Turn hotel status into airline status

☀️ Good morning from beautiful Indonesia — where the air is warm, the coffee is strong, and the cute geckos on my ceiling have started judging me for how much time I spend on Google Flights.

Speaking of travel:

• 🏨 How to turn hotel status into airline status

• ✈️ Inside JFK’s new Capital One lounge

• 🙌 Don’t forget to pack this

• 🤓 Travel Trivia Tuesday

🏨 How to turn hotel status into airline status

What if I told you that you could sign up for a hotel credit card, take a few flights, and suddenly have premium United status (with lounge access)?

No joke. Here’s how it works:

Marriott Bonvoy has a web of partnerships that let your hotel elite status spill over into airline perks.

Some of these are nice-to-haves, while others are game‑changers if you know how to play them.

The simple stuff

If you reach Marriott Titanium Elite status, you automatically get:

• United MileagePlus® Premier Silver status, which comes with slightly better seat selection, a small shot at upgrades, and free standby.

• You also get Aeroplan 25K status, which includes a couple of upgrade credits and Star Alliance Silver perks.

All you need to do is link your accounts, and boom — instant elite status.

But here’s the thing… these perks won’t drastically change your travel life — and Marriott Titanium status isn’t exactly easy to earn.

Where it gets interesting

The real magic is Marriott’s partnership with Singapore Airlines…

If you have Marriott Platinum status (which you can get instantly just by holding the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card), you can match to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Elite Silver status.

Silver is… fine. You’ll get a few benefits when flying Singapore or other Star Alliance airlines, including United.

But the real gold is what happens next.

The play

Once matched, Singapore gives you six months to complete just four flights on its own metal.

Do that, and you’ll be upgraded to Singapore Airlines Elite Gold status — which just so happens to translate into Star Alliance Gold status. For an entire year. 😮

Why you should care

That’s not just a shiny logo next to your name. Star Alliance Gold means:

• Priority check-in and boarding on all Star Alliance airlines

• Free checked baggage allowance (even in economy)

• Access to over 1,000 Star Alliance lounges worldwide — including United Clubs in the U.S.

• Bonus mile earnings on paid flights

In other words, you could book a United domestic economy ticket and still stroll into the United Club for a pre-flight snack and champagne simply by attaching your Singapore KrisFlyer number to your boarding pass.

And hitting that four-flight requirement might be easier than you think.

You don’t even need to fly to Singapore itself — the airline operates fifth-freedom flights that start in the U.S. and end in other countries, like:

• New York (JFK) → Frankfurt (FRA)

• Los Angeles (LAX) → Tokyo (NRT)

If you’ve got a trip to Asia on your radar, you could knock this out in one go by booking a single round-trip flight via Singapore to a destination like Bangkok (BKK). 👇

If you’re already in Asia and want to really leverage this promo, you could book some very cheap short-haul flights.

Personally, I’m flying from Indonesia to Malaysia via Singapore round‑trip for $273 next month. This will get me Star Alliance Gold status for the next year, which I already know will far outweigh that cost.

Bottom line: This is one of those rare sweet spots where you can take a single credit card perk, a single trip, and completely transform the way you travel for an entire year.

✈️ Inside JFK’s new Capital One lounge

Our very own McKay recently visited the new Capital One Lounge in JFK’s Terminal 4 — and it’s giving major “best pre-flight decision you’ll make all year” energy.

At 13,500 square feet and open 24/7, the lounge blends NYC character with serious traveler perks:

• A bodega serving fresh Ess-a-Bagels for grab‑and‑go

• A Murray’s cheese counter with wine pairings (and surprisingly perfect matcha jam)

• NYC‑inspired cocktails, La Colombe coffee, and rolling Champagne carts

• QR‑code table service for hot dishes like challah French toast and braised pork shank

• Private rooms, a parents’ room, and a shower suite with a Dyson hair dryer

McKay’s verdict? Bright, peaceful, not overcrowded, and built for actual humans — whether you want to snag a bagel for your flight or settle in with wine and cheese for hours.

Check out the full article for photos, a more in-depth review, and most importantly, how to get in. 😎

🤓 Travel Trivia Tuesday

Y’all… with a cost-of-living index of 193.3, it’s almost twice as expensive to live here compared to the national average.

Housing alone is three times the U.S. average, and groceries run 50% higher (thanks to the whole “having to ship everything to an island” situation).

If you didn’t know already, “island” surely gave it away. The answer is — Hawaii.

For context, the median price of a single-family home in Hawaii is $730,511, and rent for a two-bedroom averages $2,399 a month. The good news? Hawaii also has one of the lowest poverty rates in the country, and, well… you’re in Hawaii. 😄

Mississippi sits at the opposite end of the spectrum with the lowest cost of living, and if you want to dive into the full list, check it out here.

That’s all for today, folks! I hope you enjoyed this somewhat tedious (but super-rewarding!) way to multiply your status.

Have a great day and see you tomorrow,

6.9175° S, 107.6191° E

With contributions by Tiffany Eastham, McKay Moffitt, and Benji Stawski