Elevating my travel experience: 3 benefits I'm finally embracing for 2022

At my core, I've always been a "basic" traveler. Despite my job at TPG opening up first-class flying opportunities, my personal trips are quite different. I lack high-end credit cards for lounge access, I always choose economy flights, rarely check bags, and haven’t considered applying for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck until now.

However, 2022 marks a shift in my approach.

This year, I've made the decision to embrace travel perks like lounge access, Clear, and Global Entry. Previously, I believed these extras weren’t essential for a good travel experience. While they are indeed luxuries, my increased travel frequency means these perks will ultimately save me time and hassle.

Here are the travel perks I’m choosing to invest in for 2022 and the future.

Access to airport lounges

Interesting tidbit: My first experience in an airport lounge occurred in 2021 when TPG reporter Chris Dong used his Citi® / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees) to bring me into the Admirals Club in Miami (MIA) during a work trip.

Working in the lounge while enjoying some much-needed coffee and food after an early morning flight was a significant improvement over waiting at the gate. However, that experience alone didn’t convince me of the necessity for regular lounge access. Even two additional visits to Amex Centurion Lounges through colleagues on other work trips didn’t sway me. It wasn’t until a recent incident during my flight back home to Arkansas for the holidays that I realized lounge access was valuable for both work and leisure travel.

I had booked an early morning flight out of New York City's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to minimize the risk of delays, with a brief layover in Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) before connecting to Little Rock's Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT). My hopes for a smooth morning quickly vanished when the pilot announced a maintenance issue, leading to a delay. This setback caused me to miss my connection, and the next available flight was nearly eight hours later than my original itinerary.

Fortunately, I had a friend in Charlotte who picked me up from the airport for lunch and offered a few hours of couch surfing, sparing me from spending the entire day at the airport. If I had been stuck there, a credit card with lounge access would have truly been a lifesaver.

Given the ongoing staffing shortages leading to flight cancellations and delays, along with my new city’s winter weather challenges, unexpected changes to my travel plans are likely this year. While lounge access won’t eliminate delays or cancellations, it would certainly enhance the experience during lengthy layovers.

TSA PreCheck and Global Entry

For those unfamiliar, TSA PreCheck and Global Entry are trusted traveler programs designed to expedite security procedures at U.S. airports. The former speeds up the TSA security checkpoint experience, while the latter streamlines the customs process when returning from international flights. (Check out our comprehensive guide here.)

I realize I should have applied for one of these programs much sooner. However, not having a card that covered the application fee, coupled with limited travel over the past two years and living in places where TSA PreCheck didn’t save much time, made it seem like more trouble than it was worth.

In 2021, I moved to the bustling New York City and decided to apply for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, which provides reimbursement for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fees. So really, there's no excuse for me not to apply.

With any luck (and support from my COVID-19 vaccine and booster shot), I plan to explore more international destinations this year, making Global Entry (and consequently TSA PreCheck) a real game-changer for my travels.

Clear

Similar to TSA PreCheck, Clear provides a quicker route through security. While it isn’t available at all airports and doesn’t allow you to bypass security entirely (you still need to go through the checkpoint), it can help save time during busy periods. When combined with TSA PreCheck, it significantly enhances the security process efficiency.

To be fair, I was recently gifted a one-year membership to test Clear, so I didn’t have to pay the initial joining fee. After using it a few times, I’m certain I’ll renew my membership in the future. When security lines are long and travelers are waiting to verify their identities at TSA checkpoints, Clear can save a significant amount of time. Less time spent in lines means more time to enjoy the lounge access benefits I mentioned earlier.

Final thoughts

Sometimes, maximizing perks like these might seem like you need to jet off to exotic locations every weekend, but I’m starting to see that’s not necessary. In 2021, most of my trips were to Disney World or other domestic spots—journeys that could have been smoother with some of these perks (especially lounge access) in my arsenal.

My plan for gaining lounge access this year is still in the works. I might treat myself to The Platinum Card® from American Express (see rates and fees) for its exceptional lounge access (and its numerous other benefits, of course), or I may look into applying for a cobranded card that provides access to a specific airline's lounges. Whatever path I choose, I’m determined to make it happen this year.

Here’s to safe travels later in 2022 — you’ll catch me raising a toast from an airport lounge bar instead of squeezed into a tight seat by my gate.