Earn points and get ripped

Good morning from Manila, the moistest city on earth, and the birthplace of our favorite type of folder.

Now that I’ve done a great job selling Manila, let’s talk about other travel things:

• 💪 Earn points for hitting the gym

• 🏝️ Sunrise yoga, stingray smooches, and rum punch

• 🧳 Don’t forget to pack this

• ✈️ 8x mileage multiplier: Is it worth it?

• 🤓 Travel Trivia Tuesday

💪 Earn points for hitting the gym

I love a good win-win. For example, going to the gym, getting jacked, and being rewarded with free hotel nights.

And that’s exactly what Hyatt offers through their partnership with Peloton.

Here’s how this works…

Many Hyatt hotels now have Peloton equipment like treadmills, bikes, and rowers. If you use this equipment and log a 20-minute workout (currently only biking and rowing) during a Hyatt stay, you’ll earn 100 World of Hyatt points.

You can earn up to 1,000 points per month this way!

All you need to do is link your Hyatt and Peloton accounts on this page. If you don’t already have a Peloton account, you can create one for free right on the equipment (per the terms and conditions of the partnership).

I think this is great! If you’re like me and need a little extra motivation to get your butt to the gym, nothing does the trick like points and miles.

As of now, this partnership is active in over 800 Hyatt hotels, with around 700 in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico — and several already up and running in Europe as well.

I’m literally writing this from a Hyatt hotel lounge right now, so I’ll hand the reins over to my colleague Benji for a minute while I go earn some points on the bike. 👇

🏝️ Sunrise yoga, stingray smooches, and rum punch

Hey heyyy, it’s Benji, Daily Drop’s (relatively new) content director! You can blame me for any recent changes you’ve noticed around here… or thank me. 🙃

I’m popping in to tell you about a recent trip I took to the Cayman Islands — specifically to one of the island’s most iconic hotels: The Westin Grand Cayman on Seven Mile Beach.

I usually default to all-inclusives when I’m in the Caribbean (because I like my mojitos bottomless and my wallet untouched), so I was curious how this à la carte resort would stack up.

Spoiler: it did not disappoint.

The trip included sunrise yoga, swim-up bar happy hours, and a catamaran excursion where I kissed a stingray — allegedly for good luck (and yes, there’s photo evidence).

The resort nailed the balance between upscale and laid-back. Think lavender sleep balm by the bed, a stacked activity schedule, poolside service at the press of a button, and a sushi spot so good I went… two three times.

And the beach? Epic. No seaweed, no rocks, no crowds. Just soft white sand and crystal-clear water. The vibe? A mix of families, couples, solo travelers… and the occasional rooster strutting through like it ran the place. 🐓

If you’ve got Marriott Bonvoy points, most nights cost 80,000 to 100,000 points, and the fifth night is free on award stays, making it a solid value if you're after something a little more elevated without the resort factory feel.

I connected through Charlotte on the way there and Miami on the way back, but there are nonstop flights to Grand Cayman from NYC and other major U.S. cities, so it’s a pretty easy weekend escape.

From yoga mats to rum punch, I tried to experience it all, and I’ve got the full story (plus plenty of photos) right here👇

✈️ 8x mileage multiplier: Is it worth it?

Hey kiddos, it’s me, Mike, again.

I got an interesting email the other day from Alaska Airlines with the subject line “Multiply your mileage earnings by 8x.”

As you might imagine, the idea of multiplying my Alaska miles by 8x definitely caught my attention.

Here's what’s actually going on:

After earning Alaska miles, you might get an email offering to effectively buy some multiple of the miles you’ve earned at a discounted rate — but only in specific increments, and with a cap.

I had earned just under 28,000 miles recently (via credit card spend, flying, shopping portal, etc.), so here is the offer I got:

As you can see, the highest value option is to buy 4x the number of miles (111,596 miles) for $2,148.

So… is this something to consider?

Well, let’s crunch the numbers. At that rate, you’re paying about 1.9 cents per mile, which is quite a lot.

For me, it’s too much. But for the right redemption, it could be a fantastic deal.

For example, earlier this year, I booked this Starlux business-class flight from Taipei (TPE) to Seattle (SEA) for 75,000 Alaska miles:

This flight normally costs $3,500 to $4,000, so buying 75,000 miles for $1,400 would’ve been a massive discount.

And on my recent trip through the South Pacific, I consistently got four cents per mile in value from my Alaska redemptions — so this kind of arbitrage is definitely possible.

Anyway, here’s the point:

When airlines dangle flashy offers like “8x miles” or “30% bonus,” don’t get swept up in the headline.

Do the math. If the numbers work and you’re eyeing an aspirational redemption, don’t be afraid to go for it.

🤓 Travel Trivia Tuesday

And the winner is… Advantage VIP Lounge at Tancredo Neves International Airport in Belo Horizonte, Brazil!

I gotta say — this was pretty unexpected. But, it’s cool to see a low-key lounge beat out dozens of top lounges around the world.

Other regional winners included lounges in Vienna, Hong Kong, and Mexico City, but Advantage VIP took home the crown this year.

Want to check out the full list of winners? You can find ‘em here.

That’s all for today, folks! I hope you enjoyed the various tips and travel inspo we packed in today.

Tune in tomorrow for a juicy sweet spot, a sneak peek at a sexy new plane, and travel tips for a highly underrated country.

Cheers,

14.5995° N, 120.9842° E