️ How to get free Star Alliance status

Good morning from Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia & Herzegovina! 🇧🇦

I’m here to start my bus journey through the Balkans and have some fun airline and hotel tips for you today:

• ✈️ How I got free Star Alliance status

• 🏨 50% transfer bonus to Marriott

• 🤓 Travel Trivia Tuesday

✈️ How I got free Star Alliance status

Y’all know that I’m a Oneworld boy this year… Oneworld status is definitely what has given me the most value as a traveler and is where my focus is.

But this is also the first time in YEARS that I’ve been left without Aeroplan elite status, and therefore also Star Alliance Status.

And it makes me sad.

Thankfully, there’s an easy way that, with one click, I was able to get Star Alliance elite status once again.

That’s thanks to a partnership between two companies that have both, at various times, ruined my entire life: Marriott and Air Canada.

It can only be described as a match made in… well… not heaven. 😈

Here’s how it works:

If you have Marriott Bonvoy Titanium status, you can link your accounts automatically and match to Aeroplan 25k Elite Status.

That’s Aeroplan’s lowest tier, but it still comes with some nice benefits, including Star Alliance Silver status.

But, most importantly, Aeroplan status also allows you to choose “select benefits,” which include things like lounge passes, bonus points on paid Star Alliance flights, and… eUpgrade credits. 😎

eUpgrades are Air Canada’s currency for upgrading from economy to premium economy or even business class, which is actually really nice.

You don’t get a ton of credits with this, but for a shorter regional flight (which Air Canada often still uses wide-body planes with lie-flat seats for), they could end up coming in handy!

Since I earn Marriott Titanium easily every year, it was a really nice perk to simply go to this page, click a button, and instantly have Air Canada status again.

Earning Titanium status requires 75 nights per year, but there are tons of shortcuts to get there.

For example, this card gives you Platinum status automatically, along with 25 elite night credits.

With promotions like the current one (which gives you double elite night credits), you’d only need to spend a couple dozen nights at Marriott hotels to unlock Titanium status and these Aeroplan benefits as well.

The partnership also works the other way around, where high-ranking Aeroplan elites can get Marriott Gold Status, but that’s both less exciting and will apply to far fewer of you…

Anyway, here’s the bottom line:

I love it when airlines and hotels partner up to let you earn one status and multiply it.

It’s a great way to get extra value, perks, and even upgrades.

🏨 50% transfer bonus to Marriott

Speaking of Marriott…

There’s a big boy transfer bonus going on right now where you can get 50% more points when you transfer UR Points to Marriott.

And while that sounds like a lot, it’s important to realize that Marriott points aren’t generally as valuable as airline miles, so don’t get too excited…

Still, for the right redemption, this could be a fantastic opportunity.

For example, I’m currently staying at a Marriott hotel here in Sarajevo, which costs 17,000 points per night:

With the 50% bonus, you’d only need just over 11,000 UR points per night to book this place, which is a solid deal for a chain hotel in the city center.

Plus, since Marriott offers every 5th night free when using points, you could get even more value by booking a 5-night stay.

For example, I’ll be in Mexico City in about a month, where you can book cheap Marriott hotels for as low as 6,000 points per night.

If you book a 5-night stay here, it will run you 24,000 points (because of Marriott’s 5th night free perk).

With this transfer bonus, that’s just 16,000 UR Points for FIVE NIGHTS IN A HOTEL.

🤯

Anyway, check out this page for a list of cards that can earn you UR Points. This bonus is good until March 31st, so you still have plenty of time to look at some hotels and pull the trigger.

🤓 Travel Trivia Tuesday

The correct answer is… Sigiriya, Sri Lanka! 🇱🇰

If you’ve never heard of Sigiriya, you’re in for a treat (and also not alone…this was a new one for me!).

Located in Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle, this tiny village is home to just 1,000 residents but packs in some seriously big attractions, as you can see in the picture above!

The main event? Sigiriya Rock Fortress—a 1,200-foot-tall ancient palace carved into a giant rock, often called the “8th Wonder of the World” by locals (oh, and you’ll need to climb 1,300 steps to get to the top…no biggie).

Beyond the actual rock, you can check out the Dambulla Cave Temple, shop for handcrafted batiks at the Sigiriya Craft Village, and witness “The Gathering” at Minneriya National Park—aka the world’s largest annual congregation of Asian elephants.

Long story short: Sigiriya is worth adding to your list! And, it’s pretty cool to see this destination getting more buzz.

You can read more about the world’s most welcoming destinations here.

Did any of you complete the SAS Million Mile Challenge?? Check out this Daily Drop Lounge member who did! 👇

If you haven’t joined our exclusive Facebook group yet, you’re missing out on learning from other like-minded travelers and sharing your OWN travel wins, just like this one!

So… see you over there 🙂 

That’s all for today, folks! I hope you enjoyed this newsletter themed after my two mortal enemies: Marriott and Air Canada.

Take care, and see you bright and early tomorrow.

Cheers,

43.8563° N, 18.4131° E