Travel Tips from a Traveling Photographer
- Jeni Jo Photography
- Apr 14, 2021
- 8 min read
Updated: Apr 12
I travel the world photographing horses and their owners, and with over 50,000 miles flown and 20,000+ miles driven on average per year I've racked up plenty of tips to share (and credit card points). Below, I’m sharing my top strategies to make travel more enjoyable while maximizing every dollar spent.
This post is broken down into several categories: booking tips, credit cards, mileage programs, rental cars, stays, international travel tips, misc tips, and specific travel items. Bookmark this page for future reference! *this post contains affiliate links, thank you for using them!*
Quick Booking Tips to Get us Started
Always book refundable travel: Hotels, Airbnbs, airline tickets, rental cars- only choose the refundable options in case you need to cancel or reschedule your trip. This means when booking your flights, choose the 'Main' option over 'Saver'.
Check the baggage policies before booking: Airlines vary on baggage fees, size restrictions, and weight limits
Track flight prices: if you're planning your trip months in advance, consider setting alerts ('Track Prices') on Google Flights, to receive a notification when the price is lowest.
Top Credit Cards
Before we dive in: I’m not a financial advisor—this is just my personal experience! Please use this blog post for educational purposes only and consult your banker or financial advisor before applying for a credit card.
RULES FOR USING CREDIT CARDS WISELY:
Treat every credit card like a debit card—pay off the balance in full every month.
Use sign-up bonuses strategically. These can cover flights, hotels, and more.
Stick with one airline or hotel chain to maximize status and perks.
*Keep in mind the sign up bonuses, annual fees, and general benefits for each card are ever changing, so that specific information may not be accurate at the time of reading.
MY TOP CARD CHOICES, AT A GLANCE
Credit Card | Annual Fee | Best For | Key Benefits |
$95 | General travel | 60,000 points bonus, 2x points on travel/dining, trip insurance | |
$95-$350 | If you're loyal to an airline | Sign up bonus miles, free first checked bag, companion fare | |
$0 | Pairing with the Sapphire Preferred | 5% back on bonus categories (Flex), 1.5% on all purchases (Unlimited), limited travel related insurance *best rec is to get the S.Preferred first then downgrade to one of these after a year! | |
$95 | Business owners who travel | 90,000 points bonus, 3x points on shipping & travel, travel insurance | |
$0 | Business owners | $500-$750 sign up bonus 2-5% cash back on select categories Limited trip insurance. *best rec is to get the Ink Preferred first then downgrade to one of these after a year! | |
$95 | International travelers | 75k bonus points, 2x on every purchase, international airlines travel partners |
Pro Tip: If you have a significant other, you can both sign up for your preferred card and get double the sign up bonus points. Be sure to use their referral link to get extra points!
My overall recommendation for this category: start with either the Sapphire Preferred or an airline specific credit card (plus one of the Chase Ink Business cards if you have a business) and work up from there if you feel you could use more benefits that other cards offer and to earn more points. If you want to get more advanced, there's an entire system you can use with several cards to maximize your benefits & points earnings. YouTube and Tiktok will help immensely with this.
SIGN UP BONUS SPENDING TIPS
Ways to reach the spending requirement to obtain the sign up bonus if you can't do so easily within the first 3 months (the typical amount of time allotted for the spending requirement):
Apply before a big purchase (home repairs, equipment, tax payments, etc.)
Sign up for a new credit card right before you book trip expenses
Purchase gift card for future expenses (Visa, Airbnb, Instacart, etc.)
If possible, pay your rent or mortgage with your card.
TRANSFERRING CHASE POINTS
A lot of times, your points will go further if you transfer them outside of the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel portal. Here's a step-by-step on how to accomplish this; keep in mind, there are so many Tiktok videos with a video step by step to visually see how you can do this:
combine all of your possible points between all Chase credit cards (call Chase to combine points with your spouse)
research the best flight options (look on Google flights first, then find the best options directly from the airline's sight. Be sure they are a Chase transfer parter. You can find all transfer partners in the CTP)
head to the specific airline's website and login or create an account
enter in your flight info, make sure there's award availability (seats open on your preferred flight for points use)
head back to the CTP, find the airline in the travel partner's tab
click "Transfer Points" button
enter all your info to transfer the points
within 48hr the points should be transferred and you can book the flight on the specific airline's website
Mileage Programs = Added Perks
Sign up for every airline mileage program—it’s free! This ensures your info is saved for easy booking and helps you start earning miles immediately.
Stick with one airline if possible. I have MVP Gold status with Alaska Airlines, which gives me free seat upgrades & priority boarding.
Use a password manager (like LastPass) to store loyalty program details.
Rental Cars 101
Join rental car loyalty programs- enjoy free perks like faster check-in, free upgrades, and free second drivers.
Check Costco Travel for special deals on rental cars.
Take photos of the car before leaving the lot to document its condition.
Before purchasing rental insurance, check your personal car insurance policy for liability. Most cover rentals! And if you use the Chase cards I listed above, you'll be covered with their CWD insurance.
Consider Turo for rentals. It supports local car owners and sometimes has better pricing. (Note: Chase's credit card rental insurance does not cover Turo.)
Pro Tip: Stay loyal to one gas station brand. I prefer Chevron because you can combine Chevron and Safeway points for extra savings.
Why I Usually Choose Airbnb Over Hotels (and When I Don’t)
I almost always choose Airbnb over hotels for these main reasons: free & easy parking, chance to meet new people, unique experiences, feels more like home, you have access to a kitchen with most stays, they're usually cheaper than hotels for the quality, and generally more private than hotels.
When I opt for a hotel: if there are no good options for Airbnbs in the area (ie. too expensive, don't have the amenities I need, are too far away from my destination), or sometimes if it's a really short or last minute stay hotels can be easier.
If you enjoy staying in hotels or just like free accommodations, use your points you earn with your credit cards to purchase hotels (you can transfer points outside of the CTP for hotel use), get a hotel specific credit card like IHG/Marriott/Hyatt, or stay loyal to a certain hotel to accrue points with them to redeem for future bookings- like Hilton or Best Western.
*pro tip 1: choose a 'Superhost' on Airbnb to ensure a great stay!
*pro tip 2: choose a place with a washer & dryer. You can do a laundry day mid-trip and pack half as many clothes.
International Travel Tips
Make copies of important documentation. I will always have 2 digital copies, 2 hard copies + my original documents with me at all times (all in separate bags) when I'm traveling. I make copies of:
my passport
drivers license
travel insurance information
personal health insurance
visa
vaccination info
global entry card
Plan your finances. I'll always use my debit card at an ATM in the country when I land to withdraw money. The Charles Schwab debit card refunds 100% of the ATM fees you pay- it's easily the best option for dealing with currency differences; read more about the card here. I will always bring:
2 debit cards from 2 different banks (Chase and Charles Schwab)
3 credit cards from 3 different bank accounts with no foreign transaction fees (Sapphire Reserve, Capital One Venture, Amex Gold, and Ink Preferred are my go-tos) and will use my credit card whenever possible.
USD cash
Buy an e-sim. There are multiple ways to do this:
I use Visible for my phone provider and it includes 12 free days of global service. After 12 days, $10 a day. I have a code to join Visible that gives you $20 off: 66DP37Q
AT&T also has a global pass, it's $15 a day for the first line and $10 for all lines after. T-mobile and other providers I'm sure have this option, just contact them before your trip to get the global pass set up.
If your phone is unlocked, you can buy an eSIM from Holafly (this is not an affiliate link). They have very competitive rates!
You can choose to rely on wifi everywhere you go instead of buying service abroad. I typically will do this while I'm traveling with my husband who uses a global pass each day.
Misc Tips
Use your credit card perks, combine your Grubhub (with Amex) and DoorDash (with the Sapphire) benefits for pickup at the same time to get snacks before the trip.
Schedule your groceries to be delivered right when you get home, I use Instacart (save $10 on your first order using this code: ZD44ECD14A).
Stop at a supplement store before or during your trip to stock up on free samples of protein, and caffeine. This lightens the load and you're less likely to get stopped at TSA (compared to packing ziplock bags or full tubs of supplements).
Clean your house before leaving so you return to a fresh, stress-free space. If you hire a cleaner, schedule cleanings for when you're away to get the same effect!
Be a Carry-On-Queen (or King): For domestic trips, I pack all my clothes/personal items in a backpack and all my camera gear goes in my Think Tank Roller Derby bag. For international trips, I pack my camera gear in my backpack and clothes in a carry on luggage. Check out this blog post to see the rest of my camera gear!
Invest in good luggage with a warranty. Briggs & Riley (lifetime warranty, no questions asked) seems like the best option! I'm upgrading my luggage this year and plan to purchase the Baseline Carry-On and Large Expandable.
Amazon Finds
Refillable Travel Containers (pack these in a separate ziplock bag)
Passport Wallet
Airtags (put one in each bag so if anything gets lost you can easily retrieve it!)
Other things I always travel with
Detergent sheets or pods for laundry
Portable dash cam for rental car
Sanitizer wipes / wet wipes
Snacks (always make a snack stop before you go to the airport!)
Redmond Minerals Relyte (electrolytes), use code JeniJo20 to save on your online order
My prescription drugs to make flying easier- If you get motion sickness or flight anxiety, talk to your doctor about possible prescriptions! (If you want to know what I take, DM me!)
Things I do to reduce the spread of germs
*disclaimer: if you're blissfully unaware of germs, don't read further! (and I'm so jealous of you)
Sanitize my plane seating area before sitting down: wall, tray, entire seat, arm rests
Bring a big plastic bag for my backpack that goes under the seat on the plane
Sanitize the steering wheel, door handles, etc of the rental cars
Sanitize all door knobs, toilet handles/seats, fridge handle, light switches, etc in Airbnbs
Bring my own pillow case
Inspect the bed for bed bugs before unpacking
Wear my crocs to shower. No thank you foot fungus!
Wear slippers or at least socks in the house at all times! If there are other people there and they wear their shoes in the house, I will be wearing my shoes everywhere in the house too except for my room
My Final Thoughts
Have questions? DM me on Instagram or send me an email!
Check out my travel schedule for the rest of the year
And remember: I’m not a travel agent or financial advisor. Please don't sign up for a credit card if you'll abuse it.
Happy traveling!
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