The best “starter country” in Africa

Good morning and welcome back to Daily Drop, the most well-traveled newsletter on the planet.

While I was sick in bed for the last 24 hours, I decided to actually count how many countries Daily Drop has been written from. It’s 98.

And tomorrow, it will be 99. Pretty cool, eh?

Anyway, let’s talk travel:

• 🎥 We Finally Got Our Hands on Bilt 2.0

• 🌎 Spontaneous Escapes are back, baby

• 🇸🇳 Where in the World Wednesday: Dakar

• ✈️ A Spring trip to Europe (even if you don’t have a week)

🎥 We Finally Got Our Hands on Bilt 2.0

So… Bilt 2.0 is officially out in the wild.

There’s a new card design, some changes under the hood, and — let’s be honest — a rollout that’s been a little messy.

In this week’s Daily Drop YouTube video, we unbox the new card and talk through what’s actually changed (and what hasn’t).

If you’ve been confused by the emails, Reddit threads, and mixed messaging… same.

Check it out:

🌎 Spontaneous Escapes are back, baby

Singapore Airlines has released its latest batch of Spontaneous Escapes awards. 

If you’re not familiar, this promo runs monthly and offers discounted KrisFlyer pricing when you book this month for travel next month.

This month’s highlights are particularly strong for U.S. travelers:

Fifth-freedom flights to Europe

Singapore Airlines operates a fifth-freedom route between New York (JFK) and Frankfurt, and both economy and premium economy are discounted.

Economy is pricing at 19,250 miles one-way, and premium economy is 39,900 miles one-way.

The economy pricing is especially interesting when compared to Flying Blue Promo Rewards.

Flying Blue’s most discounted awards cost 18,750 miles, but will run you as much as $200 in taxes and fees.

With Singapore, you’re paying roughly 500 extra miles compared to that, but you’ll save $150 in cash on the same general route.

The tradeoff is that Singapore’s fifth-freedom options are limited to specific flights, so you don’t get the broad route network that Flying Blue offers.

Still, if your dates line up, this is a solid alternative.

Premium economy to Singapore

If you’re looking at longer-haul redemptions, there are even stronger opportunities on flights between the U.S. and Singapore.

Premium economy from cities like Seattle, San Francisco, and Newark is pricing at under 60,000 miles one-way during this promo.

That’s for flights that run 16 to 18 hours. Premium economy isn’t business class, but on routes this long, the extra space and upgraded service can make a real difference.

Earning Singapore miles is easy

One reason these deals are accessible is that KrisFlyer is a transfer partner of nearly every major U.S. bank loyalty program.

You can transfer points to Singapore’s program from:

• Capital One miles

• UR points

• MR points

• ThankYou points

That makes this one of the easier international programs to leverage when sales like this pop up.

What to know before you book

• You must book during the current promo window (by February 28)

• Travel is valid next month only

• Each route has specific blackout dates

• Only designated flight numbers qualify

Check out the dedicated promo page for all the dirty details.

Also, these awards are generally not flexible once ticketed, so make sure your travel plans are firm before transferring points.

If the dates align and you’ve been eyeing Europe or even Singapore itself, this month’s Spontaneous Escapes list is worth a serious look.

🇸🇳 Where in the World Wednesday: Dakar

If you’ve ever thought, “I want to visit Africa… but I have no idea where to start,” I have a very strong opinion on that.

Start with Dakar.

Here’s why:

• Americans don’t need a visa (a rarity in West Africa)

• Senegal is one of only two countries in all of Africa that the U.S. State Department currently classifies as Level 1 (meaning they think it’s totally safe).

• Dakar is the westernmost point of mainland Africa, which means it’s actually the closest part of Africa to the United States. My nonstop flight from New York was about 6.5 hours.

On that last point, that’s shorter than plenty of flights to Europe. In fact, Dakar is geographically closer to the U.S. than cities like Frankfurt.

Finally, Senegal has solid tourism infrastructure, a visible expat presence, good hotels, a strong restaurant culture, and is a city that’s accustomed to visitors.

In other words, you get something rare: a place that feels culturally rich and distinctly African without feeling overwhelming.

What’s it like?

Senegal is about 95% Muslim, so you’ll hear the call to prayer echoing across the city.

French is the official language, so you’ll walk into bakeries that look straight out of Paris. And then you’ll sit down and eat grilled fish covered in spicy onion sauce with rice and plantains (very much West African).

There’s a blend of West and North Africa, along with French colonial influence, that makes it feel unique.

Plateau (the central neighborhood) is organized and walkable. It’s full of government buildings, embassies, ocean views, markets, colonial architecture, and rooftop restaurants, all packed onto one little peninsula.

You’ll see NGO workers, diplomats, expats, and locals all sharing the same cafés.

Then you head north toward Yoff Beach, and the vibe shifts completely.

Fishermen haul nets from the Atlantic. Kids play soccer in the sand. You sit in a plastic chair with a cold (or not-so-cold) beer and watch the sun drop into the ocean.

Speaking of places you’ll want to see in Dakar…

Gorée Island

About 30 minutes by boat from Dakar, Gorée Island played a role in the Atlantic slave trade and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The House of Slaves is heavy. Walking through it forces you to confront a painful piece of history that shaped the modern world.

But the island itself has this strange duality – pastel buildings, flower-covered alleyways, and seafood restaurants overlooking the water. It’s kind of a weird juxtaposition, honestly.

African Renaissance Monument

This is the tallest statue in Africa, and it is… a lot.

The government spent tens of millions of dollars building this massive bronze monument overlooking the city. It was constructed by a North Korean firm (yup) that specializes in monumental statues worldwide.

It’s controversial, and many locals feel the money could have been better spent. Others see it as a symbol of post-colonial pride and African resurgence.

It’s weird… in the best way.

Other recommendations

• Taïyo – Shockingly good Japanese food with a great atmosphere.

• Kraken Pub – Big expat crowd, craft beer options, live music, and arguably the best sunset view in the city.

• Kotao Coffee – My daily workstation in Plateau. Strong coffee, good pastries, and it opens early.

• La Fourchette – Classic French fine dining and probably the best restaurant in town.

How to get there (with points)

Delta is the only U.S. airline flying nonstop to Senegal, with service from New York.

That’s actually great news because it means you can get to Dakar with just one stop from basically anywhere in the U.S., connecting through JFK.

I booked business class using Flying Blue miles (Air France/KLM’s program), which was dramatically cheaper than booking the same seat through Delta’s own SkyMiles program.

You can also connect through Paris or Lisbon on European carriers (using Aeroplan points or Flying Blue miles), or route via Morocco on Royal Air Maroc using Atmos points.

Dakar is surprisingly connected, so you’ll have no shortage of flight options.

Where to stay

I stayed at the Pullman in Plateau and used Accor points to pay for my entire stay (food, drinks, and spa included – one of my favorite perks of using Accor points).

But honestly? It was a bit underwhelming.

Clogged drains, chipped furniture, and some egregious corruption with the staff (I won’t get into that now).

Next time, I’d probably stay at the Novotel or Ibis in Plateau. They’re cheaper, still bookable with Accor points, and in the same ideal neighborhood.

There are also two Marriott properties near the football stadium and airport, which can cost anywhere from 15,000-20,500 Marriott points per night.

They’re about an hour from downtown, but there’s a shiny new train connecting that area to central Dakar, which makes it more manageable than it sounds.

If you arrive late at night or depart early in the morning, those airport-adjacent hotels are actually a smart move, which is what I did on my last night.

Getting around

Download an app called Yango.

It’s the main rideshare app used in Dakar (and other West African cities). It’s still cash-based, but it’s cheap and reliable. I used it constantly without issues.

You can even use it to order food if you’re feeling lazy (no judgment). 😉

Bottom line

If you’ve been curious about visiting Africa but didn’t know where to begin, this is your starting line. Dakar feels like Africa on “easy mode.”

And once you see how doable it is, you might just realize the rest of the continent isn’t as intimidating as you thought. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Wow, that was a long one… (that’s what she said).

But I hope you enjoyed learning about some points deals, Bilt’s new cards, and a highly underrated travel destination.

See you next time ✌️

5.3252° N, 4.0196° W

With contributions by McKay Moffitt