To quell the sometimes debilitating pre-trip anxiety, I’ve learned to do a final check: wallet, phone, passport if necessary. This mantra ensures I have the necessities to travel, and reminds me anything else can be borrowed or purchased if needed. 

But beyond making sure that I don’t forget items I require to be comfortable in my time away from home, there are some basic actions that can prove helpful in this pre-travel checklist.  

On my recent trip to the east coast, I found that some travel planning tasks I did, some I thought I did, and some I neglected to do altogether. 

A little bit of time and effort now can be a huge help in the moment:  

• Confirm operating hours for museums, historical sites and attractions
  • Many museums close Monday and Tuesdays- shift your travel dates if possible to align with open hours.
• Confirm ticket availability, or pre-purchase tickets before your visit
  • Many attractions sell out or have timed tickets- save yourself the headache and click around the attraction website to ensure ability to visit when desired 

• If you have flexibility with your booking, check for regional and national holidays, or large events that might be taking place during your visit.
  • Imagine forgetting that the World Cup was going on in the city you were visiting, or that it was Bolivian Independence Day? It can happen. 
• Purchase train tickets or fare for short flights as soon as possible for better pricing.
  • Pre-planning can save hundreds of dollars on train and airfare- this is easily overlooked when the distance traveled is short. 
• Research your lodging and amenities
  • The last thing you want is to find out your hotel has a pool or hot tub and you didn’t pack a suit, or the attached gym has a full on reformer pilates studio and you didn’t bring appropriate clothes. 
  • Resort Fees often include free bike rental or shuttle services.  Know what’s included so you can take full advantage of offerings.
• Renting a car? Do your homework on the rental company
  • Turns out not all car rental companies allow spouses as free additional drivers.  Factor this in during price comparisons. 
  • Elite status (included with some credit cards) may grant free additional drivers as well as other perks. 
  • Tolls vs. EZ Pass: A quick route-check before picking up your car can help you decide if you should opt to pay daily to activate the EZ pass.  
• Check lounge access and confirm updated lounge pass membership.
  • Make sure you have physical cards or updated digital memberships saved to your phone.
  • Confirm lounge hours and accessibility- Many lounge networks are beginning to curb access to certain members or require lounge passes to enter, or require passing through airport security between terminals.
• Know your rights regarding travel delays and cancellations.
  • Airlines are legally required to offer a refund, or at times food vouchers and accommodations for certain cancellation types. 
  • Travel Insurance coverage, whether purchased or included with booking with certain credit cards, can offset costs accrued during delays and cancellations. Know what is included with your coverage.

Minimizing the last minute surprises and hidden costs can be an invaluable way of smoothing the path to any trip away from home.  While I am all for building resilience and working through hard things, a little pre-travel planning can be the difference between stressful travel and something that actually feels like a break.

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The post Taking a Trip? The Things I Forgot So You Don’t Have To appeared first on Carry On Better.

This top rated premium travel card has undergone some serious changes- changes big enough that they might make some die-hard fans looking to other options, depending on how important lounge access is for them.

While adding authorized users remains free on both the personal and business versions of the card, authorized users no longer receive complimentary Priority Pass membership.

Additionally, guest access has tightened across the board.

Only Venture X Business primary cardholders receive two complimentary guests at Priority Pass lounges. All other primary cardholders must now pay guest fees at Capital One Lounges, Capital One Landings, and Priority Pass lounges.

To maintain lounge access for authorized users, the primary cardholder must now pay $125 per authorized user annually.

Guest fees are now:

• $35 per guest at Priority Pass lounges
• $45 per guest at Capital One Lounges and Capital One Landings

Cardholders who spend over $75,000 on their Venture X in the previous calendar year unlock:

• Two complimentary guests at Capital One Lounges
• One complimentary guest at Capital One Landings

This spending perk does not extend to Priority Pass lounges.

Updating lounge access for authorized users requires several steps, including re-registering them for Priority Pass.

You’ll need the authorized user’s Social Security number and an active email address.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Set Up Online Access

1. Log into your Capital One account.
2. Select your Venture X card.
3. Go to “Control Your Card.”
4. Click “Manage Account Users.”
5. Locate your authorized user and review their Online Access and Lounge Access status.

To register an authorized user for Priority Pass, they must first have online access enabled.

If they do not:

• Click into “Online Access.”
• Enter their Social Security number and email.
• The authorized user will receive an email to validate their account.

2. Activate Lounge Access

1. Click into “Lounge Access” under the authorized user.
2. Select “Continue.”
3. If prompted, proceed through the pop-up.
4. If access is blocked, confirm the authorized user has completed online verification.

You will see lounge access listed as “Inactive.”

Click “View Details” and complete the $125 annual purchase. The charge will be added to your Venture X bill and lounge access will activate immediately.

After payment, the authorized user will receive an email from Priority Pass to create a new account.

Do not reuse old login credentials. Treat the previous account as inactive and create a new login and password.

If you previously used the Priority Pass app:

• Delete the app.
• Re-download it.
• Log in using your new credentials.

There have been reports of the app reverting to old login information if not reset.

Once logged in:

• Save the digital membership card to your mobile wallet.
• Confirm the updated expiration date (currently February 2027).

Repeat this process for each authorized user who wishes to maintain lounge access.

Best Alternatives If Guest Access Is a Priority

If unrestricted guest access is your top concern, consider:

• American Express Platinum — $895 annual fee
• Chase Sapphire Reserve (Personal & Business) — $795 annual fee
• Citi Strata Elite — $595 annual fee
• Bilt Palladium — $495 annual fee

Each has its own structure and limitations, so review the fine print carefully.

Despite the lounge changes, Venture X remains one of the strongest premium travel cards available.

In 2025, competitors raised annual fees significantly:

• American Express Platinum increased from $695 to $895.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve increased from $550 to $795.

Capital One chose to limit guest lounge access instead of increasing its annual fee. While not popular, the previous lounge policy was exceptionally generous.

For some travelers, especially families who relied on free guest access, this change may be a dealbreaker — and that’s completely understandable.

Personally, I still appreciate the simplicity of Venture X:

• 2x miles on all purchases
• 10,000 bonus miles every card anniversary
• $300 annual travel credit

The card is straightforward.

By contrast, both Chase Sapphire Reserve and American Express Platinum rely heavily on monthly, quarterly, and annual credits to justify higher annual fees. Those credits can be valuable, but they require tracking and consistent usage to extract full value.

If you prefer simplicity over juggling credits, Venture X still delivers.

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The post Venture X Lounge Access Changes 2026: Guest Fees, Authorized User Costs + Is It Still Worth It? appeared first on Carry On Better.

A comfortable and light-filled space to read, snack and nap.

The airside lounge in Hall A by the food court before entering the corridor to international departures (not to be confused with the International VIP Airside Lounge) though small, was a nice respite from the activity of the airport.  Approaching the doors I noticed a sign saying they were at capacity and suggested the International lounge by the gates, but when I went inside to get on the waiting list they let me slip in as I was traveling alone.  They scanned my Priority Pass QR code and got me checked in.

The lounge space is fairly compact, but two of the adjoining walls are floor to ceiling windows with a view of the tarmac that baths the lounge in natural light, making the space feel far larger than it is.  The lounge is furnished with a mix of comfortable loveseats of various sizes, bistro tables, and one long bar top running along one of the window walls.  The recessed lighting is not too bright, and the wood accents don’t feel cheesy as it sometimes can.

A small but attentive staff circulates the lounge, taking drink and snack orders and clearing empty plates and glassware, prepping empty tables for new guests.  For refreshments they offer a full bar, beer and wine, as well as basic non-alcoholic beverages.  The menu has an array of snacks and I enjoyed a few hot ham and cheese croissant sandwiches and a tuna salad, but saw other other people enjoying chips, crudite plates and scrambled eggs.  

The lounge does a wonderful job managing capacity.  Despite seeing several open tables and chairs, they had capped the influx and the space never felt full to the gills. 

After about a half hour of being there, I did notice a staff member assessing the open tables to revisit capacity and shortly thereafter there was an influx of new guests.  

There are several big screen TV’s with the sound off, different sports games playing on each one. A few monitors with the airport’s departure information were also mounted throughout to help travelers keep tabs on flights.  The lounge also has its own bathrooms, but no shower facilities. When I first began using airport lounges a few years ago, I had not foreseen how much value I would find in there being bathrooms within the lounges. Funny how your priorities change as you age.

I was impressed with this modest but pleasant lounge.  As I had taken the bus from Sayulita to PVR and aired on the side of caution, I had arrived 4 hours before my flight and was elated to have somewhere comfortable to relax, read and enjoy some natural light and snacks before my flight. 

As the comfort, cleanliness, and refreshments of a lounge can vary wildly from ‘sad cafeteria’ to upscale hotel lobby, I was very satisfied with the quality of this lounge. 

When finally it was time to make my way towards the gate for departure, I passed the International VIP Lounge that would have been my other option had the former not let me in.  It was a large, two story structure that looked high-end in its black and gold facade. It had more capacity than the one I had been in and appeared to have more to offer in regard to food and beverage. I did not poke my head in as it was crowded and the lines for boarding were already rather chaotic. 

Despite my initial feeling of remorse that this lounge seemed fancier and perhaps better, I ultimately decided I was content with my choice as the intimate feel and attentive staff was a wonderful way to start my journey back home. The next time I pass through PVR I will make sure to visit this lounge to make a fair assessment and see how it compares to the more intimate lounge.

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