Greetings, Travel Tip-Seekers!

Here are this week’s tips curated for you from our reliable sources in the travel industry and from general interest newsletters, websites, and publications.

Hey, remember when Jeannie Ralston tested a bunch of backpacks and decided this Osprey was the winner? And remember when I told you I loved the daypack made by Tripped? On every trip, I fill the daypack with my seat essentials—chargers, eye mask, big headphones, earbuds, snacks, reading material—and pack it inside the Osprey. I can put a bunch of other things in there, too, I just pulled out the daypack so you could see it in the photo above.

After I’ve stowed my Away Flex wheelie in the overhead, I quickly unzip the Osprey, lift out my daypack, and zip it back up so it can go in the overhead, too. That way I only have the small daypack at my feet, and it has everything I’ll need during the flight. It’s much easier to get out from under the seat in front of you, and it gives you more legroom.

Jeannie Ralston and I often get asked how we get away with never checking a bag, (even on trips that are two weeks or longer), including all the stuff we bring for you as trip leaders. She has a wardrobe formula that involves blacks and whites and scarves. And we limit ourselves to 3 pairs of shoes, including sandals.

My formula is to wear the same thing 2 or 3 times. Who cares? Even if there’s no laundry, come on. Do you really wash your clothes after only one or two wearings? Heck, I’ve worn the same jeans 4-5 times on a trip. I’m in San Miguel for the Day of the Dead week and I had spent a weekend in Virginia before coming here. I have two pairs of pants, 3 dresses, 5 tops, an evening scarf, a warm vest, bathing suit and caftan, and a warm shawl. A pair of San Miguel heeled sandals with rubber soles (thick, so I wore them on the plane) Mephisto sandals, and sturdy OluKai flip flops.

You can do it! I’m convinced that the reason women overpack is they’re afraid of being judged. Don’t be that person. And don’t judge!

I’m sitting here looking at the really nice pair of small binoculars my husband bought me last year. And the headlamp he put a new battery in. And the night light for the bathroom. And my kindle. I haven’t used any of these items in the last five trips, but I keep packing them. Why? Just in case. They don’t take up a lot of room, and you never know when you might see something cool in the distance (when you’ve probably left your binoculars in the room).

What do you pack on your last trip that you ended up not using? Please respond to this email and let me know. And do you have any travel tips I can share? I’m always learning new tricks from our travelers!

One of the biggest pains of flying home after a trip abroad is that whole rigamarole where you have to get your luggage at baggage claim, go through customs, and then re-check to your final destination. TSA has announced a pilot program where you won’t have to do that little dance. Two airlines and two airports are now testing it. American on flights between London Heathrow and DFW, and Delta on flights between London Heathrow and Atlanta.

The plan, called One Stop Security, is that once you check your bag at your international departure city, you won’t have to mess with it again until you’re home sweet home. Aaaah.

So this Chase Sapphire Reserve card I pay a fortune for has a few benefits that make the annual fee tolerable. One is the Priority Pass, that gets you into 1,900 airport lounges around the world. The club at the airport in Quito is huge, elegant, has great food, and is considered the best in Latin America. The Etihad lounge at Dulles has waiters and the best lobster bisque I’ve ever had!

The Turkish Airlines club at Miami airport has the best food but it is small and in high demand.The Air France lounge at IAH keeps out Priority Pass members until 5 PM every day, and even when you get in the food is meh. Free food, free bar, but a crowded space. These days there are so many people with club memberships that there are often lines of people waiting to get in.

So what do you think? If you have a club membership, is it worth it? What’s your favorite? Let me know by replying to this email.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. My husband, Dave, thinks it’s rude to ask for samples in an ice cream shop. And he thinks if you didn’t use an amenity, you should leave it in the hotel. I agree, if it’s crappy shampoo. But in my opinion, the amenities are included in the room rate, so they're yours to keep. I wouldn’t take a pillowcase or a towel, but in some hotels the amenities are pretty fine and I want to take them home with me. What do you think? Do you have a drawer full of hotel hand cream? Let me know.

Thanks for reading. Happy trails!

Jeannie Edmunds

Chief Operating Officer

10/29. Portugal After-Party 6:30 PM ET. RSVP Here

Argentina stretches from subtropical wetlands to Patagonian glaciers. The Chile-Argentina border is among the most geographically dramatic and diverse and includes the highest mountains and volcanoes in both Western and Southern Hemispheres.. but our journey focuses on the country’s heart: cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, the legendary vineyards of Mendoza, and the high-altitude valleys of the northwest where the Andes create their own microclimate. Think dramatic landscapes, intimate cultural encounters, and wines you’ve never tasted anywhere else. In Argentina, every day brings a new discovery.