đ€Šââïž Oh god⊠A United flight to Taiwan had to return to the U.S. after an economy passenger refused to stop moving to a business-class seat. Read more about this annoying incident here.
Good morning and welcome back to Daily Drop, the newsletter thatâs a whole lot like the Rock. The actor, not the element.
Our hacks are freakishly strong and weâve always got surprises up our sleeve.
Speaking of travel hacksâŠ
- đïž LAST CALL: Sign up for our Monterey giveaway!
- đ¶ You might have to pay 7 euros to visit Europe in 2024
- đ Planes, trains, and camper vans (oh, my!)
đïž LAST CALL: Sign up for our Monterey giveaway!
Hey, remember last month when we announced that we were giving away a free trip to the luxurious Monterey Plaza Hotel in California?
Yeah⊠well, thatâs still going on... which means itâs not too late to enter for your chance to win.
As a reminder, hereâs whatâs included in the giveaway:
- 4-night stay for two in an Oceanview Executive Suite
- $2,000 to cover flights and miscellaneous expenses
- 60-minute spa treatment for two
- Dinner for two at Coastal Kitchen
- Bottle of wine and cheese upon arrival
- Complimentary valet parking
Woah⊠thatâs a lot. And for reference, these Oceanview Executive Suites can cost as much as $3,000 per night, so this is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
There are multiple ways to enter, some of which require a few clicks. So click the big shiny button, take one minute to make a few clicks, and maybe (just maybe) win the trip of a lifetime đ
đ¶ You might have to pay 7 euros to visit Europe in 2024
I know what youâre thinking⊠but no, this new âŹ7 fee isnât being enforced to help fund the National Confederation of French Bakery and Pastry (which is a real thing).
But honestly, if I was forced to pay that in order to help France pump out thousands of delicious croissants each day⊠I 100% would.
Instead, itâs much less glamorous, but something that will impact all U.S. travelers who want to visit certain parts of Europe starting in 2024.
This new(ish) concept of Americans needing a visa to enter Europe has been floating around for a couple of years now, but has been delayed several times because, well⊠governments just canât get their đ© together sometimes.
However, itâs not actually a visa at allâitâs a travel authorization program for visa-free visitors called ETIAS. Itâs quite similar to the ESTA program that is required for visitors entering the U.S.
Why is this happening?
The EU decided to implement this program to protect and strengthen its borders. By having travelers register, theyâll be better able to monitor any threats or risks as visitors enter the country.
Where in Europe will ETIAS be required?
Member countries of Europeâs Schengen Zone, which currently includes 23 EU countries, four non-EU countries, and three micro-states.
Who needs ETIAS authorization?
Travelers from 60+ countries, including American citizens (yes, you have to share this one).
How do I apply?
According to ETIASâ website, once the application is available online, it should only take you about ten minutes to fill out and comes with that âŹ7 application fee.
BUT, your authorization will be valid for three years (or if your passport expires before then), so thereâs no need to reapply with each trip to Europe within that time frame đ
You should also get an email within 96 hours of applying that confirms your ETIAS has been approved, so donât wait until the last minute to do this⊠otherwise you risk being denied at the border!
The exact start date of this requirement hasnât been confirmed, but theyâre saying itâs likely⊠probably⊠definitely happening next year.
So in summary, itâs an important thing to be aware of, but nothing to stress out about for all you obsessive travel worriers⊠you know who you are đ
đ Planes, trains, and camper vans (oh, my!)
Summer is FLYING by, yâall. Itâs going to be August next week after all! đź So I thought Iâd round up some good travel deals to book before the month of July (and many of these deals) come to an end.
And Iâm talking deals for trains, planes, and⊠even camper vans đ
Van and car rental deals:
Cabana Camper Vans is a cool company that offers tech-forward vans to rent. Right now, theyâve got several great deals that range from getting $200-$600 off a 5 to 10+ night trip to special promo codes that offer teachers and first responders 20% off a booking.
The rental car company Hertz is offering one free rental day when you rent an electric vehicle for two or more days with a trip and car pick up through September 6th. Use promo code 211174.
Flight deals:
Frontier Airlines has a handful of summer and fall flight deals where travelers can get one-way flights for as low as $19 between certain destinations and dates. Their deals can be restrictive, so if youâre flexible and find something that works for you, jump on it!
Say aloha to Hawaiian Airlinesâ sale on one-way tickets from primarily west coast cities to some of its popular island destinations. However, there are also (oddly) some deals from Ontario, CA, as well as non-West Coast cities such as Austin, Boston, and New York. Flights start as low as $110!
Save big with Etihad Airwaysâ stopover package in Abu Dhabi which currently includes 40% off two- or four-night hotel stays in three- or four-star hotels OR a free stay in three- or four-star hotels.
Train deals:
These two deals coming from Vacations by Rail are time sensitive! If youâre a planner, you can get up to $500 off a 2024 rail tour booked by July 31st. And if youâre a âdo absolutely everything last minuteâ psychopath, you can take advantage of their Final Call for Fall deal which will get you $250 off September and October 2023 rail tours⊠if booked by August 4th.
To finish off this list of deals, if you want to take the family on a scenic train route through the Southwest before school starts up, Rocky Mountaineer is offering a limited-time $700 off per child (17 years and under) for this July and August on the Rockies to Red Rocks route!
I donât know about you, but these sound like some cool deals with a lot of variety to choose from!
And remember, if you want to save even more cash, you can pay for any type of travel using miles from a card like this one đ
Hey. Can you do me a quick favor?
Send the link below to everyone you know. In exchange, Iâll give you some free stuff based on how many of your friends/family/colleagues/mortal enemies sign up for Daily Drop.
https://newsletter.dailydrop.com/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER
The link above is YOUR unique referral link. So guard it with your life, my dear reader.
Good luck đ€
Thatâs gonna finish off this week, beautiful people! Think youâll score any of those planes, trains, or camper van deals??
Take care and have a great weekend â€ïž
Mike DodgeHead Writer, Daily Drop
