I guess you want to know who Erica Ho is.

Erica Ho is a former reporter for TIME in Hong Kong and former geek at Gizmodo and Lifehacker. Her work has appeared in CNN, Yahoo!, MSN, Mashable, Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler and Quartz to name a few places.

It Looks Like the Airline Award Close-In Fee Might Finally Be Dead.

January 15, 2020 Erica Ho Less than a minute to read

Got tons of miles? Need to use them last-minute? Let’s charge a bucket on the close-in fee.

Flights Technology Transit

Flight Basics: Take a Screenshot of the Boarding Pass

January 14, 2020 Erica Ho Less than a minute to read

No one has time to dig through the American app, no matter how well it’s designed. Digging through email for a mobile boarding link is also passé.

Hotels Lodging Packing

Staying at a Hotel? Don’t Pack These Things.

January 10, 2020 Erica Ho 1 minute read

There’s absolutely nothing I love more than a half-full carry-on suitcase for the week (*whispers* for the souvenirs).

Flights Tools Transit

The Best Flight Search Engines You Should Be Using for 2020

January 8, 2020 Erica Ho 1 minute read

So…. are we still using KAYAK? Sure, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But maybe it’s time to figure out the best tools for the new decade.

Bags Gear

The Best Away Luggage Alternatives

December 16, 2019 Erica Ho 3 minute read

It used to be that pastel matte wasn’t so ubiquitous. Unfortunately, there are only so many shades of the rainbow before 6 billion people co-opt all the same colors at the baggage carousel.

Culture & Science Leisure

Mundane Things To Do on the Next Trip (That Are Actually Really Interesting)

December 11, 2019 Erica Ho 1 minute read

There’s often no better look inside a culture than the mundane things that give a true glimpse into daily life. (Going to Macchu Picchu maybe only gets you part of the way there.)

Family Leisure

How To Survive (and Thrive!) on a Family Vacation

December 9, 2019 Erica Ho 2 minute read

Family politics are complicated. Family vacations are even more so.

Culture & Science Features Food Ladies

Celebrate Travel With Jerrie Mock’s Moroccan Chicken Bastilla Recipe

November 21, 2019 Erica Ho 2 minute read

Forget pumpkin pie, how about kicking off the most gluttonous season of the year with a recipe from the first woman who flew around the world?

Gear Leisure Reviews Trip Planning

Review: The One Reason Allbirds Tree Runners Are NOT the Perfect Travel Shoe.

November 20, 2019 Erica Ho 5 minute read

It’s been one year we’ve been running around in the Allbirds Tree Runners, and as much as it’s our go-to shoe (I mean, I’m wearing them right now), it is not completely perfect.

Connectivity Technology Tools

What Is WhatsApp Web and How Do You Use It?

November 19, 2019 Erica Ho 1 minute read

Using a keyboard is sooo much easier than being constricted to three inches to tap out that rant (or sharing how great that Popeye’s chicken sandwich really is).¹

Food Gear Reviews Trip Planning

Review: The AeroPress Go Is the Better AeroPress (Even If You Don’t Travel)

November 13, 2019 Erica Ho 2 minute read

Sometimes, if we’re lucky, a product will come along every few years that is actually better than the toaster. Enter the AeroPress Go.

Culture & Science Features

Meet Jerrie Mock, the First Woman To Fly Around the World

November 12, 2019 Erica Ho 6 minute read

There was only three things Geraldine Mock wanted to do in her life: ride an elephant, fly around the world, and ride a camel.

Travel

Comparing Uber Ride Pass Against the Lyft Pink Monthly Subscription

November 5, 2019 Erica Ho 1 minute read

First of all, I’m not convinced ride passes are the way to go even for the most frequent Lyft and Uber users.

Airbnb Lyft Money Plastic

Cash App Is Offering 5% Discounts On Airbnb and Lyft

November 1, 2019 Erica Ho Less than a minute to read

It’s easy to get stuck in the Venmo rut, but Cash, the Square-owned competitor, has always sweetened the pots by offering noticeable discounts to its users.

Travel

How To Switch Voltage on a Hair Dryer

October 29, 2019 Erica Ho Less than a minute to read

It’s a little embarrassing on how much we’ve written on the topic, but the truth is, if you don’t have a little graveyard of hair dryers buried in your past, *clearly* you’re not traveling correctly.

Culture & Science Flights Transit

The Difference Between Inbound and Outbound Flights

October 22, 2019 Erica Ho Less than a minute to read

Ever confuse the two? It confuses us, and we run a travel blog!

Budget Itinerary Money Technology

Quick Review: How Does Kiwi.com Differ From Other Flight Search Engines?

October 16, 2019 Erica Ho 4 minute read

How many flight search engines is it possible to name? Even among super seasoned travelers, that list often runs shorter than it does long…

Travel

Bookings.com Offers Up to 40% Discount Through T-Mobile

October 11, 2019 Erica Ho Less than a minute to read

If there was any question that T-Mobile is the carrier of choice for travelers.

Money Plastic Reference Charts

How Do the Credit Cards Stack Up in Terms of Travel Insurance?

October 9, 2019 Erica Ho 2 minute read

It’s a popular option these days, against buying travel insurance as a standalone option.

Culture & Science News Technology

Google Maps Rolls Out Incognito Mode

October 2, 2019 Erica Ho Less than a minute to read

Don’t like Google tracking your movements? The answer to those dreams is coming.

Budget Culture & Science Money

How To Buy a Plane Ticket on an Airline That Might Go Bankrupt 💰

September 30, 2019 Erica Ho 1 minute read

No names, but it is sooo tempting when the flight is sooo cheap.

Budget Hacks Money

How To Use a Friend as an ATM Machine

September 25, 2019 Erica Ho 1 minute read

Quite not like that, but if you’re interested in getting cold, hard cash, and avoiding ATM withdrawal fees, this might be the ticket.

Family Leisure

The Fact You Created Your Child Doesn’t Entitle You To Travel Alone With Them

September 17, 2019 Erica Ho 1 minute read

They say parenting is a ride, but I suspect that even most first-time parents don’t even know this.

Travel

Can You Drop Off Luggage Early at the Hotel?

September 10, 2019 Erica Ho Less than a minute to read

There is usually little reason to worry, even if it is a day or a few days ahead of check-in.

Travel

A Real Budget for One Week in Portugal on $634.57 (Airfare Not Included)

September 9, 2019 Erica Ho 3 minute read

How much does it cost to tack on a week at the end of a business trip in Portugal? Come into my house, darling, and let me tell you about it.

Travel

This Ingenious Purse Switch Trick May Just Outsmart Pickpockets

September 4, 2019 Erica Ho Less than a minute to read

It pays to be one step ahead, knowing most pickpockets are going to reach for the purse first. This trick beats them to the punch.

Cars Ground Loyalty Reference Charts

A Quick Overview of Car Rental Loyalty Programs

September 3, 2019 Erica Ho 1 minute read

Frequent flyer programs get all the attention, but it really should be all about the car rentals.

Culture & Science Misc. Videos

“Madam Secretary” Reminds Us the Airport Struggle Is Real

August 29, 2019 Erica Ho Less than a minute to read

Netflix binging is an art.

Loyalty Tools

How To Find the Cheapest Award Redemption for a Flight

August 27, 2019 Erica Ho 1 minute read

Chances are, like most frequent flyers, you have points in a hundred million frequent flyer programs, and it’s time to get from London to New York. Citi ThankYou points? British Avios? 😱 😱

Food Health

The Case for Packing Condiments, the Unsung Hero for Meals on the Run

August 26, 2019 Erica Ho Less than a minute to read

Sometimes traveling means admitting… life resembles #hobodom much more than Instagram #superstardom you’d like to admit.

Ground Lyft Taxis Technology Transit Uber

Bellhop Finds the Cheapest Rideshare App for Getting Across Town

August 22, 2019 Erica Ho 1 minute read

Rideshare comparison apps have been around for almost as long as the ridesharing industry has been.

Culture & Science Features

Diagnosing the Complicated Case of Medical Tourism

August 15, 2019 Erica Ho 5 minute read

I still remember the first time I ever showed up at the doctor’s office in Hong Kong, asking for a birth control prescription. He laughed at me. “You can get it over the counter, don’t you know that?”

Technology

How To Change Your Device’s Country on the App Store

August 14, 2019 Erica Ho 1 minute read

It may surprise you but your phone does have its own nationality.

Money Technology

Google Flights Is Offering a Limited Time Price Guarantee

August 9, 2019 Erica Ho 1 minute read

In time for shoulder season, Google Flights will be offering a price guarantee for a limited time, giving customers a refund for any price drops.

Culture & Science Loyalty

The Make-A-Wish Foundation Is Requesting Airline Miles

August 7, 2019 Erica Ho Less than a minute to read

Make-A-Wish is kicking off their Trips That Transform campaign this month, and asking for donations in the form of airline miles. Million milers, we know you’re out there!

Sea Transit

Before You Book That Cargo Ship Across the Ocean

August 6, 2019 Erica Ho 2 minute read

Maybe it’s time to follow in Greta Thunberg’s footsteps. Also, maybe you’ve run out of money, and sailing across the ocean seems like a cheaper way to get from point A to point B.