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- 💳 The secret travel card you’ve never heard of
💳 The secret travel card you’ve never heard of
Plus, introducing our new Points Pursuit series
Mike Dodge
June 23, 2026
Estimated read time: 4 minutes and 11 seconds
✈️ TRENDING TRAVEL NEWS ✈️
• Benvenuto: Register here for our free Italy with Miles & Points class this Thursday (6/25) at 3 PM EST and learn how to plan the perfect Italian getaway!
• Chic: 16 eclectic and independently owned U.S. boutique hotels just joined the Marriott Bonvoy program – meaning they’re now bookable with points.
• Baggage Blues: An interesting alternative to checking your bags is gaining traction – it just might take a little pre-planning.
• MVP: One card in particular did the heaviest lifting in Sam’s episode of Points Pursuit (more on that below) – check out your offer here.
Good morning from chilly Arusha, Tanzania. 🇹🇿
I’m gearing up for a last-minute change to my trip that will take me on a 26-hour journey across the world.
But before I head to the airport, we’ve got some really, really fun stuff for you today:
🤓 Travel Trivia Tuesday
Which country was named the most peaceful in the world for 2026? |
Keep reading the newsletter to find out the answer and learn a little more about the destination. 🙂
🦬 Points Pursuit Episode 1: Buffalo
As you know, we just launched a new series called Points Pursuit – where members of the Daily Drop team competed to earn the most points with $500 of spending, all while showing Brendan and Erin around their hometowns.
Each episode has a fun video – and the first one just dropped (so go watch RIGHT NOW).
The first episode of Points Pursuit features the incredible Sam Anthony showing off her home city of Buffalo, New York. If you want to watch it with your friends from the Facebook Lounge, sign up for the live watch party – Sam will be there too for live Q&A.
And if you want the nerdy first-person perspective (as well as the breakdowns of how they earned every point), each host has written an in-depth article about their experience and points-earning strategy.
💳 The secret credit card you’ve never heard of
What if I told you there’s a travel rewards card out there that offers:
An annual free night
Hundreds of dollars in annual airline credit
Unlimited airport lounge access for you and your family
And that’s all for an annual fee that’s significantly lower than many of today’s premium travel cards.
Sounds pretty great, right?
There’s just one catch: You can’t apply for it.
Or at least, that’s what most people think… 😏
You see, there’s an awesome premium hotel card that you can still technically get in your wallet without signing up for it new.
In fact, I used that exact strategy myself earlier this year and successfully added the card to my wallet.
After spending a few months with the card, I can honestly say the hype is justified.
So I put together a complete guide covering the benefits, the drawbacks, who should consider it, and the step-by-step process that can still unlock one of the most intriguing cards in the points and miles world. 👇
PRESENTED BY WORLDTRIPS
🌍 You booked the trip. Now protect your right to cancel.
Summer is peak booking season, which means we’re all booking further out than any other time of year. And a lot can change between June and December.
I’ll tell ya, I even get nervous about my trips booked just a month or two out. I can’t see the future! What if something insane happens and I can’t go? I’m not about to lose out on the money I spent.
Standard trip protection, and most insurance covered by travel cards, cover specific unforeseen reasons like severe weather or sudden illness. But what about everything else?
That's the gap you probably don't realize exists until you’re staring at a nonrefundable booking, wondering what your options are.
WorldTrips' Atlas Journey plans can help protect eligible prepaid trip costs whether your trip was booked using points, miles, cash… or some chaotic combination of all three (coverage varies by plan, and policy terms apply).
Coverage varies by plan, but more comprehensive options like Atlas Journey Elevate can include 40+ covered trip cancellation reasons.
Want even more flexibility? That’s where the optional Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) upgrade comes in.
If purchased and eligibility requirements are met, CFAR reimburses 50–75% of your prepaid trip costs if you need to cancel for a reason that isn't otherwise covered, no questions asked (policy terms apply).
The catch? (There’s always a catch, amiright…) It has to be purchased within 21 days of your initial trip deposit. The longer you wait after booking, the more you risk losing the option entirely.
Here’s what you need to know:
Coverage and covered cancellation reasons vary by Atlas Journey plan — more comprehensive plans like Elevate cover 40+ reasons (terms vary by plan)
To add CFAR, 100% of your trip costs must be insured, and you must be able to travel at the time of purchase
Beyond cancellation: Atlas Journey also covers trip interruption, delays, baggage issues, emergency medical, and evacuation
This is a company that's been protecting travelers for 25+ years across 180 countries, with 24/7 assistance no matter what time zone you're melting down in. They’re legit.
If you've got a fall or winter trip already locked in, or you're about to book one, this is the window to actually do something about it.
✅ Travel Trivia Reveal
A few minutes ago, we asked which country was named the most peaceful in the world for 2026…
If you guessed Iceland, you nailed it!
Diego Delso, delso.photo, License CC BY-SA
According to the Institute for Economics & Peace’s annual Global Peace Index (GPI), Iceland comes in at number one as the most peaceful country in the world.
The GPI analyzes data on 163 countries to measure each country’s peacefulness across three main themes: Ongoing Conflict, Safety & Security, and Militarization. The scores serve as an overview of the overall stability of a country – and help paint a picture of global peacefulness.
Iceland has topped the list for almost 20 consecutive years, largely due to the country’s lack of a standing army, an extremely low crime rate, and low levels of ongoing conflict.
The list is dominated by Western and Central European countries – ones that tend to have minimal external conflict, if any. These are largely nations that prioritize institutional accountability and social trust.
The top five is rounded out by New Zealand, Switzerland, Slovenia, and Ireland, respectively, with New Zealand being the highest ranking non-European country on the list, followed by #8 Singapore and #10 Japan.
Dig into the full in-depth Global Peace Index report here for more info.
That’s all for today, friends! I hope you enjoyed some more unique and fun content today, and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow morning.
Cheers,
With contributions by Sam Anthony, Katie Begnoche, and Alison Carrico.