Go glamping, earn elite nights

Welcome to Daily Drop, the only thing in your inbox that won’t tell you to “disconnect and recharge.” We know you’re just here for the cheap flights. And we’re totally cool with that.

Let’s get into it:

• 🏕 Earn double Hyatt elite nights with this glamping brand

• ✈️ Norse Atlantic’s big January Sale

• 🤓 Travel Trivia Tuesday

🏕 Earn double Hyatt elite nights with this glamping brand

Hyatt recently added some superrrrrrr cool properties to their portfolio through their partnership with Under Canvas, a sort of “glamping” brand.

Under Canvas has unique accommodations in scenic places like Utah, Montana, and South Dakota, oftentimes near major national parks.

They also seem really luxurious and perfect for a relaxing getaway.

And, for a few months, you’ll earn DOUBLE elite nights when you book stays here through Hyatt.

Here are the deets:

• You must register for this offer by February 28th

• Valid for stays between March 7th and June 15th, 2025

• You’ll earn one bonus night (two elite nights total) for each night you stay

• There is no cap to the number of bonus nights you can earn

• Award nights are also eligible for the promo

So yeah - nothing crazy. But double elite nights with Hyatt is actually really valuable.

If you just booked a 5-night stay at Under Canvas, you’d already earn Discoverist status by earning ten nights total.

Now here’s the big caveat…

These places are EXPENSIVE…

For example, this property in Moab, Utah clocks in at about $300-400 per night…

Obviously these are pretty unique and luxurious experiences, so hopefully you at least get what you pay for…

But still, not many people can shell out that kind of money for a single night anywhere.

Thankfully, you can also book these properties with points!

These properties are all priced on the same chart as other Mr. and Mrs. Smith properties, and will yield roughly 1.3 cents per point in value.

As you can see, the same tent that cost $351 only costs 28,000 points.

While that’s not the best value for Hyatt points, it’s a great way to use points for a really cool and unique accommodation, and definitely something I’d consider doing!

As always, you can easily rack up UR Points by getting a card like this one and transfer them to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio!

✈️ Norse Atlantic’s big January Sale

News flash. It’s January.

And low-cost carrier, Norse Atlantic, is also aware of what month it is because they just launched a pretty sweet sale that they’re creatively calling, the January Sale…

There are some surprisingly low fares on a handful of different routes, but there are some important things to know:

• Each price displayed is for one outbound flight of a round-trip journey

• If you only book a one-way flight, the price will likely increase

• You must book via Fly Norse’s website by January 27, 2025 (or until availability run out) for travel between February 1 - May 31, 2025

They also note that some routes may have more availability than others and only on certain days.

Here are some samples of the routes they’re advertising 👇

I’m also seeing routes from Las Vegas and Los Angeles to London and Paris, so even West Coast peeps have some options as well 🙌

And honestly, going to Europe between February and May is actually perfect—you’re there before the heat and throngs of tourists take over 😅

Just make sure that you can book a round-trip fare to take advantage of these lower prices, and don’t forget to put that travel purchase on a credit card that will earn you the most amount of points!

For instance, my favorite card to put airfare on is this premium one which earns 5x MR points per dollar.

If you don’t have that card, chances are you’re more likely to have our most popular card (with its more favorite annual fee!). It’ll still earn you a solid 2x UR points per dollar on travel purchases.

So yeah, even though we loooove our miles and points around here (and redeeming them for nearly free flights), sometimes a good cash deal is the better option.

But my number one rules is if you are going to pay cash, you should be earning the most amount of points you can!

🤓 Travel Trivia Tuesday

Correct answer: If you guessed Missouri’s Katy Trail State Park, you’re on the right track! Haha…get it? Right track. Ok, I’m done.

At 239 miles long, the Katy Trail is the longest continuous rail-trail in the United States, running from St. Charles to Clinton, Missouri. The trail follows the path of the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad—also known as the MKT or “Katy” Railroad—which was abandoned in the late 1980s.

Today, it’s super popular for cyclists, hikers, and outdoorsy people. But what the heck makes the Katy Trail so special?

For starters, it runs alongside the Missouri River for a significant portion of the route. And, since it was originally built for trains, the trail is mostly flat with gentle grades, making it accessible for riders of all skill levels.

If 239 miles sounds like a lot, don’t worry—you don’t have to do it all at once. Many people choose to ride shorter sections of the trail, stopping in towns like Boonville, Sedalia, and Jefferson City along the way.

Aaaand, Katy Trail runs parallel to an active Amtrak line, making it one of the few trails in the country where you can combine biking with train travel.

If you need a break or want to shorten your ride, Amtrak’s Missouri River Runner allows you to bring your bike onboard for just $10.

The Katy Trail is also part of the Great American Rail Trail, a project that aims to create a cross-country, coast-to-coast bike path connecting Washington, D.C., to Washington State. Once completed, this will be the longest continuous multi-use trail in the U.S., with the Katy Trail serving as a key section.

Whether you’re an experienced cyclist looking for an epic adventure or just someone who enjoys a leisurely ride, the Katy Trail is a must-visit.

I’m curious: have you visited Katy Trail? Or plan to?

Read more about Katy Trail here (and the future Great American Rail Trail here).

That’s all for today, folks! I hope you enjoyed today’s newsletter, and I look forward to seeing you again bright and early tomorrow morning.

Cheers,

52°22'35.4"N 52°15'17.4"W