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☆ Ecuador Strikes a Landmark Deal to Save Nature, and Some Cash
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Catrin Einhorn | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The NewsEcuador announced a record-setting deal on Tuesday designed to reduce its debt burden and free up hundreds of millions of dollars to fund marine conservation around the Galápagos Islands, an archipelago of unique biodiversity that’s famous for inspiring Darwin’s theory of evolution. The arrangement, known as a debt-for-nature deal, is a bit like refinancing a mortgage, only for government bonds. Gustavo Manrique Miranda, the Ecuadorean foreign minister, called it a historic agreement that takes into account the value of nature. He said Ecuador was as wealthy as any of the richest countries in the world, “but our currency is the biodiversity.”

☆ Ecuador frees cash for Galapagos conservation with $1.6 bln bond repurchase
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Rodrigo Campos | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, May 4 (Reuters) - Credit Suisse repurchased Ecuadorean sovereign notes worth $1.6 billion in face value, the country's bankers said on Thursday, freeing cash for conservation of the unique Galapagos Islands in the biggest debt-for-nature swap ever struck. The buyback will free cash that Ecuador will put into conservation of its Galapagos Islands, one of the world's most precious ecosystems and the inspiration for Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution. The offer, laid out by Credit Suisse late last month, amounts to the biggest debt-for-nature swap, as such transactions are known in banking circles, struck to date. The move has a political crisis as backdrop, as the National Assembly is in the middle of an impeachment process against President Guillermo Lasso for alleged embezzlement, allegation Lasso denies. Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Ecuador launches debt buyback plan aimed at Galapagos protection
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Marc Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] A pelican is seen on Santa Cruz Island, part of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. REUTERS/Santiago ArcosLONDON, April 26 (Reuters) - Ecuador has launched a long-awaited debt buyback plan that will free up money to protect its Galapagos Islands, one of the world's most precious ecosystems and the inspiration for Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution. "The Offeror is making the Offer... as part of a broader refinancing operation to channel savings and promote certain conservation and sustainability efforts," the buyback plan said. The operation is private, the country's finance ministry said in a message to journalists, and cannot be discussed. Reporting by Marc Jones; Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Touching the sky: A rare solar eclipse and a new hotel in the clouds
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Courtesy Amelia Earhart Hangar MuseumAmelia Earhart wasn’t just the first woman to fly solo over the Atlantic. Camelot Theme Park (England): Set in the leafy Lancashire countryside, the Magic Kingdom of Camelot resurrected tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Scott Audette/AP Pripyat Amusement Park (Ukraine): This theme park was orphaned in 1986 following the Chernobyl meltdown just five kilometers (three miles) away. Considered the first theme park in Southeast Asia, it featured an artificial lake, huge swimming pool with giant water slides and a Prehistoric Animal Kingdom. Anne Jones/Alamy Stock Photo 10 fascinating theme parks that have closed forever Prev NextThat’s the question posed by these no-longer-in-operation theme parks around the world.

☆ Coral reef discovered in Ecuador's Galapagos Islands
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Quito, Ecuador Reuters —A scientific expedition has discovered a previously unknown coral reef with abundant marine life off Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, the country’s environment ministry said on Monday. “A deepwater scientific expedition has found the first totally pristine coral reef, approximately two kilometers (1.2 miles) long, at 400 meters (deep), on the summit of a submarine mountain,” Environment Minister Jose Davalos said on Twitter. “Galapagos surprises us again.”Scientists had believed that the only Galapagos reef to survive El Nino weather in 1982 and 1983 was one called the Wellington reef, along the coast of Darwin Island, but the new discovery shows other coral has persisted, the ministry said in a statement. The South American country last year expanded the Galapagos marine reserve by 60,000 square kilometers (23,166 square miles), an extension of the 138,000 square kilometers already in place, to protect endangered migratory species between the Galapagos and the Cocos Island in Costa Rica. The Galapagos, which inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, are also home to giant tortoises, albatrosses, cormorants and other species, some of which are endangered.

☆ I'm a cruise director for Holland America. Our crew lives in its own little world that passengers don't see.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Brooke Morton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

As cruise director, Wells often hosts the evening entertainment. I was quickly connected with Holland America, who flew me out to audition for a cruise director role in April 2020. Now, as of 2022, I'm the cruise director for Holland America, working aboard several ships, including most recently on Zuiderdam. A day in my life as a cruise directorAs the cruise director, I'm the first and last face that any guest sees on any sailing. What most people don't realize is that cruise ship workers don't ever have a day off during their contract.

☆ She's visited 63 countries by herself — and now coaches others on how to travel solo
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Lucy Handley | Chris Dwyer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

She's visited 63 countries alone, she said, and now coaches others on how to go solo. She said people enjoy solo travel because they don't need to take anyone else's interests into account. Group toursGroup tours are another popular option for solo travelers. It has added more single-occupancy cabins with no single supplement, which are extra fees that solo travelers are sometimes charged to stay in a room by themselves. Solo travel tipsHoffman offered advice for people who are traveling alone.

☆ A burned-out tech worker quit her job at a gaming company to spend time filming ocean critters. It helped her reset.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Daina Buchner quit her tech job at a gaming company last year over burnout concerns. Daina Buchner touching a whale. Courtesy of Daina Buchner. Courtesy of Daina Buchner. Courtesy of Daina Buchner.

☆ Ecuador volcano releases ash cloud affecting parts of capital
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

QUITO, Dec 20 (Reuters) - The Ecuadorean Geophysical Institute on Tuesday detected a column of gases and ashes rising from the crater of the Cotopaxi volcano, as part of its ongoing eruptive activity, affecting several areas of capital city Quito with volcanic ash. The volcano's last eruptive activity took place between August and December 2015. Ecuador's Risk Management service said on its Twitter account that ash fall was light in affected areas, including Quito. The capital's airport operated normally on Tuesday, and said on its Twitter account that the ash fall had so far not affected its operations. Authorities are permanently monitoring Cotapaxi, which is one of the active volcanoes located throughout Ecuador and in the Galapagos Islands.

☆ Scientists discover hammerhead shark nursery in Ecuador's Galapagos
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A hammerhead shark swims after a shark nursery was discovered off Isabela Island in the Galapagos, Ecuador, in this photo delivered by Galapagos National Park newsletter on December 16, 2022. "The discovery of these new breeding areas is very important, especially for the hammerhead shark," said park ranger Eduardo Espinoza in a statement on Friday from the Galapagos National Park. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) considers the scalloped hammerhead shark, the species found in the Galapagos, as "critically endangered." Researchers spent months scouring the archipelago for possible nursery sites as part of a hammerhead shark monitoring program. Researchers are monitoring the nurseries to track the young shark population in nursery areas and to follow their migration patterns.

"There's now a big push to get nature into sovereign debt markets," said Simon Zadek, executive director at NatureFinance, which advises governments on debt-for-nature swaps and other types of climate-focused finance. At that level, it would be the biggest debt-for-nature swap struck to date. The combined value of swap deals to date is $3.7 billion, according to the data. Securing the buy-in of development banks is usually key for the economics of a deal. The WWF has projects in Central and South America where they are monitoring deforestation by tracking jaguars, said Brenes, who has worked on debt-for-nature swaps for the last 25 years.

☆ Wealthy people are splurging on bucket-list trips, flying to the Arctic Circle for private-chef-catered meals, renting out African safari lodges, and spending $300,000 for a half-hour opera serenade
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Zoe Rosenberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Hard-to-access places like the Arctic Circle and Galapagos Islands are bucket-list travel hot spots. These well-off wanderlusters have helped create a travel-industry boom, with pent-up demand pushing bucket-list travel into this year's shoulder seasons. American Express Travel's 2022 Global Travel Trends report, which used polling data collected in early February 2022, confirms the move toward bucket-list travel this year. Quality time with loved ones matters above allBut not all bucket-list travel experiences need to be in far-flung corners of the world. Finnegan said traveling with his family made it a bucket-list trip.

☆ The Chase Sapphire Reserve's 80K bonus is effectively a blank airline ticket — here's how to use it to get (almost) anywhere in the world
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Joseph Hostetler | Credit Cards Reporter | Read More | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

By transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards® points to airline partners, you can fly just about anywhere on earth. Show more Regular APR 19.99% - 26.99% Variable Editor's Rating 4.65 /5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 4.65 out of 5 Stars Our editor's ratings analyze fees, bonuses, rewards, and benefits to highlight the simplest and most valuable credit cards available. By transferring 80,000 Chase points to Southwest, you can expect an average value of $1,120 in free flights. You can save quite a few Chase points if you're willing to pay a bit in taxes, however. Bottom lineThe 84,000 Chase points you'll have after opening the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and meeting its minimum spending requirement is basically a blank airline ticket to nearly anywhere on earth's surface.

☆ Quake strikes in Pacific off Central America, no reports of damage
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 16 (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck in the Pacific Ocean between Central America and the Galapagos Islands on Sunday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said, but there were no initial reports of damage. The quake hit at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), according to the USGS, and the U.S. Tsunami Warning Center said no warning had been issued for a potential tsunami. A spokesperson for civil protection authorities in Panama said they had not received word of any impact. Authorities in Ecuador, of which the Galapagos Islands are part, likewise did not have any immediate reports of damage from the quake. Earlier, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre had reported the quake at a magnitude of 6.4.

☆ A travel planner for the ultrawealthy shares what goes into organizing $800,000 trips to exclusive locations
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Mark Ellwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Jules Maury is the head of Scott Dunn Private, an ultraexclusive division of a luxury travel firm. She was raised in a wealthy family and learned how to plan luxury trips by taking them herself. Jules Maury was 12 when she made her first hotel booking. She handles trips for the world's wealthiest people along with a team of four travel advisors and six booking specialists. But even an expert travel planner lacks some knowledgeMaury still relishes the chance to travel, and she spends much of the year on the road, often attending luxury travel shows like ILTM in Cannes or Pure in Marrakech.

Note: Data for 2020 is from June 2020 through May 2021; for 2021, it is from June 2021 through May 2022. Path of Hai Feng 718 over 365 days Encounters with Chinese fishing vessels Note: Data is from June 2021 through May 2022. Transshipment allows fishing vessels to stay at sea year-round Parked side by side, carrier vessels exchange fuel, crew supplies and the catch from fishing vessels. This allows fishing ships to fish for longer periods. Fish hold where fish is transported from Fender to maintain a safe distance between ships FISHING VESSEL CARRIER VESSEL Crane to transport catch from fishing vessel to carrier vessel Fish hold where fish is transported from Fender to maintain a safe distance between ships FISHING VESSEL CARRIER VESSEL Crane to transport catch from fishing vessel to carrier vessel Transshipment between a squid fishing vessel and a cargo carrier in the North Indian Ocean last year.

☆ O broască țestoasă dintr-o specie considerată dispărută acum 100 de ani trăiește în Insulele Galapagos
▼ + stars: | 2021-05-27 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +1 min

Ecuador a confirmat, marți, că o țestoasă gigant descoperită în 2019 în Insulele Galapagos face parte dintr-o specie considerată dispărută acum 100 de ani, informează Digi24. Parcul Național Galapagos pregătește o expediție pentru a căuta mai multe exemplare, într-o tentativă de a salva specia. "Universitatea Yale a prezentat rezultatul studiilor genetice și comparația ADN care a fost făcută cu un specimen extras în 1906", a anunțat Parcul Galapagos. Populația de broaște țestoase gigant din Insulele Galapagos este estimată la 60.000 de exemplare din diferite specii. Turiștii din toată lumea vin în Insulele Galapagos pentru a vedea biodiversitatea care a inspirat teoria evoluției a lui Charles Darwin.

Persons: Gustavo Manrique, Charles Darwin Organizations: Universitatea Yale, UNESCO Locations: Ecuador, Insulele, Insulele Galapagos

☆ Atracţie turistică, pierdută pentru totdeauna; Arcul lui Darwin s-a prăbuşit în mare
▼ + stars: | 2021-05-19 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +1 min

Sursa foto: ewz.roAtracţie turistică, pierdută pentru totdeauna; Arcul lui Darwin s-a prăbuşit în mareArcul lui Darwin, una dintre cele mai cunoscute formaţiuni stâncoase din Insulele Galapagos, s-a prăbuşit în mare. „Prăbuşirea Arcului lui Darwin, podul natural aflat la mai puţin de un kilometru de principala zonă a Insulei Darwin, a fost anunţată”, a scris ministerul. Arcul lui Darwin a făcut parte, la un moment dat, din Insula Darwin, care este acum deschisă pentru vizitare. Botezat după biologul englez Charles Darwin, arcul este considerat unul dintre cele mai bune locuri pentru sărituri şi scufundări din arhipelagul aflat în Oceanul Pacific. În această dimineaţă, la ora locală 11:20, Arcul lui Darwin, celebru la nivel mondial, s-a prăbuşit în faţa ochilor lor.

Persons: Darwin, Insulei Darwin, Insula Darwin, englez Charles Darwin, Ne Organizations: UNESCO Locations: Insulele Galapagos, Insulei, Insula, englez, Pacific, Ecuador, Galapagos

☆ Arcul lui Darwin din Insulele Galapagos s-a prăbușit
▼ + stars: | 2021-05-18 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +1 min

O formațiune faimoasă de piatră, denumită Arcul lui Darwin și aflată lângă Insulele Galapagos, s-a prăbușit, informează BBC, citat de digi24.ro. "A fost raportată prăbușirea Arcului lui Darwin, o punte naturală de piatră aflată la mai puțin de un kilometri de Insula Darwin din Galapagos", a comunicat ministerul. Formațiunea era denumită după biologul britanic Charles Darwin și considerată o locație importantă pentru scufundări. Insulele Galapagos, aflate la aproape 1.000 de kilometri de Ecuador, sunt incluse în Patrimoniul Mondial UNESCO și faimoase la nivel mondial pentru diversitatea de specii și plante. Turiștii din toată lumea vin în Insulele Galapagos pentru a vedea biodiversitatea care a inspirat teoria evoluției a lui Charles Darwin.

Persons: Darwin, Insula Darwin, britanic Charles Darwin, Charles Darwin Organizations: BBC, Insulele, UNESCO Locations: Insulele Galapagos, Ecuador, Insula, Galapagos, britanic, Arhipelagul

☆ Formațiunea de piatră „Arcul lui Darwin” s-a prăbușit. Aceasta se afla lângă Insulele Galapagos, care au inspirat teoria evoluției
▼ + stars: | 2021-05-18 | by ( Onixmedia Srl | ) diez.md time to read: +1 min

Formațiunea de piatră „Arcul lui Darwin” s-a prăbușit. Aceasta se afla lângă Insulele Galapagos, care au inspirat teoria evoluțieiO formațiune faimoasă de piatră, denumită Arcul lui Darwin și aflată lângă Insulele Galapagos, s-a prăbușit. „A fost raportată prăbușirea Arcului lui Darwin, o punte naturală de piatră aflată la mai puțin de un kilometri de Insula Darwin din Galapagos”, a comunicat ministerul, potrivit BBC. Formațiunea era denumită după biologul britanic Charles Darwin și considerată o locație importantă pentru scufundări. Turiștii din toată lumea vin în Insulele Galapagos pentru a vedea biodiversitatea care a inspirat teoria evoluției a lui Charles Darwin.

Persons: Darwin, Insula Darwin, britanic Charles Darwin, Charles Darwin Organizations: BBC, Insulele, UNESCO Locations: Insulele, Insulele Galapagos, Ecuador, Insula, Galapagos, britanic, Arhipelagul

Or, you can use 21,000 Hyatt points for the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun, Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta, or Hyatt Zilara Riveria Maya. For paid stays, you can also redeem Hyatt points for room upgrades to Regency Club or Grand Club level for 3,000 Hyatt points, standard suites for 6,000 Hyatt points, or premium suites for 9,000 Hyatt points. Standard room Points + Cash redemptions will run you:2,500 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 1 properties4,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 2 properties6,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 3 properties7,500 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 4 properties10,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 5 properties12,500 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 6 properties15,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 7 properties20,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 8 propertiesFor standard suite Points + Cash redemptions, this becomes:4,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 1 properties6,500 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 2 properties10,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 3 properties12,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 4 properties16,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 5 properties20,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 6 properties24,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 7 properties30,500 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 8 propertiesPoints + Cash redemptions for premium suites are as follows:5,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 1 properties8,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 2 properties12,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 3 properties15,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 4 properties20,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 5 properties25,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 6 properties30,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 7 properties40,000 Hyatt points plus cash at Category 8 propertiesFor those booking wellness stays at Miraval Resorts, rates for standard rooms at single occupancy are 22,500 Hyatt points plus cash, and go up to 32,500 Hyatt points plus cash for double occupancy. Other ways to redeem Hyatt pointsRedeem Hyatt points for dining, spa, and travel experiencesYou can also redeem Hyatt points for in-room movies, transportation, parking, and in-room dining and spa experiences at participating Hyatt hotels and resorts. Share Hyatt points with a friendIf you're feeling generous, you can share your Hyatt points, free award nights, or room upgrades with other World of Hyatt members.

Persons: Hyatt, —, you'll, You'll, we'll, Chase, cardholders, there's, Finance Insider's, Hyatt Ziva, Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos, Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta, you've, You'd, they'd, Read, They'll, Hilton, It's, Kaeli Conforti, Kaeli, Guy, KaeliTravels.com Read Organizations: Business, Hyatt, Park Hyatt, Hyatt Hotels, Hyatt Credit, Finance, Chase Hyatt, FDIC, Target, Walmart, Chase, Sapphire, Chase Sapphire, Hyatt Thompson, Hyatt Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Hyatt Residence, Hyatt Small, American Airlines, Avis, Qantas, Air, China Eastern Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Southwest Airlines, Air France, ANA, British Airways, Cathay, China Airlines, Etihad, JAL, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Regency Club, Miraval Resorts, Lindblad Expeditions, China, China Eastern, Virgin, Exhale, Hyatt Rewards, Hyatt Loyalty, Marriott, Hilton, Forbes, CNN Travel, NBC, Travel, Fox News Travel, Yahoo, Huffington, Twitter Locations: Park, Hyatt, Avis ., Australia, Air China, China, Cathay Pacific, Delta, Emirates, Santa Monica, Abu Dhabi, Mexico, Antarctica, Svalbard, Exhale, Chevron, Southeast Asia, New Zealand, Thrillist, Northern Territory, Western Australia

☆ O valiză cu 185 de ţestoase, descoperită pe aeroportul din Galapagos
▼ + stars: | 2021-03-29 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +2 min

Reprezentanţii Parcului Naţional Galapagos (PNG) şi ai aeroportului care deserveşte insulele au descoperit într-o valiză aproximativ 185 de exemplare de broaşte ţestoase, între care zece decedate, ce urmau să fie transportate din arhipelag către continent, a informat duminică ministerul ecuadorian al Mediului. „Pe aeroportul #Baltra, 185 de broaşte ţestoase eclozate au fost detectate într-o valiză care se afla în curs de transfer către Ecuadorul continental", a spus ministerul pe Twitter, potrivit Agerpres. Situate la o distanţă de 1.000 de kilometri de coasta ecuadoriană, Insulele Galapagos au o floră şi o faună unice. Ministerul a declarat că descoperirea a avut loc „în timpul unei inspecţii de rutină” între aeroportul din Galapagos şi PNG, precizând că poliţia şi procurorii „iau măsuri”, fără a oferi detalii suplimentare. „Broaştele ţestoase nu au mai mult de trei luni, iar carapacea lor este extrem de tânără”, a declarat aeroportul din Galapagos într-un comunicat, ceea ce face dificilă localizarea originii acestor broaşte ţestoase, fiecare specie fiind diferită în funcţie de insula lor de provenienţă.

Persons: Marcelo Mata, Charles Darwin, îşi, Ţestoasele Organizations: Agerpres, Ministerul, existenţa Locations: Insulele, Galapagos, Arhipelagul, Pacific

☆ O valiză cu 185 de ţestoase, descoperită pe aeroportul din Galapagos; Au fost înfăşurate în saci de plastic
▼ + stars: | 2021-03-29 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +2 min

Sursa foto: AgerpresO valiză cu 185 de ţestoase, descoperită pe aeroportul din Galapagos; Au fost înfăşurate în saci de plasticReprezentanţii Parcului Naţional Galapagos (PNG) şi ai aeroportului care deserveşte insulele au descoperit într-o valiză aproximativ 185 de exemplare de broaşte ţestoase, între care zece decedate, ce urmau să fie transportate din arhipelag către continent, a informat duminică ministerul ecuadorian al Mediului. „Pe aeroportul Baltra, 185 de broaşte ţestoase eclozate au fost detectate într-o valiză care se afla în curs de transfer către Ecuadorul continental", a spus ministerul pe Twitter, potrivit Agerpres. Situate la o distanţă de 1.000 de kilometri de coasta ecuadoriană, Insulele Galapagos au o floră şi o faună unice. Ministerul a declarat că descoperirea a avut loc „în timpul unei inspecţii de rutină” între aeroportul din Galapagos şi PNG, precizând că poliţia şi procurorii „iau măsuri”, fără a oferi detalii suplimentare. Ele au fost găsite înfăşurate în saci de plastic şi zece nu au supravieţuit, potrivit comunicatului.

Persons: Marcelo Mata, Charles Darwin, îşi, Ţestoasele Organizations: Agerpres, Ministerul, existenţa Locations: Agerpres, Galapagos, Insulele, Arhipelagul, Pacific

☆ Bucket-list travel experiences like Singapore Airlines' first-class suite cost thousands of dollars, but they're much more attainable if you earn credit card points
▼ + stars: | 2020-02-20 | by ( Elizabeth Aldrich | Read More | Read Less | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Some of the world's best first-class flights cost well over $10,000 but you can often get them for under 100,000 miles. A good travel credit card will help you accumulate these miles faster. See Business Insider's list of the best travel rewards credit cards »Get the latest tips you need to manage your money — delivered to you biweekly. Aspirational, bucket-list travel is one of the best uses of travel points and airline miles, in my opinion. You can transfer Amex points, Chase points, Citi points, and Marriott points to Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer program, so you have lots of options for earning the requisitive rewards.

I've been booking trips using credit card points for years, but my travel goal for 2020 is to go on an epic trip to Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands. All I need to go on this trip are 40,000 United miles, and I can earn them all with the sign-up bonus on one credit card. Elizabeth AldrichIn the end, the entire trip would cost me 40,000 United miles and $125.15 in taxes and fees. I'm getting well over 2 cents per point in value with this redemption, and earning 40,000 United miles will be a breeze. I might use credit card points to pay for other parts of the trip, such as accommodations, transportation, or activities.

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