We (definitely) do not know what we are going to get. For air travel, it is already in the cards and new evidence piles into the box every day.

Forrest Gump is right on the mark when it comes to air travel, too

Truth be told, no one knows the extent to which this pandemic will affect the industry.

Whether you’re wining and dining up front, or whining and dining in the back, seat selection is of the utmost importance. And there can be big differences between seats, even among aircraft within the same airline.

You may be thinking – if I see a row of two seats, and all the other rows have three seats, of course I should take the row of two! Not so fast. That row of two may be the worst place to sit on the entire plane.

Updated Monday, July 13 to include expanded dates of blocked seats on Alaska Airlines and JetBlue.

The landscape of aviation is changing faster than a private jet en route to a private island. If you find yourself travelling, be ready for a very different experience. It starts even upon arrival to the airport. Once onboard, you’ll find that the usual amenity kit may now be replaced by masks and hand sanitizer.

One of the most polarizing issues onboard is social distancing. Only a few airlines are blocking middle seats while others are selling all available seats.

If you’re anything like us, nearly every moment of this pandemic has been spent dreaming of travel. Especially as we try to avoid nauseating headlines like “Corona” being on the rise for baby names. With U.S. residents barred from entering Europe for the foreseeable future, now is the time to focus on feasible travel.

In this three-part series, we are looking at the basics of the cheapest domestic awards.

In case you're joining us for the first time, or missed a prior post in this series, please check out the index below:

Credit Card Reward Programs for Travelers: An IntroductionThe Basics of American Express Membership Rewards The Basics of Chase Ultimate RewardsThe Basics of Capital One Rewards (this post)The Basics of Marriott BonvoyThe Basics of Citi ThankYou Points

Today we’ll take a look at an underrated player in the points and miles world: Capital One.

Capital One offers cards desirable to travelers, including those which earn transferable points as well as cards offering cash back.

In the coming weeks we’ll be looking at different types of credit cards and their reward programs, with an aim to introduce you to those frequently used by travelers. Such a topic can be divided into three categories: transferable programs, airline and hotel branded cards, and fixed point value cards.

The world is in a time-out

The travel world has certainly been turned upside down due to COVID-19. Every country around the globe has been changing travel restrictions on pretty much a weekly basis. Airlines are adjusting their routes and aircraft even more frequently.

At the moment, some airlines including Air Baltic, Ryanair, Avianca, and EasyJet have 100% of their fleet grounded. Air France and KLM have over 90% of their fleet grounded, with hopes to be 30% airborne in July. Singapore Airlines has been flying just 9 aircraft.

Airbnb can be a fantastic way to stay at a unique property or save money compared to staying at a hotel. Be sure to check out our previous article where we discussed details such as filtering the search results and strategies for saving money and earning points and miles.

Part I: Key Things You Need To Know About Booking An Airbnb. This post goes over the foundations of booking an Airbnb.

Part II: How to be an Airbnb Ninja - Ready for Anything. Today's post dives into more advanced search strategies and crisis avoidance/management.

In our previous article we discussed some tools, tips, and tricks to help you navigate booking air travel. In this article we’ll tackle accommodation. Specifically we’ll look at one of the biggest movers and shakers in the industry – Airbnb. Let’s move about the cabin and discuss accommodation on the ground.

Airbnb Basics

Airbnb has left VRBO and HomeAway in the dust while also overtaking some hotel chains based on US sales. There are over 7 million Airbnb listings worldwide and some 2 million people are staying in an Airbnb on a given night according to recent statistics.

Below are some tools, tips, and tricks to help you navigate the complexities of planning and booking air travel. Let’s move about the cabin and discuss how we got here.

Award Tickets

Using points and miles can be a fantastic way to leverage the costs of travel. By using credit cards which earn transferable points or airline miles, you'll be well on your way to nearly free travel.

For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on dining. These Ultimate Rewards can be transferred to 10 different airline programs.