I got mine on Amazon, and honestly, it’s been a total game-changer.

Sure, I booked our hotels and flights at the time with points and miles from the [[ chase-sapphire-preferred-card.casual-card-name ]], which I love so much, as well as [[ united-gateway-card.name ]] that I’ve had since I was 18, but this trip gave me something even more valuable:

The reminder that travel can give you the most unexpected gifts. 😴

What’s the most unexpected tradition, habit, or item you’ve ever brought back from a trip? Share it with us in the Daily Drop Facebook Lounge! 👇

🤓 Travel Trivia Reveal

Guys… this week has been… long.

I thought yesterday was Thursday, and I woke up this morning thinking it was Wednesday. Needless to say, “Tuesday” trivia got lost in the mix somewhere.

Here’s your (belated) reveal to the question of, “Which U.S. state was named the most affordable dining spot in the country?”

Aaaaand, the correct answer is New York! 

Yep. You read that right. Even though it’s home to one of the priciest cities in America, New York was ranked number one for budget-friendly dining.

According to this study, New York has a massive 71.8% share of independent restaurants, which keeps prices surprisingly accessible (if you know where to look).

While the average menu price is $12, the variety and competition mean you can score some pretty great deals.

We’re talking $6.50 dumplings at Vanessa’s Dumpling House, $7.50 hot dogs at Gray’s Papaya, or a three-taco deal on Tuesday at Tacombi (I love you btw ❤️). 

So next time someone says NYC is “too expensive,” maybe take them on a little tour around Chinatown to prove them wrong.

Want to learn more about New York’s best deals? Check out this article.

😂 Meme

That’s it from me today, folks. I hope you enjoyed today’s newsletter and learned a thing or two.

Have a great Thursday, and I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow.

Love you,

59.4370° N, 24.7536° E

With help from my homies Alison, Tiffany, and McKay (blame any typos on them).